Owen Books

I love this book. I have read through it many times and would recomend this book to anyone who has horses. It teaches you how to train a green horse from square one. He teaches you how to lead your horse, how to do a high stepping trot, how to longe, how to do flying lead changes, and so on. Jam packed with lots of good information.

This book was the most facinating book on training a horse I have ever read. Once you understand the process; put it to work; you will be amazed at how easy it is to train by this method. Uses all leg aids, body shifting, no pressure on mouth, no kicking or tugging. I have used it on a number of horses with great results. Horses learn with no stress. Be sure they know what you are asking of them before you go on to next levels. Wonderful basic training for either western or english riding - using snaffle or curb bit. It's the body language that works with horse and rider, not the equipment. I swear by Mr. Williamson's methods. Would work real well with Monty Roberts gentle approach to communicating with the horses' natural senses.

Having been a horse trainer and riding instructor for the past 20 years, this is the best book I have found to use for both new horse owners and riders. it should be a "have to" for all horse people.

Extermely well written book that allows the reader to gain the knowledge to train their own horse. His easy to use well explained methods are great for the novice and begineer alike. He always has the horses best interest in mind. He covers the basics as well as many advanced manuvers. He was far ahead of his times with his horse training abilities. Master horseman Roy Yates is a Charles O'Williamson practioner if any are interested. END

When we started Greentree Ranch in 1962, a dear friend gave us a copy of this book. After reading and using the methods described herein we discovered how dear that friend really was. My mother always said, "It is the only book the horses have read, too." and she was right. We have used it as the basis of our training here on the ranch since we began and will probably use it forever.

John Billheimer is off to a great start here with a first novel that includes another first, a transportation thriller. It features a good plot that keeps moving at all times, some fresh material for those of us who can't stand another serial killer, and sense of humor. Not everybody could get a good weekend read out of the misadventures of a federally subsidized bus company in West Virginia, but Billheimer certainly can and does.

Especially after having met John Billheimer, I am in awe over his initial offering into the world of mystery fiction. CONTRARY BLUES wonderfully captures the essence of small-town West Virginia life and what goes on in ingenious yet simple minds over the incursions of modern-day life. This is a great first effort and if you are like me, you'll be captured into reading the next four of his Owen Allison series. An easy read, a page-turner of exceptional quality and a real sense of West Virginia everyday life brought to you by someone who 25 years ago called West Virginia home.

A SEASON TO INVESTIGATE FIRST-TIME NOVELISTS - Boston Globe. A fine beginning, funny, irreverent, written with an ear well-tuned to authentic West Virginia dialogue and an eye for small, accumulating scenes...Billheimer unfolds his wry tale steadily, with just the right mix of humor and menace, and his Department of Transportation investigator-auditor, Owen Allison, is convincing and likable.

The Contrary Blues is such a page-turner that you might not realize until you reach the end how cleverly it is constructed. Humor, colorful West Virginia colloquialisms, and poignant characterization make this book a lot more interesting than the average mystery.

John Billheimer's first Mystery novel, Contrary Blues, leaves you feeling satisfied and wanting more. Fans of Rick Boyer, Bill Crider, and Bill Tapply will recognize the sure fire formula that made their writing a success. A fast moving plot taken to sudden and unexpected turns, characters who jump out of the pages into your living room, and an unassuming hero that Mr. Middle America can relate to. Billheimer tells his story in a quick but enjoyable pace, giving the reader a glimpse into everyday life in a region of the country most of us have never stepped foot in, and with the subtle humor and true to life street dialog that show his respect for his characters and his reader alike. This one is sure to be enjoyed.

This "thriller" makes a thoroughly entertaining read. And when you are done you will have increased your insight into the present divide between Western and Islamic culture. Enjoy!

Loved this book! Engineering Evil combines political terrorism and intrigue for a roller coaster ride you won't soon forget. The characters are sharply etched (Jason Talbot is a Dirk Pitt with 007 flair!)and Owen's use of timely social issues is both informative and frighteningly real! Leaves the hairs on the back of your neck standing up as you race to the next page!

