South America Books

Even though I haven't gotten a chance to read this book since it arrived a week ago, I'm giving it 5 stars because my husband got a hold of it first and read it before me and absolutely loved it, and now I've ordered the next book for him. My son now has the book, so I'm not sure when I'll actually get to read it myself, but I'm looking forward to reading about how Bruchko - Bruce Olson - trusted God with everything. What an encouragement, and what a challenge!

Great book. Amazing story. Very inspiring. Easy read, and you won't want to put it down.

This book is an outcry for those who want to see a Christian life given to God to serve whatever purpose that He has. The story is of a man, Bruce Olsen, who as a child comes to know God through Jesus and begins to be persecuted by his parents who eventually kick him out as a young teenager. The book is a story of Bruce's life thereafter, in which he constantly is given to seeking and trying to find the will of God and the place where he needs to be. It is an illustration of someone doing the work of the Almighty and being blessed for it and being taken care of out of nowhere when he had nothing and noone else to look to. This book should be read, and it will be read quickly by those who pick it up, by any person who claims to be a Christian. It may shock many to see the way they are living is nothing like the way that it should be, and this book is a good example of that life.

Awesome quick sale, product was just as stated. thanks for the sale ~ God bless ; )

This story will make you marvel at the way God used Bruce Olson in the jungles of the Amazon. I marveled at his story about his conversion and about the time he told his Lutheran pastor about it. His pastor was stunned, to say the least. His pastor had prayed over Bruce at his confirmation and did not see the need for "Conversion".

I had to marvel as Bruce tells how he learned the language of the Motilone people. He used the old fake trick of pulling his thumb off. He did not initially think much of it, but he noticed that they loved to watch him do this. They would laugh each time he did it. Bruce did this trick so many times that he started figuring out what some of their words were. As they watched, they would say "He is going to pull his thumb off", "Now he is going to put it back on". Over and over again, Bruce slowly picked up some of their language and verb tenses.

The other interesting story is about how he told the gospel to them so that they could understand. The native Indians he lived with had formed their houses into one large circle, with a big opening in the middle. Looking down from above, it resembled the shape of an ant hill. According to Indian legend, they learned how to do this from the ants. It seems one day one of the ants became a man and told them to build their homes in this fashion - like the ants do. When you look at an ant hill that is what you see - a hole with dirt all around it. Bruce used this illustration to tell how another Person wanted to tell us about God. And in order to do this, He became a man, told them the story of salvation, died for their sins, etc. What is so neat about the story is that Bruce realized that in order to relate the Gospel to them, he had to tell it in a way they could understand. This was the perfect illustration, the ant that became a man, so he could tell them about how to build their homes.

This story has many events that are just too incredible. I still cannot imagine the Yuko drink that they made and then drank it!!! This story is incredible from beginning to end.

It is truly one of the best missionary stories I have ever read. I have read this book twice now and used it in Sunday School lessons.

This is current and up to date information on the rides at WDW. It is in depth descriptions for those who need to know every last little turn and drop on all the rides, not just the popular ones. Would definitely say everyone should have this whether it's your first or hundredth trip to Disney!!

My family is going to Disney next June. I wanted a book that would give me information on everything. Love this book.. it tells you what is a good time to go on a ride, tells you whether it is scary for pre-schoolers. It is an amazing book, plus has so many wonderful pictures.

This book would be a great read even if you don't have a trip to WDW coming up! I am a huge Disney fan and have been known to buy guidebooks just to read and keep myself updated on the changes and such. This book can truly stand alone and is so much more than a helpful planning guide! Little unknown facts and figures, interesting stories along with all of basic information that is essential in planning an enjoyable trip to WDW all in one neat little package! The pictures are incredible too! It does have a lot of information so order it well in advance of your trip! This is definitely one for the list of "must haves" if you are about to travel to WDW for your first time!

We have always used the Unofficial guide but discovered the Complete WDW just recently. This book has a myriad of awesome colorful pictures--here's what WDW looks like! The only drawback is that, unlike the Unofficial guide, this book doesn't ever criticize WDW or give actual reader input.

Bottom line: it's worth the money. WDW lovers will read and reread the book!

I purchased this book right before a fall trip to Disney World with my 3 teenagers, and it was the best thing I did. A lot of detailed information about restaurants and tips on where to get good snacks was right on target. We were able to find some wonderful out-of-the-way places to eat for a good value while in the parks that we may not have stumbled upon on our own. The book also recommends various attractions by placing a check mark next to them, which helps plan your day if you are trying to make the most of your time. Overall, this is an excellent book with exceptional insights.

For those of you who love to collect great cookbooks, this is an awesome Cuban cookbook. All the recipes invoke memories of Mama and Abuela cooking in the kitchen. They are authentic recipes and the stories are worth reading. Many of them will bring sweet memories to Cuban refugees who have adopted the U.S.A as our new home. This is a must-have book in the kitchen!

This book has great recipes and they are very well written. The instructions are very easy to follow. Very much the same ingredients my Cuban Mother has used all my life.

