Oregon Books

I can't wait to read another one by Thrasher.

Despite being "amiably pro forma", as the Kirkus review puts it (and I generally tend to agree with the Kirkus reviewers), this is a fun, well-written mystery, with a charming, believable hero who has made something of his life and overcome some major hurdles yet continues to make occasional mistakes, all of which makes him very human and made me want to meet him again in further installments. Interesting characters, some witty dialogue and some thoughtful insights make this a balanced story, surprisingly lighthearted even though a lot of it takes place among the sad, bleak world of street children. A thoroughly satisfying read.

I literally could not put this book down. Characters where well developed and new twists to the plot kept me at the edge of my seat. Can't wait for the next one!

I read this book about two years or so ago and immediately added Thrasher's name to my list of favorites. Loved the characters and wanted to - needed to visit with them again. Nice to know another's on the way.

it's been a few years since I read the book. and it ranks up on the top of my list to reread. Cant wait for the next one by LL THRASHER . Keep up the good work. thanks for my two cents worth.

Katy King has a lovely style all her own. Her detective, Jane Lanier, is completely likeable, completely human, and endlessly interesting. She does make you laugh. Her eccentricities are appealing and feel genuine rather than cute. The story has an excellent pace; the setting is absolutely fantastic--description of the city, Portland, is enticing. Katy King will bring tourists who are looking for Jane's hangouts and the streets where she lives!I look forward to the next Jane Lanier story very much.

What a fun read! Jane Lanier, Private Investigator, not only has a self-deprecating style, but makes uncanny observations about people that had me laughing out loud. This author has the recipe for success with City of Suspects. It was an easy read, and left me ready for the next installment. If you like J.A. Jance, Robert Crais or Sue Grafton, you will enjoy following Katy King as she takes us through Portland, Oregon in Jane's leaky Cabriolet solving crimes and cracking down on criminals.

If you LIKE the excitement of a John Grisham novel, you will LOVE Katy King's novel, City of Suspects. It has been a long time since I have picked up a novel and could not put it down. It is quick, witty and full of surprises. Finally, a book so enjoyable, I have extra copies on hand to give out as gifts!!!

Although it starts raining bullets one fall night in Portland, Oregon, first-time author Katy King tells a tale of murder and betrayal that reads like a rose-strewn love letter to the City of Suspects.

Jane Lanier, a smart and smart-alecky private investigator with a murky past, goes to her office late one Friday night only to find the dead body of the local bad guy slumped over her desk. From there, things get complicated.

With wit and a sharp eye for detail, Katy King chronicles Lanier's exploits in a way that packs a punch and never lets up. I didn't see the end coming.

Move over Chicago, New York and L.A., there is a new city of mystery in the literary world - Portland, Oregon. Katy King introduces the world to the City of Portland through the eyes of her primary character, P.I. Jane Lanier in City of Suspects. The story follows Lanier through her trials and tribulations as a female Private Detective in the small city of Portland, Oregon. Within the first 30 pages you are griped by a car explosion, a murder, and a sex scene. Unlike many fictional characters that have superhuman confidence, amazing intellect and a can do no wrong attitude; Lanier appears to be truly human. We learn about her insecurities, fears, and emotional back-story in a quick and to the point manner that interweaves very nicely with the plot line. Though it is unfortunate that the ending comes a little too quickly and everything wraps very conveniently in one easy to swallow package, King accomplishes what it seems she wanted, in less than 250 pages. At the novels conclusion it also appears that Lanier will be having more adventures in the very near future.

For a first time novelist, King shows a remarkable grasp of not only her subject and surroundings but of writing style and fictional prose. Though the novel could hardly be considered high literature, it is entertaining none the less. Those who live in Portland, Oregon or have recently visited will enjoy King's takes on the cities sites, sounds and people. The opening pages on the book provide a good example, "Rain fell over Portland, Oregon...It swelled the Willamette River, stripped the trees of their leaves, and sent tears streaming down the copper face of Portlandia, the six and a half ton statue that guards the city from her perch..." It will be interesting to watch as King's writing style grows as her characters have more adventures.

Overall, I would highly recommend this novel. The quick prose and fast plot line make City of Suspects an easy and enjoyable read (good for long road trips or flights). It is perfect for those long, rainy winters in Portland, Oregon or anywhere else in the world. I look forward to the next installment of the Adventures of Jane Lanier.

