I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr Knox at the local American Legion where he gave my father a copy of "The Emperor's Angry Guest". I've read many books, and there are few which I literally couldn't put down, this is one of those books. I'm not a veteran, but know many. I've found, for the most part, they won't let you inside their mind. Mr Knox shares his experience with the reader in a way which puts you back in your chair. It's a "must read" for any history buff or veteran who may have felt abandoned by his country.

With great anticipation, I have awaited the release of this book. Pirtle recounts the true story of Susan "Sukey" Richardson's escape to freedom using the Underground Railroad. Through letters that had been hidden away for more than a century, Pirtle weaves us in and out of the life of one of Sukey's most sympathetic supporters, William Hayes. Through this non-fiction account we learn of the hardships all Americans faced during the mid-19th century. We're told of Sukey, her master, and those brave men and women who risked their lives, reputations, and personal finances to help others make their way to freedom. Equally fascinating is the courtroom drama between Sukey's master and those who allegedly helped the young woman in her run to freedom.

If you're a US history enthusiast, a fan of Illinois history, an Underground Railroad aficionado, a Civil War buff, or just a casual reader who's interested in a captivating story...you'll be sure to enjoy this tome. I highly recommend it.

And...if you're interested in other stories related to Southern Illinois history, I urge you to try to get hold of Pirtle's other two books: "Shining Moments" and "Where Illinois Began: A Pictorial History of Randolph County."

Beautifully written essays on war, the legacy of Greek thought, the meaning of Sophocles' Oedipus the King for an Athenian audience in the aftermath of the plague, 20th-century English poetry and the author's personal experiences as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, an Allied military intelligence in occupied Normandy, and a classical scholar. Leaves you awed by his life and regretful that you haven't yet learned the classical languages.

I found this book after visiting Kim's website on About.com. Divided into chapters that cover six New England states, this book offers not only travel destinations, but website addresses, phone numbers, maps and tons of helpful information. I found the "Travel Tips" and "Fast Facts" interesting and the Day Trip suggestions are a lifesaver since I don't have a lot of time to research options. This book will help you plan a New England getaway -- or buy one to give to a friend, or send to someone you know who lives there. They'll love it!

I devoured these Famous Five books when I was a kid, and while I can't say I remember much about them -- or even whether I read this particular one -- I do remember that I loved them. I guess they're eclipsed by Harry Potter these days, but if you have or are a kid in the right age group who loves kids' adventure stories, you may want to give these a try.

This is another fabulous book in the Famous Five series. The famous five are Julian, Dick, Anne, George(actually Georgiana but she hates being a girl) and their dog Timmy. Like other famous five adventures, this one starts with the children enjoying their vacation where they subsequently fall into an adventure and finally end up rescuing a couple of kidnapped pilots. The plot is simple enough but then provides ample excitement. Just like all the other Enid Blyton adventure books, this one is a real treat to read. There is no doubt that Enid Blyton is(was; unfortunately, she died) one of the best authors for children's books. What makes her books ideal for children? The kids are happy because of the plots and the variety(Enid Blyton created numerous characters ranging from goblins and elves to children). It is wonderful world of make believe where one book is not sufficient but several are needed to quench the thirst. The parents are happy because the books contain no bad content. Even though the stories sound a little make believe, they are based on sound values and principles. They establish a code for behavior. I remember reading Enid Blyton books as a child and understanding all about good behavior(polite answers to adults, being good and helpful to other people, being kind to animals, being responsible etc). The content of most Enid Blyton stories is also pure unlike of the fairytales by Hans Christian Anderson and Brothers Grimm that can be depressing and even violent sometimes. The famous five do fall into adventures. However, they do come out of them without scaring the young readers to glory. The famous five behave well, especially Julian, the eldest who is known for his polite behavior and charming manners. Truly, Enid Blyton has managed to capture images of childhood that are slowing becoming memories. In these days of Nintendo and other computer games, her books come as a refreshing change. A piece of old world charm in a modern society. A must read for all generations who wish to go beyond the mere computer game and disney story.

This is an excellent reference book for those who seek scientific information on mammals of the northern Midwest. It contains an entire section which covers the various environments in this area, the geology past and present, the soils, climate, vegetation, and the influence of human beings on the ecology.

The book also has a wonderful section on the animals themselves, with a page devoted to each creature, complete with scientific name, habitat map, photograph or line drawing of the animal, distribution, written description, natural history, and in many cases additional reference suggestions. It is a very thorough and complete book, well researched and presented.

This is an absolutely fabulous book that should be in every library (just like all of Choate's books). Of course, I am the proud son of the lead author, so what do you expect me to say.

My grandparents were also homesteaders in this area of New Mexico and my father is retired and lives in this area. I read this book and went to all the places which are mentioned.This brought the book to life. My family still has very deep roots to this area and remembers life as it was during those years. We have a reunion in this area every two years and it is not only a family reunion but also a town reunion created to bring together all of the original homesteaders. It is in a very remote part of New Mexico, the town now only has about 20 permenant families living there, most of which were raised there during this time. During the reunions, there are as many as 1000 people gathered to visit each other and tell the stories of the past. They travel from all parts of the country to this gathering. We usually go see these old homesights when we are there, it was a very hard life for these families but the hard times only made these people closer.When reading this book take to heart that all of this is very true and these people were very hearty. It wasn't luck that they survived but determination to have a better life.