This cookbook comes the closest to the real recipes that I have tasted, except they love to use oregano and lots of green pepper which should be ignored. Red peppers should be substituted and cumin is the favorite spice of the cubans. Once the recipes are doctored the food is outstanding. My favorites are vaca frita, oxtails, black beans (remember, do not use the oregano or the green pepper), the garbanzo bean dish with chorizo. Also remember that the type of chorizo you use will influence the dish and their are several different kinds. The Colombian type is excellent or I would stick to Goya's brand. The Colorado Bean Soup is awesome, especially if you puree it - though it is labor intensive. Remember that many of these recipes can be cooked in a pressure cooker, which is how many real cuban households make these meat dishes quickly and they come out the most tender. It would have been great if they included that method in this book but you can guesstamate the times. This works particularly well with the oxtails. You must remember also that each cuban family makes the dishes their way, so that is why you have to adjust the ingredients.

My husband is from Miami and when i was pregnant he took me to Miami and got me addicted to cuban food. We both really missed the food and this book brings back so many good memories. It really satisfies your taste buds.

After sitting in the bookstore, going over about 10-20 so called Cuban recipe cookbooks, this is the ONE in my kitchen. Both my parents are from Cuba, I was born there as well, so naturally my siblings and I grew up on traditional Cuban recipes. This book is the closest to Mom's cooking I have ever found, and with some help from Mom, these recipes are just like being home. Easy to follow, simple, traditional recipes. Once you get the hang of "sofrito", which is base for most of our dishes, you won't be disappointed. LOVE this cookbook, and its wonderful, savory Cuban dishes!

This book isn't written like all the other boring guides. It's hip, it's cool, it's gritty, and by the time you're done reading it you feel like you just made a new friend in Rio. The author does a brilliant job of breaking the 3rd wall and really brings you to his marvelous city.

I used this book throughout my vacaction in Rio it was great. It gives you a breakdown by day of which clubs are good and type. It was like having your own tour guide. I showed it to a few locals whom didn't even know items that were in the book.

and excellent restaurant suggestions here. This book was all over Rio de Janeiro so it's become very popular, it makes up for Frommers Guide to Rio by suggesting some excellent restaurants and entertainment ideas that Frommers fails to mention. A definitely plus for the Rio bound!!!

I've been traveling to Rio for business/vacations for several years now, and have become truly addicted to the culture, and the impossibly breathtaking views of the beaches and the women. Maybe not in that order. I picked up this guide when I was already a Copacabana veteran. It is concise and very helpful for the newbie venturing out into new territory. There is a serious culture barrier here with few people speaking English, so you are pretty much on your own without a running buddy. Yes, Rio is paradise beyond anything you can imagine, and yes, it can be very dangerous, particularly at night time. Your stuff will be stolen on the beach if left unattended. Pickpockets are everywhere. But when you read all the precautions, scams, and advice you will quickly acclimate to the environment.

This book is penned for a great short-time tourist experience, with plenty of sightseeing spots, restaurants, and nightclubs to visit. (club names change often). As far as the women, they are everywhere, and give you the great girlfriend experience that is near impossible to find back home. The language barrier makes it tough to pick up regular girls clubbing in tourist areas. Brazilians tend to hang together. My advice would be to listen to Pimsleur Portuguese tapes prior to your visit to get a rudimentary head start.

For short term visitors looking to save time and want to be smothered in women, for arranging the sure thing just pick up Brett Tate's The Hedonist: World Sex Guide - Single Male Erotic Vacations in Rio, Costa Rica, Thailand, Carribean and much more, which has extensive pay for play advice for Rio and 20 other cities. A word of warning to first time visitors. This place is mesmerizing. Don't surprised if you find yourself hugging a girlfriend at the airport, sobbing in broken childish gringo Portuguese "please don't make me leave." One more thing. You're not that special. She'll be hugging another sobbing guy at the airport in a few days.

I went to Rio last year with a friend. She brought two travel guides, and I brought two travel guides. We quickly ditched all the other travel guides, but carried Rio for Partiers around every day we were in Rio.

This book tells you about things only locals know and other travel guides don't teach you. It explains (with pictures) food you will find on the beach and in the street cafes, complete with an estimated cost. The book also explains hand signals commonly used in Rio (very helpful), includes popular phrases, a map, tells you what to pack, what to wear, where to eat, were to go on day trips, and so much more.

The friends we stayed with (Americans) had been living in Rio for several months and said the advice was dead on. They also learned a thing or two from the book. You don't have to be young, or a partier to love this book. If you're going to Rio, you need this book!

I loved this book, it is definitely one to keep in my collection. Although I noticed that the type is very small and therefore a bit difficult to read ( and I have good eyesight ). Also I think something should be mentioned co: the pictures in the book, I knew it was tribal but I was not aware that there were photos. I still would have bought the book but I would definitely give it a PG rating.

If you are a Christian - this is a must read. If you are not a Christian - this is a must read.

This book should be a part of every Christian's library. I had heard Elizabeth Elliot talk on the radio and had known the story of "the five missionaries" but reading the book gave me great insight to the lives of these families- devoted to ministering to the unsaved. They gave definition to 'the purpose driven life!'

Great book. Poor presentation in this current printing. Words and pictures are small. Paper and physical book itself is low quality.

This book really makes one question: How much do I truly trust the Lord? What would I be willing to give up should I be called to it? Would I be willing to sacrifice the basic comforts I know and depend on? Would I be willing to sacrifice my life with forethought decision? Even harder for me to think of than the sacrifice of my own life, would I be willing to sacrifice that of my husband, packing him up for a trip not knowing if I would ever see him again on this side of heaven?