As a winewriter interested in all aspects of fine wines and communication dealing with wines, this is a Bible of a book. The book provides insight into not only the famous and well known winemakers and wineries, but also the least known, small production wineries. It is in this area, I believe, that the future of the real 'terroir' of the region will be discovered and maintained. The book also explores the development of the region as a vinicultural tour de force. The section on grape varieties is especially informative. The book indicates and follows the progression and sorting out of grape varieties in this region, and provides an educational backdrop to the crossover from 'Old World' to 'New World's wine production.'

There is no better guide for knowing the ins and outs of wineries throughout California. Large and small wineries they are all there. Forget some of the reviews. The background of each winery is great reading...

A vast array of information not easily available. Reliable reviews of the wines of virtually every known winery, and reliable comments about the future development and direction of wineries.

Actually it's more than that. It's like an encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas and buying guide all in one. I'm so happy to see a new addition of this book. There are so many new wines and wineries to know about that it makes my head spin. This book sorts it all out in a very concise and comprehensive format. Bravo!

I received this 11/98 version as a gift. I use it extensively as a reference for learning about different local varietals, and use it when purchasing, and then consuming, certain vintages. My one personal gripe is that I just cannot afford to try all the wines in recommendation. (Maybe that's a good thing!)

The book itself is a fantastic example of very thorough investigative journalism. The writers obviously spent years doing massive amounts of research and interviews. It reads very well and presents a cast of characters as they truly are. It is written for the layman and casual reader. Once you put it down you will be extraordinarily disheartened at how the S&L crisis came about. The book sheds light on the roots and origins - the push for industry deregulation in the '80s and its massive, and quite apparently not well thought through, embrace by legislators. But it does a fair and balanced portrayal of the actors - highlighting that the worst people were already professional con artists and had links to organized crime. What is truly disheartening is the massive participation by and interference by top level career politicians (a handful of whom are still around)- many of whom were found by their peers to have severely violated ethics standards. It does a good job of portraying why regulation and oversight of certain industries - particularly the financial services industry, is so difficult. The rulemakers (legislators) are often severely conflicted because they are so heavily funded by the industry - most people don't like taking shots at their meal ticket. Some legislators, as detailed here, won't even hesitate to attack regulators when they threaten their lobbyist/campaign lifeline - rather than protect their citizens overall.

This is a very good read in light of current events with the mortgage lending crisis. One will find creepy, even shocking similarities. The bottom line is the same - poorly written loans (given to an elite group in the S&L case) with no real, credible basis for believing they would be repaid - shoddy underwriting, shoddy controls, shoddy monitoring, weak regulation/deregulation/regulation with no teeth [which is always exploited by those opportunistic few who quite literally make a living as con artists (criminals)], massive interference by the rich and connected.

The best, and saddest part, is this book is real - the events really happened, the facts are portrayed very objectively (the writers did an extraordinary job with research and documenting sources of information), the people involved were people well known and are still around in some circles, the costs and consequences are real and still being paid for to this day. Reading this book in light of current events will make one pause...pause and worry.

A must read - will leave you speechless and much wiser.

I give this 4.5 stars out of 5 - very well done. The most accessible, well-documented history of the S&L crisis caused by Reagan in the 80's. Even though the topic is dated, the book provides a good subject for students of history, and also an eye-opener for people interested in the irresponsible (and costly) fiscal policies of the neo-con right wing.

In the first few pages, this book summarizes a problem (a scam, actually) perpetuated on the American taxpayers by a small handful of ultra-wealthy elitists. In just a few minutes, you will have a firm grasp on how the scam works, and the long term effects on the US economy - something even the press never really understood and failed to adequately convey to the public. The author uses metaphors and plain language, and even though it is dense, the book is easy to read.

Besides being a good overview, what I found most interesting was the secion on Neil Bush and his insurance fraud scams (over 100 of them), and how George H Bush was able to pardon him before the public or press got full wind of his embezzlement. Subsequently, I read the book "Silverado: Neil Bush and the Savings & Loan Scandal" - which was also very good, but franky, I thought that the short section on Bush in the Inside Job did more than an adequate job of covering all the facts.

