Reviews (14)

Belue's editing makes this hard to put down!
I am not an historian, but have read many of the books that used the "Draper papers" as their primary source material, and marvelled at breadth of our knowledge of Boone, his time, and his frontier contemporaries. Anyone who has studied this chapter in American history has probably marvelled at the exhaustive trove of material left by Lyman Draper. Now, with TFB's superb editing, non-professional students of history have access to the source material. This is a "must have" for any student of the "Old Northwest" and its memorable characters. No work of fiction could possibly be this absorbing. And, as a valuable historical footnote, Ted Franklin Belue concisely introduces us to Lyman Draper, to help us put the "Life of Daniel Boone" in its proper context.

"A Gold Mine!"--Roundup, 4/1999
In 1856, the eminent historian, Lyman C. Draper, temporarily laid aside the 800 handwritten page biography of Daniel Boone that he had just recently completed. So far, Draper had documented the famous American frontiersman's life only through the year, 1778, and he fully intended to renew the project one day to cover the forty-two additional years of Boone's life. But that day never came, Draper went to his grave in 1891, and his unfinished manuscript was filed away and largely forgotten in the collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. One day in 1990, Ted Franklin Belue, a history professor at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, was studying Draper's manuscript on microfilm. Here, according to Belue's own words, was a national treasure, "known only to a few, filled with tales of Boone, frontier lore, Long Hunters, Indians, wild exploits, hunters' skills, genealogical data, descriptions of native flora and fauna, miscellaneous Americana, trans-Appalachian history, and much more." It took Belue eight years to transcribe, edit, and annotate the monumental manuscript. The result is an equally monumental book. More than 600 fact-filled pages tell the story of Boone from his birth in Pennsylvania in 1734 to his residence forty-four years later in Kentucky. Draper's original biography is much enhanced by Belue's interesting preface, his own extensive notes which shed a great deal of additional information on Boone in light of modern-day research, a chronology of Boone's life, a fine selection of period illustrations and maps, and an index. The Life of Daniel Boone is a book that anyone interested in America's "first West" will read with relish and appreciation. It is a testimonial to a man whose name-even today, nearly two hundred years after his death-is one of the country's most recognizable. But, beyond its tribute to Boone, the volume presents a gold mine of information about everyday life on the trans-Appalachian frontier, the mores and lifestyles of the region's first Anglo settlers, and a number of mini-biographical sketches about some of the key players of the times. --James A. Crutchfield

Most Excellent! "The Life of Daniel Boone"
I have to say this book is just wonderful! It is great as a casual read as well as excellent for the researcher and/or family historian! It helped me to fill some gaps in my families history (Daniel's sister, Sarah Boone) and gave other avenues in which to reasearch.

Simply put, one of the best!
This is the one to get. This one, and John Mack Faragher's BOONE biography (Henry Holt, 1992). Anything by Belue is worth getting; he is precise to the point of obsession, and his works--four thus far--will stand the test of time.

