THE BUFFALO WALLOW, A PRAIRIE BOYHOOD, by Charles Tennison Jackson (aka CT Jackson & Jack Tennison), is a much overlooked American classic. A memoir of his prairie boyhood, it was apparently written in 1952 (when Jackson was in his late 70's), then republished by University of Nebraska Press (Bison Books) in 1967. Copies are rare and should be treasured.

The Buffalo Wallow is a fond remembrance of Jackson's boyhood, growing up wild and "uncivilized" on the late 1870's/early 1880's western prairie farm/ranch of his Aunt Effie and Uncle Lige (presumably short for Elijah). Focusing on a two or three-year period when young "Chick" was "almost ten" to perhaps 12 years of age, this charming book's content, characters, style, and historical merit combine to equal anything Mark Twain put to paper.

Put into his Aunt Effie's care at age two when Chick's father leaves for parts and fate unknown (and his mother already dead),
the youngster grows to early boyhood with his slightly older cousin and confidante Ellis. They're poor, uneducated and overworked, but the boys grow up well-loved, well-fed, and
convinced they live in the "Center of America". Their days are spent avoiding work on Lige's newly broken farm fields, keeping out of Effie's way in the old sod house, conniving ways to escape the neighborhood's one-room schoolhouse, sleeping under the stars, and talking, scheming and contemplating
life's "mysteries" in their beloved buffalo "waller".

The buffalo waller is about the only piece of land unbroken by Lige's plows, a cool hideaway hollowed out in a corner of the family's treeless stretch of prairie. Here the boys squirrel away any piece of unwanted or unneeded treasure they can lay their hands on: a Confederate hat that Chick's legendary
"Colonel" father took off a rebel head while off winning the war, old muskets and coins, broken tools, and old "jeeografee" book.

It's that book that tells them the happen to live in the very Center of America, with roads leading in the four directions.
South leads to the ocean, North to the newly-laid railroad, West to "Californy" and Indians, East to the land of big towns, preachers and "politics". In turn, Chick and Eliis explore all four roads. Along the ways they meet up with fruit trees and rivers they never dreamed existed, run into a scraggle of "disappointing" Indians, come upon a "hanged man's rope" and a mysterious baby's grave, and run from a nearby town's brass band and Republicans' "too much excitement". There are also tail-bit dogs, old Texas longhorns, and real-life ghosts to learn from.

They have a little excitement at home, too, of a kind as wondrous as the prairie offers: courtship and a real live wedding, courtesy of their Aunt Effie's intrigues. Inspired by
a romance novel, the only book she's got besides her Bible, Effie is determined that shy, itinerant cowhand Earl Staley settle down and marry the only eligible female in the parts: a newly emigrated German girl the boys call "Miss Worsenever".

Peopled with characters like Earl's no-account cowboy friend Marion, old Mr. Gebauer and his German wife "down south" a bit,
mysterious "Rooshins" up north, and all manners of 1880's farm life and adventures, this book ought to be an American classic.
The Buffalo Waller is at once fascinating, charming and genuine
Americana, a priceless sliver of American history, written with the pure vision and heart of a boy who lived it.

One of the best "first settler" accounts I've ever read! Hubalek's story of Swedish immigrant, Kajsa, who settled in Central Kansas was riveting. I couldn't put it down until I had read the whole book. Stories of rattlesnakes coming through the dugout ceiling, prairie fires, the joys of newborn babies and the heartaches of losing loved ones.... Reading Hubalek's book shows that starting life as a homesteader was very tough, and the story was so real that I was working the sod right with her. Be sure to read the whole 4-book series, and her other two series as well.

Gently illustrated by Rosalind Charney Kaye and deftly written for young readers by Burt E. Schuman, Chanukah On The Prairie is the color picture book story of a Jewish community in the late 1800's who, due to scarcity of food, immigrate to America in search of survival and a better life. After becoming part of America, they celebrate the holiday tradition of Chanukah, expressing their gratitude for the blessings of God, just as they prayed and celebrated before in their old homeland of Galicia (an area that was once part of Poland, now a part of Russia). Chanukah On The Prairie is a truly heartwarming and devotional tale of deep-seated faith in God's providence.

