Minnesota Books

I purchased this for my 8 year old daughter as a birthday gift per her repeated requests. She already had Farmer Boy, and chose this as her next Little House CD. She and her 12 year old sister both love these. We've read Little House books as a family, but now they can listen over and over.

This is a good CD. Cherry Jones' performance is excellent, and the fiddle music adds a wonderful touch for those who wish they could have heard Pa's fiddle.

As for the story, who doesn't like Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic stories of pioneer life in America? She brings it to life like nothing I've ever read, and I read everything I can get my hands on about American History. Laura give us such a detailed picture of her family, Pa's leadership, Ma's gentle manners, their work ethic, life in the 1800's, old-fashioned morals, and so much more. If my kids listen to this over and over, I know they'll gain so much that TV or movies cannot begin to give them.

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

A friend recently recommended this as a new series I could read with my six-year-old daughter. We had already read all of Little House on the Prairie, as well as some children's novels, including Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little.

We love these books. The main characters, Betsy and Tacy, are just about five years old when they meet, so my daughter instantly related to them. She loved hearing about how they liked to sit on their bench at the top of the hill, make up stories and get into mischief.

One interesting note: It's always hard to see the characters age from book to book. Although my daughter enjoyed the whole Little House on the Prairie series, she really preferred the books where Laura was young. Still, she remained attentive as Laura aged, partly because the books didn't dwell too much on the trials of adolescence, crushes on boys, etc. These issues came up, but they didn't dominate the books, which were more focused on survival issues, life on the prairie, encounters with Indians, etc.

Betsy-Tacy is slightly different. While it does give a good sense of life in a small town in the early 1900s, the primary focus is on the characters themselves. Right now we're on Book 4, Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown. In it, the characters are 12, so quite a bit older than my audience.

The other night, I almost choked when the characters began discussing whether or not Santa exists - in my household, Santa does exist. We haven't really questioned him yet. So I had to skip over the (otherwise endearing) passage. I was grateful that I was the one reading, because I'm not sure grandma would have picked on that had it been her turn to read.

Book 4 makes only a glancing mention of crushes on boys, which is fine, but it looks like Betsy-Tacy will get more and more wrapped up in boys in the next few books, and I don't think my six-year-old will relate. So I'm going to give this excellent series a break for awhile. For now, we're on to The Secret Garden and the Tale of Desperaux.

I highly recommend the Betsy-Tacy series, but your little one's interest may not keep up as the girls get older.

My daughter and I have LOVED sharing Betsy-Tacy as a read-aloud. The way that the author weaves the girls' fantasies right into the chapter is a perfect illustration of just how real imaginary play is to children (or at least used to be when kids were allowed to imagine). Beware, parents: Have a hankie on hand for the Easter Eggs chapter. I had tears running in rivulets down my cheeks. The only sad thing about Betsy-Tacy is that my daughter wishes that she had a kindred spirit of her own as they do. Highly recommended!

I was introduced to Betsy and Tacy at 5 or 6 by my mom. She adored the series growing in the 50/60s. I grew up in the 70s/80s and fell in love with Betsy, Tacy and Tib. I have 3 daughters that now love these books also. If I had to name the best gift I ever received, I would name my Betsy books. I read the books at just the right time in my life. I would look forward to receiving my Besty/Tacy book at Christmas. When I had my 1st child, my mother gave me the final book in the series when Betsy also has a baby. I was overjoyed yet sad because I knew it was the end of the books.
These books were so important to me growing up that I still think of the characters often. They are wonderful classic stories of a simple time and true friendships.

B-T fans rejoice! Sutton Foster acquits herself well, and brings the characters and Maud's distinctive writerly voice alive in her reading of B-T.

Tired of reading the book over and over and over to your children? This audiobook can take over the chore. Or guarantee that you arrive at work in a good mood, by listening during your commute.

Don't hesitate, just get it before it goes out of print. Let's hope they issue more of the books on CD too.

I was recently reminded of the Betsy-Tacy books I loved so much when I was a young girl. You can not imagine my horror at seeing the current editions' illustrations of the girls, though. Part of the original books' charm was the simple illustrations. Whoever decided to change them should be ashamed. Ashamed and fired. Seriously.

