Carter Allen's photo documentary is excellent. It renews our faith in the true existence of the American cowboy, working and living not too differently than his predecessors did in the early days of the West. The depth of tradition captured in these photographs and verbalized in Dodie Allen's brief biographies makes us pause to say a little prayer that this endangered species and way of life, too, can be preserved.

The photographs of Carter Allen are so sensitive and life-like, you feel right away a friendship with the people who are further made real through the easy-to-read and warm portrayal offered by Dodie Allen. The "cowboys" are an important part of our nations history and still play an important role in todays culture. They should never be forgotten and this book helps us realize that. It's a book the whole family can enjoy and share. It acts as a catalyst to learn more about the cowboys...past and present. I highly recommend it. JeriMcDonald

The photography is exquisite, capturing not only the beauty of the landscape in Santa Cruz County, but the "beauty of the landscape" in the faces of the "cowboys/cowgirls" that are truly a part of the land. The photography is enhanced through the short prose about each subject, adding the depth and color to create a 3-dimensional view of characters that thrived in a time that is quickly vanishing from our culture--true American icons. I have visited the Santa Cruz County area, and much of Arizona, and found this book provides insight to the "cowboy" lifestyle, with beautiful reminders of things I have been fortunate enough to see. I have given this book as gifts to others, some who have been to Arizona, and others who have not--the all have loved the "experience" of being there as they've read their books. "Gooch", "Cotton" and Kate have become quick favorites, and the "Huachuca Cowboys" represent a lifestyle that some of us surely long for. . .

I highly recommend this wonderful, beautifully presented cookbook, filled with amazing desserts and witty, insightful quotes. It would be a great gift-something different and thoughtful. My friends and guests are always flipping through its pages, looking at the photos and reading the quotes. They're shocked to find a cookbook so interesting!

It would also be great recipe source for both the novice (like myself) and experienced baker. The recipes are not overly elaborate, and the photos are helpful.

Can't recommend Desserts with Character highly enough, especially at the price.

Desserts with Character is more than desserts. I found that the book really represents a lifestyle based on comfort, style, warmth, family and friendships. Don't just think recipes - think of a beautiful book for yourself, or a gift to share with those you care for...or also a nice gift to give to friends or clients for that special occasion. I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. The recipes are fantastic and unique
-- not like what you'd find in a traditional cookbook. This is
southern-style charm at its best. It's kind of like your own
grandmother wrote a book to pass on her recipes and wisdom.

I now plan on buying a few more to give to friends for
Christmas(maybe I can encourage my family to try some new
desserts for Xmas) since the book makes a nice coffee table-type
gift as well as a dessert book.

I borrowed this book from the library and after finding at least 20 recipes I wanted to copy (and I was only through a third of it!) I bought this book. Ms. Carter has developed wonderful, homey recipes. You can practically smell her cooking as you read along! Her stories are delightful as well. I recommend this book as a true tribute to Soul Food at its best! Without losing any of the taste, she has succeeded in creating low fat meals that anyone would love! Bravo!

I love cookbooks that speak to the reader as this one did. It was a virtual tour of the author's kitchen

I cook often, for big dinners and small ones, and I'm always on the lookout for new tastes and flavors. That's exactly why I loved this book so much! I mean, Soul Food that was light, elegant and tasted like fine French cooking--and was easy to prepare besides? I've devoured Down Home Wholesome, cooking at least half of the recipes within it--scrumptious! Plus, I really loved the warm way the author has with talking about her family, her reminiscences of her experiences with these foods, and her filling in the blanks on how the slave diet contributed to the length and breadth of the American palate. TRY THIS BOOK - YOU WON'T REGRET IT

Death comes to us all - whether it's sudden or gradual; whether it's our own or someone close - leaving this garment, quitting this life, passing on to the next Grand Adventure. In each chapter of this detailed, simply written, expressive & compassionate volume, are poignant poems, soothing photos & sidebars of lists to walk us through from Living With Serious Illness to Finding Meaning to Helping Family Make Decisions and Give Care; from getting the Help You Need to Talking With Your Doctor; from Controlling Pain to Planning Ahead; from Hastening Death to The Dying of Children to Enduring Loss & beyond. A huge crew of researching assistants from the Center to Improve Care of the Dying out of George Washington University, put this Handbook for Mortals together & the caring insights, profound realizations & ordinary instructions make for a really useful book you can pick up at any time & not worry about disturbing someone in the middle of the night or during their busy work day.

