Thepageturner's review (below) inspired me to get this book, and Marius's hypnotic writing kept me reading it, almost non-stop. This is a huge, panoramic novel of 1950's Tennessee, set in Bourbonville, also the setting for After the War, and involving later generations of some of the same families. Hope Kirby's killing of his wife and her lover start the spiralling action in this thoughtful, but exciting, novel and provide the forum for the author's extended study of the different ways we define justice and seek retribution.

Charles Alexander, a college student and newspaper reporter who accidentally witnesses the double murder, escapes being executed by Kirby only because he promises not to tell what he's seen. Charles, however, eventually becomes overwhelmed with guilt and confesses to the sheriff that he was a witness. While this action might seem on the surface to be clearly a correct action, it is not so simple in Bourbonville, where many believe the "code of the hills" is inviolate and Charles's breaking of his word of honor to be a serious betrayal. Even the clergy get in on the action, some advocating that he retract his statement, and Charles finds himself with few friends and even fewer supporters.

Plenty of drama, and even melodrama, keep the reader going, and the pages fly by, as we become totally caught up in the plot and in the lives of the characters, all of whom face demons of some sort. Marius is a master of keeping mysteries alive and making us understand and care for these characters, even those we dislike or consider misguided, because he makes us share their experiences, often through flashbacks. The complexities of religious faith, which we see as Charles and many other characters battle their doubts, are brought into sharp focus as we also share the traumas many characters have experienced during World War II, traumas still affecting both their earthly and spiritual lives. Marius takes on the big questions and provides a fascinating novel in which love and justice sometimes seem ineffable goals in a society which often honors tradition and shared community values far more than humanity and individual worth.

A Murder Of Honor is a fast-paced legal drama not to be missed! It will have the reader swiftly turning the pages--the 3rd book in this compelling trilogy by the the 'late' great storyteller Richard Marius. The story will take the reader back in time to the '50's where a W.W.II hero kills his unfaithful wife-- the witness, a young man soon to become a man of the cloth-- a question of right or wrong pursues on the much debated issue 'the oath of silence'...

A wonderful book, on a par with the work of Ferrol Sams and T.R.
Pearson, set in Bourbonville, Tennessee (a fictionalized
Lenoir City) 25 miles SW of Knoxville. An excellent sense of
place and time, the third book in a trilogy starting with The
Coming of Rain (Bourbonville in 1885) and followed by After the
War (Bourbonville 1917-1927 or so). Affair of Honor takes place
in the mid-1950s and after (saying when might give away some of
the plot)--characters, children and grandchildren of characters
from the other two novels appear here. In many ways this is the
richest and most tapestried of the three books. As with the
books of Ferrol Sams and T.R. Pearson, this is one you look
forward to rereading a year from now.

Not only is this book helpful, it is very interesting. There were parts where I couldn't stop laughing. I shed a few tears on some pages. I really learned a lot about the State of Tennessee.
It's the kind of book you can carry with you and read anytime.

The title of Lacey's new book might well be "Everything you ever wanted to know about Tennessee, but couldn't find elsewhere." Crammed full of interesting and little-known facts about the Volunteer State, the book is sure to be a hit with trivia buffs. Everything is in here, from historic information about the 1877 rainstorm of snakes in Memphis to current listings of the state's best fishing streams. This book will make a great "stocking stuffer," and it's out just in time for Christmas. Anyone who has the least connection to Tennessee should own this book and read it cover from cover. I'll guarantee you'll learn something about our great state you didn't know.

This is a really good book about a state I love to visit. I especially liked the chapter about the Civil War in Tennessee. One of the most fascinating stories involves Cravens House atop strategic Lookout Mountain. During the Battle of Chattanooga the house served as the headquarters for the Confederates and the Union on the same day. I think the tragedy and chaos that must come in little anecdotes like that really personalize a major conflict. There are tons of stories about real people and delightful destinations for day trips in this book.

Johnny Molloy's "Day and Overnight Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park" is a superb handbook for anyone wanting to hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In each trail description, he provides a map and rates all of the most popular hikes, including day and overnight loops, in distance, hiking time, difficulty, scenery, suitability for children, trail conditions, and solitude, as well as giving a brief summary of the outstanding features, such as waterfalls, mountains streams, rock formations, etc. He tells me everything I need to know to help me decide on a trail to hike. His book easily fits into my back pocket, so I always carry it and refer to it quite often during the hike. It's the best Smokies guidebook I've seen.