Contact me if you want to join a campaign to have the real drawings returned to future editions of these timeless classics so many of us loved so much.

This rhyming children's book is terrific toddler reading. The drawings are beautiful and our kids have both loved it. Our two year old loves the animal illustrations and verses. A great pick!

We recently ordered 5 copies of Quick as a Cricket for our grandson and as gifts for other children. Our kids grew up with this book and it is timeless. All the copies we ordered were paperback but one arrived supersized. The pages are 15 x17 which is wonderful. The pages of the smaller books are 6x6. Both sizes have their uses but we really enjoy the wonderful illustrations in the larger format.

My children love this book (they are 5, 3 and 1). The illustrations are amazing and the words are few, but very creative. It's very fun to immitate the pages as well.

Cute book! There are puppets that can be purchased to go along with the story, they are great for kids to keep them engaged and involoved.

I used to use this book while teaching children at a learning center, and now I use this book to read to my daughter before bedtime. The pictures are great! The read is short which is great for kids with short attention spans. Absolutely a must have!

This wonderful, entertainingly written account of a Sports Illustrated writer's sabbatical at the religiously-based St. John's University will surprise and delight you (as, I think, the experience did him).

Like many of the reviewers before me, I've grown tired of the NFL and NCAA Division I football, and now prefer small college and high school football. This is a great way to be introduced to the game at that level, although you never really get to know John Gagliardi as well as you'd like (a fact that frustrates Murphy). Murphy will at times give away how a particular game ends early in the chapter dealing with it, but it's never a great distraction because the story is so well told.

The only shortcomings to me are the lack of photos or stats, plus I detect an occasional bit of smugness on the part of both Murphy and his wife in their dealings with the locals (News flash: Minnesota is NOT the Bay Area), but he IS a very funny and perceptive writer and this is a worthwhile read.

I really enjoyed this book that is about a football season, but also about so much more, including marriage, raising children, coaching and the personalities at this small school in Minnesota. While we often think of Lombardi and Bear Bryant school of hard-driving coaching, it turns out the softer style of coach Gags can also be successful. This book reminded a lot of First and Last Seasons: A Father, A Son, and Sunday Afternoon Football, another book about football but also a lot more.

I read this book after reading Mr. Murphy's "How Tough Could It B?" and loving it. Although I'm not much for football I thought I'd give this book a try because I enjoyed his writing. It was terrific - a great commentary on St. John's and its coach as well as another look at Mr. Murphy's refreshingly real family (well, perhaps they are not real but they sure are like my husband and children). I'm waiting for another book please!

Lack of pictures and statistics of Gagliardi's 50 years in coaching cause this book to come up just short of 5 stars. Also, I expected the author to provide a few more "game details". I actually found the epilogue, where St. Johns makes it to the Divison III championship game the following season, more exciting than the body of the book.

The book is so much better than the movie. It gives you a much truer sense of what the women went through. Which is to be expected, of course, but I was surprised at the changes in the movie.

I assume that you will have seen the Movie first. I would have never heard of this book, without references in the DVD. BUT it is not necessary that you see the movie first. AND if you see the movie after reading the book be prepared for differences. But aside from comparisons, this is a terrific read about the first successful Sexual Harrassment case in the USA. It is set in the North Country made famous by Mr. Zimmerman. In fact some of the scenes and some of the characters are from Hibbing. Hero is one of the many misused words in Americana. But hero could be safely applied to the Lawyers who defended Lois Jenen.

Throughout my college career, I have become more and more aware of America's history in regards to inequality. Class Action brought up one of the most publicized forms of inequality in our nation, which is the inequality between men and women, especially in the workplace. Today, women are still only making $0.74-$0.76 on the dollar that every man makes, but that is only a mild form of the inequality that occurred only 30 years ago.

On March 25, 1975, Lois Jensen begins work at Eveleth Taconite in the mines to earn enough money to support her young son so they both could get off welfare. While the pay was very good, Lois, and other women who worked at the mines, endured sexual harassment that ranged from sexual comments to inappropriate touching and coercion by the male workers. Twelve years later, Lois finally decides that the only way to deal with the sexual harassment is through legal action since none of her bosses in the mines will correct the male workers' behaviors. Unfortunately, Lois only endures more hardship through trying to gain support of the other women at the mines, retain her job, and keep her sanity while being harassed even more. Lois's commitment to "right the wrong" of how the men treated the women at the mines brings up many questions of our society and what is legal that reside within.

