Johnston Books

Despite its appearance as a picture book, The Harmonica generally would work best with a slightly older audience, generally upper elementary. Tony Johnston covers the challenging topic of Nazi concentration camps with sensitivity, sharing the struggles of those involved without overwhelming young minds. Its beautiful pictures certainly will interest all readers, but the color scheme matches the darker content of the story. The School Library Journal review states that the story "makes a case for the power of music/art to support and sustain humanity". It is difficult to disagree with this statement when considering music in particular. There needs to be no understanding of language to appreciate music, just a willingness to share in the passion and humanness of the composer who wrote it. This is what ultimately binds all the people in this story, and beyond, together.

Sometimes a book falls into your hands that you know will carve a road through your heart before you open it. In this case, from the cover illustration and title, I knew that Tony Johnston's picture book; THE HARMONICA would be such a read. Inspired by the true story of Henryk Rosmaryn, this picture book takes readers on a journey through the nightmare of the Holocaust.

The story itself is poignant, painful and full of the hope that human beings find in the worst of times. Our narrator is a young boy with the gift of music who lives in Poland. Despite their poverty, his father acquires a harmonica for him. But this joyous time is short lived when the Nazi's arrive, tearing his parents away and sending him off to live in a concentration camp. A commandant hears him playing Schubert on the harmonica one night and demands the boy to play for him every night in exchange for bread. Ultimately, the boy finds strength through his playing and realizes it is a way to give his fellow prisoners hope in the darkness. There are, of course, many books on this subject-many good books. I think I can safely say this joins their ranks. Ms. Johnston's simple, lyrical text is both poetic and harsh in its narration. That is evident from the opening lines "I cannot remember my father's face, or my mother's, but I remember their love, warm and enfolding as a song." The text never falters, and never becomes overwrought. With a large font, and only a few lines per page, the story unfolds more like a poem than a straight narrative.

This is illustrator Ron Mazellan's first children's book, and it is a stunning achievement. With a mixture of art mediums, the images come to life in rich color and texture. Characters are drawn in high detail while the backgrounds are more sparse and indistinct giving the entire story a slightly dream-like quality, which goes well with Johnston's lyrical text. In the earlier, happier pictures, the images are a wash of warm golds and browns. As the Nazi's encroach up on the picture, the washes turn to grays, and purples and blues. And then the warmth begins the come back in as he remembers his family and embraces the music. So much of the story is conveyed by the emotion in these pictures, that a reader can take a long time studying a single image before turning the page. At the very back of the book, there is a note that this book was inspired by the true story of Henryk Rosmaryn who survived the hardships of the concentration camps and made his way to the United States, where he continued to play his harmonica to inspire others.

This is not a story for a young child. Picture books are not always for beginning readers or toddlers, this story is not happy, and while there is a positive message within the music, there is no satisfactory conclusion for a youngster. There is no happy reunion for the boy and his family; there is no come-uppence for the violent commandant. The book does not offer resolutions or reassurance. For a child who is learning about the Holocaust, however, this may be one of the books to introduce them to. It has a young narrator for them to identify with and some powerful messages to share. And while it is dark and grim, the book is not grisly. Everything is shown through the eyes of the main narrator. Be prepared to spend some time discussing this book and the events that inspired it. This is a beautiful and powerful book, but it does have an appropriate time and place for a child to discover it.

For those who love THE HARMONICA, I would recommend the picture books ONE YELLOW DAFFODIL by David A. Adler and THE SECRET SEDER by Doreen Rappaport.

Good Reading! Shanshad ^_^

A semi-finalists in the 2005 Independent Publisher Book Awards!

A young Polish boy, living with his parents in a house filled with love and music, yearns for a piano so he can play the music of his favorite composer, Schubert. But the family is poor, and it is the gift of a harmonica that lets the boy make music - until the Nazis find them. Torn from his parents, the boy plays his harmonica in his concentration camp to keep from forgetting what once was and from losing all hope. When the camp commandant hears of his musical prowess, the boy is forced to play for the Nazi. Ashamed of receiving scraps of bread from the officer while others starve, he eventually hears heartfelt thanks from another prisoner. He realizes that, "Each night, like the very stars, my notes had reached other prisoners." From then on, when ordered to play, the boy does so with all his heart. There are few happy tales from the Holocaust. But there are many stories of man's indomitable spirit, something that transcends the horrors of that time and place. This is another such tale, based on the true story of a Holocaust survivor. And it expresses the uplifting power of music, which no walls can contain. Luminous illustrations help make this book a masterpiece.

[...]

