Alabama Books

In "Rodeo Man: Colorado Leather Meets Alabama Lace," Jennifer Sinclair offers an ideal example of a thoughtful regional tale that is full of local color, respectful of her people, and free of condescension. EXCELLENT WRITING from a very talented novelist.

I read her first novel "Fiery Dunes" last year while at the Coast and enjoyed it so much I had to get "Rodeo Man", her newest book. It's GREAT!!!! Her characters come to life and the storyline keeps you going until you HAVE TO finish the book. Miss Sinclair is a fantastic writer and I'm looking forward to her next novel which I hope will be soon.

The drama, setting, characterization and story rate A++++. I loved this book and recommend it to all. Combining two cultures into an amazing story was believable and quite touching. The emotional pull of his novel is well done and I'm looking forward to Jennifer Sinclair's next novel.

....Jenni is an excellent writer, and this book is her best effort yet. In my personal opinion, its just a matter of when one of the major New York romance publishers sign her - it would be the best decision they could ever possibly make.

An absolute feast for architectural historians, this book is not only beautiful, it's of extraordinary quality. The authors profile about 50 historic sites throughout Alabama, mostly historic plantations, some in an alarming state of neglect and disrepair, with an artist's eye and a preservationist's attention to detail. Each site is captured in stunning, precise, well-composed color photography, while the text tells the often strange stories behind the respective houses. The appendix then gives a more technical, detailed account of each site's history and architectural style. It's the perfect blend of technical architecture guide and browsing picture book. I've never seen one better, and I mean that.

Whatever your interest, you can smell the rain and Spanish moss!

This book will make every exiled Southerner want to go home. Now.

A book which delivers its reader into the South, whether or not they've ever truly been here or not. The marvelous photography, shocking in its realism, tell the tales of generations past, and exhibits the departure of Southern Culture since the beginning days of Northern Occupation. The authors use brilliant words to narrate the imagery, and inspire the reader to embrace what is left of the Antebellum South.

The pictures tell the sad story of the decline of the south and Alabama after the War of Northern agression. They also show the imagination and beauty appreciated by the Antebellum culture. A must have for all southern history lovers.

I have the original hardback edition of this book, and found it to be very well researched and written. Besides the history of the great German biplane bombers, it explains the frustration of England in developing a defense against this new type of warfare. Also, the fight in the English government to establish an independant Air Force is also discussed. An interesting read for history students or aviation enthusiasts.

As an air defense pilot 1954-1970 with a hobby of military history I thought the book well researched and detailed and instills in the reader what it was like back then in a hostile sky. I have read the book several times and still find it fascinating. Walt (BJ) Bjorneby Lt/Col, USAF, (Ret), pilot F86/F102/F104/F4

Have you ever bought a book because you were interested in the subject matter, only to realize upon reading the first chapter that the writer does not know how to entertain? If you have, then brace yourself, because this book is NOT like that. The author filled each chapter with relevant insights into the characters that make up the events. Not once was I overpowered by facts alone. I have read highly praised novels that lacked the emotion, suspense, etc, that this book displays. To top it off, the author writes with unbelievable knoweldge of a subject that is too often overlooked: the implications of the First Battle of Britian.

The Book on the Shelf.
This is one of the Best Book . Annie Jones just wrote about everyone's Family that has Siblings. A flock of Birds and a Gathering of the Sisters. Life in the Real World of Remember
When in a Small Town.

I had the privilege of reading an early review copy of SNOWBIRDS. It truly is one of Annie Jones's best ever. It's filled with characters who will walk straight from the pages into your heart. Annie Jones brings a unique voice and a sense of great excellence to her craft. Brava, Ms. Jones, for this warm and delightful work!

I enjoyed the relationships of the sisters and the overall feeling of this story. I found it well written and very easy reading. It is just the kind of thing I'd recommend to someone for curling up on a rainy day to read. The story about Nic and her handicapped child had some tender moments and Nic's family members provided humor. This was a nice balance. I would have liked it to go deeper into the mother and child relationship, though. At times it did seem heavy on the Christian message but since the hero, Sam, was a preacher and Nic had an out of wedlock child it did not seem out of place. Some Christian books I've read use a past sin as the reason a character can't move on. They are constantly haunted by a single mistake which becomes the lynchpin of their lives. Nic was the opposite. She refused to dwell on her past. She was an admirable character in a story I will recommend to friends.