Class Action helps us evaluate male privilege in the workforce, laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) and how they were upheld, the immortal power of companies, and the human cost to achieve social change. It is astounding to read the type of harassment that these women endured and to realize that it happened in other parts of the country, and to some extent, still does today. The only things that Lois Jensen truly wanted was knowing that women would not have to live what she did through the company adopting a sexual harassment policy and an apology. She never got the apology, but thankfully, the former occurred on December 30, 1998.

The was a great book if you are interested in Civil Rights history and activism, women's rights, the jural system in relation to gender, and the economics of inequality. While Lois, other women, and the mines settled in 1998, the women essentially lost. After all that had happened, to achieve this precedent for sexual harassment law the women had to sacrifice their lives. This ultimately brings up the issue of how we have to be martyrs to make any social change truly happen.

I grew up on "da range" and I'm familiar with the mines. My hometown is Hoyt Lakes, not very far from Eveleth. My dad and one of my uncles worked at LTV Steel outside of Hoyt Lakes, I think even my brother worked there for a while. I don't remember hearing anything of the trial. Back in 1998 I was 9 years old. I became familiar with it, when they were filming the movie North Country while I was going to the community college in Virginia. I've watched the movie multiple times. Then this summer in one of my English classes we were required to read Class Action. By the time the class finished I hadn't finished the book yet, but that didn't stop me from reading it. This is a really great book, and I've had a hard time putting it down. Its so interesting to learn the facts of the case, and was even more surprised when I recognized some of the last names of the people. I haven't quite finished yet, I have about 60 pages to go. I keep finding myself getting irritated with the rulings of Judge McNulty. This is a very important book, and in my opinion everyone should read it.

Like some other reviewers I came across this book after seeing the movie North Country. The movie though is just good entertainment pulling at the heartstrings and very loosely based on the legal problems of single mother Lois Jenson.

The book, I'm pleased to say, is much more gripping and will keep you turning the pages until the end. I thought it raised various issues like:

*Why did the legal aspects of this case take from 1984 until a settlement in 1998? In 1997 a judgement from the Eighth Circuit court commented on the 'inordinate delay' and that it simply was not possible for the parties to get justice 'when a final outcome is issued more than ten years' after the case was filed and more than fifteen years since Lois started her class action.

*Why did the mineworkers union maintain such a male chauvinist view towards its female members? I always assumed that Minnesota folk, historically populated by hard working European immigrants in a hostile physical environment would have been much more sympathetic to the sexual harassment that went on year after year in the mines. In fact very few males come out of this story with much credibility, from the mine management down to the union, they are really shown to be sexist and ultra conservative when females start to (legally) work in their domain.

*Why did it take so long for the mines main insurance company, who were going to be the ultimate payers of any compensation, to get to grips with the case? When they did get closely involved in 1998 the problems seemed to evaporate and the ladies got their money

The authors write in a simple straightforward style fortunately avoiding flowery generalisations that seem a staple of non-fiction writing. The story unfolds in a logically time frame from March 1975 to the final financial settlement in November 1998. Early on there is an excellent historical overview of the Mesabi Range and the importance of the raw materials lying just under the surface. A nice touch I thought was the frequent explanations of points of law and how these affected the progress of the case.

A couple of points occurred to me as a read the book: I would have liked to see a listing at the start describing the principals, frequently a name popped up and I wondered who the person was having seen a mention maybe a hundred pages earlier. So much of the story describes the mine and other buildings, a simple diagram of the plant layout would have been helpful.

'Class Action' is a powerful narrative about a hostile working environment and the legal system and it reminds of a quote by Thomas Noon Talfourd:
Fill the seats of justice
With good men not so absolute in goodness
As to forget what human frailty is.

BTW. I wanted to see photos of the four heroes of the book, the wonderful Lois Jenson and her legal team Paul Sprenger, Jane Lang and Jean Boler and I found them all through Google Images.

