In a story line that grabs your attention and holds it is a hero that exemplifies the tough and proud western man. Action and drama packed with more gun play than seems possible and a touch of humor that makes for an interesting read. A true western.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Once again Mr Johnstone has given us a true american hero. A no holds barred man who knows what is right and goes about making things right. Not a dainty fellow Frank Morgan (the hero)is a real person with real problems. His life has been turned upside down and now he has to deal with the consequences of a long lost son and a former wife who is killed as the reconciliation was just begining. His son doesn't respect him but, his fatherly love makes Frank stick with the boy. Wrap this story in action and historical tidbits and you have a fine story to enjoy over and over again. Johnstone's thoughts society and the lack of responsibility for one's actions comes through. An excellent edition to any Western Library...Any library for that matter. Get it today.

The collaboration of biographer Karen Holliday Tanner and western history expert John D. Tanner, Jr. (Professor of History, Palomar College, San Marcos, California), Last Of The Old-Time Outlaws: The George West Musgrave Story is the informed and informative account of the notorious bandit, robber, and killer of the American Southwest, George West Musgrave (1877-1947), who was a charter member of the High Five/Black Jack gang, which in turn was responsible for Arizona's first bank hold-up as well as many other robberies. Only the ravages of failing health brought an end to Musgrave's crimes. Last Of The Old-Time Outlaws is enthusiastically recommended as being an absorbing biography of one of a rare oxymoron -- a successful career criminal.

Here was an old time outlaw that didn't cotton to spending time in jail, fumbling robberies, or getting perforated by Banana Republic Keystone Cops. He was in the mold of O. Henry's bad guys in Cabbages and Kings. Further, he died a happy, affluent rascal, just as he lived - and get this - in 1947. Plenty living still remember this outlaw and to John Tanner who wrote the book with his wife, Karen (Doc Holliday, A Family Portrait: she is Doc's closest living blood relative) George Musgrave was more of an in-law than an outlaw. John is related to him so many ways it's hard to keep them straight, but John can, and does.

Karen tells a great story about her husband when they were at a Texas shindig, among Musgrave's relatives, (i.e. like John that's almost everyone is south Texas) where some disgruntled local accosted her and said: "All of these people think they're related to each other." Karen said without hesitation and with not the foggiest idea who this fellow was: "I'll bet you a bunch my husband is related to you and can prove it." She brought John over and they did prove it. The fellow simply scratched his head.

John is not only related to all the participants on the Taylor side of the bloody Sutton/Taylor feud (but I'd bet he's related to some on the other side). Moreover he's related to half the people down here in my neck of the woods, and most of them were related to George Musgrave. Take Howard Lindsay who ran the Boot Hill Museum in Tombstone for years. He's a second something or other to both George and John. So, if you think John doesn't know what he's writing about here, blame it on the relatives who were there and told him - and showed him the pictures, by gum, and a lot of them are in this book, and talk about damned interesting faces.

George was no joke, however. He rode up to an ex-Texas Ranger who was a foreman on the famed Diamond A Ranch out here in my neck of the woods, recognized him as the SOB who had killed one of his relatives, and burned him down without hesitation. George must have been all of nineteen at the time. His horse must have been a lot younger than that because when he split the breeze no one caught him.

Ever hear of the High Five Gang? George was a stalwart. This was an outfit that didn't shoot itself in the foot blowing up a RR car and leaving the pieces all over the landscape. They got the loot. And they evaded such legendary lawmen as George Scarborough, Jeff Milton, John Slaughter, Billy Breakenride (who finally became a lawman after leaving Tombstone and his Sweetie, Curly Bill and hero John Ringo, "the gunfighter who never was") and others.

Emil Franzi, fabled Tucson radio personality (when the mood strikes him to air his show) phoned here the other day and had just finished the book and was raving: "Forget those other phonies, like Butch and Sundance! This SOB is the real McCoy!" Besides that he could read, brushed his teeth, washed his feet regularly and knew how to order in French from a menu. Honest Injun.

My advice it the read this mother and find out for yourself. If Hollywood doesn't discover that it's been barking up the wrong trees for years and zero in on this badman, I miss my guess. Probably years too late and after being dragged to the party, but I predict this one will burn down the barn when they finally film it.