Except for the historian, economist, or political scientist, this book is probably too much detail for the average reader. For those of you who want the quick & dirty fact, I suggest reading about it online (Wikipedia), or getting the the abridged version of this book, or listening to the abridged audio book. But the length of the book does not detract from my positive rating - very well done.

This is a tragic story of the looting of hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers money, money that could've gone for needed social services or other things. The government let it happen and this book tells you how.

I highly recommend this to those of us who were not adults at the time: in the 80's, I was still a kid - I couldn't be bothered to know what was happening in the world of S&Ls. Little did I know, but those high-flyers would affect my taxes for years (and years and years).

The book is easy to read - not too technical. It was a bit repetitive at times, but I think that's because many of the S&L crooks used the same types of illegal ponzi schemes to move money from one pocket to the other.

If you're like me, and knew very little about the S&L debacle, then let this book educate you. It's a telling tale of the problems brought-about by rampant de-regulation. I never knew that the S&L scandal(s) involved the wholesale looting of these banks (and American taxpayers - since they were federally protected deposits).

If you're already well-versed in the subject, you can read this to get some of the more personal stories of theft and graft.

There were also stories of corrupt politicians. I know it's a shock, but to me there's nothing more disgusting than a public trustee bending the rules to their advantage: they work for us.

In the argument on whether or not to save old growth, this book draws scientific blood.

I read this book non-stop until I finished. I've never come across a work that so succintly explains the scientific research on old growth forests in the Northwest.

Want to understand why old growth is important? Read this book.

I don't think I can add anything of much value to the editorial reviews, all of which are excellent and fairly describe this book. For all you who have ever walked in an old forest, gone hiking in a forest preserve, felt the immensity and wisdom that is offered there, this book brings that gloriously to life again. Luoma's description of his ride in the crane is worth the price alone. Sweeping over the forest canopy twenty-five stories in the air is not for the faint of heart. Only 209 pages of reading, it flies by in just a few days. And he brings the scientists who work on all this to our dens with such intimacy. These are people who work in the field, not huddled over their microscopes, mostly. Pick it up; you won't be sorry.

Not only was The Hidden Forest a pleasure to read, but Jon Luoma told me so many things I didn't know. I thought I knew a great deal about forests, since I live next to a park, hike in the mountains, and have read many books about trees, but this book showed me that there really is a hidden forest right under my nose that I'd been mostly unaware of. Now, as I walk the trail through the woods, I think of the 16,000 tiny insects beneath my foot every time I take a step, and I think of the vital work they do that supports all life on Earth.



Policy decisions are being made every day--just recently the Bush administration announced plans to increase logging of old growth forests--in a political and economic climate in which most people are ignorant of the science of forest ecosystems. How can we possibly make the right choices if people are not properly informed? For example, many people have bought into the notion that protecting old growth hurts the economy and costs jobs. In fact, the losses in the salmon industry, billions of dollars, could have been prevented if old growth forests had been protected. Also, millions if not billions of dollars of damage caused by flooding in Washington and Oregon could have been avoided if the Forest Service had followed the advice of the scientists at the Andrews Experimental Forest.



Still, these scientists haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what we need to know about forest ecosystems. They haven't even identified half of the species that live in our forests. How can we know the value of what we are losing if we don't even understand what it is or how it works? Their work should be funded at a much higher level. (Check out their web site: http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/index.cfm )



While this book is not for everyone, it should be read by the following people:

--Policy makers in the Forest Service.

--Everyone in the Bush administration.

--People who vote.

--People who live in wood houses or use paper products.

--People who enjoy clean water.

--People who like to breath oxygen.



The rest of you needn't bother to read it.



(While I sound like I'm being paid by either the author or the Scientists and the Andrews Forest, I had never heard of either of them before my mom got me this book for my birthday. I just really liked the book--one of the best and most significant I've ever read.)

Luoma knows how to take important scientific work in forest ecology, and turn it into a book that is a pleasure to read. If learning had been this much fun in school, think how well educated we would all be today! Seriously, I like to read well-written books, but I prefer them to be to tell me things I din't know. Hidden forests does. Another really good read out this season is Bullough's Pond, a treatment of ecological history and industrial revolution that I found fascinating, and it read like a novel.

