Missouri Books

This book was probably one of the most relevant, gripping and epic history books I have ever read. The numerous parallels between the Iraq war and the Boer War make it all the more powerful.
Most Brit academics are long on tangential, spurious fact and short on prose. This is were Farwell parts with his contemporaries. It can be read by the casual historian (skip some of the long sieges) or the consummate soldier, as Byron fully illustrates the flaws and strength of each protagonist at every major turning point. He does not hold back personal judgment which adds much needed context. He imbues these real characters with life allowing this to become more Epic than history book.
As an avid reader of insurgent doctrine this ranks up there with: Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife, A War Like No Other and Guerrilla Warfare (Che not Mao).
While it is a hefty read I dare you to put this down after the first couple chapters. You will not be disappointed.

Simply put, one of the greatest, most detailed and yet most readable histories, military or otherwise, to ever have been published. If you have even a passing interest in history, this book is for you. The parallels that can be drawn to our present day situation in the middle east are shocking, and this book was written quite a while ago.

Quite easily the best book on the topic of the second Anglo-Boer war. If there were but one book you read concerning this timely subject, it is this one. The author leads the reader on a fast-paced but thorough and enjoyable tour of the people and places involved. The intermixture of battlefield strategic and tactical decisions are interspersed with human stories of the men who carried out the orders and the political forces that fueled the conflict. A must have for the panoramic big picture with detail enough to satisfy the most avid military historian. It is a work I come back to again and again.

This is an absorbing, well written account of a neglected (by American readers anyways) war at the turn of the last century. Rather than being a dry academic text, Farwell's writing style serves to bring the war to life 100 years after the fact.

Coupled with other accounts of the war, like Goodbye Dolly Gray (another excellent book) written by Rayne Kruger, the average reader can understand some of the causal factors of South Africa's apartied system and gain an insight into the history of a long troubled region.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader looking for a fast-paced non-academic history of the Boer War. You won't go wrong.

This is a good book to read for anyone wanting to see how a good man dealt with adversity. Allen places much emphasis upon Davis' Christian faith, and how it helped him to be the sort of man who can be worthily imitated. The book also contains a goodly amount of historical information which is not commonly known. It could have used some tighter editing, as there were a few points where I was not quite sure about whom Allen was writing, and had to go back and re-read the paragraph, but, all in all, I was both informed and edified by this book. About the review by Kirkus, I can only conclude that that reviewer is an anti-Christian, anti-Southern bigot, as he obviously had already decided about the book before reading it.

Felicity Allen's recent biography, Jefferson Davis, Unconquerable Heart, transcends mere history. Such a sensitive and comprehensive work, therefore, may perplex the hardened historian, who is often pleased only with cold chronological facts that fit comfortably into his own predispositions. Allen's intricately documented work has the touch of a true poet who deftly and profoundly reveals not only the heart and soul of a great (and often misunderstood) American but also a way of life gone forever.

No scholar can fail to appreciate Allen's exhaustive research,, nor any layman fail to be amazed at her mass of fact and significant detail. But if fact is the body and bone of biography, truth is its revelation. And this is the outstanding accomplishment of Felicity Allen: she has recovered the heart and soul of an honorable and courageous American patriot who thought and fought and fell with his young nation.

Oxford Stroud

What Mrs. Allen succeeds so brilliantly at is showing the human side of the man. I must admit that I was no fan of Jefferson Davis in his role as the President of the CSA. However, thanks to Mrs. Allen, I was able to see him in a much different light - as an American patriot and a human being. In the passions that colour anything dealing with the War of Northern Aggression, it is sometimes difficult to remember that everyone involved had a life before that tragic conflict. I can't help but be grateful for the way in which Mrs. Allen brought that point home in her book. While I will still take issue with many of his wartime decisions, I can't help but be proud that our nation produced a man like Jefferson Davis. Thanks for the insight and the education Mrs. Allen!

