This charming book transforms boring history into an entertaining tale of a girl and her family from Boston living in Charleston, SC during the months leading up to the beginning of the Civil War by the attack on Fort Sumter. The reader senses the inhunanity of slavery through Sylvia's experiences. Your child will understand history like never before after reading this book.

From the first page of this book I knew I was in trouble. I joined a book club to lure me out of my comfort zone. GAL was on the list. I had never heard of it or the author. I got the book, tried reading the book, became upset with the author (who through no fault of her own had to endure this humiliation), put the book down several times, and basically had to force myself to read it. I was drained by the time I finished. I so wanted a happy ending but her life where she was born remained the same. The day the book club was supposed to meet was rainy. One person other than myself showed up. I pleaded with her to stay so we couldtalk. I believe that had it not been for her, and the people at work, my family and innocent passers- by I would have needed therapy after reading this book. Do I recommend it? Only for the strong. Thanks for allowing me to vent my frustrations over this book.

Ruthie Bolton, what a brave, brave woman. What a story, what a book. The harshness of this story makes one feel that they are in the south of the early 1900's or the latest 1940's, but to find out that this is a contemporary tale, that Ms. Bolton is maybe in her late 30's only makes one stop and reconsider and wonder. How? How did these things happen to these girls? Abandoned to the care of her Grandmother and Stepgrandfather, by a mother who was herself beaten and abused, Ruthie Bolton is a witness and a victim to abuse. At an early age she along with her young and equally helpless aunts watched her Stepgrandfather, savagely beat his wife to death. The beatings and the years of mental torture that followed left Ruthie twisted and angry. Drugs, sex, alcohol, nothing but the love of a family can save Ruthie -- and she finds it, along with a second husband. Ruthie grows through or in spite of her pain and even comes to grips with her abusive Stegrandfather. This story, this life, is truly inspiring. You go Gal!

From the moment I picked up the book, I could scarcely tolerate even minor interruptions while I read it from cover to cover within the span of four hours! Since then, I have purchased the book for several female friends, with instructions that it must be passed on to other favorite sisters as a special treat. Contained within its pages are accurate (and timely) examples of love, greed, envy, lust, power, and worship of the money god. This book was so true-to-life, I felt I knew each character personally. I urge women everywhere to experience the rollercoaster ride through the life of Ruthie Bolton, because it will be an experience they'll never forget!

There's a lot to like in this book.....if you're prepared to try to be a professional chef in your own home. Like a lot of cookbooks written by great chefs (and I'll give Osteen that) or their ghostwriters, there are the problems of getting complicated recipes right, and whether one wants to take the time involved. Osteen's approach to "updating" Low-Country cooking takes a very "nouveau" bent, and strays pretty far from the original at times. If you're looking for new interpretation of this classic cuisine, a far better choice is "The New Low-Country Cooking" by Marvin Woods. If you want the real thing, then "Hoppin' John's Lowcountry Cooking" by John Martin Taylor is the book for you; just make sure to keep a tub of lard on hand, as many the traditional recipes call for it. Finally, if what you're after is to "explore the culture of a part of America without actually going there", Osteen doesn't provide that; Taylor and Woods do, and very well indeed.

This respected southern chef takes typical cooking of the lowcountry and dresses it up with slightly different flair with spices and sauces and accompaniments that are not your typical fare of the area.

For example, the Roasted Pork Loin with Red Cabbage Braised with Chestnuts or athe Roasted Squab with Wild Rice and A Shallot and Garlic Confit in a Cabernet Sauce are sophisticated yet with the down home feel and comfort of the southern cuisine.

I've found the dishes to be masterful in this mild fusion, e.g. Duck Breasts with Espresso-Infused Sauce and Creamy Grits or the Mashed Potatoes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes add just the touch of newer fare to enliven the finest of the sultry south.

Crab Cakes are the best around -- with the cracker base! Also a great Grill Section here, meat and veggies and all kinds of sauces and glazes including a standout "Cognac Barbecue Sauce."

Neat twist, one that my palete enjoys!