A massive forest fire swept through eastern Minnesota destroying almost an entire county in one day in September 1894. Several towns were leveled, several hundred lives ended, and hundreds more altered. The story is full of daring railroad escapes, awful suffering, and surprising heroism, and Daniel James Brown's vivid writing relays the drama. His narrative details the stories of over a dozen victims of various backgrounds and fates. (This is enough that effort is required to keep track of who is who.)

In the endnotes, the author mentions one witness was particularly useful, because he "tended to note the kinds of details that bring a scene to life." Indeed, the main text is full of details and even dialogue recorded in various survivor accounts. Brief asides about the region's history, the science of forest fires, and burn treatments are scattered throughout and add much to the book. The overall product reminded me of David McCullough's The Johnstown Flood, though with less socioeconomic tension.

Author Daniel James Brown is to be commended for his knowledge of the incident and his chronicling of it. What an emotional read! There was so much drama, so much carnage and human suffering, that I sighed sometimes as I put the book down to take a break. This author knows his subject, and he knows how to write about it to please his readers. I've never seen the monument to the fallen pioneers but I plan visit it soon. I've read books about the great Chicago fire, and the Peshtigo fire, but never have I felt the riveting force as I did in this book. Now I feel it. The dissection of a firestorm of this magnitude along with the destruction it brought, and the lack of medical knowledge at that time about burn treatment showed me what a scholar Brown is. I learned an immense amount. Thank you, Daniel James Brown, for such a glorious textbook and tribute to those who lived in Minnesota during this era.

I grew up in Sandstone, MN and happened to find this book on the "Noteable Reads" table at BN. Picked it up and couldn't put it down. I had, of course, been taught the history of the Hinckley Fire, but never realized the total horror those people went through or what a monster of a fire it actually was. This book had chills running up and down my back as I read it. I'm sure I have one up on most people reading this as I have actually seen the places in the book (though altered now) for example the Sandstone Quarry (Robinson Park now) is one of my favorite places. I have a personal thanks for Mr. Brown for writing such an amazing book that really touched home for me(no pun intended.)

This book is an easy, informative read about a horrific disaster. It follows several people before, during and after the fire. It was much like reading an enjoyable fiction book. I plan to use portions of this to teach my junior high students about the causes and effects of forest fires.

"Under A Flaming Sky," by Daniel James Brown, is an intense, enthralling book detailing the events of the 1894 Hinckley firestorm. The event itself has been buried in our national memory, part of the great fires that happened at the end of the 19th century, like Peshtigo and others, unlike those of Chicago and major cities. Occasionally it is brought up at its anniversary in Minnesota by the local media. As Brown points out, though, the same kind of horrific incident that happened at Hinckley can still happen today.

Brown builds the chronicle of events from the night before the fire, augmenting it with conditions that built the firestorm, through the day of the fire and the events afterward. In the book, many characters are introduced - it was a bit confusing sometimes to trace who was with which family - but in being caught up with this tragedy and people, one would wonder who would survive, how they would survive, who would not and how they would die. The human interest stories that Brown creates an almost fiction-like story - but you know that it is a true story, and you want to know how it ends.

There are also three parts of the book where the story is interrupted, something that may seem to be an annoyance in most books, but extremely useful in this book. The first takes several pages to explain fires and the creation of firestorms, where conditions build swirling winds that may reach hurricane strength, heat the melts steel and throws fire and gases to instantly burn oxygen and set fire to things miles away. Another impressive detour has to do with burns and their effects on humans: how the body has difficulty dealing with burns, in fighting infections, the process of fighting bacteria, and more. Add to this the perspective of the technology of the times, and one gets further insight to the evolving disaster. Brown has written an excellent book on an American tragedy, and done it in engrossing style.

I love this book. I would recommend this to any mom, young or not so young!

Great read!!! Not only is this full of scriptures, but it has wonderful ideas to put into action for your family. My only problem is that sometimes the author assumes all of the readers are married with children, thus leaving out us single moms, but I still got a lot out of the book.

This is a wonderful book. A most read for all moms who want to encourage their children to be positive and to live a Christan life. It is an easy read and very uplifting!

