This novel about an early midwestern American family is a facinating look at life in the 19th century. The author gives the characters such interesting lives that the reader keeps turning the pages to see what happens next. I will definitely look for more books by Wilma Lewis

This book is very well written and accurately captures the atmosphere of life in a maximum security prison. It does slightly overdramatize daily life and fails to capture the routine and boredom that affects the inmates, and to a much greater extent the guards. It also gives the reader a glimps of an organization in which fear is the dominating controlling mechanism. The fear experienced by the inmates is obvious, the fear experienced by the staff is only faintly recognized. A good example of staff who are afraid, not of the inmates but of the administration, is seen in the episode where the inmate walks out of the institution unchallenged while posing as the Regional Safety Manager conducting an inspection. He was unchallenged because all of the guards involved knew what the consequences would be for offending an employee who wears the hallowed title of "Administrator". The inmate merely took advantage of the situation. One would hope that the Bureau of Prisons would learn something from this incident but I have seen no evidence of that. On a personal level it shows the danger of allowing fear to rule your actions. Mr. Early also does an excellent job of capturing the way that individuals who are true criminal personalities think. An example is his quote of an inmate who thinks of honest citizens as rabitts and states that God placed rabitts on earth for one reason; food for predators.

Pete Early has done an excellent job of giving you insight into life behind the bars of a maximum security prison. The details he provides are absolutely amazing as well as alarming. I particulary liked the way he handles first person accounts of crimes and events as told to him directly by the inmates. These first hand accounts are located throughout the book under sections titled, "A Voice." The book is truley in a class of its own. Highly recommended!

Pete Earley captures the psyche of the cellblock in a riveting and controversial way. Perhaps only true inmates can write a definative novel on the hell of being in prison, but Pete Earley comes pretty close. A must read for anyone interested in the penal system and by far the best book I have seen or read on the subject. Notes to other authors interested in writing about prison life. No more tales of the inmates who want to talk about their efforts to get out, because they think it will look good to the parole board, and more stories of the guys who are there for life and learn to survive because that is their only hope.

Alexander's If Walls Could Talk is a drama-filled, romance/mystery novel that opens with the murder of a well-known businessman, Raymond, who happens to be the childhood friend of one of the book's central characters, Detective Joe Johnson. Joe takes an obvious personal interest in the case and vows to find his friend's murderer regardless of the cost. During his pursuit, he meets a variety of suspects ranging from Raymond's very shady ex-gambler business partner to his beautiful, pregnant fiancé. The level of complexity and intrigue is heightened when Joe falls in love the with fiancée's equally beautiful and seductive twin sister, Sierra. During the investigation, relationship drama unfolds between Joe and his ex-girlfriend, Joe and Sierra, and is taken to another level as Raymond's "other" lifestyle is exposed. Comical relief is sprinkled throughout the book as the good cop-bad cop, old cop-young cop relationship is exposed. Joe prevails, despite all the sub-plots, and eventually nails the murderer in an unsuspecting twist at the end.

This is my first time reading Vincent Alexander's work and although the book was enjoyable I deducted points because of the slow start and some disconnects in the plot that contributed to the 'choppiness' of the story. I think Mr. Alexander is off to a great career as a writer and I look forward to reading his other works.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO Bookclub, Nubian Circle Book Club

If Walls Could Talk, is an extremely well written mystery novel. The suspension of finding out the murder kept me on the edge of my chair. The author, Vicent Alexandria, threw in a few twist and turns to divert the readers from solving the mystery. This book is not only a mystery but it is also a romance a novel.

The emotional changes that you experience while reading this book are insurmountable. There were moments in the book that I could relate to the emotions of the characters. This novel makes you acquire solidarity with the characters. I highly recommend this book to all the mystery lovers. I cannot wait for the next one.

"IF WALLS COULD TALK" IS A PLOT TWISTING MURDER MYSTERY THAT IS FILLED WITH SUSPENSE. EACH TIME I THOUGHT I KNEW WHO THE KILLER WAS, THE AUTHOR WOULD TURN THE PLOT IN ANOTHER DIRECTION AND THROW ME OFF COURSE. HIS COLORFUL CHARACTERS KEPT ME LAUGHING AND HIS VIVID DETAILS RETAINED MY ATTENTION. BECAUSE I REALLY ENJOY READING ROMANCE NOVELS, I WAS PLEASED WITH THE WAY MR. ALEXANDRIA INCORPORATED IT IN THIS BOOK. I ENJOYED THE BOOK SO MUCH THAT I READ IT IN ONE EVENING. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ HIS NEXT NOVEL!