To In depth for the most part
Wanted to read this book as a celebration of Daniels life Yet I found it to be long statements made directly following his death It is told that none ventured into writing of this man during his life I guess that makes it appealing The man had big family and was known to beat the Indians at there own gam that I found Admirable the book on a whole was simply a bore due to the accounts of how Boone tryed to purchase this or that But to those who want to build homesteads in the 1800s It will be to your liking ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first of several Y2K biographies on Texas governor George W. Bush offers an in-depth look at both the Republican presidential candidate and his political family: Bill Minutaglio interviewed more than 300 people for First Son, including Bush and many members of his inner circle. The book focuses on the life of "Dubya"(the nickname used by the press and others to distinguish him from his father) and includes a combination of original material and information that has been reported elsewhere. It is neither pro- nor anti-Bush, simply reportorial and largely nonjudgmental. Readers won't find an answer to one of the season's most burning questions: Has Bush ever used illegal drugs? In a preface, Minutaglio piously says he won't stoop to such low levels. Yet one gets the sense that he won't go there because he doesn't have any hard evidence, as stories of Bush's heavy drinking are related without apparent reservation. Minutaglio, a writer for The Dallas Morning News, spends most of his time describing Bush's amazing and unexpected rise to fame. Dubya's own family, for instance, thought that younger brother Jeb would be the first to win an important public office. Yet Dubya exploited his family ties and personal charisma to have a successful business career in the 1980s and then beat a popular incumbent in 1994 to become Texas governor. (Jeb became governor of Florida in 1998, while his brother won a second term in Austin.) Minutaglio's narrative goes light on Bush's gubernatorial record and ends before his formal entry into the presidential race in 1999. Readers hungry for an overview of the man who would be president, however, could do much worse than start by looking here. --John J. Miller ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Best of the numerous Bush books
This book is the best of the countless George W. Bush biographies that are appearing all over the place. Minutaglio does a great job providing a well-balanced book about the ups and downs of our President's life and how his family has played apart. It clearly shows Dubya's attempts to move away from his father's shadow in order for him to make a name for himself. It is a great book, full of interesting stories and minimal political jargon that you will find in so many of the other books being written about Bush. If you want to read about our President, I suggest this book.

well balanced, well written, well thought out
If you are looking for tabloid like Bush Bashing, don't look here (you might try The Father's Son, that one is quite good at trying to instill some what outdated class war fare dribble). This particular book is extremely well balanced. If you love the Bush clan, or hate them, you will find something within. Personally, I found it an insightful and interesting tale of one of our nations most powerful pollitical families. Is George W qualified to be President? Well that is a question that only time will answer. My thoughts are he is as qualified as the guy we have recently given the nod to twice, except, maybe George will actually care more for the country than himself. He does seem to learn and grow. Now that would be a pleasant change. However one thing is for certain, the Bush family is a political dynasty (now more impressive than the Kennedys) and the people of Texas sincerely love both of their Georges.

Entertaining but BIASED!
I bought this book on a lark thinking it might actually be what the cover notes said is was "unbiased", but as soon as I saw Dan Rather's opinion on the book (printed on the back of the paperback I purchased), I should've known this book was not necessarily "the truth" on George W. Bush. Don't believe everything you read or hear from anyone in print or media. I encourage you to be selective and present things in context. . .

Speaking of things in context, I really can't trust this book as gospel because Minutaglio quotes sources in such a sporadic way, footnoting the quotes only to look more credible. The quotes are sometimes ridiculous and misplaced, it seems, but albeit, very entertaining.

That's just it, this book is entertaining and nothing more except to provide a biased peek at what Minutaglio believes is the driving force and reasons for our President's personality, politics, career choices, and other personal decisions.

Juicy. As in gossipy.

COME OUT OF THE CLOSET, Mr. Minutglio!
Maybe I'm slow...or too trusting. Previous reviewers kept insisting again and again that this book was "unbiased". WRONG. From the first page, the author had an attitude about Bush - and the GOP. It gradually became clear that the author is a passionate Democrat, as he approvingly whitewashed all personal Clinton and Democrat party issues and glorified people like Al Gore. The bias abounds throughout the book... RNC party strategists are called "political terrorists", while their DNC equals are portrayed as sincere victims at each turn of the two year campaign. And you Mom's and Dad's out there, tell me: what parent (such as George, Sr) would hug the son he loves (George W.) on the happiest day of his life, but instead of thinking of the incredibly close relationship of family love, pride, and respect that the father and son have always shared, the father is now thinking only of the three times in a lifetime that father/son had been briefly angry with each other. And why remind the reader again and again, as much as four times over hundreds of pages, of each small tidbit of negative information? Was he afraid we would forget? Why did it take me hundreds of pages of wasted time to finally realize that no matter what the Bushes say or do, this author is biased to hate Bush and the Bush family, and to love Gore - and the Democrats - and the RNC. Period. Every possible issue and personal examination is slanted toward contempt for the one, and pride in the other. BOTTOM LINE: This book was promoted DECEPTIVELY. If Mr. Minitaglio wanted to write a hate-piece, fine - but why not be up front about it? My recommendation for busy people who love to read is simply that you beware. Know before you go. I'm rating the book a 3, because my friends who are Democrats may enjoy this book. (but why waste time, since he is already president and there's nothing you can do about it?) BUT... my Republican friends, STAY AWAY from this book, because it is unfair, duplicitous, full of seething, underhanded bias that Bernard Goldberg courageously exposed in his excellent book "BIAS". The bias peeks out from - and underneath - every sentence. Hope this helps reverent readers like me who just want to read, and who just want the TRUTH.

