Montana Books

Mckettricks luck, pride and heart all three Great books. Was worried the three books would be too similar. They were not and all three very enjoyable.

Very good romance novel about Cheyenne going back to her hometown and falling in love with the guy she had a crush on in school (Jesse) who became a multi-millionaire and owned the land her company wanted to purchase for condominiums. This was a good book that delved into Cheyenne's family, work and love life. I enjoyed the poker and the subplot involving her brother's life, who was only 19 and in a wheelchair because of an accident.

I also found Jesse's family interesting and the fact he wasn't interested in his family's company so didn't even have a job, but instead played poker and rode the range. This book had both a good plot and good character development. It was a fast read and I look forward to reading the others in this McKettrick series.

--Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

I actually read McKettrick's Heart first, not really realizing this was a trilogy. McKettrick's Luck is a well written, light read that was hard to put down. Jesse and Cheyenne were wonderful together and I particularly liked Jesse's relationship with her brother, Mitch. All in all, a great read.

I thought this was a good book. I read it pretty fast, although I skipped some parts. I thought the plot was interesting. I normally read Christian fiction, so the only complaint I have is that there are some pretty raunchy sex scenes. I bought the book in a grocery store, there wasn't much to choose from. During the sex scenes, I felt like some kind of pervert, like I was standing in someones bedroom! I think some things are better left to the imagination than soooooo spelled out! I like Christian fiction better because you still get all the great romance just without all the junk. It's like comparing Pride and Prejudice to Nine 1/2 Weeks. If you would like to read some really good romance with some things left to the imagination then you should try reading: Secrets of the Wind by Stephanie Whitson, A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, Treasures of the North by Tracie Peterson, Tomorrow's Treasures by Linda Chaikin, or Leather and Lace by DiAnn Mills. Give them a try, you will not be disappointed!

This was my first Linda Lael Miller book, and all I can say is it won't be my last! I picked up this book in a bookstore while looking for a good contemporary western romance. I had definitely heard of this author and thought I would give her a try. WOW! I read this book in one day and can't wait to read the two follow-up books.
Linda Lael Miller has a wonderful way of creating believable, likeable characters that are not completely perfect. Isn't that what people are really like?? The two lead characters of Jesse McKettrick and Cheyenne have a sexual chemistry that is absolutely palpable from chapter one until the end of the book. This is a couple that you will really love and want to see together. There are only two love scenes in this book, but they are Hot! This book is very strong on plot-line and character development. I can't say enough great things about this book! Read it!!!

I am not much for history, but I really loved this book. It's a very interesting mystery, but it's also interesting to see how much the criminal justice process has evolved over the past 100 years. For example, in this case the closing arguments took longer than the presentation of all the evidence. The defendant held her granddaughter on her lap during the entire trial. The newspapers concluded she committed the murder because she didn't act "feminine". I love true crime books, and this was a really good one as well as a change of pace due to the historical nature of it. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I bought this book because of my love of true crime. What I came away with was much more than a story of an ax murder in 1900 Iowa. The author's paint a vivid picture of the dismal life and the hardships of the wive's of farmers during this era, and the farmer's themselves, as they weave their story with true accounts of the actual investigation and trial.

Midnight Assassin is an easy read and real page turner. What I wasn't expecting was the portrait of desperation, fear and isolation that made this book so much more than a true crime story. "Little House on the Praire" this was not and is a must read!

This book was of extreme interest from beginning to end. I love true crime stories, so the legal and moral aspects were the reason I purchased this book, but I found a secondary reason as soon as I started reading it. I am also interested in genealogy and my ancestors came to Iowa the same time as the Hossacks and they lived less than 45 miles apart. The authors' descriptions and stories of their lives and the everyday living of the farmers of the area were amazing. I felt like I was there, experiencing their lives, and their trials. Whenever a book can make me feel as if I am actually there, while it is happening, it is well worth the read.

Excellent story told here, with a mix of history of farming life in the midwest in early 1900s, law, civil rights and the mystery of the murder. It keeps your interest with the who-done-it story line and the tease of incomplete information coming from crime scene research and from the witnesses at the trial. I recommend it.

This is a well-written book that casts the reader back into the lives of prairie farmers at the beginning of the 20th century. It shows the dark side of Little House on the Prairie.

It is especially good at introducing the reader to the plight of many farm wives in that era. Through the trial of Margaret Hossack for the ax murder of her husband, we get a feel for the isolation and desperation of these women. The man a woman married was her whole lot in life. It was strictly the luck of the draw for her. If a husband turned out to be cold and abusive, as it seems Mr. Hossack was, his wife had little recourse but to suffer through it to the end. Although Margaret may not have suffered in complete silence, since there was ample evidence of how often she had rushed to her neighbors to complain of her husband's foul, dangerous moods - there was little anyone else could or would do to help. As this book keenly points out, the code of being a good housewife and a "lady" constrained women to their places and prevented others from interceding too effectively. The book poses the question - Did Mrs. Hossack ultimately engage in self help?

The book's other purpose is to juxtapose the lives of two women situated very differently in 1900. On the one hand, there is Mrs. Hossack, confined to her meager, loveless life on the prairie. On the other hand, there is Susan Glaspell, the liberated young reporter who covered Mrs. Hossack's first trial. I would have liked to have read more details about Glaspell's early career as a crime reporter in a man's world. But perhaps that would have been spreading the content of this book too thin. The author does circle back at the end of Midnight Assassin to provide a follow-up on Glaspell's writing career. Trifles, the play Glaspell eventually wrote, based loosely on the Hawkin's trial, has a heart-wrenching conclusion. It's worthwhile reading this book for that dramatic take on the caged lives of these farm women alone.

this book was a fast easy reading book and it isn't my favorite type book. I like more story line. A think Debbie Mccomber wrote well in her fashion, but this was not one of her better stories. That is the only book of the few I bought, that I have read, it has been a busy time for me.

This is my favorite book (so far) by Debbie Macomber. These characters were ones you loved to love! The secondary characters were just interesting too. Because of this book, I picked up the Dakota trilogy and am enjoying that as well. It's a refreshing change to read a romance that isn't all about the sex scenes. Her stories are good ones and hold my interest. Kudos Debbie!

Wonderfully written .

There is gramps , Molly and her 2 sons , A ranch hand named Sam Dakota , and a rotten sheriff and of course the Loyalists.

Molly and her 2 sons live in CA when she gets the call from gramps hired ranch hand (Dakota)that if she wants to see her gramps alive she needs to come to Montana now . It takes time but Molly does go and her and her sons gets to spend time with gramps before he pass's . Also before he pass's gramps arranges a marriage between his grand daughter Molly and his hired ranch hand Sam Dakota . Molly is not to keene on this at first but realizes she must in order to hold onto her inhertiance from gramps ( the ranch ) . So she marries Sam prior to gramps passing .

There is issues at the ranch and around town that has been happening every since Sam Dakota came on the scene . The sheriff don't like him but then .... , Sam and Molly are shot at , He is accused of killing a hooker , and other things just happen but its the wicked sheriff that is causing all the problems . The sheriff and the loyalist wants the land for a traning camp and does everything possible to get it but only one thing stands in there way and his name is Sam Dakota .

Sam goes on to do a very special thing so he and Molly can hold on to the ranch her grandfather left her . ...Sam is every womans dream for a husband .

I very much like this book as I am from Montana and remember
the basis this book is written about,

A first read for me of Debbie Macomber. Liked the characters very much. This book got me thru a plane trip and two airport waits in good humor. That says a lot for this book. It has a feel good ending and a little suprise to boot. Works for me!!

This is a great book if you want to understand life as a paleontologist. Novacek goes into detail about his career, the struggles in the field, and adventures. This book is great for a younger person considering going into paleontology to be aware of the highs and lows of the field. It is also interesting for those of us who are older and always dreamed about going into paleontology.

The one warning I have is that the book is a bit long. While Novacek writes well, it is over 300 pages.

Not a bad book, could have had more illustrations and examples of fossils found in different parts of the world.

Novacek's "attachment" for lithics and fossil evidence has led him to remote places. Raised in the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, he was introduced to the wild, quickly finding excuses to return. Paleontology is easily the best excuse available for travel and exploration. He invites us to join him as he tours the North American West - into mountains, canyons and plateaus where fossils have emerged before. From this familiar territory he goes on to more exotic sites. His explorations reach from Andean highlands through Arabia deserts to the mysterious Mongolian plateaus. It was the latter that gave Novacek the greatest rewards and kept him occupied for more than a decade. This autobiography of a professional paleontologist provides interesting insights into the researchers depicting the prehistoric realm.

