Oklahoma Books

This book, while somewhat outdated, provides accurate and detailed information about the ruins in Guatemala in particular. The guides I traveled with all wanted to purchase it to enhance their information. The descriptions help you make decisions about where to go and having it with you enhances viewing. Places are generally easier to get to now.

This book, while somewhat outdated, provides accurate and detailed information about the ruins in Guatemala in particular. The guides I traveled with all wanted to purchase it to enhance their information. The descriptions help you make decisions about where to go and having it with you enhances viewing. Places are generally easier to get to now.

Like her other book on the Yucatan, this one focuses on many smaller sites. I was surprised that it didn't mention El Puente as a site, however, and it was written before the Copan Museum opened, which is too bad. Unfortunately it is already sadly outdated. I hope she does another book soon.

Another excellent volume, a superb companion piece. jerome A Greene has, in this book, put the mirror image to his other volume with as much care, scholarship and honesty as the other. From the point of view of the soldiers and their commanders this time - a truly spectacular achievement.Greene has created a perfect matching set of volumes that encompass a fascinating, exciting and terrible part of American history. Thank you Amazon for making me aware of both volumes. To any scholar of history thinking of only buying one viewpoint, I would say - dont! You cant find better than these two books to take you back to those amazing days.

Greene is a very knowlegeable historian of the Sioux Wars. In this work, he has edited and commented upon reports of Officers and others who were participants in this monumental struggle between the Sioux and their Cheyenne allies and the White soldiers of the frontier army. A great book to assist the historian in understanding the hardships of a winter campaign against hostiles on the northern plains.

This book brings together 15 first-hand accounts of the major military engagements of the Sioux War, 1876-77. Most of the essays first appeared in newspapers of the day; others were excerpted from books and memoirs. Included are Indian scout William Jackson's highly personalized account of the Little Big Horn battle; Robert Strahorn's record of the Battle of Powder River on March 17, 1876; Tilton and Butler's rendering of the Wolf Mountain expedition and battle in early 1877; Henry Bellas's chronicle of the Crook-Mackenzie campaign and the Dull Knife battle in November 1876; and Oskaloosa Smith's letter describing the Spring Creek encounters of October 1876, to give just a brief listing.

All of them are written by participants from the army and present the military's point of view (a subsequent volume from the Indian's side has also been published). Greene has not "sanitized" any of the essays, so they retain the flavor (and prejudices) of the individuals writing them. Most of the records include a good map of the event being described. The only thing missing is editing by Greene that could have identified or amplified better things mentioned or corrected mistakes. Other than that the book is an excellent source for gaining underived versions of events during the Sioux War written by participants.

Its interesting to learn how the women of this time period felt, thought, dreamed. They had months of prep work to prepare for the trips across the US to Oregon and California. What we take for granted, they had to make from scratch. Often they never saw their families again, once they left in their covered wagons. Can you imagine preparing for a trip that had few places to stop for food or bedding along the way? These women were tough, often working along side their husbands in physical tasks. Often they buried loved ones along the way - children would get sick, husbands would come down with cholera. How did they make it?

The diaries and letters of women who traveled to the west during the 19th century 'go west' push offer eight primary source accounts, these selected for their powerful visions of family, friendships, and experience. Women's studies collections as well as those strong in general historical review will relish a gathering of letters and diaries from those who experienced the movement, with historical notes by Kenneth L. Holmes furthering the experience, adding invaluable background information.

This richly-detailed anthology is derived from the original eleven volume series published in 1983 by Arthur H. Clark. The original volumes were compiled by the late Professor Kenneth Holmes of Western Oregon University. This anthology of eight unedited firsthand accounts was selected by Professor Michael Tate of the University of Nebraska.

The diarists are pioneer women traveling with their husbands from Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Missouri, bound for Washington, Oregon, California and Colorado. It took about five months to get across the country between 1848 and 1862 using northern routes with oxen pulling a covered wagon.

Why did they go? They went to pan for gold, for richer farmland, to expand their mercantile, and to join family in the West, among other reasons.

Amelia Hadley made it from Illinois to Oregon in only four months because her party used horses. She writes that the "Soo" Indians passed her on horseback pointing their long spears ahead, saying "me for Pawnee." She speaks of the Indians as being "filthy" horse thieves, but doesn't seem to fear much for her own safety. She chronicles the fact that pioneers didn't rest in peace when she says "the wolves made a den down in his grave. They dig up everyone that is buried on the plains as soon as they are left."