There were some good things in this one. I did keep it after I was done reading it but it wasn't as deep as I had hoped it would be.

This was our first book we read for our newly formed Bible Study/ Women's Book club at our church. It was a hit and everybody thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a chapter or two that was just "ok", but the rest of it made a lot of sense. Our book club is mostly new moms or moms with younger children.

Great book. Good intro for those city dwellers among us thinking about farm life.

The worst part of this book is that it ends. I'm not a farmer, nor will I ever be interested in becoming one, but this book is about far more than farming.

Friend manages to convey the lessons of relationship--with her partner, with their animals, with their property, and most importantly, with herself--in a way that is at once humorous and insightful. Nothing gets tied up with a neat little bow, but the book also manages to neglect the angst-filled memoir genre. She combines the humor of David Sedaris and Bill Bryson with the poignancy of Mitch Ablom, while skipping sentimentality and predictability along the way.

Hit By A Farm manages to weave her thematic concern--boundaries and how they can be formed in the context of partnership and self fulfillment--throughout the book without clobbering the reader with her message. Best of all, this book is shake-the-bed-and-wake-up-your-partner funny. It's hard to make a reader cry--but it's a gift to make a reader laugh.

I'm recommending this book to everyone I know, and now, through the magic of the world wide interweb, I can recommend it to people I don't know. After you've finished reading it, don't forget to tell Oprah. She'll thank you for it.

I read this book to my partner this summer as we took three day trips from the Twin Cities to small towns in Minnesota - first to Buffalo and St. Cloud; second to Mankato; third to Rochester. It was a fitting book to read as we rode through Minnesota farm country - the setting of this story. Every time we saw sheep or llamas, we laughed and contemplated whether the farmers had experienced any of the trials and tribulations in the book.

This is a great memoir from a skillful author. Not only is she committed to her partner, she also has a great sense of humor and knows how to laugh at herself. The book description, itself, is comical. However, nothing prepares the reader for the emotional highs and lows between the front and back covers. Each chapter is a story in itself. From sheep to chickens, goats, llamas, geese, grapes and writer's block, this is certainly a don't-miss book. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention - the book is full of tragedy (i.e., all living things eventually die), childlike elation (i.e., the sheep actually did have sex and we have lambs!), and very elaborate descriptions of some pretty gross stuff (i.e., sheep placenta and things stuck to the bottoms of shoes). If you're soft of heart or stomach, get prepared for a roller-coaster ride.

Extremely well written by a very likable author, I highly recommend this wonderful book to everyone. It's a book that can be enjoyed by all - gay or straight, farmer or not - and should be on every bookshelf.

Writer/bookworm Catherine Friend takes us along as she transforms into a REAL farmer (and still keeps writing and reading). Her writing style is engaging and easy to read, pulling you along for the ride from start to finish. I couldn't put it down.

Real humor, real struggles, real "back to the land" mentality without the moral pontificating of some authors. The dream of farming wasn't hers to begin with (it was her partner's), but she has made peace with it and maintained her sense of self while maintaining a long term relationship. Farming is a stressful business, and she addresses this aspect of it very well while sharing how she managed to work through her concerns and evolve into a better person.

The author's sense of humor was my favorite part. I will never look at soft serve the same way again after reading about the peacocks leaving "grayish swirls of poop the size of a Dairy Queen ice cream cone" which, well, you'll have to read the book to find out what happened, but the result had me rolling with laughter. Definitely a five star read.

No one was more surprised than Catherine Friend when her long-time partner informed her that she'd always dreamed of being a farmer. Early on in this hilarious memoir, the author writes, "Farming had never been my dream. My dream was to grow my writing career into something I could call 'successful,' whatever that was. I'd already sold two children's books and a handful of magazine stories. I was hungry for more" (p. 6).

But Melissa's dream had merit, and Catherine believed she could help the dream come true. And so, "The classic face of farming in Grant Wood's American Gothic was about to get a facelift: two thirty-something women in bib overalls holding pitchforks" (p. 6).

