The title comes from a Huck Finn-inspired attempt to float down the Platte River on an inner tube raft with another boy, an adventure somewhat diminished by the shallow river's lack of water and a tumultuous thunderstorm that drives them to a motel. The book begins and ends with accounts of the extended families from which both of his parents spring -- the Tuppers of Red Cloud (Willa Cather country) and the Joneses of little Magnet in northeast Nebraska.

The rest is a vivid evocation of a small-town boyhood set mostly in the western Panhandle town of Chappell, Nebraska. For a boy who owns BB guns, loves elaborate pranks, and plays baseball, it's a town of lazy summers, cranky neighbors, vicious school teachers, incompetent town cops, and various oddball residents. Although he does not make much of this, he is the proverbial preacher's son, always riding the ragged edge of disaster.

There are a few sobering moments in the mix, as when he pauses in a recollection of the early 1950s polio outbreaks to tell of two young survivors. But for the most part, Jones is eagerly looking for the comic turns in his stories, the ironies and absurdities. He manages this by lapsing into the frame of mind he seems to have had as a boy, irrepressible, heedless, and almost totally self-centered.

I recommend this book to anyone who has ever loved Huck Finn. It takes its rightful place on a bookshelf of American small-town childhoods. As companion volumes, I'd recommend Roger Welsch's humorous "It's Not the End of the Earth But You Can See It From Here," about the goings on in another Nebraska small town, Dannebrog, as well as Willie Morris' memoir of growing up in Yazoo City, Mississippi, "My Dog Skip."

In the late 1870's, Magdalena Maguire defies the dictates of society by opening her own detective agency, Discrete Inquiries. Her beau, the wealthy upper crust attorney Quincy Applegate hires Maggie to extract Trini Malone, the niece of his oldest friend, from a cult. Apparently, Brother Ascension, the head of the Children of Golgotha, is an alias for Darby Halstead, a former convict who did time for some of his scams. Darby specifically seeks wealthy heirs so he can become their heir when they suddenly inherit.

The Trini project is in phase two as her mother recently died, leaving her a sizable inheritance. Maggie sets in motion a con that will obtain instant membership with the cult. She arrives at their current location, Conquistador, a town ten miles south of San Francisco. She appears tired and out of money, and claims to be seeking her wealthy grandfather Otto Obermyer, whom she never met. Otto is actually her downstairs neighbor. With his help and the assistance of other friends and relatives, Maggie begins to reel in her big catch, unaware that the drugged food and water place her life in peril.

The third Malone historical mystery, MURDER ON THE BARBARY COAST, retains all the charm of its two predecessors (see A RECORD OF DEATH and MURDER AT BENT ELBOW). The story line is clever and smoothly flows to a fabulous climax. The repeat characters make the era ring true as their relationships provide a special spark to the tale. Fans of the sub-genre will attain much pleasure from the Americana sleuthing series, especially this particular story in which Kate Bryan entertains the reader with and enjoyable novel.

Harriet Klausner

For those of us unable to travel to such exotic locations or live during the time periods profiled, this monumental book offers such an opportunity.

This purchase is money spent wisely.

A very dynamic people and culture that has survived a long enduring time of trials. The "white man" taking over their lands and alienating them from the very soil they sewed for hundreds of years.

Mystical beliefs, omens and the rverence of the people in their communities and how everyone was imprtant to the whole.

THis is book is a beautiful example of what makes the Native American people so special, unique and strong. Read it!

I am not a student of psychology and thus cannot recommend it as a study text. However, I will say that I read this book about 5 years ago and have been looking for it ever since. Its a great read.

The chapters: 1)Pulmonary 2)Cardiology 3)Neurology 4)Endocrinology 5)Allergies and Anaphylaxis 6)Gastroenterology 7)Urology and Nephrology 8)Toxicology and Substance Abuse 9)Hematology 10)Environmental Emergencies 11)Infectious Disease 12)Psychiatric and Behavioral Disorders 13)Gynecology 14)Obstetrics

The cardiology chapter is probably the best in any paramedic text but it may still help to get other books like Dale Dubin's as a supplemental guide. Toxicology was covered pretty well too. Behavioral emergencies could have been done a little more extensively though. All in all this is a great book and a would make a valuable part of basic paramedic training.

The books chapters: 1)History 2)Physical Exam Techniques 3)Patient assessment in the field 4)Clinical Decision making 5)Communications 6)Documentation

Most paramedic texts have less than 100 pg for what this book spends almost 300p on. Anatomy and physiology are included in this text but that doesn't replace the need for a text dedicated exclusively to the topic. This text presents as basic into to A&P but nothing more. It does do a fantastic job at presenting what patient assessment is all about. There are a few things that were left out and a few "trades of the trick" that would have been useful if included.

What kind of annoys me about the communication chapter is that they leave out so much. The phoenetic alphabet, basic radio communication procedures, tactical communications, numbering systems, appropriate procedures and other basic things like that are nowhere to be found. I understand the importance of knowing how radio systems function but the operators really need to have a basic understanding of radio procedures without having to purchase another book. Paramedics do so much communicating over radios and phones that they should have that info included in these basic training texts.

This first volume is 640 pages including glossary. The chapter titles are: 1)Intro to Advanced Care 2)Well Being of Paramedics 3) EMS Systems 4)Roles and Responsibilities 5)Illness and Injury Prevention 6)Medical and legal aspects 7)Ethics 8)GeneralPathophysiology 9)General Pharmacology 10)Medication Administration 11)Theraputic Communications 12)Life Span Development 13)Airway Management Appx)Research in EMS

Most other paramedic texts have just over 300 pages dedicated to the topics that this book has 640p for. All the sections are significantly larger than any other paramedic text. There is more detailed information and instructions for specific procedures, making self instruction much easier. I highly recommend this book to paramedic students. If your paramedic class has another book as its primary text I think you'd still get great use from this book. If you are a firefighter. first responder, etc and looking to go to the next level this may be the book for you. These new texts from Brady would also make fine additions to a library as a resource tool.