This book, particularly the useful rating system, helped us to make the most of our visit to GSMNP. Thanks to the precision of the directions we city folks didn't have to backtrack once during four days and over 30 miles of dayhiking the trails. Although I like the small size and the brevity, it would be useful if the book included elevation charts and more map detail. However, serious hikers should use a detailed topographical trail map to complement any guidebook.

I bought two hiking guidebooks for my recent trip to the Smokies. Molloy's book and Albrights' Hiking Great Smoky Mountains. I tried to use both of them, but time and time again I returned to Molloy. His guide is concise and you can quickly find what you're looking for without reading ten to twenty pages. His rating system, distance, and time charts are extremely valuable. His time estimates are a bit on the faster than average side, but you should allow extra time anytime you go hiking. Keep in mind too that most of the trails in the park involve going up and down hills as trails take you up to crests and ridges. Mainy of these trails would be hard to find on your own, with an overwhelming amount to choose from. I did trails in Tennessee including Injun Creek, Mount Cammerer, Sutton Ridge Overlook, and Walker Sisters Place. I would recommend doing a three or four hour hike before jumping to the six hour hikes. I think the only bad think about this book is after doing most of the hikes, you wish he would mention more.
As for the other reviews, Molloy spends a little time on suggesting you take rain gear, plenty of water/ water treatment tablets/filters. You don't need too much gear to just go hiking, but you should be prepared for nearly anything. I would say this book is geared to someone that has been hiking, backpacking before, but there is no reason a beginner couldn't benefit from using Molloy's guidebook. You can always ask a park ranger where to find various wildlife, but spend any amount of time on the trail, especially quietly, you're bound to run into some of the diverse wildlife found in the Great Smoky Mountains.

"Recommended for visitors who want to research a trip ahead of time and take the book along for repeated reference. An outdoors-oriented guide which includes all the best fishing spots, hiking trails in largely uncharted areas and whitewater rafting. An excellent guide." The Bookwatch

"...intended for the adventure-minded travelers with special affection for the outdoors and nature. Each Adventure Guide packs in outdoor-oriented activities set in different regions. There's something for nearly everyone." Midwest Book Review

"[Adventure Guides] direct you away from the theme parks and into the great outdoors... the information on trekking routes, canoeing, wildlife refuges - even golf courses - is well researched." The Sunday Telegraph

I grew up around the area he is speaking of in this book. I remember many of these things happening myself. I was so glad to know I was not the only one to experience these strange things. I loved this book! I can't wait to buy more!

This is a fascinating book. The places are real (and some are rather creepy) and the stories are supposedly true. Every story will draw you in. The history and research the author did was extensive. This is a book you could very well (regretfully) finish in one sitting.

I was born and raised in Kingsport and I even met the author of this book when he came to my high school in 1996. The name is a little hokey but the book is extremely well written and the research is very good, it even includes some newspaper clippings. This book is well worth the price and the read!

If Mark Twain comes back from the dead to write a guidebook of the state where he was conceived (in Jamestown, as Bradley explains on p. 196), then buy that. But old Sam Clemens would be wasting his time, because in Moon Handbooks: Tennessee, Bradley's already written the "Life on the Mississippi" of Tennessee travel guides.

Like "Mississippi," Bradley's "Tennessee" is so fascinating in in its details and anecdotes that I kept finding myself reading far more than I "needed" to for the travel at hand. And like Clemens, who clearly wrote from a genuine love of the river and the bygone steamboat days that he wanted to capture on paper, all of Bradley's local lore and country cookery reviews and sidebars on everything from roots musicians to the development of the the atom bomb in Oak Ridge...well, these all swirl together to create a sort of love song to the author's native state.

