This book is a really good book. Like all of Mary Downing Hahn's books, this book is unlike others. Eliza, a tomboy girl who lives with her aunt and uncle decides to go and try to find her papa. On her journy she meets Calvin. A boy that claims he's an outlaw. They go through many adventures and then in the end Eliza shows true courage and they also find a shocking surprise that awaits them at the end of their journey. I recemend this book to ages 9 and up.

This is a really great book. It kept me interested not only because of its great descriptions and exciting plot, but also because I live in Colorado. Mary Hahn is a fantastic author and a lot of thought was put into her book. It's a story everyone should know.

This is a great book. I'm 12 and this a book for everyone to enjoy. the descriptions are great and not to long. There is not a single part where this story is boring. You feel like you are in the story and in the old west. This book is not an old fashioned book. You can realy picture the characters

This is interesting and revealing book. There are two descriptions intertwined: chronological narrative (ending with surprising developments in the big business of fur trading, those guys don't ride out into the sunset) and a description of various aspects of life in the West before settlement. I guess there are some unverified stories in there (I always wondered why Indians would murder one white man, and let the other run for his life, and why, unlike Iroquouis, and much like Karl May's Indians, they didn't think there was more merit in killing a brave and skillful man who perhaps had killed many Indians previously), Mountain Men's braggings, but I am glad the author does mention those guys tendency toward exaggeration.

With almost no true historical documentation of the era available, No book on this subject could possibly be based on 100% factual material. However, Winfred Blevins uses the information available to paint a vivid and colorful picture in the mind of the reader about the life and experiences of these hardy souls. The stories are engrossing and the writing makes you feel as if you are there seeing these things happen right before your own eyes. You can almost smell the buffalo roasting on a spit over an open campfire, or hear the sounds of the indians yelping it up right before John Colter takes off on his famous run, or taste the crystal clear waters of the headwaters of the Missouri river as they come rushing out of the high mountains of the Yellowstone country. You don't just read this book, you feel the stories it tells.
This is definitely one of the best books I have read in a while. The information it shares and the entertainment it provides is some of the best out there. If you are interested in the subject of the first mountain men of the old west, then this is the first book you should buy.

Have you ever wondered where Hollywood got all those wild ideas for outdoor-oriented movies, in particular Western movies? Where did they come up with the notion that wild "savages" would strip a man naked and send him running through the wilderness with blood-thirsty warriors in pursuit? Where did they get the idea that a wounded wilderness traveler would chase wolves from a buffalo kill to get food for himself? And in the famous Sydney Pollack movie "Jeremiah Johnson" where did Will Geer get the notion that "...the Crows is the handsomest injuns there is,...not a man alive can match 'em on a horse..." Where did the rest of Hollywood's apparent wild fabrications come from?

Turns out Hollywood isn't so creative after all! This stuff is all based on the true-life adventures of American frontiersmen and American indians! And "Give Your Heart to the Hawks" provides gripping and historically accurate accounts of the lives and times of these men.

The book begins with the genesis of the "mountain man" era, the early 1800's with a man named John Coulter. Mr. Coulter, who was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, preferred the wilderness to civilization and left Messrs. Lewis and Clark near the end of their famous journey. In fact, shortly after he left, indians stripped Mr. Coulter naked (after killing his partner) and sent him running across the plain with warriors in pursuit. And, against all odds, Mr. Coulter lived to tell about it!

The book also covers the life-and-death struggles of other well-known frontiersmen such as Jedidiah Smith, Jim Bridger and David Jackson (after whom the Wyoming area of Jackson Hole was named). And also, some lesser known men such as Jim Beckwourth, Hugh Glass (who actually drove wolves from a buffalo kill!) and many others.

Naturally, tales of indians and their interactions with the white men are a big part of this book. And lest you think contrarily, many indians were on good terms with the whites; the Shoshone and Crows in particular. But beware the arch-enemy of many an indian and white alike: the murderous Blackfeet and the treacherous Rees!

"Hawks" is one of the most powerful and fascinating books I've ever read. It is not fiction, but it is also not a dry, tedious historical documentary. "Wagh!!" (to use mountain man jargon) it reads like an adventure novel; interesting, captivating and wholly entertaining. But it is highly educational too. One of the best of its type and appropriate for all ages.