Margaret Frink traveled from Indiana to California, and whose husband published her memoir posthumously in 1897. Margaret is known for her accounts of how scurvy was circumvented on the Trail. Her account taught me that many pioneers started out in very small groups and were overwhelmed at Trail forks when they witnessed "all manner of vehicles and conveyances...I thought that if one-tenth of these teams got ahead of us, there would be nothing left for us in California worth picking up."

Some things never change, as when Ellen Tootle's husband decides that Mrs. Tootle "cannot do anything but talk" on their way from Nebraska to Colorado. "He decided to make it [the coffee] himself, but came to ask me how much coffee to take...I told him the quantity of coffee to 1 qt [of water]. He took that, filled the coffee pot with water, then set it near, but not on the fire. I noticed it did not boil, but said nothing...I inquired how the coffee tasted. He acknowledged that it was flat and weak, but insisted I did not give him proper directions and consented to let me try it at supper time."

The book includes a map of the U.S. west of the Mississippi with the states, cities, Trails, Rivers, Forts, and Lakes along the way. This map is immensely helpful and would be even more helpful if it included a few more states to the east. The map includes a southerly Trail, but no diarist in this book went that way. This was a disappointment as I was quite eager to learn how a woman made her way from my home state of Texas to San Diego, California.

by Stephanie Barko
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I'm an engineer who lives in the Pacific Northwest. I was hoping for more focus on the engineering than the book actually has. Instead, it seems like something of a synthesis book. A little bit of engineering, a little bit of history, and a lot of politics within and between the Army Corps Of Engineers and the Bureau Of Reclamation.

In fact, I ended up finding the pre- New Deal chapters to be the most interesting. Once the actual New Deal dams were discussed, I felt the dams themselves got short shrift compared to the Washington DC politics.

BIG DAMS OF THE NEW DEAL ERA: A CONFLUENCE OF ENGINEERING AND POLITICS provides a history of the design and construction of the American West's biggest dams and as such is an important key to understanding the growth and development of the West as a whole. College-level collections will readily find this a 'must have' acquisition, whether they're buying for engineering students, or those studying the evolution and development of the West as a whole: chapters survey engineering science, local politics, public needs, and how these damn were constructed.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book has just recently been published, and given the renewed controversy over whether or not to dismantle some dams in the U.S., it is a must read for those interested in how and why massive dams were constructed during the New Deal era. Focusing on the building of major dams in four western river basins-the Colorado, Columbia, Missouri, and Sacramento-San Joaquin-the authors provide an explanation of how engineering science, regional and national politics, perceived public needs, and the affected rivers' natural features combined to create the dams and restructure the political and physical landscape during the 1930's and '40s. This book makes for fascinating reading about the building of the American West's mammoth dams.

Black Wall Street was very imformative book and gave a lot of insight about how successful we were as a people and how unified the community was at that time. Mr. Hannibal Johnson did a wonderful job in potraying the devesatation brought upon the African-American community on May 31, 1921. This particular book should be in every African-American home as a must read to show our youth that in the past were have been a prosperous people.

Imformative as well as historical commentary on sucessful Afro-Americans during a time of extreme overt racial hatred. A positive example of what others have achieved in the past, in spite of the terrible consequenses, to help focus others in the future. An excellent contrast with your usual American history text verbage about the Roaring 20's. A must for Afro-American home libraries as well as American history buffs.

Read the story of strength & courage of African-American people, in the midst of extreme racism. Before Wall street in NYC, there was 1st a "BLACK" wall street. The book is awesome to have in your library..a true history of the Black race

BY HIS OWN HAND? THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF MERIWETHER LEWIS surveys the evidence in the strange death of explorer Lewis, who was found dead from two gunshot wounds while staying at an inn in Tennessee. Who fired these shots may never be fully known, but BY HIS OWN HAND takes a healthy stab at a case with no eyewitnesses. Contributors here are all historians of the West and conduct investigations making the case for different results, with editor Guice dissecting the suicide argument and outlining inconsistencies in the theory.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

By His Own Hand? is a valuable addition to the Lewis and Clark literature. The centerpieces of this slim volume are two extended essays, one by James Holmberg of the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, the other by John D.W. Guice, professor of history emeritus at the University of Southern Mississippi.

