I am only 3/4 through in 5 hours last evening. Will continue this evening! A page turner, and interesting learning: as Dr. Bodson learns, we too, learn. Recommend for ALL readers! Dr. Bodson was a professor of mine in college and his writing is as he speaks - concise and not to be forgotten after a first read (or listen.)

This is a fascinating book about a subject too few people know anything about. The book is extremely well written by a very thoughtful author. It's history but it reads like a novel. Excellent!

I re-read this book not long ago, and on a recent trip to Belgium, I made a point of taking a day to visit the places where the author was active during the war. This book made it all come alive.

I borrowed the book from a family friend and could not put it down! I hung on every suspenseful turn. Mr. Bodson's account was brutally honest and extremely informative. I learned a great deal about the true face of the war and many detailed events I never would have imagined. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in underground tactics or a love of war stories. An incredible journey!

I am a "California Yankee" whose favorite view of Texas has usually been through the rear view mirror - I should not have liked this book. But as a retired military officer, I was enthralled by Martha Crabb's graphic telling of men at war. Her obviously well documented and researched stories about the brutal fighting conditions, starvation, and primitive medical care gave me a real respect for the combatants of the civil war era and just how much some parts of warfare have changed for the better. And her description of broken government promises, bureaucratic obstacles, and the occasional incompetent leader, showed how much has remained the same. This book would make a great movie

Any Texan interested in the state's role during the Civil War, and certainly any Civil War enthusiast will find much to enjoy in Ms. Crabb's detailed account of this little-known aspect of that bloody conflict. She doesn't shy aware from reporting just how terrible a conflict it was, but she humanizes it by following, mile by agonizing mile, the Ninth Texas from its formation, through each of its battles and conflicts, until she brings the survivors home. Her book is meticulously annotated and documented, leaving little doubt as to her sources and her extensive research. Even long-time Civil War buffs are guaranteed many new insights into this unit. Particularly interesting are the reports of daily life of the ordinary boys and young men who made up the Ninth Texas Cavalry, the ordeals they faced just to survive, and the extraordinary courage they showed as they battled Union troops, fatigue, ravenous hunger, and homesickness. Because of the distance back to Texas, most never returned until the conflict ended; hundreds of others were buried throughout the South. Through her book, Martha Crabb once again brings alive the terrible toll exacted by this Civil War, describing battles and wounds until the reader can hear echos of the cannon and the screams of the wounded. It's not a pretty picture she describes, but it's once which every American should face once again.

Afraid he might miss GLORIOUS war, Reuben silently escapes from Pa's farm to join the Texas Cavalry. Through four years of the American Civial War Reuben and his fellow soldiers suffer HIDEOUS war without adequate food, clothing, and arms. Often led by fools, they fought heat, cold, measles, dysentery, and Indians, yet they never waver in their courage and dedication. Many of the men of the Ninth Texas Cavalry had lived in Texas only a few months, at most a couple of years - yet Texas Pride permeates the story. Meticulously researched, Ms Crabb has used letters and diaries written by the men of the Ninth to tell the story. All Afire to Fight reads like a modern best selling thriller. It is filled with action, pathos, and undiluted horror as told by the men who did the fighting.

Amazing Grace received the 2003 Western Heritage Award (Poetry Category) from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Amazing Grace received the prestigious 2003 Western Heritage Award (poetry category) from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The sixty-four poems in this collection, the second book from up-and-coming Texas poet Larry D. Thomas, probe the complex interrelations between the land and the creatures that inhabit it. The book won the 2001 Texas Review Poetry Prize and it is easy to see why these lean, sharp-edged poems were selected by the judges. Geographically and thematically, Amazing Grace encompasses all that is integral to Texas and Texans, while at the same time transcending the merely regional to explore universal human truths.

The collection is divided into four sections, each of which anatomizes a particular region of the state. The first quarter of the book, Their Heaven of Bleakness, is set in West Texas. It is the most tightly-knit of the four sections. Opening with a poem entitled "'Of Dust Thou Art'" and closing with "'And to Dust Thou Shalt Return,'" these twenty pieces are linked by interwoven themes of living and dying-the springing from the soil of life, death's return to the land, the miracle of rebirth from earth's dark womb-and by the ever-present tie between the dry West Texas country and its drought-resistant denizens. The imagery of these powerful lyric poems is as rugged as the Guadalupe Mountains and their language cuts like a blue norther, bone-deep. Here be turkey vultures, rattlesnakes, claret cup cactus, cattle, and above all an unconquerable people who "take to their gritty beds, / ease the quilts of grandmas / over their leathery bodies / like slabs of red earth, and they pray."

The setting for the second quarter of the collection, Near the Big Thicket, moves east across the Balcones Escarpment into the shadow of the Piney Woods. The dark shadows of the pines are echoed in these twenty pieces by a deeper darkness that underlies so much of the human experience. In "The Slough," Thomas interweaves concrete natural imagery of death's rank decay with the figurative putrefaction of original sin so that the poem becomes an extended metaphor whose vehicle is the dark bayou and whose tenor is the human condition. The viewpoint character of the piece "can hear / the muffled steady engine of its rot" as the slough "works its timeless wonders / under still, dark waters. Its film / has already claimed his pale, blue eyes."

