American Books

It took me a while to read but I was sad when it ended.
I came upon this book one day and saw the reviews and
decided I needed to read about this man.
A very well written biography of one of our Great American
business men. I enjoy reading biographies and this one
really kept my interest. The art work Mellon purchased
is outstanding. I must go to the museum in Washington
and view this outstanding art work. Mellon lived a very
intriquing life. I truly enjoyed this biography.

It is a complete history of the Mellon family from their immigration from Ulster in 1815 to the death of Andrew Mellon. It absolutely shows the vindictiveness of Franklin Roosevelt in his attempt to convict Andrew of tax evasion and the generosity of Andrew with his gift of the National Gallery of Art and its original paintings to the people of the United States.

This beautifully written and fascinating portrait of Andrew Mellon is the single most compelling biography I can ever remember reading, as well as the most interesting history lesson I've ever had. An amazing piece of work.

Cannadine exceeded expectations on a number of fronts with this definitive biography of Andrew Mellon. It has everything you'd expect from a grade-A biography, laying out where Mellon's family came from (both physically and philosophically), how Mellon grew up, his rise, peak, eventual fall from grace, death and legacy. Not only that, but Cannadine does all of this exceedingly well, giving his reader a sense of the nuances and subtleties of Mellon's personality and life. If Cannadine had done nothing else, he'd still have written a five-star book.

This book goes beyond most rock-solid biographies that I've read in Cannadine's sensitivity to the larger meaning of the events in Mellon's life, his place in history and his impact even after his death. While this sensitivity is present throughout Cannadine's book, it really comes together in in his three-part epilogue, which you will absolutely not want to miss, it is the highlight of the book.

The first point Cannadine develops is that Mellon's life straddled the line between two different eras in American history. He shows how Mellon, without changing his behaviors, was perceived one way for much of his life, then a totally different way at the end of his life. Through his awareness of this point, Cannadine really demonstrates to the reader how radical the shift in sentiment was in America in the 1930s.

The second point Cannadine is aware of, as any successful biographer of a great historical figure must be, is the idea that Mellon was a human being with some great strengths and some great flaws. In my experience, people who have the strengths to accomplish the most often have corresponding weaknesses to go with them; Cannadine really makes this point clear in his epilogue, doing a "balance sheet" of positives and negatives of Mellon's character and accomplishments. I've never seen an author take even-handed analysis to a similar place, and it really helped bring together the books ideas at the end.

Finally, Cannadine captures a truth about life, society and politics that imbues the book with a sense of sadness. It becomes obvious that many (though certainly not all) of the good things that happen to Mellon happen out of chance. Similarly, when bad things happen to Mellon, most (again, not all... his divorce comes to mind as an obvious exception) of them are undeserved. Mellon dies near the low point of his public popularity, suffering primarily for sins he did not commit.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of biography and history, it is truly a step beyond a really good biography.

What I found interesting about this book is that is a history lesson in American business and early regulatory policies that shaped the landscape we see today. At the same time, it is a story of classic love and betrayal. I found the author doing a great job when the story focused on Mellon's marriage and the demise of such, but he tended to become a bit lost in the details when describing all of the political ups and downs. Overall, a fine book and great American story

THIS BOOK WAS SOOO GOOD I LOVED IT. VICTORIA WAS A MESS, THE DRAMA KEPT COMING JUST WHEN I THOUGHT ALL THE SECRETS WERE OUT HER COMES ANOTHER ONE. IT KEPT ME WITH MY MOUTH OPEN. THIS WAS A GREAT BOOK I LOVED THE ENDING A MUST READ!

Better Than The First!!!!!!!!! You Thought Secrets Was Exposed In The First Book You Aint Seen Nothing Yet. If You Havnt Read Had Secrets Of A Housewife You Need To Buy The First Book In Order To Really Understand whats Going On. I Give It 5 Stars

A little un-realistic in some of the events but all in all a good read.

From the first chapter you will be hooked. The book starts off with drama, sex and eye gripping words. Its a good piece of work. I never read any of his books but I will start to read from this author. Zane has NOTHING on him!

This book was ALL THAT! I couldn't stop reading it. I recommend this book to all of the ZANE, EJD, Carl Webber fans out there. The sequel is even better!!!

I loved this book~ I've loved all of Jane Porter's books- but this (and Odd Mom Out) are my favorites!

This was my first book by Jane Porter. As a relative newcomer to the mom-scene (my daughter is 4.5), and having been brought up outside of the US, I am still amazed at and amused by the "professional" and highly competitive approach to parenthood, particularly motherhood in this country. While I enjoyed reading the book - it is perfect for a long summer weekend - the message at the end gets muddled somewhat. Here is this long and somewhat labored build-up to Taylor's realizing that putting oneself in a totally dependent situation is not such a good thing, that perhaps her talents and abilities can be better utilized outside of making copies at a school office and helping with lunch, or baking designer cookies... She gets a job and seems to be at least initially successful at juggling being a mom and working full time, which is what 75% women in America do, and survive. And then, as though at a wave of a magic wand, Nathan gets a fabulous job overseas, with double the earnings, and sweeps Taylor off to Sidney, where she undoubtedly will once again fall into her seemingly perfect life of being a social ringleader, a professional uber mom decked out in designer garb, and ultimately an accessory to her bread winning husband. So, where is the message? What did Jane Porter really try to say with this book?

I will admit it was a shock to eagerly dive into the sequel to the fabulous ODD MOM OUT, only to find ourselves inside perfectly-perfect Taylor Young's pretty (empty) head; but, of course, she would be MRS. PERFECT and this one is from her perspective.

It does start empty, with fleeting, superficial and cringe-inducing meanderings on Taylor's perfect life (again, from her perspective): PTA, entertaining, weight issues, beauty regimen, shopping, managing a very large home, judgements and criticism of other women and, ultimately, in spite of it all, self-pity:

"And the problem -- if there is a problem, and I even hesitate to call it a problem -- is that this life, my life, looks good from the outside, but it's not so fun on the inside. On the inside, it's intense. On the inside, it's endless stress." (page 96)
[Poor Taylor, right?!]