The Snowbirds is a beautiful, touching story written in Annie Jones' unique humorous way. Nic and Sam come across as real people facing life's struggles and mistakes with God's grace and guidance. Contrary to the PW review above, the faith element is not at all heavy-handed, but expressed perfectly. I laughed at the aunts' antics, shed a few tears as Nic seeks to do the right thing for her daughter, and cheered as Nic and Sam found each other and their love once again. It's a great story. I highly recommend it!

The Sweet Scented Manuscript caught me unawares, I thought Mr. Perdue had given up writing since fewer people are reading these days. After all, most novels nowadays are hacked out with the hope that a Hollywood producer will take notice and pick up the movie rights. That will not happen in the Lee series for two reasons. First, because Lee Pefley is his own man, and has definite notions about what's what. And second because producers only take notice of comic books. Lee might best be described as a dinosaur in the Era of Louthood.

I must assume that there is a hint of autobiography in these novels, and Manuscript describes how Lee met his bride. The setting alterantes between Ohio and Chicago, with school and work in the former, and romance in the Big Shouldered City. It's Lee's attitude to work that fascinates me because he does absolutely nothing to please his bosses as if daring them to sack him. He's always trying to find out which will be the last straw. I can't live like that, but wish I could tell my toady bosses where to get off. It seems that most firings take place due to "lack of chemistry" rather than employee incompetence.

I have never met Mr. Perdue, but I did meet his neighbor once in Montgomery AL in a rally to support Judge Roy Moore. The young man seemed surprised to find somebody familiar with his work.

This is Tito Perdue's most accessible book to a general audience. All his books are exceptional, but are pretty deep. This is just a great semi-autobiographical story of a young Alabama farm boy leaving for college and running into the beatnik lifestyle and life in the big city. Wonderfully written and his descriptions of the gritty underside of the city, as well as campus life and love, are remarkable. This one is highly recommended.

This book tells of a young man going off to college and what happens to him there. It describes the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of a young man's first impressions of the world outside of Alabama. This could be considered a 'coming of age' in the 50-60's story, but through the magic of Perdue's prose, it is also much more. The descriptions of the world seen through Lee Pefley's eyes are unique, more beautiful and more ugly than you had realized, but they are instantly recognizable. The Lee Pefley character in this book is innocent, but learning, not yet angry and frustrated as in the later Lee Pefley books. The characters are real and their interactions true and amusing. This is a beautiful and entertaining book and I think anyone would enjoy it, even if not familiar with Perdue's other books. I think I've been reading these books out of sequence. This should be the first book in the Lee Pefley series, then New Austerities, where Leland is middle-aged, then Lee, where he is an old man, and finally Fields of Asphodel, where Lee is dead. I agree with the previous reviewer: it's a shame this book hasn't received more attention.The New Austerities Lee Fields of Asphodel Opportunities in Alabama Agriculture: A Novel

While the subject of Tito Perdue's "The Sweet-Scented Manuscript" (a country boy experiencing the world for the first time when he arrives at college) may not seem unique or special, it is in Perdue's deft manipulations of the novel's language that this artistic effort really shines. Perdue doesn't dumb anything down - rather, he exhibits an efficiency with words that gently demands that the reader pay full attention to the prose. Often, books like this can get bogged down in their own aesthetic self-importance, but Perdue sidesteps such problems with ease. Practically every sentence is phrased in such a refreshing manner that I found myself smiling while reading this book - not because of the situations or characters (though the characters are highly individual and fascinating throughout), but because of the playfulness of a sentence or the intricacy of a turn of phrase.

It is a shame that Tito Perdue has remained out of the mainstream for so long - this is his fourth published novel, and it reflects a capable and poetic wordsmith. I recommend this novel to anyone interested in having a fresh and compelling reading experience.

I've read this book a dozen times and I laugh out loud - even knowing what's coming - every time. Warm, clever, informed and hilarious. Whit Gibbons is a treasure to field biologists and normal people alike.

Whit has portrayed his adventures with herps with amazing wit. Each chapter begins with a narrative about an episode that his zest for "research" placed him in. I read a couple of different chapters to a friend over the phone (imagine an alligator in the cab of your truck!) and we both laughed so hard we were in tears. At the end of each tale is a lesson in sound zoology. Most field biologists will recognize themselves in this book.