This book is essentially an earnest and well-illustrated poem, although it is difficult to imagine who might ever choose to read it. It falls under the category of "Illustrated Books About the Holocaust", but it is too depressing for youngsters, and too obscure for older students. The notes at the end tell us that the book was inspired by the true story of Henryk Rosmaryn, who survived a concentration camp with the help of his talent on the harmonica. The poem that constitutes this story relates the sorrowful tale of a contented, poor, but musical family that is destroyed by the Holocaust. Most of the lines are bleak, such as:

"Often, to keep from losing hope, I touched the harmonica,
cold inside my pocket.
I wept when I thought of my father and mother.
I awoke jolted from sleep. And I knew--
My parents were dead.
Then I played Shubert.
Played and played while my heart reeled.

The boy in the story plays Shubert on his harmonica for the camp commandant, who tosses him bread, and thus he manages to stay alive. There is also the hope that the boy's music has also managed to uplift the spirits of other prisoners at the camp. The illustrations are well done but dark, especially the painting of the commandant with his black dogs and whip. In general, a curious choice for publication in a genre that is saturated with too many dreary books of this kind. Recommended only for ages 12 -up who are interested in the Holocaust.

This picture book is based on the true story of a Holocaust survivor, who is torn away from his family at an early age. His harmonica keeps his connection to his parents alive and the memories they shared.
The content of this picture book is of serious nature,and provides realistic images of what the boy has to endure during his time at the concentration camp. It is not recommended for children under 10.
The book is very dark and quite grim. However, the language in the story has a lyrical flow and the word choice creates vivid imagery. A read aloud of this story leaves the reader with an eerie feeling.
The illustrations complement the message from the text and reflect the boy's memories and feelings.
--Vance 202

Great resource for thinking through communication to today's culture. This book goes much deeper than most other books on the subject. Most books push technology and short sound bite type sermons. Johnston takes the reader past this to see the underlying thought processes of the postmodern listener.

Johnston also supplies a chapter on defining post modernism that is one of the best descriptions available. This chapter by itself would make this book worth reading.

Graham Johnston's "Preaching to a Postmodern World" is an outstanding work for anybody who needs a primer on the postmodern mindset. An excellent overview of the history of the Enlightenment, modernism, and the emergence of postmodernism serves as one of the best introductions of any I have read. Johnston's summary of the postmodern mindset and its ramifications is perhaps the most succinct and useful guide I have yet encountered. He seems to have a firm grasp on how secularism emerged and led to postmodern thinking. The numerous examples of Hollywood movies and popular songs demonstrate Johnston's prowess as a cultural watcher and critic. His observations about these and other elements of pop culture are insightful, and he does a very good job of "connecting the dots" of his observations with his commentary on postmodernism.

Johnston's conclusions are alternately refreshing and frustrating. His emphasis on the affective level of communication, to stimulate correct feelings about God, is refreshing. Some of his suggested means for accomplishing this are frustrating, e.g. preaching from a barstool, using clips from Hollywood films to illustrate points, avoiding black-and-white statements of doctrine. He does not seem to grasp the rise of populism within American evangelicalism that began in the early 19th century and that fueled much of what he laments in the church, like, "Western civilization wallows in fragments of Christian clichés and paraphernalia. . . . The danger . . . is not that people reject Christ but that they reject a caricature of Christ." (p. 19, 21)

He is surprisingly optimistic about the receptivity of postmodern listeners to an exclusive Christ. This optimism is at odds with much of what he says. Inconsistent thinking may fuel this optimism. For example, he quotes Diogenes Allen p. l7, "A culture that is increasingly free of the assumptions of the Enlightenment of science, religion, morality, and society is a culture that is increasingly free of assumptions that prevent one from coming to an appreciation of the intellectual strength of Christianity." This makes little sense given that the assumptions which have replaced the assumptions of the Enlightenment are in fact even greater barriers to appreciating the intellectual strength of an exclusive Christianity! As bad as the Enlightenment was, what has emerged from the Enlightenment is much worse. "Unfortunately, with the loss of truth, people will now seek faith without boundaries, categories, or definition. The old parameters of belief do not exist. As a result, people will be increasingly open to knowing God, but on their own terms." (p. 31) While I admire Johnston's enthusiasm, he fails to explain how being open to an inclusive faith leads to being open to an exclusive faith. Repeating the conclusion does not reinforce its validity.

What Johnston suggests (prior to the climax of the book) as a fresh new way to approach postmodern listeners is not really new at all. In fact, much of that to which he objects has always been objectionable! Many of his suggestions are poignant, biblical, and seemingly obvious (despite evidence to the contrary in the populist Fundamentalist and Evangelical movements over the last century). His objections to the grosser errors of modernist preaching are valid, and the same ones I and my friends shared as children in the 1980s.

Unfortunately, arguments are often presented using a straw man. An example of this is encapsulated in the conclusion on p. 114, "Biblical communicators must learn to speak about God in more than sound bites [sic] and superficial jargon." Nobody would disagree with this. To characterize the preaching of yesteryear as "sound bites and superficial jargon" is ironically doing just what he is decrying - communicating in a shallow way that not only fails to engage the reader but insults his intelligence.

While Johnston never elaborates on his idea of worship, it appears that it is man-centered. The climax of his book challenges the reader to engage the listener and woo the lost with the all-important "relevance" of the preacher, err, "communicator" (p. 149) who exudes a studied, casual demeanor as he sits on his stool (p. 151) and tells stories with practiced comedy (p. 169), showing his relaxed listeners clips from Hollywood films (no doubt to stretch their moral imagination) and encourages them to imagine God as a great Forrest Gump (p. 163). The notion of worship as a reverent, God-centered activity, utterly incomprehensible to the lost, seems not only foreign to Johnston but even repugnant. By making "worship" into a "relevant" activity that appeals to the lost, Johnston wins them with the very thing that he should be winning them to, but no longer exists - because he has hijacked it! Perhaps the initial response to this banal thing that has replaced worship is what fuels Johnston's optimism that postmodernism is not really that bad, after all. And so the populist movements of American Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism race ever faster around the bend, plunging down their same old vortex in a constant headlong rush into oblivion.

Graham Johnston is the senior pastor at Subiaco Church of Christ in Western Australia and lectures in homiletics at the Australian College of Ministries. "Preaching to a Postmodern World" is inteneded as a primer in postmodern thought for pastors who simply don't "get" the postmodern mindset. As a whole, this book has been helpful to me, but it still exhibits weaknesses.

What I have found most beneficial about this book is the very topic it addresses. Many people have been able to describe the postmodern mindset and tell what it's like, but very few have been able to define it and explain what it is. Johnston avoids this debate all together. Working from what he knows postmoderns are like--and knowing that the number of folks having this mindset is continually growing--he sticks to what they're like, what they want to hear and what they don't want to hear. Thus, the helps the non-postmodern pastor write sermons that postmoderns can relate to. This book is sprinkled with all sorts of "dos" and "don'ts." Some are helpful, some are not so helpful, and some are just plain confusing. Nevertheless, although the "helpful hints" includes good as well as bad and ugly, I actually consider this a strength as the reader can effectively glean what will work best for him. Finally, I appreciate the fact that the book is an easy read. This is not a doctoral disseration, but it is rather a book intended to be read by a wide (pastoral) audience.

This is not to say that the book is Pulitzer-worthy (or even Oprah Book Club-worthy). It does have some weaknesses. One such weankess is the lack of organization within the book. The chapters of the book don't display any central theme, but rather each chapter tends to run the gamut, displaying a holistic approach to praching, and covering many disconnected points. This is frustrating for this reader as I would have appreciated a more systamatic approach to this work. As a reslut of the current layout, I found myself asking how the stuff I'm reading now connects to the stuff toward the beginning of the chapter. In addition to this, Johnston tends not to make a clear distinction between "telling the postmodern what he wants to hear" and "holding out Christianity as the objective truth." I walk away from the book thinking that Johnston wants me to understand the postmodern so that I can pretend to be one of them: walk their walk, talk their talk, then hit them with doctrine. I don't think that this is what he has in mind, but it's the feel i get from this book.

In sum, Graham Johnston understands the postmodern mind, he knows what makes them tick, and I'm sure he's a very effective minister to postmoderns. However, how I can do the same is not clearly shown in this book. Nevertheless, Johnston does show that if one wants to minister effetively to postmoderns through sermons, it is essential that you build relationships with them, get to know them, understand their hopes and concerns, love them, and serve them. In this way, you will craft more relevant sermons and the postmodern will be more inclined to give you a hearing--yet isn't this the way you preach to any group?

3 1/2 Stars, but I'll round him up to 4. Recommended.

The deeper I got into this book, the better it got. There were a few moments that is got a little "deep" for me, but it turned out to be a very practical book, with great ideas on communicating to today's culture. I liked the author's views on how the church should not "run" from pop-culture, but rather embrace it and use it as an opporunity to reach people. I think this book would be a great read for any pastor or church leader in the midst of transition towards reaching unchurched people.

This book is certainly not bad - it does provide some insight and practical advice for preaching to a postmodern world, and, in this way, may be helpful. My main criticism is that all of the (foot)notes quote other Evangelicals about their analyses and perspectives of postmodernism without letting postmodernists speak for themselves on the matter. Accordingly, this book may be a good introduction for someone who knows nothing about postmodernism and for someone who has an Evangelical background, but it is rather superficial and stereotypical in its presentation. If your primary exposure to postmodernism is from reading this book, you will not learn how to think as postmodernists think, you will learn only how some Evangelicals believe postmodernists think. For a non-religious, concise, and insightful approach, I highly recommend Christopher Butler's "Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction," published by Oxford University Press.

Sure this book has some cliques in it for example

Pompous army officer that you know is just going to get his men killed
Hardened Civillian that used to kill people for a living but now doesn't
A "weak women" freash from the cities of the east who has never been on the frontier before but finds deep within herself the coruage to blah bla blah.

