This is by far the best cookbook I have ever used. I received this as a gift from a friend who lived in Spokane (as I collect Junior League cookbooks) and it's been one of my favorites ever since. My friend also bought one for my cousin as a gift and she and I enjoy sharing our enthusiasm about this cookbook. The quality of the printing is excellent as well, with thorough instructions, nice thick pages and perfect organization. This is a great gift to anyone that enjoys cooking, from the novice to the professional chef!

I am not a great cook, and I don't have time to cook extravagant meals, but whenever I cook something from this book, people always ask for the recipe. They never guess that dishes with such gourmet flair are so simple to prepare.

This is a great cookbook! Recipes are easy to follow and unique. It provides a great combination of creative family fare to fantastic dinner party ideas.Will appeal to people from all over the country not just the Northwest!

Probably my favorite Alexie poetry book. This book also contains short stories, the meager beginnings of "The Lone Ranger and Tonto..." novel he was soon to write. Prepare to transport yourself into Alexie's world and share pain, joy and frustration, but prepare to walk away wounded, battled and bruised as you find yourself falling deeper and deeper into an introspective study of self.

The Business of Fancydancing is a collection that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up while you laugh, cry and stare at the written page with stunned amazement. Alexie uses language as a paintbrush, creating a complex mosaic of life growing up Indian and walking through a world that is not quite yours. The author slashes at stereotypes of what it is to be an American Indian. All too real tragedy and pain is laced with black humor, revealing a poet/essayist who I sincerely hope rises to be a Steinbeck of his generation.

Those who consider themselves New Age may not care to venture into this work unless thick-skinned and self-aware.

Then again, maybe the children of the New Age SHOULD read this remarkable window on the world of Sherman Alexie. Enjoy.

Fire of God, John G. Lake in Spokane is an inspiring, insiteful look into the life of this incredible man of God. Brett Alan Wyatt shares new, never published before material from interviews he had personally with some of Dr. Lake's contemporaries. This book will be required reading for our healing teams as we carry on the ministry of John G. Lake here in Spokane...........

Remarkable! It is truly refreshing to read a book that not only shows a great Man's Triumphs but also his Flaws and Humanity. This author has compiled information and written a book unlike any other on Dr Lake.
My hat is off to you Mr. Wyatt for a well-crafted piece of written history.
I would strongly recommend this grand book.

Mr. Elston has done a marvelous job of writing and researching this look at the glory that is Inland Empire sports. What a legacy--from Spokane's "big stars" like Mark Rypien, John Stockton, and Tom Sneva--to the less known founding fathers of our rich legacy like Stan Witter, to our championship Spokane Jets, Indians, and WSU Cougars -- this book is certainly a must read for not only the local residents of our beautiful region, but any fan of sports, as well! Bravo, Mr. Elston!

This nostalgic look at Spokane, Washington takes the reader back in time to this historic town during the 1930's and 40's. I enjoyed the book very much. It is so well written, the pages turn themselves. Although I did not live through this era, I feel that I know much about Spokane during this time and I have gained a true feeling and understanding for this period. It is an excellent book, and a must-have for anyone who enjoys history, or anyone looking for a peek back in time, brought to you by an author who was really there.

A novel for the millenium, Sick Burn Cut takes us back to pre-Microsoft Seattle, the days of Guns 'n Roses. Mary, a man in a dress, captivates and activates a small group of compatriat guerrilla drag queens for whom mere survival is a matter of survival. They take on the Mall Rats and the Dictators, feuding drug lords and gangs - Mary and her companion, Sayid Huysayn. Meanwhile a group of highschool kids in Spokane Washington form a cult of the Divine Virgin Mary. The two Mary's, who are never conscious of each other's existence, begin the spin a web of intrigue with the promise of great meaning lying behind the banality of suburban discontent. I was having a really bad summer, 'til I read this book!!! Deran Ludd is William Burrough's grandson. Which is not to say that Sick Burn Cut is Burroughs redux. Ludd takes the sensibility and tosses it into a 90's context Burroughs could barely have handled ('cuz he was too old).

Engrossing book for anyone familiar with the territory. Helps you see the land before the draft horses and "Cats" came.

The Crimes of Fred and his mother, Ruth Coe: A true story of obsession, revenge and family tragedy in the all American City.

This is one of the most remarkable true crime books you will ever read. It is many things at once. For months, the story of a mother, a son and a city emmeshed in tragedy made headlines across the nation. This is the story behind the headlines. It is also an extraordinary examination of the mind of a psychopath and of the women -- and men -- who were his victims. And it is a chilling investigation of the consequences of a crime that does not kill -- but which destroys as surely as any knife or gun.

For more than two years, a rapist prowled the night streets of the homey, "All-American" city of Spokane, Washington, terrorizing women, sparking a run on gun stores, and finally causing one newspaper to offer a reward, the calls taken by the distinguished managing editor himself, Gordon Coe. In March of 1981, luck and inspired police work at last produced an arrest, and Spokane shuddered. The man was clean-cut, teetotal, conservative -- and Gordon Coe's son.

The family rallied behind Fred Coe. They had an explanation for everything. Fred's mother, Ruth, gave "Son" detailed alibis for the rapes. But the evidence was overwhelming. As Fred was led away, Ruth Coe was heard to say, "Down, but not out." It was no mere gesture of defiance.

Ruth Coe was bent on revenge, and soon the judge and the prosecuting attorney would feel the full force of her murderous wrath.

For eighteen months, Jack Olsen researched the cases of Fred and Ruth Coe to try to learn not only what happened within that family, but how and why. He intereviewed more than 150 people, and slowly, bit by bit, built up a portrait not only of that extraordinary family, but of the mind of a psychopath. Talking with the rape victims, he probed the devastating effect the violations had had on their lives two weeks afterward, two months afterward, two years afterward. And searching the memories of the women in Fred Coe's life, he unearthed a most horrifying question: What is it like to love and live with a man for years -- and then discover he is a psychopathic criminal?

The answer to that question, to all the questions Olsen asked, and the bizarre conclusion to an ever-more-bizarre series of crimes, make "SON" the most riveting account of villainy and dark obsession since IN COLD BLOOD.

You always know to expect outstanding true crime writing from Jack Olsen, however, this has to be considered one of his best. The story of Fred Coe, his mother, the crimes, and those effected both directly and indirectly by his otrocities is written and researched perfectly. READ THIS book!

I read this book and really enjoyed it. It was very well written and very understandable. I am 13 years old, and i still could read it, understand it, and like it! I hope more people will but this book

In Jess Walter's debut novel, it looks like a serial killer is systematically killing prostitutes in Spokane, Washington. It looks even more likely that the killer is the man that Caroline Mabry confronted but had to let get away during a drug bust gone bad.

Caroline Mabry and Alan Dupree are the two main protagonists and are both detectives with the Spokane Police Department. They share a past that is slowly revealed to us as they become more involved with the case, and this begins to affect the way they carry out their investigations.

This is Walter's debut novel and is a psychological thriller that starts out very well with an action packed and dramatic opening, snappy dialogue carrying plenty of humorous exchanges. But then the story gradually gets bogged down in the middle as the main characters all become very introspective. I had the feeling that we were in suspended animation for a while, waiting for someone to yell "action". However the pace does pick up again as things fall into place and set the scene for a thrilling and somewhat surprising ending.

A highlight of the book for me comes from the description of the two profilers whose dislike for each other provides plenty of funny scenes. Their egos and obvious distraction from the case while compiling data for their respective next books add a touch of comic farce to the story.

I found this an entertaining book that toyed with the emotions, dark enough to provide a substantial, thought-provoking thriller, yet light enough to provide plenty of amusing moments.

Jess Walter understands something that escapes many thriller writers: Character comes first. This first novel has a gritty and credible plot about a series of murders in Spokane, Wash., but Walter goes beyond the usual cliches of the genre by building his characters carefully and believably. Det. Caroline Mabry is an intriguing, complicated and wholly sympathetic escort into the world that Walters evokes, a dangerous world of prostitutes, johns and seedy bars. Because we care about her, and about her sometimes partner Alan Dupree, we care even more deeply about the case that consumes her. Walter also does an exceptional job of capturing the flavor of Spokane, a mid-sized Northwest city with a super-sized inferiority complex. The plot may invite comparisons to Spokane's real-life serial killer story, but Walter's story veers off in unexpected ways. An assured first effort by a fine writer.

While it has been mentioned in other reviews that the plot of this story is somewhat derivative, I would say that all stories work or don't work due to how the story is told. There are only 12 known plots anyway, right?

In this story the female heroine, Caroline Mabry, is dealing both with a serial killer that seems to have made a connection to her, personally, and with her unresolved feelings for her ex-partner. As the body count increases and the police attempts to solve the crime continue to fail, her emotions become more and more frazzled, leading her back to her former partner and mentor.

What I think is most important here is that Jess Walter can write: he develops believable characters, his language is years ahead of most mystery writers and he tackles themes of interest and meaning.

What's more, he does not shy away from the graphic. There's plenty of sex, drugs and violence in this novel, all describe vividly and without cliche. He knows when to describe a scene in detail and when it's more horrific to just describe the characters reaction to it.

The Book The Lone Ranger and Tanto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie was very well written and enjoyable. It is a collection of inter connecting short stories that share similar themes and characters as well. It revolves around a few main characters including Victor the main character, and Thomas Builds-The-Fire an obsessive story teller. The characters are very well developed, in each story he builds on each character until you really feel as if you know them. The flaws to this are sometimes there are contradicting traits in different stories, but that is understandable with a collection of short stories. He seems to develop the settings enough but not to great detail, which is sometimes effective and at other times leaves you waiting for more. For short stories his plot development was excellent, as well as the way in which he compiled his stories, theses two elements combined kept me engrained in the book and were very effective in portraying theme. His overall writing style is very blunt, honest, and real, he also uses some elements of realistic satire to keep you interested and shocked simultaneously. I also saw hints of budding surrealism in some stories, but not enough to create an overall surrealistic effect; I think his usage of it is appropriate but as well developed as it could be. I enjoyed his style of writing because it gave me the raw and bitter truth behind life on an Indian reservation. He spoke so realistically and honestly, like he had been there first hand, which makes this book very good and effective with its portrayal. The themes are very apparent, and do not involve much reading between the lines, but are there and do leave an impact on you. The themes of differences and discrimination are very effective as well as the theme of the difference between modern and past Indians. Overall I really enjoyed his work, despite his minor flaws in development of character, and setting. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Native American life, or someone willing to read an entertaining and powerful book.

The title itself is very intriguing. The title pits two famous american icons, who are indian and white, against each other. Sort of setting the stage for reservation life in the present day. A constant clash between races and rights. This collection of short stories, in my mind, is one of the best books published by a Native American ever. The author, Sherman Alexie, has a very distinct voice. He sets scenes very well and the descriptive language he uses is great. Each chapter brings a new adventure and a new lesson to learn. Alexie creates many interesting characters in Lone Ranger and Tonto but a few stand out. One is Victor who was left by his father at a young age and goes threw many adventures chronicled by Alexie. One of his adventures is very well depicted in the film Smoke Signals. The movie focuses on Victor traveling to Arizona to retrieve his dead Fathers remains. Smoke Signals focuses on my favorite chapter in the book anyway. A lot of issues are brought up between Thomas Builds-The-Fire and Victor. Their travels bring them closer together and many of their past conflicts are resolved. Usually I'm not a sucker for stories with corny happy endings but this one got me. I read this book for a school assignment and usually I don't like to read books issued by teachers as required reading but I liked this one. It isn't my favorite book of all time but I liked it. That is saying a lot because I don't read much outside of the classroom and getting exposed to new authors I like is always fun.

I initially picked this book up for two reasons--I liked Alexie's novel, Indian Killer, and more importantly because I live in Spokane, WA and have traveled extensively through the Reservations and towns that are described in the stories. The descriptions and the characters are very realistic, the names and places are not very fictionalized, and it makes me feel right at home. Fortunately for those readers not privleged to live in the Inland Northwest, the stories also teach a lot about Indian culture, the modern Native American and their heritage. It is a disturbing picture at times with too much alcaholism, violence, and racism, but underneath it all there is a great deal of love which makes the stories comforting and redeeming. Alexie has a lyrical voice, and when combined with his authenticsity, beautiful, rich stories are produced. Aside from those academic traits, he is also very funny, honest, and affectionate throughout, and those qualities are what I will remember about this book far more than the descriptions of familiar hotels on Third Avenue and the basketball games played between Springdale and Wellpinit. It is a great, quick read, and a wonderful way to pass an afternoon.