In the third quarter of the collection, At the Jetty's End, Thomas revisits the Gulf coast that he portrayed with such poignancy in his debut collection, The Lighthouse Keeper (Timberline Press 2001). The ten pieces in this section are filled with a tone of longing that contrasts nicely with the dark tone of the poems in section two. The land-dwelling speakers and viewpoint characters of these bittersweet lyrics seek with varying degrees of success to merge themselves with the sea. "Mooring Line," a piece reprinted from Thomas's debut collection, addresses the difficulty of making this connection-and its tenuousness once the connection is achieved. The controlling image of the poem, the mooring line of the title, lies half-buried in sand, "sponging the screams and fleeting / shadows of the gulls, / tethering uselessness / to the slow, consuming pull / of ruin."

The fourth quarter of the book, A Short Distance from the Border, circles back to far West Texas like one of the hawks Thomas uses so effectively in these high desert poems. The fourteen pieces in this final section celebrate the diversity of the West Texas and Northern Mexico country and its people with subjects ranging from bikers and tattoo artists to young boxers to the "chocolate eyes of young mothers / so comfortable with death / they candy its skulls / for the tongues of bronze children." In "El Camino del Rio," Thomas employs the Rio Grande as a metaphor for the geography the river has carved and the cultures and peoples it has nourished. Some, like the Apaches, have gone to "the places of no return" so that "Only / the screams of hawks, bouncing / ad infinitum off the canyon walls, / sound as if they belong."

As promised in the title, the poems of Amazing Grace are rendered with a poise that almost belies the strength of the language and images from which they are made. Thomas has captured the spirit that underlies the physical geography of the land and the hearts of the people who have helped to shape it. In the dust from which his characters spring, and the "rich / red fields / of deep lineage" that so patiently await their return, lie the beginning and end of us all.

My sister, a nearby neighbor of Jan Brett's, discovered this book and sent it to my then 5-year old son for his birthday. Bo's nearsighted adventures entertain; and his being lost and not knowing he's lost delights my son. Most children will envy Bo's adventure to the rodeo and understand his curioisity. Having developed quite the Texas "accent and attitude" while reading this book, it's at the top of our list of all-time favorites. Thank you Jan Brett!

In my opinion, this is one of Jan Brett's best. Her thorough research aided in her creating a book my second grade, rural,Texas students really enjoyed reading. So much media gives a distorted view of Texas life. This book gave a picture that my kids could relate to. Bo, the armadillo, searched for adventure in a setting that truly depicted our Texas countryside, from the prickly pear cactus to the bluebonnets. Bo's troubles finding a friend made the children laugh and want to read to find out what would happen next. I plan to use this book in my classroom for many years to come

Bo is a lovable Texas armadillo who longs for adventure. Because he is near sighted, he mistakes a cowboy boot for a fellow armadillo. Together they romp through the Texas countryside. All the while, Bo's mother is looking for her missing son. You'll love reading about Bo's adventures. I attended a luncheon at which Jan Brett described how she went about writing this book. She and her husband went to Texas and researched the region and life style. Hearing her story of the background search greatly enhanced my pleasure in reading this book to my first grade students.

This book is full of funny short anecdotes with lessons to be learned. It is highly recommended for the person on the go. And who's not? The stories are light and breezy, only 2 to 3 pages in length, so if need be, one can put the book down but it won't be by choice.

Mr. Sumerlin's common sense approach to life's problems is a breath of fresh air. One would think that the neighborly, value driven "Barber-osophies" defined by Mr. Summerlin would be a naturally occurring thing, but everyday interaction with people and buisnesses show that they are not. Mr. Summerlin shows show practicing such credos can lead to a happy and productive life.

The philosophy behind Barberosophy is that, with keen observation, extraordinary life lessons can be learned from everyday settings and ordinary people. The author takes an opportunity to draw principles of human relations, happiness, and success from daily encounters in his barbershop. Because this book is formatted into short vignettes, I found the stories and lessons to be accessible, and the book hard to put down! The author writes with an easy, down-to-earth style and a wit as intellegent as it is funny. I highly recommend this book for anyone who's become bored with the standard self-improvement niche books- but would appreciate a perceptive insight on human nature.

In a way only Jory Sherman can fulfill, he takes you on an incredible journey, through a raging storm in the Gulf of Mexico, to settle the vast, arid, Apache stalked land of Texas. A fantastic read!

Sherman brings history to life, and paints a scene the way an artist would approach a canvas. Perhaps the best of modern Western lore. Sherman is at his best in this one. A compelling story, with dimensional characters you hate to leave

After reading Grass Kingdom, I waited for this addition to Sherman's series on a historical look at the early Texas years and found it to be another great Jory Sherman saga. The character of Martin Baron and his effort to build his own western kingdom was great. The flavor of Spain the character Miguel Fuentes added was wonderful seasoning.

