Linda Crockett Gray grabs your attention at the beginning of the book and keeps you riveted in your seat while she spins this awesome tale. Her ability to cleverly intertwine the intricacies of the current technological time and the turbulant post-war days of the forties and fifties in Baltimore Maryland fascinates without inundating you with unnecessary detail.

This book is a masterpiece mixture of detective drama and spectral happenings which allows a reader to experience the character's feelings as events happen--ending with a nail-biting twist of a finish which leaves you wondering if it could really happen. This book is a must read for those who love mysteries and ghost stories!

This book is marvelously informative for those wishing to speak the language of Early Modern English. Be prepared to jostle the cobewebs from high school english and relearn basic sentance structures and verb conjugations in order to rethink in the prose of days of yore. Both witty and historical, this book makes learning fun.

This book is a scream, a howl, and a serious showing of how perception alters reality. The kangaroo thinks she is upside down because the picture in a book tells her so. She feels miserable. When her baby "corrects" the picture, everything is right again. The pictures are a delight.... especially the pictures of "YOU" standing around where you live, not doing much of anything! The expressions on the momma kangaroo's face are worth the price of admission.

This is another of Crockett Johnson's wonderful gems for younger readers. Groundhog appears from his burrow in the snowy meadow to look for his shadow and to make his annual prediction. All of the animals, except grouchy Pig, are thrilled with Groundhog's prediction, especially when Groundhog produces tangible evidence that spring has already arrived. When Pig attempts to eat the evidence and makes a prediction of his own, the results are hilarious. This book is out-of-print, but perhaps you'll be as lucky as we were to find a copy tucked away in our school library!

I am a 7 year old boy, and I liked this book! We wrote a story of our own at school like this book. The story I wrote was about a moonflower. In The Carrot Seed, the boy is very likable and his carrot ends up growing humongous.

Though the story is simple, the message is grand. If you want to teach your children the value of persistence, this would be a very nice book to add to your children's library.

As the little boy is repeatedly told his efforts are in vain, he quietly goes about his business and, in the end, he is rewarded for his labor. You can use this story to help your children overcome the naysayers they are sure to encounter in life. (Of course, they will also need to learn the value of listening to and heeding wise advice - but that can always be taught from another story.)

This is one of my 2 year old son's favorite books. He "reads" it over and over (he has every word memorized.) It's so simple, and yet the message is so profound. It's a message that many children don't get from other sources- one of faith and perserverance. At first, I was not impressed with the brown and yellow illustrations, but my son seems to prefer them over other more colorfully illustrated books. The simple pictures mirror the simple message of the book.

by TT reviewer Nancy Arant Williams

Rebecca Bennett is stunned to learn that her father is forcing her to move from the only home she's ever known. She would do anything to stay in Savannah where, at age twenty, she'd have a better chance of finding a suitable husband. But with dreams of making it big, he has sold his mercantile, and is planning to purchase a cotton plantation in Natchez, Mississippi.

Rebecca realizes, aboard the riverboat, that she is easy prey for men when she is accosted repeatedly, only to be protected by a handsome and mysterious stranger. She can't believe her father could be foolish enough to cart a trunk full of gold aboard the boat, but he refuses to trust in banks, and she's no help at all when she accidentally lets his secret slip in front of a room full of strangers. When the riverboat collides with another, and sinks, the same stranger selflessly risks his life to dive into the water to retrieve her father and his gold. When, as a result of his heroic rescue, the man becomes terribly ill, she climbs into his bed to keep him warm, where eventually . . .

When her father is killed and his gold stolen, she not only feels responsible, but also can't imagine how she'll manage alone. As it turns out the handsome stranger is Oliver Sebastian, the man whose cotton plantation her father planned to buy. The chemistry between them is immediate, and Rebecca falls desperately in love, but there's just one small hitch. He's a married man, and he's moving back to England, which is the reason he sold his plantation in the first place.

The reader might lose hope of these two star-crossed lovers ever getting together, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing, but hold on, because Deb Crockett's characters will have you rooting them on.
Though NATCHEZ has several unlikely scenarios, and some dialogue that doesn't fit the era, it's still a good read, and definitely worth your time. Rated R.

Natchez, by Deb Crockett, Historical romance, 1998, by Domhan Books, 180 pps., ISBN 1583450084

Glimpses of the early South and voices from the past seem to pull you into Natchez, a new historical romance by Deb Crockett. It is easy to picture the fateful steamboat trip from Savannah to Natchez, Mississippi, as Rebecca Bennett travels with her father to purchase a cotton plantation and begin a new life. Crockett has an easy style of writing that makes you "pull up a chair" to sit and immerse yourself in her story of love, death and treachery.

At first, you think the story line is somewhat predictable, but the slight twists and turns provide sufficient diversion to keep you reading. Rebecca Bennett is a 20-year-old unmarried daughter whose father has sold his mercantile store so that he can invest and become rich in the thriving cotton business. Not trusting in banks, Mr. Bennett places approximately $30,000 in gold in a small chest, planning to guard the chest himself. Needless to say, the drinking and gambling to be found on the riverboats draws Mr. Bennett in, and before the trip is over, he has been killed and his gold stolen.

Rebecca, in her own way, has been busy as well. Upon meeting the men with whom her father begins to gamble, she immediately begins to receive unwanted attentions of one of those men. Then, via a late but exciting route the man from whom they plan to purchase the plantation boards the ship and Rebecca finds herself strongly attracted to him and becoming intimately involved with him very quickly.

Lack of communication, even in these "good old days," results in a personal crisis for Rebecca. For Oliver Sebastian assumes Rebecca knows all about him and his reasons for selling the plantation and returning to England, yet when he has the chance, he quickly accepts and enjoys her love. The arrival in Natchez and Mr. Sebastian's home results in his introduction of Rebecca to...his wife. Dare we consider that dear Oliver has taken advantage of the fair damsel? Rebecca's devastation of this news does not stop her loving Oliver. Being in the Sebastian's home is both a haven and a horror, as they handle details for her father's funeral and, as Rebecca and Oliver's wife, Charlotte, become friends, Charlotte proposes that Rebecca accept the position of her companion. Oliver and Rebecca consider this; Oliver wanting her to go with them. Then a young boy finds the two lovers kissing and innocently tells Charlotte, who quickly asks Rebecca to leave the house.

Once again alone, Rebecca remembers that she also met another woman on her trip to Natchez. Mary, who is known as "Red" owns Elysian Fields, a bar in a place referred to as "Natchez-Under-the-Hill--the wrong side of the tracks, in other words. Turning to this one other person seems to be the only choice available and, by helping as a waitress in somewhat of an emergency, Rebecca finds herself quickly involved with gambling, drinking, and receiving the personal attentions of a professional gambler. Seeing a way to acquire money to buy a home, she "uses" Jim to learn how to play to win, deciding that she will cheat only other professional gamblers.

Having succeeded in her efforts as a gambler, outwitting professional gamblers, Rebecca quickly earns sufficient money to buy her home--the one of her dreams--the plantation that was to be purchased by her father and which had belonged to her lover, Sebastian. But all to soon, Jim finds Rebecca and, without knowing it, brings into her home the man who killed her father--the two of them having committed the robbery and subsequent murder.

Deb Crockett, in Natchez, has successfully merged an historical story of the old south with action, suspense and a leading lady that risks everything to make it on her own...and to keep her true love. Rebecca grows up quickly, using the resources she has available, but yet brings to the reader an innocence and honesty that carries through even her sexual interludes.

Here's hoping that Crockett carries this leading lady into further adventures in the future. Until then, get a copy of Natchez for a delightful fast-paced trip down to Natchez, Mississippi!

Deb Crockett is a writter that knows her stuff. NATCHEZ was a terrific read and really can heat up a room. I couldn't put it done nor did I want to. Her writting makes you feel as if you are the main heroine, a woman that took a horrid situation and turned it to her advantage. It is a wonderful love story with intricate twists and turns to keep your attention and wanting more. Hope more are coming from this new wonderful writer!

Mark Crockett has done excellent job in penning this story, which will have you on edge the entire time you are reading. Two homeless men Chickenhead and Jamaica set out to find the killer of Mimi Driver. Mimi, also homeless was the girlfriend of Chickenhead. The police department becomes nerved and on edge after finding out Mimi is the daughter of a prominent Mayor. Chickenhead and Jamaica outraged at the fact the police cannot catch this brutal murderer; they decide to take matters into their own hands. They get so close to the killer they can touch him. Will they find out who the murderer is or will the murderer them out first and murder them? If you like an action pack read, this is the book for you!!!

From the first page to the last...I was glued to the story line, sympathetic for the victims, hating the perpetrator! This story had all the elements of a good book! ...great storyline, developed characters, pacing, realistic dialogue! Although this was a first book, it appears that Mark Crockett is a seasoned writer!