In "The Case for Suicide," Jim Holmberg does an excellent job of setting out the evidence that Meriwether Lewis committed suicide in the early morning hours of October 11, 1809. The strength of Holmberg's essay is the overwhelming support of documentary evidence that the people closest to Lewis, including William Clark and Thomas Jefferson, believed he was in a suicidal frame of mind. Holmberg also points out that the supposed tradition of murder did not begin until the 1840s, many decades after Lewis died, when the residents of the area formed Lewis County and began to embrace the legacy of their most famous, if deceased, resident. William Clark's son, Meriwether Lewis Clark, may have also played a role in attempting to rescue his namesake from the stigma of suicide.

By contrast, those who believe Lewis was murdered have never been able to muster much evidence against any of the many suspects and rely heavily on the dubious supposition that Lewis simply wasn't the type to commit suicide. There are big holes in all the murder theories. Fictional accounts such as Frances Hunter's "To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis and Clark" can fill in such gaps, but no documentary evidence exists that can do so in real life.

Yet Guice's essay, "Why Not Murder?" is more valuable than the confused tales of murder in the night might suggest. Guice points out that, starting with Thomas Jefferson, there has been a long history of retrofitting Lewis's life and actions to point to a suicidal nature. Scholars often point to Lewis's 31st birthday journal entry. Written literally as the Expedition was poised to become the first Americans to cross the Continental Divide, Lewis seems to lament the fact that he's never accomplished a doggone thing in his life. But is this really evidence that Lewis was self-destructive or a raging depressive? And how about the missing journals, or Lewis's failures in politics after the Expedition? Might there be explanations other than mental illness?

Guice does a good job of showing that when interpreted through the assumption of suicide, Lewis's foibles seem much more ominous than they would otherwise. He also points out that the suicide tradition is based largely on hearsay, and calls for an exhumation of Lewis's body to search for forensic evidence that might settle the question once and for all. He notes that over 200 Lewis relatives signed a petition asking the National Park Service for permission to examine the remains, but the NPS denied the request.

I also appreciated Guice's defense of Vardis Fisher, whose Suicide or Murder? (1962) doesn't always get the respect it deserves. Fisher did yeoman's work in compiling the stories about Lewis's death, and his work on the subject remains the most complete on the subject.

There are some good primary source documents included in By His Own Hand?, and an excellent round-up of the arguments by Jay Buckley of Brigham Young University. This anthology is highly readable and well-edited and will be enjoyed with anyone with an interest in Lewis's sad fate.

You talk about true crime, this puts them all to shame. Or was it a crime? For almost two centuries scholars, criminologists, medical professionals and a host of other sleuths have tried to determine what caused the death of Meriwether Lewis of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition. Was it a suicide, a homicide, or an accident? The shooting on October 11, 1809, in an Inn along the Natchez Trace in Tennessee has created much controversy, speculation, legends, and myths and yet the mystery has not been solved. Or has it? This book is the first to analyze the evidence and, within the full historical context, consider the murder-versus-suicide debate. Four historians outline the facts and present the evidentiary problems; make a case for suicide...and murder; assess the strengths and weaknesses of both arguments; and present a document section from which the reader can examine the available key evidence. What ultimately caused the death of Meriwether Lewis? YOU decide.

After reading "Archaeology of the Land of the Bible" by Amihai Mazar and "Who were the Early Israelites and Where did they come from?" by William Dever, it seemed to me that this book on the Canaanites would be a useful complement to these two works. It was published relatively recently (1998) as part of the "Peoples of the Past" series, and I felt that the author has sufficient scholarly credentials for it to be reasonably objective. It is a fairly short book (160 pages) and its primary focus is on the archaeological and written evidence of the peoples of the land of Canaan from the earliest the period c 8500BCE up to the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great in 332BCE.