Elisabeth Elliot does a fantastic job of giving an account of the families' journeys to and in the mission field by using the journals and letters of some of the men and women. The men's and women's excitement at God's faithful attentiveness to their prayers is stirring, and their spiritual struggles are also encouraging. I give a lot of credit to Elisabeth Elliot for that. She doesn't fluff up the missionaries as uber-Christians. She shows through their struggles and lives that they have the same power as you and I, and that power is the blood of Jesus Christ.

Even if you are not a Christian, this book may shed some light on both tribal culture and missionary culture. Whatever you believe, this is still a powerful tale of sacrifice, struggle, hope, and forgiveness. It is also still well written and well organized with multiple story lines forging into one giant one. Elliot knows how to pull you into the story. If for no other reason, this book is an interesting read because it shows the developing stages that led to the historical event that captured the compassion of the world - Christian and non-Christian alike.

This particular version has updates to the story as well, which is a definite plus. I hope you are blessed by this book.

A very deep map indeed, the second of Heat-Moon's three literary tours-de-force is the story of a county in Kansas. In his first excursion, the best-selling BLUE HIGHWAYS, the author reported on a ten thousand mile sojourn along the old Federal Highways (blue on most maps). PRAIRYERTH grew out of three years of hiking, conversation and archival research in Chase County, Kansas and the result is a living history of both the particular locale and the European invasion of the west. From Knute Rockne's death in a commercial plane crash to Sam Wood's murder to Native medicine, dream walking to newspaper accounts of life on the prairie, and fossils to legends to The Land Institute where Wes Jackson explores the looming demise of the liquid fuel era, this volume casts a wide net. Heat-Moon is clear eyed enough to see the facts and then see beyond the facts to the life between the lines of old courthouse documents and pioneer diaries. He is open to less tangible subtlety as well, admitting susceptibility to hunch, daydream or the message from another's Ouija board. He tells a tale of hawks, buffalo, cowboys and beef, notes the profound damage wrought on the American prairie by McBurger mania and the possibility of recovery in a place of vast flatness and endless wind and sky. He lunches with the dead in old cemeteries and stakes out to observe life in a dying town where nothing happens. There are midnight moonlight hikes and journalistic experiments, pertinent quotes by the truckload and poignant still lifes of moments of love and loss. Such a deep map makes for a long read, but well worth the effort as pieces click into place in later chapters and a pastiche emerges, a hologram in which you can walk between the hills and dip a cupful from a clear flowing spring.

In Blue Highways the inimitable William Least Heat Moon drove across the backroads of America. In River Horse this courageous, spiritually-venerable man floated in a barge across this nation's waterways. In Prairy Erth, he does his exploration mostly on foot. Confining himself to a microcosmic canvas, Least Heat Moon spends over 600-pages describing how he spent months delving into a single county in the heart of Kansas. Packed with maps of Chase County, its hills, waterways, roads and farmsteads, the author tells a sometimes dry but often rich story of one remote but improbably charming spot on planet earth. He meets many of the county's 3,000 residents, hears and tells of the folklore, the history, the textured layers to life in such a location. By the book's end an unknowingly begun spiritual journey reaches its conclusion, which is the way with all of William Least Heat Moon's writings. If you have the time to put into Prairy Erth, it is a compelling book that challenges the nature of individual outlook.

New to William Least Heat Moon, I wasn`t quite sure what to expect with Prairyerth. Having heard about the critical acclaim of Blue Highways, I thought a lesser known work would be the place to start. And I am glad I chose Praityerth.

With Prairyearth, William Least Heat Moon has dug down to the heart of a specific place, in this case, the Flint Hill country of Chase County, Kansas. Not unlike Thoreau`s Walden, Prairyerth is an exhaustive chronicle of one man`s journey to the bottom--historically, geologically and geographically speaking--of one particular and rather insignificant place in the American landscape. Prairyerth, like Walden, is impossible to lump into one clean-cut literary category. Neither pure history, nor pure geology, nor `storytelling` per say, it is rather a brilliant concoction of all three. It is, as the author pens it, a `deep map` of one tiny piece of the New World. And deep it is. Least Heat Moon delves into every square inch, every prehistoric layer of his subject. The result is a stirring and fascinating ride through the discovery, settling, exploitation and ultimate destruction of the American prairie. Half Native American himself, Least Heat Moon walks through the tall grass of the American Sea with much the same spirit of his ancestors. Here was not emptiness as thought the first Europeans, but rather a vast ocean of endless natural wealth. Home to the once vast bison herds, the tall-grassed hills of Chase County were once giant mountains of the Kansas range that were slowly worn down into the Flint Hills of today. Least Heat Moon follows the tracks of the Osage and the Kansa, `people of the wind,` who traversed this area long before Zebulon Pike and John Fremont made their tentative forays across the prairie towards more secure landscapes. The author vividly captures the reverence that the Osage and Kansa held for the `prairie.` Tracking down the stories of the few remaining pure-blood Kansa, Least Heat Moon paints a metaphor for what looms in the future for us, lest we ignore the lessons of the past. Not only does the author richly expose the layer of Native Americana within Chase County, but he does justice to the natural elements of the place as well. Some of the most fascinating parts of Prairyerth are the sections on two of the county`s most enduring denizens, the Osage Orange tree/bush and the Wood Rat, aka Pack/Trade Rat. Least Heat Moon has an ultra sharp eye for interesting detail and oddity and knows how to bring such things to life.

