Western Books

It is a difficult read, no doubt, but this is one book which each and every educated person must read; doesn't matter if it takes a lifetime. If one reads three pages a day, it'll take one year to finish the book; that is the kind of patience the book demands, but it's worth it and extremely rewarding. Logistics overcome, comes the barrier of prejudice; several of them: India, Hindu, Ashram, Philosophy, Spirituality, New-Age etc. But what is needed is an absolutely open mind and the book becomes a pure Life's User Manual.

The book itself is a Univeresity that breathes universality. During the course of reading, one gets attuned to many related areas and ideas by way of allusions and comparisions. It also solves progressively one's long-held doubts and discords. Besides, in whichever profession one is, it helps to improve on the practical aspects. Further, the poetic beauty of the text enhances the sheer pleasure of reading even while the insights gained expands one's sense of mundane existence. Two other booklets, "The Mother" and "The Mind of Light" or "The Supramental Manifestation upon Earth" are essential supplements, lest one's understanding of the author is prone to be lopsided.

Rating this book is like rating god for his creation-a joke of first order. This book is an eternal book, its language ancient, contemporary, futuristic and transcendant. the only way one can approach this book is in quiet contemplation and deep introspection. every thought, doubt and question that might have crossed the minds of humankind is addressed, explained. understanding this book is the puny first step. it needs to realised, acted, lived and revisited. that would be rare human who does not find this book has changed his/her life. one feels like annihilating oneself to greatness of this being.

This book is the greatest achievement of Mankind!It is the greatest philosophical book ever written and in the best English Language ever written too.It is the Ultimate culmination of a 3,000 year Indian Philosophic Thought.

Sri Aurobindo examines deeper than anybody ever did the Human Condition and treats with the utmost profundity,clarity,linguistic beauty,logical acuity,originality and imagination all the major questions of Life:Why is there something rather than nothing,what is the meaning of life,why are we here,where did we come from,what is our relationship to the ultimate ground of Being,what is the function of ignorance,suffering,pain,what is the Nature of the Ultimate Being.He surpasses Shankara,incorporating in his philosophy the Tantric idea of the meaningfulness and purposefulness of the Becoming,as well as all central elements of Buddhist Philosophy.In relating all these to modern man (Western and Eastern) and connecting everything together through the most plastic,expressive,exquisite language ever written,he achieves the Ultimate Synthesis of all philosophical and spiritual thought of Mankind.

Although one needs to become accustomed to his unique language and expression ,as well as to spend initially some time in understanding the way he uses certain terms (some of his own creation,so that the Inexpressible could at least be hinted at),this initial investment of time will more than reward the serious reader in the end.

Some,with whom I agree,suggest that one start reading the book from the chapter "The evolution of the spiritual man"(Book 2,chapter 24) and,after moving on to read the next two chapters too,to go back and start reading it from the beginning.These last chapters give an overview of his philosophy and are written in an easier language.

"THE LIFE DIVINE" is itself one of the most pure EMBODIMENTS of the DIVINE.

This is a difficult book to read. Let us be under no illusions about that. It is verbose, repetitive and massive in its scope: tackling virtually the entire gamut of issues that philosophy traditionally deals with. But by the time you have finished reading the book (it took me three months to finish)it would have transformed the way you live your life. You may not agree with Aurobindo, and in fact, he probably does not want you to blindly agree with him, he would much rather that you think things out for yourself; but one thing that he certainly does is to question the 'commonsense' view of the world: the view of the world that we build up using bits of unexamined,untested, received, 'truths'. Take just one such 'truth': We believe--or at least we have done so ever since Descartes--that Matter and Consciousness are two separate things. Aurobindo puts forward the suggestion that the two are actually one and the same entity, only they are in different states being: somewhat like Ice and Steam being different states of water. If we concede that matter may be a form of consciousness, only in an inert state, all sorts of consequences would follow: especially with regard to our attitudes towards the environment.
As I had said earlier, the scope of the book is massive. Its three parts can be roughly divided into Ontology (where he discusses the Nature of the Cosmos), Epistemology (where he discusses the nature of Knowledge (&Ignorance), and the problem of Evil--which he attributes to Ignorance: a consequence of Ahamkara or ego-centricism) and finally, in the last part, he provides a broad, general direction for living our lives in accordance with our revised view of the world (Ethics). However, the book is not tightly structured (If you are looking for a book like Wittgenstein's Tractatus you will find yourself truly frustrated) it is loose, repetitive, and disjointed. Possibly because it was originally written as a series of essays and published monthly in a magazine called the Arya (between 1914 to 1919). He must have had to repeat himself because his original audience would have forgotten a point that he would have made five years ago. But the cumulative effect of the repetitions is that his ideas have a tendency to gradually seep in and sink into your mind, rather than strike you as a sort of brilliant epiphany.
Aurobindo's philosphy is ultimately rooted in ancient Hindu Vedic thought. In the course of the book, Aurobindo tackles Marx, Darwin, Nietzche, Freud, Hegel, Feurbach, (plus a whole range of European philosophers) and his idea is to adapt their philosophy to the 'Truth' as expressed by the Seers of the ancient Vedas. Does he succeed in doing so? I don't know. That is for professional philosophers to decide. For me, the book has been a revelation, the scales have dropped from my eyes: I see things differently now. Hopefully, I will continue to do so for a while before the snares of living in a modern city finally engulf me once again. Haven't they said that we can't stand to face the truth for too long?

There are very few great spiritual classics that each century produces. The Life Divine is one of these great spiritual classics, one of the key spiritual studies of the twentieth center, perhaps of all time. There are few great mystics and enlightened masters who are able to express themselves in extensive philosophy and profound poetry. Sri Aurobindo was one of these, and the Life Divine is probably his magnum opus.
The Life Divine is no mere call to a life of piety, asceticism or outward religious fervor. It is a call to bring the Divine as a force of higher consciousness into all that we are and do, both individually and as a species. The Life Divine unfolds a panoramic exploration of consciousness from the Absolute (Brahman), to the Cosmic Creator (Ishvara), to the individual soul (Jivatman), and all the realms of existence, manifest and unmanifest, known and unknown. There are few books that cover such an expanse and with such depth, direct knowledge and clarity. For those who want to widen their horizons and extend their awareness into the realms of higher consciousness, there is perhaps no other book that is as complete, comprehensive and challenging. Reading it requires both concentration and meditation of a very high order, but brings great riches of inner insight in return.
As someone who has studied the main religious traditions of the world, and has written extensively on the traditions of India, this book has remained with me as life time companion. I recommend it to all those who are looking at the spiritual life as a quest for a higher consciousness and grace that can transform all that we do. One can continue to delve into the book for new wisdom and insight year after year. The Life Divine teaches us in depth about the great spiritual traditions of India, Veda, Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, Tantra and Buddhism, but from a view of practice and realization, and a seeking for the universal truth behind all these great teachings.
Most notably, the Life Divine outlines the spiritual purpose of the soul and of our human lives. It charts a way to a future in which we can go beyond our current mentality of ego and strife to a world of Divine peace, bliss and knowledge. It charts the transformation of our species from a confused adolescence to the maturity of wisdom and grace. Sri Aurobindo shows how the Divine Shakti can descend into our minds and lift us to a higher level of intelligence as our natural state of existence. The book is perhaps the best study of the spiritual evolution of humanity, the evolution of consciousness in man and nature, which is available.

No wonder my book Lily's Sister was selected by a major Ohio newspaper as one of the top 20 books by local authors in 2006. (Akron Beacon Journal, 12/31/06) It really is a great love story on several levels, well written with wonderful characters, a page-turner of a plot, and a beautiful epilogue. The book is well worth the price and I know you'll consider it a keeper - one you'll return to again and again for the pleasure of its company.

I bought Lily's Sister just before Christmas and read the first chapter. It was a busy time and I had to set it aside for a more leisurely season. Well, summer came and I picked it up and soon discovered it took self-discipline to allow myself only one chapter per night. It turned out to be a delightful way to enjoy an interesting story brought to life through strong characters and a fascinating setting. I enjoyed watching the storyline unfold as each scene built upon the last.

It is a love story but an unusual one in that it explores love from several perspectives: the love of sisters, the love of one's self, the love of home, and, obviously, the love of man and woman. It brought unity to a theme that supported the storytelling well. I particularly enjoyed how the slow build up of events and relationships paralleled the action of the weather as the long, excessively dry summer finally built to a stormy relief. This depth of writing adds dimension to the reader experience. I highly recommend Lily's Sister; reading it is time well-spent.

Alright,I'm hooked on the story line...please don't make we wait long for Karen Haley's next book!

Reading this book, feeling the strength of Louisa reminded me of myself. If I had lived a former life, it would have fit me so well. It felt so good to read a book that illustrated a female supporting herself and not jumping at the first man to take care of her. It was refreshing to have the author express her Faith in her story. I truly enjoyed the way the author alluded to intimate encounters and did not try and tantalize us with her version of a "good sex scene". - My imagination loved this book!

Lily's Sister caught me from the first ten pages and I was carried away until the end. Karen Hasley not only weaves a captivating tale. She also offers great insight into the joys and difficulties of sisterhood as Louise describes her relationship to her sister, Lily. Evidently Hasley has researched pioneer women's literature, because she catches the strength and determination of the voice of the early western woman. Louise's growing affection for John Rock Davis is a little like a sunflower coming into bloom. You (and she) suspect it's coming and then it explodes into flower. Lily's Sister is a love story, but it's also about loyalty and integrity and grief. I highly recommend it.

I'm a teenager and i really enjoyed this book.It is a real page turner & I recommend people of all ages read it. Even if you dont like westerns, read it you will truly enjoy reading this book.It was written with taste that even a teenager could enjoy.

Luke Ludd is a book of revenge and what friendship's are supposed to mean; and makes the reader agree that revenge is the way. While Luke has been away, working as a Pinkerton Agent, Laughlin attempts to take over water and range rights from everyone in the valley resulting in multiple murders, including Luke Ludd's father. Luke's only desire is to see the men responsible dead. This results in his killing three of the McKues brothers in the streets of Rising Star. Luke is badly wounded himself during the gun battle and struggling to survive. After being rescued by Cork Langtry, an old family friend with a beautiful daughter who has loved Luke her entire life, the book is off and running with non-stop action. The character's come alive and the reader feels as though he is there with them to the end. Luke Ludd is a must read for any fan of western novels and a book you will not want to put down because you can't wait to see what happens next. D. J. Bishop is a writer with in depth knowledge of his genre, and readers will look forward to future books.

LUKE'S REVENGE FOR MURDER OF HIS FATHER
LORAINE'S LIFETIME LOVE FOR LUKE
CHARACTERIZATION WAS SUPER

After seven long years away, Luke Ludd returns to the town where he grew up after receiving word that his father had been killed. He arrives back in Rising Star to find not only had his father been shot down in cold blood, but a man by the name of Maxwell Laughlin had ordered it done so he could take over the ranch and water that in time would surely give him control of the town and all the people in it. To make things even worse Laughlin had hired the five mean-spirited McKuen brothers with their fast guns to carry out his orders and to do away with anyone else who stood in his way. The pursuing gun battle leaves three of the McKuen's dead and Luke under the boardwalk of the barbershop near death with three bullet wounds in his body and what remained of the McKuens closing in. This is an Avalon Western, and like all Avalon books, it is suitable for the whole family to read.

FROM COVER TO COVER A REAL PAGE TURNER
WELL DEVELOPED
VERY CREATIVE
PACKED FULL OF ACTION
I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN
The book has a straight-line plot. The author's style is simple and straight forward. The book is a real 'page turner.' The focus of story is on action, situations, and events. Characterization focuses on several characters of different sexes whose lives are intertwined. There are memorable and important secondary characters. The ending wraps everything up.
The geographic setting(s) of the book: Texas.
The time period(s) of the book: Mid 1800's

Luke Ludd by D.J. Bishop is must read western. It is a story of a famly and its strugle to stay together, and how in those days revenge was a must. Luke and Lorraine, Cork and his brother Elam, are examples of how families are suppose to be, and how they were the backbone of our country when a mans word was everything. The characters were strong and they stick with you. It is a real page turner I'm not a avid reader and I couldn't put this one down. This is my first western but if there are more like this one of D.J. Bishop's it won't be my last.

Luke Ludd by D.J. Bishop, what can I say. You must read this western. It weaves a story of a family that stays together no matter what the consequences. I absolutely loved this story. I even loved Sadie the ole black sow. The feelings that grew between Luke and Lorraine. Cork and his brother, Elam, a wonderful pair. These men were the backbone of our country. The characters were strong and they stay with you! I bought the book it was so good. A ten stars and two thumbs up to this great story of the western life of a family made strong with the lives they weaved.

This talented author has done it again! This simply wonderfully poignant and tender story keeps you interested from the first page to the last! Having come from a high mountain mining town, I know she did her research to bring us this realistic tale of mining boomtowns and the mindset of miners. The romantic details immediately endear the characters to your heart.

This is the prequel to HIS UNEXPECTED WIFE and although HIS UNEXPECTED WIFE is pleasant read, it doesn't live up to MAIL ORDER BRIDE.

A+ all the way!

Maureen McKade has written a wonderfully human story about a man and a woman each trying to find their way thru past hurts and into a new future. The characters are wonderful and you will love all of them. The hunky Trev; sweet little annie, baby brynn and of course Kate,who saves them all one way or another. The title sounds like a 100 page harlequin western and trust me it's not. True Kate got to Orion by accepting a mail order proposal, done a lot back then, but once there the story is all about finding your hearts dream. I almost didn't get this one because of the title but I am glad I did. It was so enjoyable. MM is fast becoming an author on my "watch" list.

This book deserves more than five stars!!! It is a sweet and enchanting love story that will keep you glued to the pages until you've read the last word.

Kate Murphy goes to Orion to become a mail-order bride. The day she arrives there is a cave-in at the mine and her intended is killed. She is left all alone in a strange town with little money. She is then taken in by Mrs. Hartwick, an old widow. Kate wants to get a job to earn enough money to move away from the mining town. She gets a job working for Trev Trevelyan, the mine superintendent, babysitting his two children. His daughter won't speak due to prior events but takes to Kate immediately.

This story is just so romantic. The love between Trev and Kate grows slowly and that makes it believeable. There isn't the normal man and woman hate each other element that so many romance books have. Kate and Trev are both attracted to each other but due to past experiences and current circumstances they don't want to lay their hearts on the line.

I just can't say enough about this book. It is an excellent read for a day outside in the sun or a rainy day inside. No matter the weather outside this book will warm your heart and soul.

From the back cover:

A match made in heaven...

Kate Murphy arrives in the Rocky Mountain mining town as a mail-order bride--just in time to discover she's a widow before she's a wife. Looking to earn the stagecoach fare out of this dangerous town, Kate never expects the true peril to come in the tantalizing form of Trev Trevelyan.

The handsome mine superintendent desperately needs someone to care for his two young, motherless children, and Kate is delighted to take the job. But first the children capture her heart...and then the leaping attraction between sweet Kate and the smolderingly handsome Trev is too powerful to deny. Although Kate longs for the safety of his arms, will she ever to able to accept the danger of his life?

And my review:

Well, I'm not rating this as less than five stars just to be different--I really didn't see anything worth raving about in this novel.

I felt that this story focused more on the struggle of the exploited miners and less on the relationship between Kate and Trev. The romance felt like it was on the back burner for a lot of the book. My emotions were never touched or engaged. I just didn't feel the love between hero and heroine. Yes, they were physically attracted to one another, but I need more than that to cheer a couple on. Not that this was a lust-soaked book, because it wasn't, but I didn't really feel like there was anything else drawing the characters together.

The only character I really loved was Trev's mute daughter Annie. She has her own book, His Unexpected Wife, which I didn't like either (I read the two books out of order--that's what happens when you buy most of your books at thrift stores!) After reading this book, I was baffled that the sweet girl I read about in this book could possibly be the same spoiled brat in HIS UNEXPECTED WIFE. But I digress.

I felt that MAIL-ORDER BRIDE was just average. Nothing horrible, but nothing all that great or memorable, either. I've read better western romances. A few I recommend are: Forgiving by Lavryle Spencer, Chasing Rainbows by Victoria Lynne, or Sara's Bounty by Cheryl Anne Porter.

When Kathleen Elizabeth Murphy arrives in Orion, Colorado, she finds that there has been a cave-in at The King Mine. She pitches right in helping the injured and maimed. Here she meets Trev without realizing who he is. Then she is told that her intended was one of the dead men.

Trev is suspicious of the cave in but cannot prove any foul play. He is also a single father trying to provide for his children, baby Brynn and 4 year old Annabel Lee. He also has to deal with the unkind people who think the child is touched in the head. I enjoyed his friendship and jealousy of "Laddie", a young seventeen year old miner who was interested in Kate.

I will not forget the scene when Kate runs away from the crying Brynn only to be accosted by a drunken miner. But she does go back and try again. Apparently she has had no experience with children. But they do muddle through.

The slowly evolving attraction between Trev and Kate is backdropped by the troubles in the silver mines and the troublemaker who are trying to get rid of Trev.

Kate eventually runs up against the men plotting Trev's downfall and risks her life to save little Annie and Brynn.
What a wonderful connection developed between her and Trev's children.

I was most happy to find out about their extended family in the second book HIS UNEXPECTED WIFE.

Definitely recommended --M - one you will enjoy.

I just finished reading "The Man from Shenandoah", and I thought it was great! I don't usually read Westerns, but this one kept me hooked from beginning to end. I thought the Southern dialect was especially nicely done. Dialet can be extremely hard to read and usually turns me off, but the author made it flow as smooth as butter. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the aftermath of the Civil War or Westerns in general!

Marsha Ward is a true fiction writer. She moves her story without extraneous detail or obvious research, yet you know she's done her homework. The dialog is masterful, the romance filled with just enough conflict and passion. I'll happily read any sequel she comes up with as well.

This Book Follows the Great tradition of Louis La'Moure.
Marsha Wards' characters are believable and could very well have existed in the old west. Carl Owen and his family reflect the gritty determination to stand up for what's right no matter the cost.

I had nearly given up on reading Westerns as the newer ones I have read present such modern morals and language. Ms. Ward uses the language of the class & region, which makes The Man from Shenandoah so pleasing. Ms. Ward gives us joyous times but doesn't pass lightly over the hardships either. The author draws a character in such human warmth and depth that you have no trouble remembering who is whom. I don't know how a woman can write so well from a man's viewpoint; but, as she illustrates so well, men didn't understand women in the old West any better than they do now, but we women are another story!

Marsha Ward has a way with dialogue that eases us into familiarity with Carl Owen, the book's main character. His thoughts and words flow so clearly that we come to know him as a common man with a sense of humor. Carl is not given to flowery speeches. He can be a complex man who at times makes some pretty funny mistakes, and he doesn't like to apologize for them. Carl's values and his honor cause him no end of conflict with his family and others throughout his story. Often a western (especially one with romance included) lacks a deep feeling of family. I liked this one because the main character was not the 'loner with no family to teach him love and values' hero. The better part of the characters in this novel were members of warm, loving, laughing and arguing families. It was a joy to get to know them.

Ms. Ward paints vivid night skies, warm sun on your face and makes you wish you could lie down to contemplate the clouds in a meadow surrounded by quakies (Aspen trees to those not native to the Rockies). Colorado, Nevada, Utah and of course Arizona have been my playgrounds all my life and the journey into past memories was achingly sweet. A young girl threw her arms up over her head and whirled around in a meadow full of wildflowers and cried "I love you, Colorado, you're beautiful." This Colorado girl was so homesick she cried too - tears.

Ms. Ward's characters worked `danged hard' and they went down to the 'crick' to get water. Arizonan's give me such strange looks when I talk about the dry cricks here.

Well, human nature being what it is, there were people I loved and people I could do without but loved to hate. I was also a bit humbled by the women and yes, I would wish to be more like Ellen Bates myself. Now give us our sequel - it's so hard to wait!
I can't leave you without also mentioning that the cover is to die for. Yummy!

I eagerly anticipate the sequel (hope there is one). I was hooked after a few pages. Haven't read many Westerns, but I would read another in this series (hope there is a series). Enjoyed the characters and the excellent descriptions of scenery and life in the old West. Hope this book is a great success so the author will write more.

I don't know much about history... but Marilyn Pate's powerful style and compelling characters immediately drew me in and I ended up learning so much about the period and places in Mary George's life. Marilyn is especially skillful in conveying the thoughts and words of children, and as Mary grew, so did my love for her. If you like American history, this is a must-read. And even if you don't, give Mary George, Her Book a try. If nothing else, you'll end up a Marilyn Pate fan for life!

The author develops her characters well which involves you in their lives and problems rapidly. You can't help but sympathize with Mary who has to take on such responsibility at such a young age. I really enjoyed reading the book and was left wanting more at the end. The research that went into the novel must have been extensive. Information about the Mormon beliefs was very interesting.

"Mary George, Her Book" is wonderful! My heart went out to Mary. I wanted to take her in my arms and hug her, to allow her to be a child. At age 8 she should not have been expected to take on the adult responsibilities of her younger siblings. Nor to be caretaker and watcher of her disturbed mother. Regardless of how hard life was for the Saints, it was selfish of Mary's family to expect her to stay home, to not allow her to attend school when they knew of her longing for learning. Unfortunately that probably was "the way of the west." With her family upbringing and the expectations of her parents, that she had the courage to step away and live her own life was remarkable.

This book brings to life the real "old west" from the struggles and hardships of a wagon trek across the country to being kidnapped by Indians and to the sweetness of box suppers and young love.

Author Marilyn Pate did well in relating the experiences of this family. I'm looking forward to reading her next book.

I was impressed with the research that went into the recounting of the life and adventures of Mary George. The characters all seemed so real that I could not tell which were or weren't. The story of how one family contributed to the "taming" of the West holds the reader's unwavering attention.
A marvelous read!

This was a fun read, that also left me a little smarter. I loved the perspective of the settling of the west - from the view point of the family at 'home'. Yes there were indians and cowboys to - but the telling of these experiences, in the first person by a young girl growing up during these times, brings an immediacy to the settling of the west that is unusual and exciting.

I read all of the 3 books he wrote and I enjoy them. My husband a western reader and I ask him I would like to read a western and he gave me book 1 of this series and I like it. I always like western movies now I found an arthor that I enjoy reading. He very good writer aand I hope he keeps up the good work.

It's hard to imagine Ralph's stories getting better, but he's done it again with this one! The story definitely keeps you turning the pages. Ralph's brought back some characters from previous stories and it feels like seeing old friends again although, some aren't so nice. The story is very well told and has the many twists and turns that Ralph throws in. You wonder how so many seemingly unrelated incidents and characters can all come together, but they do, and they do it nicely. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to sit back, forget about work and the everyday stress of life, and just ride the dust covered range for a few hours. Keep 'em coming, Ralph!

As a writer myself, I bought Misery Express after seeing that Shadow of A Noose is a New York Best Seller, the first western best seller I have seen for quite a while. Reading Misery Express, I will not be surprised to see Cotton writing MANY! MANY! more best sellers. This book has too much going on to try and explain. Suffice it to say, if you do not ordinarily read the Western genre, try this one. You will be delighted! Terrific work, Mr. Cotton. Give us more!

Another action packed adventure, as The Ranger and Maria take prisoners on a joy ride aboard the Misery Express. With the Spider and Plum, snaking around the badlands, heads are bound to be rolling with laughter. Dialog is second to none... Hard to guess what Cotton surprises had stashed around each corner, making it a great read with every chapter.

Misery Express is a gutsy fast moving story. Like all of Ralph W. Cotton novels it rates up there with Louis Lamoor, and Zane Gray. Yet you can't compare Cotton with these writers because his work is completly his own original. Every book in the Ranger series is a piece of the old west brought to the twenty first century. I am proud to say I have read all of Cottons books and will as long as he keeps them coming. Misery Express is an old time story you like to spend time with to enjoy every word. Congratulations again Ralph.

I have never read a book where I was motivated to find the sequels. The books are kind of old and I had to look for them in half-priced book stores. I finally got all of the copies and was amazed at the detail of the story lines. Highly recommened!

I liked Sergeant MacDougal as he shows up riding with Major Jonah Trmain on their way to Diablo. They and Private Davie [poor guy] are coming from Fort Fannin to Diablo in search of information about the payroll robberies.
Major Tremain sends his two companions off to Diablo while he seeks out Half-Moon Ranch and Quince Hunter. Tremain has been in some major set-tos with the Indians since Quince left him 5 years ago.

It seems like spring is in the air or at least the mating urge. Abby does not know how to handle her unsettled emotions. She is not happy or at least she is wary of her father being home from prison.

Now Jack Hunter is putting Half-Moon back deeper in debt. And the banker, Edmund Montgomery is egging Jack on.

Abby continues to snarl at Jonah while her brothers are trying to get enough mustangs together to supply the army with moderately trained horses. The Major needs a nicely trained mount for a lady.

We learn that a lot of hopes are place on the colt, Moon Racer that Abby had raised. Abby just wishes that Matt would come home.

Instead of being able to go out mustanging with her brothers she must help Iona Montgomery because Iona had been there for her for so many years. The trouble is that Edmund is in the house of an evening and he tries to get Abby to spend some time with him.
He is of the opinion that she wants him just as much as he wants her.

Quince has told Abby that Jonah is engage to Patricia Van Dere and she and Jonah's father are coming to Diablo.
Don't lose track of the payroll robberies and Jonah's determination to find the accomplices of Captain Gregory. He also has the Indian agent under watch.

There are so many interesting scenes going on with Abby cutting her hair - Abby giving Jack a mongrel pup as a birthday present - Edmund and Kane still plotting together - Jonah buying Taylor's ranch, thereby saving Taylor from Edmund forclosing - Jonah not being able to keep his hands off Abby - Abby sending off a letter to Julianna Rains for Iona.
Oh yes, and Edmund trying to force himself on Abby.
Jonah found Edmund, yikes!

Patricia turns out to be a sweet young lady [if 30 is young in those days]
You already know that Crystal is pregnant. And all of these stories take place through-out her 9 months.
Patricia just can't see herself living in the West - it terrifies her.

Definitely Recommended --m -- there is so much more to enjoy to the story. Happy reading.

Description from the back of the book:

Half-Moon Ranch

Somewhere in the lush grasslands of East Texas was a place where the sun had once shone on love and prosperity, while the night hid murder and mistrust. There, three brothers and a sister fought to hold their family together, struggled to keep their ranch solvent, while thy awaited the return of the one person who could shed light on the secrets of the past.

Abby

Growing up without a mother in a family of rowdy males, Abby had learned to ride and rope and wrangle as well as any of her brothers. But she had never learned to be a lady. And a lady was what Major Jonah Tremain was looking for in a wife. Abby told herself she didn't care that the major was engaged to a proper Eastern-bred miss, that he preferred his women wearing petticoats instead of chaps. But when she looked into his searing blue eyes ad felt the power of his lips against hers, she decided to teach him the error of his ways-only a Texas wildcat could do justice to passion such as his, and she planned to match him kiss for kiss.

* This is book #3 in the 3 book/3 author Half-Moon Ranch series. I absolutely loved this book. I loved it just as much if not better than the first in the series. Book #2 was still good (I gave it 4 stars) but book #1 & #3 are going to be really hard to beat. The storyline was great & we finally got to see little Abby grow up. Brent & Quince were in this book quite a bit & I just love how this family is there for one another. I highly recommend this series.

Book #1 - Hunter's Moon
Book #2 - Renegade Moon
Book #3 - Moon Racer
Book #4 - Dark of the Moon

I agree with the review above this is the best one in the series. I love Abby and Jonah, they have such an amazing chemistry together, and Edmund is such a jerk that you are happy when Jonah gets a hold of him. I love Constance O'Banyon's books and without a doubt this is my fav.

This book was the best in this four book series about a family torn apart by the murder of their mother. Abby and Jonah produce sparks from the moment they meet. Abby, the lone daughter in a family of ranchers, is an ace horse trainer. Jonah is the cavalry officer who takes pride in his honor. When he falls in love with Abby, Jonah almost lets her go because he promised to marry another woman. I really liked this book, but it was a good thing I read this one first instead of the others in the series. They did not quite reach the standard set here.

First, Kropotkin discusses mutual aid among animals. His first point is that Darwin had nothing to do with Social Darwinianism. In fact, he quotes Darwin as saying, "Those communities which included the greatest number of the sympathetic members would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring."

He gives numerous examples. One of his examples is about the crested screamer, a bird species which holds massive song recitals. Would Lorenz agree that those birds are chirping merrily? Or would he insist that they are marking their territory?

Next, he discusses mutual aid among savages. Note that he uses a word which is scientifically unacceptable today.

Since K. cannot travel back in time, he surmises how our earliest ancestors lived by observing how isolated tribes today live--which is in clans. Although such tribes are still called "primitive," there is some question of whether or not these tribes live like our prehistoric ancestors did.

Since isolated tribes tend to live in clans, Kropotkin claims that the marital bond is not as strong as in the nuclear family system. In the appendix, he debates Westermarck on this matter.

Next, he discusses mutual aid among barbarians--another taboo word. According to K., there was a wave of migrations in ancient Europe, in which "races were mixing with races." The social institutions seemed to be wrecked as a result, but K. assures us that they instead "underwent the modification which was required by the new conditions of life."

Next, he discusses mutual aid in the medieval city. Now we are up to the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries. Our next institution, then, is the professional guild.

Finally, he discusses mutual aid among ourselves. He sees a faint vestige of mutual aid today. K. sees the union as the successor of the clan, the village, and the guild, so he calls for more and better unions. K. also speaks highly of organizations with special interests, such as garden clubs and glee clubs.

However, K. cautions us against the "reckless individualism," or "the war of each against all," which he sees as prevailing today.

Kropotkin's discussion, persuasive as it is, can be counterbalanced with arguments in favor of individualism and competition. I wonder how Kropotkin would respond to the famous anecdote about the Jamestown colonists.

One can also question Kropotkin's claim that only the most sociable animal species prosper. The feline order is renowned for the aloofness of its members, and the lion has been dubbed "the king of the beasts."

I would like to close this report with an ad hominem attack against Kropotkin himself: If individualism is so reprehensible, what is he doing writing a book by himself and claiming credit for it by himself?

Anarchist classic, rooted in observation of natural phenomena and history. Challenges the conception that capitalism is a natural progression of Darwinism at work in the wild. The author cites numerous examples of compassion and innate goodness at work outside the bounds of a structured power-based society. The study covers cooperation among animals, instances of non-hierachical interactions from primitive tribes to mediaeval cities, and on to his contemporary labor unions. It has been some years since I read it and I plan to revisit this title soon.

This book, which appears to be about the only surviving scientific text from Kropotkin's work, is very interesting and insightful. The first two chapters which deal with animals I found most interesting, because they address the roots of the falsehood of social-darwinism. Kropotkin then proceeds to move through the different stages of human society and describes the mutual aid a compassion fetures therein. It is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it. It is a scientific text, but it has major political implications and is very accessible.

Este libro es uno de los pilares fundamentales de la teoria del anarco comunismo tan desvirtuada por el imperialismo, y nos da la esencia que el anarquismo, lejos de lo que se cree comunmente es una doctrina que se basa en el amor y la ayuda mutua, quitando las barreras de desigualdad entre las personas y haciendo un recuento de cómo la ayuda mutua es un factor de evolución hcia una sociedad más justa.

Peter Kropotkin is one of the most noteworthy anarchist thinkers over the last two centuries. As with other political thinkers, so, too, with Kropotkin--his analy¬sis of human nature is critical for understanding his overall philosophical position. For his view of human nature, "Mutual Aid" is a key for understanding his views. His work is a harbinger of more recent studies of sociobiology, many of which explore the roots of altruism--human and otherwise.