Since becoming interested in the 19th Century, and the oasis of information concerning that time period, I'm still baffled as to why the 21st Century historian cannot understand the greatness of men like Jefferson Davis. All the modern historian can do is point out cultural problems of times past (slavery: as if the South was the only place on earth that had them). After reading the standard review from Amazon, I had to chime in on this great book. I've read William J. Cooper's Jefferson Davis as well as Jefferson Davis himself. Is it not interesting that modern day Jefferson Davis antagonists' (Just read James Mcpherson's preface in 'The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government") can only talk of slavery, as if this is the only motivating factor which drove J. Davis to become a relunctant secessionist, while ignoring our own cultural problems that are far worse and grandiose in scope. Modern day/ post-modern historians cannot grasp the larger picture of history. Their worldview does not allow for such truth gazing. F. Allen does a supurb job of showing us a Davis who was triumphant, depressed,ultimately defeated, caring for Negros, and a dedicated Episcopalian who knew who his Saviour was. Many of J. Davis' associates supported gradual emancipation (Bishop Meade of Va and Bishop Leonidas Polk) as to help assimulate the Negro into society. The Northern invasion of the South precluded any such cultural assimilation to take place. Read this book- It is partisan, but isn't every historian coming to work the task of history with his/her presuppositions? F. Allen is not ashamed of this and her logical conclusions about the man and his times is as accurate as a historian can get. Cheers for independent scholars who have not abdicated the task of passing story to fellow countrymen!

Poignant story of a brother and sister who find love and courage amidst a recent trauma they can't escape. Touching, heartfelt, sure to sting an eye or two.

I came across a new memeber of a msn group and thought I'd take a look at her work... after reading the synopsis, I ordered the book. Fantastic! It isn't overly literary, it isn't pretentious, it's a wonderful story, plain and simple. Ms. Scott captures the emotions and personalities of her characters with such insight, you feel as though you can hear them speaking. Catagorized as a romance, it holds enough mystery to tempt a much larger audience. This is an author definitely worth keeping an eye on. Best POD book I've ever read!

Missouri in a Suitcase is a great story with appeal for everyone. When Lizabeth and Tommy's father suddenly dies, they pack up and move to Colorado, leaving bad memories - and secrets - behind. But, as often happens, bad memories - and circumstances - tend to creep up on you, particularly when you least expect it. Of course, so does romance. Enter Gabe, the ruggedly handsome neighbor with a secret of his own. Mystery piles upon mystery, as Lizabeth attempts to unravel the story behind the death of her father, her little brother's emotional problems and a budding romance. This book will keep your interest well past the first few chapters! A crackling good read!

Lizabeth Porter thinks her life has come together until the day her father dies. When her brother refuses to speak and her fiance becomes unbearable, she moves to her grandparents house in Colorado with her brother and his battered yellow suitcase in tote, looking for a new beginning. She finds more than the new beginning she hoped for when she meets Gabe, her good looking neighbor who possesses the power to help her put her life together, or tear it apart. Gabe is exactly what her brother needs to overcome the hurdles of his life, but how much does she need him? A real page-turner sure to bring out your emotional side!

This series just keeps getting better and better! And I do hope it continues. The relationship between Meg and Sarah is engaging and realistic. The mystery becomes secondary to me when these two are together. Meg's niece makes for a nice character to play off of, as does Patrick again. But nothing beats Darcy and Lindstrom!

....as do the authors of this series. I enjoyed this book so much that I dug out the first two books of the series to reread. Meg and Sarah are the perfect foils for each other. If you haven't read any of this series yet, start with "Cemetery Murders" and work your way through. They are worth reading.

This series just keeps getting better and better! And I do hope it continues. The relationship between Meg and Sarah is engaging and realistic. The mystery becomes secondary to me when these two are together. Meg's niece makes for a nice character to play off of, as does Patrick again. But nothing beats Darcy and Lindstrom!

The writing in this series just gets better! The characters are feisty and funny! . Meg and Sarah are a couple to be reckoned with and even the secondary characters are interesting. Do yourself a favour and read this series. I just hope we do not have to wait another two years for the next book. This series is a rival to J.M. Redman and Jaye Maiman for great lead characters.