I found this book days after leaving the hospital with a two year prognosis for a misdiagnosed illness. My head was spinning. I was making lists of questions and to do lists for leaving my 2 young children. Finding this book was a wonderful gift. It answered my questions and provided a realistic outlook for what to expect of a terminal condition. The book provides sample statements for calling your relatives and helps you to prepare for your doctor appointments. I visited a doctor today and I led the session and all of my questions were addressed before the exam occurred. This book should be recommended to all diagnosed with a terminal illness. Highly recommended book!

I wish I had picked up this book earlier in my step-father's illness. Very useful for those who are facing illness or who love someone who is very ill, telling you the kinds of things to expect and ways of dealing them.

Carter and Rovell do a masterful job of highlighting the fundamental truths of good business. There is a right way to play the game, and this is the rule book.
Please pay close attention to the anectodes about Minor League Baseball. Sometimes, the greatest success stories do not occur on the grandest of stages.

Congratulations, Mr. Carter and Mr. Rovell!!

I am a college student who really wants to have a future career in sports business. I have read many books but this book by Carter and Rovell takes the cake. It is very well written and they should take pride in the amount of research they did for this book. There are more examples that I can understand than in any other sports business book. Are there two better people to learn the business of sport from? Rovell being 'the guy' for ESPN and Carter being a successful businessman in sports. It is very hard to ignore all this experience. This is a must-read!

I would highly recommend this book! I initially thought it was going to be a fun read about sports marketing. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the book was more about how to apply lessons from the sports world to the business world. As a strategy consultant, I found many of the examples given (especially on brand building, sponsorships, and customer needs) to be very relevant to the kind of work that I do with big consumer products companies. You can't afford to miss this one!

This lovely meditation arrived in my hands the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001. It contains a healing message not just for individuals but for the world.The author Jeanne Martinez Carter, known by her friends as Misha, touches a place we are all seeking. A place of stillness, peace and healing, helping us deal with the tradgedies of life.Thank you, Misha. With love and gratitude from the other Misha.

This book is creatively written and published. "The Praying Place" is a great inspirational tool that helps us to look through a realistic mirror. I'm enjoying the total experience...Give me more!

To touch the soul...I believe the "Praying Place" reaches into the heart of anyone seeking solace, peace, hope, or joy, to name a few of the feelings that welled within me as I read with reflection on my own life. In a world that seems so violent at times, "The Praying Place" provides the means of escape to a place where one can focus on what really matters in life. I believe that Ms. Carter must have had a divine revelation to capture the essence and purpose of prayer in an individual's life. I thoroughly enjoyed going to that "secret place" where I could bare all that was/is within me. The "Praying Place" offers tranquility in the midst of a storm. What a wonderful book to have on hand when times get rough or focus and purpose become somewhat fogging. I feel enriched by this comforting experience.

P.S. In submitting this information, I did not see my age category so I used the oldest number provided.

Interesting book that shows dozens of ways to make shelters in the wilderness. A good book for those of us who love traipsing through the bush, which in turn leaves us with that small chance of getting lost or stranded. The book I got was published by Loompanics Unlimited, and copied from the original 1914 edition, but I imagine all editions by all publishers are the same.

I have lived in a very rural area my whole life. I love the forest, and because of this book I've been able to enjoy it even more. "Uncle Dan" Beard has lots of great ideas and illustrations to show how poeple used to, and still do, build shelters in the forest. It's great to have a historical resource to all of these techniques and ideas that are from the past - which otherwise might be forgotten about. GREAT BOOK!!

This book comes from a time when hunters and conservationists were in league with each other. Many of the tips he gives are not appropriate for parks but are still useable on PRIVATE land. Not for effete tree hugger types.

To be honest, I didn't bother reading the de Camp and Lin Carter stories. Why? They're pastiche authors. And no one can write Conan like its creator, Robert E. Howard. Even Robert Jordan's Conan stories were dirt compared to Robert E. Howard's. To me, pastiche authors are the scum of the earth because they are so low that they have to continue someone elses creation just to make a living--can't they be original. Sure, de Camp has written other stuff, but most people would associate him with Conan. When the Conan movie came out in the 80's, I thought that de Camp was the creator of Conan. Boy was I wrong! As far as the book goes, the three Robert E. Howard stories inside are good, but not Howard's best. I thought that the Frost-Giant's Daughter was the best of the three. But I think that Howard's best short story was A Witch Shall Be Born. Looking at the book as a whole, it's only worth about 2 or 3 stars, but you can blame de Camp and Carter for dragging the rating down.

This is less of a review of this particular volume in the Conan opus as edited & added to by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter than it is a response to the thrashing that the abovementioned writers have been taking in this forum and in many others. It's true that no one can write Conan the way Robert E. Howard could. I'm not convinced anyone has ever really tried. Some of the work de Camp & Carter did with Howard's material is cheesy. Remember - most of their pastiches were written to fill gaps in the timeline. Many of them were written from Howard fragments. It's also true that Karl Edward Wagner did a much better job presenting Howard's writing when he was manning the Conan fort. Wagner's Conan books are now quite expensive and pretty hard to get a hold of. My own introduction to Conan came in the 1980's, through a combination of Marvel Comics and the Ace reprints of the de Camp & Carter editions of the old Lancer paperbacks. Had it not been for the work of de Camp and Carter I might NEVER have discovered any of the works of Robert E. Howard. For that, I am - and I suspect that a lot of readers my age should be - eternally grateful to them. As to CONAN OF CIMMERIA, this is one of the best of the de Camp & Carter editions. The pastiche pieces are readable and the pure Howard is mostly unadulterated. "Queen of the Black Coast" is one of Howard's finest stories. Highly recommended.

The stories in Conan of Cimmeria surpass in content and in language the stories in the first Conan book.

The Curse of the Monolith, by de Camp & Carter, is an okay political story, but the action is kind of weak. A fun little read.

The Bloodstained God, by Howard & de Camp, is the most boring story in this volume. I found it overlong and almost unreadably bad. Not sure why, but I just couldn't stand it.

The Frost Giant's Daughter, I think, is generally considered to be one of the best Conan stories, and I agree. Short and to the point, this story isn't about Conan, the story is Conan.

The Lair of the Ice Worm, by de Camp and Carter, is another fairly good story that doesn't have any relevance in the grand scheme of things, but it's fun and entertaining.

Queen of the Black Coast, by Howard, is another excellent story, dripping with Howard's wonderfully readable style. The heroine here is in no small part the inspiration for Valeria in the first Conan movie.

The Vale of Lost Women, by Howard, is another really good story that really gets into who and what Conan is, not just about one of his feats.

The Castle of Terror, while more entertaining than Bloodstained God, is so stupidly pointless that I wonder why it was written, much less put in here. You're not missing anything if you skip this one.

The Snout in the Dark, while being an improvement of Castle of Terror and Bloodstained God, doesn't reveal anything new about Conan, isn't terribly exciting, but it's still an interesting read.

This book is, again, superior to the first in the series...highly recommended.

George Jones HAS lived to tell it all. If you think you know him
think again if you havn't read this book yet. This book takes you
from the time he was a boy in Texas up till just before he had the terrible car accident. He has had one incredible life,A life that most would have never survived. This is the best Country Music Biography that I have read,and I give George 5 stars.He is the BEST.

Obviously, God has His hand on George Jones. Maybe George should've waited a few more years to write this book so that he could've included yet another astonishing chapter--his survival of the horrendous car accident he was in, in March of '99. This man is truly blessed with a magnificent voice and many second chances. I thank God that He has allowed George to remain with us these many years and bring us so much happiness. When you read this book, you'll know exactly what I mean when you see what all George has been through in his 68 years.

This book is the king of all autobiographies. George Jones, the greatest country singer of all time, HAS lived to tell it, but it's hard to believe. From stories about growing up in Texas with a drunk father, a religious mother, and more than a few close siblings, to tales of corrupt policemen and drug dealers holding him down and shoving cocaine up his nose, to the story of the woman who saved him and herself, this book "tells it all." In the book, George talks about cutting his first record, but only to be told by a local DJ that it's not very good. You will read about the fun times, the bad times, the drunk times, and the near fatal incidents on the road with other stars such as Johnny Cash, Faron Young, and Buck Owens. Jones writes about getting his first number one, his bouts with booze, his marriage to Tammy Wynnette, his cocaine addiction, and finally, his current wife Nancy. If you think you know George Jones, think again. This book grabs hold of you and doesn't let go as Jones, along with Tom Carter and the help of past friends and acquaintances, tells the real story behind all the news articles and rumors that you've probably heard in past years. Along with all the self exsposing stories, Jones adds his own insights, comments, and opinions about life, today's music industry, drugs and alcohol, love, and finally, self-peace. This book is a great read that will either insprire you to or totally discourage you from becoming a country singer. I strongly recommend you read this book. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You will..."live to read it all"...and you'll be glad you did!

Although this book neither as a biography nor as an anthology of the sayings and writings of Will Rogers explores its subject in any depth, this is a very solid introduction to one of the most fascinating individuals in American history. As a biography, Joseph Carter manages to give an excellent, if brief, summation of the major events in Rogers's life. The last part of the book collects a number of Rogers's better-known sayings. This section is a bit more disappointing, since most of the excerpts are presented somewhat out of the larger context. Sometimes, this doesn't matter. But having read some longer pieces by Rogers's, I find that it doesn't enable the reader to get an adequate feel for the kinds of concerns that Rogers had as a political and social thinker.

Rogers was a humorist, but concerns with political and social issues permeate his work. He was also an enormously complex thinker. Although there was a quaint simplicity and humility to the way Rogers expressed himself, he actually worked out a political position that wasn't entirely at home on either the Right or the Left side of the political spectrum. Although he was in most respects of liberal sympathies, he was almost libertarian in the way he yearned for a small central government that didn't intrude into the lives of everyday individuals. He was profoundly suspicious of big government. At the same, time, he was profoundly non-libertarian in being even more suspicious of big business and capitalism. His sympathies, however, were definitely populist.

Rogers was simultaneously one of the most popular stage performers, movie performers, radio personalities, and political writers of his day, and arguably one of the, if not THE, most popular Americans ever to have lived. This excellent volume will provide the neophyte with a good introduction to all these aspects of Rogers's life and career.

I do believe, however, that we desperately need a good, in-depth anthology of the writings of Will Rogers. I would love to see the Library of America bring out a volume dedicated to Will Rogers. Until they or someone else does this, I am afraid that Rogers will be remembered more as the author of pithy one-liners than as what he was: the most influential political commentator of his day.

Excellent reading book combining both a biography and familiar quotations--and writings--from America's best-loved cowboy humorist who lit up the film screen and the radio airwaves during the Roaring 20s and the New Deal 30s. This is a great book for reading--stop by a local bookstore and check it out!

Every school library should have this book! Todays young people need to know about Will Rogers and this book tells it all in great style.