As with other informative books on archaeology about "The Land of the Bible", there is an introductory chapter which reviews basic assumptions, and this is important because it lets the reader know in advance where the author is coming from. In this chapter, the author defines the ancient land of Canaan as covering the modern states of Israel, Jordan, and Parts of Syria and that the evidence presented in his book demonstrates a population continuity such that the Canaanites known to the writers of the biblical texts are to be seen as the same people who settled in farming villages in the 8th millenium, and that these peoples spoke a Semitic language whose closest modern relatives would be Syriac and Hebrew

The findings from the major archaeological sites up to the end of the Bronze Age are described in Chapters 2 to 5:
Chapter 2: Prehistory: The Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods (8500 to 3300BC)
Chapter 3: The Early Bronze Age and the Rise of Urbanism (3300 to 2400BC)
Chapter 4: Economic Recession: The Early Bronze IV Interlude (2400 to 2000BC)
Chapter 5: The Middle Bronze Age and the Hyksos (2000 to 1550BC)
Chapter 6: The Imposition of Empire: The Late Bronze Age (1550 to 1150BC)

After reading Chapters 2 and 3, I realized that the author was covering much of the same ground as Dr Mazar in his book "Archaeology of the Land of the Bible". So from then on I read the two books in parallel, which was a useful comparative exercise. While there are some differences in emphasis, Dr Mazar provides considerably more detail, is more analytical about the archaeological evidence and very careful about his conclusions. Professor Tubbs, on the other hand, has a more interpretative approach which becomes clear, for example, in his analysis of the Hyksos Dynasties of Egypt (Dynasties 15-17). He considers this era to have been an imposition on Egypt of the Canaanite civilization which was probably directed by an aristocratic elite of non-Semitic people known as the Maryannu and Hurrians, who seem to have infiltrated and integrated into the Semitic population of Syria during the beginning of the 2nd millenium BC.

Chapters 7 to 10 deal with the invasions of Egypt and Canaan by the Sea Peoples and the rise, division, and destruction of the kingdoms of Israel
Chapter 7: Sea Peoples and Egypto-Canaan
Chapter 8: The Early Iron Age and the Rise of Israel (1150 to 900BC)
Chapter 9: The Late Iron Age (900 to 539BC)
Chapter 10: The Persian Period (539 to 332BC)

I found the discussion on the origin, invasion, and settlement of the Sea peoples to be most interesting, since I have yet to find a book which adequately covers that particular event. In Chapters 8 to 10, however, the descriptions seem to rely more on the biblical texts than on the archaeological evedence, although the author does present fairly detailed descriptions of the excavations at the important site of Tell es-Sa'idiyeh with which he has first hand knowledge. This is a site on the E side of the Jordan valley about 30 km east of Samaria, the capital of later kings of the northern kingdom of Israel.

The final chapter entitled "The Canaanite legacy: the Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians and beyond" briefly covers the return of the Exiles, the Hasmonean (Maccabean) monarchy, and the fortunes of the last Canaanites - the Phoenicians of the Lebanon, and their North African colony of Carthage - before those people were absorbed into the main stream of the Roman dominated Mediterranean civilization.

The maps showing major sites at the beginning of the book, and the photographs, particularly the colour plates, were quite helpful, while the notes, chronological chart, books for further reading, and the index at the end of the book were less so. In summary, I found Prof. Mazar's book to be generally more informative, although Prof. Tubbs does provide some interesting insights on the topics which are more completely covered in his book. I do think, though, that his book provides a good introductory overview on this subject, but if you are interested in detail, then I would recommend Mazar's book. For my part I am quite happy to have both!

The book begins with coverage of Canaanite beginnings in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Periods (8500-3300 bce) and continues through the Late Iron Age (900-539 bce). It does conclude with a synopsis of Canaanite connections to Phoenicians subsequent Carthaginian ties concluding with the close of the third Punic War. The bulk of the detail of Canaanite culture, however, is provided for the periods between 8500 bce and 539 bce.

The author (Jonathan N. Tubb)has directed the British Museum's excavations at Tell es-Sa'idiyeh in present-day Jordan since 1985 and is curator of Syria-Palestine within the Western Asiatic Department of the British Museum.

Tubb provides easy-to-read details of ancient international trading systems between the Canaanites and other culture groups from the Egyptians and Mycenaeans to Indus River Valley peoples. Though based primarily on archeological evidence to infer Canaanite culture habits, the book also objectively takes into account many historically accurate aspects from written records both Biblical and secular.

Extra-cultural influences upon the Canaanites are inferred through changing burial techniques (particularly Canaanite shaft tombs), architecture, and to a lesser extent, pottery styles. Evidence from archeological sites in Persia and Egypt show how widespread trade was even at such an early time in ancient history.

