Very clearly presents the organization of the Confederate armies and sorts out a lot of the confusion regarding regimental consolidations and duplicate naming. A great tool for genealogists and Civil War researchers

Mr. Sifakis has done an excellent job chronicling the Arkansas and Florida Confederate Armies, citing dates of organization, battles, commanders, mergers, and dispositions. I would highly recommend this book to any serious researcher.

I am drawn to books that analyze the complex relationship between people and places. Brooks Blevins illuminates the Arkansas Ozarks both as a place and as an idea, and shows the tensions that emerge when a place becomes an idea. The book's subtitle suggests that it is a history, which it is, but I found it intriguing more as a history of the idea of place in general than as the history of a specific region.

Blevins shows the Ozarks where 19th century settlers and their descendents farmed cotton, harvested timber, made barrels, and did other work that drew from the region's resources. Yet, none of these economies was successful on a large scale. The real place was too disconnected, with its interruptive hills, streams and hollows, to allow for large-scale production. With the exception of the far northwest plains areas near Fayetteville, the region never experienced significant economic growth. Farming needed to grow in scale to succeed (hence today's agribusiness), but these hills did not offer enough open expanse to make such farming profitable or even technologically possible. Many left the region for opportunities picking apples in Washington state or cotton in the Delta.

Those remaining adapted by marketing the idea of the Ozarks as place--in this case, a traditional Americana of banjos, fiddles, and homespun crafts. Entrepreneurs with an eye on the tourism industry sold Eureka Springs, Mountain View, and other Ozark towns as centers of Americana folk tourism. Tension grows in Blevin's book toward the later chapters when we see the people having to emulate folk music and craft traditions that were steeped in a romantic idea held by a nation that had left such quaintness behind.

Blevins suggests that residents were displaced by immigrants from the Midwest and elsewhere who were more willing than the locals to play the parts required by this idea of folk Americana. Middle class white retirees from troubled cities in the South and Midwest and elsewhere have moved into the Ozarks, perhaps in search of this illusive idea of a more simple life. It is the same comforting world that has lured world weary music buyers to the soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The most obvious characteristic of the postmodern time in which we live is that image is reality. The idea of France as portrayed in Disney theme parks, for example, is as real as France itself and less messy. This is an age of simulacra. Blevins' book does not directly make such cultural critiques, but leads the reader to them. Having just spent a relaxing week in the Ozarks, soaking up the music and culture, I then was left to question what I had experienced. The three musicians I played guitar with in front of the grocery store in Marshall-were they doing so because they wanted to or because a larger idea of place engulfed them and tacitly directed their behavior to conform with its folk tourism economy?

In the end perhaps it doesn't matter. My new friends seemed genuinely happy and invigorated by their region's musical identity. A region could be known for worse things than great music. And the Ozarks is the home of Wal-Mart, perhaps the most obvious example of mass marketing economic success.

For contrast, go to the Florida Keys and watch the bored pseudo parrot heads churn out plastic versions of old Jimmy Buffet tunes. Here the idea of place becomes stifling, preventing the natural evolution of a society. And the sheer number of tourists landing for an hour or two on cruise ships has driven locals to the role either of acting out Buffet-like parts or hiding. Blevins' book makes us aware that regions that become too closely identified with a particular mythology can become prisoners of that mythology. He implies that such has happened in the Ozarks, but I see enough vibrancy and cultural authenticity (whatever that may be) to feel comfortable with this idea of place. It is one I will return to, albeit with a slightly more critical ear and eye.

Hill Folks: A History Of Arkansas Ozarkers And Their Image by Brooks Blevins (Professor of History, Ozarka College, Melbourne, Arkansas) is an informed and informative cultural history of the Ozark region that ranges from northern Arkansas down to southern Missouri, and the people who have settled and lived there since the early nineteenth century. A detailed portrait of a land and its people, filled with subtle nuances of daily life through the centuries, Hill Folks is a fascinating study and very enjoyable reading, and a highly recommended addition to Ozark and Arkansas history supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

It gives me faith in the publishing industry to find this wonderful book still in print. Donald Harington was an established Arkansas novelist when a reader named Kim wrote him out of the blue expressing the inspiration she drew from one of his stories. Harington was lecturing out of state at the time but he responded with encouragement for a project looking into the history of Arkansas places that had "City" in the name and were anything but. So, Kim took off, doing the leg work and dispatching her findings to Harington who eventually shaped them into this symphony of historical fact and human tragedies and comedies. As soon has he was able, he caught up with Kim and the two became instant soul mates. Their own story is woven into this unique blend of fact and imaginative invocation of original intentions and relinquished dreams. A pleasure to read, it sparks curiosity about the cities that never grew up in your own state (the author includes a state by state list) and a desire to go learn their stories. This is a unique story, very human, very American.

In this odd mix of travelogue, Americana, love story and history, Donald Harington shows us not just lost cities and lost people and places, but what he calls "lost places in the heart, of vanished life in the hidden places of the soul". And the beautiful thing, the redemption, is that these places aren't lost. In Harington's elegant prose they live on, and will live on as long as this book is read. It deserves to be read in every American history class in the country, because in this book his remembrances and his curiosity open new worlds, just next to and behind this one. Towards the end, when he includes a poem by Richard Hugo, it's as if he's bottled something inside you that you felt but didn't know. A tremendous achievement of remembrance.