Schlafly's story has something for everyone. He is a gifted story teller. A real renaisance man, he brings disparate bits of knowledge together to tell the story of his brewery and so much more. His wit reminds me of Mark Twain. Schlafly is a keen student of history and culture and it shows throughout his entertaining book. Once you start, it is hard to put it down.

This book is tons of fun and is filled with lots of St Louis History that I was never aware of prior to reading it. It's the kind of book that is hard to put down, you can read it in one sitting, by the time you finish you feel like you know more about beer and are a personal friend of Toms! As a business major, I also found it to be a wonderful case study in all the economic good businesses can provide to a community(while turning a profit). Restoring areas that had seen better days by setting up shop and making them vibrant thriving "places to be" again is something to be admired and commended. As a beer fan, I can't speak highly enough of this book, it has piqued my interest in homebrewing and I hope to try my hand at it very soon. God Bless Tom Schlafly! I hope he can bring his "Beer the way it used to be" to the Dallas market!

After about 10 years of indulging in Tom Schlafly's products and enjoying the fine food they serve at his restaurants I was excited to see that he had written a book of his David versus Goliath journey in the St Louis beer industry. I was even more excited this Friday night to get to meet him at a book signing event and have a sip with him of his new "No. 15" brew to commemorate their 15th anniversary in St Louis.

Anyway enough of how I came into the possession of this fine book, which can be read in a matter of hours, and on with the review. Not only is Tom a great person and business man but he also has incredible writing talents. As the story unfolds and you are taken on journey of not only Schlafly's rise in the St Louis brewing arena but a historical recount of his beloved town, family, partners, and even his rivals at AB (or the Brewery as it is called in St Louis). Readers of biographies as well as many other reading genres will enjoy this great account of an American business triumph by the little beer company that could! Good luck Tom we hope to enjoy your products and wit for years to come!

This memoir is an interesting and often amusing look at the entrepreneurial spirit of someone who turned his love of beer and entertainment into a thriving business. The book is an easy read and makes you feel as though you just sat down for a couple of beers with Mr. Schlafly and you listened to his story, with lots of sidebars. It helps if you are familiar with St. Louis and the people and workings of medium sized mid-western cities.

I loved Ola'Wake as it brought me back in time to my own fond memories as a child. While reading with my two daughters, we laughed and cried feeling closer to one another as we related to characters in the story.

B.J. Stone writes with so much feeling and enthusiam she touches each and everyone of us in our hearts. We arelooking forward to her next novel.

Ten-year-old Josie never got to know her great-grandma, Ola, when Ola lived. Josie, who lives in Texas, is disconnected from extended family. Her father left to dodge the draft during the Vietnam war. Her grandmother died. All Josie has is her mother, whom she calls Ginny. When Ola dies, Josie and Ginny travel back to the Osarks in time for Ola's wake. This travel becomes a metaphorical, as well as actual, travel back in time for both mother and daughter. Josie learns much about herself, as she is introduced to her great-grandma, Ola, during this journey from past to future.

Reading this book is like visiting my Aunt Ola in the Ozarks! It's all there...the sounds, the sights, the smells, the adventurous spirit. From the overnight trip up into the mountains, to the rusty milkcan by the cabin door, to the scent of my aunt's perfume and facial powder---this brief novel registers authentic. But its greatest strength is the way it conveys her joy of life, surprisingly, in a book named for her wake. One neat by-product, for young and old, is that this adventure motivates us to think of the meaning of death and life.

B.J. Stone did such a wonderful job keeping the story exciting and ending each chapter with intriguing thoughts that made me want to keep reading. I enjoyed the book so much! I cried and laughed at the descriptions, knowing and seeing and remembering so many things. What a deep-deep, dig into your heart and soul, moving thought B.J.'s ending phrase was! Everybody who reads it will be able to relate. I know I did....

This book is fascinating to read if you are interested in the subject. It is probably one of the most important books available if you want to learn about the men who served on the boats. Descriptions of Captains, Clerks, and Engineers, are comprehensive, as well as the activities of other members of the boat crews. I cannot think of many subjects regarding steamboating that the author did not touch upon.