Bradley isn't afraid to criticize where criticism is due--look at his coverage of the outlandish developments near the Smokies. But even then, it's clear his concerns are not based on some disaffected political agenda, but from a genuine, familial concern for a cousin who has lost his way. Consequently, Gatlinburg doesn't "outrage" Bradley, it breaks his heart because of its failed potential. And even then, Bradley doesn't just sneer and proceed into the pristine National Park, shaking Galinburg's dust from his feet. Just as any good family member will make a point of telling you that old yellow-eyed aunt Ruth used to knock 'em dead at the USO dances and can still cook a mean casserole and belt out a showtune, Bradley lingers and explores Gatlinburg on its own terms. He points out its cherished place in many Volunteer hearts (including his own) as a childhood wonderland, and shows that he's not above enjoying the small simple pleasures of a candy shop, or even the more garish wonders of Ripley's aquarium.
If you don't know Tennessee, you won't find a more comprehensive introduction to the entire state. And if you already love Tennessee...you'll find all of the states most endearing qualities captured between the covers--and in the spirit--of this book.

I have the first edition of this book, and I've raved about it to my circle of friends. I heard this third edition was vastly improved, and I doubted this, but figured I couold always give it as a gift.
This book is going nowhere but to a choice space in my book shelf!
It covers more material, has a format which invites digging deeper into a topic at hand, highlights special topics, has a clearer type face, and is simply loaded with URL's for further cyber digging. I got out my Tennessee Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme mapping, a topo coverage of Tennesee, my state, and put a "mark" by all the towns and villages Mr. Bradley covered. Not a page without copious markings. What a living history exprience.

He begins in the East as our state did, moves west, and brings out information about people, about the locale, gives historic facts and loads of human interest materal. He covers the Civil War as it progresses in various locations and is in fact more historical than a course or two I've had in Higher Eduction. And READABLE!! His wry, delightful humor graces most every entry. And as you follow this through the topo maps you SEE how history unfolds. Now I know where the Cumberland Gap is, I know where the mysterious Melungeons 'are', I've followed the tragic trail of tears, I know where to find barbeque all across Tennessee etc etc. I know where that terrific meteorite hit Tennessee, where biggie dinosaur fossils are found etc. .
What a book! What a marvelous travel companion, what a history of my state. And I have a store house of "stories and tales" I'll make good use of.
If you have an interest in Tennessee and can get only one book: THIS is it! Hands down. I'm grateful to Mr Bradley for doing it.
Hap Eliason

I'm a lifetime Tennesseean, and I couldn't put Mr. Bradley's book down. I know Middle Tennessee and the Smokies fairly well, but as I got into his marvelous book I couldn't believe one author could capture and capsulate so much in such limited space. I've garnered information about my State- so much new to me- that it just blew me away--some info right at my doorstep, so to speak. About locales I know fairly well his presentation is right on target. I especially value the boxes about history, personalities, buildings etc. Don't hesitate. Buy the book!

The best thing I like about Molloy's book is that it tells me a lot of great new places to explore. I found Montgomery Bell State Park and it was just like he described. My family and I enjoyed the lakes, trails and especially the campground. Buy this book if you to branch out and see some new sites in Tennessee and Kentucky!

This book opened my eyes to all the camping destinations in Tennessee and Kentucky. I live in Knoxville, TN and had no idea all of these possibilities were around me!

Being so near the Smokies, I just always went there, but now I have branched out in my tent camping endeavors, checking out such places as Turkey Foot campground in Kentuckys' Daniel Boone National Forest. Mammoth Cave National Park also has a great tent campground, Houchins Ford.
My own state of Tennessee has cool destinations like Meriwether Lewis Memorial on the Natchez Trace. I always disdained west Tennessee but was surprised to find Fort Pillow State Park on the bluffs of the Misissippi River. Buy this book if you want to expand your tent camping horizons in Tennessee and Kentucky.
I highly recommend this book -- Molloy makes the information so engaging and interesting as well.

I have known Johnny Molloy for nearly 20 years and he is one camping fool -- he has camped all over the place. And when he finally wrote a campground guidebook for his home state of Tennessee I just had to buy it.

Sure enough it's a winner.

Johnny covered all the highlights of Tennessee -- from the bluffs of the mighty Mississippi River at Fort Pillow to the wild shoreline of the Nolichucky River in East Tennessee.

I have taken him up on his recommmendation to hit Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area, which Tennessee shares with Kentucky -- that place will surprise. Check it out. Johnny's got 4 campgrounds from LBL detailed in the book, among 60 total campgrounds.

I haven't yet explored Kentucky yet, but am planning a trip to Mammoth Cave and the Daniel Boone National Forest. Actually, I have the feeling Johnny is going to lead me to a lot of places I've never been!