Luoma takes the reader on an intimate, guided tour with some of the tenacious pioneers of forested ecosystems research and the mysterious processes whereby the woods become established, grow and change--in the case of the moist coastal uplands of western Oregon, processes that take centuries to complete all their steps. For those who like their science in the field, in the raw, and introduced by the human practitioners struggling (and loving) the dance of theory and experiment, this is a must-have. Ancient Forests rhetoric too frequently airbrushes over the hard scientific inquiry that helped reveal both the uniqueness of the Oregon forested ecosystems research site and yet suggests that some of these hidden processes, or ones similar, will be found to play crucial roles in other forest places as well. If Luoma doesn't beat me to it, I could do worse than spend the rest of my career writing a series for all the Long-Term Ecological Research stations that perform the valuable work of building baselines and foundations in ecology for every major ecological region. At least, this is the sort of book that makes a reader feel that way!

Mike Lee's latest collection of essays can only be read with a smile on your face as his observations of life hit home all too clearly. He finds meaning through the humor in his life that applies to those of us far from the Cape or Key West, his home turf. Fun and funny, this book would be a great gift, especially for the men in you life, but be sure to read it yourself first because we can all use of good laugh.

Marine Corps veteran and experienced journalist Michael Lee presents In an Elevator with Brigitte Bardot and Other Appreciations, a selection of essays interspersed with humor, memories, searing personal insights into daily life in Cape Cod. "Great poetry can be change-your-life stuff. Or sometimes it's just change your pants stuff. But then the next Bill Collins gets up there, living out loud and dragging poetry, kicking and screaming, onto the actuality of the blank page. Then you can't help but get excited about poetry." Each essay is only a few pages long, yet each strikes the heart of its topic with a deft flick of the wrist. A treasury to savor a bit at a time, or all at once.

Michael Lee's book of essays is so hilarious I couldn't write a review funny enough to do it justice. Don't read it anywhere you can't loudly guffaw, snort, or wipe tears from your eyes. Lee's voice is original, his wit wicked, and his descriptive powers as large as his self described waistline. Whether he's writing about travel adventures to France or Key West, tourists invading his beloved Cape Cod, his exercise attempts, or his romantic adventures (realized or otherwise), you will connect with his writing and experiences. Underlying the humor, Lee sneaks in some wise observations about life. Reading his collection felt like an evening hanging out with an entertaining new best friend and having a few beers while being totally seduced by the conversation. Pick up this book now and start chuckling!

With "In An Elevator With Bridgette Bardot," his hilarious new collection of essays, Mike Lee complements the sterling collection of short stories that delighted us in "Paradise Dance."

With Mr. Lee, we're treated to a close-up look at a guy who's not afraid of anything - outside of a few univited summer guests, revenge-seeking
ex-wives, or the occassional rigors of hiking the back woods of Wellfleet.

Michael tackles the etiquette of receiving a massage from a "large hairy man." But,instead of suffering in silence, he poses the question on every
red-blooded straight man's lips: "Do you mind if I leave my underpants on?" Lee reports the masseuse, "Looked at me as though he never intended to invade France."

"The Boys of Fall" celebrates the Sunday afternoon football game. Guys like Stinky and Psycho Al, circle a groaning coffee table, hemmed in by great bowls of buffalo wings, potato skins, and beer, to cheer for the Pats or whoever is beating the Jets. Here is male bonding at its finest - burping,farting and bumping chests while consuming vast quantities. What guy can't relate? What gal hasn't run for the hills at the sight of the first falling leaf?

For any poor soul who's embarked upon yet another excercise routine, Lee
offers, "With a Thong in My Heart" which grabs you by the love handles and
dips you over backward until you shriek for mercy.

I double-dare you to run out and buy several copies before they're all gone.(Rumor has it Miss Bardot ordered 3!) The only way you're going to have more fun is if you find yourself trapped in an elevator with Michael himself. And what are the odds of that happening?

Mike Lee's latest book is a collection of newpaper columns he has written and they are as funny as hell. They made me laugh out loud. Underlying Mr. Lee's humor is a keen preception of his own and others' foibles but told in a non-judgmental way. He laughs with people and not at them. Other columns show Mr. Lee's love of traditions, nature and particularly Cape Cod. Bring on more, Mr. Lee.