Engineering Evil is a nail-biting thriller with high suspense and engrossing drama. Owen has the ability to keep the reader flipping pages long into the night. A masterfully crafted tale of villainy, chucked full of military technology, historical fact, current events, and roller-coaster action. Imaginative and suspenseful from one hair raising scene to another. An excellent adventure.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. It was fast paced and contained interesting detailed knowledge of military special operations, terrorism using computer software systems, and ideas from the Islamic religion. I was entertained as well as informed.

This book was much more than I expected as I am not a regular reader of terrorist-type literature. However, having read a Tom Clancy and a Robert Ludlum book recently, I believe this writer can tell a story as well as any I have read. I particularly liked the way the author educated me on several technical subjects and helped me to understand a bit of Islam. The overall story went from one exciting part to the next in a clever manner. Buy it!! Read it!!

Wildlife researchers and conservationists Delia and Mark Owens have spent much of their lives since 1974 in the African bush, first in the Kalahari Desert from which came their best seller "Cry of the Kalahari" and then in the North Luangwa Valley in Zambia, the setting of this 1992 book.

The Owens' passion leads them to risk their lives routinely. In searching for a suitable camp in North Luangwa they set out in an ancient truck with no radio and inadequate gear. After a grueling trek that would have sent sane mortals packing for home they separate so Mark can fly his Cessna to a site that "would make Cessna's insurance company shudder" while Delia makes the two-day trip alone with the old truck and a trailer over trackless hilly, bushy, gully-filled flood-plain terrain. Tracking animals they are constantly walking smack into a startled lion or buffalo or cornered elephant.

But the real danger comes from people. "The Eye of the Elephant," while filled with wildlife anecdotes and tidbits of information about elephants and lions, is really about the poaching war the Owens conducted on behalf of the besieged North Luangwa elephants.

The poachers are villagers, many armed with AK47s, backed by the local government and assisted by the corrupt and underequipped local game guards. The Owens' weapons are education, cottage industry projects financed by the Owens Foundation for Wildlife Conservation and the Cessna.

The battle starts genially with children exclaiming over magazine pictures and their parents joining sewing circles and carpentry workshops. But it quickly escalates until Mark drives Delia from him with his obsession for highly dangerous and only modestly effective night flights, and the poachers organize an assassination squad to rid themselves of the Owens once and for all.

The book is organized in alternating first-person chapters between Delia and Mark. The tone is brutally honest, touching when one admits to mistakes which endanger the other, disturbing when their frank discussion of anti-poaching tactics veers from the politically correct. The Owens' care more for the animals and the landscape than the people. But since the people are there, their needs must be faced. Their singlemindedness will outrage some, but their strong personalities and sheer stamina will awe almost everyone.

York County Coast Star

The Eye of the Elephant is a wonderful, adventurous journey into the heart and soul of Africa seen through Mark and Delia's eyes. From the very first page you are caught up in their heroic quests to protect the animals they are there to observe. In spite of the unbelievable odds against them, they persevered and put the safety and security of the highly endangered animals FIRST. The elephants in the Luanga Valley are very fortunate to have had Mark and Delia watch over them and be their heroes. I have loved Africa and the African elephant my entire life and I am so grateful for these two selfless, dedicated people who have become the protectors of our most precious wildlife. This is one of my most treasured African stories.

You will immediately be drawn into their story! I was so involved reading this book that I missed my train station stop...you'll feel like you're there with them!

This book is laden with fascinating information on African Wildlife and how to survive as human and animal in harsh conditions. Excellent read.

I wish these authors would write more books about their adventures in Africa. Truly riveting page-turners!

This book is wonderful both for its content and ability to describe the Coast's landscape and lifestyle perfectly. I travel to the Coast regularly, and Owen's descriptions are right on target. I read the book in about three days, it was so good. Not only are the books descriptions of the Coast spectacular, the story is great too. I thoroughly enjoyed every character, plot twist, surprise, and shock. He also inserted enough interesting facts to the work that I actually learned something as I read.

A wonderfully warm, human, and quirky cast of characters populate these pages. The plot is full of twists, surprises, and moments of sublime, perfect absurdity that will have you laughing out loud. Highly recommended.