Enlightening
It was fascinating to read the true story of the Bush family, not the assumptions often reported. Who knew that he came from such a downtrodden background, worked so hard to rise from the ashes and achieve greatness at Yale? It's no small wonder that we have this great man leading our country through the holy wrath of war!

Like his father, George W. is a stern and honorable, if not particularly well-spoken, fella'. He reads a teleprompter with unequalled ease and skill, a testament to his ability to comfortably rely on others. AS this book shows, these are all traits he learned while growing up with the help of many other wealthy and able men who were able to take the burden off of poor George W.'s shoulders. He truly is great, not to mention lucky, and he has strutted his lightened shoulders into the White House with only the slightest help from his father's friends in the Supreme Court.

Were it not for men like Bill Minutaglio, the world would be in horrible danger of being exposed to the false and misleading face of the truth. Buy this book!!! ... Read more

Book Description

In his first work of nonfiction since the acclaimed On Fire, Brown aims for nothing short of ruthlessly capturing the truth of the world in which he has always lived. In the prologue to the book, he tells what it's like to be constantly compared with William Faulkner, a writer with whom he shares inspiration from the Mississippi land. The essays that follow show that influence as undeniable. Here is the pond Larry reclaims and restocks on his place in Tula. Here is the Oxford bar crowd on a wild goose chase to a fabled fishing event. And here is the literary sensation trying to outsmart a wily coyote intent on killing the farm's baby goats. Woven in are intimate reflections on the Southern musicians and writers whose work has inspired Brown's and the thrill of his first literary recognition.

But the centerpiece of this book is the title essay which embodies every element of Larry Brown's most emotional attachments-to the family, the land, the animals. This is a book for every Larry Brown fan. It is also an invaluable book for every reader interested in how a great writer responds, both personally and artistically, to the patch of land he lives on. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

On Writing and Ranching
"What is it about Oxford [Mississippi] that produces writers?" It's a question Larry Brown, Barry Hannah and John Grisham get asked a lot. Brown says, "They always want to ask about Faulkner and what it all means, being a writer in Oxford, and where all the stories come from....

"I don't know what the answer is for anybody else, and I don't know what caused Faulkner to write," he explains, but "Most times, for any writer, I think it springs from some sort of yearning in the breast to let things out, to say something about the human condition, maybe just to simply to tell a story."

Of this, he knows plenty, for the essays in this memoir - I say "this," as opposed to "his," because I'm sure there will be many more - are stories of his life, so far; as a writer, indulgent father, and reluctant farmer.

Getting back to the question, he supposes it basically boils down to this: "Where do you get your ideas?" His response is "I believe that writers have to write what they know about. I don't think there's much choice in that." Elaborating, he says, "All [Faulkner] was doing was what every other writer does, and that is drawing upon the well of memory and experience and imagination that every writer pulls his or her material from. The things you know, the things you have seen or heard of, the things you can imagine. A writer rolls all that stuff together kind of like a taco and comes up with fiction. And I think whatever you write about, you have to know it. Concretely. Absolutely. Realistically."

Brown has an easy, honest way with language that is as smooth as Mississippi molasses. Describing the region around Tula, where he spent his teenage years, he writes, "The tall cypresses with their knees standing in water were hollow coon castles, the bark worn smooth on one side only from the steady traffic of coons scrambling up in the morning and down at night, regular as dairymen."

Reminiscing about his hunting expeditions with neighbors, he writes, "in the reserves of good memories we all hold, those times are special and seem magical to me, those nights in the woods and those days in the fields, those lessons in the wild."