The other reviewers already did a great job describing the book. I found the book interesting because it describes what different individuals/families endured in their trip West. As my kids get older I will definitely select a few stories for bed time reading.

Really captures the feelings while giving the history!

This is a wonderful and easy read that captures the strains, toils and joys that happened on the voyage out west. The author did a very good job of crafting a series of individual stories together into a mosaic. The stories collectively provide insight into the feelings of our brave ancestors, who set out on such a dangerous voyage, all to create a better life for their family. I would highly recommend it, especially so for the school kids!

A native resident of southeastern U.S., Tricia Martineau Wagner, while living in California, became captivated by western history, especially the means by which the U.S. became a nation that spanned the continent. Her interest led her to write intriguing stories of those who lived the reality of life on the westward trail while crossing a vast wilderness from Missouri, stretching over 2,000 miles to the bewildering heights of the Rocky Mountains. She depicts a variety of experiences of men, women and children who walked the dusty, long trail midst their worst enemies--time, disease and weather. Tricia's superlative narration swiftly binds the reader to the lives of these historic characters, bringing them vividly to life in the minds-eye. Her twenty-nine factual short stories reveal meticulous research shown in the bibliography. Being a descendant of Rebecca Burdick Winters, the focus of Tricia's last story, I felt again the love and sacrifice of a pioneer mother for family, religion, and friends while reading Tricia's rendition of Rebecca's death by cholera on the plains. Others who felt of Rebecca's love returned that love by burying her body deeply and staying up through the night chiseling her identity into a tire iron to place as her head stone. Rebecca's love did not end with her death, but continued to inspire her family 144 years later when they exhumed her remains for a more proper burial. Rebecca's love still continues, as Tricia later wrote, "Rebecca is working through us all." The entire book opens a little-known frontier of knowledge of an era that each of us can experience vicariously through Tricia's exceptionally well written book.

It Happened on the Oregon Trail is a great resource for history teachers who are looking for a well-written collection of researched accounts of America's true pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail. It serves as a coloful supplement to the often-dry and sparsely detailed history textbook recollections of trail stories. Written in an almost lyrical style, students and teachers will find the vignettes captivating and very emotional. Tricia Martineau Wagner has captured history the way it should be told!

These stories come alive as you travel with the families on the Oregon Trail. Kids will come to know these people were real and did endure incredible hardships. Too many stories do not get told to the kids, these stories help keep the Oregon Trail alive, interesting and exciting.

Chilling, cold, truthful and numbing.
This is fiction but it gave me nightmares even after the book was long finished.
Looking out of the window on a warm breezy sunny day did not help to dull the frightening images created by the author. It felt real like it happened somewhere, sometime or it might just happen in your own backyard.
Flowers is talented. No doubt. He gave me such an adernalin rush.
I was sweating profusely.My heart pounded. I could scream. This book had such an effect for such a small price. I recommend it highly even for the faint heart.

Portland detectives, Ray Barkley and Nina Parker, are faced with a serial murderer that is going against all odds. This killer is wiping out men who have abused and beaten their wives or girlfriends, yet have gotten no punishment in the judicial system. Four men have been brutally slain with baseball bats and the count is rising. The killer beats them until they are unrecognizable. Not only is this criminal smart, the person appears to be a woman, which is a bit outside the profile for serial killers. To further complicate issues, Ray and Nina had an affair in the past and Nina becomes just a touch jealous when Ray falls hard for the judge involved in the case. Meanwhile, the judge's former lover, a defense lawyer who appears frequently in her court, has married and wants the judge to counsel his wife Vivien, on whether or not to have an abortion. The judge, Carole Cranston, is not sure whether to trust the friendliness of the wife or not. Maybe Vivien is the murderer; however, Nina is sure the judge is the guilty party.

R. Barri Flowers has created a superb mystery. Every time you think you know who did it, another monkey wrench is tossed into the mix. Some characters seem so guilty but then you find yourself praying that they didn't do it because although they have good reasons for killing, it would just break your heart. There's just enough romance and romantic triangles to keep the interest going. It's a great book that any mystery lover will adore.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of the RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

The media has latched on to a new feeding frenzy, the Vigilante Killer targeting abusive males who escaped punishment due to plea-bargains, frightened hung juries, or bogus legal wiggles. Detective Sergeant Ray Barkley and Detective Nina Preston lead the investigation that has two other links besides the so-called victims being abusive male predators. All the dead men walked free after their assault case was heard in the courtroom of Criminal Court Judge Carole Cranston and their female victims recovered at the Rose City Women's Shelter; coincidentally or vigilante Judge Cranston donates plenty of money to the facility.