Much of his thinking on the nature of society was formed when he was observing the behavior of animals in Siberia. While assigned to a Siberian regiment of the Russian military, Kropotkin did innovative original work on geography and geology as well as the study of animal behavior. His observation of animals led him to respond to Huxley's assertion that natural selection was based on keen com¬petition among animals with the following statement: ". . .wherever I saw animal life in abundance, as, for instance, on the lakes where scores of species and millions of individuals came together to rear their progeny; in the colonies of rodents; in the migration of birds which took place at that time on a truly American scale along the Usuri; and especially in a migration of fallow-deer which I witnessed on the Amur, and during which scores of thousands of these animals came together from an immense territory, flying before the coming snow, in order to cross the Amur where it is narrowest--in all these scenes of animal life which passed before my eyes, I saw Mutual Aid and Mutual Support carried on to an extent which made me suspect in it a feature of the greatest importance for the maintenance of life, the preservation of each species, and its further evolution."

He synthesized his observations of animals within a species cooperating with one another and concluded that, in the struggle for life, cooperation was at least as important as competition. Kropotkin did not argue that competition was unimportant in the natural selection process. However, he did emphasize that mutual aid was a factor that many Darwinists (although, as Kropotkin made clear, not Darwin himself) ignored. The data that Kropotkin utilized came from many different animal species.

Kropotkin goes on to speculate about the survival value of cooperative behavior. He states that: "Life in societies enables the feeblest insects, the feeblest birds, and the feeblest mammals to resist, or to protect themselves from, the most terrible birds and beasts of prey; it permits longevity; in enables the species to rear its progeny with the least waste of energy and to maintain its progeny with the least waste of energy and to maintain its numbers albeit a very slow birth rate; it enables the gregarious animals to migrate in search of new abodes. Furthermore, cooperation facilitates the development of intelligence, since that quality is so important for social life among animals."

Kropotkin is not content to rest his case at this point. He subsequently indicates the likely course of human evolution and the role played by cooperation. He adopts the method of using existing societies at differing levels of socio-cultural complexity to speculate about the course of human socio-cultural evolution. Kropotkin argues that, at each stage, mutual aid is apparent and important for humans. Even in the period dominated by the great states, the present for Kropotkin, mutual aid institutions still flourished despite the state's intimidating presence.

Thus, Kropotkin's view of human nature is, ultimately, that it is inherently good, i.e. cooperative toward his or her fellow. What of this assertion? Is Kropotkin's view of human nature completely inaccurate and confounded by the available evidence? That is where each reader must evaluate his or her view of humanity's nature and render a judgment on "the anarchist prince."

This is one of the best series that I have ever read. It is a must see but beware, once you pick it up you will not want to put it down.

Ingeborg and Kaaren get help from another Bjorklund, Haakan, who helps make the farm life easier for Ingeborg although she has to come to grips with many issues. All the characters are easy to like and make the hard work of our ancestors clear. Through Ingeborg's problems with winters in the soddy, the books brings the hardships of those settlers to fruit. Andrew and Thorliff are such fun to read about! Lauraine Snelling has a truly wonderful and memorable work in this family's story.

Lauraine Snelling is such a wonderful writer. You can relate to the character's behaviors and beliefs. She does a wonderful job getting you to feel like you are there in the book.

This is just a wonderful, clean, refreshing book/series. She gets so many emotions zinging through you as you are reading.

The Red River of the North series of books by Lauraine Snelling are fabulous books. If you have any Scandinavian heritage...or even if you don't...you will like these books. I have gained insight into how many of my relatives came to America through Ellis Island and settled in the Mid West states. I highly recommend!

A cruel blizzard has taken the life of her husband, Roald and his brother and 2 children. Ingeborg spends the next few months bitter - and dressed in her "britches" works the fields like a man. This way, fatigue and distance keep her from facing the truth and more importantly, her children whom she nearly gives away to her sister.

Her sod-home neighbor and sister (by marriage), Karen, a widow, has accepted happiness in a new life and finally Ingeborg comes to terms and returns to the faith of her youth.

The arrival of the distant cousin of her deceased husband, Haaken, eases the farm work but complicates the decision making. He is there ONLY to help the women with the farm for a crop season - or is he?

The delinquent arrival of the young, spunky, opinionated youngest brother of Roald further turns Ingeborg's world upside down, emotionally. The relationships and the final resolution of some major hurdles end this book and call for the immediate start of book 3, "A Land to Call Home."

Please check my other reviews of Christian fiction.