There are a number of parallels between the lives of Samuel Clemens (i.e., Mark Twain) and George Merrick. Both grew up in towns along the Mississippi River, both first worked as typesetters, and both became river pilots. And Merrick's writing is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Twain's "Life On the Mississippi" gives us a pretty full picture of steamboating from St. Louis to New Orleans. Merrick's "Old Times on the Upper Mississippi" does the same from St. Louis to the head of navigation at St. Paul, and it does so in a readable and personable style that keeps the reader interested. And there are none of the long, tangential stories like those Twain stuck into his book in order to bring it to the number of pages promised by the book agents who sold it door to door before it was published.

Long out of print (I searched for a decade for my first edition copy), "Old Times on the Upper Mississippi" is once again available. It belongs in the library of any serious student of river history.

A mine of information about the "Golden Era" of Steamboats on the Upper Mississippi River. One of those rare books that does not leave the reader with more unanswered questions than when one started reading. With no wasted words one gets a real feeling of how it was living between 1840 and 1870 as a "Riverman". Along with Charles Edward Russell's "A-Rafting on the Mississip" I would recommend it as a base for anyone doing research on the subject. For true adventure lovers it is exciting reading in it's own right...

Thank goodness someone has had the good sense to reprint this classic book about steamboating on the upper Mississippi! George Merrick relates his personal experiences as a steamboat pilot during the heyday of steamboating with stories about the boats, towns, and people of the stretch of river between St. Louis and St. Paul. I grew up in that area, and found his recollections fascinating. I learned a lot about the history of the towns along the river, and about the rich tradition of steamboating. Imagine piloting a 500 ton boat down a winding, wild river in the dead of night with no headlight, moonlight, or navigation aids!! Captain Merrick tells how he did it! A must for anyone who is interested in steamboating or the history of industrial expansion to the West.

It will break your heart but it will make you want to read more.

It was souch a great book I finished it in one night! Although it was sad, It was very interesting. You really got to know the characters. I hade to get the three other books as soon as I could! One night I stayed up till one in the morning to finish one of the books!

When the six Kelly children are split up Danny then sees a fake doctor he heard about in New York while at a medicine show out West. When he reveals the phony doctor's secret to everyone there, the doctor decides to hunt Danny down. It is a race to catch each other first before the other one catches you. A dramatic, heart-warming story filled with love, joy, and the importance of family.

This is a great book. I wouldn't recommend reading this book before: A Family Apart, Caught in the Act, and In the Face of Danger. It is the last book a Quartet about the Kelly children. Unless you don't want to read the first three I suggest you read A Place to Belong last.

I have to laugh at the attitudes of these two - Malachi Slater and Shannon McCahy.
It took them a long time to realize that it was them fighting their hormones instead of true hate of one another. They both felt the attraction from the start. But, of course, Shannon had to mouth off at almost every encounter. She was very nieve about the attraction and Malachi was only used to sex without love.

Cole had taken off when Malachi shows up at the ranch but Shannon doesn't know at first that it is him and not some maurader.
Then the ranch was invaded by a group of men from Kansas who grabbed Kristin. And, of course, Shannon blows up and wants to charge the 20 some men who have her sister. Malachi starts by having to save her from her own foolish actions. She could have gotten him killed.

Shannon is bound and determined to follow Malachi in the rescue of her sister. Yeah! right! Way out on the trail she once again gets caught and leads Malachi in the opposite direction where Justin Waller lays claim to her. He is determined to have her any way it takes. The more brutul the beter.

Captain Malachi Slater rescues her [again] and of course it leads to seduction [or sex if you will] and finally they make it to the town of Haywood.
Where Malachi meets up with Iris Andre, a former lover, who offers to get word of Kristin for Malachi. Of course, Shannon is up to her old tricks, of mouthing off before she even knows what is going on.

Mr. and Mrs Haywood, practically own most of this town and they decide, from what they could see, that Malachi and Shannon should get married.
Oh boy, more trouble. A saloon girl gets murdered. One thing leads to another and suddenly Shannon gets abducted [again] in her nightgown.

Malachi gets sidetracked again. Dumb female!
Matthew shows up and so does Jamie. They all converge on Fitz's town and plan to hold up a train. Well, she does it again, Shannon and Iris get caught for Fitz when Bear recognizes Shannon. Fitz is determined to kill Cole and his brothers then the women.