The structure of the work is as ambitious as it is groundbreaking. Every other chapter covers another quadrant of the county. Least Heat Moon spends most of his time analyzing the present inhabitants of the county, trying to distill the essence of `Kansasness.` He chats with the weathered old farmers and ranchers who`ve survived every tornado and flash flood over the last half-century and who entertain no thoughts on living anywhere else. Every voice in the county gets its chance. Feminist cattle ranchers give him the lowdown on castrating bulls, local high schoolers divulge their dreams and the regulars of the Emma Chase Cafe unload gossip unaware of who`s writing it all down. Kansasness, according to the author, is a baffling mix of progressive politics and constrictive convention. A place of often violent contrasts. Kansas was the first state born out of the fires of abolition, first to stimulate integration (Board of Education vs Topeka), yet the `n word` is still commonplace all over the county. The forefather of the county, Samuel Wood, was one of the most eloquent voices among the abolitionists, yet he stopped short of pushing for full integration. Kansas was a place where all people had freedom of opportunity (especially to better oneself economically), as long as everybody kept to his/her own. One of the first states to allow women`s suffrage, it was also one of the first to embrace Prohibition. It also kept its archaic and puritan sex laws on the books until the recent Supreme Court ruling overturned such laws.

In between his quadrant explorations of the county, Least Heat Moon has interspersed chapters comprised of nothing but various epigrams and short passages regarding the state. Coming from sources as disparate as Horace Greeley and Black Elk to graffiti found at the KU library, these chapters are some of the most entertaining and enriching of the book.

William Least Heat Moon is one of the greatest prose stylists I have ever encountered in modern American letters. His writing is rich with metaphor and digression, begging second and third readings of certain passages. While sometimes he expands profusely, Faulkner-like, for paragraphs, clarity is rarely forsaken. It just means reading carefully and slowly. Prairyerth is definitely a book that needs digesting. I took me almost six months to finally devour it up and when I did, I had the distinct feeling of having consumed something grand and very nutritious, albeit a bit heavy. In fact, those without persistent natures would best choose something else to read. Prairyerth is meat and potatoes and requires a lot of chewing. And perhaps that is where the work falls a tad short of its possible ancestor. Whereas one can open Thoreau`s Walden anywhere and revel in the beauty and wisdom (albeit often cryptic) found therein, Prairyerth is nothing if not taken in its entirety. Its just too dense, with too much stuff packed into its innards. In fact, a little editing could have helped the book. Some chapters are a bit superfluous and leaving them out would have only helped the work as a whole. Moreover, Least Heat Moon`s astute observations serve his examination of the natural world far better than they support his delving into the human realm. Somehow a lot of the `characters` of Chase County never fully come to life in Prairyerth. Rather, they seem two-dimensional and oddly trapped on the page. Yet, taken as a whole and for what it is, a grand archaeological and sociological dig through the layers of New World settlement, Prairyerth succeeds grandly. Never has one tiny and often ignored section of the American quilt come to life so vividly and richly as does Chase County, Kansas in Prairyerth. A place so seemingly devoid of life, is, in actuality, overflowing with the past, present and future. All you have to do is look,look carefully. The author himself says it best: `A traveler(who cannot even remotely detect the thousand-mile-an-hour spinning of the planet he rides through space at sixty-seven thousand miles an hour, to say nothing of its solar and galactic movements and its precession) writes in his notebook, ~nothing is happening~. Man muses, God guffaws.` Next time you feel that nothing has ever happened or is happening now or will happen where you`re at, pick up Prairyerth and be amazed.

If only every county in the United States had as passionate and articulate a chronicler as William Least Heat-Moon.

I came to "PrairyErth" after having read and loved "Blue Highways." This tome--though longer and less expansive, geographically--possesses many of the qualities I admired in Heat-Moon's earlier work: the narrative tone (there's none of that stuffy, impersonal, third-person prose one finds in some travelogues; the author is himself part of the story), the occasional dips into philosophy and history; the candid interviews with "locals"; and the intense search for meaning in the most ordinary of places.

I have never been to Chase County, Kansas, but after spending a month or so accompanying Heat-Moon through the pages of his book, I feel as though I have. The book is subtitled "a deep map," and that is indeed what the author provides here. Square mile by square mile, the reader is introduced to the prairie, its topography and history, its residents and its wildlife. Heat-Moon correctly understands that the essence of a place is often best captured through anecdote and observation. There is nothing sweeping or grand about his narrative, and that's what makes "PrairyErth" such a delight. It's a detailed, intimate read; one almost has the feeling of looking over the author's shoulder (and back through history) as he ambles and rambles about the quadrangles of Chase County.

If there's one criticism I would offer, it's that Heat-Moon sometimes lapses into needless digressions about himself and the challenges he faced while writing the book. It struck me as a bit self-absorbed--as did the occasional Faulknerian stream-of-conscious, punctuationless prose. These stylistic excesses add little to what is otherwise a magnificent and fascinating travelogue.

