This book is in print. It is available from Open Books,232 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, Oh 45387. Phone: 937-767-l966. FAX 767-l968. Thank you.

This book was all the rage back in the early 80's when Book-of-the-Month Club made it a main selection. It was written by a comparatively unknown, elderly resident of a nursing home (who, I believe, died fairly shortly after the book's publication). For a short time everybody was talking about "...And Ladies of the Club". Fourteen years later, not many people remember the hoopla. But if a book is any good, it's still good even after the glitter fades. And this one is GOOD. I finally got around to reading it this year, partly because my wife read it and loved it. It is long (1100+ pages) but NOT difficult. I found the book hard to get "into" for the first one or two hundred pages, because there were many characters, and there hadn't been time to flesh out the personalities and relationships. But I am VERY glad that I stuck it out. Eventually the characters become vividly defined: lovable, hateable, and recognizable. The book is the story of a fictional medium-sized town in southern Ohio, from just after the Civil War to the beginning of the Depression. The story is told primarily through the eyes of a women's book club, and focuses particularly on two of the club's members and their families. All the important themes of life are explored: love, race, jealousy, religion, war, politics, business, literature, education, family relationships, and death. If you read this book, you will be both moved to tears and richly educated in American history. How much more can you ask of one book?

Undoubtedly this book has a slow beginning. But it is definitely worth the effort. The author brings a whole town to life - Waynesboro, Ohio. Each and every character is described so vividly that I felt as though I actually knew these people. The book follows post-Civil War "Waynesboro" (a fictional name for a real city - Xenia, Ohio) through the next 50 years of the townspeople's lives. The main group of characters are the members of the Waynesboro Ladies Club. The story unfolds when Anne and Sally are 18 years old and the character list widens as each gets married, has children, etc. Before the end of the book I calculated there were almost 40 characters to keep track of - but it was well worth the effort. By the end of the book (a hearty 1,400 pages ) I was sad because I didn't want to leave the town of Waynesboro and its inhabitants. The author had succeeded in making me feel as though I knew each and every person. I've read this book 3 times in the past 15 years and will assuredly pick it up and read it again some time in the future. It took the author over 50 years of her life to complete this book (and finished it while living in a nursing home at the age of 80+ years). It was her life's work and I wish she had known before she died how many lives this book would touch. )

One of the best books I have ever read and I have read many. The book may seem daunting in its length but after the first chapter it flies by, unfortunately as I did not want it to end. I was so caught up in the book that I could not put it down and read it in three days! This book has it all. There is plenty here for both men and women. Santmyer makes both her male and female characters multi-dimensional and compelling. I loved all the characters and the Amercian history. I would have liked to live in this town and know the individuals portrayed. My only complaint is that there is no sequel. Take the time to read this book. It is truly magnificant.

Evelyn Ryan is a woman who will soon touch your heart. In spite of her violent, alcoholic husband, she struggles to raise six sons and four daughters in the 50's and 60's. What makes Evelyn so unique is the method in which she manages to come up with the financial resources to provide for the family. She enters contest after contest, winning everything from cash prizes, household appliances, bicycles and car to trips and televisions. Miraculously, prizes seem to be won just when they are most needed.

The story is fascinating and certainly captures the reader's compassion; however, the jingles became somewhat of a repetitious aggravation towards the end of the book. The book takes place during an era when the amount of cash won, certainly would not have the same monetary value by today's cost of living. With Evelyn's poems, jingles and rhymes she seems to have "an angel on her shoulder" as she struggles to make ends meet and put food on the table. While the book is not in-depth reading material and could use some additional editing, it is amazing to learn of Evelyn's creative talents and miraculous good fortune in a time of great need. If she were to try her accomplished ability today, she might be considered somewhat of a flourishing entrepreneur!

In a field crammed with memoirs of dysfunctional families, here's a book about a family that is able to be FUNCTIONAL because of an amazing woman.

This book is a loving memorial to Evelyn Ryan, but also a nostalgic remembrance of the glory days of jingle contests. I don't usually like this type of book, but its premise intrigued me, so I picked it up at a discount. I now feel guilty for that (and I'm notoriously cheap). Any book this good really should be paid for at full price. I have pushed this book on everyone that I know who reads. I can't say that it's inspirational, because a major point of the book is that you couldn't do this sort of thing today -- Evelyn's language skills allowed her to support her family, not luck.