I'm not saying I didn't like. Hey I love westerns I jst realize that no book is perfect. The author does to a preety good job of mixing fiction and history and if you are a western fan I recommend it.

I listened to the audiocassette of this massacre. Massacres come out a little different on audio than they do in a movie, or in a book, or (!) in person? Anyway, they're harder to follow, because the geography is abstract and so are the people. All I know is that Colonel Carrington, Jim Bridger, and Sergeant Seamus Donnegan are the good guys. Fetterman (I forget his rank, but he's a hotshot something) and Captain Brown are the bad guys (and they pay big time!). Man-afraid-of-his-horse, Curly, and Red Cloud are kind of like non-innocent bystanders: they wreak plenty of havoc, but it's not really they're fault, they're just sort of trying to "get over"? I myself had never heard of the Fetterman Massacre (1866), ten years before Custer's turn. Mr. Johnston, may he rest in peace, has educated me. What better way to learn history? But maybe the listener might benefit from having handy an atlas with detailed maps of the fighting area. Maybe some biographical information about the combatants. Anyway, worth listening, but needs some adjuncts. And scary! When you think about being in Fetterman's shoes, but then isn't all war scary? Diximus.

This historically accurate novel about the initial stages of the war between the U. S. army and the plains Indians (the Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapahos) is an exceptionally enjoyable read. Nearly all the characters are names out of the history books (Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, Henry Carrington, William Fetterman, etc.) with one big exception. Seamus Donnegan, ex-army sergeant, is a fictitious and likeable rogue, although possibly a tad too John Wayne-ish. As a student of Native American history, I was left somewhat wanting for a clearer view of the Indian side of the tale, but that aside I'd recommend this book highly. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

This historically accurate novel about the initial stages of the war between the U. S. army and the plains Indians (the Sioux, Cheyennes, and Arapahos) is an enjoyable read. Nearly all the characters are names out of the history books (Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, Henry Carrington, William Fetterman, etc.) with one big exception. Seamus Doonegan, ex-army sergeant, is a fictitious and likeable rogue (although possibly a tad too John Wayne-ish). As a student of Native American history, I was left somewhat wanting for a clearer view of the Indian side of the tale, but that aside I'd recommend this book. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

Terry C. Johnston, has done one hell of a job on this series. I highly recommed to anyone reading westerns today. He will keep you on the edge of your sit.

I don't think anyone will be disappointed in this book or series. If you don't care for reading an author getting off on a cursade you won't have to worry about Terry as he won't go there. He makes you feel as if you are part of the battle, or sitting right next to the characters in the book.

This book was a good read. True, you could usually figure out the plot, but so what. Do we ever really not know how the romance novel will end? If you're looking for suspense read a mystery. If your looking to be swept away into a world of Sexy excitment, humor and true love, You'll like this one. Also try Anything, My Love" by Cynthia Simmons. A real page turner and a hero you won't forget.

I loved these two characters and was so happy to see them together. She brings out the best in him. They drive each other crazy in or out of bed!! You have to read this book!

I have been reading romance for years, and this book is practically for babies. The excitement is barely lukewarm. The premise had such great potential, but it was never really developed. It was a complete waste of time, which is a shame because I've read some of her other books and they were good.

This was the first book by Joan Johnston that I had read that wasn't in the Silhouette or Harlequin line and I was pleasently surprised. An interesting premise and I loved Charlotte. She was headstrong and not afraid of doing what she wanted. I also enjoyed the other small stories that Ms. Johnston incorporates into her books. Go out and find the others in this line. You won't be dissapointed.

This book was delightful. I fully enjoyed Charlotte's outspoken frankness and her views on equalality among everyone. She helped the Earl of Denbigh shed his much too stuffy attitude. And she helped heal his heart from a disasterious courtship from an unfortunate victim. I do so hope that the rest in this quartet series are as enjoyable as this one.

Because I'd read all the other books with Titus Bass, I had to read this one. But, this is clearly not Johnston's best work. Whereas the other novels were fast paced and exciting, this one is much slower and in places tedious. Maybe it's because Titus is aging; he's just naturally slowing down.

Titus Bass, variously a cattle rustler, a trapper, a doting husband and father, and a man with a serious "rep" in and around the 1840s Rocky Mountains, is one of those heroes that transmogrifies from book to book, sequel to sequel. Unfortunately for those of us dummies who start reading the series in the middle, there's a lot of old war stories that just don't make sense. Half of this book cannot be read unless you know the prior goings-on. Too bad, because the other half could stand on its own. In this free-standing half, we have the story of Titus (aka "Scratch") joining up with his trapper buds (and some not so buds) to steal horses from the Mexicans in California. There's much excitement in this endeavor, and no little killing. Following which there's a boring interlude in which Scratch makes his way through the mountains back to his wife and kids. They all set out for Taos, NM, although you have to be privy to earlier books to have the slightest idea why (characters from earlier books pop in and out constantly, with no other introduction to speak of, except little footnotes which Mr. Johnston is kind enough to supply, indicating which of his prequels will reference the individual). In Taos, a real hair-raising scenario ends the book, based on history, apparently. The killing which takes place there makes the American Psycho look like Peter Pan. Thus, the good, the bad, and the many passages you can skip. Diximus.