Fortunately, it gets better. Something is wrong with Taylor's husband. He's acting all weird and then he abruptly decides to move the family from upscale Bellevue, Washington to Omaha, Nebraska. He goes ahead, leaving Taylor to finish out the school year with the kids. Taylor begins to realize the extent of their trouble when her credit card is declined while she is at lunch with a friend. (Turns out, her husband was fired from his executive job and has been out of work for months.)

Poor Taylor's situation goes from bad to worse, as her husband abandons her, the collection notices start rolling in and she has no money. We could almost cheer for Taylor as she begins the transformation from rich housewife to resourceful woman and mother who must figure out some way to survive and take care of her children: Taylor has a garage sale.

Next, Taylor gets a job -- a job as a go-to girl/office manager in advertising, employed by her once and not-quite-former PTA nemesis, ODD MOM OUT Marta Zinsser.

MRS. PERFECT turns out to be an in interesting journey, with Taylor's growth through challenge. She works to support herself and her daughters; she figures out a new lifestyle on her own; she moves from a very large, beautiful mansion to a dingy rental house and makes it a home. She triumphs and finds new depths of character as she re-settles her children, focusing on what they still have, rather than what they've lost and making the best of it.

While it was more fun inside ODD MOM OUT's narrative with Marta, Jane Porter does a masterful job of portraying similar lives from two very different perspectives, making both books a must-read experience for women who can relate to the PTA lifestyle.

-- Sherri Caldwell, Humor Columnist & Reviewer at RebelHousewife.com
Co-Author, The Rebel Housewife Rules: To Heck With Domestic Bliss!

We first meet Taylor "Mrs. Perfect" in Jane Porter's previous 5 Spot book, "Odd Mom Out". While it is not necessary to read "Odd Mom Out" first you should because it is also a good book and sets the stage for "Mrs. Perfect".

On the outside looking in, Taylor seems to have the perfect life with a handsome, rich husband, three beautiful blonde daughters, a gorgeous house on the waterfront in an exclusive area of Bellevue, Washington, a fabulous wardrobe, and country club set friends.

She is a super-mom doing everything to volunteer at her daughters' schools. She volunteers in all of the classrooms and chairs the auction committee for an annual fundraiser. She set her own career in PR aside when she became a wife and mother.

Slowly Taylor's seemingly perfect world begins to unravel when shockingly she learns that her husband has lost his high paying, high power job and has actually been unemployed for the past several months. Everything changes for Taylor when her husband moves across country to accept a job in Omaha, Nebraska.

Suddenly Taylor finds herself with none of the security or money she had before--she has a closetful of designer clothes, but nothing of substance. I was hooked from the moment Taylor sat down in her husband's den and went through all of the unpaid bills and realized just how much in debt they were and how far behind they had fallen on the payments.

You will cringe when Taylor's credit card is rejected at a restaurant much to her humiliation and in front of a girlfriend. You will feel bad for her when her ATM card is not accepted at the grocery store when she is buying treats for her daughter's Halloween party. You will laugh when she turns her hair orange after being forced to color her own hair!

The book is funny and sad and real and empowering all at the same time. Taylor finds her own strength as she sells her things at a garage sale, gets a job beneath her qualifications after being out of the job market for so long, sells her beloved house to a woman she can't stand, tries to save her marriage, finds out who her real friends are, etc. I don't want to give anything else away.

I give this book 5 stars!! "Frog Prince" used to be my favorite Jane book...but "Mrs. Perfect" may have taken its place. Read all of Jane's books--she speaks to women and we can see pieces of ourselves in all of her characters!

A Seattle native, this book was hilarious to read as it accurately depicted the stereotypes of the east side. I highly suggest reading Porter's "Odd Mom Out" before reading this because it really gives you insight to Marta's character. This was a reaffirming book for me to read as a mother of two toddlers that has chosen to stay home and give up an income. I almost wish I hadn't read the book yet because I'd be able to look forward to reading it for the first time.

If one is seeking the truth about the Catholic Church, this bible is the answer. There are questions in this bible about our faith that I never new exixted. There is so much I have to learn about my faith. This bible is an extention of my Catholic teaching that stopped after high school.

Although I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area (southwest Louisiana), I was raised Baptist and often felt that Catholics were odd or completely wrong in their belief system. As I grew older, I began to investigate different faiths in order to find the one I belonged to. In the end, though, I was called home to the Catholic Church and came into full communion with it in 2000. Naturally, I began to receive a ton of questions, answers, attacks and misinformation from multiple Protestant sources, including some who were friends or family. I began to research my newfound faith with much zeal in order to defend it properly. As the years passed, my family and friends (the ones that hadn't given up on me) grew to accept me as a Catholic. Still, I often run into questions from them that I can't immediately answer. Thanks to the New Catholic Answer Bible, I now have a ready resource to reply to them with.

Containing the New American translation of the Catholic Bible, this answer Bible offers brief sections every few pages that explains certain Catholic beliefs with Biblical references. The beliefs range from the papacy to baptism and everything in between.

Solid Biblical references are the only true defense of the faith when talking to Protestants in my opinion, especially since the majority of them rely on no other source for their own beliefs. Referring to Catholic Tradition or the catechism usually doesn't work. Luckily, this book provides proof that can be found in the books of the Protestant Bible as well as the Catholic one.

If you're just beginning to study the Catholic faith, the New Catholic Answer Bible is an excellent, quick and handy resource. I also recommend books by apologists such as Scott Hahn, Karl Keating and Patrick Madrid as well as the wonderful "Why Do Catholics Do That?" by Kevin Orlin Johnson.

This Bible contains a lot of information about the history of the Bible that I believe a lot of people don't know. It also contains helpful, relevant information & comprehensive answers to questions asked about Church doctrine.

Everyone knows the stereotype: Catholics don't read the Bible. And, there is some truth to that, in spite of the fact that we hear the Bible read to us every week in mass. Basically, many Catholics do not know what is in the Bible, at least not in much detail, and are often taken aback when confronted by non-Catholics who point to unfamiliar verses or stories that seem to contradict Catholic teaching. This Bible goes a long way to remedy the situation and here's how.