I don't usually go for this type of work, but the love and admiration that Terry Ryan and her siblings have for her mother shines through this memoir. Ryan never falls into the dysfunctional family memoir trap of blaming everything on the alcoholic father. He's not evil, he's simply one more hurdle to overcome. There's no blame, just a celebration of the survival of this family, and their ability to overcome a situation that could have, and has, overwhelmed so many other people.

The Prize Winner Of Defiance Ohio" is a beautiful love letter from a daughter to her mother. It is a special kind of biography that chronicles the life of Evelyn Ryan an extraordinarily resourceful woman who was born ahead of her time.

Evelyn Ryan, raised her ten children with grace and style, using her wit and ability to see the humor in a life that would have most people begging for relief to win prizes large and small. It is an unflinching look at a large family that depended on an alcoholic and abusive breadwinner who was more likely to drink his wages rather than pay his mortgage.

"The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio" is a fantastic chronicle of an America that no longer exists and in some ways never existed. It shatters the myth of the middle class 50's housewife who stayed at home and took care of the children without 'worrying her little head' about the finances. In this America contests were won by skill rather than luck and Evelyn managed to keep her family going with prizes such as that ranged from bicycles to two-week trips to Switzerland (converted to cash) to TVs and juke boxes. Ryan had the touch.

This book has made me laugh and cry and think about my family. My grandmother was in an abusive marriage, with an alcoholic husband and seven children, at around the same time that Evelyn was at a time when the law and the community blamed a woman for an abusive husband. What a life.

What a great story. Buy this book and celebrate the life of Evelyn Ryan, or E.L. Ryan, or Mrs. Ryan, or whatever entry was the winner of the day, with her daughter, Terry Ryan

This is an excellent history of the Ohio River Valley during the time period covered. However, this book is written more along the lines of a typical history book than his "Winning of America" series (The Frontiermens, Wilderness Empire, etc.) That isn't bad, it just means that it is less of the narrative style than one is used to in Eckert's books. Also, I found some of the events and happenings covered in this book to be more engaging in his other books. Eckert mentions in his introduction that he didn't want to just repeat things in this book that he had already covered in other books, but I think this is a "stand alone" book and he should have used all his best stuff for this book instead of worring about repeating what he wrote in his other books. In any case, this is an excellent book that keeps one interested; it just doesn't have as much of the "being part of the action" that is displayed in some of his other writings. With this book one is more of the outsider looking in on history instead of being involved in it; although it is still better written that most books concerning history. Also, there are a few instances of possible errors of history. For example, concerning Braddock's defeat at the Monongahela in 1755, Eckert states that Braddock was shot purposely by one of his own men. I can't think of any other historian who has no doubt on that matter. While it can not be proven that he wasn't shot by one of his own men, there is also not concrete evidence that he was. In fact, most evidence points to the opposite. Eckert, however, states it as fact. Every other historian seems to believe it not to be true, or at the most, doubtful. Eckert should have pointed this out. Also, dealing with the same battle, Eckert claims that the great Indian leader Pontiac was present. Now, there is no concrete proof that he wasn't, there also is not concrete proof that he was. So why state it as a fact? Or for another example, Eckert states that Blue Jacket, another great Indian leader was a white, captured as a boy and raised by the Indians. This is apparently not true either, as proven by DNA testing of the family's descendents involved. So why state that as a truth, when it really doesn't matter as far as Blue Jacket's activities in history are concerned? In any case, Eckert's possible errors are of the minor nature and do not distract one from the generally excellent writing and history telling; it just makes one wonder what else Eckert may be in error about. In the end, however, I don't think there is any other book concerning this area and time period that is better. Were is not for the possible historical errors, I would have given it a 4 or 5.