Hunting is a tradition that weaves its way through Brown's family's generations, one he now shares with his sons: "They bring in ducks and squirrels and deer and doves, and I cook for them as my mother did for me, and they tell me their hunting stories, and I listen to catch their words."

In addition to letting us glimpse his personal life, Brown takes us down the long enduring road he's taken in becoming a writer. Deliberately seeking mentors in his early days as a writer, he found one when a friend lent him a copy of A Feast of Snakes by Harry Crews. He would go on to read everything by the author he could get his hands on, and in the end, he's "grateful that a writer like him walks this earth."

Brown had written five unpublished novels by 1985, "and almost a hundred short stories that had, for the most part, gone begging also." Pulling 24-hour shifts at the Oxford fire department, working odd jobs on his off-days to make ends meet, and writing in his "spare" time, Brown burned one of his novels in his backyard and worked on his rejection-slip collection.

His "apprenticeship period" would span seven years - a relative bargain, considering Crews' lasted 10 - until his first book of short stories, Facing the Music, was accepted for publication.

Brown writes with such a subtle passion. Speaking of his son, Billy Ray, whose farm is the subject of the essay chosen for the book's title, he tells, "The barn leaks. It's an old barn, pretty ragged, but he's tried to fix it up. He's mowed yards since he was twelve years old, and worked as a butcher, and hauled hay, and laid sod, and worked on a hog farm. He's saved his money, and all he's ever wanted is to be a cattleman. And it's always hurt me deep that he has had such bad luck."

Perhaps Billy Ray should take a page from his father's history and realize that with a little luck and a lot of dedication, dreams come true.

Best from Larry Brown in a while
I know these essays are compiled from a few scattered sources and were written here & there for the last couple of years, but the arrangement they get in this book reads like pure Larry Brown. Not since his takes on his firefighting career have I been more pleased with one of his offerings. "Fay" was, for me, lacking in stately elegance, taking itself just a little too seriously, while "Father and Son" was achingly forced in its cardboard intensity. The thing missing in those two works was a sense of humor, and it's back in "Billy Ray's Farm" in spades. A few laughs definitely give a laid-back funkiness to the proceedings, as his observations are concrete and believable (as usual) but at the same time entertaining and lively.

I have read all of Larry Brown's books, and he works best with a smile on his face. These essays find him grinning from ear to ear, and it's about time he regained that sense of playfulness and naughtiness he seemed to have lost with bot "Fay" and "Father and Son", which were heavy-handed and too simplistic in their approach. I'm glad he seems to have come back to Earth with these essays & I can't wait for more of the same.

Perfectly simple!!
Larry Brown gets better with each book published. This book is quintessential Larry Brown. Simple, sparse, and completely accessible. Some people may be surprised at the lighter tones in this book of essays. It just goes to show the honesty in everything Brown writes. I have a little Larry Brown story that I think his fans would appreciate. I had the pleasure of hearing Brown read from Billy Ray's Farm at a bookshop in New York City. By mistake someone in the press printed the time of the reading incorrectly by almost two hours. Two people walked in and were devastated that they missed his reading. One of the employees told them that he was still in the back if they wanted to go talk to them. They were both a little awestruck. They're huge fans of his. After getting up the nerve they went up to them and told them how much his writing meant to them and how sorry they were to miss the reading. So what do you think he did? He took these two people into a corner of the store and read two chapters to them. Only them. It was a great thing to see and it's that quality that comes through in all of his stories. Truth and fiction. He is by far my favorite writer working today. I'm a big fan of Jim Harrison and Harry Crews as well, being from the south. If you haven't read "Fay" yet, pick it up as soon as you can. It's an amazing story. Brown does what all great writers do. He makes you forget that you're reading. Can't wait to see what's next.