I live just a few miles from Gulfport and have spent a great deal of time there. I work and used to live in New Orleans. I was really impressed with Mr. Owen's ability to describe the area and to catch the essence of these places.

Rory, his main character, is both interesting and funny. How Mr. Owen knows all the stuff he knows is amazing. I kept thinking when I read it how great a movie this would be. It has it all-humor, mystery, suspense, romance and surprises. In fact, I liked all his characters. I am going to buy another couple of books to give to friends as gifts. I am hoping that there will be more of his books in the future.

I found the main character believable and funny. The author's descriptions of the gulf coast are right on target. I live a few miles from there and am very familiar with the area. I recommend this book to all.

The Funniest book I've read all year! The characters are novel and the book is offbeat and different. I'd like to read more about Rory Ripple and friends.

What can I say about you book?! It. Is. Great. Owen Egerton's short stories are right up my alley - darkly, almost pitch black, hilarious. Gut wrenching. Layered. My favorite entertainment in any genere is simply that which reflects life. And life is funny, sad, scary, loud, calm and everything at different times and sometimes all at once.

We are all headed toward the same fate - read this book and let's connect before then, shall we?

I picked this book up because I wanted a break from non-fiction. I am a scientist and always felt I was wasting time if I wasn't reading about science. But I was drawn to this book for some reason. This book made me think and made me feel closer to the human condition. That might sound lame but it is true. Older works of fiction sometimes give you a connection to by-gone times. This book gives you a connection to our times and to one of the sure things in life (... not taxes).

I love this book because I see myself in it. Every single story touched me in some way, in some personal way. If you have dealt with death, or thoughts of mortality then you will also see yourself in this book. Sometimes it is disturbing but it is always funny and often encouraging in a way. Every mortal person should read at least a couple of the stories out of this book. It is dark at times but never depressing. While reading it I got a sense of the courage and a feel for how much thought Egerton put into this. I hope the Reaper has Owen Egerton's sense of humor.

... you are going to die.

How do I know? Owen Egerton told me. He told me he was going to kill you with a loaf of white bread.

Just kidding! Owen Egerton is not going to kill you with bread...

...but you are going to die.

How are you going to die? I don't know precisely. I know your heart will stop beating. You will stop breathing. But the details that caused the cessation is a little harder to nail down. You might die sleeping, or a horrible disease. You might be in a car wreck. Or you might die flying (and subsequent inability to land) a small plane. Maybe you will be at the wrong end of a Chuck Norris fight. You could be devoured by a pit of pigs. Or maybe it will be a freak accident involving a water slide & Christianity. Who knows?

Question: Who knows how you are going to die?
Answer: Owen Egerton
His Answer: A loaf of Wonderbread, with the crusts cut off.

But before you die, make sure you read "How Best to Avoid Dying", the book that somehow made death funny & sweet. I laughed my head off. Which you would think would have killed me... but it didn't. I died the old fashioned way: Owen Egerton beat me with a loaf of bread.

These beautifully crafted, provocative stories keep you both laughing and thinking. Give yourself a real treat.

Rarely do stories complement each other so well as in this bizarre collection, which is at once darkly tragic, hoarsely satirical, exuberantly hilarious, and deeply moving. Egerton's art is driven by a playfulness which rings throughout all these gems, but it far from undercuts the serious. The variety of genres in this volume, from traditional short stories to blistering flash fiction, fairy tales to self-referential annotations, are all peppered with an abundance of moods and attitudes. The stories strike you with horror, form lumps in your throat, and make you smirk. This assortment of style, form, and tone demonstrates Egerton's considerable versatility. And as plated here together, kicking, whirring, and giggling, they make a multi-faceted medley which lingers on the tongue, leaving a bittersweet aftertaste.

Egerton begins with a short absurdist tale about a spelling bee, in a world where such competitions decide the ownership of land masses and the losers, intrepid 8-10 year olds, are dropped into a pit below stage where the audience can watch them slaughtered. Other stories include a Christian camp where counselors encounter fatal "accidents" in twisted attempts to drive the campers towards a life in Christ; an account of a married couple's tepid romantic life and the deeper sexual ambitions and desires embodied in a talking, knighted penis; a look into the life of Lazarus, resurrected by Christ and now living in the modern day, desperate to die; and a girl who niggles the narrator to not kill her off, which closes the volume on a note of poetic gorgeousness. And these are the more traditional ones.