This collection of stories was wonderful. Every story was different and the book features a wide range of stories and emotions. I felt transported to a different time and place.

This is a great collection of stories ranging from family tales to folktales.Among my favorite were:John Henry Faulk's "Mrs. Fanny Rollins and her fake rubber bosoms," an old celtic legend of Finn McCoul is quiet but very powerful, Jay Stailey's stories jumped off the page with humor as did Finley Stewart's four offerings.Sometimes sad, often wildly funny the book gives us a glimpse of who we all are as human beings. My husband and I keep it by the bed for a quick reread f a story every now and then.Where can I find more like this?

I found this a WONDERFUL book! The stories are new and great. Perfect for adults and children, these are great stories to read to your kids before they go to sleep. But after they do, you'll keep reading for you!

I like to go to the Mosquito Cafe in Galveston to hear Bill Cherry tell stories. The coffee and scones are great. But the main attraction is the pure pleasure of hearing Bill tell stories about a quirky island off the Texas Coast that has been home to famous pirates, gamblers, bamboozlers and other assorted characters. The stories in this book originally were published in The Galveston County Daily News. As the editor, I can tell you they passed the muster of tough critics. These are the kind of stories islanders like to read about themselves. The stories Bill tells so well at the cafe over coffee are here in this book. It's not exactly the same as a trip to the cafe, but it's mighty close.

I've never read a book quite like this, and I doubt you have either. It's a collection of sixty essays, catagorized by subject: Love, Humor, Nostalgia, History, Hurricanes, Religion, Characters and Memories. And these tales could have as easily been written by Daymon Runyon as they were by this talented story teller, Bill Cherry.

Consider some of the titles: "Joe Pajucie, His Red Cadillac and the Four Cheap-Looking Women;" "At Miss Dorothy's: Arthur and Summer Saw the Midnight Sun;" "Baby Doll Pajamas, Spoolies and Tabu Marked Rites of Passage;" Smooching Can Make a Boy and Girl Say Things They Don't Really Mean;" and "Rose, Curly, the Priest and the Doctor above the Dime Store.

And then there's one simply titled "Homer Sectuals." It's about a circa 1954 mayor inviting some teenage boys, who one night were sitting at a drugstore soda fountain, to go with him for a raid he was staging at a public men's room on the beach. Since they had never heard the term "homosexuals" before, the boys thought Homer Sectuals was a dangerous wanted criminal, so they took the mayor up on his offer. This cops and robbers story is a scream because the homophobic mayor gets his just due.

If you've lived or visited Galveston, you may have a 10% advantage on those of us who haven't, but this book is a wonderful experience for readers everywhere, and what makes it exceptional is that these stories are totally non-fiction!

Only in America can one person grow up in a city, remember the details almost to the letter, and then WRITE about his friends, fellow citizens, interesting characters, etc. as Bill Cherry has done. He brings the past, and in some cases the present, to life in Galveston. Anyone who finds people of all kinds interesting will find this book INTERESTING! I am Professor Emeritus of Music, University of North Texas and have followed Bill's career rather closely through the years!

This isn't just a cookbook, it's a visual feast. Just reading the recipes makes you want to run to the kitchen and rattle the pots and pans. It is a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves to cook or even someone who doesn't, because it tempts you into trying each and every dish. Easy steps, well explained and palate pleasing. You won't be sorry and you will be the envy at every dinner party. GET IT NOW!!!

This is a great cookbook. I've had time to experiment with several of the recipes and am very pleased with the results I've obtained. I can't wait to entertain again - this stuff is great! Thanks!

This book has delightful and tasty receipes. It is for the discriminating cook as well as those of us that are more "common" with our talents. The variety will carry you through the year and still have a good surprise for New Years dinner the next year. Check out the photos and you will see how down home cooking can be presented elegantly!

It has been a few years since I have read my autographed copy that I also purchased at the Alamo. The book is an excellent read for any Texas History buff! John Knaggs certainly did his homework! Would love to see more works from this author, especially one on my favorite subject, the Texas Rangers (Not the baseball club!).

This is a superb book! I bought it and got it autographed by the author while visiting the Alamo with my wife (a Texan). As an introduction to the history of Texas, this is a real gem.

The fictional characters added to the real history are interesting and serve well their purpose in the book as presenting the story as if it could have been really seen from the real actors. The only thing I would have like is a little "Prologue" telling us what happened after the Battle of the San Jacinto Plains but I guess other books go into these details.

Highly recommended for people interested in learning more about Texas and, well, in history in general!!

To my knowledge this is the only account of the Texas revolution in which both the Texan and Mexican viewpoints are revealed. The novel received solid reviews from local newspapers and an endorsement from the state of Texas, and the Library of Congress. An autographed copy may be obtained by calling the author himself at (512) 459-9404. My motivation behind writing this review is that I am quite proud of my father's work on this book and his knowledge of this historical period. The book is also sold at historical sights acroos the state of Texas.(The Alamo, San Jacinto Battlefield, Presidio La Bahia)