I loved the characters, the descriptive writing was very good. I felt like I was part of the old West, and felt right at home with the story line.I was impressed with the author's first published book and am looking forward to # 2.

I thought that this was a very good book. It will appeal to western enthusiasts, history buffs (although it's fiction), and general readers. I thought that there was some similarity to Louis L'Amour by the descriptive train of thought throughout the book.

All in all, it was quite entertaining, and I will be very happy when the next two installments come out. I look forward to reading them soon.

Mr. Frazier gets my vote as a good and entertaining author.

A fast paced, action packed thriller. it was a hard book to put down. You are always wondering what will happen next. The author makes you think as he weaves the various parts of the story together. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

Those who encounter "West of Venus" will immediately recognize either people they know or themselves, expanded and enlarged by their humor, sadness, or loneliness. Without doubt destined for women's reading groups' book lists and ultimately the silver screen (though a weekly series would be heavenly), this novel is one which will have you calling your best friend in the middle of the night comparing which paragraphy (or sentence) most delighted you. I would love to meet the author and personally thank her for this liberating, joyous book.

A New York Times "notable book of the year," Judy Troy's West of Venus brings the concision of her New Yorker stories to a larger canvas: the heart and heartland of America. This smart novel is filled with laughter and tears. Although West of Venus begins with a suicide and ends with a funeral, it is joy to read throughout: one of those rare fictions that show the ups and downs of life simultaneously and poignantly. I loved this book.

Having come from La Crosse, Kansas myself, I read West of Venus with a great deal of pleasure. Although Venus is more than twice the size of La Crosse, Troy has captured just what it is like to live in the middle of nowhere and to have daily contact with people who never read books. Although Tom Drury's The Age of Vandalism was better to my way of thinking, I still enjoyed this book very much.

I began reading The New Yorker in college, back in the early '60s -- mostly for the cartoons, I admit, but it wasn't long before I discovered the often witty and always beautifully written essays of Calvin Trillin. As a food-lover, I especially enjoyed his culinary pieces, since collected in three volumes beginning with American Fried in 1974. The last, Third Helpings, appeared in 1983, so it's been along dry spell, but now he's back with a new series of adventures that will make you salivate. The chapter in which he tries to get his daughter to promise she'll move back to New York from San Francisco if he can find a dependable source of pumpernickel bagels makes him sound Manhattan-centric, but he also writes a paean to boudin (which, even living in south Louisiana, I confess I don't care for at all), and another to the posole found in Taos (which I like very much). And there's a chapter on nutria sauce piquante that's a real hoot (think sheep-sized rodents). And there's San Francisco burritos, and Casamento's oyster loaf, and fried fish in Barbados, and pimientos in Galicia, and a number of other foodstuffs to be considered. This is a great book to read when you're sitting in the staff room at work, munching mindlessly on a homemade tuna sandwich and a bag of Fritos.

The United States is a nation covering more than 3.5 million square miles, measuring nearly 2,800 miles from Battery Park in Manhattan to the Santa Monica Pier just west of Los Angeles. According to current Census Bureau figures, more than 290 million people live in the U.S., most of whom don't have to trace their roots back too far to find relatives who arrived on American soil from elsewhere. As a nation we are a diverse and interesting bunch. But if you look at what we eat, it is apparent that the great melting pot has been simmering for perhaps too long and is now yielding an increasingly bland porridge. From sea to shining sea, a nation populated by people from all points of the globe has become a gigantic, generic food court that threatens to erase the vast national cornucopia of ethnic eats and local treats. It's a creeping culinary crime that, if left unchecked, may one day turn the entire planet into an Applebee's. But all is not lost.

FEEDING A YEN, the latest effort from the prolific and always entertaining Calvin Trillin, offers an escape for those who have grown tired of food that has suffered a spectrum of indignities, from gentrification to generification. Each of the fourteen chapters in FEEDING A YEN covers a different local specialty, from pumpernickel bagels in New York City, to pimientos de Padron (a dish made with tiny green peppers) in Galicia, Spain, to boudin (a kind of Cajun sausage) in New Iberia, Louisiana, to ceviche (a cold fish soup) in Ecuador --- and plenty more along the way.