Devoting a great deal of time, energy, and work to their project, the two women researched farming, bought land in southern Minnesota, built a house, and settled in to raise sheep, chickens, and grapes for wine. Apparently that was the easy part. From auspicious beginnings, the road they embark upon is filled with a learning curve so steep that shoveling manure and mucking horse stalls might have been easier. While Melissa's dream ascended, the livestock, crops, and natural disasters seem to conspire to make Catherine's life miserable. Living off the land wasn't at all the romantic idyll so often put forth.

By turns hilarious and sobering, touching and surprising, Catherine Friend's memoir tells the tale of two thirty-somethings who not only have to learn to love the barn, but also to find their way back to one another after such a huge life-change nearly sideswipes them for good. It's a terrific story, very well-told, and is cram-packed full of humor, insight, and a zest for life that can't be vanquished. If you only read one memoir this year, make this be the one. I give it my highest recommendation.

In this mosaic of stories, Lillian comes of age and matures beyond her years, almost against her will. With an alcoholic father and a fragile, flighty mother, Lillian, with her siblings, struggles with her troubled family, and yet they all fiercely love each other, flaws and all. While this isn't a conscious feeling, it does crackle beneath the surface and colors the actions of everyone. Lillian navigates a lonely path encompassing sexuality and a yearning to be free. With a crisp voice and a vivid portrait of Acorn Lake, Minnesota, "A Brief History of the Flood" waxes almost nostalgic as it nudges the reader through these various tales that deliver a surprising portrait of a family unbalanced.

The perfect choice for a book club looking for an undiscovered gem, this is a delightful read that is lean enough to consume in one sitting, or savor over a few days. It's a coming of age story told through the eyes of young Lillian Anderson, a girl growing up in the sixties in a small town in Minnesota. Chapters are short bursts of her life: her Mother's dramatic mood swings, her Father's alcoholism, first sexual experience, first job, first crush.All told with an honest intimacy that at times feels less like a novel, and more like someone's diary entries. Her heroine at times reminded me of Astrid in "White Oleander", and if that was a book you liked you'd probably enjoy this one as well. A well written, comfortable first novel.

This book literally found me (and I must say that I am really glad it did.) I am still unsure how this slim little gift of a novel made it into my hands, but according to the Amazon.com reciept, it is a gift from the author so I figured: What the hell, I'll read this and see what I think. So, I cracked open the cover and was wonderfully entertained right up until the end.

Lillian Anderson is a strong-minded, fiery, wise-beyond-her years-girl who tells the story of her family, her perpetually run-down house and her life in rural Acorn Lake, Minnesota. Lillian begins narrating the story at the age of eight and it continues virtually seamlessly, with Lily's steady hand on the pulse of her family until the age of nineteen. Lily's mother, Marion is a neurotic, manic depressive personality who always has some wierd project in the works. Jack, Lily's Dad, is an alcoholic but no one ever talks in such negative terms. Marion seems to be able to put a positive spin on everything that's wrong, even her husband's years of substance abuse. Oldest child, Randy, (age twelve when the book begins is the dyed-in-the-wool peacekeeper of the family. Mitzy, the middle daughter, seems to see her mother for what she really is and is very bitter about it. Mitzy has no trouble saying what's on her mind and even at ten years of age is tired of ignoring the pink elephant in the living room. I am amazed that Lilian seems to be the only sane one in the family and has learned, (certainly not through example) to take care of herself. She has learned to become a mother figure for the youngest, Davey who is too young to understand the extent of the chaos in the family.

I love coming of age stories and this one was a very good one. It reminded me very much of ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons and AMY & ISABELLE by Elizabeth Strout. The writing and the imagery and the lanuage of A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FLOOD were very high caliber. I will be watching for more from this author.

I wasn't bothered at all by the fact that this book was originally chopped up into several short stories. The stories came together so well and the novel made such an impact that I can't imagine it in any other form. Bravo to a wondeful new writer.

I concur with the opinions expressed by the other reviewers. I casually picked this book up at the library as part of a stack of summer reading. It's such a joy to start a book with no expectations whatsoever and be so tremendously satisfied. I am a bit puzzled, however, at the author's choice of the short story format. Why write a series of short stories and then package them together chronologically this way, so that the result is an "almost" novel? Because each story is meant to stand alone, there is some repetitiousness in certain descriptions of people and places--yet we are obviously intended to read them as a whole. I'd be interested to know whether the stories were written and/or published individually, and, if so, in what order they appeared. Are you out they Ms. Harfenist? Please enlighten us!

  A Brief History of the Flood is that rare book that can't be put down, and one you'll want to read again and again.  Like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, each chapter fits together with a satisfying click to reveal an insightful picture of an unforgettable family of unique characters. Read the excerpt and I guarantee you'll be captivated by Harfenist's voice, wit, and the wisdom that comes with understanding how we all grow up survivors of imperfect families. If you liked Mary Karr's memoir, The Liars Club, you will love this book. It may be billed as fiction, but it has the unmistakable ring of truth. Ironically, A Brief History of the Flood turns out to be a life preserver--reminding each of us how our unique childhood journeys help determine our destination in the world, and how understanding the past can buoy us in the present.

This story is about two high school boys who decided to take a canoe trip during the summer of 1930. Not only is it an adventurous tale but it is a lesson about survival and the determination to accomplish a goal. It is well written and very descriptive making the journey very realistic. This is a must read especially for teenagers who love the sport of canoeing.

These young fellas took the plunge on a grand voyage way, way before the existence of a GPS device could guide them. There was no heated SUV to retreat to at day's end, nor a support team to hand the paddlers hot coffee and sandwiches at pre-planned meeting points along the way. Instead, their experience was a spontaneous, grab-the-paddles-and-go surge into the wilderness, powered by naivete and the invincibility of youth. Follow the true account as the travelers, continuing by the seat of their pants and helped only by capable Cree Indians at one point, journey up the Minnesota River all the way to Hudson Bay, enduring the elements and close calls the whole time. Canoeing With The Cree is an unforgettable adventure which I highly recommend.

First of all, the title of the audio book "Canoeing With The Cree" is misleading. This work is not about Cree Indian canoeing style. Nor is it about a trip taken with Cree Indians. It is about two boys, Eric Sevareid (later a famous journalist and TV reporter) and Walter Port aged 17 and 19 respectively, who take the trip of a lifetime canoeing some 2200 miles from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay over the course of one summer. Although they do occasionally paddle with or get assistance from both Indians and whites alike, they are pretty much on their own in the world of 1930- No GPS, no satellite phones and a route with long undeveloped stretches between towns and eventually trading posts. The route was incompletely mapped, and nobody could find record of this route having been used before. A better title might be "A Summer Canoe Adventure; Triumph Over Adversity" or just "From Minneapolis to Hudson Bay By Canoe".

Eric and Walter managed to obtain sponsorship from a local newspaper before they asked their parents for permission to take the trip. The parents reluctantly agreed... The boys quickly obtained a used canoe and christened it "Sans Souci". They packed a non-useful pup tent, mosquito netting, a .22 rifle, fishing gear, food, $5 and some traveler's checks and they were off!

From the beginning, they were doubted by nay-sayers who didn't believe they could do it. Even well into the trip, their final destination raised eyebrows. Indeed, it was a daunting task, and many miles had to be covered before the early winter freeze-up in the north country. In addition to pressure to beat the weather, Walter found out he was offered a college scholarship that would only be valid if he showed up at school in late September. The boys risked their futures and their lives by undertaking this trip.
Along the way they encounter blistering heat, and freezing cold, illness, injuries, doldrums and windy weather, flat water, rapids, and wind-blown whitecaps. At one point, they cheat a little and ride aboard a ship when they were wind-bound on Lake Winnipeg, but the majority of the trip was just the two boys paddling through wilderness, even many miles going upstream! There were many miles of portaging their boat and gear between waterways, only occasionally aided by a friendly passerby. Most meals they cooked themselves- Even a dinner of (ugh) carp! You can almost feel their struggle as the cover mile after mile, hour after hour racing towards the saltwater of Hudson Bay.

Their struggles were not always against the elements. Sometimes they got bad directions, including instructions to run the rapids on the right side of the river, when the safer course was belatedly found to be the left side. They made it through, but it was pointed out that the local Indians sometimes didn't... Another struggle they faced was a result of stress due to the elements arduous journey, when they briefly came to blows. Fortunately, they got past their fight and continued on their journey and remained lifelong friends.