Nina believes the circumstantial evidence enhanced by the Judge's attitude towards male abusers make her, the guilty party. On the other hand Ray likes the Judge and is convinced she is innocent. Nina assumes he is thinking with the wrong head. Is Carole a frustrated judge who has crossed the line or just the foci of an avenging angel?

The magic behind R. Barri Flowers' terrific suspense thriller is that the serial killer is in plain sight as the clues are laid out for the audience to determine whether Carole is the Vigilante or not. The story line is action-packed as the two cops follow leads that each interprets differently as Ray wants Her Honor innocent while Nina is totally convinced otherwise. Fans of police procedural serial killer thrillers will want to read this fine tale while anxiously waiting to follow the next investigation, the opening tickler being the abduction of the Mayor's daughter.

Harriet Klausner

I have read most of Barri's books and I will continue to buy them. I waited a very long time for Justice Served to be released and it was well worth the wait. From the time I opened the book and read the first page, it was difficult to put down. I recommend Justice Service highly and I also recommend you look for the name R. Barri Flowers wherever you buy books. He's a keeper.

Criminal Court Judge Carole Cranston hates the battered-women cases the most. She chose her career in hopes of putting the abusive men in prison and off the streets. Yet far too often Carole can do nothing but watch as the guilty men go free due to a plea-bargain, hung jury, or some sort of small technicality. But that did not make her resort to becoming a vigilante. Or did it?

Detective Sergeant Ray Barkley and his partner, Detective Nina Preston, are the ones on the Vigilante Killer case that is getting so much media coverage. Seems that there is a serial killer, possibly female, on the loose. She targets abusive men who escape the justice system. As bodies pile up, the few clues they have point the finger at Judge Carole Cranston. All the murdered men had been in her court room. They all walked free. And the women abused had all spent some time in the Rose City Women's Shelter, where Carole donates a lot of money. Nina has no doubt that Carole is guilty and is doing all she can to prove it. That is hard to do without hurting Ray, who is very attracted to Her Honor. It causes tension between the two partners as well, because Ray is just as positive that Carole is innocent. In fact, Ray and Carole begin seeing each other, even though it is NOT a good idea.

**** I am lucky enough to be able to state that in my personal life almost half the people I know are black, almost half are white, and there are a few numbers of other races. So I am used to hearing titles such as "brother, sister, dude, amigo, man, guy" and the likes every day. When I read a book where most, if not all, the characters are African-American it does not surprise me to read "brother" or "sister" in it. It seldom even registers to my brain. However, in my opinion, those two titles are use far too frequently. I felt as if they were being used on every second or third page. It seemed unrealistic and became frustrating.

As for the story plot, characters, and suspense, R. Barri Flowers proves, once again, that he chose the right career. This author weaves a magical web, as well as, a tangled one. The clues are all there, but even toward the end I could not be positive that I had tagged the right culprit. I will be recommending this title to many! One last thing, if you hate to be left hanging do NOT read the last page or two. This is a stand alone story. The author wraps up the mystery thriller beautifully. But the last couple of pages begins with the killer of the next novel kidnapping his first victim. I was left feeling incomplete. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This highest praise I can give to this wonderful series by Joy Hakim is that my 11-year old son asks me every night, "Can we read some history?"

The books work magic in making history engaging. The well-written text, the illustrations, the text boxes with small but fascinating anecdotes -- all contribute to draw readers' interest. I have learned many new pieces of United States history from these books.

One small aspect of the books won me over from the start. In the introduction, Ms. Hakim tells readers that the Puritans, the founding fathers, the Native Americans are a part of every American, no matter how or when your family came to the United States - a "history of us." My children are binational, and reside overseas. I could tell when we read this part that the author's words spoke to them in a way few history books do.