Being a new to Arizona and visiting once, I loved this book. It made my recent trip to Bisbee wonderfully interesting. I searched for many of the points of interst mentioned in this book. Looked at the terrain and the people. All were true to the authors decribtion. I even experienced a few "that's Bisbee" moments. Thanks for a great book, I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

A DELIGHTFUL DIVERSION. WELL-WRITTEN AND WORTH IT TO BUY IT. A KIND OF VERBAL NATURALIST'S JOURNALING. This is an exceptionally well-written and engaging travel memoir describing in fluid, conversational, yet poetic language, the writer's travels in Arizona's Sonoran Desert and mountainous area. It uses the English language of the American style magnificantly. It conveys the moment to moment experiencing of Mr. Sheldon's drives and travels. YOu feel as if you are in Blue Boy (his van) with him. YOu can almost smell the greasewood right after a monsoon rain as if you were there. I'm reading this book to my 91-year old Mother who lived in Bisbee and Tucson as a child. It is a special treasure for her as it allows her to enjoy and reminisce about the special memories of her childhood. Thank you Mr. Sheldon for this delightful book. I am eternally grateful to you.

This book is a gem! Besides the fact that Bisbee is one of my favorite places to visit, the author makes the trip there so enjoyable, you have a hard time remembering you've been there already. I especially liked the story of the Christmas 'Tree' he brought in one year for Christmas. Get this book and take it to a quiet corner to read. You will be transported.

Just got back from a week on the Kenai Peninsula - this book was an absolute must. The author is very candid about places, good or bad. Saw a bunch of amazing stuff and did it all on a modest budget, thanks to this book. The history and flora/fauna sections are very accurate and very interesting. I read other sections of the book (places that I didn't go), and because of the descriptions, I am already aching to go explore more of the state. If you go to Alaska, all you need are the proper clothes and this book.

Along with "Off the Beaten Path" by Melissa DeVaughn, this book was indispensable during a 2001 and a 2002 trip to Alaska. I especially appreciated the candor in this book, for example tersely warning to stay away from a certain hotel in a certain town because it was "run-down." In the sections about Nome and Kotzebue, I appreciated the tip that these parts of Alaska aren't set up for independent travellers and are best reached via a tour group. Additionally, the sections for each region all follow the same format. And the book is just a good, chunky size and feels good in your hand!

After using Lonely Planet on my trip to Europe I purchased the Alaska one for my recent trip. This book was wonderful, it was the only guidebook that we needed. It was especially helpful in finding hostels, and allowed us to arrange lodging before we arrived. All the information contained was up to date, and pointed us to little treasures that we might not have discovered otherwise. As a result we really got to get taste of Alaska and keep our trip affordable and interesting. If you have a desire to really discover any place you go, turn to Lonely Planet I know that I always will.

Wonderfully written in the best literary tradition of the South. Family saga with all the secrets finally come to light. Couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

If you've lost your belief in true love this book is for you. No matter how cynical you are you will fall in love with My Brother Michael. What a beautifully written, sad, funny, romantic book. These are people you can care about. Age-old themes: money, poverty, incest, sibling rivalry, a brother's mistake, a son's fury, a mother's love. You've known these people before, just not the inside story of what has really gone on in their lives. Brilliantly written. Boldly beautiful.

My Brother Michael is as delicious as a large glass of sweet tea on a hot Florida day! Janis Owens is a wonderful writer, with a skillfully spirited understanding of small- town Southern idiosyncrasies. This poignantly told story of love lost and found, captivates the reader immediatly with its wry Southern comfort and charm.

Hi, everybody! Do you know why you should read this book? Because it is a whole lot of fun to read and exciting things happen. Mama packs her bags and takes her kids with her to California to meet Papa. The first thing that happens is the baby got sick. Then the buffalo come. Mama says, "Amanda, get the pepper out of my sack and give some to everyone but Baby Betsy!" Then some men come and tried to rob them, but Amanda played her brother's whistle and they went away. I give this story 5 stars!

You should read this book! It's really, really funny especially the Mama. If I had to eat prunes for dessert, I would throw up! But, anyways you should read this book. My favorite problem was the buffalo stampede.