I could lose myself in this book as the author brought words, and pages to life. It was as if the reader was right in the scenes with the characters. The dialogue was extremely fitting for the characters, and the anguish, pain, and love from the main character, "Chickenhead," could be experienced.

I enjoyed Mark Crockett's approach of showing the reader the murderer early on, it increased the anticipation as the story cleverly unraveled. His writing abilities are representative of precise and methodical skill. It was an excellent read, full of surprises, and full of perfect timing! Great job, Mark, I can't wait for the next one!

"TURKEYSTUFFER"
by
Mark Crockett

"An explosive verbal, in your face, bold look at the truth that lies in the pits of Phoenix, Arizona. Around every skanky corner, its who's gonna catch 'em mystery, will keep you clutched to the pages with every powerful word. Be ready and be brave as the nightmare of reality unfolds."

J. Florian Dunn
Artist/Director

This is the most important book about the Alamo and its heroes to appear in the last three decades. Davis has undertaken meticulous research, including review of previously unseen documents in Mexico's military archives, to construct new, revealing biographies of the three most celebrated Alamo heroes. Especially valuable are the sketches of Bowie and Travis, about whom there are no earlier satisfactory biographies. Many will find Travis's story completely new, and Davis portrays the Alamo commander as an important political leader of the Texian revolt, whose death was an incalculable loss to that cause. Bowie, on the other hand, is something of a rogue, forever scheming to turn a dishonest dollar through slave smuggling or land fraud. However, Davis also captures Bowie's daring, bravery, and leadership capabilities, particularly in battle. Crockett's story is more familiar, but Davis adds new interpretation and assessment of the frontier politician and folk hero,! deftly distinguishing the two and tracing the emergence of the fictional "Davy," partially by Crockett's own design. Other historical figures, particularly Sam Houston, do not fair so well, and Davis reveals the petty politics that may have led to abandonment of the doomed Alamo garrison. The work is not intended as a study of the Alamo itself, and the siege and battle are confined to a single chapter. Nonetheless, Davis has uncovered new information and formed unique insights about the event and the actions there of the three heroes. Much myth is stripped away, and Davis reveals the human failings of the three figures, who still emerge as courageous men of stubborn conviction, in many ways typical of those who sought to improve their fortunes by exploiting opportunities along America's expanding frontier. The book deserves a place beside such highly-regarded Alamo works as Walter Lord's "A Time To Stand."

Allen J. Wiener

I'm not sure if William C. Davis' "Three Roads to the Alamo" is a reinterpretation of the 1836 Alamo siege more than it is a truly exhaustive study of the three men who define that battle. A detailed and fascinating examination of the lives of David Crockett, James Bowie and William Barret Travis, "Three Roads to the Alamo" cuts through the myth and legend, revealing the dirt and substance of these men's lives en route to their eventual deaths in San Antonio.

Certainly the myth of Crockett is dented somewhat, as we see that he is a man clumsy in politics, impatient with family life, seeking the next adventure. Bowie also comes across as a rather scandalous man, involved in shady land and slave dealings which would have most certainly placed him in jail today. And finally Travis, whose life has never before been examined with such detail, comes across as a rather poor businessman, constantly in debt and a obsessive womanizer to boot.

Like all great historical figures shrouded in myth, it was only a matter of time before modern-day historians placed these Texas revolutionary heroes beneath a very un-romantic, yet 21st century microscope. So it comes as a rather stunning surprise that after these three statue-like figures are dressed down in human fashion, by battle's end they still, somehow, manage to put their past behind them and become heroes in spite of their many flaws.

I'm not sure if Mr. Davis did this intentionally, just as I'm not sure if you could truly draw a portrait of these men and this battle and not find shades of extraordinary heroism within the walls of that mission fortress. Certainly, John Wayne's infamous 1960 film "The Alamo" is anything but the truth, but the great unvarnished fact about this story is that even with the bones revealed, these men still come across as noble and heroic, having seized an incredible moment in time, thus surviving for all eternity.

And that, undoubtedly, is what continues to fascinate Americans, if not world citizens, about this battle. These men, while holding out for the hope of reinforcements, chose to stay, eventually sealing their doom. Yes, the line may not have been drawn in the sand, but in "Three Roads to the Alamo," that obvious fact becomes surprisingly irrelevant. Warts and all, these men's lives serve as the proper contrast to their eventual final deeds, making their decisions in 1836 all the more unforgettable.

"Three Roads to the Alamo" is a intimately detailed historic work, which will fascinate all readers interested in this legendary battle. Arguably, it is one of the finest books yet written about this 13-day siege.

I am a Texan who has grown up with the Alamo story. When I was younger, it was the ultimate hero story to me. In my later, supoosedly-wiser years, I saw it as a silly, overblown, pointless, jingoistic tale about some ne'er-do-wells who foolishly got themselves killed for no good reason. After reading Three Roads to the Alamo, I think both versions are true.

The book constitutes three long, thick, thorough biographies of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis. Most Americans have heard of "Davy" Crockett and most have heard of the "Bowie Knife." All Texans have heard of James Bowie and William Travis. I live in Travis County, which contains Austin, the capital of Texas, and I live down the street from James Bowie High School. But other than knowing that Travis and Bowie were commanders at the Alamo, I knew very little about them, and most of what I "knew" about them turns out to be untrue myth, as convincingly demonstrated throughout Three Roads to the Alamo.

William C. Davis sticks to the facts in his narrative and disposes of myths in the footnotes, which are vital reading. The facts of Crockett's life are fairly well-known but still interesting. Davis shows Crockett as a Perot-esque plain speaker, trapped late in his career by his own mythology, tirelessly repeating his tired complaints against Andrew Jackson. Finally voted out of office, he goes to Texas and joins the small band of Texians defending the Alamo against Mexican invasion and is killed with the rest.

A prior reviewer gives this book only 2 stars for the sole reason that Davis rejects one version of Crockett's death, which appears in a Mexican soldier's diary, that has him surrendering and being bayonetted by Mexican soldiers. When this diary became publicized a few years ago, there was a small furor because surely the great Crockett would never have surrendered. The diary had to be a forgery or a lie. This furor demostrates the powerful hold that the Alamo myth has over Texans. Crockett HAD to go down fighting, not surrendering. Davis's book is refreshing because he looks at such things objectively, always putting forward provable facts over made-up myths. He convincingly shows that the diary is hearsay and that similar stories were told about Crockett and others, and ultimately concludes that it is impossible to tell how Crockett died from the sources. I find this honesty refreshing.

However, very little is actually about the Alamo. It is mostly about the interesting lives of Crockett, Bowie, and Travis. Bowie's tale in particular is fascinating. I wanted to strangle him throughout most of the book. This guy started out with an ingenious but disgusting slave-laudering scheme, smuggling slaves through Mexican-owned Texas. Then he blatantly and poorly forged hundreds of fake Spanish documents purporting to give him ownership and thousands of acres of Louisiana and Arkansas. The false claims screwed up title in both states for decades after Bowie died at the Alamo. He also obtained a fraudulent "debt" that the federal government supposedly owed $42,000 on. Bowie never acknowledged that the claims were false, instead trying to bully federal officials in the South and Washington into officially recognizing his claims. Even the Bowie Knife turns out to have been made by his brother and used by Bowie only once.

Crockett came to Texas to escape debt, abandoning his pregnant wife and daughter. He did not come to Texas because he had to kill a man for shaming his wife, as I had heard before. He was basically nothing but a coward.

But then the rogues end up fighting the Texas Revolution, and suddenly the hero in them comes out. I forgave all their faults.

Davis shows that the truth is stranger and more interesting than fictional myth. I drove by Bowie High School the other day before getting to the part where Bowie turns into a hero. I wanted to scream out my window for the school to change its name. Now that I have finished the book, I say let Bowie have his school. Maybe that just shows that I am impressionable. I don't know. All I know is that I loved this book.

I think the "from the ground up" books are excellent". I have about 20+ years experience in various languages (fortran, C, C++, Pascal etc). Most of my experience is in straight line programming and was having trouble getting my brain around the MFC concepts. I spent a couple of days with the Windows 98 from the ground up to get the nuts and bolts view of windows programming and another couple of days with MFC Programming from the ground up. The nice thing is that the author follows the same subject matter in the same order with the same examples in all of the books. This was very helpful to me. It allowed me compare both styles and by starting with the API versions was able to see what is happening under the hood, which you won't find out if you start with MFC ( but it's close with this book).

Other reviews have complained about it being tedious as it kept using the same code with only small changes. This is the only way to teach. Any teacher worth his salt will tell you this. You don't need to type in the code as it is provided and you can cut and paste the major code and make your own changes to see various options work. Each piece of code builds on the previous which allows you to see exactly what is happening (you wouldn't see this if each example was completely different from the others). As I said I was able to do a couple of hundred pages in a few hours (it will obviously take longer if you have little experience) and it was definitely worth my while.

The complaint that this book didn't have "difficult to find stuff", is a bogus complaint. Of course it doesn't ( and I guarantee there is NO book that will give you the answer to every possible question), this is not an MFC Bible - it is a learn how to program MFC from the very beginning. It does this very well and covers all the pertinent material necessary to write a very complete program. Any programmer who has any experience at all will tell you will need many books on the same subject as REFERENCES. But without this type of book as a starting point - reference books would be of little value as you won't easily know where to find the information you need or how to use it, if you do find it.

One last observation on these reviews. When one reviewer says "Schildt's code does things in less-than-the-best way", he is obviously not a very knowledgable programmer or only know one way to do things. There is no such thing as a "best way". Sometimes a persons best way, is not a very instructive way. He claims it is too simplistic. That is the whole point of the book. If not "too" simplistic, many people will have a harder time.

I guarantee you no book will make you an expert, only experience does this. It never says it will make you an expert - but that you will learn to program windows using the MFC. This it does very well.

I'm sure some will disagree with me, but obviously Schildt did it right. Just look at all the people that this book helped. There is no way to please everyone, but I think this book comes as close as any is going to.

If you know C++ and some Windows basics (what a list box is, for example) and you want to learn about how to program with MFC, then this is the book for you. It with a very easy to read style and has examples that actually compile the first time! Don't expect the book to cover everything that you ever wanted to know about every MFC class, it would take volumes to cover it all. It DOES, however, cover the major controls and how to use them and it gives you a good base to go exploring the rest of the MFC world yourself. I highly recommend this book if you know little or nothing about MFC programming and want an easy to read introduction

I bought both of the MFC and Windows 98 Programming from the Ground Up books at the same. They are nearly indentical in content. This fact is great for a begginning Window's programmer (like me), but not so great for those on a budget. The Windows 98 book has more subjects, but is written using the 'traditional' Windows programming methods. The MFC book (of course) uses MFC and therefore is the much easier way to program for Windows. I never use the examples in the book 'as is'. The author writes his code examples and descriptions of the code well enough, that I can use the examples as guides to use in my projects. While neither book should be considered a complete reference, both provide enough information that I am constantly flipping through them to look for examples (which the MS Visual Studio does not show very well.) I bought SAMS' Teach Yourself Visual C++ 6 in 24 Hours before these two books, which mainly teaches how to use the compiler. I previously had over five years experience in DOS programming with the Borland C++ compilers. In a about four months and these three books I feel that I know everything that I need to know to write any 'common' Windows 9x application using MS Visual C++ 6.

This is a great first book for the tablet weaver. It covers the basics in enough detail to start weaving right away. It follows a logical progression to more advanced methods and gives some simple to follow patterns.

Pros: clearly written, short and to the point. Good examples. Gets you going quickly.
Cons: Forgets to mention details like tangles (they do happen!), not enough info on pattern making, uses a simple threading pattern that may confuse some weavers as they research patterns (the book uses arrows to indicate threading, instead of the usual S or Z).

All in all, a great book for the beginning weaver. Not much there for the more advanced weaver.

I wanted to try card weaving, but always got stuck during setup. This book walked me through threading in a way I could actually understand and use. The pattern drafts are appealing and easy enough for a beginner to accomplish. I got ideas for extending beyond what the book itself showed. This is a wonderful, user-friendly intro to card-weaving!

This book has one of the best explanations of how to do card weaving that I have seen. Crockett has you weaving within an hour or so after reading the directions. My only reservation concerns her instructions for winding the warp for the first project. I would recommend that beginners start with a short warp to minimize tangling. After the first project you advance to other methods, and later in the book there is a way to warp which does away with the problem of tangling. Overall, she gives clear explanations of both the mechanics of card-weaving and pattern design. The book is more than a just a how-to manual. It has sections on the history of this ancient art, and explores the contemporary use of this medium by fiber artists. It's the sort of book that, if you see it in a bookstore, you want to buy it. There are a lot of gorgeous color photogaphs so it's really beautiful to look at. The overall flavor of the book design and photos is contemporary. I suppose that in 30 years it might seem dated, in the same way that textile books from the 70s often seem dated to us now. However, some of those books still attract the eye, and I predict that in a few decades this one will probably do the same.