Howdy folks. James Drury here. You might remember me from the Virginian. I don't read many of Terry Johnston's books, but I read this one and I want to leave you some of my thoughts. First, it's a shame to have Terry Johnston gone. He left us way too young, and cancer got another one. I do enjoy Johnston's stuff, but I have to say it's a little rough for my tastes. I read all of Kirby Jonas's novels on audio tape, and Kirby has a similar flair to Johnston as far as historical authenticity but without the bite of graphic violence, too much cussing, and other things just better left to the imagination. I know I sound like I'm slamming an author who was well-loved by many and always will be. I don't mean to slam him, and I do recommend this and all of his books if you are strong of stomach. For a milder, but still authentic taste of the West, read Kirby Jonas's books or listen to me read them on audio. Thanks for hearing me out.

Titus Bass strikes again! If you've read the other books in this series, I'm sure you already ache to follow Titus on another adventure, so pick this up.

Johnston is a great writer, easily on a par with Elmer Kelton or Kirby Jonas or Louis L'Amour. Well worth the read!

Have read all of Terry's Tiltus Bass novels and find them to be not only great stories but also great history lessons of the American West. I have a special interest in Terry's Titus Bass books as he mentions people in the novels that my great grandparents knew, such as John McLouglin, Robert "Doc" Newell and Joe Meek. My great grandmother's sister married Doc Newell a number of years after he had retired from beaver trapping and setteled in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Keep an eye out for the last Titus Bass novel later this year titled Wind Walker.

This was a wonderful story as noted by other reviewers. It's part of a 12 books Hawk's Way Series and I really enjoy the character overflow. Although they stand alone, I think its better to start with the earlier ones and read them in order.
For example Jake and Hope's story is in "sisters found" and it's odd to read about their "early days" afer the fact. Anyhow. Joan Johnston has a way with words. Her characters have depth, likeability and somehow you're always rooting for them. However don't expect the thick gothic type books. These are quick reads but have some explicit sex and raw emotion.

Another great book in her Hawk's Way series. Go out and find the others. You won't regret it. :)

Another great book by Joan Johnston! I just loved Colt to pieces! I was so glad to read about Jenny and Colt. Thank heavens, after all those years, she ended up with the right guy! You ached for Colt and his feelings for Jenny. It was hard to put this book down. The various characters in the book reach out and grab you too. Easy to see that books can follow about Jenny's brother, Randy with Faith and Colt's big brother Jack and Hope! At least we HOPE so. The Whitelaw's are such an exceptional family, by reading the books, you can be a part of the family, at least for awhile. And, Joan usually brings in some imperfection which is unusual, but more normal than the drop-dead gorgeous heroine! This is a reality check that many readers can relate to. Thanks Joan for entertaining us so well with another great read!

Highly anticipated continuation of the Whitelaw family. Like the other books, I could not put it down. Colt and Jenny are two characters that will warm your heart. Since they were kids, they were meant to be together. Cannot wait to find out about Jake and Randy and their potential romances in another book. Hope that book(s) is coming soon.

The story line was very good and have always enjoyed the Whitelaw's stories. It shows that live is not always easy and happy, but when two people really love each other, they can face anything. I am anxious for the next storries of Randy, Faith, Hope and Jake.

I purchased this book based on positive reviews. I was sorely disappointed. I was looking for an interesting history of the business, but the writing is quite amateurish, with silly literary devices and clumsy foreshadowing.

Rather than a sober look at the successes and failures of the Luby clan, there is just lots of veneration of the supposed high moral character of the principals. I understand that they were God-fearing, hard-working people. Tell me something new!

I stopped reading it halfway through and gave the book away.

This is a great story about a truly amazing company......a sad commentary on the death of an American business ethic, and an interesting family history...very worth the read. I LOVED IT.

I grew up in San Antonio so was eager to read about the history of Luby's. While it was interesting it was also tedious reading. The writing style is florid and repetitious. Throughout the book I couldn't help thinking that it would have made a great Texas Monthly article. It is about 200 pages too long.