One story, "Holy," is a sparse paragraph. "The Beginning of All Things" is a two-page story about rodents fighting for a Snickers bar that turns into a prose poem creation tale. "The Adventures of Stimp" morphs into a series of run-on sentences, almost stream of consciousness, which portrays absolute devotion between a hamster and his owner. As a whole, these shorter pieces aren't as good as the longer ones. They are excellent examples of Egerton toying with narrative form, always original, and brilliantly carve a small but powerful piece of art in miniature. However, several of them lack the emotional depth of the longer works, and they all are missing a sense of roundedness--minute details injected into the narrative that both flesh out the universe of the story and greatly contribute to its power to move.

These details are subtle and quiet: ornamentations of a master's hand. In Egerton's hands, they may be lightly whimsical or deadly serious; in either case, they are some of the finest proof of Egerton's capabilities. Far from feeling tacked-on, these details are weaved into the fabric of the fiction, as Egerton plays with his worlds and our minds. One such detail is a description of looking in on the agonized faces in private hospital rooms, "like looking deep into a radiation chamber, knowing that if you open the door--even a crack--all that radiation would zip out and scar your eyes, throat, and skin." With this brief, almost passing note, the whole of the protagonist's relationship with sickness and disease in the antiseptic desert of the hospital is revealed. In "Spelling," the point that America lost Hawaii to Korea in a spelling bee is again mentioned in passing, evoking both chuckles and a sense of terror: in a single line Egerton has given us all we need to know about the politics of this nightmare. Other cases are more light-hearted elements of comedy that show why Egerton has been considered by so many to be an excellent humorist.

If these details describe Egerton's delicate manipulation of narrative, there are just as many examples of immense linchpins: single lines on which the literary value of the story is hinged, which launch the text into the realm of works truly memorable. In such cases, the delicacy is replaced by hammering immediacy, and our hearts and minds are surrendered to the work. In "Tonight at Noon," perhaps the best story in the collection, a jazz enthusiast wakes up to find his girlfriend has committed suicide. He says of jazz virtuoso Charles Mingus, "Most people say The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is his best, and it's good. But Ah Um is going for more. It hurts more. Lives more. Jenny is dead."

These examples may serve to show the incredible sense of balance present in these stories, which may ultimately be what makes them so successful (there is only one exception to this: "The Fecalist" is boring satire--a departure from the usually sophisticated presentation). Comedy and tragedy are bound inextricably; passing jabs, lasting one-liners, and poetic passages are joined by their poetry; whimsy, heartbreak, and joy are merely different sides of the same thing. The stories, in their individual components and as a collection, build off one another with grace and ease.

If a philosophical point is permitted, this playful balance and duality may be the essence of what Egerton calls how best to avoid dying. The characters in these pieces, who are never mere tools of narrative, are all faced, in one form or another, with the agony of dying and the beauty of living. Or is it the other way around? Laughter and sorrow, fear and joy--these may all be the same entity--and assisting that interpretation may be Egerton's primary objective. If this is in fact the case, barring some minor, unmentionable imperfections, he succeeds with dazzling brilliance.

[Author website: www.owenegerton.com]



Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Max Falkowitz, 2007

This is one of Vesaas' last books, and quite well-known in literary circles, both in Norway and abroad. The book spins around two girls living in rural Norway in their eleventh winter. One of the girls has just moved to the tiny village, and instantly forms a bond of friendship with the leader of the pack of children at their school; the other girl. Then something sad happens that I won't reveal. The tale spins around these happenings: the struggle against the dark forces of the human mind, and the experience of growing up. The tale is a short read, and is Vesaas at his most typical style of writing. I really enjoy this book, and I've read it several times.

So if you want to get to know one of Norway's greatest authors, almost up there at Knut Hamsun's level, then this would be a great place to start. The author died in 1970, but his anti-modern thought was quite present in most of his books, although an annoying streak of pacifism and humanism is present in some of his works. But this is not one of those books, so no reason to avoid this great read from the winter nights of rural Norway.