This is the kind of book that any free spirited woman growing up in the 70s or 80s will hold dear for years to come. Tully embodies so many real feelings that any rebel-at-heart gal will admire. Tully is a woman to cry for, cheer for, laugh with and pray for. My life seems simple in comparison. Ladies, you won't find a better friend, and if any of you men want some insight into the meaning of true friendhship for most women, you'll get a great description through Tully and Jennifer's relationship. I've made all my closest friends read Tully, and we LOVE her!...maybe we should start a fan club! P.S. Paulina, how about giving us a sequel someday?

Wow, this book hit me so hard with its raw emotion and honesty and left me feeling so happy that my life is not like hers. I cried so much in this book and could not put it down, and although her choice of Robin in the end saddened me [enormously] I thought it was the right one and it left the reader with a sense of hope. I'd love a sequel, but in all honesty it would probably ruin this one.

Tully was such a beautiful book, it had the hard edges and violence that you don't often see and it left me feeling vulnerable, so much so that I rang all my friends and told them how glad I was that I had them. It was so sad, so full of emotion and action and it was so truthful about the choices one makes in life and how the consequences affect you. It just reaches out to every person, and touches their lives. Absolutely stunning.

Tully was such an amazing book. I have read it 3 times already and eager to start from page 1 all over again. Her life was filled with so much emotion that you can't help getting caught up in all of it. I laughed and I cried. I got angry and disappointed. Tully brought me back to my childhood, missing it and at times, wishing I could still be there. Her love life, chaotic as it was, had me heartbroken for the guys. I just wanted to jump into the book and tell her what I would have done. It's hard to put the book down once you get started. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I just wanted more and more and more. I can't imagine another book to be as captivating as this one. My only desire and suggestion is that this book be made into a movie. If this is not possible, then there should be a Tully II. I just don't want to see it end here.

I read Twister on Tuesday

I thought it was good
The history is two kids (Jack and Henna) going a school. In the school have four students the house is a twister class.
The tornado is going to the school so Jack and Henna run for they house.

I think kids of eleven years old like this book because it's nice.
I recommend this book because it's nice.

The Magic Tree House is a very imaginative series of books. Jack and Annie are seven and eight year olds who find a magical tree house in the forest. The tree house allows them to travel to travel to different places and time periods by reading book s found in the tree house. In this particular story #23, they travel to the prairies in the 1870's. They are on a quest that began in book #21 to find the third of four kinds of writing to help save Camelot. On the paries they, learn first hand, how wagon trains were used, how one room school houses were used, how grasshoppers cause problems on the praires and the most important lesson they learn in the story is how important storm cellars and dugouts were! This is a great book to read while learning about the 1870's, prairie lands and weather. The back of each book also includes facts about twisters, pioneer life on the prairie and poineer school books. The illustrations used in this book are essential for understanding vocabulary if you haven't discussed wagon trains, dugouts and one room schools with your class. This is a very infomative book and keeps 6- 9 year olds avidly reaading and listening.

This story was about a boy named Jack who is eight years old and his sister Annie who is seven years old. In the first book thay find a magic tree house in the woods. They find out that if they point to a book cover, that is where they will go. Mary Pope has written more books in this series. In Twister on Tuesday, Jack and Annie land in front of a schoolhouse and soon a giant twister appears. Read to find out what happens. My favorite part is when they ate frozen potatoes.

Truman Capote saturates his work with details and employs a cinematic approach with two-dimensional characterizations in order to artistically recreate the infamous crime and punishment of two cold blooded killers. Capote uses in depth details when describing persons of the Clutter family to create a strong contrast emphasizing the horrifying murders. Due to Capote's details the reader is taken on an excursion through the criminal's minds and comes upon many realizations of how a heartless criminal thinks and feels. Capote's structure is also very important because it gives a cinematic feel. The whole first part switches back and forth from the Clutter family and the killers to set up suspense until finally the two stories collide in a twisted way. Capote presents a story that everyone in that time period probably already knew most of the details but he invents a new way of looking at it that no journalism article could do. Throughout his book Capote makes some of his opinions apparent such as his opposition to the death penalty and he produces many themes. One theme encompassed in his novel is that of the American dream. Herb Clutter has made a perfect life that all Americans desire and like the majority, the dream gets shattered by two ridiculous criminals. This shows exactly how fragile the American Dream is. Overall this book meets all of my personal requirements. It has great suspense, which made it a book I didn't want to put down because I wanted to see what was going to happen.

Truman Capote, a controversial author at the time, writes an incredible story in the novel, In Cold Blood. Capote creates a chilling, exciting and astonishing true account novel of the murders of the Clutter family in 1959. He uses deep tone, language and real accounts from witnesses of the family to create these gruesome details. Deep tone, language and real account passages create a disturbing mood throughout the novel. These strategies are used frequently in the story. Truman's language throughout the novel leaves a haunting and lasting impression in one's mind. Capote's use of strong tone, "There's too much blood. There's blood on the walls.", is one example of the unsettling attributes of his writings. "He'd been shot, all right, the same as Kenyon-with the gun held right in front of his face."; this passage paints an appalling picture in the mind, which is another example of the gruesomeness of his writings. Real account passages and first person interviews give the book a more personal aspect. Capote once told that the killers asked him, to be present at the time when the hangings were done. This method of being a live witness helped create the authentic tone and mood set for the book. Capote uses conversations that took place during the investigation as another example of real accounts. One example is the conversation between Mrs. Hickock, a mother of one of the killers, and a private investigator. "That's his gun. Dick's. Him and David go out once in a while. After rabbits mostly. It was a .12-gauge Savage shotgun, Model 300; a delicately etched scene of pheasants in flight ornamented the handle." This example is a good one because it first points out the murder weapon and the one break that the police needed to catch the killers. These strategies are extremely useful because they give the book it's true mood and tone. Capote's use of deep tone, ghastly language and real accounts from witnesses of the family help create these gruesome details. In Cold Blood is one of the greatest and one of the first true account novels ever written.

Capote does a great job of showing the horror of the real life murders in a small town in Kansas. He takes us through the lives of the Clutter family and the criminals in alternating chapters until they meet. Capote also shows how the murders caused neighbors to be suspicious of each other in this small town. Shows all sides and aspects of the case.

I thought this was a wonderful book revolving around the life of African Americans in the Midwest during the 1950's. I enjoyed the format of intertwining stories as seen through the eyes of the differant citizens of Rattlebone. I think my interest was peaked since I was born and raised in Kansas City (MO) where the fictional town of Rattlebone was and where Maxine Clair, the author, is also from. I am anxious to read other books by this author.

Rattlebone, Kansas. Circa 1950. A group of related short stories paints a picture of the town of Rattlebone, Kansas and its inhabitants. Driven by strong characterizations, Maxine Clair's Rattlebone introduces us to Irene, a young girl living there as she grows, experiences, and blooms. Other notable characters include the Red Quanders, a group of people living together in a kinship environment, reminiscent of Igbo and other West African traditionalists, October Brown, Irene's grade school teacher, and Nick, Irene's introduction to love and all things pre-pubescent.

In essence, the tales tell two sides to every story, first relaying how a character is perceived by others and also how a character perceives himself or herself. The stories and characters all tie together if they do not pronounce themselves with novel-like fluency. Clair even continues a character's (October Brown) story in her second fiction title, October Suite. Each of these stories has its own moral, its own personality, its own undercurrent of emotion and is, thus, worthy of any reader's attention.

Reviewed by CandaceK

I'm currently studying at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS. Reading Rattlebone is one of the requirements for our English 102 class. I don't know if that has anything to do with the fact that the author, Maxine Clair, graduated from KU. Anyways, it is pretty much a thrill to be able to read about the past of a place where you're living right now. It's not only that, it kind of takes you back through time to the 50's and lets you experience or see a young African American girl's (Irene's) life back then. How family problems, social conflicts, and major political changes affected her life as she went through puberty and early teenage life. I think Maxine Clair does a pretty good job in using and creating different, but unique characters in Irene's life which influences her in their own unique manner. I think that if you're looking for a book to take you back into time, Rattlebone is a must-read book, especially if you live in Kansas or in the midwest. I know everytime I go down to Olathe or Kansas City, I will not look at it the same way I used to.

I really liked this book and have read it twice. Some parts of it were humorous. In short, I recommend this book to all dog lovers and owners!

This is one of the most intersting books I have ever read. It is funny, entertaining, and educational. It provides wonderful insight into the world of starting a business that you love. It discusses all of the hard work, and all of the rewards that accompany it. Additionally, this book was absolutely hilarious. I loved the stories about the three dogs. I have not tried the recipes yet, but they look great.

This book is a quick read that held my interest from beginning to end. It's funny and has it's own unique charm. More importantly, however, is the business angle that is interwoven throughout the "tale" (the author's pun, not mine!). This is the story of two guys and their three dogs who started a company on a shoestring and have grown it to a good-sized company. I bought a second copy to give to my brother, as inspiration, who is now starting his third entrepreneurial endeavor. I can't think of a reason why readers and their doggies would not immenseley enjoy this book. I rank this book 5 stars.

Midway through Secrets of the Tsil Cafe, the protaganist, Wes Hingler, wakes to find his beloved dog, When Available, has died in his sleep. The dog is quietly buried, in a simple family ritual, in the garden where most of the spices and vegetables for the Tsil cafe are grown.

"We didn't eat him, Wes," says Wes' father, the cook and proprietor of the the titled restaurant, pointing to a joke about the dog's name. "But as he becomes earth, and as we live off this small patch of earth we've made ours, he will nourish us in his death as he did in his life."

And here, briefly, is the crux of the novel, which uses food as a metaphor for life -- the blending and mixing of spices and ingredients that make it interesting or bland. And as in life, there are comings and goings, births and deaths, tragedies and triums to remind us of our own place in the world.

Thomas Fox Averill creates characters you connect with. His story has been almost universally described by reviewers as a "coming of age" tale, which I guess is technically true.

Yet more importantly, it is a book about life, as told through young Wes' eyes, and it points at all the traditions, secrets and passions that run through a family. Scattered throughout are recipes -- which I have not yet challenged -- along with brief descriptions of the ingredients. And we're given engaging histories of the New World meats, vegetables, spices and fruits that appear throughout Averill's engaging little book.

This is a book that quietly draws you into its pages, keeps you there for a few hours, and when you leave, you are as satisfied and as filled as any of the customers of the Tsil Cafe, and just as eager for another entree.

In a novel which is as powerfully sensuous as Suskind's Perfume and as imaginatively tasty as Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate, Averill finds his own voice, creating a unique and thoughtful coming-of-age story which, while rich in imagery, is remarkably simple and direct in its message. Food is life here, and the preparation of food and the ingredients one uses reflect the attitudes and spirit with which one approaches life and relationships.

Weston Hingler is the son of two cooks with totally different viewpoints. His father, Robert Hingler, owns the Tsil Café, where he uses robust, New World ingredients and spicy chiles and seasonings to bring the heat of southwestern cuisine to Kansas City. His mother, Maria Tito Hingler, part Italian, is a caterer who uses cultivated, Old World ingredients in a more subtle and traditional way. Stubbornly independent and wildly passionate, Robert and Maria communicate best when talking about food, marching to different drummers in the conduct of their personal lives, thereby creating innumerable challenges for their growing son. As Weston grows up, exposed to both cuisines and working, at various times, for both his parents, he must decide who he is, where he fits, who his parents really are, where each of them really comes from, and, ultimately, who he will become.

Filled with recipes which go way beyond anything most of us have ever imagined (and which, according to the acknowledgments, have actually been tested!), the book is hugely fun to read, even for someone who might not have a great deal of interest in cooking. I'll take a pass on the Dog Tamal, Roasted Maguey Worms, and Guinea Pig Stuffed with Marigolds, but I do understand why they were so important to Robert, and the Crab Cakes with Pineapple-Mango Salsa and the Jicama Salad sound absolutely delicious. This is a delightful novel, intriguing on all its many levels, and full of new insights into how and why we are what we eat.

Thomas Fox Averill's first published novel (following several collections of short fiction, two anthologies, and the O'Henry Prize selection) is a real gem which will appeal to all readers -- literature lovers, cooks, students, and teachers. A coming of age story, set in Kansas City, the novel traces Wes Hingler as he grows to know and understand himself against the backdrop of his mother's old world catering service and his father's new world "Tsil Cafe." Interspersed in the engaging narrative are the recipes of both worlds, recipes which are clear and educational and accessible for most cooks. Although most readers will not choose to cook with dog (when available), the ingredients will be readily available for most readers. Those who appreciate spice will revel in the recipes, but for the more delicate palates Averill shows how chile peppers can be sweet and subtle. Written with tenderness and affection while not holding back on life's realities, "Secrets of the Tsil Cafe" will be a perfect selection for teachers in universities and secondary schools. The clear definition of two cultures, the search for identity, and the joy of life fully lived permeate this work and make it an ideal vehicle for classroom discussion and for the exploration (by students and readers) of the importance of family and cultural heritage. Although I am the author's brother and have to acknowledge the "conflict of interest" in writing this review, I objectively see this as a great novel. I will be using "Secrets of the Tsil Cafe" in my own AP English classes in Manchester (MA) and in my kitchen at home with my family. I recommend this novel with pride and enthusiasm.

But this is no ordinary vacation. He's here unofficially (of course), recovering from his previous adventure in New York. But what has drawn Pendergast to Medicine Creek?

A body found in the forest. Mutilated, surrounded by Indian artifacts and dead crows. The local sheriff, Dent Hazen, believes it to be a one-time incident, maybe a drifter. But Pendergast believes it to be the work of a serial killer, one that lives within the town...

The Agent enlists the help of eighteen-year-old misfit Corrie Swanson. As Pendergast's driver and assistant, Corrie is shown things that she had never believed possible...things that just might put her next on the killer's list.

Medicine Creek is about to get famous. A university has decidecd to put an experimental cornfield somewhere in the county, and most people in Creek hope it goes there. With pressure from the town's few wealthy citizens, Sheriff Hazen is forced to make changes in his investigation, like getting rid of Pendergast, and honing in on a "suspect"...changes that may cost him, and the rest of the townspeople, their lives.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child score again. In a novel better than any since RELIC, Preston/Child bring Special Agent Pendergast--with only a hint at his first name--to the forefront once more in this harrowing mystery-thriller.

Don't be put off by claims that the identity of the villain is a letdown. True, it is kind of surprising--and not as climatic as these guys' other novels--but it makes sense when you think about it, and you'll never suspect a thing until the very end.

STILL LIFE WITH CROWS is a must-read for mystery/suspense fans. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have a knack of bringing you into the novel with the first word, and never--not once in the four-hundred-odd pages--let you go.

Medicine Creek, Kansas. Nothing exciting happens here, nothing changes, and there is never any crime...until now.

A body has been found, mutilated beyond recognition, and positioned elaborately in a corn field. The local police rules this as a single murder, until Special Agent Pendergast arrives and declares this the work of a serial killer.

Within hours the small town is swarming with reporters, and the local residents are in fear for their lives.

Pendergast begins investigating the crimes with only the clues of crows(a twisted secret you need to read the book to understand) to help, but when he teams with Corrie Swanson he will come face to face with an evil he is not prepared for.

'Still Life With Crows' is a creepy thriller that starts off fast and keeps the twists coming. The surprises start as the plot develops, and as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place you are held captive. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child pack their story with thrills and chills while maintaining a cinematic flair reminiscent to that of 80's horror films. I couldn't stop reading once the book was started, and the ending blew me away.

An entertaining summer read that will be surely land on the bestseller list's, 'Still Life With Crows' further proves Preston and Child masters of original horror tales.

Nick Gonnella

This time around, we find Special Agent Pendergast in Medicine Creek, Kansas. A dusty, dry, dying town in the middle of nowhere. Pendergast chooses to visit this locale on his vacation. Why? To solve the grisly, ritualistic murders taking place in this small community where everyone knows everyone, and everyone is suspect.

With his Goth Girl Friday, Corrie (a reluctant resident of Medicine Creek) Pendergast unravels the knot of clues left by our unknown killer.

Preston/Child weave a fantastic, gory tale of suspense that will keep you turning pages well into the wee hours of the morning. I can't wait to read more adventures of Agent Pendergast, if only to unravel the mysteries of the man himself. We know almost nothing of this suave Southern FBI agent, and that in itself is worth the read. He is full of surprises, with his archaic speech and gentlemanly manners. If you liked this book, I highly suggest reading "Relic", "Reliquary" and "Cabinet of Curiosities".