The authors examine many difficult or controversial teachings and for each one, give a clear explanation for why we believe what we believe. This in and of itself is extremely useful. However, they go one step further and give Scripture references for these teachings as well as where they are addressed in the Catechism. In other words, this Bible not only helps Catholics understand the Bible, but also points them in a direction for greater study and exploration. Some of the topics covered are: God, Christ, Mary, the Church, the Saints, the Sacraments, Purgatory, Images, Papal Authority, Salvation, and practice. One example of an article is: why do Catholics call priests "father?" This Bible uses the text of the New American Bible and includes the lectionary cycle and text of the Roman rite of the mass.

There are a couple of negatives about this Bible, however. First, I'm not a big fan of the New American Bible. The translation is banal and many of the notes are either unhelpful or unclear. Basically, a Catholic could learn a lot from the articles and get even more confused from the NAB notes! The RSV-CE2 would've been a better translation choice. Second, Catholics who are knowledgeable about their faith may find the articles a tad too basic. But, in all fairness, the Bible seems geared towards those who don't understand much about their faith.

Overall, this is a great resource for Catholics who may not be aware of the teachings of their Church and their biblical roots. It's perfect for those wanting to grow in faith and have an answer when asked by non-Catholics.

An excellent study Bible for Catholics and all who are interested in summaries of Catholic teachings. The entire New American Bible is presented and about every sixty pages a section of questions and Catholic answers is given. With these questions and answers, specific scriptural references are given that can easily be refered to.

No Pockets In A Shroud is a moving tale of war heroes, a mother's love for an unborn child, and a woman wanting love all gone unnoticed. It takes the reader back to times when hiding what some thought were shameful secrets was popular and supposedly practical. Many young adults struggle today because of past secrets. No Pockets In A Shroud brings into vision the negativity of keeping some long gone secrets.

I really enjoyed this story. Maxine Thompson didn't hold back any secrets in this "seem so real" life story.

When Nefertiti went home to visit her parents after seven years of being away, it brought out traumatic emotions that she could no longer ignore. For instants, the unresolved relationships with the men in her past. And also, the feelings of dislike and unworthiness she had always experienced from her own father.

When this well needed visit, that re-opened old wounds, was over, Nefertiti decided to reveal a big secret that she had kept from her husband for years.

This story has a surprising ending. It brings to mind that old saying, "everyone has skeletons in their closet, so before you sit in judgment of others, keep livin'."

I hope Maxine Thompson continues to bring us these very good and wholesome stories. I'm looking soo forward to reading another one.

One decision sets in motion a ripple that will affect a family for years, until finally a daughter is faced with the decision whether to break the chain, even at the expense of her own future. This book is deep, but written in a style that is easy to read.

No Pockets in a Shroud wasn't at all about what I expected. I had thought it was about how the use of heavy religious based ideals helped a family solve issues from unresolved past secrets. However...it's not...not at all. The story took you inside flawed and weak humans who, through fear, clutched tightly to lies and secrets hoping they will simply go away, or better yet that they can simply carry them with them wherever they may go...however, as the author brings out, you can't take them with you, as there are no pockets in a shroud.

The book takes you back to the days when the old folks whispered the word sex, and what we take for granted, was forbidden.

Reading this book...again on the train, it took me several hours to get through it as it was deep with plot, although it had one storyline, the depth of that storyline, at times, had me a little confused about who was doing what. Eventually it all worked out and I fully got the jest of Ms. Thompson's rich tale of secrets revealed.

Up to the last page...you are left guessing. It's definitely a sit on the sofa with a cup of cocoa and your full concentration read. You have to get fully into it to get all you need out of it. --M.M

Every family has secrets but maybe not quite like the secrets that the Godbolt clan hold. Nefertiti Godbolt, a decent, God fearing teenager falls for Pharaoh Curry. He is her first experience with love and the inevitable happens; Nefertiti becomes pregnant. Her father, a stern minister who has never treated her the same as he treats her siblings, is outraged and demands that she be sent away to a home for unwed mothers. Nefertiti is coerced into giving her daughter up for adoption. Later, under her father's stern and unrelenting guidance, she
marries Pharaoh's younger, steadier brother, Isaac, but she is forever the soiled woman. When that marriage falls apart, Nefertiti leaves town and marries a white man in California.

Many years later, the unresolved issue of where her daughter is, begins to haunt Nefertiti and she returns to her hometown determined to find the answers. In her search, she finds herself pursued by both Pharaoh and Isaac. Isaac is now married to Roshanne, whom he cheated with while married to Nefertiti. It is her search that stirs up old issues and brings hidden secrets out of the closet. She finally finds out why her father treats her differently and maybe even begins to love herself a little.

It is a stirring story of life in the sixties in small town America where shame counted for more than love, where a good reputation was worth more than gold and preserving the family's good name was paramount. It is well written and will hold the reader's attention.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of the RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Brian Copeland's new memoir shows us the world through the eyes of an 8-yr old black boy and the challenges of growing up black in an all-white neighborhood and school. He never really got to relax and enjoy his childhood because life was pretty much a war zone for him. His absentee father would show up and verbally abuse him, as did potentially anyone he came in contact with. So he had no role model; he had to grow up too soon and become the man of the house. The protector of his mother and younger sisters. No one was in his corner. Teachers feared uprisings or job loss for taking up for him. As he got older he learned how to mask his fears and to use humor to cover up the painful past. The book also delves into mental illness. When suffering from tearful outbursts for no apparent reason, his psychiatrist likened his condition to PTST - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Dealing with that after all these years has made him a stronger person, and one who can reach out to help others. The book is a huge eye-opener. It is a heartwrenching read. But his humorous writing provides the foil needed to keep the reader from throwing down the book and drowning in despair and shame for what injustices blacks went through in order to get out of the ghetto and to have a productive, satisfying, prosperous life. While race is a big part of the book, Copeland insists his story is more about being an outsider and what skills outsiders can use to "cope" in a "land" of insiders. I highly recommend this book! I couldn't put it down! I am a richer person for having read it.