Before the rewards came the trials. The first was the decision to take up paleontology when a music career dangled enticing rewards. His father was a competent guitarist. A chance to learn field work offered new opportunities and challenges. Fresh creek water proved polluted leading to "highly volatile" digestive tracts. In the Andes, Novecek's horse bolted with one boot caught in a stirrup. Walking was impossible and riding little better. Desert scorpions and rattlesnakes were added threats. In Yemen, it was overzealous military staff. The hazards of scrambling over cliff faces seeking fossil or fording rain-swollen rivers recede as serious threats and become part of daily expedition fare.

All these mishaps failed to quell his desire to travel. The travel wasn't entertainment, but his quest for fossils. The search wasn't always rewarding, but the promise or the need kept him going. His misadventure in the Andes was off-set by a string of rewarding finds. Glorious to behold and thrilling to experience, the Andes are now considered the fastest rising mountains in the world. Fossils that had no business being at the altitudes Novacek's team encountered show how rapidly the mountains have been constructed by plate tectonics.

This mix of life experiences and scientific endeavour is richly enhanced by the graphics sprinkled through the text. Some of the most interesting are diagrams of fossil assemblages as found in situ. These provide a good indication of the complexities of retrieval and reassembly. His maps are a bit spare, but give the general location of campsites and fossil finds. Security, an issue of increasing concern in Mongolia, demands no more detail than necessary. Some photos of the campsites themselves might have personalised the account. His bibliography verges on the bizarre, being a mix of scholastic papers and general accounts. Some of these are worth pursuing. The knowledgeable will applaud his inclusion of John McPhee [although one volume is inexplicably omitted]. Novacek is forthright in his account of the tribulations of this career, but depicts as vividly the many rewards paleontology has to offer. As he concludes in this fine account: "there's still so much to know". [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

My freshman year in college, I decided to indulge my interest in dinosaurs and earth history by taking a *rocks for jocks* geology class. It was fascinating. I learned (and sadly haven't really retained) all kinds of info on rock formations, evolution, and paleontology. When I read the excerpts of this book a few months ago, I noted the author and bought the book when it came out. Novacek is a world famous paleontologist who takes us on a journey of his past field work and interweaves that with info on the animals whose bones he uncovers along with the geology of the sites he's worked. He also throws in some hilarious stories of adventures in fossil hunting that make me quite happy to stay home and leave the actual travels to him.


"Time Traveler illuminates some of the most exciting issues in current paleontology-- dinosaur and mammal evolution, continental drift, mass extinctions, and new methods for understanding ancient environments and the geologic time scale. By revisiting our planet's past and his own, Novacek teaches us how to understand the prospects for the future not only of paleontology but of our global ecosystem."

I will say that if you only have a glancing interest in this type of material, this book would probably bore you to tears but if it's something that intrigues you, you might find it as fascinating as I did.

Michael Novacek must be a very interesting person, judging from "Time Traveller," which he describes as "a book not about a life, but about a life in the field." Starting from his childhood in California, he relates the story of his start as a young paleontologist (moving from a background as an indifferent student and an unsuccessful rock musician) working in the American West and Baja California. Most of the digs take place in unpleasant locations, fraught with heat, scorpions and dreadful food. As he moves up the academic ladder, the digs become much more exotic and he heads out to Patagonia (where it is cold and windy instead of hot and accidents with horses can happen, but the food is still of varying quality), then to Yemen (where there are not even any interesting fossils to make up for the sheer awfulness of the place), Mongolia and Argentina. It appears that extreme physical fitness is a prerequisite for those wishing to enter this profession.

The major fault of the book is that it appears to be written backwards. The last chapters, focussing on the extremely important discoveries made in the 1990s in Mongolia, are fascinating and move quickly. They appear to come from another, and better, book. When he writes of the importance of palaeontology and the fossil record, his prose is powerful and almost poetic. But the earlier chapters seem to meander, a collection of anecdotes about his childhood, working in the field, a bit of this and a bit of that. One has the impression that Dr. Novacek is a bit of a scatterbrain, unable to focus his attention--Looky! Old rocks! Insectivore jaws! Bikini babes! Look! Fossil fish! Ancient teeth! Yemeni bandits! Look! Picturesque Chileans! That Roy Chapman Andrews-what a guy! Hey, look! We've been in Mongolia for ten years!

The chapter on Yemen is particularly odd. It describes in great detail all the problems involved in working in this near-medieval country, the dangers and the heat, but the only scientific finding is that there is really not much there to interest a paleontologist. Nonetheless, in the next chapter he writes about possibly putting together another expedition to go back, until he is distracted by Mongolia. Is this a thirst for derring-do, in the style of Andrews?

His attempt to write "popular science" often feels clumsy but cannot hide the fact that many of his discoveries are significant and have contributed to many serious scientific debates. I particularly liked his writing about how the Mongolian dinosaurs may have died. Originally accepting the idea that they were buried in soft sand, he carefully describes recent work by geologists that suggests instead that heavy rains resulted in mudslides that caught the animals in the gullies where they lived. It is clearly and elegantly expressed and ultimately helps make this book worth reading. It probably would be a better book with less rock-smashing and more such thoughtful analysis.

I've read multiple Susan Krinard novels, and this is my favorite. While it travels in time, it's not so caught up in "Timely dialogue" that can be confusing to the present day reader. The hero is strong, though a chauvinist, but that's not unexpected. The heroine is strong and funny. This book touched my heart and popped it's way right into the top favorites of time travel. Doesn't quite beat Knight in Shining Armour, but it is pretty good!

I like time travel story and as well as romantic adventure. This book is for someone like me. I like the first part of book better than the second part in which the background setting changes. But I thoroughly enjoy the book. Hero is tough guy who protect woman whom he care. And heroin is not so typical innocent weak romance book character. If you want something more strong, intense, hot romantic adventure, you'd better check Linda Howard's " Heart of Fire". That is even better.

Though it's not the best of this genre, it's worth of try.

MacKenzie Rose Sinclair (Mac) had promised her grandfather that she would return to the Guatemalan jungles of Tikal to return a Mayan pendant belonging to her great great grandfather Peregrine Sinclair. For her grandfather, Homer, believes that Peregrine betrayed his friend and partner Liam O Shea by abandoning him in the jungle. Homer believes that their family have been cursed by Liam and that the only way to break the curse was to return the pendant to the jungle.

After Homer passes away, Mac keeps her promise and travels to Tikal, the Mayan ruins in Guatemala. She finds herself walking into a tunnel deep in the jungles and comes across a set of bones with a similar pendant hanging around its neck. She takes the two pendants and suddenly feels unwell, feeling queasy and the ground beneath her feet disappearing. The next thing she knows when walking out of the tunnel she bumps into man who looks very much like the man Liam O Shea, who she has seen an old photo. In fact, she later finds out that it is indeed the man himself she has been transported back in time to 1884. Mac finds herself attracted to the handsome but very macho Liam. And Liam despite finding Mac a little strange can't help finding himself being attracted to her in return.

The second half of the book is set in 1884 San Fransisco where Mac must prevent Liam from marrying his ward who happens to be her great great grandmother Caroline Gresham whom she must ensure marry her great great grandfather Peregrine Sinclair.

The first half of this book was great. The setting was adventurous and exotic. I had a fun time reading Mac and Liam's reaction to what they perceived to be strange behaviour in the other. Their mutual attraction was very engaging and it was nice to read that Mac wasn't your typical beauty but that Liam was still attracted to her all the same. I found the second half of the book a bit boring and couldn't wait for Mac and Liam to get back to the Guatemalan jungle. I really didn't care much for the characters in the second half of the book. I would have given the book 5 stars if the action had continued as in the first half of the book. However, it was still an excellent read as with all of Susan Krinard's books. She has such a wonderful imagination and knows how to pull you into her stories. A brilliant storyteller with high standards for others to keep up with.

Lealing

The title twice a hero really refers to Mac- (Mackenzie), the heroine of the novel- not the hero. I found this a refreshing change.
She time travels back in time- not only meets a man, but has to matchmake her number of times great grandparents to each other!
Also there is danger- someone wants to kill the man she loves. Unfortunely he thinks it her numerous time great grandfather who is trying to kill him, and he intends to marry her numerous times great grandmother.
I gave the book only three stars even though the plot was great because the book draged in places and the writing could have been somewhat better.

The Characters: The herione of this story is McKenzie (Mac) Rose Sinclair, the last of the noble Sinclair line, reknown explorers/adventerers. There is also Liam O'Shea and his partner, Perry Sinclair, two men who, in the 1880's, discovered the site of a Mayan ruin in Guatemala. And there is Liam's ward, Caroline, a young woman just turning 18, whom Liam seeks to protect and Perry seeks to wed.

The World The very beginning is set in modern times, but this is a time travel book, so we end up in San Francisco, 1884.

The Plot: It starts simple enough: Mac is urged by her dying uncle to seek out the forgiveness of one long-dead Liam O'Shea for the wrong doing of their ancestor, Peregrine Sinclair. Seems that the two partners had a falling out. Perry left Liam in the jungle, and Liam died. Since then the Sinclair line has not had a whole lot of luck... Feeling foolish but spurred by curiosity, Mac ventures off...

Obviously she is transported, via two charms that were previously apart that she reunited, and a time-obsessed Mayan temple, into the past. Thus we embark on a rather humorous and always entertaining story, where Mac finds herself falling in love with Liam and realising that, should Liam succeed in marrying Caroline, who dotes on him, then she, Mac, very well may not exist, as Caroline and Perry are her great-whatever grandparents...

The Grade: I love Krinard's work; I bought this book soley because she wrote it and because I desired more than 3 books in my half.com order. I wasn't expecting to like it and I wasn't expecting it to move to the top of the list like it did, outplacing itself on the werewolf romances that she has already written. (Only the two that I've read) It is easily my favorite book by her, and very possibly my favorite romance book. The plot takes precedence, not always the case in romances. We have a whole one sex scene and two near-sex scenes. Liam, mind, is as chauvinistic as they come, but it was part of the times.... All in all a great read and one that some should at least consider. Five Stars from me!

I'm a reading freak, I literally own hundreds of books, most all of them literature and serious non-fiction. This book, and Alice Koller's second memoir, The Stations of Solitude, are two of my favorite books of all time. It's just that they're not exactly like any other books I've read. Both memoirs are of a single woman's excruciatingly sane, solitary life, beautifully described in minute, banal detail. She wrote An Unknown Woman years ago, but both books can still actually teach people to have the courage to live a real, sincere life and make their own choices, simply by the example she puts forth. However, the thing I love the most about them is that they don't pretend to be interesting, witty or dramatic. In the Stations she describes how she manages, or survives, all kinds of mundane stresses and ordinary grief--- how she deals with having no money, finding jobs, looking for places to live. How she lives in her car in a state forest for a while. How she mourns the death of her dog. How she loves of the beauty of some piece of furniture! I just can't say enough good things about these books. They are written by someone who wrote about her life as she experienced it firsthand, who used her own experiences, even of things that are considered ordinary, as the basis for her work and philosophy. Her books have a complete lack of pop psychology, or 'the experts say...' mentality that seems so prevalent today. I know it sounds cliche, but they are totally refreshing.

I bought the book because of the Nantucket angle, rather than for the story of how Koller "finds" herself. Actual observations about the island are thinner than I'd expected (she was there only 90 days, in a remote area, living basically as a hermit). The story takes place in the winter of '62 - '63, long before the 1982 publishing date would imply. One (admittedly minor) point that jumped out at me was that her inability to receive any radio stations re-enforced her isolation. Actually, although FM and TV signals are generally poor there, without cable, I can recall listening to very clear AM radio from as far away as New York City on the sunniest and foggiest days, when such reception should be the poorest. The problem with "fading out" was likely her radio. That having been said, it was worth the read to get to the point where she decides to move ahead, putting the past firmly behind her. Basically, the first part of the book consists of (factual) background of events leading up to her arrival on the island, the middle reads lie a Do-It-Yourself therapy session. I didn't find it a "womans' book" myself, but the story of someone who finally learns to stand up for herself, instead of fearing failure, and grasping for others' approval. Amazon doesn't have 1/2 stars, or I'd have given 3 1/2.
One final point: the author is known to some friends as "Timmie" - this is introduced rather abuptly, leaving me to wonder "Who's that, and when did (s)he enter the conversation?"

I'm another male reader which is a minority for this book. Actually there are quite a few books by women on living in solitude and not as many by men. I enjoy the genre and so I got this one. I also like to read about books about Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. This falls into that category. While reading the book I was a little annoyed that she seemed immune from accepting responsibility for her problems and blamed everyone else. There's a little of that. There a bit of a holier than thou attitude. If you love pets then you will understand her devotion to her dog but other may find it a bit much.

However, after reading it over 4 years ago I'm still wondering what became of Alice. I still think of the book admire it's spirit. If you can overlook the minor annoyances I mentioned and the idea of going off alone to reflect on your life appeals to you, I can recommend it.

I am currently finishing An Unknown Woman for the second time. This time was even more useful than the first - which was many years ago. I dug deep into the box hidden at the back of the closet for what I knew would help me in my current internal journey. Yes, there is much about her dog Logos. But like a good movie, the characters must be developed before they can mean anything in the epiphany. I love the process of how she deconstructs her patterns and thoughts to get to some source of each one of them, following a thread until it leads her to a place of realization. And only the realization can stop the process. Along the way I did some deconstructing of myself and developed once again a pattern of looking at my choices that is actually helpful in revealing my own truths hidden under the daily machinations which cover it all up. It is hard to be true to yourself. I am glad to have books like this that continue to aid me in my journey to be free.

Thirtysomething Alice Koller looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the face she saw. Feeling the urgent need to reassess her life, she saved up enough money to spend several months in a secluded house in Nantucket. Her only companion was her puppy, Logos. Faced with solitude, she began the challenging task of dissecting who she was and deciding who she wanted to become. She found that her adult self was not that much different from the child who so desperately sought her mother's attention and affection. She finds her difficulty with jobs and men have their roots in her early conflict with her mother. She emerges clear-sighted and independent: "I don't need anyone to tell me what I'm like, what I do well, what I ought to try. I know who I am a little bit more each day." Through writing and vigorous soul searching she comes to realize this. And the reader will share in her ultimate triumph.

AA isn't for everyone, only those who can't stop by themselves, it's pretty simple. And as you can see from some previous reviewers, "SOME ARE SICKER THAN OTHERS". Only the most closed and narrow minded won't be able to make it work. All it takes is a little willingness and honesty. Everyone dies someday and in one aspect, an alcoholic has 3 choices. Die Drunk, Die drunk and having failed at AA, Die sober. Just beyond me though at how some people can be so hateful of those striving for the third option or the "cult" that brings it all together.

a great book. each time i read it i gain many new insights. the stories at the end of the book reached me 1st. years later i began a serious "working of the steps". through that serious work i did undergo a "profound personality change" which has served me quite well. if a person can accept the sometimes old-fashioned language there is really a lot here that can be profoundly helpful. AA is not the only answer for the alocoholic but it has worked for millions so should at least be taken seriously. In my experience many things heard in an AA meeting do not reflect the premises in this book. So a person has to be smart. read the book, listen at meetings(if you go) but think, read & contemplate. After 20 years of sobriety i return to this book over & over. Not only for a deep comfort but for inspiration & guidance. one last thought: i don't take myself or "everything" so seriously, but i do take my sobriety seriously. good luck - it is a life "second to none".

Popular? Yes! A good guide to life? Well I don't know about that.... Rating this book is like rating the Holy Bible. Unfortunately, that's how it is regarded by many in this day & age. I am a recovered alcoholic who found solace in learning to trust my gut, instead of trusting a book written by a stockbroker with only 3 years sober. I did go to AA and one of the first things I heard was "It takes two years to get your brain out of hock, and 3 more to unscramble them". How many years sober did Mr. Wilson have again when he penned this text? Gee... by his own definion, he was rather foggy brained when he wrote his own religion. Hmmmmm..... I can't argue that many people adore this book, people are generally lazy, and enjoy having a "life" handed to them on a platter. So be it.

While AA may not be the answer for everyone, it is for many thousands of alcoholics and others. 12-Step programs are popular in many places now, based on the Steps to recovery first written in this book. Alcoholics Anonymous has never been on any best seller list, but it has sold over 20 million copies. This is good reason to take seriously what the authors say in this book. I can add my personal testimonial: the 12 Steps have changed my life for the better. Given the choice between potential death or 12 Steps, I will take the Steps!

this book gave me a working relationship with power grater than myself ,that deepens day bye day. I owe my life to this book.

a hybrid between "a history of the world according to coffee" (subtitle) and stewart lee allen's research travelogue, the book follows allen who follows coffee's historical and geographical paths of adoption

the early history of coffee is largely unknown, so the first half of the story primarily narrates allen's travel snags in unsuccessful research; border problems, boat breakdowns, getting ripped off by faux art-smugglers, etc

the 2nd half of the book is content-rich and much more interesting - covering the fascinating rise and role of coffee since the ottoman empire (primarily europe, india and the americas). allen provides a lot of speculation (his and others) with his facts - for a subject as nebulous as coffee's impact on civilization, speculation feels appropriate to me

the format would work better for me if 1) his travel tales worked together to form an interesting narrative of their own and/or 2) they had anything to do with coffee. unfortunately they fail on both these counts, and become filler

overall, allen's caffeinated and irreverent writing style makes the book easy to read and i found it reliably funny. for example on page 126 he writes ->

"the main nonalcoholic source of nutrition, bread is now believed to have been plagued with the hallucinogenic fungus ergot, the base ingredient for lsd. drunk doctors, tipsy politicians, hungover generals: the plague, famine, and war. add a pope on acid, and medieval christianity starts to make a whole lot of sense"

if you're interested in the history of coffee and you're okay with some travelogue-genre fluff, you'll probably enjoy this book. i would give it 3 and half stars if i could

This is a must read for Barista's. A rollicking adventure/travel/history book. Makes your everyday cup of Joe an event. This could be on Coast-to-coast radio.

Stewart Allen's "The Devil's Cup" is one of those books that appear to suffer somewhat from a case of multiple personality syndrome. It's gonzo food journalism with a healthy dose of history and cultural anthropology carefully disguised as a travelogue.

The focus of the book is coffee, and Allen treats his subject with Hunter S. Thompsonesque flair as he traces the history of the divine bean from it's African origins all the way to the Texas Panhandle. I'm still a little skeptical as to how much of the text was real experience as opposed to caffiene-induced delusion, but in the end it really doesn't matter much. It's an entertaining and informative read, and that's what really counts. You certainly can't fault the author on his research and sources. Allen has good footnotes and his stories hold up well under the scrutiny of a good many Google searches.

The author is accompanied on his quest for javalightenment by a revolving door of unusual and interesting characters, all helping to drive the narrative forward with lightning speed as Allen travels from one locale and adventure to another. Allen begins his quest in Ethiopia, where coffee was first cultivated. He moves quickly along the traditional trade routes to trace how the bean migrated through Arab and Muslim lands to Europe, the New World, and beyond.

"The Devil's Cup" is too short to provide a holistic picture of the sacred bean, and I'd recommend pairing it up with one of the more traditionally written histories on the subject such as "Uncommon Grounds". That said, this is a great compliment to other coffee-related books and it should sit on your shelf if you have even a passing interest in learning more about the magic grounds.

Grab a good cup of joe, get this book, and start reading already!

I received this book as a gift and was hoping for a more informative book about coffee, its history, and its intricacies. Instead, I found a collection of miscellaneous chapters that were, at best, loosely connected. The anecdotes provoked laughter, but I don't think I would call it hilarious. "The Devil's Cup" is a light read and worthwhile so long as you don't open the book hoping for an academic read.

I came across this book by accident and bought it out of my sheer love for coffee. But the book not only has the great tale of how coffee came from Africa and made it's way all over the earth to the daily drink we know today, it also is a first rate travelogue. The author follows coffee's migration from Africa to Europe. Mr. Allen has quite a knack for finding and reporting his adventures and misadventures with a fun easy to read style.

If you like non-fiction travelogues, then do yourself a favor and buy this book.

I gave this book as a gifrt to a friend who had her first grand baby She loved it immensly

I sent this to my mom for mother's day as a gift from my twins, who aren't born yet. She poured through it within a matter of days and said she loved it.

Bought this for my mother, and decided to read it after her.
Very well written, and mom was very pleased as well.

A great gift for the soon be be grandmother or grandmothers at any stage!

This is a laugh-out-loud book but with capturing the deep emotins of becoming a grandmother at the same time. Ms Wyse has certainly captured the modern style of being a grandmother and made her come to life. I have given it to each of my friends as they announce they are going to be a grandmother.I also reread it from time to time just to see how I am doing as a grandmother and what might come next.

This book is very well-cited and even though it's dated, it isn't out-dated. More recent studies only strengthen the arguments herein. At a time when we are seeing more and more bunk science being used to sell books, this book needs to be rediscovered.

The subtitle says it all: Carol Tavris' book "The Mismeasure of Woman" is about why women are not the better sex, or the inferior sex, or the opposite sex. In particular the last bit plays a major role, as Tavris analyzes the various explicit or implicit ways in which sexism is pervasive by taking males as a default or standard for all of humanity. She goes effectively into many examples of this phenomenon, such as medical testing that tests only on men, men as standard in civil law, men as standard in psychology, etc.