And it's just plain fun reading. It's full of peripheral characters like John's uncle who periodically phones him - usually on a dead Sunday - and says John, "Let's go shoot us a Sutton." This is, as I recall, the same uncle who wires buzzard wings on dead armadillos and puts them in the road for some dumb tourist to stop and gawk at, whereupon he comes out with a shotgun and cusses them out for "killin' the last danged winged armadillo in Texas."

Come to think about it the authors here, and the characters they know that are still around kicking, are as interesting as their protagonist.

This book methodically moves through Peter MacDonald's political life, but offers a biting criticism of the hypocritical nature of American politics. How can it be, MacDonald ask, that congressional people can do what I did, and NOT be held accountable for their actions? This compelling question is often repeated throughout the book & does deserve serious treatment by Indian and nonIndian scholars alike. MacDonald also eludes of "two standards of justice" for American politicians, an undisputed standard that is clearly separated by color! This book is essential reading for those interested in the rise and fall of a modern-day Indian leader and the compromises he has made to maintain his political life.

Great comprehensive look into the making of a Navajo leader. From Peter MacDonald's birth to his incarceration he wanted only to serve his people. The book is also a great historical look at the dynamics of Navajo tribal government and politics. He was truly a leader of his people who had the vision and the foresight to take on the "great" United States. Even 500 years plus, the U.S. is still taking down Indian leaders today! Write U.S. President Clinton for Peter MacDonald's release from federal prison today

This is a short novel that is very easy to read. Ienjoyed it very much and I would recomend that anyone looking for a good book, read this one. It is about the Navajo people and their customs. I am very glad that our professor required us to read it. The symbolism and the imagery are simple and clear. I can not stress how much I enjoyed this book

Very good book, I recommend you read it!

I, too, checked this out of the library and tried the gingerbread recipe. Made it for the second time today for a family dinner and everyone raved about it. It is a lovely book full of comments about each recipe and wonderful illustrations. My 9 year old loved looking at it too. Can't wait to try more recipes...a good variety with old-fashioned sensibility.

I checked this book out of my local library and enjoyed it so much (Laura's gingerbread recipe is especially good) that I wanted to purchase a copy for my personal cookbook collection. I hope it is reprinted soon! Different from "The Little House Cookbook" in that these are not necessarily recipes from Laura's "Little House" books, but rather recipes from her personal cookbook she complied as an adult living in Mansfield, MO. This book is illustrated with beautiful color photos of Laura and Almanzo's home in Missouri (inside and out) and would be a great addition to my cookbook collection. The recipes themselves have a simple, country flair and appear to be easy to prepare (only tried a few but I do love to read cookbooks!)

If you're going on the run, be sure to take someone like Jedidiah Brown with you. In this sequel to Debra Mullins's DONOVAN'S BED, beautiful Susannah Calhoun is accused of murder. None other than Jed Brown, a man from her past and with whom she has unfinished business, comes to escort her to her trial in Denver. Along the way we have enough sparks flying to rival a July 4th celebration, not to mention the bad guys on their trail and bent on revenge. This is fun in the old West. Debra Mullins proves once again with THE LAWMAN'S SURRENDER that she is a writer who delivers. This, her third book and second outing into the west, has all the punch of a Shoot Out at the O.K. Corral. If you want good fun, a great hero, and a damsel in distress, don't miss this one. I promise you'll be delighted.

In 1882 in the Wyoming Territory, US Marshal Jedidiah Brown and Susannah Calhoun feel the attraction between them. That one kiss still lingers in both their minds. Yet he feels she is a conceited beautiful brat and she thinks he is a rude dude. However, without a look back or even a word, Jedidiah leaves town. Susannah feels relieved that her heart remains intact yet deep inside she knows his touch meant everything to her.

A year later in Silver Flats, Colorado, Susannah has an incident with her employer Brick Caldwell. He demands she warm his bed if she wants to continue as the lead singer in his opera house. After hitting him in the head, Susannah flees town. However, she is arrested for Brick's murder. Insisting on her innocence, she learns someone killed Brick with a dinner knife. Jedidiah escorts Susannah to stand trial in Denver, but soon their growing love for each other demands he prove her innocence even as he must protect her from an unknown assailant wanting her dead.

THE LAWMAN'S SURRENDER is a humorous, warm, and exciting sequel that catches all the magic of the terrific first tale, DONOVAN'S BED. The story line never lets up as the audience gains a taste of frontier life and justice. Susannah and Jedidiah make a charming duet though at times the heroine's struggle to overcome her beauty seems at odds with her strong, almost obstinate, independent nature. SW Western romance fans will appreciate Debra Mullins' enticing tale that fully beguiles the audience.

Harriet Klausner

This is a great book and one of my all time favorites. Lightning Larry the main character is such a great man. He goes about the town making all the bad outlaws good with his lightning bolts. All the outlaws are lead by Evil Eye McNeevil. Larry has a showdown with him at the end of story. You need to read this to find out. Larry can overcome any bad guy and has no fear. He jsut lays back and drinks his lemonades without a worry.

My husband just loved reading this book to our boys! The cowboy (Larry) uses his guns to shoot lightning bolts that make bad guys "nice". Their friends are not too thrilled about that!

This is THE L&C cookbook. Took a course on L&C where at end of term, we had to do a project. One group cooked various foods using this book. HUGE hit with class. Granted some recipes are from Jeffersonian VA to make a book (hey he sponsored it as well as being in the right era) but all are authentic and ones tested so far were quite tasty.

I also am a big Lewis and Clark buff; in addition, an avid cook, with my own cookbook. This book finally came out several months after it was supposed to, but it was worth the wait!

Most cookbooks, even the ones that sound like they should have exotic recipes, have the same old stuff, based on boring ingredients that produce ho-hum meals. Not this book! The author clearly knows about good food, and the recipes are a breath of fresh air. They're not terribly hard to make, either.

Visiting my folks over Christmas, the whole family decided to have a Lewis+Clark dinner, just for fun. Everyone helped, and we had: Parsnip Fritters, Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, Shrimp Bisque, and since we couldn't decide between the Rack of Venison with Rosemary-Dijon Crust and Roast Duck with Blackberry Sauce, we had both of them! For dessert, it was Mocha Creme Pie. All were outstanding.

This book is a class act; I just wish there were a hardcover version.

When people think of the Reformation, two people often come to mind. The first is generally Martin Luther and the second is often John Calvin. Alister McGrath does a service both to historians and Christians; his balanced scholarship sets new standards for biographical writing. McGrath discusses Calvin's life, his academic experience, and his theology. McGrath also includes chapters on Calvin's turbulent relationship with the city of Geneva and properly shows that the man and the city had a significant influence on each other.

One of the best parts of this book is that McGrath puts Calvin in to proper historical context by discussing both France and the dominant intellectual trends therein and discussing the city with which Calvin would become forever associated with, Geneva. All throughout the work, McGrath will invite the reader to consider the problems encountered by the Calvin historian; where there is little documentation, McGrath is not afraid to tell the reader. Though McGrath has a clear perspective on who Calvin was and his contribution to history, he acknowledges the contributions of different historians and modifies his position when necessary. This book is not all intellectual and theological history; McGrath explains the social and political significance of heresy and discusses which classes of people tended to adopt Calvinism and why.

Some of the interesting observations that McGrath makes throughout the work:

- Calvin never opposed Copernicus' theory of heliocentrism; there is nothing to suggest that in, "The Institutes of the Christian Religion," (Calvin's main work of theology) or any of his other works. Indeed the first mention that Calvin was critical of Copernicus was in a 19th century biography of Calvin, written by the Anglican Dean od Canterbury, Frederick William Farrar (1831-1903)

- Calvin's relationship to Calvinism; one of the interesting problems in history is to examine the relation between leaders and the movements that they establish. If one looks at John Calvin's theology, one finds that the doctrine of predestination has quite a minor role. It was only later theologians working in what may be called the "Reformed" or the "Calvinist" tradition that put such an emphasis on the doctrine of predestination, election etc...

- Calvin's relationship to the emergence of modern capitalism; it has become a popular position among some historians to exaggerate the role of Calvin in the development of modern capitalism. McGrath notes that Calvin's real contribution was more so creating a religious outlook that removed restraints on capitalism (e.g. Calvin did not consider lending money at interest to be immoral) and his positive emphasis of the value of work, especially physical labour.

- There was analysis of the way Calvinism favored being involved in the world, rather than withdrawing. The only drawback to this approach is that sometimes the social practices of Calvinism would gradually lose their religious core and become secularized. One of the examples of this is how the doctrine of predestination is easily degraded into a vague notion of fate, destiny or in American history, "manifest destiny."

There were two chapters on Calvin's most important work of theology, "The Institutes of the Christian Religion." I am interested in knowing something of the history of theology but I am not dedicated enough to read through all of the Institutes. McGrath, of course, advises the reader to do this but nonetheless he provides a useful overview of the book.

The last few chapters discuss the movement known as Calvinism and its impact on work, the development of capitalism and several other issues. These last few chapters are of particular value because they remind you that theology has a major influence in real life.

I recommend this book for people that wish to understand the second generation of the Reformation following Martin Luther; Calvinism was an international movement of considerable importance and it continues to be relevant today. The book includes numerous black and white prints of Calvin, Francois I, a map of Paris and other relevant pictures. There is a glossary of terms and an index for easy reference.

This is indeed an exciting work on a man so often slandered by biographers. McGrath shows the man as he was, a man. A man of true genius, respectability, and honor (yet a man nonetheless). It was a pleasure to read this work, and a credit (once again) to the work of a good and honorable author.

Finally---the definitive history of The Light Crust Doughboys, one of the "big three" in the history of western swing and Texas-style country music (the other being Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys and Milton Brown's Musical Brownies). But this must-have book is so much more than a book: history "comes alive" with the included music CD which features a classic Doughboys' decade, the 1940s, alongside their contemporary Grammy-recognized work. And it's in this newer work that fans can really see the legacy and enduring power of a band that's been called country music's greatest historical band. In songs like "Texas Women", "Sending Me You", "Looking Through A Stained Glass Darkly", and "Amarillo, Where The Wind Blows Free, the reader can see how The Light Crust Doughboys keep evolving as artists while always keeping a foot in the best of their Texan and American past.The Light Crust Doughboys are one of the select bands in country music history equally renowned for their instrumental as well as their vocal prowess. Long known for their eclectic approach to music, combining elements of the blues, cowboy music, old-time, gospel, and dixieland, The Light Crust Doughboys are true American ambassadors and modern troubadours of American music. You'll read here of The Doughboys' pioneering use of electric guitar and electric bass in American music. You'll read that they pioneered being a western band in Hollywood's golden age (they pre-dated Bob Wills' film debut by four years). You'll read and hear how they combined gospel music and western swing (with gospel legend James Blackwood) to develop gospel western swing. You'll read how they came up with the idea of blending Pacific/California surf and Texas western swing with Ventures' guitar great, Nokie Edwards, resulting in critically-acclaimed roots music including an Americana Christmas album! Let's all hope that this book paves the way for long-overdue recognition in the NashVegas-dominated Country Music Hall of Fame as well as "early influences" recognition in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Is there a Pulitzer Prize for music history or Texana? This book and CD has earned it! And, do your heart and ears a big favor by searching for other Light Crust Doughboys' music and videos at Amazon.

The Light Crust Doughboys Are On The Air: Celebrating Seventy Years Of Texas Music by John Mark Dempsey (a native Texan and Assistant Professor of Broadcast Journalism, University of North Texas) is an enjoyable and informative study of The Light Crust Doughboys band and their Texas music, which was broadcast in the "golden era" of radio. Their long-lived radio show lasted from 1930 to 1952, and their particular brand of gospel music was nominated for the Grammys in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2002. An enjoyable, fact-filled, enthusiastically recommended blend of biographical background and cogent musical assessment of this evolving group, The Light Crust Doughboys Are On The Air is enhanced with a music CD featuring 30 of the band's most popular and beloved songs.