Brian Copeland shares his life story with us in Not a Genuine Black Man. It is insightful, touching and important. Although the subject matter of racial prejudice is serious, he tells the story with much humor to help us, and him, be able to get through it.

If you've ever seen Brian do stand up comedy, listened to him discussing topical news issues on his highly rated talk radio show or met him in person he comes across as being "not like other blacks".

Every white person knows someone like Brian. The co-worker at the office who doesn't have the "accent". Who talks about and does "normal" things. The one who is "just like us". The one who "doesn't play the race card". You've heard at least one person say "why can't they all be like him?"

There are white people who believe racism and discrimination are a thing of the past, saying that no one alive today was ever a slave and everyone now has the right to vote. They feel that African Americans just have a chip on their shoulder based only on injustices that happened a long time ago to someone else. For "proof", they point to African Americans like Tiger Woods, Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Dick Parsons, Stanley O'Neal, John W. Thompson and Oprah Winfrey. Surely they are "just like us", the theory goes, because they choose not to feel victimized by the ancient injustices others suffered.

Copeland lets us see behind the curtain. We learn of the pain that prejudice causes first hand through the eyes of Brian as a child and the toll that experience takes on him as an adult. We learn that with everything he has accomplished, there are white people to this day who say "Yeah, but he's still just a n____". We learn the pain doesn't stop with the discrimination -- when he refuses to make an issue of it and not let it get him down, there are those in the African American community that accuse him of not being a "genuine black man".

Brian let's us know that he is successful and "like us" not because he never experienced the pain of prejudice, but rather he is successful and "like us" despite it.

"Not a Genuine Black Man" is a must read with lessons for everyone. African American readers will surely relate to his experiences and the pain he feels. White readers may begin to understand it.

I enjoyed the book, but not for $14. I thought the author could have had more depth instead of simply recalling the past. I did enjoy learning about the Bay Area and the history of San Leandro, though. He is a funny man, but the book could have had a little more "meat".

An ideal assigned reading for ANY and ALL high school/college level students. So poignant, humorous, self-reflective and blatantly truthful --Mr. Copeland's personal retrospective, analyzing just exactly what he knows (his life), comes entertainingly packaged in a wrenching yet totally engaging exhalation.

I'd say that this book IS GUARANTEED (yes, this is a superlative) to activate "the thinking mechanism" and elevate your class to that of an educational milestone. If there is one common element which student readers most respect, it's an author's iron-clad commitment to
"keeping it real". Well, Mr. Copeland's clever and stylish prose delivers a tasty dose of head-on reality which will move readers to a new and better place.

Reviewer's "poetic license" observation:

Inexplicably often, peoples' names accurately and ironically depict a significant measure of their calling. Mr. COPELAND, I'm personally thankful for you and your families' inspirational determination; I'm humbled by my ability to include you in this often recognized, yet little understood club.

NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN: OR, HOW I CLAIMED MY PIECE OF GROUND IN THE LILY-WHITE SUBURBS

Brian Copeland's "Not a Genuine Black Man" is a provocative and moving autobiography that begins the Copeland family's 1972 move into "lily white" San Leandro, California. Brian was then eight years old. And San Leandro (99.9% white) was using any method it could to maintain an all-white status.

Copeland, a San Francisco Bay Area TV/Radio celebrity, comedian, and author, is an excellent story teller and tells his story alternating between his arrival in San Leandro and an awakening at age 35 which led to an attempted suicide. "Not a Genuine Black Man" is more than the story of Copeland's struggles with overt bigotry and eventual depression, it is also the story of his mother's and grandmother's resilience that brought San Leandro into the post-civil rights era as a diverse, inclusive community.

The book's title "Not a Genuine Black Man" comes from a letter Copeland received from talk-radio listener which said, "As an African-American, I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because you are not a genuine black man. The letter becomes a catalyst for Copeland to explore his past and find out who he is. "Not a genuine black man...What does that mean?"

Upon reflection, Copeland sees that his mother really wanted white childre and did not want to associate with the black community. "I'm not one of these blacks." As a result, a young black child was faced with the challenge of growing up in one of the most racist suburbs in America with a mother who was trying to escape her black roots. Unknowingly, he had to develop a mask to protect himself from these truths...a mask that would lead to depression.

"Behind most of our masks is a truth that is hidden for a specific reason. Often we don't know what that truth is. I wasn't ready to deal with my truths, but ready or not, they started to bubble to the surface. Once that began to happen, try as I might, I couldn't get the toothpaste to go back into the tube. I knew I had to face the truth about my mother."

Today, San Leandro has changed and Copeland now feels proud of being part of the change. Members of all races worship side by side in the pews of churches of all denominations. His grandmother and, posthumously, his mother were presented with a commendation from the City of San Leandro for "their bravery" to make San Leandro a better place for all.

And as the City has changed, Copeland has also changed. He knows now what it really means to be a genuine black man - he is a "unique man" who has the resilience of his forefathers and the fortitude of his mother and grandmother. His experience is unique and it is a "true" black experience because this is his experience.

A human life is the most complex narrative of all: it has many layers of events which embrace outside behavior and actions, the inner stream of the mind, the underworld of the unconscious, the soul, fantasy, dream and imagination. There is no account of life which can ever mirror or tell all of this. Copeland has offered us a sample of this complexity and reminds us that black people are not a monolith with one lifestyle, one viewpoint, and one agenda. They are a varied lot like any ethnic group, each with their own complex narrative to tell. Narratives that we all must hear.

In Not Between Brother author David Marion Wilkinson relates the epic story of Texas spanning the years from 1816 to 1861. Wilkinson uses the life story of his primary protagonist, Remy Fuqua, to tell the Anglo, Tejano, and to some extent the Mexican parts of the tale. On the other side, Wilkinson puts the reader into a virtual alternate universe by following the life a Comanche warrior named Kills White Bear. The lives of Remy and Kills White Bear become inextricably bound together through a series of unfortunate incidents that are mostly fueled by their mutual desire for vengeance. Indeed, the book closes with one final tragic encounter between them.