Earthy essays on rural life written with a natural innocence
One of these days when I get through cleaning up from the storm, I'm going to start building a little cabin, right over there above the pond, up in the deep part of that shade.--Larry Brown

Larry Brown has published seven earlier works: two books of short stories (Facing the Music and Big Bad Love), an acclaimed memoir (On Fire), and four novels (Dirty Work, Joe, Father and Son, and Fay).

Billy Ray's Farm contains ten essays dealing with, among other things, the author's struggling apprenticeship to become a published author {"Harry Crews: Mentor and Friend"), his unsuccessful stalking of a goat-killing coyote ("Goatsongs"), the heartbreak of cow ownership and his son's frustrated efforts to build a thriving cattle business ("Billy Ray's Farm"), a big "fish grab" at the Enid Spillway ("So Much Fish, So Close to Home"), and his determination to carve an enclave out of the wilderness by building single-handedly a ten-by-twelve cabin ("Shack").

City slickers unfamiliar with rural life will learn from Brown all about calfpullers and other arcane mysteries.

Like Hemingway, Brown writes with a sparse, down-to-earth, no-nonsense style, with a clarity and precision unlike the convoluted sentences of Faulkner's turgid prose. When critics compare Brown to Faulkner, therefore, they do not mean the tempo of Brown's style but rather the tone of his stories, which, like Faulkner, are written from the heart and spirit, with compassion and a love for the land and people of Mississippi, Brown's microcosmic "postage stamp" universe.

By the way, in case you've never been there, Tula is a small town situated some twenty miles miles south-southeast of Oxford, Miss. (the site of Faulkner's home).

Brown writes with honesty and (often self-deprecating) humor, albeit a melancholy humor tinged with irony. His earthy language has a natural innocence, like cow droppings on a footpath.

In "discovering" Larry Brown, I am a Johnny-come-lately. Billy Ray's Farm is the first of his works I have read, but it definitely will not be the last.

If you grow weary of the stale stuff abounding nowadays, Billy Ray's Farm will revive you like a fresh breeze blowing through the live oak trees.

Brown's Essays From Tula
Larry Brown's newest book of non-fiction, Billy Ray's Farm, gives anyone with an interest in the author's background a generous helping of what his life is like, both as a writer and a man. The title essay alone is worth the price of admission, but one also gets literary tributes to Harry Crews, Madison Jones, and Madison Bell; ruminations on growing up in rural Mississippi and how his life has changed since becoming a writer; explorations of the joys and difficulties of fatherhood; and healthy doses of the Mississippi landscape that comes to life so memorably in his novels. In its scope, the book reminds one of Crews' own Blood And Grits--the language is sparse but tough and to the point, and the reader never quite knows which realm of the heart and mind and hand the next page will reveal. If you're a fan of Brown's novels, this book will only deepen your understanding of where his material comes from and how faithful he is to it. If you've never read his fiction, this book is a perfect introduction to the world according to Brown. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Bettie I never heard about
My all time favorite book on Bettie is "The Life Of a Pin-Up Legend". She spoke with the authors of that book and gave her blessing. That book has a "happy ending", Bettie finding solace in bible study and religion. This book, "The Truth About the Queen of Pin-Ups", tells a very different side of Bettie's life story, one that I'd never heard about before. It surprised me! I'm not surprised Bettie wouldn't help with this book. It focuses on years she wants to forget. It's sad to hear about her problems with mental illness. I found it interesting mainly because the author spoke to a woman who actually lived with Bettie for a time, and the pictures were interesting. This book doesn't change my opinion of Bettie Page, she is still my favorite icon. I don't mind if the Goddess is all too human. Still love her!

It's so, so sad...
Sometimes it is fun to read about other peoples life and their misfortune. Kinda peek into the forbidden zone, watch Ricki Lake make entertainment of the teenager pregnant with her cousin. But this book is so sad. Not so much because of it's content, but because of the authors very poor writing skills and lack of finesse.
Of course, this book is tabloid, and that's excactly what you are getting by reading it, but when tabloid turns boring there's nothing much left is there?
The author spends the entire foreword of the book "explaining" (read: justifying) why he wrote this book, why he decided to take Bettie Page's inner most secrets and make a lot of money on them, without asking her permission. Kinda funny, concidering he has devoted a whole chapter talking about other people so rude making money of off her without permission... He is even trying to convince the reader that he thinks she's happy about it!
To sum it up; this is an unneccesary, boring, poorly written tabloid style book, lacking finesse and the socalled truths in it are questioned by many.