If you want to experience Kansas, with its excruitatingly boring places that slowly creep up on you and leave you blissfully satisfied and in awe of beauty; if you're willing to read long passages of flat text just to discover the beauty of burning fields; I highly recommend PrairyErth.

I grew up in Kansas, about 2 hours from Chase county and was always facinated by the hills, the people, and just the auroa that came from Strong City and Cottonwood falls. After reading "PrairyErth" I am even more mesmorized by the locale.

I have been out of the state for 2 years now, and long to go back. Many friends have complained about the long drives through Kansas, the flat scenery, and boring people. PrairyErth brings to life these flat lands and opens up new worlds of community and life.

For me, reading Moon's book was much like experiencing life in Kansas. I did find some of the chapters long, dry, and dull.. but, that's how some Kansas life is. Moon always concludes these sections with a gorgeous snapshot of the land. He shows us what it is like to be in relationship with the land just as we are in relationship with one another.

He concludes the book with a beautiful journey down the Kaw Trail.
"How do you know when the Prairy is in you?"
"When you see a tree as an eyesore."

BOUND FOR CANAAN should be required reading for every American! Every American! This is one of the most important books about our history and who we are and where we came from.

Bound for Canaan is a fascinating, engaging, book on the "Underground RR" written from primary sources. It describes in vivid, first hand detail the flight of slaves from the south and the changing attitudes of the northern and southern states on the slave issue from the 1820's to the eve of the civil war. Wonderful book.

I listened to the abridged audio version on CD and thoroughly enjoyed it. Read by the author, it is in interesting study that contains a number of riveting stories.

I have two minor complaints about this audio version. One is that the author's voice sometimes drops into a range that can be inaudible if you are listening in a vehicle with traffic noise around you. The other is that maps are not included in the CD set. Fortunately my public library had a copy of the book so that I was able to examine the maps and various illustrations. The maps were of interest to me since a couple of my great-great-grandfathers supposedly sheltered escaped slaves, one near the Ohio River and another in Philadelphia.

Overall, this is an enjoyable and inspiring book that raises questions about civil disobedience that we must ponder in order to understand the complexity of our history. I wholeheartedly recommend the audio version to those who like audiobooks. It is as exciting as an adventure novel, and you can supplement it with a hardcopy if you want.

Harriet Tubman was a great lady, and she did not simply help the slaves to freedom -- she helped move America to a better place. Growing up, whenever I heard or read of the Underground Railroad, Ms. Tubman's name came up again and again. This book expands the vision of the Undergound Railroad and shows it as a part of something much bigger in our history.

First, the book does discuss the railroad and how it works. The reader gets an idea of the perils involved and the logistics behind helping a slave to freedom. This was no easy task, and this books shows the reader not just how brave the conductors were, but how brave the "passengers" were.

Second, the book discusses the fortitude and determination of the different people who tried to make America better by fighting the injustices of slavery. We learn of the battles of the press as well as the battle of the gun. This was a dark time in our history, and the author does a good job in illuminating us to the various people that tried to illuminate their time.

Lastly, the book explains what else happened. In school, we learned that the Underground Railroad helped slaves to freedom. That was about it. There is more to the story, and the author explains this to us. We also see that just getting to the North didn't make things better. There were still things that needed to happen to help the slaves create their new life.

In all, I would highly recommend reading this book. It brings a much more enlightened perspective to this part of American history.

I really enjoyed this book, which fleshes out for the first time, based on significant new research, the numerous heroes and participants who risked their lives for freedom from slavery. A few insights in the book were new to me:

1. I had no idea how crippling and discriminatory the laws were against blacks who lived in "free states." Most of the time they could not vote, own property, needed affidavits in order to move or get a job, were subject to kidnapping by freelance slave catchers -- it was pretty horrible.

2. I did not realize the critical role that radical, truth-to-power religion, in particular but not exclusively the Quakers, played in ending the evil practice of slavery. These folks risked financial ruin, stonings, beatings, and criminal charges to put in practice their moral view -- based on their faith -- that slavery in all forms must end. They deserve our thanks and praise, and we should remember them as we are faced with current moral conflicts that call out for action based on our beliefs.

3. I found especially interesting the debates in Congress in the 1850s in support of the federal Fugitive Slave Act, and the justifications used by supporters of slavery to denigrate the abolitionists. Indeed, Mr. Bordewich makes the point that even in "free" states, a measure of your worth as a politician was how "tough" you were on abolitionists, in the same sense that today politicians are expected to be "tough" on communism.

But what was interesting to me was that slave supporters like Daniel Webster justified the practice based on the Bible (cherry picking quotes that supposedly support the practice); science (blacks were intellectually inferior and like animals who require our feeding and care); inalienable property rights (the slaves were chattel and were necessary in order for owners to make productive use of their land); and also anti-Europe prejudice (the abolitionists are getting all of their crazy ideas from Europe). These concepts are still being used today to justify social policies that may in the distant future seem equally morally bankrupt.

I did think, however, the book could have used a little editing. I found it a bit difficult to keep up with so many historical figures, and perhaps some of their activities could have been trimmed in the interests of narrative flow.

But in all, a highly readable book and a substantial step forward in terms of historical scholarship.