(I read a different edition of the book)

Vesaas's book is beautiful.

His style is experimental and modern, which means that he presents information in a slightly elliptical way, perhaps one that more closely echoes the motions of actual consciousness. This means that you may have to read the same passage two or three times: there are very few topic sentences introducing clearly defined paragraphs. Luckily, his vocabulary is pitch-perfect: small words, chosen for precision rather than pretence.

A novel has two major compenents, one being the social background of the story and the other being the story itself. The background is crystalline and very, very Norwegian: a harsh climate; reserved, good people; an aura of isolation that may only come from years of cold. The story itself turns on a secret and a promise, and the young girl Siss's reaction to them: not a secret like those in Babysitters' Club books, nor like the secrets in a spy novel: but a compelling one, an all-encompassing one, one that drives people in a way that doesn't make sense in a wholly rational world and yet drives them all the same. I won't say more.

Highly recommended. Oh-- and read it quickly. Like, perhaps, Faulkner (though not as difficult), you'll lose track of what's going on if you take too much time between readings.

It is a beautiful piece of poetic prose. The innocent and simple story of two girls and their budding friendship broken by death is at the same time intense and calm. The descriptions of the surroundings, the ice palace at the waterfall, which claims Unn, together with the thoughts of Siss, create the Nordic climate, make the reader breathe the cold air, and show the world as a complicated and unyielding entity, strange for a little girl, hard to understand. Yet Siss understands somehow, her world gets in order and all the events have their place.
Only a poet can use words in such a beautiful fashion. This book was a sensual delight. Probably a great bonus is the translation, must have been not a trivial task!

One of the most beautiful books ever written. You are not literate before you have read this book.

A beautiful book. The imagery is lovely, and I got hooked when one of the characters actually wanders into the ice palace. The descriptions of the light, and the interplay of the changing colors and shapes of the ice were mesmerizing--I stayed up late and couldn't go to bed. And in the morning it seemed it should be all ice outside instead of the height of summer. Tremendously atmospheric, simply splendid. The first book in about six months to make it straight to my read-again shelf. And short--a quick read if you're busy.

What an inspiration this book was to me as a woman and mother. May I be able to pass a legacy onto my children worthy of Fedencia Castillo-Morales. What a joy to read. Laura J. Davidson (Frisco, TX)

Just think how much better a place this world would be, if others would follow the excellent example set by Ms. Fedencia Castillo-Morales.

This book was a real wake-up call to me in that we can be much more unselfish and more worshipful of our loving Lord, Jesus Christ.

I highly recommend the book as a model for Christian parents and children.

Patrick S. Woods
Founder, Supply Chain Education

Not only is this book an encouragment it is the truth word for word. I am named after the wonderful Fedencia, my name is Amanda Fedencia Meehan, and it is a true honor. I am so very proud of my mother for completing this book! I know each and every person who reads this will be truly blessed.

I thought that this book was very heartfelt and encouraging. I think it is a great book to give as a gift to loved ones in the family.

After reading "Lessons from a Virtuous Woman" I knew without a doubt it was a lesson I wanted to share with the women who are incarcerated within the fences of TDCJ (Texas Dept of Criminal Justice). I head up a Prison/Jail Ministry and encouraged Dolores to come and share her testimony. Through these pages Dolores paints a vivid picture of just what A Virtuous women is. I feel every women has that potential we only need to be directed and that just what Dolores accomplishes through these pages.

Sure we all have those looseends--what to do? READ HILL'S book for the answers you never thought of before. And who knows? The answer won't be what you mihgt have thought, yet Great Literature always sneaks up on you that way, right? Think of Dr. Williams' stories--and then don't--Read Hill's stories now, or you might find yourself at more of a looseend than you thought!

I'm just a bunny with writer's block, and I'm flatso at that, but even I know that this is the best book of the decade. The book gathers together various legends and attitudes about artists, ancient and modern. Owen Hill is regarded as the most important Indian saint and Sage of the present century! I know, you say "Bunny This, Bunny That, that flat old bunny is full of bung" but shoot, this volume carefully integrates theory and application. Buy 10 copies now.