"She was always a very, very intense person."
Bettie Page is an icon--no argument about that. In Richard Foster's book, "The Real Bettie Page," the author reveals the unknown history of the 50s pin-up model. Bettie's career was sadly all too brief, but many outstanding photographs and films remain. Bettie Page's unstable and unhappy childhood was fraught with poverty. She always dreamed of being an actress and stumbled accidentally into modelling in 1950. Initially posing for photography groups, Bettie soon became an extremely popular model for amateur photographers. In the early 50s, Bettie began working for Irving Klaw, and together they produced such classics as "Teaserama " and "Jungle Girl Tied to Trees." An FBI investigation of Klaw's business put an end to the relationship between Bettie and Klaw--and Bettie's brief modelling career ended as she sank into oblivion.

Foster's book brings Bettie Page back into the public eye, but I would probably guess that she wouldn't be too thrilled about it. Foster tracks Bettie's religious conversation and an almost 20 year odyssey through mental institutions for numerous charges(including attempted murder). It really doesn't make for pretty reading, and after reading the book, I was left with a feeling of overwhelming sadness.

Bettie Page was a very controversial figure in the 50s, and yet her relationships with men were really rather unremarkable. While she was married 3 times, she turned down many offers to the 'casting couch'--even though she was quite aware that she had the opportunity to 'advance' her career. I would imagine that the author's exhaustive research would have uncovered all of Bettie's lovers--and again, the 50s goddess had remarkably few.

At the end of the book, the author has included numerous Bettie Page websites, and a "Catalogue of Curves"--a list which includes the films Bettie made, books about Bettie, and Bettie Page magazines layouts. "The Real Bettie Page" also included many photographs of Bettie too. Foster spends some time weighing the possibilities that Bettie posed for "additional shots," and there is some significance to this question as certain shots would be judged obscene by 1950s FBI standards. The author weighs evidence for and against these additional shots and other career-related rumours. It seems such a tragedy that Bettie profited so little from her work. Foster admires Bettie Page--that's clear, and the creation of the book was no simple task. But the book isn't a homage, it's an expose--displacedhuman.

Wake up and smell the coffee
Is this book War and Peace? Of course not. So don't expect it. It's a tell-all biography, and as such is written in a tabloid style.

Second, for those people who claim that all the information in the book is made up or they don't know what to believe...believe this. Ms. Page continues to deny these things happened, and has said the book is full of lies. Have any of you seen her file a lawsuit for libel? No, you have not. And you know why? As much as she might hate the book, every word in it is true, and truth is an absolute defense against libel.

... Anything that cannot be so supported is taken out. So, again, anything you see in the book you can trust to be accurate.

I'm sorry, kids, but as much as you want to not believe the things in this book, it's all true. Terribly sad, but true. And lest you wonder, I am not Richard Foster. I don't even particularly LIKE Richard Foster, or this book. I'm just tired of people crying "LIES!" when they simply don't WANT to believe the truth.

Tabloid trash or truth
This much debated-over book attempts to fill in the gaps of Bettie's "missing years" between her retiring from modeling and rediscovery in the late 80s. Foster paraphrases information from the Karen Essex book and Greg Theakston's The Betty Pages about Betties life during the 1950s. Then he draws from police records and witness accounts, detailing Betties deteriorating mental health and subsequent arrests for attempted murder.

Many Bettie fans refuse to believe Foster, or put him down for revealing such personal details about a figure who has chosen to remain private. Foster is probably right when he states that if he didn't write the book, someone else would have. Maybe that someone would have been a better writer; Fosters tabloid style skills look weak even to a young writer like me. The back of the book contains a comprehensive index for Bettie fandom, or books, websites, magazines, videos and CD-Roms relating to Bettie.