Having seen Louis in action (I was a Chef at Charleston Place Hotel) I can confirm that Chef Osteen's food is something to experience and is definately memorable. Buy this book for the Crabcakes with Dijon Mustard Sauce alone! And if you ever get a chance to eat at his restaurant - DO IT. I miss hearing his expediters calling "pickup" and "order in".

When I read the first 3 books in the series I became so entrenched in the story that it stayed with me for days. "Drums" doesn't have the same pull, there is no passion between Claire and Jamie. They say the right words but we don't feel the internal flip flops, the gut wrenching emotion that kept us desperately seeking more, more! A lot of missed opportunity too: it's a major scene when Brianna finally finds Jamie but did she have to find him relieving himself under a tree?! Could have been a great moment in the book but it fell flat. Unfortunately too, Brianna comes across as spoiled and churlish, having rages against Jamie and Roger while she, herself, made the bad decisions that had nasty consequences. John Gray steals the story...hope to see a lot more of him. I say to Ms. Gabaldon. "You are a phenomenally talented writer who has delivered us from the mundane and we are eternally grateful...bring back the magic!! Can't wait for Book # 5 but I DREAD reaching the end of the series."

The fourth book in the Outlander series begins in 1769, as our favorite middle-aged couple, Scottish Highlander Jamie Fraser and his time-traveling bride Claire, begin a new life in the mountain wilderness of North Carolina. Having traveled across the Atlantic, with a brief stop in the Caribbean, the two are ready to settle down and make a home of their own. Meanwhile two hundred years back in the future, their daughter, Brianna, continues to frustrate her historian boyfriend, Roger, by refusing his marriage proposal. Both Roger and Brianna are troubled by a newspaper clipping that spells disaster for her parents, and each secretly chooses to handle the news in their own way.

This installment of the Outlander saga takes some of the focus off of Jamie and Claire, and focuses more on Brianna and Roger, who aren't all that interesting at first glance. We also meet some old friends and new enemies. Unfortunately, it took almost 400 pages before I really got into this book, unlike the earlier three. Of course, the good news is that I still had over 600 pages of excellent reading that I couldn't put down! The last few pages were the best. Now I am ready to dive into the fifth Outlander book, The Fiery Cross.

I was originally prepared to be partially disappointed with this book as a few of the other reviews had left me with the mistaken impression that it didn't deliver. Much to my delight, I LOVED Drums of Autumn! It delivered all of the goods and more. I was also thoroughly taken with the preceeding 3 books in the series.

With Drums, I found enjoyment in Jamie and Claire being comfortably together, secure in their love for one another and settled in their new home. This book, like the other three, was filled with laughter, tears, romance and adversity. It dealt with each characters emotions perhaps even better than in the preceding novels because it took it's time - I for one enjoyed the slower pace (but never, never a boring one). I liked the addition of Brianna and Roger's story as well as John Grey's continued presence in the lives of our hero and heroine. I can't wait to see what happens next - the introduction of Stephen Bonnett as well as Will's reappearance should make for some interesting story plots in the next 2 books!

I have never been so taken with any characters as I have with Jamie and Claire. Diana Gabaldon is a phenomenal writer - she speaks directly to my heart and sense of adventure! I recommend this as well as every book in the Outlander series - 5 stars for all.

This is a great account of the first days of the civil war. Not only is it a great tale of devotion, courage, and spiritual faith on the part of Com. Robert Anderson. But it provides a more or less nuetral point of view of the opening moments of the war between the states.

A nice very detailed history of the few critical months at the beginning of the War Between the States (as we say in Georgia). Contains interesting details of life in the US Army and in Charleston not found elsewhere to the degree that you feel you are actually there. The author shifts easily back and forth to Washington DC for higher-level decisions. Interesting character sketches of Major Anderson and others involved in these perilous times. I would have given this five stars but for the author's weird tangents (McDonalds likes to fly the American flag? "It takes two to tango, but only one to do the twist"? etc.). He has been hanging around academia too long and occasionally slips in these bizarre little asides. Second only to Winik's April 1865 (describing the other end of the war) in this year's crop of War Between the States books. Buy it and ignore the groan-inducing little cutesies.