HOUSE OF PLENTY: THE RISE, FALL, AND REVIVAL OF LUBY'S CAFETERIAS might at first glance seem a limited regional survey; but in fact it will reach to any interested in business history in general and small business and local history in particular. Luby's experienced phenomenal growth and became a favorite family restaurant during the post-World War II decades, evolving from the dream of a broken man to a cafeteria empire with revenues second only to McDonald's. This excellent survey reveals the specifics of the company's success and how it ultimately failed.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Fried fish with lots of tarter sauce, green beans, blue Jell-O, and chocolate milk. As a child that was my pick every Friday evening at Luby's. It rarely varied. Oh, I might give the red Jell-O a try, if I was feeling experimental. Friday at the Cafeteria was a family tradition, a treat for my working mom. All the servers on the line knew us. The lady dishing meat would give me a half-grin before she scooped up my fish without me having to ask. Everything was cozy at Luby's. We ran into neighbors there, my parents' coworkers, relatives. I still eat often at Luby's, here and especially when I'm on the road. It's dependable food, the workers are friendly, and besides, after all this time, I'm something of a Luby's expert. At least I thought I was, until I read "House of Plenty."

The book begins in the late 1990s with the mysterious stabbing death of the Luby's CEO -- eventually ruled a suicide. But wait a minute, by stabbing?

Before this titillating bit of information can be digested, the book flashes back to the turn of the 20th century, to a soft-spoken young man in Illinois, orphaned at an early age, who opens a lunch counter because the girl he loves is a scrumptious cook.

The young man, Harry Luby, was a restless fellow, and soon moved his business to Missouri, then to Oklahoma, to Louisiana and California before finally, in the late 1920s, landing in Texas where he stayed, in Dallas for a while, then in Waco, Houston, the Valley, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio. Each time he moved, he left behind a successful cafeteria business to one of his many Luby cousins.

In San Antonio he retired and handed over the company to his only son, Bob, who along with Bob's favorite cousin Charles Johnston, began six decades of phenomenal growth founded on a 50-year plan that included 40/60 profit splits with store managers, stock dividends to employees, hands-on quality control, and a policy of good citizenship to the communities where Luby's located through charitable giving and disaster relief.

But the greed-driven 1990s arrived. The family lost control of the board of directors, and things began to deteriorate. A series of disastrous decisions made by the fancy new Harvard Business School CEO drove the company to near destruction. Which brings the story back to that weird stabbing suicide. In between are devilish twists and double-crosses, family feuds and big-money lawsuits that pit brother against sister, and cousin again cousin -- with a few famous Luby's recipes thrown in for good measure.

Nicely paced and expertly written, Austin novelist Carol Dawson and Luby's heiress Carol Johnston, have created a book to pass around the Thanksgiving table. Just be sure that dear old aunt remembers to give it back once she's through.

I totally enjoyed this book, which I picked up on a whim, since I hadn't read a book by Joan Johnston in about 10 years. This book actually rates about 4 stars, but I gave it five since it's so much better than most of the romance currently being churned out. I loved Daisy and Nicholas, but felt the author should have left out the side story between Nicholas' son and Roanna. It was just a distraction. Overall, a very good book and love story.

This review refers to "The Inheritance" by Joan Johnston...

If you have been following the Joan Johnston wester/romance series, "The Inheritance" will be the first read in the Maverick Heart series. This one doesn't take place in the old or new West though. It will have you traveling to the countryside of England over 100 years ago. We still get a tough rugged cowboy to drool over, only this one has met his match with an obstinate but beautiful Duchess.

Nicholas Calloway, a bounty hunter, rancher and single father of yet another rugged cowboy, travels to England to sell Severn Manor. As a boy he lived there as Nicholas Windermere, son of His Grace, the Duke. Banished from the Manor at the tender age of 8 with his mother for her alleged affair, of which Nicholas was the result, they made their way to America, where his mother had to resort to prostitution to keep food in their bellies. Some 2 dozen years later, a proper English gentleman shows up at Nicholas' ranch, letting him know that he is next in line to inherit, not only the manor, and the tenants, but the title as well. He figures to sail over, sell the place and have enough to support himself and his son for years to come. But of course complications arise. The wife of the former Duke(Nick's deceased cousin) is running the show. Duchess Daisy can barely tolerate this cold barbarian and his American ways, but in order to save her precious Manor and the tenants that live there, she will make the supreme sacrifice and marry the beast, hoping to convince him not to sell.

A second storyline keeps it interesting, as there is a bit of a mystery, surrounding the parentage of Nicholas. Is he really the Duke, or an illegitimate heir. He has got his hands full with the feisty Daisy, and the search for his real father. But will the results keep him there on the beautiful land he was born, or will he sell out and leave Daisy and the tenants to fend for themselves.

The passion heats up between these two, who each vow to get what they want and never give their hearts. If you have read any of Johnston's novels, you already know that she can make the pages sizzle. I found this one to be especially sensuous. She also has a way of putting you right into the surroundings, and getting involved with the characters. Nick's son also finds romance, but his heart is in Texas. The only thing that was missing from this one, that I have enjoyed in most of her other works is some exciting adventure, and some bad guys to spice things up a bit.