On the larger stage of history, Wilkinson's book tells the story of Texas (or Tejas) from its days as part of the Spanish colonial empire, through its Mexican statehood, its days as an independent republic, and its annexation to the United States. The book closes as secession fever strikes and the state legislature withdraws Texas from the Union over the objections of its governor, Sam Houston.

Fuqua wants to ranch and by hard work and fortuitous marriage achieves an extraordinary level of success. All the more bitter, then is his struggle against the Mexican government, The Texas Republic, and Confederate Texas to keep what he has built. The eternal struggle, however, is between the Comanche, especially the Penatekas led by Kills White Bear, and the Anglos and Tejanos. The Comanche fiercely defended their hunting grounds and with some degree of success on the sparsely settled Texas plains. Both sides fought viciously - it injury to the truth to romanticize it. In addition to their sheer numbers and technological advantages, the whites brought diseases that no amount of courage or tenacity could resist. On the whole, the Comanche chose to resist, seemingly beyond all reason, rather than submit.

Wilkinson sprinkles his tale with historical characters such as Sam Houston, Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna, Juan Seguin, Indian agent Robert Neighbors, and Captain Jack Hay of the Texas Rangers. Wilkinson also puts the reader in the midst of historic events such as the Alamo (necessarily told second-hand to Remy), the Battle of San Jacinto where Houston won his fame and Texas its independence, and the Council House Fight, where the army's ham-handed handling of treaty negotiations led to a massacre of Penateka chiefs and warriors, which in turn led to the slaughter of captive whites and touched off a major round of Comanche raids.

The one negative review of this book asserted that the author is no McMurtry or' Mitchner' (sic - presumably the reviewer meant James Michener) - a range of literary skills nearly as large as the Texas plains, in the eyes of this reader. Wilkinson does not reach the heights that McMurtry can, but exceeds Michener in developing real characters in an historical setting (as opposed to the rather simplistic characterizations in Michener's `Texas'.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and the American West. The insights into the Comanche and Tejano side of the story set Wilkinson's book apart.

This is one of the very best western epics I've had the pleasure to read.
Laced with historical characters and important moments in Texan history, this book will keep you reading until your eyes droop. I am now a huge fan of this author and have moved on to other of his books. I don't know if it's possible someone would want to make a film of Not Between Brothers but I surely wish they would. This book is a cracker.

Being a native Texan and a former history I found this to be an
interesting book.The book tells of Remy Fuqua moving to Texas to
start his life.Once in Texas he marries Beatrice the daughter of
wealthy Mexican parents.Together they have three children.His
wife and two of his sons are seized by a feirce Comanche chief by
the name of Kills White Bear.Remy rescues his wife and one of his sons.Once home Beatrice has a child that has been fathered by Kills White Bear.Remy rides with Sam Houston and does battle
with Mexican bandits and the Comanche Indians.He later has a
confrontation with Kills White Bear.A very well written fiction
book that sounds like actual history.Read this book.You will have
a better grasp of the early days of Texas.

Having received this book as a gift several years ago, I am now sorry it took me so long to get around to reading it. I assure you that once you start reading Not Between Brothers, you will find it hard to put down.
Others have rehashed the story in their reviews to some degree or another, so I'll try not to do that here. Author Wilkinson does an excellent job developing both the characters and his story. There's a surprise at nearly every turn, although the reader somehow knows that chief protagonist Remy Fuqua is going to survive.
This is not just a story of a titanic clash of cultures, it is a story of hard men and women in a harsh land, where nearly every day brings an often life-threatening challenge. It is written in an heroic fashion that reminds me sometimes of Michener and sometimes of Fraser (of the Flashman series), but nearly always in a way that keeps the reader wondering what's coming next. Wilkinson writes a balanced story with a great understanding of the points of view of all the cultures that once claimed Texas as theirs.
Those who know the parts of Texas where this story takes place will almost literally be able to visualize it, to taste it and to smell it. Those who don't know Texas will come away with a pretty good picture of its geography and climate. And everyone will come away with a greater knowledge of the forces that shaped Texas and made it what it is today.
This is said to be Wilkinson's first novel and he's done a heck of a job researching and writing it. His command of the language is impressive as is his attention to detail. I found only one major factual error about a third of the way through probably missed in the proofreading( see if you can find it too). There are also a couple of times where I was able to guess why a particular incident occurs ahead of it being explained, but most of the time the reader is left in breathless anticipation of what's to come.
Despite a few missteps and a weak final chapter after the dramatic and surprising climax, my overall impression of Not Between Brothers is that I have just read an epic blockbuster. A blurb on the cover claims that it was a finalist for the Spur Award for best novel of the West in 1996. Well, if some other book beat this one, I'll have to read it and see why, because Not Between Brothers is one of the finest books about Texas or the West I have read in years!

Texas is a huge state with a rich multicultural heritage. It takes a real tour de force, such as David Marion Wilkinson's "Not Between Brothers" to do it justice. In this epic view of Texas history, Wilkinson uses fictional characters Remy Fuqua and Comanche Indian Kills White Bear to tell the story of life on the frontier between the years 1816 and 1861. Remy is a Scotch-Irish orphan who grows up in Louisiana and is permanently scarred by his unhappy childhood. He carries a "never-say-die" attitude and a quick temper throughout his life. Kills White Bear is a Comanche warrior who nurtures a hatred for the white people whose diseases rob him of many of his loved ones. Remy and his cousin move to Texas where they negotiate a piece of land from Stephen F. Austin. Remy meets and falls in love with a beautiful, wealthy Mexican woman, and this causes problems for both of them throughout the rest of their lives. Remy and Kills Bear's lives weave their separate paths until at last they intersect, with predictable dire consequences for both of them. Wilkinson's wonderful prose and unforgettable characters make for an excellent read. He weaves in a lot of history and the reader is treated to up-close looks at Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, and others who are painted in wonderful shades of gray and who are not made to look like saints. For anyone who enjoys historical fiction or who has an interest in Texas, this is highly recommended reading.