At least Foster is somewhat aware of the fact that the readers of this book are primarily Bettie's fans, so he abstains from putting her down or attempting to derail their persuit. He just states what he claims are the facts, and in the process makes some cash. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It would take quite a story to live up to the melodramatic title of Edward Ball's Peninsula of Lies: A True Story of Mysterious Birth and Taboo Love. Fortunately for the reader, the bizarre and highly compelling tale of Gordon Langley Hall and his transformation into Dawn Langley Hall is quite a story indeed. Novelists couldn't have dreamed up a more fascinating central character than Hall. Born the son of British servants, Hall, as a boy, befriended Virginia Woolf and her lover Vita Sackville-West. As a young man, he made his way to New York, becoming a biographer of some society figures and endearing himself to others including heiress Isabel Whitney who left him an inheritance that allowed him to move to Charleston, South Carolina, and gain entry to the colorful world of Southern society. In 1968, Hall underwent a sex change operation, claiming that the procedure was corrective and that she had actually possessed female sexual organs all along. Further complicating matters for the people of Charleston was Dawn's marriage to a young black mechanic and the appearance of an infant daughter. Author Edward Ball (Slaves in the Family) first came into contact with Hall through a uncover more about her. Although it is a biography of Hall, Peninsula of Lies is also equal parts mystery as Ball tracks down key figures from Hall's life, attempts to separate truth from legend and find the points at which the two intersect. As the facts of her life are brought into the light, Hall's psychology and motivation become more inscrutable and we are left with more questions than answers. Edward Ball's investigative persistence is tempered by a kindness toward his interview subjects, which, combined with his rich descriptions of 1960s Southern living, make Peninsula of Lies a lively read. But it is the impression left by the enigmatic Dawn Langley Hall that is sure to linger after the book is over. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Fear and loathing in Charleston
Fame eluded Gordon Langley Hall as a writer, even though he was a prolific scribbler of memoirs and novels. When he became one of the first people to undergo sex change surgery in America, Hall's local notoriety in Charleston, South Carolina, was unpleasantly mixed with malicious gossip.Edward Ball's new book, Peninsula of Lies: A True Story of Mysterious Birth and Taboo Love, may give Hall, now dead, the recognition that eluded him in life. Ball (author of the National Book Award winner Slaves in the Family) set out to settle two mysteries that have circled one of Charleston's most celebrated-and outrageous-personalities for decades. Was Hall, as he claimed, a hermaphrodite who was misidentified as a male at birth? And did Hall, as he also claimed, conceive and give birth to a daughter, Natasha?

Ball's quest to resolve these burning issues takes him from Charleston to England where, as a child of the servant class, Hall had few opportunities for economic and social mobility. Then the biographer tracks his subject to New York where Hall became the protege and, at least in some sense, the lover of Isabel Whitney, an heir to the cotton gin fortune. His liaison with Whitney, perhaps more than his subsequent sex change, altered Hall's life forever. When she died, his mistress made him a millionaire.

As a Charleston transplant, Hall charmed local society with his English accent. Charlestonians, Ball indicates, didn't pick up on the cockney overtones that would have made Ball's attempts to penetrate the upper classes a wash back in England.

Then, perversely, Hall throws away his tenuous new foothold in the Charleston party circuit by changing his gender from male to female and re-emerging as "Dawn." As painted by Ball, Charleston's high society was far too prudish and inflexible to get over that one. Then, having forever trespassed on good taste, Hall takes his adventure one or two steps further. He marries an African-American man and appears to bear his new husband a child.

Ball first gets a clue that Hall might be inventing fictions about himself when it turns out that Hall forged a document shaving 15 years off his age. From there, Ball is the relentless sleuth, separating fantasy from fact until he has the real story on Gordon Hall, alias Dawn Simmons. He interviews dozens of eccentric characters who knew Hall, and the tale of each informant is a story unto itself.

Echoing the formula of John Berendt's best-selling Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Ball's Peninsula of Lies is a must-read for people who enjoy well-crafted Southern storytelling.