See what the train hold-up leads to - and how the Slater families get together, leaving Iris and Matthew back at the ranch. And the Slaters heading for Texas.
Great plot - dumb, emotional female - libertine men - and nasty villians.
Excellent read.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- M -- moral attitudes out the window.

The sequel to Dark Stranger - the story continues. Shannon McCahy (a yankee supporter) and Malachi Slater (a rebel soldier) pull together to look for Shannon's sister Kristin Slater, Malachi's sister-in-law, who has been kidnapped in hopes to draw her husband cole Slater out. The Civil War is over but the Slater brothers have been put on the Wanted List as murderers due to Cole Slater gunning down the man bushwacker that murdered his first wife and left Cole for dead. In Dark Stranger (the story of Kristin McCahy and Cole Slater) Shannon and Malachi couldn't be in the same room together without breaking into arguments- they hated each other that much or so it seemed. How are they going to be able to cooperate and work together to find Kristin and get word to Cole to stay put? They say the line between Love and Hate is very thin. Malachi spends as much or more time getting Shannon out of trouble because of her loud mouth and hot-temper. But when there's a threat of losing Shannon to bushwhackers Malachi realizes that he has crossed over from hate to love. All 3 brothers come together to save Kristin. It is great seeing them all together again. The characters are all powerful. It's a good read!

The first thing that caught my attention about this book was the title. I thought it was a very catchy title standing out among all the other books on the shelf. I haven't read too many books that take place during or after the Civil War, but I was really impressed with this book. The characters were wonderful and fit well together, although I thought Shannon was a bit too agressive when facing enemies. And aside from Malachi having to rescue her over and over again and giving the reader the feeling that you were reading the same thing over again, it was an entertaining book. I read it in one day. It's definitely worth reading if you're a romance buff.

As the sequel to "Dark Stranger," I eagerly picked up this book. In my opinion, it was much better than the first. The heroine, Shannon, acted accordingly in response to events from the first book, including the horrible death of her fiance by bushwhackers. She had alot to overcome to believe in love again. Between the two books, you see her growth into a woman. Malachi, the hero, was just that in my mind--a hero. Although he was stuck into a situation by Shannon's doing, he still protected her always.

The author, Helen Crabtree, is a noted horsewoman. She's won the AHSA Horsewoman of the Year Award and the United Professional Horseman Associations's Trainer of the Year award. She has trained over 75 World Champions with her methods. This book shares her expertise. The book deals with the mechanics of riding Saddle Seat, proper tack, and rider attire, but does not deal with judging Saddle Seat. The emphasis is on showing.

This is an absolutely superb treatise on Saddle Seat Equitation, particularly for those new to the sport. Even for experienced Saddle Seat riders, there is probably no clearer explanation of the basics of showing the saddle horse anywhere, and we all need a bit of review ocasionally! The book covers a wide scope of subjects connected with the training of horse and rider to enter the world of riding and showing in the Saddle Seat discipline. Crabtree adresses such critical but sometimes overlooked subjects as the role a rider's parents can and should play at shows, beauty in the pairing of rider and horse, and teaching the adult show rider. What it offers in scope, it lacks in depth - and this is deliberate, since it is aimed at the new rider/trainer. Although every rider would benefit vastly from reading this book, especially the sections on the Saddle Seat Equitation tests, more advanced riders will not find it satisfying in terms of in-depth discussions of training or show ring techniques, as that is not its focus. But it is an extremely worthwhile book for riders of all levels, and it is also an eminently readable, delightful and informative chronicle of the Saddle Seat Equitation world from the 50s to the 80s.

I sugest this book to EVERY HORSE LUVER especially Saddlebred LUVER it is filled with funny stories, history, and memories

This book was absolutely fabulous. It gives information about the most popular breeds that compete in saddelseat equitation, and Helen Crabtree is especcially helpful with all of her years of experience. Even though the book is more than 20 years old, the lessons inside remain true. This is a timeless book that should be read by all saddleseat riders to enhance their possible performance in and out of the show ring.