When I started reading books about Elvis, I began to take notes on where he'd lived, played, recorded, etc., knowing one day I'd travel there. Then I discovered this book! Mike and Cindy had done the work for me. The book is not only well written, but there are informative stories AND they tell you if a place has been demolished, or moved -- information that saved me a lot of time. After reading the book I decided that I HAD to take Mike's tour of Memphis -- it was well worth it. I had a glorious time -- Mike is a walking Elvis-encyclopedia (and fun too!). After the tour, my niece, who was traveling with me said, "well, I think we've done it all and seen it all"! And yes, thanks to Mike and Cindy, we had.

This is the ultimate read for any Elvis fan. Especially if they are going to spend any time in Memphis. It's eerie, even chilling, to walk the grounds where Elvis walked as a teenager, and even during stardom. This is a step-by-step narrative of how to find nearly every address related to Elvis in Memphis, and every one of them with a used-to-be secret. It's really cool!

I had this book on my bedstand for months as a gift from my wife. Once I picked it up and read the first page, I couldn't put it down. Every page is loaded with "Man, If I would've only
known."

But you better hurry! These sites are rapidly falling by the wayside. As we saw in a store window in Memphis, you can contact the authors for a personalized tour. Although we haven't taken it, this would be a way-cool afternoon.

Thank you Cindy Hazen and Mike Freeman,
Dave-n-Tina Campbell
Mt. Vernon, Texas

Memphis Elvis Style Cindy Hazen and Mike Freeman A phenomenal number of books have been written about Elvis. Recently it would seem that ever more such books are being published. Some are just rehashes of the same old story; others are the recollections of a five-minute fling, being as much a flight of phantasy as a worthwhile document; a few, a very few, are really worth buying and can be returned to again and again. "Memphis Elvis Style" by Memphis residents Cindy Hazen and Mike Freeman is most definitely one of the latter. It has not been launched under a blaze of publicity, but it is nevertheless an almost indispensable addition to the Elvis library. "Memphis Elvis Style" is, in fact, a guide book of Elvis related sites in and around Memphis. The no less than 129 sites have been cleverly organised firstly by their chronological relationship with Elvis and then further grouped by type. In addition, maps and an index help searching both in the book and in Memphis itself as simple as possible. And if this wasn't already enough, each entry contains detailed instructions on how to find its site and exactly what to expect, many buildings having been flattened or modified in the course of the years. But the book is also for those who have never been or never will go to Memphis. Cindy and Mike have achieved this by expanding each entry with some background information and an anecdote directly relating it to Elvis. This additional information provides some excellent reading and is sometimes quite amusing - I particularly liked the story of Elvis's visit to his local McDonald's with girlfriend Linda Thompson., but there are lots more stories and Elvis lore to satisfy all readers, even those looking for information about Hi Records, car dealerships, and just about everything else associated with Elvis in Memphis. Definitely a book to get! David Neale September 199

AS AN AVID CANOEIST AND CANOE BUILDER, I FOUND SHERWIN'S BOOK TO CONTAIN MORE THAN ANY CANOEIST NEEDS TO HAVE A FUN AND SAFE FLOAT TRIP. HER INFO ABOUT THE STREAMS IS CORRECT, COULD ONLY COME FROM HAVING BEEN THERE. THIS IS "MUST" BOOK FOR STREAM ANGLERS TOO.

Canoeing in Tennessee is a great resource for canoers of all levels. The maps of rivers and how to find them are detailed and accurate; the author also highlights the local flora and fauna and historic aspects of each segment of water she illustrates. There are lots of books on whitewater canoeing in Tennessee, but this is the only current one I've found on "quiet water" paddling. I highly recommend it for all levels of canoers

As a resident of Washington state who enjoys the natural beauty of the area, I found this book to be a most helpful and inspiring guide. The authors are knowledgable about the natural history of the region, and the text is accompanied by many beautiful photographs. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone planning to visit the area for the first time, or to residents of the Northwest who want to learn more about the natural bounty that their region has to offer.

As a resident of Washington state who loves the natural beauty of the region, I've found this to be the most helpful, informative and nicely illustrated guide to the natural areas of Washington and Oregon. The book is well written, with beautiful photographs, and has not only inspired me to visit a lot of new places but has enriched my experience of those places I was already familiar with. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone planning on visiting the Northwest --- and especially to those already living here!