Warning: Load up on the tissues. I had to resist the powerful urge to run to the local shelter yelling "I will take them all!!!!"...somehow my other 3 dogs might be overwhelmed. It makes you realize how many people do not seriously consider the responsibilities attached to pet stewardship. Not sappy in the slightest, just reporting as the authors saw it which in itself is the tragedy.

Authors Leigh and Geyer made a brave move to follow and document the lives of animals in a shelter in northern California for one week. They have a story to tell that will at times warm your heart with joy and at other times break your heart. They are to be commended for telling a very difficult story in an honest and non-biased way. They make a point to tell stories of the dogs and cats in the kennel consistent with the actual adoption/euthanasia rates at that kennel. Some animals are adopted or recovered by their human guardians others are euthanized. It's heartbreaking to know that some dogs and cats have no chance of adoption and are euthanized simply because of their unpopular breed or age or health condition. Some happy adoptable animals succumb to kennel stress and the personality problems it causes. Some wonderful animals never have a chance from the second they enter the kennel. I found myself looking at the end of each brief story to see the outcome before I even started reading about the animals. Many do find wonderful homes but the odds are against shelter animals especially for cats. The authors are honest and fair to the shelter staff who also face unbelievable odds in their attempts to save animals. There is not enough money to care for sick animals or time or staff to socialize animals with behavioral problems. It is often a losing battle. The authors make it clear that much of the blame lies on irresponsible people who don't spay or neuter their animals. Some people just become bored with their pets or don't make the effort to work on correctable behavioral problems. Some seemingly well-cared animals are found lost and not wearing an ID tag. An ID tag and microchip could save countless lost animals. You begin to realize how hopeless the odds are even at the most well-run animal shelter. Many more animals arrive than can be adopted. You need to be strong to read this book. You'll fall in love with some of the animals and learn they did not survive the kennel but there is joy in knowing many do find new homes. The book selects several animals to feature and there is a picture or two. All are beautiful animals who deserved a chance that many never got.

It is rare that I find a book that I cannot put down - and I read this book in one sitting. It teaches the reader about life in an animal shelter through the short stories written about the animals the writers came to know during a week at a shelter. It gives you pause, describing shelters from the animals' perspective, as well as from the perspective of the humans that interact with the shelter (volunteers, shelter staff, adoptive pet parents, and pet owners who resign ownership). It gives interesting and surprising statistics. It talks about foster parenting shelter dogs, and it touches on visiting pet programs (for nursing homes, etc.). It gave me ideas that I might use the improve my local shelter as a volunteer. I thought I knew everything there was to know until I read this book. It is so well written, and it opens your heart and your mind to the realities of life and death for shelter animals.

This is a must read for everyone who has had a pet, has a pet, or is thinking of getting a pet. The authors do a wonderful job of revealing the plight of animals in shelters today. I bawled the whole way through the book, but it's because it's the truth. And something needs to be done.

I purchased this book as I have done many other books about shelter dogs,abandoned dogs etc. I love animals-all animals,but especially dogs.There were some wonderful stories in this book, there were also stories that totally broke my heart, seeing two large bins full with little bodies that the sanctuary found it necessary to euthanzise. ,I didn't expect to see a photo like that,but as much as it broke my heart,people need to be made aware. Animals are precious, they are like children, I have a daughter and I have three dogs, I love them all equally,my dogs are part of my family and are treated as such. People seem to think they can pick animals up and toss them out when they get fed up with them- it makes my blood boil.There was one story in particular that really got to me where a dog named Kelly had been so let down, she just gave up, she wouldn't even lift her head, the sanctuary- rightly or wrongly-decided that she could not be re-homed so they put her to sleep,there is a photo of them doing so, with a young guy holding up the her beautiful head and she is looking straight into the camera, the sadness in her eyes will haunt me forever, I just wish I had known about her, I would have given her a home and worked with her to help her to trust again.,and to show her boundless love.
There are many atrocities in this world, to me, cruelty to animals is one of them.
If anyone reading this is thinking about getting a dog, please think carefully before you do- they take a lot of your time and commitment but the love they give you in return is immeasurable.If only people were more responsible,these poor animals ,who only ever wanted love from someone, would never end up in this situation.
I hope that particular little dog is in Rainbow Bridge, and is healed now.
God Bless her, and all the other animals that have suffered and are suffering the same fate through no fault of their own.
It just isn't right.

Wow. I adored reading this book. The stories within stories within stories made me want to giggle with delight. I was astounded at the way Catherynne Valente nested one tale inside another and back around again. I've never read anything quite like this and it was challenging to keep track of each thread, but in a good way. It's a clever, rich, and unique read. A mysterious young girl tells a royal son stories each night secretly in a beautiful garden. Stories that are written on her eyelids in minute script. The book is about the girl and the boy, the tales she tells, the boy's life and his thirst for more. Who is she? Her story is last and she discovers it as she reads her stories out loud in the garden.

I've read some of the other reviews that mentioned the writing style, but I must say that given the "Once upon a time" style, I expected a bit of repetitiveness, ie: The first son went to the mountain, met with failure...so the second son went to the mountain, met with failure...so the third son went to the mountain, etc. You get the picture. I personally didn't find any fault with the writing style at all and was so taken with the story I forgave the occasional repetitive devices.

I read this book many months ago, yet I find that the stories really are haunting my mind. I'll catch a snatch of story in my head, triggered by something that reminds me of it, and it'll take me a few moments to realize I'm remembering a story out of The Orphan's Tales. To find out the tale of the storyteller herself, you must also buy The Orphan's Tales: In The Cities of Coin and Spice, also fabulous. I was heartbroken that the book had to end.

This book, and it's sister, are living on my treasure shelves, reserved for only my favorites. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves beautiful, magical, fantastic Tales, not just stories.