This book was so fun to read. It has action in it. The words were so funny. I liked when baby Betsy threw up! Amanda is a very brave girl - you'll have to read it to find out why. Mama had a big bag for the things they need. They were going to California from Missouri. When they got there, Daddy asked Mama what happened. You'll have to read it to find out.

If you're looking for a nice synopsis of places in the bay area - this is the book for you. Just don't expect more than you'd find in the Phone book if you're in the South Bay.

I absolutely dreaded planning my wedding and this book was the only thing that saved my fiance and I from spiraling into madness. We are both from the East Coast, relatively new to the Bay area, and had no family here to help us. Neither one of us had ever been married before or helped plan a wedding. Here Comes the Guide was the single most useful tool for planning our wedding, and is reliable enough that we didn't feel the need to interview a ridiculous number of vendors for each service before choosing one. If a vendor we liked was recommended by the book then we knew they had to be good. Here Comes the Guide is concise, recommends cool traditional and non-traditional reception sites, and provides all of the information you need to plan your own wedding without the help of a wedding planner. The only area which was lacking was limousines and transportation. Pretty much everything else, including bands, calligraphy, invitations, cakes, vendors, tuxedos, reception sites, and florists, was there in abundance.

I was given this book as a gift soon after my engagement. At the time, I hadn't given much thought to where I wanted to hold the event. This book was a great help in finding several locations that were ideal. As the wedding market in Northern CA is rather busy, it was very nice to have several choices so that we could find a venue that was availible on our desired date.

This book contains accurate descriptions of venues, with information pertianing to the size, cost, and other key factors. It also contains less important but still useful information on catering options at each venue, music limitations, and other factors which can help a bride and groom say yea or nea to a location that is still site unseen.

I called over 20 phone numbers in this book and all were up to date and correct. I also found the pricing information almost dead on. The black and white pictures also gave an accurate impression of the venues.

This book was essential to my planning of a wine country wedding and I highly recommend it to anyone that is arranging a wedding in the bay area.

This was the first book of Jane's that I read. It amazed me how much she did and survived to tell about it, sometimes in a funny way. It is a great way to get to know Jane personally.

This was my favorite of Jane's many books. Jane's tale held me spellbound from beginning to end. I could hardly believe how much she and her husband lived through in order to establish a home in a very difficult environment. I felt like I lived the entire ordeal with them. Very worthwhile reading.

This is truly a "can't put it down" book. Jane's own story is deeply inspiring to anyone facing his or her own challenges. She writes with great humor and a deep faith in the power of the Almighty. Throughout the whole book the reader finds herself laughing and crying with Jane and cheering her on. Her descriptions of events are so vivid that the reader feels like it is taking place right here, right now. Jane has captured the spirit of the pioneer woman that she could have been if she had lived 100 years earlier.

I met Millie once when I was a youngster, this book was of immense interest to me.
This is a very good story and it is hilarious at times.
Other times it is heart wrenching. Kind of like life.
My only criticism is that the biographer was weak in the delivery of the story.
Nevertheless, I express thanks to Mr. Evans his perseverance in writing this book. I am certain it was not an effortless undertaking.

This book is one that I will save as a gem between gems on my bookshelf.

Absolutely great book if you want to read about one of the truly fantastic madams of the recent period, read this! She crowded more 'living' into her life than most people do in 6 lifetimes. She had friends in all the right places, and knew everyone. On her own from the age of 14, she was a quick learner and knew all the 'tricks'. In fact, as she put it, "We turned a good trick". Had houses from Alaska to the bottom of New Mexico. Top notch- 5 stars.

