

Stalking the Wild Taboo

Most information I have found on Hardin Ct., KY

GREAT!

Details and Illustrations make this book a winner
An excellent short course in the history of the Texas RevoltThe author presents a well-balanced story of the revolution, with equal weight on the heroism and perfidy practiced on both sides. For example, I found myself equally moved by the valor of Colonel Travis and of General Castrillon. The butchery at Goliad and San Jacinto were equally repugnant.
I have only one regret. The book is simply too short. I found myself wanting more detail at almost every turn. Dr. Hardin's easy-to-read-style could have supported a longer book without the risk of ponderousness.
A Masterpiece: Beautifully written, easy to understandHardin's captivating writing style is the key to this book's success. He clearly describes events in colorful detail that provide a masterful interpretation of this key era in Texas History. His approach to the Texas Revolution has just the right mix of political, social, and military perspectives to provide a refreshing well-balanced look at the birth of Texas. It is a joy to read.
At last, the Battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto are put into their proper context with the Battles of Gonzales, Conception, San Antonio, Goliad, the Grass Fight, and the ill-fated Matamoros Expedition. Hardin expertly pieces these events and others together to form the patchwork quilt that is the Texas Revolution. The roles of unsung heroes like James Neill, Robert Williamson, and true military professionals like Mexican General Jose Urrea are finally brought to light. Hardin enables the readers to a new level of understanding about this difficult period.
Hardin's chapter on the Alamo is the most honest and detailed to date and is worth the cost of the book alone. Gary Zaboly's illustrations and Hardins narrative paint a picture that allows us to understand the detailed flow of the final assault.
Reading TEXIAN ILIAD is a MUST for all Texans and students of history. Not only is it extremely enjoyable reading, it is a well-balanced, accurately-told history. If I were a Texas history teacher, this would be my primary text.
Even though it doesn't read like a textbook.


Disappointing
As autobiographies go, this is a good oneHardin was one of the real, genuine hard cases, in those days. It is said that he killed at least a score of men. By some accounts, it was at least 40.
Hardin was born in 1853, the son of a Methodist preacher, who proudly christened him after their faith's founder. No doubt he was expected to follow a spiritual path. It was not to be. He killed his first man, a freed negro who was full of his new freedom, and was going to chastise Hardin with a club out of anger for losing a wrestling match to the boy and his cousin the day before. Hardin killed him with a revolver.
Texas was administered at the time--immediately after the War between the States--by Northern carpetbaggers, and Hardin's life as an outlaw commenced.
He was captured, eventually, in Florida by Texas Rangers and brought back to Texas where he served time in prison. He was obviously intelligent and more literate than the average. After his release, he became a lawyer, and so his autobiography reads well, with probably no more self-justification and self-aggrandizement than most autobiographies.
It is said that he had his pockets lined with leather, so that he could carry his pistols without wearing out his clothing. Not a carry method conducive to the idiotic Hollywood myth of the "fast draw."
John Wesley Hardin was a dangerous man with an ungovernable temper. His story, as told by himself, is more literate than most and highly readable. How well it adheres to the absolute truth is anyone's guess.
I found it most interesting.
Joseph Pierre
author, Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
Well-written autobiography of a cold-blooded killerThe story is very well-written (Hardin was a lawyer when he wrote it, during the brief time he survived once he was released from prison). As authentic western adventures go, this is a top-rate book. Hardin tells of cattledrives, chases by posses, encounters with the law including Hickok, and shootouts.