"Liberty for All? 1820-1860" is the fifth volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US," and focuses on the question of how slavery could exist in the land of the free. While this book clearly sets up the next volume, "War, Terrible War 1855-1865," which covers the Civil War, it also has some significant overlap with the previous volume, "The New Nation 1780-1850," which ends with the Compromise of 1850 that put off the coming war for a decade. There is not a neat and simple way of dividing up American history when covering the first half of the 19th-century, so it is not like there is an obvious solution to Hakim's problems of deciding where to end one book and begin the next.

Whereas "The New Nation" looks primarily at the on going political experiment that saw the creation of parties and the peaceful transition from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans, "Liberty for All?" is more about the slavery question in the context of the young nation's expansion. The volume begins with the story of Westward expansion along the Santa Fe Trail and other routes and ends with the story of the Underground Railroad. In between Hakim tells young readers about Mormons moving to Utah, Texas joining the Union, and gold being discovered in California. Opening up Japan to American trade and the Seneca Falls conference on the Rights of Women are also part of this period of American history.

This volume covers a lot of different topics from this time period. "The New Nation" has a much clearer sense of structure because it follows the administrations of the first presidents, but I think you can see four significant units in this book. The first (Chapters 1-20) deals with all the myriad aspects of western expansion, from the Mississippi to the west coast and beyond to Japan. The second (Chapters 21-26) focuses on the conditions faced by women and children during this time. The third (Chapters 27-31) focuses on the impact of the transcendentalists on philosophy and literature, from Thoreau and Melville to Whitman and Dickinson (including some choice poems) as well as Audubon and Caitlin. The final section (Chapters 32-38) is rather powerful dealing with the "Amistad" case, the Compromise of 1850, Stephen Douglas's "popular sovereignty" solution, the Dred Scott decision, and the idea that the entire issue of slavery was coming to head.

These books are all richly illustrated, almost exclusively with historic paintings, etching, drawings, cartoons, and the like. The margins are crammed with mini-biographies, definitions, lines of poetry, and suggestions for places where young readers can find more information about a topic. This series has a deserved reputation among parents who are home schooling their children because not only is it very informative, but Hakim makes a concerted effort to engage her young readers. She is constantly asking them to put themselves in the perspective of the people being written about, whether they are pioneers heading over the Rocky Mountains or slaves trying to find their way North to freedom. More importantly, Hakim has an innate ability to anticipate questions from her readers; you can count on her to explain "why" at the point where a student in class would be raising their hand to ask that very question.

Joy Hakim's entire series is a homeschoolers dream. The books are written so well and the pictures are so nice that interest is kept by both student and teacher.

I bought this series for my wife so she could better understand the history of the US and improve her English language skills in an area of intense interest for her. In the end, I pored over these books and gave my wife little time with them. Written for kids but fabulous for adults with little time. Buy the index and you can find sources if you're interested in diving a little deeper on a particular topic. I hope to keep these books for out future child(ren?) and am sure they will find them intriguing. The series lets us know how magnificent a country we really live in and how dramatic the history really is. With all the turmoil and all the diversity, how do we manage to keep it together? And, there are plenty who take umbrage at the extensive coverage of race and gender equality but they really are at the root of so many of our societal problems, historically speaking.

"Liberty for All? 1820-1860" is the fifth volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US," and focuses on the question of how slavery could exist in the land of the free. While this book clearly sets up the next volume, "War, Terrible War 1855-1865," which covers the Civil War, it also has some significant overlap with the previous volume, "The New Nation 1780-1850," which ends with the Compromise of 1850 that put off the coming war for a decade. There is not a neat and simple way of dividing up American history when covering the first half of the 19th-century, so it is not like there is an obvious solution to Hakim's problems of deciding where to end one book and begin the next.

Whereas "The New Nation" looks primarily at the on going political experiment that saw the creation of parties and the peaceful transition from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans, "Liberty for All?" is more about the slavery question in the context of the young nation's expanasion. The volume begins with the story of Westward expansion along the Sante Fe trail and other routes and ends with the story of the Underground Railroad. In between Hakim tells young readers about Mormons moving to Utah, Texas joining the Union, and gold being discovered in California. Opening up Japan to American trade and the Seneca Falls conference on the Rights of Women are also part of this period of American history.