Tavris makes a clear case about the truth of physiological differences between men and women, and their importance in socio-economic contexts in everything from toilets to employment, while at the same time stressing the untruth of many of the pop psychological assumptions about the 'mental' differences between men and women, which experiments in social psychology have disproven many times. She also criticizes the medicalization of many social psychological problems among men and women both, where psychological issues that are clearly consequences of social ills or systematic mistreatment are perceived as 'diseases' from which only medication can be an escape. In particular it is often the case that what is considered a personal failing in women is considered a 'disease' beyond his control in men, whereas in reverse many natural and universal psychological phenomena, such as mood swings or periodic unhappiness, are considered symptoms of inherent weaknesses (PMS etc.) when they appear in women.

Equally however, Tavris makes sure to reject the mystifying nonsense about women as being superior to men, or having a "special bond with nature", and things of that sort. She concludes that what matters is not the use of a (usually male) standard and then measuring both sexes by them, but what is more important is making sure that an effective equality can exist between both sexes in the social and economic spheres, and to prefer social policy to psychiatry. This book is a valuable contribution to understanding the true nature of sexism today.

This book really lifted my spirits in its even-handed treatment of the 'language' of the genders. It explored the cultural expectations---and decpetions----about the genders, and gave each credit and offered an uplifting, intelligent, hopeful conclusion. I especially liked the fact that she gave men their due for their often-misunderstood gestures of affection and care----the clumsy and non glamorous gifts that form the backbone for so many sitcom jokes. Tavris is a sympathetic and vivid writer with wonderful logical and analytical abilities.

... is the double-entendre premise of this book and it is very well articulated. Ms. Tavris points out a tendancy to see men as the norm and women as the deviant and therefore something to be corrected and studied. She demonstrates as much with, for example, the following-



- Studies conducted indicate hormonal fluctuations in both men and women, and certain studies show that fluctuating testosterone in men decreases sense of humor and interferes with hand control ... yet men aren't faced with umpteen pieces - seemingly in competition with each other - trying to explain exactly what ways they are rendered irrational/unstable/incapacitated by those menacing hormones (or numerous "syndroms" ... one wonders if there is any time of the year where women are healthy!), not to mention the "common wisdom" of attributing their anger and hurt feelings to said hormones, and all because they aren't like women.

- The "equal as same" fallacy, where it is believed that a woman working in the same environment as a man should then conform to his, ie. the "normal", standard if she wants "equality" thereby missing the point that it is outcome and opportunity that matters for instance in the way a parent would treat two different children with different needs depending on them but still be sure they get it. Or, conversely, the belief that if two things aren't the same then one must be inferior.

- Things, such as crimes, looked at from the male experience. For example how it is often in our culture questionable when a woman doesn't fight back during a sexual assault, completely overlooking the fact that - as a woman - she risks even more physical threat from the heavier, stronger male than a man would. Further the tendancy of jurys to still scrutinize an alleged rape victim based on her demeanor, dress, and sexual prowess (because, of course, from a male point of view she is "looking for him" or "asking for it").

- She also addresses another pitfall, that women are somehow "superior" to men because they *aren't* like them.

To not give too much away I will stop, but this is certainly one of the best books I have ever read and hope that there will be an updated soon.

It isn't necessary to agree with everything in this witty book to realize that its subject - male bias - is crucial to our understanding of ourselves as humans. It is such an obvious, if overlooked, fact that using the male as the standard of normalcy for humans is illogical.

Tavris exposes the confusion between gender equality and gender sameness. Women and men do differ because of differences in reproduction and these lead to differences in health issues, life experiences, access to resources etc etc.

When Tavris shows the results of using the female as the norm then female bias becomes obvious. Men become selfish with inflated self-esteem, narcissistic, inflexible etc etc and possibly many should be diagnosed with Delusional Dominating Personality Disorder.

Not being able to see the male bias in so much of the debate about equality is surely a major block to its achievement. Imposing a male standard on both sexes does not lead to equal consequences for the sexes. As parents recognize the differences between their children, treating them equally does not mean treating them uniformly as if they are the same.

This recognition of male bias and the difference between equality and sameness is essential. It is something so obvious that it is hard to believe we have been so blind to it for so long - a case of not being able to see the wood for the trees.

Of course dominant groups are always in a position to impose their own perspective, experience and values as the norm and subordinate groups can be caught in the trap of either trying to prove they are the same or accept their difference and their consequent poor treatment. Some might attempt to assert their difference as superior, too, as some women do (and perhaps many more do in private).

Tavris warns against all these outcomes of inequality and leads us to the acknowledgement of difference and a change of focus from equal/same treatment to equality of outcome.