Whit Gibbons gives a truly funny account of his time as a graduate student and professor, chasing reptiles through the southern US and abroad. It's funny, it's informative. This is no textbook, but rather tales of life and animal research.

Just read the book and you will cry you laugh so hard. Just imagine being a student in his class like I am. It is the best class I have ever taken hands down. Whit is remarkably intellegent in all areas of herps and this book is a wonderful example of how dedicated he is to this passion.

I am so glad this book was written. A Thousand Miles to Alabama is easy to read with wonderful descriptions of the south and the time. It gave insight into an era that my generation knows very little of, oh sure we know about the battles and the issues that caused the war, but this showed the average man and what was important to him, going home and honor. This book was especially interesting to me because Toby was my Great, Great, Grandfather. It was fascinating learning about my heritage through a delightful story. My 16-year-old son is enjoying reading about his Great, Great, Great, Grandfather as well. A Thousand Miles to Alabama let us know Toby and how his friend, Jack honored him.

I first started reading the book, A Thousand Miles to Alabama, on the way to my son's house for a barbeque. The book is about my great-grandpa, and I had never heard his story before. I ordered a couple of books for my son and daughter, as well as the one for myself. My son's autographed copy arrived first. So on the way to a barbeque at his house, I decided to start reading it out loud to my husband as he drove.

Nelle's book had us laughing, and crying. And it took me back to the atmosphere and values that my father grew up with, in Alabama. Dad passed away a few years ago, and it was like having him back. I read how Jack encountered problems, and dealt with them, bringing back the lessons his father had taught 'the boys'. It just warmed by heart. Whenever I think of the book, it brings a smile to my face.

When we got to my son's home, I have to admit that I was reluctant to give up the book until either mine arrived or I finished it!

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a feel for the south, or for the old days, when families worked together on common goals and values. I know I will read this book again, many times. And I've already gifted several friends.

Thank you Nelle, for writing such a lovely story!

I first read the book one evening after I had inadvertently locked myself out of my house. Waiting for assistance, I sat on the front porch behind an overgrown camellia bush and, as the Alabama sky darkened into night, waved my arm periodically when the motion-sensor porch light went black.

That flailing was the only thing that brought me back to the present. The rest of the time I was living in Whistlin' Jack's head and heart as he made his way, some 140 years ago, back home. I was happy when he was happy, and sad along with him. I feared for him when he was angry and, oh, he made me laugh. I was glad not to be rescued until I read the final words.

It was a joy to re-read the book -- it was as though I was reunited with many old friends (and a few scoundrels). Jack's "voice" in telling the tale is authentic Old South "country." In striving to fulfill his mission he relies on the homely truths of his childhood, learns about himself and grows as a human being. It seems I am destined to be misty-eyed each time I reach the end.

All Southerners have Civil War stories, but Nelle Watson has done what few have or could -- made this story not just hers but ours. We all walk every step of the way as Jack takes us home, home, home.

My mother wrote this novel, so there is definately some bias at work....I'll try to put it aside. This short novel is just a pure pleasure to read. It blends history, drama, romance and family stories into a stream of civil war activity that makes you feel as if you were there. Not that you would want to be there during the vivid battle descriptions or the horrid conditions in the yankee prison camp. But to experience the ephiphany which was Jack's on the way home during the spring of his walk home is just sensational. And I mean sensational in its literal sense: the smell of country ham, the pain of the bruises on his face, the blanket around his tattered body; all from scenes in the book. It is a wonderful experience which will educate and invigorate you, all the while making you laugh and cry. A "must read" in my humble opinion.

Waiting For The Morning: A Mother And Daughter's Journey Through Alzheimer's Disease is a profound, personal testimony. Author Brenda Parris Sibly presents her poetry, caregiving journal, helpful advice for those who are struggling to adapt to caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's. Waiting For The Morning is sensitive, thoughtful, occasionally inspiring, and always highly recommended reading. Parting Thoughts: I didn't fix things/by being here,/and more of my trying/brought you much cheer./The flowers I planted/will be a mockery/if they bloom again/without you to see./There'll be no more Christmas--/no holidays again--/for you were everything/in my Christmas plans./I feel a cold chill/all the way to my soul,/but Mama, please know,/that I love you so.

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..wanted to be the first to review this book!

I was probably among the first visitors to Brenda Parris Sibley's web site, "A Year to Remember...with My Mother and Alzheimer's Disease," back in 1996. I had a special interest in Alzheimer's, because our family had just come through our own care-giving journey. Our grandmother, who we cared for in our home for seven years, had died in May of '96 a little over a month after Brenda's mother passed away. I visited her site many, many times over the next few years.
I thought it was wonderful!

I have just finished reading "Waiting for the Morning" and it has touched me in a way I honestly did not think it could. As far as caring for an Alzheimer's victim, I've experienced it all. All the emotions; the guilt of not being patient enough, the longing to bring this person back, for just a little longer, that feeling of being "in control" one day, and in the depths the next, not knowing how I would survive another minute. Yet, while reading Brenda's journal I found myself snickering, remembering the silly moments, and holding back tears recalling the heartache. I was right there in that little house with her, loving her Mom and feeling the emotion of every stage of this cruel disease. For some reason it was a good feeling.
Maybe like surviving a battle and feeling camaraderie with a fellow soldier.

How I would have loved to read this book while I was caring for "Gram"!
Brenda is learning as she goes along, trying different things to make her Mom comfortable, recording it all in her journal. She shares information she has read, and tries to figure out the things that seem to cause her mother's agitation so she can avoid them. It is very informative, and I believe would be a very comforting support to any caregiver. Just to see that what they are experiencing with their loved one, although so very difficult, is not unusual and that the resulting emotions they feel are normal as well.

But I now realize-even more than before- that Brenda and I were "in the trenches" at the very same time, learning and failing; but coming through it with stories that will hopefully make the way just a little more comforting to those going through it now.

....And the poetry!
Brenda's poetry is so wonderfully honest and touching. I am filling up with tears just thinking about it. It is really special.

It was very moving to read of Brenda's grief, and how she worked through it. Isn't it amazing that this very difficult and life changing experience has resulted in the development of the web-site that many would consider the "hub" of all the Alzheimer's care giving sites?
What a wonderful memorial to her Mom, and a victorious overcoming of such a difficult experience.

.......Thank you Brenda for all of your efforts!
Mary B Walsh (author of "One Family's Journey Through Alzheimer's)

`Waiting for the Morning' accurately and honestly depicts the decline of Alzheimer's disease, each and every stage, along with the devastation imparted unto the caregiver in the process. Brenda's guilt emanates throughout: `You pleaded with me to come home, so I did. Mama's baby came home, but you don't know me. I'm too late - Alzheimer's came first.' She blames herself for the natural progression of this hideous disease; while at the same time the reader is so acutely aware of her undying love for this woman who raised her. Brenda's pain is also evident: `This is the hardest thing about Alzheimer's. Whenever she remembers that she has a daughter by my name, she worries about her - not understanding that I've been right here with her all along.' This part hit me hardest: the utter loss of her mother's awareness before her body left.

Each chapter tells the tragic story of a woman whose mind is breaking; whose switches are shutting down, one by one; and of the daughter whose unswerving commitment bears the brunt and the blame for everything which happens. Brenda's book is truly about exactly what she says in the beginning `Learn from my mistakes; know that you are not alone; and most of all, cherish the time you have left with your loved one'. These words come from great wisdom, borne out of harsh experience and unfailing love; calling out to those who follow behind her in their own journeys. If you want to know the truth, read this book. Within its covers, the `way in the wilderness' will become obvious to you. Brenda lived it - with her heart's intent being that you might be spared and enlightened as a result of the words which she penned.

Waiting for the Morning is a wonderfully written journal by Brenda Parris Sibley. If you want to know what Alzheimer's disease is all about, this is a must read book! From the very beginning, when Brenda returns home to care for her mom, we can feel the constant roller coaster ride as she tells of her experiences. Brenda expresses her thoughts and emotions so well that you feel as if you are also right there! Her book clearly shows the love she had for her mother and the guilt which overtakes her as she cannot stop this dreaded disease. Her thoughts and feelings teach us to treasure each moment as a caregiver and the blessings that come with it. She also shows us that there is life after caregiving ends and we gradually find our way back into the world. Her poems are beautiful and the pictures make you feel as if you always knew her mom. There are many references for suggested reading, so together with her story, anyone who reads Waiting For The Morning will come away much richer and blessed!

The book was everything I expected and more. It is great to know that I can count on my purchase to be what I anticipated.

This book is for anybody who loves football. It doesn't matter if you're not an University of Alabama fan. You'll still love this book. You can't stop reading it just because you think it's "boring". You'll love it by the time you're done. Reason being it doesn't just talk about football it talks about the people playing the football.Trust me you'll love this book.