I live in Old Louisville and David Domine gives not only ghost stories, but what appears to be some researched history for this area which I found very interesting. One night when driving past the First Church of Christ, Scientist, I looked up at the stairs and could have sworn I saw "The Lady on the Stairs". I tried to pull over, but because of the traffic and the fact that it is a one-way street, by the time I got back around, she was gone. I loved the book and also read the next book, Phantoms of Old Louisville. I am awaiting the next book that I've heard rumor of.

I thought the book was fantastic. And best of all it has alot of pictures of the wonder old victorian homes in the district. The book made the stories believeable to me

Ghosts of Old Louisville by David Domine presents the haunted past of America's largest Victorian neighborhood in an entertaining and informative format. His unopinionated, objective way of fleshing out the stories of those residents who haven't quite yet vacated their former abodes in the magnificent historic preservation district known as Old Louisville makes this a unique and spellbinding collection of true ghost stories. When so many writers of ghost stories today simply rehash stories that have been around for generations, Domine has taken it upon himself to track down dozens of stories of true cases of hauntings in his adopted neighborhood that have previously remained hidden. What I like most about this book is the fact that the author kept my attention throughout the entire book. Each story is fascinating because of the paranormal aspect to it, but also because it brings in a large amount of local history, appetizing bits of architecture and colorful characters. Although I have never been to Old Louisville before, I feel as if I know this area intimately, and I cannot wait to 'return' to it. Domine includes a chapter about the interesting haunting in his own home, the Widmer House, which was built around 1895. This lends an extra bit of credibility to the book and adds a nice personal touch as well. If you like history and ghost stories, you can rest assured that this book will satisfy your cravings for both. The good news is that this book is only the first in a series of five that will some day document the extensive haunted history of Old Louisville. Volume II, Phantoms of Old Louisville: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood, carries on the tradition of ghosty goings-on in this unique area and is just as captivating as the first.

I just finshed reading this book last night. I felt that I needed to come express my opinion before it got pushed back into that recess of my brain that causes memory loss.

I must say that Mr. Domine's literary style is astute and never fails to keep the reader immersed in its depths at all times.

*begin spoiler*

Him sharing his story of having the hardwood floors in his home redone was one of my favorites. The way he described his thoughts and feelings while Lucy crept around his bed made me examine my own as I lay there reading (in the bed). He is blessed with the skill to give a description that shares his world to the reader for a short time.

*end spolier*

Not only is Mr. Domine an excellent writer, but he also seems a very likeable person. From his description of those days during, leading to, and after his encounters I found myself thinking "Wow, this would be a cool friend to have!".

Whilst reading this novel I imagined that the only things he loved more than the idea of the supernatural was his friends, animals, Louisville, fine drink and food. Probably in that order.

This piece of work has been very enjoyable. If you have any curiosity concerning the supernatural you need this book. I can't wait to aquire the rest of his novels and gobble them up!

I've also included a link to another one of David Domine's books that I intend to make my very next read.
Phantoms of Old Louisville: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood

Ghosts of Old Louisville is an excellent book from an author who has a highly entertaining writing style. Full of history and paranormal tales.

Rose Pressey
Author of "My Haunted Family"

As a fan of John Hemming's The Conquest of Incas I was dubious that Kim MacQuarrie's work could begin to approach the level of Hemming's classic. Notwithstanding, I opened The Last Days of the Incas hoping I might glean an interesting insight or two. MacQuarrie's work quickly sent me shooting the rapids of Inca history. It is a breathtaking ride into the rich fabric of past events that make Peru such an enchanting venue today. Read this book and experience the sights, sounds and colors of Incas and Spaniards colliding on the stage that is Peru. Take the trip and you may be as pleasantly surprised as I was. I suspect that even John Hemming would enjoy the show.

I love this book!! could not put it down,it went everywhere i go,well written(i kept my dictionary close by)love the language,the playing with words,how the author made the characters come alive and made u feel like you were a part of the struggle,i went through different emotions reading this book and had to remind myself that this is modern time and what in the past is in the past.Now i am in the research phase buying products from amazon,and investigation how i can visit.
I raise my hat to you Kim,well done.
Montgomery Croker

MacQuarrie is a great story teller, and he pulls you right in.

He makes these historical events read like a novel. Part of the appeal is his presentation of Manco Inca and the Pizarro brothers. The author helps you understand the characters and once you do, you become absorbed in their times and troubles. Even the battle scenes, from which I normally cringe, are compellingly written. The contrasts in technology, religion, customs and values of the Spanish and Inca culture are marvelously described.

The "Last Days" parts stand in contrast to the beginning and the ending which are about the exploration of the areas and the re-discovery of the sites. While these are interesting tales, they pale before the story, which MacQuarrie tells so well, of the last days of the Incas.

I do not have much to add to what previous reviewers have said. I loved this book for its colloquial style and flowing narrative. The author did a great job detailing the life and deeds of Manco Inca, though, somewhat anti-climatically, he cut short the account of Gonzalo Pizzarro's (a major arch-villain) defeat and death. I personally recommend reading this book AFTER reading Prescott's account, in that it elucidates and magnifies the interwoven sories that make up this tragedy.
P.S. I STILL do not understand how could the Spanish have survived if 50,000 warriors would have just rushed them (rushing like a crowd in a burning movie theater) or thrown SIMULTANEOUSLY stones and javelins at them. I just don't get it.......