I have to say that unfortunately while these poems are dark and a little forboding they're one sided. I'm glad the one reviewer was able to see his true light, but it is wonderful having him as an uncle. He does have his rough spots, but show me an infallible human being and them maybe I'll feel differently. Great book!

I'm stunned that this fascinating book of poems-- several of which are about prison--isn't selling better. Aberg writes in such an understated manner about the solitude of prison life and drug addiction that these poems ARE truly shocking. And, yet, like James Schuyler, he's a full blown romantic in love with the world. While the subject matter may be dark, the poems sparkle in the mind with light. Aberg has learned to paint what he knows in a few deft strokes. You want a good book of poetry to teach in your MFA classes? Order this book.

It was Hizzoner, Jim Bob Buchanon's big day. Jim Bob's Supersaver Buy 4 Less was ready to open. The ribbon cutting ceremony was beginning, the high school band was playing, the cheerleaders were cheering, and the crush of the crowd had created a traffic jam in sleepy Maggody, Arkansas (population 755). With the deli, fresh produce department and food service picnic pavillion, some of the local merchants were far from happy, afraid ol' Jim Bob would put them out of business. But big events like this don't happen too often in Maggody, and so the whole town turned out to check out the new competition and try some of the promised, free "gourmet" food. Within minutes, people started getting sick and dropping like flies, and the big opening became the big closing. With her hands full of citizen complaints, health inspectors, and threats from Hizzoner, Chief of Police, Arly Hanks, could barely keep up with all the chaos, gossip, and rumors. But when another round of poisoning ensues, and a local dies, Arly figures this isn't just some mean spirited prank, turns up the heat on her investigation, and she won't stop until she gets to the truth..... Turn off the phone, and lock the door, Joan Hess is back with another marvelous romp through Maggody that will have you laughing out loud, and rooting for Arly to the very end. Her well paced story line is full of entertaining, vivid scenes, and intriguing subplots, and her writing is crisp and smart, complete with witty, irreverent dialogue and back-woods humor. But it's Ms Hess' wacky and quirky cast of characters that makes this novel stand out, and once you've gotten to know Maggody's finest, and not so finest, you'll be hooked for sure. With a hilarious climax that deftly ties all the story threads together, and a very satisfying conclusion, Madness In Maggody is a pleasure to read in a series that just gets better with each new installment. For those new to Arly Hanks and company, start at the beginning with Malice In Maggody, and read them all. For those who are already fans, enjoy!

The Maggody series is the funniest mystery series that I have ever read. The characters are very well developed, and it does not take long before you feel like a citizen in this bizarre little town.

Rafferty, a former student of Stephen Dunn, and classmate of BJ Ward, has a book here that holds up to the standard set by those two poets, and even better, makes some of it's own claims as well!

Taking a page sometimes used by Dunn, writing poems in the third person, Rafferty focuses on the psychological and emotional aspects of the human condition. He tackles love in it's many romantic incarnations: falling in, falling out, jealousy, obsession. There's a high school reunion, a muse hanging from a chandelier, an escape artist...in each case coming across as an authority of his subject (and yet like any good poet) offering the necessary revelations that cause the reader to swoon.

You could accuse Rafferty of writing like Bukowski, had Bukowski ever been interested in being one part elegant--you get the sense that in that way, Rafferty will be considered a better poet than Bukowski before it's all through.

This is a great colleciton of poems. I read them aloud by myself. I read them aloud in the bathroom. I didn't go anywhere until I finished the book.

Generally I read pretty heavy murder mysteries (James Patterson, John Sandford, etc.). But now and then I like to take a break from novels that are of course fiction, but are close enough to reality to make you uneasy. The Maggody books are murder mysteries but they are also little gems of cartoon like comedy set in a one stop light town on a not so busy highway. This was my fourth Maggody book and it had all the zany regulars back along with a set of newcomers who supply the book with both victims and suspects. If you're looking for an easy read and a pleasant diversion try this Maggody or any of the three that came before.

My favorite Maggody story yet, what with hot X-rated action and sexual tension all over town, it seems maggody is ready to have its own soap opera. A movie company from Hollywood (well close to Hollywood anyway) comes to our little town to make a modern version of "Romeo and Juliet" complete with sex,sex and more sex, much to the confused delight of Brother Verber. A sexy Hollywood starlet, a Hunky Hollywood stud and a complete cast of potential victims makes this a wonderful read.

I could not put this book down. There was action and suspense on every page. This author definitely knows how to capture the reader's attention and hold it. Bayer is Clancey and Grisham rolled into one. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves thriller/suspense novels without the "trash" and foul language.

Protagonist David Michaels is every man's "want to be" and every woman's "dream". Each page is action packed and the suspense keeps the pages turning. There is just enough romance to keep you wanting more. The plot keeps moving and has a surprise Stephen King type character. A must read for thriller and Cussler fans!

I must have read this book about three or four years ago; yet still I cannot forget it. It rings so true, so innocent, so strong. It is absoring and so real...wow.

I am a tremendous fan of this virtually unknown writer. She is not a household name, but she should be. There are damn few writers who can match this lady.