Ignore the book's subtitle, cover and back cover copy. Madam Millie is not about bordellos or lurid sex detail. It's about a tough, wise, loveable woman. There are a few funny incidents -- as when a cat attacks a delicate portion of a bishop's anatomy -- but today they seem rather tame.
Millie's long life was never ordinary. Orphaned at a young age, she was saved from juvenile justice by Harry S. Truman, then a Kansas City judge. When her sister Florence was diagnosed with tuberculosis, Millie accompanied her to Deming, New Mexico, where she worked as a Harvey Girl at the train station.
Millie entered her new profession to pay her sister's medical bills. And the rest is, literally, history.
Readers will appreciate Madam Millie on two levels: as the biography of a legend and as a social history of women, work and early life in the southwest. Millie entered the business to pay medical bills for her sister. In one night, she would earn more -- and have a pleasanter life -- than she would in the other occupations open to women at the time.
Millie was first and foremost a businesswoman. She built her success not on her looks but on her charisma, executive skills and ability to read people. It was no accident that her houses attracted high-powered clients. She was their equal.
Millie managed bordellos but she also bought and sold real estate. If she had been born forty years later, she would be a player in business or politics -- a very different but equally challenging game.
Readers can debate the morality -- and inevitabilty -- of Millie's "business." Millie herself believed there would always be a need, whether legally met or not. As Millie acknowledged, in the end what she had to sell soon became available for free, thanks to birth control and a changing society.
Millie ran clean houses, with no drugs and no disease, and her contributions to the community must have set a record. There were no rescue agencies back then. She *was* the Red Cross. Her last houses on Hudson Street -- site of the current Silver City post offices -- closed in 1968.
Madam Millie is fast-paced and easy to read. We get a sense of her wit and style, though not a great deal of her thought processes. Then again, Madam Millie does not come across as an introspective gal. She's all action. The pictures help us see history: the "girls" come across as more humorous than provocative.
Give this book to your favorite Silver City newcomer. Buying stamps and mailing a letter will take on a whole new meaning after they read Madam Millie.

The trapper's journal by Osbourne Russell during the early to mid 18 hundreds came as a bit of a surprise. First the book is a factual account without any explication of the events more than is necessary. It is not told as an adventure story eg "Last of the Mohicans" but rather as a journal pure and simple of the travels through the Rockies, mainly Yellowstone, of this young trapper over 9 years in the pay and as a member of Jim Bridger's fur company, around 100 men. The trade was at its peak at this time. As is true of most journals it is full of abbreviations of words because of time constraints eg brot. for brought, staid for stayed etc. This gives the impression of crudity in the writing, or of a man not used to writing but rather writing in only a haphazard fashion. Every reader knows how easy it is to loose all the fine points of writing when it is not practised constantly. The journal is full of place names and directions of travel and a few maps indicating the progress of the trappers. There is some description of the scenery and the Indians of the area eg Blackfoot which are a constant threat, Shoshones (Snake), Bonnack and Crow. Occasionaly I was pleasantly surprised by paragraphs of eloquence and beauty mixed in with the simplistic writing which was the norm. Russell was capable of very good writing when he was inspired or wished to do so. This is also demonstrated by his letters to his sisters which are written with great style and few grammatical errors, completely unlike his journals.

There is much which comes to the fore in regard to the period eg the waste and destruction as the parties of trappers even in groups as small as 3 wonder the countryside and simply kill a Bison Cow for a meal and then discard it, or just take the tongue to eat. Incredible disregard for nature is shown at times. The trapper is in continual fear of Blackfoot war parties who harrass them, both white and Indian, constantly. In one instance an enormous group of Blackfeet, thought to number up to 1000 or more by Russell, attempt to eradicate the entire group of Bridger's trappers, about 100. They decide not to due to an unfavourable (omen) display of Northern lights. Even in his day as the story nears the end of the 9 years Russell tells of the scarcity of Buffalo which were not wiped out in total until 1870 or so (80 million -> 1000). Its almost as if it comes upon them suddenly, "5 years ago thousands crossed the valleys of the Yellowstone, now its hard to find any". Russell even becomes a little conservationist in spirit when he states that maybe its time for the white man to leave this country because the wildlife has been so denuded.

An interesting book but with far too few passages describing the trapper's feeling along the way.

This is by far one of the best books that a fur trade re-enactor can read. It is also a must read for the modern beaver trapper as well. Osborne describes the everyday events of the fur brigades in their heyday. If you are a buckskinner, living historian, trapper or just an old west history buff then this is a MUST have!

A remarkable firsthand account of how it was back in the 1830's to early 1840's to be a fur trapper/trader in the Rocky Mountains. Russell lived it and told it like it was back then. One of few mountain men to keep a journal. I like how he gets quite descriptive in the day to day adventures and activities that he had to do for survival. An excellent book.