Pieces of the archeological puzzle are fit together with historical written records to show when and where new culture groups began to settle in the region and what eventually became of the Canaanites. The power vacuum left after the fall of the Egyptian empire allowed for expansion of new groups such as the Sea Peoples from southwestern Anatolia and the Aegean that settled in the Gaza area (of whom included the Philistines), and the Hebrews who eventually established the Kingdom of Israel around the Jordan River in Judea and Samaria. The author posits that the Israelites were in fact a sub-set of Canaanite culture and many parallels are drawn in the book on this point.

I found the book to be very informative and easy to follow. There are both color and black and white photos of Canaanite artifacts and sites in the book that really help to bring about a better understanding of the text you read. A very informative and enjoyable book!

This is an informative, balanced work that will reward an archeology student or patient layman with a fuller understanding of the Canaanite culture/structure. This includes how the cities of Canaan interacted with their neighbors (particularly Egypt), the infiltration of the various "Sea Peoples", Hebrew/Israelite conquest and control, as well as what Canaan gave to the world (the basis of our alphabet), and finally insight into Canaanite culture's powerful Phoenician/Carthaginian descendents.

Canaanites relies primarily on archaeological data. This is both a strength and a weakness since it removes much of the speculative Biblical interpretations (and many agenda.) While the archaeological finds are interesting, they are most interesting when placed into a recognizable historical context and that most often means Biblical, Egyptian or Ugarit type texts. The author often fails to provide this historical context until late in a chapter or in the book, instead leaving the reader to slog through the list of stratum, dates, and Tells looking for a familiar landmark. The work is well written, but for those unfamiliar with the sites and geology/terrain, the book demands a considerable learning curve to be appreciated.

The crucial early summary of Canaan and Canaanites is lost or fragmented among the discussion of how to approach and interpret the archaeology.
Unless one is already intimately familiar with the geology of the Levant, a geographic atlas map is a necessary companion. The two small outline maps provide a fine list of sites, but little else to guide the reader through the geographical text.

Despite the above criticisms, I recommend this book to anyone seeking a balanced, archaeological approach to Canaan's history and peoples, but be cautioned that this is not a work suited for skimming. The author's reasoning and approach to various issues appear sound.

I have some sentimental connection to this book, as my dad did went to Fort Sill for artillery training in the early 1950s.

While it's true this book tells the story of the southern Plains Indians Wars from an Army perspective, that's to be expected, as this story is about an Army fort and Army cavalry of the era.

That said, this is a great book to get a feel of that era on the saddle, especially if you combine it with something like "40 Miles a Day on Beans and Hay."

An excellent, very detailed history of the Southwestern Oklahoma frontier, the conflicts with the Comanches and Kiowas, and this important military post. As should be expected given Colonel Nye's background and the focus of the book, it is written from a military perspective. The book contains a wealth of information and is well worth reading by those interested in its subject matter. Other accounts of the wars and the reasons for the clash of cultures on the Southwestern Frontier after the Civil War may be found in Comanches: The Destruction of a People by Fehrenbach and The Buffalo War by Haley; or a later compilation by Nye of the tales told him by the Kiowas, entitled Bad Medicine and Good.

Having lived in SW Oklahoma off and on for my entire life, I am fascinated with the history of the area. All those places I had visited so often I can now tie to events long before my time.

Aside from solidifying my bonds to the region, COL Nye weaves an interesting and exciting tale of the Plains Indians and the rapidly growing USA. If your knowledge of frontier life comes from John Wayne movies (not that there's anything wrong with that), this book will open your eyes to the whole story.

Crown Oklahoma is shorthand for putting a dome on the capitol. The narrator is the one-eyed lieutenant governor of the Sooner State. The lieutenant governor is also referred to a the second man. His son Tommy Walt plays semi-professional baseball. He is a pitcher. His wife is the founder and the owner of a chain of drive-through markets. Tommy Walt seems to collapse at his job handling baggage for the bus company. He does a riff on lost and mislaid luggage when his father locates him. There is a concern, raised by a national television news story, that a Mafia-type organization exists in Oklahoma. The narrator runs down one suspect, Boomer Sooner, who is in the transportation business as the driver and owner of a single bus. This is not a good prospect for the role of master criminal. Then a bomb blows the guy to bits. Investigators surmise that since the news reports indicated Boomer was part of a new group impinging on mob activity, the mob had him killed. The fallout from climbing the golden ladder to anchordom is described and elaborated in the book. The tales get taller as things proceed. Son Tommy Walt continues to experience difficulty and the excuse given is that he is a pitcher. The crown Oklahoma project is laughable, particularly when planners wonder if it could be made to pay for itself. Oklahoma Indian Territoy was opened up on first-come basis for land claims. Sooners were cheaters, they snuck in ahead of time.