Yes, Owen Hill has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world's most beloved bear. And what is Loosends? It is very simple. It calls for living without preconceived ideas about how life should be lived-but it's not a preconception of how life-it's...well, you'd do well to read this book, and listen to Owen if you really want to find out.

Whoops! Looks like I forgot to say that Loosends is by far the boffoest book at Slamazon.slop! I loved every word, although, hack that I am, I wouldn't know quality from the stuff that comes out the back of a dog.

Open this book and you will plunge five miles below the surface of the sea into an unforseen realm inhabited by living creatures who strain the bounds of credibility. Even today only a handful of people have seen the pillow lava, smoking chimneys, and shimmering water of the hydrothermal vent fields, which are colonized by blind white crabs. As we have come to expect in previous books, Owen Hill is our engrossing guide to the last frontiers on earth.

A body falls from the sky in the dry New Mexico wilds. Two native American ranchers sight the mysterious image and set off to find it. Nearby to the body impaled in the limbs of a tree, they find a suitcase full of money.

This could be their lucky break, or their worst nightmare. They decide to risk keeping the money -- and to face the inevitable consequences . . .

The native American insights are a delight to read. Louis Owens's beautifully crafted prose leaves a last impression.

Owens' third American Indian crime thriller has received praise from Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Booklist and others. The consequences of trying to keep found money (in this case, $850,000 dropped from a drug dealer's plane in remote New Mexico) take ranchers Will Striker and Billy Keene on a wild ride. Enter sex and magical realism, stir, and find yourself reading a "well-wrought thriller capped by a twist-filled climax."

Louis Owens has crafted an engrossing story that mixes a not unfamiliar crime thriller with the supernatural world of two half-Cherokee friends, Billy Keene and Will Striker, and Billy's elderly grandfather. When Billy and Will watch a body and suitcase full of cash fall from the sky while out hunting, their entire world changes immediately. After a brief debate, they decide to leave the body where it impaled itself on a pine tree and take off with the $850,000 dollars in cash; but, before they even get out of the forest, they are attacked by a helicopter.

Yes, the beginning seems familiar and the storyline done before; but, the direction this book takes departs from your standard boilerplate crime thriller. Between romance with beautiful strangers and the grandfather involving the spirit world in protecting Billy and Will, this book is a fun romp from beginning to end. And, don't expect a pat ending, as the climax of this story has a twisting and turning path to the last word.

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A Guide to my Book Rating System:

1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

from the very first paragraph. Owens's brand of wit and humor blend with his examination of the ranching life in the New Mexico desert to create a highly-charged, complex murder mystery. Set in Indian country, Nightland stakes a strong multicultural claim to the art form of the American Murder Mystery, but it stakes a claim also on the magical realism of American Indian and South American literature. The resulting blend of ghosts and grim realism give the story a dark, mystical, enspirited patina. The pig and dog are hilarious counterpoint to the Cherokee mixedblood heroes. Round out the story with amiable ghosts, a seductive shape-shifter, and some nasty bad guys and you have a bona fide page-turner.

Billy Keene and Will Striker, the main characters of Louis Owens' novel Nightland, are half-breed Cherokees living on failing ranches in New Mexico that their grandparents bought from the Mexican-Americans whose family had a grant from Spain [who took the land from Native Americans in the first place]. They're out hunting deer when a man [who we find out is of Pueblo Indian blood] falls from the sky and ends up skewered on a juniper tree. A suitcase full of money falls with him. Despite misgivings, Billy and Will keep the money. Then all hell breaks loose. Nightland is at heart a thriller, but as with Owens' other novels, it is also a musing on identity. Native American spirituality and the supernatural play a key role in the novel, so if suspension of disbelief is a problem for the potential reader, don't start this book. This is a much faster read than Bone Game and The Sharpest Sight. I found Nightland to be one of the highlights of my summer reading. Oh, and as if my opinion actually counted, I think Richard Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino should buy the rights to Nightland and make a movie. One of the pieces of sad news from this summer was that Louis Owens had taken his own life. He left us five great novels, including Nightland.