The Adventures of Alice Could Be Any Dream
ExcellentEnter Wonderland.
Absolutely no plot, no direction, no point. Lot's of silly nonsense but in spite of, or maybe because of this, it is very enjoyable. You literally never know what's going to happen next. After reading this book, I realized just how much my own dreams... Unforgettable characters, who can ever forget the cheshire cat or the caterpillar, jokes, interesting supplementary drawings, and puns keep you on your toes.
This is really not for kiddies. Sure they can read it and maybe even enjoy it, but cannot fully appreciate it. A masterpiece, a classic, but more importantly, an enjoyable experience.
Don't forget to read Through the Looking Glass! Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and "Jabberwocky" don't pop up in Alice in Wonderland but Through the Looking Glass. Although "Jabberwocky" didn't appear in the movie, it's still a classic. Finally, an explanation of this ever-puzzling poem! And of course, "I am the Walrus" is one of my favorite all-time songs...
One of those books that you can read over and over again and find something new each time. Definitely an essential. The most fun I have ever had with a book. If you've ever been cursed enough to watch the movie but never read the book, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! (and for those of you who have read it, READ IT AGAIN! )
Maybe we should be more like Alice...AAIW is about a young girl named Alice whose boring day with her sister is interrupted when a white rabbit runs by her saying, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" Alice's curiosity is aroused, but surprisingly not to a great degree. This is the first hint to the reader that Alice is not an average child, as she seems to believe that a talking rabbit is quite normal. She does become intrigued, though, when the rabbit produces a clock from his pocket, so she follows it down its hole and enters a world of wonder. I loved the story from this point on. It is filled with such unbelievable creatures and situations, but Carroll's writing style made me want to believe in a world that could be filled with so much magic and splendor. There was never a dull moment in the story, and each page was filled with more excitement. I will offer a warning, though. This story is not for those who like a neatly packaged plotline. It is written in a somewhat discontinuous nature and seems to follow some sort of dream logic where there are no rules. However, I enjoyed the nonsensical pattern. Without it, a dimension of the story would be lost. It offers some insight into the mind of a young, adventurous, fearless girl, and Carroll seems to be challenging his readers to be more like Alice.
The second text in this book, TTLG, is again a story about Alice. In this adventure, Alice travels through a wondrous world on the other side of her looking glass. As in AAIW, Alice again encounters absurd creatures, such as live chess pieces and talking flowers. The land she travels through is an oversized chessboard, which gives this story a more structured plot than AAIW. The chess theme provides Alice with sense of what she must accomplish in the looking- glass world, and it provides the reader with a sense of direction throughout the story. Alice's goal is to become a chess queen, so the reader knows that when she becomes queen, the story will be over. However, just because the story has some structure does not mean that it is not just as wild and marvelous as its predecessor. I enjoyed all of the characters. They seem to have an endless supply of advice that people in the 21st century can still learn from. My favorite example is when the Red Queen says, "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" Maybe what Carroll is suggesting is that if we read more nonsensical, unbelievable stories like his, we won't be so afraid to be adventurous and fearless like Alice; so that the next time a white rabbit runs by us, we might just see where it leads us.


Crab et Eric
The next testament for the clinically insane.

A Great Book to Introduce a Great Artist
one of my treasuresIt also shows examples of the things that influenced her, like Mayan figurines, engravings from Chichen Itza, "Day of the Dead" items, etc...and has some personal photos that are marvelous as well.
Terri Hardin writes simply and directly, and has done an good job of researching Kahlo's life. The book is 9 x 12, and its 128 pages are mostly devoted to Kahlo's art, so the biography of her is detailed with a minimum of text, but includes the essentials for one to get to know this great artist. She writes of her tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera, as well as the many other events that made her life a full but tragic one, and in describing her pictures, manages to interpret them quite well.
Though so well known for her portraits, the two pictures that thrill me the most in this book are still lifes...one from 1942 on page 110 (there's an incredible, lush and vivid detail of it on pages 96-97), and "Still Life with Parrot" from '51 on page 113. The fruit and vegetables seem to dance with energy, and there are always a few cut open, exposing the insides, and their seeds.
The quality of this book is wonderful, with thick, glossy paper (making it feel heavy for its size), and the color reproduction is vibrant. For anyone interested in Kahlo's work, this is a lovely book to own and treasure.


Excellent
Las cosas trascendentales de la vida

Clever, but no one edited this one
A haunting mystery, a smooth, fast read.
A classic mystery thriller.