Dezter writes so well that you kind of lose yourself and you almost imagine that you don't know how this story is going to end. This is a through examination of Major Robert Anderson, a very underrated Civil War key figure for his bravery, tenacity, and even stupidity during the Sumter/Charleston Harbor crisis. of 1860 and 1861. His writing is simple, like a teacher would speak to a class, not like some stuffy old Ph.D. trying to impress his first year students in some intro level American History class. It flows and follows nicely chronologically, hitting no snags, qualit or substance wise throughout. Excellent, it receives my higest recommendation.

Geez, I actually used one of the recipes in this book, put in towards the back. I believe its one of the authors favorites....however, I was surprised at how uncooked my chicken came out according to instructions, non-verbatem, "put chicken in 500 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes." I guess I'm nieve; either that or I figured a little old lady would know how long it took to cook chicken! Thank goodness it wasn't six breasts! Anyways, the rest of the book is pretty hard to get through. There are pockets of good storytelling, but the book wasn't as absorbing as I thought it would be. The book is a little bit about everything on the life and family of Ms Emily Whatley, a South Carolinian who gives us her families history back to Eve. I guess I was supposed to be transfixed. I kept thinking I could take this book in spurts of different "mood." Alas, it was not to be so. When you pick up a book with a grimace, donate it to the library or the goodwill instead! She does mention her garden----but she also mentions alot of other stuff. Its a rambling piece of a little old ladies history of her life; take it or leave it. Its not the most happening thing, but I guess you have to be from Charleston. I have to wonder why this book was published in the first place....I don't understand the appeal....it must be "A Southern Thing." Whatever.

While reading this book, I felt as if I was sitting in a backyard garden on a lovely iron park bench with a glass of lemonade in hand, visiting with Emily Whaley herself. Opinionated, honest and full of Southern charm, Emily is a woman of character who has been blessed with the gift of gardening and a heritage of living right. When I first began reading, I expected gardening tips and descriptions of prolific gardens, which I was given. Yet delightfully surprising was having the lessons she had learned in her life unpretentiously and often humorously passed down to me by way of uncluttered recollections. She taught me to "find my own charms" in life and to "compete only with myself" to name so very few. This is one book I will certainly re-read the pages of often throughout my life.

Mr. Whaley has a wonderful way of drawing you into her stories about learning from her family and friends how important gardens and gardening is to life in South Carolina. You feel as if you are sitting at her knee listening to her tell her stories, rather than reading a book.

I have been to her garden and met her and she truly is a marvel. A true South Carolina gardener and gentlewoman.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a little bit of everything in it. (romance, drama, suspense, supernatural) The kids actually acted a little too mature, but you can contribute that to the times and heartbreak they went through. I would recommend this book to any one who loves time travels!

I love time travel romance, and this author is one of my favorite. But, when I bought this book, I didn't realize it was a war novel. Now I really don't like war time stories and I hate almost anything that isn't 1800's or before. However, I started to read this book and I was hooked. It is truly just a wonderful story, well worth reading. Full of surprises and it warms the heart. Dont miss out on this one.

Tisha D. Boldery

Embers in Time is defintely not your run of the mill time-travel. The author skillfully mixes mystery, romance and the para-normal in a plot that will surprise and delight you with its twists and turns. The characters, well researched setting and complex story blend magically in this well-written novel.

I enjoyed this book so much, especially after having read several books by current, popular authors that were just "fair". This was my first book by Fern Michaels. I read it in a few days and was always eager to get back to it when I had to put it down. The author writes very believable characters. Who doesn't cringe when Tanner's mother enters the story. And wouldn't you love a friend like Luke? I thought the friendship of Jessie and Sophie was lovely, but I often wanted Jessie to not be so dependent on Sophie and do some thinking for herself! The only thing that really disappointed me about the book was the ending. Not that I want to always know the outcome of a book halfway thru, but this ending seemed so abrupt and left you hanging! A lot of unanswered questions. I hope there will be a sequel. I'd like to know more about Jessie, her child and family. Even with the disappointed ending, this was a good book that held your interest. I will definately recommend this book to others.