If you're looking for a book on pricey eateries, find something else to read. FEEDING A YEN is about simple, honest food, often made from recipes that have been passed down for generations. In describing these various treats and his efforts to find them, Trillin exhibits a palpable glee, particularly when skewering some of the more pretentious aspects of the business of feeding people.

In a chapter on Napa Valley wines, Trillin plays on his own ignorance of the vintner's art as he investigates a test that reputedly proves that even the experts can't really tell a red from a white. Another chapter deals with the good-natured squabbles within a Web community that has emerged via chowhound.com, a Web site devoted to ferreting out great ethnic food in the neighborhoods of New York and Los Angeles.

If you're a fan of Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour on the Food Network, you'll enjoy FEEDING A YEN. Trillin and Bourdain share a passion for the food purveyed in small shops and by street vendors. But Bourdain, who apparently will eat just about anything, has the more adventurous palette. The various treats Trillin describes are often exotic, but never involve anything that you'd keep as a pet or that might buzz around your porch light on a warm summer night. Trillin writes about good, simple food, food rooted to specific locations by tradition as much as by the availability of the necessary ingredients.

Technology has made the world a much smaller place. Mere hours stand between the cargo of fishing boats and the dinner table and, by virtue of the same technology, the idea of a growing season is rendered a moot point. You can get nearly anything you want, anytime you want it. But that abundance and convenience risk the very essence of the local specialty. If you've had the good fortune to travel in the U.S. you've surely noticed that, with the exception of geography and climate, the differences that existed between various points on the map are eroding. And the same thing is happening around the world (for a different take on that issue read William Gibson's PATTERN RECOGNITION). Food is a basic and visceral expression of local and regional culture. If that expression is lost, if people no longer seek out unique dishes like those so vividly described in FEEDING A YEN, then the creeping blandness that has already claimed so much of what makes the world interesting will have achieved another milestone in mediocrity. But if Calvin Trillin has his way, that sad and flavorless day will never arrive.

--- Reviewed by Bob Rhubart

I read this book on a recent trip to Los Angeles, where I regrettably realized that Nate and Al's in Beverly Hills had better whitefish salad than Murray's in NYC. When Calvin Trillin would visit his daughters in California, he used to take a dozen or two bagels with him from NYC, to tempt them back to the capital of authentic bialys and appetizing stores from the Southern California wastelands of sun dried tomato and bee pollen bagels. What can one make of a world where a London fish and chips salesman uses matza meal to batter coat his fish, San Francisco style burritos are sold in Manhattan, NY Bagels are in LA, and great Chinese food can be found in Paris? Calvin Trillin, in a series of essays ("Magic Bagel", "Grandfather Knows Best", "Chinatown, Chinatown", etc), takes the reader on a very funny and enlightening trip around the world, as he finds the best local foods. My faves were, he eats Chinese from Paris to Prague, he searches for the bagels of Hyman Perlmutter's Tanenbaum's bakery, and he explores the fish taco.

I live in the KC area, and I have found the series fun and exciting. I am giving this book a 3 only because there are too many loose ends that were not explained, otherwise, I found it to be well written.

I had one big problem with this book(Bread On Arrival). In the beginning, General Mills, Ernest, Patrick and Dieter(who lives in Germany) all find 3 loaves of bread either at their home or offices. Maybe I missed this, but how did the bread get there(and who put it there...I assume it was the killer, but how did he get it there)? Also, I believe(and the reader should know for sure, not have to guess) it played a roll in the death of two of the above people mentioned(and I felt the deaths came too late in the book...I kept waiting and waiting), but this aspect was never explained(at least not that I saw).

Most everything else was wrapped up in the end, except the 3 bread loaves and how they got to their victims. Considering this bread played a role in the death of two people, I feel it is important to explain how it got there and what role it played in the deaths.