By far the best and most engaging chronicle of the border wars of the Ohio River Valley, Dark and Bloody River takes us back to the time and place first encountered in Eckert's other great book, The Frontiersmen. This was the first Eckert novel I read and it hooked me from the start. It begins with a description of the ancient Indians to first settle the land that would later become known to some as Kentucky and the Ohio Valley, and to others as "That Dark and Bloody Ground". It ends with the closing of the eastern frontier in Ohio in the early 19th century and the twilight of the Indian way of life. What comes in between is a classic tale of historic adventure and horror. Eckert is known for his great historical novels and this is one of the best. Here we again encounter some familiar characters like Daniel Boone, Simon kenton, and Simon Girty. Eckert gives one of the most sympathetic interpretations of the white renegade Girty to date, portraying him here as a troubled frontiersman who was more a victim of years of character assasination than the satanic monster he was remembered as. Here we also meet Lewis Wetzel and Eckert makes clear that Wetzel, though hailed as a frontier hero in his time and for decades to come, was most surely a cold-hearted killer, intent upon exterminating the Indian race from the face of North America. This is really a great book and despite being some 600 pages, has often been reread.

this book is the most informative book on the history of the Ohio river valley that has ever been written. It is informative in every detail t o geographical references and historical events! As with all Eckert writings, it's impossible to put it down! READ IT!!!!.....

Monroe's novel is set in the 60's and 70's Midwest and focuses on the life of Annette Goode. Annette is an impoverished, intelligent, obese, lonely, fatherless child who is often left alone with Mr. Boatwright, a seemingly innocent, bible-quoting, one-legged boarder taken in to help her mother financially. She's basically an outcast who suffers from ridicule, racism, and low self-esteem inflicted from adults and children alike. The tale starts with Mr. Boatwright using Annette's weaknesses to molest her constantly throughout her childhood. Her life is turned around when her beautiful and popular neighbor, Rhoda Nelson, embraces her as a friend. The plot thickens as Annette and Rhoda's stories trace the progression of their friendship and the sharing and revelation of family secrets. The novel had some unexpected twists and a surprise ending (at least it didn't end the way I thought it would) which added to the appeal of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book - the author exhibited expert handling of the music and historic events of the era and seemed to have left the story open for a sequel....I hope she follows through...I'd like to revisit Annette and friends.

God Don't Like Ugly is a statement that we have all used at one time or another. And while reading this wonderful book by Mary Monroe I caught myself saying it over and over again while waiting to see when the Ugly is going to get its just do. This is the story about a very insecure girl name Annette, who was molested by Mr. Boatwright, the person her mother brought into their home to help out with her and other household activities. Annette had no one to turn to not even her mother, that is until she became friends with Rhonda, the pretty girl across the street. She eventually confide in Rhonda about the molestation and things evolved from there. You'll have to read God Don't Like Ugly to find out what.

Everyone that wonders what goes through the minds of people who are molested because the first thing that pops into your head when you hear about it is "What were they thinking, why didn't they tell anyone?" Well you'll find out if you read this book. Ms. Monroe takes you through the mind of Annette and some of the other characters as well. I look forward to seeing what else happens with these characters in the sequel.

Jasmine W. Lowe
'God Don't Like Ugly'
God Don't Like Ugly is a story of a girl name Annette Goode. Annette was a shy, overweight, dark-skinned young girl who went through a lot during her life. When she was young her and her mother moved and a man name Mr. Boatright moved in with them. Throughout the first year Mr. Boatright replaces the absence of little Annette's dad. In the second year Mr. Boatright starts sexually abusing Annette who was only seven years old. he continues to do it for the next ten year of Annette's life.
When Annette moved into her new house she meets a girl name Rhoda, who becomes her life long friend. Rhoda is everything Annette would like to be, beautiful, strong, smart, thin, and light-skinned. Rhoda lives in a house with her father who is a Negro undertaker, her white grandmother, referred as Granny Goose, her white Uncle Johnny, and her brother Jock. Having Rhoda as a friend helps Annette in some ways and in some ways it doesn't.
The book was very interesting, I never was bored once reading it. It's an excellent novel. In some of the characters one might find characteristics of themselves. I can relate to Annette. Sometime I feel like the shy fat girl who has no friends and searchers for a person to confide in. The difference between Annette and I is that I haven't been sexually abused. Then on the other hand, I feel like I can also relate to Rhoda. Sometimes a person has to stick up for themselves and not take so much drama from people. I really don't like when people try to take advantage of other people. There is also a difference between Rhoda and I, some things that I thought Rhoda wasn't cable of I wouldn't do.
I recommend this book to people who love to stay reading and really interested in books. While reading the book you never want to put it down, you will always want to know what's going to happen next.

My mother read SILENT WITNESS and recommended it to me. I reluctantly picked it up-and couldn't put it down! I liked the small-town feel of the book, with all of its dark secrets. I loved the Tony Lord character (although a bit too heroic-am I reading wish-fulfillment from the author here?). Patterson has written a carefully thought out novel, with enough surprises to keep the reader glued. I dragged out the last 50 pages because I didn't want it to end. For the genre, this is a book to treasure!

SILENT WITNESS grabbed me from the first few pages. From the beginning, I could not put the book down - my eyes would close first! Richard North Patterson writes with a style that enables the reader to really understand the characters and feel what they feel. This book is written in such a way that I felt that I was in Lake City with the characters. Like Eyes of a Child, this book was riveting, yet disturbing at the same time. Even though I have finished the book, I feel that the characters are still with me. Patterson has a way of making you think you know these characters and you keep trying to figure them out even after the book is finished. I read Private Screening right before reading Silent Witness and it was a perfect background to Tony Lord. I hope that Patterson carries these characters forward in future books.

Richard North Patterson continues his string of outstanding novels with this penetrating look at friendship, faith and love. Tony Lord, who we first met in "Private Screening" is the legal wizard who is called to his hometown after nearly three decades to defend his best friend of the murder of a sixteen year old girl. Tony himself left his hometown because he had been accused of murdering his girlfriend, Alison Taylor. Tony's guilt was never really clarified, because the only other person who could have murdered Alison was killed robbing a convenience store. We know Tony didn't kill Alison, but the townspeople believe he did.
So now his best friend (who also may have thought Tony was guilty) is facing similar charges, only he gets to go to trial with Tony as his lawyer.
A stunning novel, filled with secrets; heartbreaking scenarios that are so lifelike in their structure, you can't help but feel for those involved. The confrontational courtroom scenes, as always, are brilliant and riveting. The relationship between Tony and Sam is superbly etched; Tony's feelings about Sam's wife, Sue, are painstakingly real; the enigmatic Sam Robb is focal---is he capable of such a brutal murder; does he lie about everything? Is he really Tony's best friend? And is Tony justified in what he does to Ernie?
The novel cruises along with such intensity and fervor, one can't help but gasp in awe at its structure. The finale is devastating, although you can see it coming, you just don't want to admit it.
A brilliant, exceptional novel.
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Joy Fielding's books have usually featured women who face significantly difficult challenges--serious illness, divorce, abuse, amnesia--and in each of her previous books, the characters have a depth and detail that make it easy for the reader to be involved in the story. Unfortunately, Grand Avenue does not live up to Ms. Fielding's previous books.

The book follows the lives of four neighbors, and as the (initially) unnamed narrator lets you know, by the end of the story, two of the neighbors will be dead, and one will betray the others. One woman is a former beauty queen who is obsessed with maintaining her looks, one is a go-getter career woman, one is abused by her husband, and one is a housewife trying to balance her needs with her family's. The characters never develop much beyond the previous description, even though the book follows them over the years. The power of Joy Fielding's books has been in watching her previous characters develop, mature and become strong enough to face their greatest fears. The women in Grand Avenue didn't mature or change in a believable way. (In fact, the most interesting characters weren't the adults but their daughters.)

In addition to the characters, the book felt very much like a formula --a-four friends' passage through time-- book. The disclosure of the last death seemed forced, and the last scene seemed out of place.

If you're at the airport and need a book to pass the time, this one will do. If, however, you're looking for the absorption and soul satisfaction of a standard Joy Fielding book, you'll be disappointed.

I read this book in two sittings over the course of one day. I seem to have read several books of this type in the past year, with the theme of women's friendships and their bonds with each other.

"Grand Avenue" was not the best of this sub-genre, nor was it the worst. If available, I would give it 3.5 stars.

While the story was compelling and kept me reading all day, there were some flaws too. First of all, I really do not like the foreshadowing device used by Fielding (and many others). In this book, the reader is told in the introduction that by the end, two of the four "grand dames" will be dead (one in a particularly terrible way) and one will betray another. Another flaw, to me, was that the end of the book seemed awkward, as if the author did not quite know how to bring it to a conclusion.

On the other hand, the characters were interesting and very different from each other, and their lives kept me interested in knowing about them. I think Fielding did a decent job of character development of the women and of their daughters, although Tracey's motivation for what she did was vague at best.

A good book for a few hours of reading pleasure.

If you love books about womens' friendship and family life, you will want to read this book. Based on the lives of four women, all living on Grand Avenue in Cincinnati, we are introduced to a book of deep feelings of compassion, love, hurt, betrayal, forgiveness and a mass of other emotions played out is this mysterious book. These women met in the neighborhood park when their kids were only babies and from that time onwards they forged a wonderful bond of unique friendship; lasting some twenty odd years. We are forewarned from the introduction that one of the women will be murdered, another will die and another with prove not to be a friend after all.

Meet Chis the lovely blonde with the high ponytail with her hard-to-please husband and their three children.
Barbara, a former beauty queen who is finding it hard to accept her entry into middle-age and does all in her power to maintain her good looks.
Susan the sweet housewife and magazine editor who is about to make mistake that wll impact heavily on her life.
Kristen the hardworking lawyer who loves her job and continually puts it's importance before her family and others.

This page turner puts us into a tailspin as larger than life events are about to be played out leaving us spellbound and with our mouths opened. You'll be guessing to the last page..............I just had to get to the bottom of the circumstances surrounding the events gone wrong in this well written romance novel turned thriller. It's hard to say anymore because I do not want to give anything away in this book. Just enjoy.......I gave it a well deserved five stars...

Winesburg, Ohio is a story based on real characters in the early 1900's in a small northern Ohio town. If you enjoy in depth detail on characters you would enjoy this story. Every chapter is based on a new person which can get boring and confusing for some people seeking adventure. I read this book because I live close to where the story took place and thought it would be interesting to learn more about my area's history. I could relate with some of the places described in the story, which made me more interested and kept me reading. The characters described in the story are easy to relate people of my own acquaintance with; each character has their own unique story. The way that Sherwood Anderson writes makes you almost get inside of the characters' head to make you think like that character had thought. It took me a while to get the drift of the story but it seems most people will eventually get hooked on a certain character. I would not recommend this story for a person interested in reading more about action and adventure. Winesburg, Ohio is a great story for someone that would like to know how people in history had thought and that would like to experience Ohio in the early 1900's.

A book of stories that give glimpses into the secret lives of men and women in small town Ohio. The characters in this book could be characters anyplace in the world though. Each has a story, each has secrets, each has passions, disappointments, desires, longing. I personally think that each of the characters in Winesburg are reaching out for connection to other people. They long to have even a moment of understanding, sympathy, companionship in the midst of a life that is big and unclear, a universe that expands above them nightly to remind them of their infinite smallness. This book is as meaningful today as it was when it was written--maybe even more so. As our world becomes more and more faceless with telephones and emails and air-conditioning, wouldn't it be nice to connect to a person instead of a remote computer? Wouldn't it be nice to know that there are others with thwarted desires, stinging disappointments, undying hope, just like us? Take a read through Winesburg and meet some of them.

Sherwood Anderson published this collection of short stories in 1919 all set in fictional town of Winesburg, Ohio. Even though it's written in the third person, it's told through the narrative voice of George Willard, the town reporter, who shows up in most of the stories, sometimes taking an active role and at other times just telling a story.

It is obvious that the writer loves these people, and is frustrated at the isolation and unhappiness of their lives, even though he makes it clear that they hold within themselves everything needed to make them happy. The character in the first story is a dying old writer who is attempting to write about all the people he has known as a "book of grotesques". What follows is the collection of stories, which each character fulfilling that expectation.

There are the young lovers who don't quite connect; there is a old man so obsessed with religious fervor that he attempts to sacrifice his grandson; there is a married man who regrets it all and tries to warn a younger man of future unhappiness; there's a doctor and a sick woman who try to connect. The book is full of people who toil all their lives and never achieve happiness. As I made my way through the book I kept hoping that even one of the characters would rise above the morass. It didn't happen.

The writer has a wonderful sense of place and the town of Winesburg in the early part of the 20th Century is very real. These people were not poor or disadvantaged in the usual sense of the word; they didn't suffer fire, floods or famine. Instead, they trapped themselves in their own psychological webs that made it impossible for them to lead anything but sad unfulfilled lives. This is a fine book and stands alone as a clear voice of its time.