This volume covers a lot of different topics from this time period. "The New Nation" has a much clearer sense of structure because it follows the administrations of the first presidents, but I think you can see four significant units in this book. The first (Chapters 1-20) deals with all the myriad aspects of western expansion, from the Mississippi to the west coast and beyond to Japan. The second (Chapters 21-26) focuses on the conditions faced by women and children during this time. The third (Chapters 27-31) focuses on the impact of the transcendentalists on philosophy and literature, from Thoreau and Melville to Whitman and Dickinson (including some choice poems) as well as Aubudon and Caitlin. The final section (Chatpers 32-38) is rather powerful dealing with the "Amistad" case, the Compromise of 1850, Stephen Douglas's "popular sovereignty" solution, the Dred Scott decision, and the idea that the entire issue of slavery was coming to head.

These books are all richly illustrated, almost exclusively with historic paintings, etching, drawings, cartoons, and the like. The margins are cramed with mini-biographies, definitions, lines of poetry, and suggestions for places where young readers can find more information about a topic. This series has a deserved reputation among parents who are home schooling their children because not only is it very informative, but Hakim makes a concerted effort to engage her young readers. She is constantly asking them to put themselves in the perspective of the people being written about, whether they are pioneers heading over the Rocky Mountains or slaves trying to find their way North to freedom. More importantly, Hakim has an innate ability to anticipate questions from her readers; you can count on her to explain "why" at the point where a student in class would be raising their hand to ask that very question.

I honestly could not put it down. I have read books before where I get through a few chapters and I stop and never pick it back up. This book was different. I was VERY interested in what would happen at the end between the characters. The author really mad me feel the emotions of the two characters. I will be reading it again in the near future. Great job to the author!

While the story may have been fiction it was very much something I could really imagine happening. The storyline was very easy to follow and K A Jones did an excellent job of leading you up to the edge and then letting your imagination take over. Never raunchy or distasteful, it subtly explored real life challenges in a very entertaining way.

The characters were very strong but she also exposed their vulnerability and the setting was perfect. Once you start, not finishing isn't an option.

Although I like a little more backstory with my romances (hence the 4 stars instead of 5), I really enjoyed this book. There is nothing raunchy about it, but it is very teasing and fun. The playfulness, tension, and tenderness between the two characters develops well throughout the book and sets a very good tone, not only for this work but for future books! I hope she writes quickly now because I can't wait to pick up the next one.

I really enjoyed reading this book because the two main characters are so colorful and full of personality; you just want them to be together from the very beginning and you can tell that there's some serious conflict, and also an underlying love between them both, but they're so stubborn, and you're never really quite sure if they'll ever work it out. The story takes place in a canyon paradise where nature is at its best (and worst). The wilderness is all around them, and people (ranchers) in the neighboring areas are involved with things that ranchers do best, like putting on rodeos, dealing with horses and cattle, farmland, etc., which gives the story a very nice "cowboy" flavor. The reader can definitely feel the magnetism that occurs between them from the moment they are "thrown" together by the accident which occurs at the beginning of the story, as if by destiny. But there's history between them, there's unfinished business between these two, and you can hardly wait to "experience" all the juicy details!

I like the way that K.A. Jones wrote this book because she has good tasteful writing style--none of that risqué, raunchy, sleazy content; but instead, she writes very tastefully, descriptively, almost teasingly, that keeps the reader yearning for Meg and Evan's love to develop and explode. Jones describes details of each moment in a way that it's really like watching a good movie in the mind's eye. She gives you all the details; the reader can literally see, smell, hear, taste, and feel their way through the story. In fact, this would make a very good movie--very clean, fun, exciting love story! I loved the book and want to read more like this one--can't wait for Jones's next one!

This is the first time I've read KA Jones, and I loved it.
This was a book that I picked up on a whim while in the bookstore because I had a few extra dollars and I thought that it might be mildly entertaining. It has one of those fluff covers that seems to denote a certain style of romance that is usually rather light. As a result of my buying impulse, I was surprised to find myself reading a very entertaining book and discovered a new favorite author.
The main characters are engaging, the dialogue is fast-paced and realistic
I wound up liking the characters in the book, liking the way the relationship developed, liking their quirks. It's one of those books that once you start it, you have to finish it.
I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters really clicked together.
Jones also does a good job of developing the romance between Meg and Evan -- Both Meg and Evan have to work through some issues. Those issues are nothing new in romances -- Still, Evan and Meg's relationship is so much fun, that you're rooting for them the entire time.