Next up in this series is "Maverick Heart". From what I've read about it, a Lord and Lady we met briefly in this one, head for the states to brave the rugged Wyoming Territory. I loved getting swept away to England for a while, it was a nice change of pace, but I will be happy to get back to the adventures in the Old West. By the way, this one was originally titled "Daisy and the Duke" and Maverick heart, originally was titled 'Lord of the Plains", in case you are searching for them.

For more Joan Johnston books and series see my So you'd Like To Guide of Joan Johnston western/romances listing them in order. Just click on my reviewer name and SYLT guides from there.

Enjoy the read....Laurie

What a waste of time! I love historicals, but this was just appalling. It had every terrible cliche that makes this "gentle reader" want to scream! The heroine with her desire for her beloved to actually treat her like a barbarian and her inability to allow him to be kind to her was maddening. The simpering humor of the women in this book, the flat characterization of the tenants and servants, the annoying avalanche of pregnancies at the end and various other cliches also took away from my enjoyment of this novel. I love a good, well-written romance and read often in search of same, but this thing was way too trite for me. If you want an American in England, keep on looking!

This book will keep you reading. It's sexy and full of fun. I enjoyed it. That's what I look for a book that I can't put down, like my newest favorite "Anything, My Love" By Cynthia Simmons. A sizzling page turner you won't forget. Romance lovers would adore them both.

Enjoyable!

Despite the Editorial review, I enjoyed this book; it's not your average everyday love story!

Be sure to read The Maverick. It's a continuation of some of the characters introduced in The Inheritance.

"Meow is for Murder" is the fourth book in the "Kendra Ballantyne Pet-sitter" mysteries. As a concept, the pet-sitter idea is pretty good, the variety of situations available makes for interesting stories and they don't seem too unbelievably contrived. I like the love for pets that comes across so clearly.

I enjoyed the prior three episodes in the series for the most part. However, in "Meow is for Murder" it seemed to me that the quality of writing wasn't to the standard of the others. The plotting and pacing were good, but the writing itself seemed amateurish. Not many nouns were used that didn't have an adjective (or two) awkwardly tacked on and there seemed to be a lot of use of overweight words in place of more common vocabulary that would have read more smoothly. The author thanks her "excellent new editor" in the preface, so the difference from earlier volumes could be credited to the new editor, who maybe isn't so excellent.

All in all "Meow is for Murder" is a pleasant read, nicely plotted and filled with characters that seem real.

This installment of the series wasn't that bad, but the ending, involving the way Kendra and Amanda set out to catch the killer, was silly and stupid. Yet again, Kendra doesn't really solve anything...she just runs around town accusing everyone she comes into contact with until someone finally confesses.

This series has so much potential. I just wish Kendra was a more enjoyable character, and that the writer didn't have the annoying habit of using lesser-known synonyms for many common words.

Amanda, Jeff Hubbard's ex-wife, asks Kendra Ballantyne for help avoiding her stalker. She wants Kendra to take care of her two Bengal cats for a few days. Kendra agrees begrudgingly. The stalker shows up and demands to know where Amanda went. Kendra refuses to tell him and realizes just what a menace he is. When Amanda returns home and finds the stalker dead in her house, she asks Kendra to help her prove her innocence. Kendra agrees only if Amanda will promise to get out of Jeff's life.

Kendra soon finds out that Leon was a serial stalker and there are quite a few people who are happy he's dead. Problem is she can't find any one person who she thinks actually killed him.

Plus Kendra begins to wonder if Jeff really wants Amanda out of his life. He says he does, but his actions tell another story.

Can Kendra find the real killer without putting herself in danger? Does she still want Jeff?

I love this series. Kendra is such a fun protagonist. She gets herself in some interesting situations. I love the peripheral characters and all the great animals she takes care of. The author has done a great job of creating such a likeable character that is three-dimensional.

There is plenty of humor along with a well-plotted cozy mystery. I highly recommend this book.

I love this author. I am an animal lover and mystery lover and have found a great series of books that combine both. The main character who is a pet sitting, animal loving, mystery solving lawyer is a very likeable character. Her plot lines are very creative and so is the main character's mystery solving techniques. It is a fast read because it is hard to put down.

Great for the purse to read in waiting rooms, etc. Series is cute.

This book was written in 1968 during a time of tremendous turmoil concerning race and race relations, but this book is still valid for anyone interested in the development of slavery and race relations in North America. Granted, his work is not without flaws. Jordan seems to overemphasize the "unthinking decision" aspect of slavery, and sometimes he has a tendency to repeat himself, but this book should not be dismissed simply as "politically correct" unless one wants to dismiss the fact that, for some reason, slavery and segregation were a part of our history.

Winthrop D. Jordan answers the question, "what were the attitudes of white men toward Negroes during the first two centuries of European and African settlement in what became the United States of America?" in his book, White Over Black: Attitudes Toward the Negro 1550-1812 (vii). Jordan answers this question comprehensively; his book is sectioned off chronologically into six parts. The first part covers the evolution of the American attitudes regarding the Negroes with references to English perspectives, interpretations, and hypotheses, and topics of enslavement. The second part, "Provincial Decades," involves topics on freedom and control in a slave society, interracial sex, and of the spiritual and physical nature of a Negro. This is followed with an overview on the revolutionary era in which the Americans impose self-scrutiny on their behavior. Part four, "Society and Thought," gives in-depth descriptions on economic interest and national identity, limitations of antislavery, revolution, and result of separation. The last section involves Thomas Jefferson's actions and his impact on society, the "chain of being of the Negro," erasing Nature's "Stamp of Color," and actions toward a white man's country. The organization of these topics demonstrates analytically to the reader the development of racial "attitudes" as time passes.
Jordan's basic perspective of this issue was that slavery was not caused by racism or vice versa, these two factors both attributed to each other's development. This book is predominantly focused on how the Americans and their historical encounters formed and were fashioned by people different from themselves. The impression one seemed to receive upon reading this book was not biased, but of understanding and sympathy for both the whites and blacks; the author wished for equal treatment for the Negroes while having an accepting tone of the white's treatments of black people.
The content of this work is mostly theoretical; Jordan used many opinions of white men, such as their initial expression after exposure to Negroes, and he described the outlooks of various religious groups, such as the Puritans and Quakers. Jordan's theorizing is also well rounded from many aspects, involving political, economic, social, and cultural perspectives of both the black and white men. These theories and facts are organized chronologically, which support the thesis effectively as the reader can see how the different racial attitudes develop over time.
Jordan concludes that this debate over the Negro's racial standing stands within each white American's conscience. The cultural conscience of a white man insists the Negro be treated as his equal based on religious traditions and humanitarianism, whereas the strong feelings of domination and identity demanded the Negro be treated as inferior. He explains, "At a closer view, though, the duel appears more complex than a conflict between the best and worst in the white man's nature, for in a variety of ways the white man translated his `worst' into his `best'" (Jordan 582). This conclusion agrees with the thesis as he explains the behavior of white men understandingly, the slavery and racism coexisted as proof of the white domination.
Winthrop D. Jordan has summed up many aspects of the subject of racial issues in one book with both perspectives of the white Americans and Negroes. I recommend this book to readers who wish to be enlightened with a deep historical analysis of an American dilemma on race.

This work is a well-crafted, non-polemical theoretical chronology of the history of race and racism in Western and American culture. Winthdrop Jordan, now a professor at the University of Mississippi, is a careful writer and respected historian. His treatment, although non-polemical, still is very much a white-centered rendition of the formation of racism, with an historical bent and a heavy flavor of the "blacks are still a White Man's Burden" genre.

He sets forth the thesis that racism was not caused by slavery but in fact preceded it by at least a century. Attitudes and myths about dark skinned people formed by European sailors during the era of sea exploration to Africa, gelled and cross-fertilized upon reaching the "New World," where an abundance of land and a scarcity of labor conspired to reduce the Negro to the bottom of the American social and economic heap.

Negroes as slaves were always morally problematic, and American whites were forced to continue fashioning, revising and updating the rationalizations needed to justify their mistreatment and continued enslavement of them. The most stable result was an ideology of racial superiority that melded together the sailors' myths and attitudes about blacks, and a self-serving rendition of white, mostly Protestant, religion. This ideological concoction was so successful that over time maltreatment of blacks was pretty much taken as normal.

Primarily to avoid endangering their souls, only a handful of well-off religious zealots, the abolitionists, failed to accept these rationalizations. They chose adherence to higher moral and religious principles over racist ideology. But interestingly, they did not give up notions of superiority and continued to despise and would not consort with Negroes.

The strength of the book, in addition to being well-written, is that Jordan uses his keen psychological insights to touch on all of the very sensitive issues such as interracial sex, America being a white man's country, founding fathers attitudes towards Negroes, racism in the Caribbean, etc., and does so with a great deal of academic facility.

This is a very worthy effort and its very scholarly nature sets it apart from other books on this topic. Four stars

I write to refute the reviewer who gave Jordan's great book one star. White Over Black is probably the best single work of scholarship in any field on race in American history--still current and trenchant after more than thirty years. Jordan's Jefferson chapters remain definitive, his examination of Europeans' "first impressions" of Africans is classic, and his basic perspective--that one cannot say that slavery caused racism or vice versa, but intertwined--completely persuasive. His insistence that racial attitudes intertwine with sexual stereotypes, prejudices, and self-doubts reshaped the field. The book is brilliantly written and rests on an unmatched mastery of literally thousands of sources. Anyone interested in the history of race in America should read it.

It's amazing how someone can get a Doctorate degree yet be so singularly focused, narrow minded and misinformed about White motivations and insight. Bill Cosby as a Doctorate too. Point taken.