Also in the beginning when introducing Paul, there is a "mystery woman" in his office who is giving Paul and assigment at work that he is not real thrilled about. Who is this woman? I don't think she ever appeared in the book again(and because of all the mystery surrounding her first appearance, I expected her to show up again). Why not say she is Jane Doe, Patrick's nasty supervisor or something if she would only appear this once? Why make her a mystery person?

Like I said before, maybe the 3 loaves were explained somewhere in the book(I never saw it), but considering they played a role in the deaths of 2 people I think that information is crucial to the reader. Who put it there and how(especially the loaves in Germany).

I will say, I am glad that Lou Jane Temple has moved her recipes from the middle of a chapter, to a page of their own. I found it distracting to try and find where the recipe left off and the chapter begins(the recipes all look wonderful!).

I found this book to be well written(and I will continue to purchase more in the series). I would just like to see the clues make sense at some point.

Another great example of the writing by Lou Jane Temple. Heaven Lee is cooking again -- this time she is making bread, not bbq. The Kansas City restaurant owner is involved with the ARTOS (bread) convention come to town. Little did she know that death would be served up along with the breadsticks.

Another great Heaven Lee mystery. Wonderful recipies are also included in the book. Temple's previous book introduced you to the main characters contained in this recent release, however, the book is written well enough to stand on its own without reading the previous 4 works from this author.

In the style of Diane Mott Davidson and Tamara Meyers -- a great culinary read.

Mary Ann

I have read several other Heaven books. I wasn't much impressed by the others but I found this one to be better constructed than the others. There were enough red herrings to keep one guessing, interesting bread facts and good recipes besides to make a satisfying whole.

A great historical novel. Realistic charactures who seem to come alive while you are reading. Tells about the hardships of settling Kansas. A Must for all readers

COME SPRING transported this reader to the raw Kansas prairie of the nineteenth century. I was especially drawn to the female characters and their struggle to assist in the settlement of the land, as well as their determination, against heavy odds, that new townships would be a good place to raise a family. These complex women-some connected to the land, some disconnected from the land-brought incredible strength not only to the often traumatic conflict of this struggle, but also to the raising of families without the advantages enjoyed by contemporary society. Still, one senses that these same qualities live even today in modern women, who seek to maintain decent families and homes and communities the world over, regardless what obstacles might confront them. Excellent novel!- ...

A delicious romance, this story makes music as beautiful and true as main character, Aura Lee's, piano playing in St. Jo -- before her transforming life on the harsh plains with her rugged husband Daniel. Only in very good books does one find such depth of characterization, realistic plotting, and authentic historical detail. The novel is well-deserving of the excellent reviews received from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, and the Medicine Pipe Award from Western Writers Of America for Best First Novel. I LOVED this book, and loved it again as I read it more than once. Take us to Kansas again, Charlotte, in another book. You're one fine writer!

This is my first Temple novel. Temple is admittedly a very good writer. If you are looking for a new author and a good new series this is the one to see. But, in this novel I fail to see the connection between cornbread and a murderer's need to kill. Then there is the fact that Heaven has had five husbands --- only one of whom is dead. Then there is the reason for her loosing her license to practice law. What a shame.

This is the second book that I have read in the Heaven Lee series. The characters are very quirky, and the setting of a Historic District Dedication in Kansas City, leaves all sorts of possibities for mayhem. These are all fulfilled, plus a few that I didn't think about.

I enjoyed this book by Ms. Temple a great deal. It centers around a revitilzation festival where and event's planner has suffered a mysterious accident. There are an array of suspects from an alleged farther to a bitter sister.

It is up to Heven Lee, the food coordinato for the event, to handle the task. I stumbled on this author at my local library. I am a big fan of culinary mysteries and was pleasantly suprised to find this solid read. If you like Diane Mott Davidson you will enjoy this author.

Bruce Bair's characters rise no higher off the page than the print. Everyone he writes about, including himself, is less than 1/2 dimensional. Bair only manages a rare page or two of interesting writing as he describes some of the more grueling farm tasks, but these few pages are lost in the consistent undercurrent of rancor which evoked in the this reader a sad sense of embarrassment for the author and his unfortunate family.

Growing up on a working farm and being expected to work long hard hours at thankless and repetive tasks is typical of many family businesses, especially in that time and place. And the same can be said of growing up under a strap wielding dysfunctional parent in that time and place. But if Bair thinks he should stop what he is doing to write a book about such an untypical life I ask that he at least go a writerly step further by giving us one or two characters with whom we can identify or care for.

I had this book several years before I actually bothered to read it, and once I opened it up, I couldn't put it down. It was absolutely marvelous. I, too, am a farm boy who later became a journalist. While some of the choices he made were different than the ones I made, and many of the circumstances were different, I could really relate to this story. Actually, after reading this, it made me think that I ought to get off my buns and try to write a book.

First things first. You'll simply have to disregard the Kirkus review of this book, because it's wide of the mark by several country miles. "Good Land" is not a book listing the grievances of a son against against a domineering father or that son's miserable childhood. It's about a family making the best of what they have to work with and facing the daily reality that working together under trying circumstances doesn't often bring about blissful harmony. It's a well-told, familiar tale to those who have lived it, and it is these people who will appreciate the honest look at the art of wrestling with the land and weather to make a living. It's as if the Kirkus reviewer holds the belief that farm families live an idyllic existence far from the cares of the city. Well, that has never been so, and never will be. Speaking from experience, I know that the working relationships of farming fathers and sons can be volatile. I also know that there is no fiercer love on earth.

Though I've never met Bruce Bair, I know him in the way all Kansas farm people know each other, whether they've stayed on or strayed from the farm. This book speaks to me like nothing else I've read lately. Since my father watched the births of three daughters and a stillborn son before he got his farmer, my sisters and I were proudly pressed into service. So I, too, have witnessed the wrench-throwing, stomping-mad tempers of a man pressed to the wall by ripening wheat, milo waiting to be planted, broken-down machinery, and cattle needing to be tended to. I know the eerie hypnotism of hour after hour alone on a tractor in the middle of a vast expanse of land, with only dust devils for company. The longing for an afternoon at the "pee-filled paradise" of the nearest public swimming pool, as the author so aptly puts it. The unspoken hierarchy of farmers -- the hardest workers, the hardest drinkers, the shrewdest land-grabbers. This book is the reality of farming life; good and bad, and yes, downright nasty sometimes. But what the reader ultimately comes away with is awareness of the abiding tie between farmers and the land and each other.

This book is designed for the average guy or gal off the street (from high school age to adult)to learn the bare basics about Ozarks Civil War heritage. Elite scholars may find it too simple, but hey... history belongs to all our citizens, not just professors and other professionals.

"Civil War in the Ozarks" by Phillip W. Steele is an excellent read, and is written for the average reader who wants to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the Civil War. I enjoyed this book!

A "must read" for anyone interested in the Civil War in general, and the Civil War in the Ozarks region in particular. I especially liked Steele's writing style. Steele has a talent for delivering a lot of historical information while keeping the reader turning the pages wanting to know more. A very good book!

I ordered this book several weeks ago, before the review alluding to the heavy Christian theme had been posted. I, too, wish I had had some indication of the book's very religious content. I think a statement on the back cover of the book best sums up what potential readers may want to know: I Can't Find a Heartbeat invites all who are grieving the loss of an unborn child to sit at the feet of Jesus and allow Him to heal your broken heart.

I had a miscarriage several months ago, so naturally I could relate to Melissa's struggle to find comfort and answers. I just couldn't personally relate to the very religious journey she took in order to find both.

This book is the sometimes painful, sometimes hopeful recounting of one woman's journey to parenthood. This journey includes fertility treatments, two miscarriages, and a tentative pregnancy. The story focuses around the author's first and second miscarriage and her struggle with grieving and understanding.

This book has a VERY Christian viewpoint. There are very few pages without bible verse on them. A great deal of Melissa's struggle is with her relationship with God. I don't think this is a bad thing in this book, and I know many Christian women will relate with Melissa, but it may alienate others.

I, for one, wish I had been "warned" of the heavy God/bible/church focus of the book. When I ordered it from Amazon, there was no description, just one reader review. From that review, I felt that the book would be very helpful for me to read seeing as I have experienced 4 miscarriages myself. I was taken aback by the Christian focus, but I did read the book from cover to cover, and found that Melissa and I shared many thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Melissa does a good job of describing the grieving process, and she does a reasonable job of explaining the causes of miscarriages.

If you've had a miscarriage, you will get something from this book. If you have had a miscarriage and are deeply Christian, you will get A LOT out of this book.

This is the second book of Melissa Hanson's I have read. I know she had a big part in bringing me back to God. Over the years I had strayed and with the lose of my 3 babies and all the death and God questions I was getting from our three boys. I felt I needed to find out more. This is a highly religious account and Melissa isn't telling us her thoughts on the bible or Jesus, she is only telling us what is in the bible. She is right on target with all of her stages of grief. If I could meet her I would hug her. Her other book "When Mourning Breaks" She didn't have any living children and I was heartbroken for her. Then when I bought this book I was rejoicing with her. In this society today it is hard to find people that understand what you are going through and through her books, Melissa became a friend. Please consider this a very supportive book but also very Christian based. I needed the reassurance that I will see my babies again someday.

This book is well-organized for touring Kansas--It describes things in the order you will pass them on each major highway. It does have lots of trivia, but about 2/3 of the information is geological; much of the rest is historical. Natural history, other than geology, is poorly covered. Unfortunately, even much of the geological information is not explained well or given any context or interpretation. Obviously a tremendous amount of work and research was put into the book, but it ends up seeming like a long list of geological feature names and obscure historical trivia. Interesting, but not really informative on a profound level.

If you are touring Kansas, have plenty of time, and are very interested in geology or fossils, this is the book for you. If you are touring Kansas, and have an interest in history, it is okay. If you have an interest in wildlife, plants, or generalized natural history, it won't be of much value.

Easy is the word that describes this book. The mile markers, bridges, towns, and other landmarks makes this text THE guide for the investigator from out of state. The museums described were excellent sources of information with plenty of friendly people to guide you toward additional landmarks. The roadcuts were full of described fossils, even my teen daughter found bags full of whole shellfish that littered the byways.
A small amount of research before hand can pay off big time in collecting the best fossils still on the back roads of America. Take this book along and the trip through Kansas will be one that you will remember for years to come.

I found Roadside Kansas by chance in the gift shop at the Old Mill in Lindsborg. I had been showing my wife and daughter some of the sights I knew about from growing up in Ellinwood, Kansas which is located right on the Santa Fe Trail (Highway 56).

Little did I know what a treasure we had found. Beginning as a geological research project by the authors the book took on a life of its' own as a very nice directory of various interesting attractions and oddities in Kansas. Its' photographs also prove to readers once and for all that Kansas IS NOT FLAT.

The first item of note we found was that we were just minutes from Coronado Heights, named after the Spanish explorer. We also found that wheel ruts from wagons traveling the Santa Fe Trail were still visible only a few miles east of my hometown. And I found that after having spent the better part of 27 years driving past and through Fort Zarah that the old cemetery still exists just north of the park out in a field only a few yards from where I had spent many evening hours with female companionship. Imagine my surprise!

Additionally, we found that about 25 miles west of Castle Rock, which I had visited and photographed many times while in college at Fort Hays, are what is known as the Kansas or Chalk Pyramids (just off Highway 83).

Needless to say I was excited and impressed. We spent the rest of our trip running the roads looking for mile markers and the treasures that lay beyond.

The book is laid out quite simply. Find the highway number you are traveling and what mile marker you are at and the book tells you what attraction is coming up with excellent directions for the directionally impaired. Oh, and I guess the geological information is pretty good too.

Since I found this text in 1995 I have wholeheartedly recommended it to anyone traveling the Land of Ahs, both visitor and resident, and all have been impressed. If you like to seek out items of interest off the beaten path, then this is your guide. I only wish those guys would do a book like this for every state in the Union.