For the student of the Prairie school and early modernism, this book is an invaluable reference for original floor plans and photographs. The book includes works by many architects, but it is not limited to only the Prairie school. I believe it gives a good cross section of the popular architecture of the early 20th century. There are examples of Colonial revival homes for example in addition to the bungalows and landmark Prairie monsions.

The majority of Marshall's books are written after interviewing soldiers who just got out of combat. He served as an official historian for the Pacific and European Theaters of Operations in World War II, Korea, and went to Vietnam as both an observer and an advisor. For obvious reasons, he could not question veterans of the Great Plaines Indian Wars. This book, therefore, is somewhat of a departure for Marshall.

The main purpose of "Crimson Prairie" is to show what tactic worked and which did not. Discussing several battles, Marshall demonstrates that the United States Army was not prepared to engage in the gorilla-like fighting that the specialty of Native-Americans. Indeed, he shows that the white soldiers failed time and again in the face of superior tactics because they constantly underestimated their opponents and their training had not prepared them for fighting Native-Americans.

Another aspect of "Crimson Prairie" concerns the idea that the white people were the sole aggressor in the Indian Wars. Marshall demonstrates that on a number of occasions Native-Americans acted as savagely and aggressively against non-threatening outposts. The author shows that the bloodshed was not as one-sided as many people believe. Marshall does not support or side with either side. Instead he uses an analytic and objective style that shows that both sides committed atrocities, although the Americans proved more aggressive and their abhorrent actions proved far more brutal than the Native-American's.

For those who enjoy Marshall's work, this book is a must have. His expertise in dissecting operations is apparent throughout the pages and his prose, as always, is impeccable.

As a 25 year resident of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, I must say this man knows his stuff. His ratings of the restaurants are dead on and his discriptions of the cities is not only factual but also amusing. There are things he found I didn't know about and are dying to check out. This is a must read for anyone who wants to know some little known facts about this great metroplex.

I think this is an excellent book; well-written, with excellent translations of Indigenous People's names for these plants. (I am both D-/Lakota, speak, read, and write my languages; and forage for plants.) IF I have a criticism, it is (1) that the book should have a sequel with another 130 or so plants including both food and medicinal uses, and (2) I would wish for GOOD, SHARP color photographs of the plants as harvested AND as you would see them if you were looking closely for them where they usually grow. The sketches are extremely well done but there is nothing like color to show the differences between plants that appear similar (at least until your eye is honed). Tinpsila, for example, has a near look-alike that grows in the same area where I hunt, and it is hard to teach novices the difference in person, harder from a book with B/W sketches. I like the facts that (1) she includes the medicinal uses of at least some of the plants in the book; (2) she notes the spiritual/cultural perspectives of us Indigenous People, and (3) she doesn't make any majority-culture or "Christianity Way" comments on our Traditional perspectives when she does this, nor does she refer to our Traditional beliefs in the past tense. Our Traditional Ways and beliefs are still very much alive and being lived; even if the number of us practicing them is not all of our People at the present time. If I could have only one book to take with me if I were to be "lost" somewhere, I think it would be this one.

Empire Of Dust: Settling And Abandoning The Prairie Dry Belt by David C. Jones (Professor of History, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) is an impressive compendium of Canadian agricultural history. Tracing the inevitable result of over-expansion in towns such as Alderson, Alberta, Empire Of Dust is a real-life cautionary tale of the dangers of depleting the land to the point where it can no longer nourish the livestock and the people. Carefully researched, engagingly presented, and, enhanced with black-and-white photography, Empire Of Dust is very highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to Agricultural Studies and Canadian History reference collections.

I would recomed this book to every person who likes romance. I think it is really sad that Matthew dies before Barbra marries him. But I'm glad of the ending!

The author describes his cemetery adventures throughout the Canadian prairies, and provides lots of color and B/W photos. I especially appreciate the insight he provides on the symbolism found on the grave markers, and their ancient origins.

The book is written more in the form of journal, describing the cemeteries as he moves from town to town, and providing historical insight in between.