In a distant garden, a young girl with black-ringed eyes runs wild, the palace demon, sleeping under the cold sky. When a young prince is the first one brave enough to talk to her, she weaves for him a tale, read from the densely tattooed words that make up the bizarre marking around her eyes. Her tales are stories within stories that range from Princes and Quests to the light-filled Stars which walk the earth, from a sacred city filled with the Towers of arcane faiths to the last of the gold-hording Griffins. In these tales, everyone--no matter how evil--has a story, and nothing--no matter how good--is as simple as it first appears. Although the constant interruption of new stories can be frustrating, and Valente's prose can be over-heavy with similes, these are quibbling faults: In the Night Garden is lush and decadent, a peon to the art of storytelling. The stories are imaginative, the narrative voice is artful, the descriptions vivid and colorful in a way I've rarely seen. While I wish this first book (of two in the series) dealt more with the storyteller herself and had a more conclusive ending, the novel is a treasure and a joy to read. I very highly recommend it, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

The joy of In the Night Garden is Valente's storytelling. The author's voice is luxurious and rich with well-chosen words, a wide vocabulary, and a glut of similes. At times the language is too rich, and the style begins to feel repetitive, the appearance of similes predictable. On the whole, however, the language makes this a book to savor, deeply indulging in the short chapters as one would indulge in bites of a rich food. The book's plot is arranged in a series of stories within stories: the tattooed storyteller begins with one story, her protagonists meet people that tell stories--the folds become so elaborate that there are often four stories being told at once, each wrapped within the next. In order to keep this arrangement manageable, the chapters are short and the narrators often come back to their own stories, grounding the narrative and helping the reader keep track of where he is. The unfortunate side effects of this arrangement are the constant stops and stars and the fact that the tattooed girl's story is left largely unaddressed. The Prince, the reader's representative in the book, calls the narrator on her halting stories and her constant stream of new beginnings, and the style can indeed be frustrating: as soon as the reader becomes interested in one story, the narration sweeps into another. Furthermore, though the tattooed girl's story begins and frames the narrative (and so feels like the most important of the enfolded tales), it undergoes little change and no conclusion, making the end of the book feel abrupt and leaving the reader unfulfilled.

However, the arrangement of stories within stories introduces a level of brilliant complexity and interconnectedness that makes the book satisfying, despite the too-brief glimpses into the framing narration. The numerous tales introduce dozens of vibrant characters and magical locales, follows decisions and Quests, transformations and growths. Everyone, Valente insists, has a story--even the blood-shorn Beast, even the Witch's goose, regardless of whether or not he is good or evil. In fact, good and evil almost always have stories to tell--no matter how clear something seems at first, there are stories, there are complicating factors, things are never as simple as they appear. Finally, these stories are not independent of each other: they impact both storyteller and listener, and as the book unfolds many of the final story arcs are connected to stories from the very start of the book.

The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden features language as rich as chocolate and stories within stories that are as organic and as complex as life itself, always with a sense of meaning and magic. From the first page I was swept away by this book, and while it has its faults, and while I sincerely hope that the Orphan's story is better explored in the book's sequel, I hugely enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it to all readers. It is superb, readable and always enjoyable, a true delight, and has satisfying depth. If this book is at all appealing, I recommend you pick it up. This is a novel I'm glad to own and expect to reread, and other readers will not be disappointed.

A girl lives in the garden of a Sultan and is seen by others to be a demon, because she has dark eyelids and surrounding areas. However, as we find out when a boy stumbles upon her, they are really minutely tattooed stories. She relieves them night by night to this noble boy, and each story is interwoven within others much like how Scheherazade spun her tales, about monsters, creatures, Stars (we might use the term "Gods" and "Goddesses" instead, though these are not like the ones we have in our world), vengeance, love, among other things.

The world of her stories have their own mythology and societal norms that can be quite different from ours which I find commendable for creativity and making sure it is logical. It leaves on quite a cliffhanger. We also have interspersing narartives of the world the girl and the boy live in, and the obstacles they face trying to keep their nightly encounters. At times I would prefer the noble boy's behavior to be expanded upon, but I did appreciate how Valente mentioned his eagerness to hear the girl's stories overpowering his politeness.

I found it difficult to begin because I felt it jumped so easily among stories and I was never a good head with names and non-linear story lines, but over time it became easier and a very addictive book. Even before I was finished with the book I ordered the second and concluding book.

If fantasy isn't your genre, this book may not be one to read. It might require one to severely suspend reality and disbelief, but I find it easier to do so among straight fantasy than among some science fiction writing where I sometimes feel they take themselves far too seriously. Her writing style may be overly cliche or too poetic/lyrical so a little cynicism may be expected upon the reader's reaction (I know I did), but I began to see the vivid imagery and almost had the other senses affected as well.

I gave the book three stars. I found it just OK. I purchased the book due to the excellent reviews on this site. It was not as if I didn't enjoy the book but I found it far from the five star reviews that it is getting here. It didn't make me want to buy the sequel and I did find all the different stories a little confusing but I'm not sorry that I purchased it.

I haven't read any fantasy quite like Catherynne M. Valente's The Orphan's Tales duology. This is the story of a young orphan girl who is shunned because of the dark smudges that appeared on her eyelids when she was a baby. She lives alone in a sultan's garden because people think she's a demon and nobody will claim her. However, one of the young sons of the sultan, a curious fellow, finds her in the garden and asks her about her dark eyes. She explains that there are wonderful stories written on her eyelids and that a spirit has told her she must read and tell the stories; Then the spirit will return and judge her. The prince loves stories, he begs her to tell him one, and so she begins.

The rest of In the Night Garden and its sequel In the Cities of Coin and Spice is a collection of nested stories that are interspersed with short interactions between the young prince and the girl with the dark eyes (somewhat like The Arabian Nights). These stories are all connected to each other, but each is unique and highly imaginative. There are fascinating creatures--many based on myths and fairy tales--like a monopod, two griffins, a necromancer, a wicked papess, an otter king, a woman with three breasts, three brothers with dog heads who become accidental cannibals, a leucrotta, a Magyr, a skin seller, living stars fallen to earth . . . and these are just some of those that I can describe in a few words (and I'm not giving them justice). The characters in The Orphan's Tales remind me of the Cantina Scene in Star Wars. The darker characters, (e.g., the wizard and the necromancer), are particularly excellent. Ms Valente's imagination for bizzarre characters and plots exceeds Lewis Carroll's and she never lets up. Each story is brilliant and brilliantly told.

