This is an absolutely beautiful book, with full color images of both Mennonie quilts and the landscape of "Amish Country." My only complaint is that it's much too short! The paperbound book is about 125 pages long, and almost exactly the style, size and format of the Amish quilt books by Rachel and Ken Pellman. The story of each quilt is given, whether as just a name, year and current owner, or through a short reminiscence regarding the quilt or its maker. Readers are immediately drawn into the feeling of simplicity, peace, thrift, and heritage as they are treated to lovely photographs of the natural world that surrounds the daily lives of the Mennonite quilters. The quilts themselves, done in slightly more "worldly" fabrics and patterns than their Amish neighbors, will inspire and dazzle you. I love making quilts with traditional designs, such as "Broken Star," "Harvest Sun," "Tumbling Blocks," and "Cactus Basket," all of which I have made or am currently working on. This book is my well-worn reference, my inspiration, my small window to the Mennonite world, and my source of serenity when I find myself going from design hunt page turning to reading the engaging text. If you love traditional quiltmaking as much as I do and can manage to find a copy of this book (now out of print), you will be so very glad you did.

C. Robert Haywood has written a wonderful book on one of the founders (of perhaps two or three men) of Dodge City, Kansas. Wright made millions from cattle and spent it all. Four wives, and 45 years later he died in Dodge City, broke and not famous. He was one of the men who hired Wyatt Earp and was a backer of Mat Basterson, among many other more famous (infamous) Western hero. As President of the Ford County (ie, Dodge City) historical Society, I assure the reader that no better history of that period has yet been written, except perhaps Robert Wright's book on Dodge City itself. (out of print). Wright is an amazing man, from a family which included a grandfather who was Clerk of the US Supreme Court and a greatgrandfather that was president of the US during the period before the constitution. Great book. (little known fact: Wright still has in 1999 a greatgrandson age 80 and a grandson, age 49, still living. that doesn't happen very often, but with forty years or so between wife number 1 and wife number 4, etc.) George Laughead Jr.

The Meridian One is a novel about the men and women who stayed behind on the Great Plains during the destructive dust storms and droughts of the mid 1930s. This is an intimate story of what Kansas farming life was like during the century's seminal years and how people continued to have fun in spite of the hardships born of the Great Depression. communities formed their own entertainment with folk music and stage presentations, charlatans in medicine shows and on the radio appealed to men's sexual weaknesses with promises of reliable cures, preachers warned that the dust storms were signs of the world's end nearing, kids entertained themselves with old fashioned games and made toys from scraps found in farm yard junk piles, and made pets of farm animals. The Meridian One is an engaging, exceptional, nostalgic novel of an American yesteryear when the times were tough but the folks still had fun.

The Meridian Two by Clayton L. Hogg is an enthusiastically recommended novel about farm families who toughed out the dust storms that ravaged Kansas in the Great Depression. From the taste of farm water (unique to each farm), to the ominous threat of impending war threatening to draw young men away from the family farm and plunge them into the lethal heat of combat, to the experiences arising from an earth-shaking faith of religious revival, The Meridian Two offers an historically accurate picture of what it was like to endure through tough times, clinging to hope for better days ahead. Also very highly recommended is Clayton Hogg's The Meridian One, the first novel in the "Meridian" saga.

Maurice Schwalm is famous in the midwest for his approach to investigating hauntings, crop circles and psychic phenomena. His research methods are intense and get into areas where other researchers and authors do not tread. His extensive collection of psychic photography includes his own photographs and those of other photographers who realized they had "unknowns" in their pictures. Most people have had experiences they can not explain, and this book is a good reference guide to variations in manifestations. And should you dare to investigate, the locations are given.

This outstanding book consists of 304 pages which include 188 illustrations (107 in color). It is the product of a dozen writers, five artists, and 27 of the best natural history photographers in Kansas. You can't go wrong with NATURAL KANSAS

No Other Place is the third book in Irene Bennett Brown's Women of Paragon Springs series. Aurelia Symington, who was born to the comforts of the South,is widowed, penniless and left with small children. She survives a bleak journey to Kansas only to be quickly abandoned by her brother-in-law after she arrives at his desolate homestead appealing for help. In the first book, Long Road Turning, Aurelia was befriended by the compassionate women of Paragon Springs, who all too well understood the rigors of life at the survival level. Aurelia's yearning for safe places, safe people and her aversion to loss nearly undermines her chances of lasting romance. However, as the series develops, against all odds, she not only overcomes her fear of taking risks with people, she accepts the burdensome but exhilarating position as president of the town company. With this book, the reader of this fascinating series begins to understand the breadth and depth of Brown's research. No Other Place with its lively depiction of town-building is energized by the struggle to bring civilization to the prairie. This volume also details little known aspects of the bloody county seat fights that plagued Kansas and the underhanded tactics used to attract the all-important railroads. Her depiction of the constant struggle of Kansans to cope with extreme weather is superb. As we have come to expect from this first-rate author, Brown's skillful portrayal of women's issues under-girds all the action.

I read Tom's newest book, both prior to publication and since it came out, and can say that I have never read a more enjoyable book on the old west. This little-known piece of history is brought forth by Tom in the context of the surrounding wild cowtowns of Wichita and Caldwell. In that context, Tom tells the reader of many of the seemly incidents endemic to the cowtowns. With that basis, he brings out Belle Plaine's desire to steer their community away from such a life, toward that of a well-to-do farming community. But that road was not without tragedy as Tom points out so well. I would certainly recommend this well-illustrated and very readable book to both the serious historian and the casual reader of 19th century Americana.

My kids love this series! The story is suspenseful and easy to read at the same time. I'm always looking for good books that will keep my son's attention. As a reluctant reader, my son needs stories with a tight plot and lots of action, and it's sometimes hard to find books he will like. But he really loves the Prairie Skies series. And I know it will help both my kids understand this period of history a lot better.

This seemingly little book is packed with smoking and charcoaling recipes that will fill a lifetime with exellent meals, easy and fun techniques to produce delectable dishes. When you've tried them all, you'll be delighted to start over! Three sections each provide a comprehensive range of cooked meats with various degrees of preparation and time required. The rubs and marinades included are themselves worth many times the price of the book. This is so much fun!