12 years ago, motivated by a pictorial in National Geographic, I traveled to distant Peru. It was a fascinating journey, but after reading this book, I wished that I had it before I went (impossible, of course). I took it as a reverse travelogue, making sense of the places I had gone to and where they figured into the historical and exploratory narrative.

This book reads like a novel. In fact, I'd be surprised if it isn't ultimately converted into an HBO mini-series or the like. Interesting characters, from the puppet-turned-rebel Manco Inca, to the brash and vindicative Hernando Pizzaro, fill these pages and make them come to life. Revealed is an extra-ordinary account of the amazing conquest of a large and prosperous Empire by a small band of greedy Spanish outcasts.

Written in lucid prose, with numerous quotes, from Incas, Spaniards, and even outside philosophers, Kim MacQuarries does an excellent job of reaching out to the reader and creating a fascinating historical account. Well organized, the book even concludes with a complete description of the archeological work of the modern period associated with the recounted events and makes those almost as fascinating as the events themselves.

I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

Nan: The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones is the compelling story of two boys orphaned by tragedy and the results thereof.

Moses Miller does a wonderful job of bringing to life the characters and story and places it in the hands of his readers. This book came highly recommended so I thought I would give it a try. I am not sorry that I did. I applaud Moses Miller for this truly captivating story. I am anxiously waiting to see what he comes up with next in its sequel.

Moses Miller's debut effort "Nan: The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones" puts everyone talking bad about the street lit genre in check mate. This book is nothing short of remarkable. "The Trifling Times of..." provokes emotions of anxiety, sympathy and curiosity from the first word and keeps you hooked to the very last period. Set in Brooklyn, NY, during the Operation Falcon era of drug enforcement in the mid to late eighties, "The Trifling Times of.." gives the reader a behind the scene look underbelly of American Justice.

Nathan Jones is a complex man with a simple plan - survival. Little by little, everybody that Nathan loves is stripped from him. His parent's were killed as a result of a high-speed chase. A PCP junkie plowed over them with reckless rage after robbing and killing a liquor store owner and his wife. Nathan's mother pushed him to safety and his father came to her rescue just as the car crushed them.

Officer Mark Carson, the cop pursuing the murderous criminal, witnessed the vehicular homicide and takes Nathan under his wing. At the orphanage, Carson joins Nathan with Joseph Hayes - the son of the couple slain in the liquor store robbery that preceded the demise of Nathan's parents. A bond between blood brothers is forged, but their lives become anything but easy.

Carson introduces the boys to Master Thaddeus after they have problems with a teenage gang of 5 Percenters lead by Shaborn. Master Thadeus is a master in the art of war and teaches Nathan and Joe how to defend and attack with precision. A couple of months later, Shaborn makes the mistake of stealing Joe's hat. Nathan demolishes Shaborn and gains the respect of all the boys in the orphanage.

Nathan becomes infatuated with Latoya, a girl at his high school. Latoya gives him the nickname "Nan", and it stays permanently with Nathan like a tattoo. Infatuation turns into love and the loss of their innocence. Then without a trace his first love and lover moves away without a trace after being raped by her step-father. Already bitter from the loss of his parents, Nan sinks deeper into mental darkness.

Carson gets into bad debt with a powerful loan shark named Sonny and finds himself on the losing end of one-hundred fifty thousand dollars and days to make good on his outstanding tab. The once flashy and proud Carson now crumbles under pressure, stealing money and drugs during routine police raids in an attempt to avoid paying his monetary obligation with his life.

Nan and Joe are even pawns in Carson's plan to stay alive. Given a duffle bag full of cocaine, the boys are instructed to drop it off with Sonny. Being told they are carrying paintings, curiosity leads to the chilling discovery. No sooner than they realize what they are really delivering, they are cornered by cops and forced to run. Nan risks his safety to allow Joe to escape.

Nan is caught, beaten and tortured. He is then forced to steal drugs from various drug dealers to keep Carson and Joe out of harm's way. Since they are his only link to humanity, Nan uses his training in martial arts to comply. The crooked cops resale the drugs and leaves Carson and Joe alone. Carson is nowhere to be found and Joe graduates high school and enters college for his new found skill - creative writing.

Once the drug laundering operation is in contention of being exposed, the group of crooked cops scramble to bring everything to a halt by killing all of hood figures directly involved in their illegal enterprise. All but one... Nan dodges the manhunt leaving behind a bloody trail. The crooked cops kills everyone who could be a possible witness to their attempt to erase Nan. From the new love of his life and mother of his unborn child to old ladies to even Joe, everyone is brutally slain by crooked cops and their deaths are attributed to Nan.

Little by little, Nan gets more information about who is really running this rogue operation and why. With his life on the line, he struggles to extinguish those who are dead set on extinguishing him. And from there the reader can fall in line with Nan...and expect the unexpected.

"The Trifling Times of..." reads more like a movie than a novel. The setting and time changes are cinematic. This can be attributed to Moses Miller's background in journalism. Flipping back and forth, the book seamlessly pieces together Nan's past and present preparing the reader for an intense climax. The reader gets to see Nan experience, directly and indirectly, the effects of how partial information can engender inaccurate perceptions. His life also provokes mixed emotions. Nan is an antihero of sorts that murders and steals so that the ones he loves can go unscathed by those who are truly crooked.