And the prose is truly beautiful:

"He was very tall, and thin as a length of paper. His skin and cloaks were the color of the moon--not the romantic lover's moon, but the true lunar geography I had heard whispered by Sun-and-Moon Nurians come to buy glass for their strange sky-spying tools: gray and pockmarked, full of secret craters, frigid peaks, and blasted expanses. His eyes had no color in them save for a pinpoint pupil like a spindle's wound--the rest was pure, milky white. He passed three solid gold pieces over my mother's palm, and she shuddered in revulsion at his touch when the money changed hands. She handed me over eagerly, examining the coins like a fat pig snuffling at its supper slop."

"My mother had kept silent as a nun since the day my sister was taken from her. I was an infant when she vanished from us; I never knew that sister. But her absence stalked the house like a hungry dog. The hole where she had been took up space at our dinner table, it sagged and slumped in the musty air, it ate and drank and breathed down all of our necks. . . I grew up alone in that silent house with nothing but the stinking cows and my mute mother and the hole. Even my father didn't want to spend his days there; he stayed in the fields directing hay-rolling and goat-breeding until it was dark enough to slip back inside the house without anyone bothering him. But still, the hole answered the bell when he rang, and he had to scurry to bed with his head down to avoid looking it in the eye."

There are many more of these gorgeous passages to enjoy. My only complaint about the writing itself is that there are dozens of characters in The Orphan's Tales and they ALL talk like that. So, it's not very realistic, but I suppose realism wasn't exactly what Ms Valente, as a poet, was going for.

One other small complaint I have is that because the stories of The Orphan's Tales seem at first to be random and unrelated, it's hard to feel deeply involved with many of the characters because they don't stick around for long (except for the orphan and the sultan's son who don't do much but talk and listen). But, again, that's the point, because we learn at the end of In the Cities of Coin and Spice that all of the strange stories and characters actually contribute to, and explain, the history of the orphan girl. Perhaps that's a bit of a spoiler, but you'll enjoy the stories more if you realize that it's all going somewhere. And, besides, you're a clever reader, and you'll probably figure out that there's got to be something going on here besides just a bunch of beautifully-written, highly imaginative, unconnected stories.

But, the main reason I'm telling you this is because I know you'll get more out of your reading if you follow the advice I'm going to give you... Just trust me: Get yourself a pencil, a pad of paper, and a fine cup of caffeinated coffee (in my experience, a Starbucks Venti Latte works best). Sit down with In the Night Garden and read the first few pages up to the point where the girl starts to tell "the first tale I was able to read, from the crease of my left eyelid." This first story is about Prince Leander. Write "Prince Leander" at the bottom of your paper. Prince Leander runs into a gray-haired tattooed "crone" and a few pages later, she starts to tell her story. Write "crone," or whatever you want to call her, above Prince Leander's name. Soon, "crone" starts telling the story that her grandmother told her. Write "crone's grandmother" above her name. (I've got a picture of my own notes at FanLit.net) This is not the kind of book you can leave for a few days and come back to unless you have notes to tell you who was talking to who. Or unless you're a lot smarter than me ... which is certainly possible.

Highly recommended for the reader who appreciates beautiful prose, is willing to take notes, and is looking for something original. ~FanLit.net

Amazing historical account of an amazing era. This book changed the way I look at life, it has that kind of effect. I discovered an admiration of the Shawnees and Tecumseh that I share with many. I have recommended this books to dozens of people and they all thank me when they are done.

a shooting star in the sky heralded a Shawnee baby with greatness..this baby would grow up to be Tecumseh. The Shawnee leader who had visions of his race being wiped out by the coming of the white man, he knew that survival depended upon all the Indian tribes pulling their resources together and he also knew that their survival depended upon moving beyond their savagery if they were to be accepted. Tecumseh was able to do the first but not the second and that would be their downfall as the savagery so inflamed the 'newcomers' their extinction was the only response that could be accepted. This was one of the most memorable characters and books that I've ever read.

A great read!! Really will hold your attention. I read it in a weekend.

This novel is about the life and works of Tecumseh, the Shawnee chief who was at the center of Indian resistance to American expansion from the 1790s until the War of 1812.

Like other great Indian leaders before him (Pontiac, Joseph Brandt) and after (Crazy Horse), Tecumseh dreamed of uniting the Indian tribes and throwing back the white encroachment, carving out the space for the Indians to continue to practice their traditional way of life. He had many obstacles to overcome, not all of which were caused by the whites. In general, Indian societies were plagued by short-term thinking and an inability to grasp the big picture of what was really happening to their world. A number of Indian leaders were great tacticians, scoring big victories and then scattering while the whites regrouped and came relentlessly on. Only a few leaders were able to think strategically enough to actually slow the white advance. Tecumseh was one of these military geniuses.

The novel works as history, but it also works as a great story. Thom creates a sense of grief and regret about the loss of the Indians' world, but he doesn't whitewash the Indians. Tecumseh's brother, The Prophet, is depicted as a charlatan, and there are some brutal scenes of the torture that the Indians inflicted on their white captives. This low and cowardly behavior is a source of great despair for Tecumseh, who wants to elevate his people to a higher spiritual plane.

In a few spots in the book, Tecumseh appears too good to be true. I had a hard time believing that his goodness would have caused his arch-enemy, William Henry Harrison, to question the righteousness of his own cause. But overall the character of Tecumseh comes off as admirable but very human as he wrestles with spiritual questions, doubts, and vulnerabilites.

I liked the book. I did not find it as 'gripping' as some of the other Thom works, but it was still a good read. A little long and sometimes slow and repetitive, but worth reading.