I read this book because I loved The One Eyed Mack in "Kick the Can". I did enjoy "Crown Oklahoma" very much, but I must say that it is no "Kick the Can".

I was particularly intrigued by the story line, and how timely it is today in light of the Jayson Blair and Dan Rather scandals. It is almost as if Mr. Lehrer predicted such events.

It was great to be reunited with Mack, Jackie, and "Leutenant Dad", and it was a very enjoyable book. I highly recommend that you do not read this until you have read "Kick the Can" first.

Wonderful expression of the Oklahoma spirit, mindset and humor! A terrific place and a delightful book.

After reading Albright's first Viv Powers mystery, "Tulsa Time," I was committed to keeping an eye on this intriguing new series. "Daredevil's Apprentice" doesn't disappoint, thoughtfully melding mystery with Cherokee lore, interesting characters, and even humor.

With the second "Viv Powers" mystery out and a third due in 2004, author Letha Albright has a bona fide SERIES on her hands. And what's the most important thing in a series? The lead character, of course.

And heroine Viv Powers has character in spades. She's passionate, intelligent, wry... and very good at being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her day job is writing for a regional magazine, but she picks up a new night job -- sleuthing -- when a land dispute leaves two people dead. Who's to blame? The men who want to open a racetrack in Talequah? Any one of several townspeople, all of whom seem to have motive? Or even Utlunta, a Cherokee legend that might actually exist? Albright keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

The book starts off a tad slow, but the second half runs at a full gallop until the conclusion. There also seems to be a love-triangle-in-the-making: Viv is going to have to choose between her current boyfriend (Charley, a musician) and an ex-lover (Hutch, a detective). Too many peripheral characters clutter the pace at times, but it's otherwise a twisting, turning gem of a mystery. The plotline dealing with Utlunta, a Cherokee witch with a deadly stone finger, makes for truly chilling moments.

Pick up Albright's debut, "Tulsa Time," then read "Daredevil's Apprentice," then wait in line like the rest of us for more Viv Powers books. If you live in Tulsa or Talequa, Oklahoma, there's extra incentive to read these books, as Albright does an excellent job describing these locales.

Letha Albright has a wide range of experience as a journalist, wilderness guide, a sawmill worker, and lately as editor of School & Community, a magazine for Missouri teachers. She earned her master's degree in journalism at the University of Missouri and lives in Columbia, Missouri with her husband, two children, and a cat. This is the second Viv Powers mystery.

Set in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, Daredevil's Apprentice finds Viv Powers bored stiff working at the "Green County Journal." When Lisabeth Ellis enters as the new managing editor, Viv starts seeing trouble brewing. Her musician boyfriend, Charley, stays in the background doing gigs with his band "Powers That Be." But when David Menckle assigns Viv to dig up a story about the disappearance of John Dreadfulwater, forebear of Viv's best friend, Lucie Dreadfulwater, the action opens with a bang:

"Lucie stood in the doorway of the barn, her hands gripping the doorjamb. As a storyteller, drama was her job, but I had never seen her like this. Her face was a changing tapestry of emotions: surprise, fear, indecision, anger. 'What is it?' Some extra sense drew me to the dark interior of the barn. She grabbed my arm. 'Don't go in there.'"

From the very first chapter, Letha has her readers hooked on a very high-powered plot that tangles up our attention from the first chapter. Not only is her writing absolutely exquisite, from her vivid character description to the action which builds to a smashing denouement. Viv is a typically scattered character with a strong heart and some good basic training in self defense from her wise father. She is young, impetuous, and thoroughly likable.

Daredevil's Apprentice is a good, solid Oklahoma story with strong American Indian lore, old grudges, and death that implicates those who are closest to Viv. Viv's sister Maggie provides Shakespearian comic relief, but their relationship is a strong one of caring and playful banter. The legends of the Cherokees and the musical twist shape the story into magic.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer