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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Dallas", sorted by average review score:

Shania Twain: On My Way
Published in Paperback by ECW Press (December, 1997)
Author: Dallas Williams
Average review score:

The #1 Shania book to buy !
I have read every possible book on Shania Twain.. This one is the best I have read. It really tells the story where the story needs to be told. Once I picked it up to read, I could not put it down until I finished. If you love Shania, You'll love this book.

The Best
Shania Twain is an all around great person. She will never be forgotten in my mind. She is really the best.

An amazing book, but has a few problems
This was a wonderful book, especially since Shania is my favorite singer. There's one thing I'd like to say though. If you're going to write a biography, you should know how to spell their name!! Shania doesn't spell her real name "Eileen", she spells it," Eilleen" !!!!!! Also, she was 22 when her parents were killed. It was on November 1, 1987, and she had been 22 for 2 months. She wasn't 21, so get it right!!


Short Straw Bride
Published in Audio Cassette by Brilliance Audio (May, 1999)
Author: Dallas Schulze
Average review score:

A quick read...
My first Dallas Schulze book was Loving Jessie which I thought was excellent. I bought this one and was a little disappointed by it. The male romatic lead, Luke, was not developed as a character to the extent that I would have liked. We never heard the words "I love you" come from their mouths. It was implied but I always like the closure at the end of books when I can hear the "I love you" spoken. Anyway, it was a good book and I do recommend it but there were a few flaws.

Funny and warm story
Daniel McClain decides it's about time his brother or himself get a bride - with emphasis on his brother, Luke, finding the bride. With their house in shambles and getting worse every day, not to mention no heirs for the brothers to leave their ranch to if something should happen to them... it just seems like the logical choice for one of the brothers to get married. Only Luke isn't going to buy his younger brothers belief of the oldest should marry first... so the brothers decide to draw straws to find out who the groom is going to be.

When the brothers show up at church, with Luke searching for the "biddable" bride to cater his every whim, the town is shocked to see the two brothers taking more of an interest in the town and church activites, and realize they must be ready to find wives. Considering they are the most attractive men in town, and maybe the wealthiest ranch in the area as well, the single women are actively seeking their attentions.

When Luke spots the quiet and sweet Eleanor, he thinks he's found the perfect wife. Since her parents have passed away, Eleanor is living with her Aunt and Uncle, and horrible cousin. Simular to the old Cinderella story, Eleanor is nothing more than a free housekeeper to the family, and treated somewhat similar to the treatment Cinderella had to deal with. Needless to say, Eleanor jumped at the chance to marry Luke - knowing it was not a marriage based on love.

From the moment Eleanor and Luke are married, you'll be laughing at the two, as they quickly begin to fall in love. This is simply a historical romance of the old fairy tale, with a few twists. The sensuality of this book is very low-key, but the humor and the unusual predicament the characters find themselves in - to their own making - is quite an entertaining read.

Charming story...
A charming, PG rated story. I bought the audio version and was immediately swept up by the reader -- could he have been Dallas Schultz himself? Neither the audio nor the jacket say, but the voice is intriguing, as is the story. Luke drew the short straw when it was time for one of the McLain brothers to take a wife and produce an heir to their vast ranch, and there are predictable hitches in the getalong, but Luke McLain turns into a hero to save Eleanor's life before he realizes just how much he loves her. I'm gonna pop this audio tape into my player and listen to it again...


Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures
Published in Hardcover by Chariot Victor Pub (October, 1987)
Authors: John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, and Dallas Theological Seminary
Average review score:

An OT Commentary with the NT in Mind
A decent commentary considering the task of trying to commentary the Old Testament in one volume. Although this could have been two volumes or more and been much more thorough, there are plenty of references to the New Testament which is helpful.

Great commentary set for new Christians
The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Old and New Testament editions) are the perfect set for new believers. The verse-by-verse commentary is easy to use and laid out very well.

Though the book commentaries (written by Dallas Theological Seminary profs and alumni) are not deep or exhaustive, they do answer most questions and shed light on difficult passages.

The commentary text is based on the NIV (most popular translation) making this set one to keep and use for years.

very good and comprehensive with a dispensationalist slant.
the reader may well recognize the authors as professors at dallas theological seminary; walvoord has written multiple books and is considered one of the foremost dispensationalist theologians today (perhaps carrying the torch of chafer). this is a 2 volums set which covers the entire bible, although not in great detail. it is definitely written from an evangelical point of view - that is, the inspiration and inerrancy of the bible is at the foundation of all interpretation (contrast this with the new jerome commentary which is purely historical-critical). nonetheless, this work is the product of sound scholarship and the work of men with expansive knowledge and insight. this is ideal for sunday school classes and personal study; it might be a little thin for use in theology classes.


Give a Boy a Gun: A True Story of Law and Disorder in the American West
Published in Hardcover by Delacorte Press (November, 1985)
Author: Jack Olsen
Average review score:

Give a Boy a Gun
Read "Outlaw" by Jeff Long as well. He interviewed several key people that Mr. Olsen did not include (most declined to be interviewed at the time). All in all a fairly accurate and factual book and if you lived in the area at the time it stirs strong memories and emotions. Those who lived close to the events cannot forget Bill Pogue and Conley Elms.

a truer review
In getting to know Claude via correspondence for several years,I believe that I can make a fairly accurate assessment of Claude's true character. Therefore, I believe I can fairly assess the book's veracity and plausibility. The book was interesting, entertaining, and exciting. Mr. Olsen presented the story in as truthful a manner as he could-considering he did not know Claude. In my opinion, overall, a very good book!

The Title Says it All...
As the daughter of Bill Pogue, one of the Game Wardens murdered by Claude Dallas, I know the true story of what happened that day. Jack Olson did a wonderful job of interviewing almost anyone involved and investigating the lifestyle of Claude Dallas that led to this tragic event. I learned as much from reading this book as I did sitting through the long and frustrating trial.


Loving Jessie
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Mira Books (January, 1902)
Author: Dallas Schulze
Average review score:

Sweet and passionate
As her thirtieth birthday approaches, Jessica hates that she is still a virgin, and starts wanting a baby. A man would be nice too, but if she could have a baby, that would be enough. Her old friend, Matt returns to town about that time, unable to get Jessie off his mind after years away and going through many traumatic situations as a reporter. He loves her even though she was still a child when he left. Now, seeing her as a beautiful woman, he is stunned.

When Jessie asks him to give her a child, he at first storms away, but then comes back with a counter offer. He will do it, if she marries him and they do it the old fashioned way. She agrees, and two weeks later, they are married.

Life is for the most part ideal, yet there are some bumps in the road. Matt's abusive childhood, the things he has seen, all have left scars on his soul. Then, Jessie's first crush kisses her, and Matt is enraged.Can he forgive her? Since she has gotten pregnant by this time, does she even need his forgiveness?

...This book has all the things fans of this author have come to cherish and look forward too, both sweet and heated, with gentle humor and appealing side stories that enhance the story. To some extent, it will remind you of the classic SARAH'S CHILD, but only superficially. There is a kindness to this story that will be soothing to you.

A good book to curl up with....
Jessie Sinclair is approaching her 30th birtday and she realizes that she has nothing to show for it. No lover, no marriage, no children. All she has ever wanted is the stability her grandfather showed her after her parents died when she was eight years old. It seems to Jessie that the more time that goes by, the less likely that it seems her dreams of having a family will come true. Especially since the man she has loved since she was sixteen married another woman five years before. Not that she believes that he ever looked at her in any other way but as a little sister. Then Matt Latimer comes back to town and her whole world gets turned upside down.

Matt Latimer has returned home to Millers Crossing after he was almost killed by a bullet while on location in the Middle East. As a photographer, Matt finds himself unable to pick up a camera since he was shot. He decides to return home to try to heal. When he sees Jessie, it's like taking a punch in the gut, for the gangly teenager has turned into a beautiful and desireable woman. A woman that he can't stop fantasizing about. When she approaches him with her insane idea to have a baby, his first reaction is gut wrenching anger that she would want to use him as a stud, then he realizes that he could be a part of something he never had as a child...a family. So he says yes to Jessie, with one condition. She has to marry him.

The story of Jessie and Matt is wonderfully told. Jessie is trying to come to terms with the feelings she thought she had for the man she loved, which pale in comparision to what she feels for Matt. Matt is trying to come to terms with his childhood of dealing with an abusive father and an aloholic mother and also of the time he was shot and blaiming himself for the whole incident. Schulze also has wonderful secondary characters who will break your heart with their struggle to make their marriage work.

Happy reading!!

I loved it!
As her thirtieth birthday approaches, Jessica hates that she is still a virgin, and starts wanting a baby. A man would be nice too, but if she could have a baby, that would be enough. Her old friend, Matt returns to town about that time, unable to get Jessie off his mind after years away and going through many traumatic situations as a reporter. He loves her even though she was still a child when he left. Now, seeing her as a beautiful woman, he is stunned.

When Jessie asks him to give her a child, he at first storms away, but then comes back with a counter offer. He will do it, if she marries him and they do it the old fashioned way. She agrees, and two weeks later, they are married.

Life is for the most part ideal, yet there are some bumps in the road. Matt's abusive childhood, the things he has seen, all have left scars on his soul. Then, Jessie's first crush kisses her, and Matt is enraged.Can he forgive her? Since she has gotten pregnant by this time, does she even need his forgiveness?

***** This book has all the things fans of this author have come to cherish and look forward too, both sweet and heated, with gentle humor and appealing side stories that enhance the story. To some extent, it will remind you of the classic SARAH'S CHILD, but only superficially. There is a kindness to this story that will be soothing to you. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.


Doin' Dirty
Published in Hardcover by St. Martin's Minotaur (October, 2000)
Author: Howard Swindle
Average review score:

Not quite
I really liked Jitter Joint, which is why I bought Doin' Dirty. Unfortunately, this book just doesn't meet the standard Swindle let with Jitter Joint. The plot is interesting enough but there are problems. One is the pacing. This book just doesn't have the kind of narrative drive that drags a reader along breathlessly to the conclusion. Another is the multiple viewpoints. Switching points of view can often be beneficial to a book but in this instance it often proved either to be of no real value or it simply slowed things down.

When he writes about the demons of alcoholism, Swindle's right up there; it's good, true stuff and reads well. The same is true in the depictions of the Vietnam vets; these characters are real and completely believable. The bad guys seem interchangeable, sort of like Jabba The Hut sliced up into three or four characters. They all have flat, dead eyes; they all speak in the same voice. They're all uncaring monsters with no discernible differences to distinguish them, one from the other. The "detecting" part of this book suffers from unevenness and, as I said above, slow pacing.

On the nitpicking front, almost every man in this book is described as being at least six-foot-two or taller. Are there no short men in Texas? Also, the proofreading isn't what it could have been and there are too many typos which, in some cases, actually alter the meaning of what's written.

I'm holding out hope that with his next effort Swindle will be back on form. In the meantime, for those new to this author's work, I'd strongly recommend reading Jitter Joint. It's far more indicative of the author's abilities.

A Five Star Mystery About the Lone Star State
As a mystery novelist with my first book in its initial release, I genuinely admire Howard Swindle's second Jeb Quinlin mystery, DOIN' DIRTY. While it features Quinlin, a recovering alcoholic detective, and his partner, Paul McCarren, investigating the death of an investigative reporter with an Eastern Establishment background, Swindle's most impressive strength comes from his knowledge of Texas. He renders the ambience of his setting as few other authors do. His plot is also swiftly-paced with the powerful Colter family apparently involved in the crime. The sub-plot involving Jeb's relationship with Madeline, also a recovering alcoholic, is given significant space. All in all, DOIN' DIRTY is a fine book, deserving of notice and attention.

Quinlin's Back and Even Better.....
Howard Swindle is back and his second novel of this series is even better than his highly acclaimed first thriller, Jitter Joint. Dallas homicide detective and recovering alcoholic, Jeb Quinlin and his partner, Paul McCarren are assigned the murder investigation of a young, ivy-league newspaper reporter, Richmond Carlisle. It seems Carlisle was onto something big, career making big and was playing his card very close to the vest. With the help of his many well placed sources, Jeb traces Carlisle's steps back to his own hometown of Comanche Gap and the very powerful and prominent Colter family and discovers crime and corruption at its highest levels.....Doin' Dirty is a fast paced, edge of your seat page turner, full of great realistic characters and vivid, riveting scenes. Mr Swindle's writing, is tense and gritty, with a real ear for dialogue. As an Edgar nominated true-crime writer and Pulitzer-prize winning investigative reporter, his expertise on police investigations and the newpaper business adds real credibility to the story. This is a very compelling, suspenseful novel, with a climax and ending that will leave you breathless. Doin' Dirty is a MUST read for all mystery/thriller lovers.


King Hussein: A Life on the Edge
Published in Paperback by Profile Books (26 February, 1999)
Author: Roland Dallas
Average review score:

Well written but disappointing....
As someone who has studied the Middle East extensively, I found this book to be well-written, but ultimately -- and unfortunately -- just a rehash of secondary sources. In other words, although there's nothing particularly wrong with this book, there's nothing particularly great about it either. No inside insights into what made the enigmatic King Hussein tick, for instance, which could have been very helpful and interesting but which would have required the author to interview people who knew the King well. It also would have been interesting if the author could have untangled the many seeming contradictions in King Hussein's reign, but unfortunately he either tried but was unable to do so or just did not do the necessary legwork needed to discover some of these answers. Ultimately, it appears that the author, or perhaps his publisher, was more interested in rushing out the "first book on King Hussein since his death" than in doing a first-rate job. That's unfortunate, and ultimately a disservice to this fascinating man and also to the events he lived through and played a role in.

Review on King Hussein: A Life on the Edge
The book explains the very dangerous and exciting life of the late King Hussein. This movie would give insight into the very harsh world of a Middle East peace process and the leader that made it happen for his country, Jordan. This movie would be a great tribute to such a great leader.

When King Hussein was young, he witnessed the assassination of his grandfather and was almost killed by the same gunman. His father was mentally unstable, making him unfit to be King. King Hussein had numerous wives and many children. His goal of keeping peace between Jordan and the neighboring countries was accomplished, and King Hussein was known as a peacekeeper. His life was never far from the brink of disaster. He was the master of survival, escaping many assassination attempts at the same time facing a political crisis. He had many loves: fast cars, classic guns, and beautiful women. His life was so very important that it must be made into a movie.

King Hussein was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. He was a precious source of stability and peace in a particularly unpredictable region of the world, the Middle East. His whole life would be a great movie of his struggles and accomplishments as leader of Jordan. His life was very important in the lives of his peoples and the peoples of neighboring countries. King Hussein was very well respect as to give a eulogy at the funeral of the former prime minister of Yitzhak Rabin. His life was peacefully ended in 1999 due to his cancer, but even in his final days at the Mayo Clinic, he contributed to the peace process by a televised appearance at the Wye meeting. No one could write a script as interesting and exciting like the life of King Hussein. The movie would give great respect to such an extraordinary leader of the Middle East.

A thoroughly readable and informative biography.
Hoping to improve my knowledge of Middle Eatsern history and politics, as well as find out more about this fascinating man, I tried Dallas's book. It was fast-paced, dynamic, gripping and very revealing. I highly reccommend it.


Jerry Jones and the "New Regime": Memoirs, Recollections, Times and Travels With "America's Team" and Its Most Notorious Cowboy
Published in Hardcover by Tthorn Publishing (January, 1996)
Author: Todd Cawthorn
Average review score:

Great; but not quite what I was expecting
Overall a very enjoyable book, especially for the distant cowboys fan across here in the UK. Todds' love of the Cowboys is very apparent all the way through but, and maybe it's my fault for not reading the details more thoroughly, there is no direct input from Jerry Jones or any of the organisation, something that I'm sure would have made the book much more credible.

Review of Jerry Jones and the 'New Regime' Book
This book was hard to put down once I started reading it. Mr. Cawthorn gives great insight to the world of NFL football and the "fly on the wall" play by play of the life of Jerry Jones. Unbelievably shocking and funny stories that will make you want to read it all the first time you pick it up.

Fast-moving...So intriguing you're able to read in one night
I am female and like to watch football so I thought it would be an interesting read, but to my surprise, it was much more than that. It is a very candid and somewhat blunt account of life and times with the team members and their owner. The book was so intriguing to me that I actually read it in one evening. It reads like you are having a converstation with the author and he is telling you one unbelievable story after another! I was thoroughly entertained as well as educated on what REALLY goes on behind closed doors.


North Dallas Forty
Published in Paperback by New American Library (August, 1979)
Author: Peter Gent
Average review score:

Touchdown
There's a good reason that Sports Illustrated included this book in its list of the Greatest Sports Books ever: it's a good book. And the movie version is far tamer than the book, and compared to the book, the movie has an upbeat ending.

North Dallas Forty, an thinly-veiled insider view of the Dallas Cowboys of the late-1960s. Written by a former Cowboys' wide receiver, the book takes you inside a football franchise struggling to stay on top. After reading the book, your body aches -- you know what it feels to be drilled in the ribs while running over the middle.

Watch the team and the NFL go out of the way to protect the stars while throwing aside those pawns that make the greats great. Read this book and become disgusted by the NFL, the owners, the coaches, and the entire league apparatus, but glory in the sheer talent and determination of the players doing the only thing that they know how to do.

Compare this book to "Instant Replay" by Jerry Kramer
Kramer's book is non-fiction, Gent's is fiction based on his experiences. They were written about the same time period, but present two pretty different views of pro football players. Was Kramer's version sanitized, or was Gent's exaggerated?

By the way, the standard disclaimer in Gent's book ("any similarity to real persons is coincidental" etc.) is, in this case, a joke. If "Seth Maxwell" isn't Don Meredith, then I'm Howard Cosell.

A great book on Professional Football
North Dallas 40 ranks right up there with some of the best books ever written about professional football. The characters in this book are able to invoke a full range of emotional responses from the reader. Gent is an extremely interesting writer and this book will be what he was remembered for.


Going Out in Style
Published in Hardcover by Kensington Pub Corp (July, 1900)
Author: Chloe Green
Average review score:

Murder is fashionable
Chloe Green is the pseudonym for one Suzanne Frank, authoress of a series of time-travel romance/suspense books, none of which I have read. Her debut mystery, Going Out in Style, is about as far away as one can get from time travel and ancient civilizations.

Anyway, Going Out concerns Dallas O'Connor, a local set designer who arranges and designs sets for catalog fashion shoots and similar projects; that is, Dallas would normally be doing these things if she were not in hiding. See, when she reports early to work one morning she happens upon the lifeless body of an up-and-coming model, not to mention the very life-filled body of a hunky Cuban artist named Raul who is holding the murder weapon. Sometimes the early bird gets more than the worm, sometimes she gets accused of wielding the knife herself for the final cut. Raul, naturally, asserts his own innocence as well, and Dallas is reluctantly made his partner in crime investigation. So, she blends into the city for which she was named, sneaking around to colleagues and friends conducting her own investigation in order to clear her name. It's not as easy as it sounds, however, as it seems somebody is usually one step ahead of her, planting traps and staging other crimes that have the police thinking Dallas is on some sort of spree, and Dallas must work quickly before she finds herself fashionably late to her own funeral.

Going Out is a nice, enjoyable read with moments of mirth and lunacy (particularly when Dallas and Raul are hashing out their plans and options); Dallas especially is likeable as a harried heroine who knows her priorities and still feels justified in bending the rules (it's not everyday somebody accepts a date with a stranger in a fancy restaurant when she's supposed to be running for her life). I suppose I also like this story because of its originality, since I do not recall having read a Texas-set mystery in years, much less anything with the fashion industry as a backdrop. If Suzanne/Chloe can tear herself away from her romances, I think she can continue to keep the Dallas O'Connor series in fashion.

A Must Read
Smart, fast paced, exciting, sexy and funny. Not funny because she tells jokes, but funny because of the heroine's outlook on life. She knows Dallas, Texas people and fashion industry folks to a 'T'. A real page-turner that you won't be able to put down.

Dallas Does Dallas!
Chloe Green, a welcome newcomer to the genre, has launched her mystery career with an intriguing, suspenseful package of dangerous fun. GOING OUT IN STYLE grabs you on page one and keeps you reading way into the night. This is a clever, well-written, fast-paced novel. Kudos to Chloe!


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