Moses Miller's tale of lost love and lurid leeway with the law may be considered a classic decades from now. It's books like this that should be brought to the table when people want to discuss the quality, or the lack thereof, of books published for readers of street lit. This is literature by its very definition: writings in prose or verse, especially writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.

"What did you like best about this book?"

This book portrays the other side of the murderous streets than the one that the media gives us on a daily basis. The realism of the events that surround Nan's past and present sheds light on the corruption that can go unseen by those who are either out of the loop or want to turn a blind eye to the situation. Cops are supposed to be the good guys, and the people they go after are supposed to be the criminal element. "The Trifling Times of..." shows how the opposite can be closer to reality.
This book goes hand in hand when police officers are killed off-duty and the details are sketchy or when some young black person is shot and killed in broad daylight with no witnesses except for the police officers who do the killing.

"The Trifling Times of..." makes some of the other street lit books look like studio gangsters in comparison. Moses Miller writes with relentless attention to details. This book has the same feel that Illmatic has.
I like the fact that this book is equal parts fast-paced thriller and retrospective pseudo-biography without losing its power. Moses Miller has a way of keeping the reader stuck to the pages whether Nan is running from the cops or from his turbulent past.

"What did you dislike about this book?"

I can't really pick out anything that I dislike about this enchanting novel. I actually enjoyed this book through and through. I have no qualms.

"How can the author improve this book?"

Moses Miller can only improve this book by writing another book that picks up the story of Nan where "The Trifling Times of..." left off.

Joey Pinkney
Unbiased Book Reviewer
TheUrbanBookSource.com

MOSES MILLER,I'M HONORED TO HAVE U AS AN AMAZON FRIEND!!!! U HAVE MADE ME VERY PROUD,IN TURN BE VERY PROUD OF URSELF!!!!! AMAZING WORK ,TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE SEQUEL, I AM NOW A VERY PLEASED FAN!!!! PEOPLES DON'T SLEEP ON THIS JEWEL,U'LL GET DEFINITELY GET UR $$$$ WORTH!!!!

The world of urban fiction has just seen the arrival of its latest greatest...

The Trifling Times Of Nathan Jones is all at once arresting, compelling, and incredibly entertaining. At break-neck speed, Miller recounts the exploits of Nathan "Nan" Jones, orphaned at the age of thirteen by a drug-addled petty thief, as he wends his way through the chaotic sea of the New York drug game. Also orphaned by the same drug fiend, his friend Joseph forms an early bond with Nan that anchors them both through all the trials and tribulations soon to befall them.

On the night of their parents' tragic murders, both boys are befriended by Mark Carson, a dedicated NYPD officer who soon takes them under his protective wing. As the months and years go by, Carson gains the boys' trust by teaching them valuable life lessons that prove useful in their daily dealings, even having them trained by his friend & martial arts mentor, Thaddeus. Little do they know, he will ultimately bear full responsibility for the greatest challenge either will ever face...

Beneath his noble façade, Carson harbors many dark secrets, the worst of which is a gambling addiction that soon threatens his own life. Caught in the middle of a botched drug deal orchestrated by Carson to satisfy his debts, Nan soon finds himself inexorably trapped in the dark criminal underworld, with none other than corrupt cops as his greatest benefactors. Relying on the lessons taught to him by both Carson and Thaddeus, Nan finds his wits constantly put to the test as he weaves in and out of danger in search of only one thing: retribution.

Moses Miller is a superb storyteller with a great literary voice and even greater imagination. The Trifling Times Of Nathan Jones is superbly crafted, and filled with such indelible characters that you find yourself going back and reading full passages over and over again just for the sheer enjoyment of it. Alternating between expository flashbacks and real-time action, Miller's narrative impresses most with its effortless ability to hold the reader completely rapt at attention, silently begging to see what happens next. All this, of course, leading to an ending that gives new meaning to the concept of a true cliffhanger...

The Trifling Times Of Nathan Jones is a highly recommended read from a true literary master. Be on the lookout for more instant classics from this gifted scribe.

The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones is the story of two young men Nan and Joe coming together at a young age to share their lives as brothers and best friends. The boys are brought together by Carson after the tragic death of both boys' parents, caused by the same crazed man. Carson becomes a father figure, mentor to the boys, while Nan and Joe's relationship grows strong during the years at St Mary's (an orphanage), taking them into their young adulthood.

Faced with the challenges of being orphaned, at a young age, not understanding totally why their parents had to die and leave them alone. Nan and Joe feel their way through life, while knowing that December 24, 1985 will never be forgotten. Both boys find their own ways to cope. Nan focuses on his martial arts training while Joe strength is in his writing talents, opening the doors to further his education past high school. Unfortunately, the demons come out to attack the young boys and Nan is faced with being the one to ward them off...coming to realize that they have been betrayed by one they trusted and loved.

The Trifling Times of Nathan Jones is a page turning thriller that flowed nicely, exciting me to continue my reading, not wanting to put it down. I love how this author left the ending open, knowing that there will be a sequel to this book. I know there is so much more to the life of Nan-Nathan Jones that I want to read about in the near future. What a great read!

S.E. Koshi aka Lady Flava
Flava Coffee House
Flava Book Reviews
Flava Rating: 10 snaps