This audio-book is highly recommended, and is worthy of repeated listenings.

The late CBS News Correspondent Eric Sevareid's highly regarded adventure chronicle Canoeing With The Cree has been given new life in an enjoyable audiobook production released by Holton House Audio. The story, as written by the late Mr. Sevareid, is one of an epic journey through the Canadian wilderness during the summer and fall of 1930. Sevareid and his friend Walter Port, both just teenagers, set out from Minneapolis, Minnesota, in an attempt to do what no one else had ever done before: canoe over 2,200 miles north to the Atlantic Ocean.

Holton House Audio chose Mr. John Farrell to record Sevareid's epic tale, and it has chosen well. Mr. Farrell's pleasant baritone displays a wide range of emotion that consistently matches both the intensity and innocence of Mr. Sevareid's story, and Farrell's reading style adds what almost seems like visual and sensory components to the recording. At times, as I listened, I could see and sense the stillness of the Canadian wilderness that Mr. Sevareid experienced, while at other times, the tone in Farrell's voice led me to imagine the deafening roar of crashing rapids. I could sense the perils that Sevareid and his friend faced on many occasions. Also, Mr. Farrell's ability to give characters in the story their own unique voices added yet another enjoyable aspect to this quality recording.

I found it refreshing that Canoeing With The Cree was exciting, and yet profanity-free. The recording would be a great addition to any public library's audio collection, and it would also be appropriate for use in High School English classrooms. I intend to start using it in my own Alternative Education High School class this fall, and will make this wholesome and engaging story a regular part of my curriculum for many years to come.

Eric Sevareid's Canoeing With The Cree is a great story, and it's been well told by Mr. John Farrell. I highly recommend this new Holton House Audio recording.

Canoeing with the Cree by Eric Sevareid is one of the more unique works I have had the pleasure of reading over the past several years. In 1930, Sevareid (Yes, the famous news man), and his good friend and school mate, Walter C. Port, set out on an adventure that few of us could ever dream. They traveled by canoe from Minneapolis all the way to Hudson Bay! This journey covered 2,250 miles and went through some of the harshest wilderness in North America. There are several facts that make this adventure even more unique (as if the simple trip was not enough). First, Sevareid was only 17 years old at the time and his friend, Walter was only 19. Both boys were what would be classified a "city boys," in that they had never experienced the out of doors, nor had they any experience in canoeing. Secondly, they had a very limited budget, even for that time. Third; they did not have maps, GPSs, high tech camping gear or supplies. Forth, the area they traveled, in particular the last half of the journey, was almost completely isolated and still in the frontier stage of development.

This book is the telling of the trip these two young men undertook. We get a first hand account of the hardships, toil, hazards, and landscape they encountered. Each page is a further marvel. When you consider the primitive state of their equipment, there lack of maps and direction, lack of our modern prepackaged camping food and even their clothing, it is an absolute miracle they survived this trip.

This of course is Sevareid's first book. The reader must remember that he was seventeen years old when he wrote this book. Sevareid used a combination of his journal he kept and the articles he wrote for a local paper to use is creating this work. If I can remember correctly, when I was seventeen, I had difficulty trying to figure out which shoe went on which foot, much less write a book. That the author was able to plan and complete this journey is quite remarkable; that he was able to write a very readable account of the journey is just as remarkable, as far as I am concerned.

The reader must also remember that this work is far more than a good story though. It is actually one of the few published works, descriptions and accounts of the land which was explored (and indeed, exploited) by the Hudson Bay Company. That entire wilderness in now gone or at the very least altered beyond recognition in this day and age. The author's description of the Cree Indians, Mounties, Hudson Bay Company employees and folks met on the way constitute a very remarkable source document.

I must say I enjoyed every page of this book. As a matter of fact, once I started, I could not put it down and read it from cover to cover in one setting. Yes, it was that good! Fortunately this book is back in print after a number of years being out. The old copy I have here was a 1968 edition, but I see now that there is a newer addition available. This is a good thing as this is one of those reads you really should treat yourself to.

Highly recommend this one. I doubt if you will be sorry you gave it a read

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks