I own most of the books in this series (may my ex-husband enjoy those other volumes) and have read the entire series three times. There is not a bad book in this entire series. Porter's storytelling is superb. He weaves subplots with the best of the masters! His character development is astounding. You will find yourself loving and hating his imaginary people just as though they were alive and messing around in your world. His stories pull you in at the beginning and keep you riveted to your seat. It is all but impossible to put down one of his books, even long enough for a bathroom break. The thing I enjoy most about Porter's writing is the way he involves your emotions. You cannot remain detached while reading this series. The books propel you forward to the next in the series. But I do recommend that you read them in order. They are much better that way.

I contacted the publisher to see if there are any plans to reprint the series. They said they do not anticipate a reprinting, so what's on the market now is all there will ever be of this series. You should order your set now while there are still a few copies available. You can find all the issues right here at Amazon. Once the world figures out that this is a collector's set, the price will go through the roof.

This book is an essential first step in the research of the Choctaw people and culture. Clara Sue Kidwell, herself a Choctaw Indian, has collected some hard-to-find but useful sources in the annotated bibilography

A study of how the educational policies of the United States government transformed native American tribes by creating a political and economic elite. Also, it shows the consequences of government educational policies on the Native American family

This book is not for everyone, but if you have a real interest in the history & culture of the Native Americans of the Southern U.S.(especially Mississippi)you ought to take a look. Cushman's first hand knowledge particularly of the Choctaws is extensive. Reading this will give you a better understanding and respect of a culture that deserved more inclusion in American History. Many of the legends and historical events are fascinating and are little known. It also helps to clear up some fallacies about all three tribes. Cushman does pontificate and ramble through much of this book, even though it is abridged specifically to eliminate much of this.There are some inaccuracies as well but all in all it is fascinating and may be the most accurate and detailed history of these people.

LIVING ON HOLSON CREEK, brings the memories flooding back! Being Neal's 6 year younger brother, as I read this journal, I re-lived the times, if not the specific escapades of Neal and Wylie. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I read it from cover to cover without so much as a break. Being raised with Neal on Holson Creek, I can recall hundreds of adventures yet to be told. Holson Creek was a wonderful place to be raised, Polly and Rubin were the perfect, loving parents,and looking back, R. C., Neal, Judy and Sandy were the perfect Brothers and Sister to have been raised with.

I do hope you will see fit to write another book soon. I loved this one, and believe me brother, YOU have a lot of things you need to confess to! I love ya Neal - your brother Ronnie

The definitive book on this famous helicopter. Over ten years of research went into it. Covered in detail are the design, use, and world-wide operational history. Included are hundreds of back+white and color pictures. Required reading for Sikorsky helicopter fans.

An excellent story of a teen boy, leaving the city and spending the summer with his grandma. The illustrations are incredible. From the front cover, watercolor, to inside, pen and ink, a juvenile will be directed to "live" the written experience.

This book tells the story of my family and other native peoples whose identities were essentially taken from them by Alabama politicians who over several decades mischaracterized them as "Cajans." My great grandfather (Seaborn Reid) and his extended family were living in post-Civil War Washington and Mobile Counties in southeast Alabama where, as free mixed Indian people, his ancestors had made their homes for many years, before the state began to deny their Indian heritage. Eventually, Seaborn would bring his whole family to Mississippi to escape the arbitrary and discriminatory treatment they experienced under Alabama's laws and practices respecting his people. Once in Mississippi, he and his clan were treated as white citizens, and his progeny slowly loss their awareness of their heritage as years went by. Until I read "They Say the Wind is Red," little of this history was known by anybody in the family.

So, whether your interest lies in the genealogy of Washington and Mobile County persons, or in the history of that region, or in what is a great telling of how native peoples' identity was taken from them and how they are now seeking to reclaim their rights as members of a tribal community, this is a must-read book.

Now in a newly revised edition which include a resource guide for Southeastern Indian genealogy, They Say The Wind Red: The Alabama Choctaw Lost In Their Own Land, by Jacqueline Anderson Matte (who testified as an expert witness before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearings for federal recognition of the Alabama Choctaw) is a compelling and accurate history of those Choctaw Indians who successfully remained in Alabama, when other southeastern Indian tribes were compelled to relocate to the American West during the 1830s. The Alabama Choctaw were a small band of Native Americans who were often mistaken as being either blacks or cajun, and who stayed in the swamps and pine woods of Mobile and Washington counties in spite of federal government's efforts to remove them. An invaluable addition to the growing library of Native American Studies, They Say The Wind Is Red is very highly recommended history of pride, love of land, danger, and a people's determination to endure and preserve their way of life in spite of severe and enduring hardships.

Nice follow-up to "Fields and Pastures New". As a Rural Southerner I particularly appreciated the way he delt with the issue of hunting. He is able to get away with "poking fun" at the rural South because he does so in a honest and respectful manner. You can tell he has "been there, done that".

I was raised about 60 miles from Choctaw county, Alabama. As a practicing veterinarian, I found so many of Dr. John's experiences similar to my own. This is a facinating profession and it is wonderful to see that it is the same most everywhere. Dr. McCormack seems to find the humor in most all situations that would be at the least frustrating for the rest of us. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a good belly laugh. It pokes fun at the rural South, but I can say from experience, he doesn't exaggerate all that much!!!

I loved this book. I am an animal lover and John McCormacks detication to his work just amazed me. I loved a Friend of the Flock, and it made a great topic for the essay I had to write for my english class. I hope more people are able to read it. I also hope my review is helpful to them.

LeAnne Howe's "Shell Shaker" is a novel that ties the present and the past generations together to show the importance of a community. Two political leaders, one from the 18th century and the other from the 20th century originally intend to do well for their communities but are later overtaken by greed. Both political leaders, Redford McAlester and Red Shoes, divide their communities by making war. With the help of the spirits the members of the communities must individually make sacrifices for the benefit of the whole community in order to obtain a balance between the tribes. The emotions of the characters in this novel range from romance to violence and murder. I enjoyed this novel because the characters have such an extensive list of emotions which caused me to identify with them as well as sympathize for them, therefore making each character seem real.

This book was really interesting. Being from France, it was really my first interaction with a Native writter or even with the Native' world. I had to read this amazing book for my Native American Class, this book really open my eyes on the Native World and the skills of Howe is simply amazing and she is simply a wonderful narrator. I would recommend anyone to read this amazing book.

Sincerly,

Nicolas from Nice, France

Shell Shaker, by LeAnne Howe is one of the best modern novels I have read in a long time. On a purely entertainment level, the plot was intriguing and kept me interested until the end. Howe's in-depth portrayal of each character ensured that not one of them was merely a plot device, and I found myself relating to at least one aspect or characteristic of almost every character. Shell Shaker is a beautiful hybrid of traditional Choctaw culture and modern storytelling methods. Howe masterfully balances the drama and subtly modern audiences look for, without downplaying native storytelling traditions. Shell Shaker has all the elements of an epic, including the hero-cycle, fantasy, romance, betrayal, death, birth and warfare, making the story one we can all relate to at some level through its literary archetypes. These archetypes are far from stale, however, as Howe gives them new context, new flavor, and new meaning. Howe's narrative transition between the two time periods flows well largely, I think, due to the connections she draws between the women in the two times. The parallel plot lines, characteristics and actions of the women in 1738 and in1991 helped to clarify each other and provided the reader with additional insights into each part of the story. Howe's skill amazed me in every way, and I truly enjoyed getting to know the places and the peoples she portrays in Shell Shaker.