This is a fantastic book. A must read for all business owners. Dave Longaberger is a down to earth real person. His stories and the history of his company are fascinating. I can't put it down.

In a time of downsizing and a slowing economy, here's the tale of a man and a company who did things right and experienced phenomenal results. Dave Longaberger tells the remarkable story of raising his daughters and growing his company to a billion-dollar business. He weaves a delightful, but enlightning tale, of hard work, perserverence, dedication, and success. With little more than handshakes, promises, and a few devoted employees willing to work for months without pay, Dave made his family name synonomous with quality American handmade baskets.

If you've become cynical, skeptical, or downright depressed you need this book! Dave reminds us that "walking the talk" and being genuinely interested in people are the skills that bring us to personal, and often professional, success. You'll love reading about his fantasy-cow, Flossie, and later, as president of Longaberger, how he dealt with an arrogant salesman. Dave's integrity, business instincts, practical jokes, and love for his parents make a fantastic story and once you read it, you'll wish you could have worked in that old, hot, drafty woolen mill with him - or at least known him.

Buy a copy for yourself and one for your boss!

GREAT book! Even if you are not a Basket fan, there are wonderful business tips in this book! All too many businesses don't thrive because their focus is on themselves, this book offers a different perspective. Success comes from concentrating and focusing on others first. It shows us that success is a journey requiring integrity, belief in your dream, good old-fashioned hard work and the ability to learn from your failures. It is inspiring to see someone as Dave Longaberger succeed and gives you confidence that you too can succeed. A must for any business owner!

Written with compassion for his characters, humor for the foibles we all have, and respect for caring people, Mark Weingardner has written an original, involving and heartfelt historical fiction about the peak of mid-20th century Cleveland to its river-burning decline circa 1970. With heart-capturing chapters about Dorothy Fuldheim, (read the book to learn about this eccentric cultural character and her important firsts), the Cleveland Indians glory days, and the sad repercussions of Willie Mays's (in)famous catch in the '54 World Series, Carl Stokes, the first African-American mayor of a major American city, and other tales of a city long ridiculed, but also a source of pride for its residents, including the leading fictional characters who find love amongst the steel mills, polluted river and ethnic neighborhoods. Who learn that life is something one learns to live while living it. A happy, bittersweet and memorable read. The story will stay with me for quite sometime.

My own time growing up in Cleveland corresponds with the latter portion of the book. Winegardner captures the tone of the time perfectly and the rest of the book has wonderful set pieces, as well. The seques into Dorothy Fuldheim and other subjects are well worth the effort, but may be more useful for Clevelanders than for "foreigners" and sometimes he simply tries too hard with these sections. There also are some minor inaccuracies. A better story would have come from an east sider perspective (just kidding, my roots are in Willowick & Cleveland Hts), but someone else can write that one. Still, the book was evocative and it's derpth in Cleveland lore reminded me why I still feel affection for Cleveland.

Mark Winegardner's epic novel takes Cleveland as not only its setting, but also as an integral character, in Crooked River Burning. Taking place over more than twenty years in the city's history, the characters weave in and out of touch with factual events and legendary figures (Allen Freed, Carl Stokes) in a way that's both self-conscious and proud. In the midst of Cleveland's terrible problems with pollution, race riots, and corruption there is always a sense that the author loves this city right along with its mistakes.

The two main characters, Anne and David, come from opposite sides of the city (which, in this case, might as well be opposite sides of the world). David is poor and dreams of a day when he will be mayor of his city and Anne is rich and trying to be a society girl without giving up her career-mindedness. Without giving anything away, it's really refreshing to see how these two keep going in and out of each other's lives without the novel spiralling into hopeless romantic mush. After all, this book isn't about them, not really. It's about Cleveland.

Enjoyable and surprisingly informative, I breezed through Crooked River Burning without much to complain about. Winegardner lets his literary tongue wag a little too much as the book goes on, perhaps, and it's not without pretense. The footnotes he uses get in the way and seem lazy...not to mention the most unreadable typeface I've ever seen (in the hardcover edition). However, tackling a subject like this and keeping it enjoyable is quite a task to begin with, and it's pulled off with much style.