The title of the book, "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide"...says it all. The book describes in true, "Crimson" the "Bama Tradition", of what it means to be a player on the University of Alabama Football team. Each chapter describes in detail a former great player, and what it meant to him to play football at Alabama. The book is never old; read it this year, then pick it up next year and it is still a great book to read. If you recognize names such as Starr, Jordan, Namath, Stabler, Newsome and Gilmer, then you will love this book.
Kirk McNair (editor of Bama Magazine) knows Alabama Football and understands "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide". Every true Crimson Tide fan should have this book in their library.

Kirk McNair not only knows about Alabama football. He can write about it too. In this book he shows how a good interviewer engages his subject, draws the best from him, and finds the angle that will captivate the reader. Then he uses his considerable writing skills to tell the story so that both the players and the readers will be pleased with the outcome. This book is a must for Crimson Tide fans. But it is also an opportunity for would-be sports writers to learn the craft from a master. Yes - he is my brother. I am proud to be his sister.

Professor Cashin's book is a stunning achievement-moving, historically relevant and inspirational, the more so because she tells her family's story with honesty, warts and all.

The measure of this book, and any good book is the level of intellectual stimulation in engenders in the reader. The measure of an outstanding book is the level of intellectual stimulation it engenders in the reader and the emotional tingle generated by sensitive treatment of subject matter and the deployment of appropriate language. This combination induces self-searching in the reader. Having completed it yesterday, my mind remains in a state of excitation. My emotions continue to tingle. I am inspired once again to feel that any change, anything, remains possible, which is something marvellous to experience two years short of fifty, idealism long sandpapered away by life.

Professor Cashin's father, for whom she plainly bears a complex and profound love, and whom she plainly and justifiably holds in so high regard, must now know his daughter has, in her own poignant and sensitive way, made a telling contribution to the cause to which he dedicated his life. Her mother, whose influence over Professor Cashin was plainly as great as her father's must be looking down upon her daughter and smiling in quiet contentment.

David Myers
Port of Spain
Trinidad and Tobago

Full disclosure. Sheryll is a colleague of mine whose office is two doors away. I have known her since she started teaching and have nothing but the highest regard for her, both personally and professionally.

That said, Sheryll has written an extraordinary book. At one level, it is the story of four generations of privileged black professionals who have been deeply committed to to racial and social justice, particularly for blacks in the Deep South whose struggles for such justice she describes through her family's efforts in politics, education and professional life. She traces the history of the black struggle for equality from Reconstruction to the present day, using family stories as the focal point for political events. Her family knew the leaders in every generation and they appear both as historical figures and real people as the history unfolds.

If that were all that the book was about, it would be worth reading. But it is very much more. it is a story of her family with all its strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures, laughter and tears. Sheryll is fortunate that her family, to a substantial extent, kept the papers, photographs and memorabilia from generation to generation and, in this generation, the memorabilia now include the oral histories that Sheryll was able to take from her relatives while they (or, in the case of her father, are) alive. Not all of us are lucky enough to have those resources available nor, if we are, the skill to make them come alive.

Sheryll's family is one that believed, and still believes, that with privilege goes the responsibility to improve the lives of those who do not share that privilege, no matter what the social and financial costs may be. And, as she makes clear, costs there are that members of the family must bear, each in their own fashion. Her father is a fascinating and complex man with whom Sheryll has had a deeply loving and complex relationship. She does not avoid confronting both the love and the anger she felt over the years. Indeed, it is the deeply personal nature of her writing about her family that is the most moving part of the book.

Those who love Faulkner, about whose South Sheryll is writing, or Wallace Stegner as he traces family history through Angle of Repose, will respond immediately and viscerally to this book. Everyone else will be drawn in by Sheryll's ability to integrate history, politics, justice, family and feeling. Read it!

The Agitator's Daughter is a great book. Sheryl's straightforwardness about her family allows the reader to actually experience the struggles and triumphs' of Four generations of Cashin's. The family research is outstanding. The book allows you to flow into the life of a privileged upper class Family, as the author examines her families saga as African American officeholders, doctors, lawyers, etc. The writers efforts to share her families dedication to bring about change in the south; their work ethics and the significant contributions made by this family illuminate the saying "to much is given, much is required." This memoir is an excellent book, I've referred it to several book clubs!