Once again, Fern Michaels has written a book that totally engrosses her readers! She has this ability to stir her readers emotions. I could not put this book down! Loved it start to finish. You really get to know her characters. Finders Keepers is one of the best books I've ever read, and highly recommend it to everyone. You will not be disappointed!

I ordered this book online and I read it yesterday when it arrived; from start to finish. I've read books that stirred every one of my emotions but none like this one did. I wanted to kill Jessie's mother, the one who stole her. I wanted to swat her gutless father, the one who helped steal her. I cried over Sophie and I wailed and moaned over Jelly. Now, that's a first class read in my opinion. Good work, Fern Michaels.

A long time forever and ever fan.

Julie Peters

If you've ever been to Charleston, if you've ever thought of going to Charleston, if you've ever heard of Charleston The Root of All Evil is a must read. David Farrow has captured the essence of the Holy City and combined that with a plot that doesn't allow the book to be put down.
While reading the book the reader can actually feel the culture, the sights and sounds,and the deep history of this beautiful city and the sometimes dark secrets of its people

Being a "nawthener" all my life, I found this book to be an out of body experience into the core of the real, mystical south. I highly recommend it to any other curious readers, whether you plan a visit to Charleston or not! The blend of mysticism, history and murder in "Root" kept me glued to the pages. I am looking forward to reading David Farrow's next book--and I'm hoping he makes it a continuation of this one in some way, keeping the spirit of Charleston past and present coming to life, in far more than a strictly geographic way.I could not put this book down. I started reading it while on vacation in Charleston and continued it during a visit to Savannah. Because the book was so far superior to "THE BOOK" (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), my mind was still in Charleston though I was surrounded by Savannah's "Midnight" tours, posters, and paraphenalia.Luckily, my husband and I had the unique pleasure of meeting David Farrow on a recent trip to Charleston. The city is charming and lovely, but it didn't come alive until we experienced its old haunts through the eyes of someone who has lived on shrimp, grits, and voodoo. Bravo, David! Do it again!

Take a cup of Steven King, blend with a generous dollop of John Behrendt, stir in a taste of Kahlil Ghibran and add them all to the unique vision and talent of David Farrow. The result is "The Root Of All Evil", a book to be savored again and again. Farrow has set his macabre tale of boyhood friends turned adult adversaries in his beloved Charleston. Born and raised in this loveliest of all Southern cities, he captures it so completely that even if you have never visited here, by the end of this captivating novel you'll feel as though you've walked the streets and alleys, strolled along the Battery, and basked in the sunlight of Waterfront Park. For those of us who have spent time here it instantly transports us back. But either way the Charleston Farrow shows us is far different from the one shown in travel brochures. Taking the reader inside Charleston society and under it to the "Voodoo" herb culture of the Gullah people, he spins a terrifying yarn not of "whodunit" but "whatdunit"! Captivating characters, nail-biting action and a pace that accelerates with the turning of every page makes this one of those books that truly are hard to put down. I've just finished reading it for the third time and I'm still discovering new aspects of Farrow's masterful prose. While I eagerly await the movie someone is bound to make of this book (imagine the special effects !), I more eagerly await his next book. Thanks for the ride, Mr. Farrow! May I please have another?

My Losing Season is the non-fiction tale of the author's 1966-67 basketball season at the Citadel. By all accounts, the season was a disaster; they went 8-17 and lost in the first round of championship play. It was also Conroy's senior year and his best year as a basketball player. He averaged 12 points per game, served as team captain, and received the MVP trophy. This book tells the story of this season of mixed blessings and how Conroy became the 5"10 second-string point guard that triumphed in this defeating year.

This story is about much more than the 1966-67 season. Conroy lays out his love affair with the game of basketball, which began with pickup games he played while spending time with his aunt and uncle in Orlando, Florida. Conroy's love of the game was the only thing he had to cling to as he endured a childhood full of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, and while the family kept moving as his father was reassigned positions throughout the country. Conroy played in Virgina, North Carolina, and graduated from high school as the star of the Beaufort, South Carolina High School team. Having no other options, Pat enrolled in the Citadel. He details the triumphs and perils of the pleb system, academic life, and the basketball team with beautiful language and an obvious enchantment with his playing days.

This book was wonderfully reconstructed through interviews with teammates, reviews of newspaper articles, and the author's own memory of the year. The characters of both his father, Don Conroy, and his coach, Mel Thompson, evoked horror and anger in me as I read. It is clear that Coach Thompson could have had a winning team, but was unable to give praise or constructive criticism that would have helped his team to gel and play off each others' strengths. The book contains dreadful yet beautiful descriptions of the internal workings of the Citadel. I also loved the author's descriptions of his evolving love of the English language and the great works of William Faulkner and Sinclair Lewis.

Conroy has created a beautiful memoir of his basketball season, interweaving stories from his childhood, academic life, and current middle-aged status. He states at the outset of this book that he has always learned more from losing seasons than from winning ones, and I can see why. By reexamining the disasterous 1966-67 Citadel basketball season, Conroy was forced to reexamine painful childhood memories and horrible moments as a pleb. At the end of the story a reader can see that he is stronger for having done so, and I am stronger for have taken the journey with him. This is a truly magical memoir and you do not need to be a basketball fan to share in the wonder of Conroy's life.

I was a bit unsure at first if I was ready to read a non fiction work by Pat Conroy. I enjoy non fiction and have lately devoted most of my reading to it, but I wasn't sure what I was going to be getting when I read the description of "My Losing Season". After all, who cares about an unknown college basketball team that played in the sixties?

I haven't read all of Mr. Conroy's books yet, not because I don't think he is one of the great writers of all time, but because I know that I'll only get to read them once for the first time. My introduction into his worlds of fiction caught me by surprise because I was well into 'The Prince of Tides' before I realized that the book wasn't a true story. I now realize after reading 'My Losing Season' that everything he writes is true, even the fiction.

I would have broken down crying several times during the reading of this book, but my heart is still guarded by never sleeping sentinels whose tireless detail is to walk the stone walls that guard my interior. Mr. Conroy manages to gain an entrance, however, and at times during reading his work I feel a sense of hatred towards him. Not meanness, just anger with no where to go.

So what is it about this book, this story that makes it so worth reading? The nakedness that Pat Conroy brings to the page. The truth. Simple and raw and courageous. Enduring and joyful, sad and painful.

I envy his memories, his legacy, his past, not because I feel that the journey was easy or he was lucky, but because whatever molded him into the man he became, whatever blessing or curse that was bestowed him at birth, whatever angels or demons followed his path, he has been able to live outside of the shells and caves and fortresses that most of us dwell in. Or at least he has done so enough to make a difference.

While I can't recommend 'My Losing Season' enough, I do have one slight reservation, that being I don't know whether or not a first time reader will enjoy it more before or after they've read one of his previous books. But do read it, whether or not you are familiar with basketball, military colleges or the journey of broken boys trying to become men, you will turn the last page wishing there was more. I promise.

I've read 80 to 100 books a year for almost 50 years. Many of them are memorable, but few have touched me the way this one did. Pat Conroy has been a favorite writer since I stumbled onto "The Water is Wide", and I love sports stories, so I expected that I woould really enjoy this book. Despite a few faults mentioned by other reviewers -- an excess of humility in describing his basketball prowess vis-a-vis the abilities of opponents, a preoccupation with his shortcomings as a player (and person), and a few editorial glitches -- this book is one that I will never forget. I thought it was wonderful that he could see through the despicable actions and statements of his coach to the essential humanity of this flawed individual. I also enjoyed his efforts to "get inside" the feelings of his teammates at the time of their losing season. But, as much as I enjoyed the narrative of the losing season, the last section of the book -- where he tried to articulate what all he learned in those few months affected the remainder of his life and the lives of his teammates -- was the icing on the cake for me. This is a book that can be enjoyed all many levels: as a narrative; as a self-study; as a study of institutional foibles; as a "the rest of the story" report; and as a philosophic essay. I purchased copies for my sons and my son-in-law and for several friends who will love the book like I did.