Unusual tale set in Charleston
Edward Ball's unusual story of Dawn Langley Hall, set in the charming environs of Charleston, South Carolina, will absorb your interest and leave you still wanting answers to some of the questions it raises. Written in Ball's highly personal style, in which he injects his own thoughts and feelings into the narration, the book tells of Dawn's metamorphosis from his/her birth as a poor boy, son of a servant on a large English estate, to a society woman in Charleston. When Dawn marries a black man, she loses her position in Charleston circles. Later, when she purportedly gives birth to a daughter, she sets tongues wagging all over the city.

Was she actually the mother of the baby as she claimed? This is just one of the questions that surround eccentric, enigmatic Dawn. This fascinating book, a biography of an extraordinarily colorful life, is highly recommended.

A middling biography of a marginaly enigmatic character
I picked up this book after hearing it compared to "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," and needless to say, although set in a charming Southern city, Peninsula fails to live up to this billing. I think this is largely because Gordon/Dawn, although interesting, is by no means a character able to carry an entire novel. I could see her story being delivered with great effectiveness as a Vanity Fair or New Yorker longform article, but as the basis for an entire book, thing fall flat. Imagine the typical SNL sketch... great for 5 minutes on TV, unbearable in the movies at 90. Dawn, although quirky, never seems to come across as particularly sympathetic, dynamic, or intriguing. Annoying, unstable and sad, but never compelling. In "Midnight" Dawn would have been a quirky sideline character; here she becomes the protagonist, which doesn't work.

I also found that the novel ended up on a high "duh" factor. Along the way, different theories are floated as to the truth, but they never seem that plausible. The author treats the revelations of Dawn's true nature as a fitting end to the story, whereas I found things just kind of puttered out. The story is interesting, but it's just missing that something to take it to the next level.

All together, Peninsula of Lies is just okay. When I finished reading, I didn't feel particularly sorry for Gordon/Dawn, or intrigued. I was more compelled to drive her to the pharmacy and help her pick up some anti-depressants.

Blecch!
A tired, repetitive & bitchy book about a fascinating subject. How unfortunate that this writer was the one to get to this story first.

Not the next "Midnight in the Garden og Good and Evil"
Ah, the south, how we love our eccentrics! Dawn Langley Simmons wasbeyond eccentric. Way, way beyond. Reading EdwardBall'sPeninsula of Lies kept me thoroughly confused, much like most of the people who knew Dawn while she was alive.Confused, perplexed and more than a bit frustrated.Sadly, Miss Dawn was not alive to aid the author, so he relies on friends, papersauthor is able to talk to thedeceased husband, is the picture pulled into clear focus(sad it takes an interview with a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic to bring clarity to this mess). I put this book down with mixed feelings....exasperation for all the messes Dawn got herself in and sadness that she felt compelled to go to such lengths. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Between 1865 and 1876, about two thousand blacks held elective and appointive offices in the South. A few, such as the senator from Mississippi Blanche K. Bruce, are well known, but most have languished in obscurity, omitted from official state histories. Prize-winning historian Eric Foner profiles more than 1,500 black legislators, state officials, sheriffs, justices of the peace, and constables. Essential reading for anyone interested in the scope of black achievement during Reconstruction, Freedom's Lawmakers includes biographical sketches of each officeholder (some necessarily brief because so little is known) and many photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

What a wonderful book!
I loved this book because it took me on a journey to a part of the United States that is not known to most readers. And to a time that is not today. And to know people who are unlike any neighbors I have ever had.
I really enjoyed learning the landscape and the problems and the social activities of mountain people. Someone who lives in an urban area (or the suburbs of an urban area) may feel superior to these characters, feel privileged compared to such country types but I really admired many of the people for coping so well with their circumstances. Many seem heroic, even.
I'd like to say Thank You to this author!

Catchy and Cool
You will enjoy reading this.

I did.

Review
40 Acres and No Mule by Janice Holt Giles was book about life in Kentucky. It told of the hardships and the good times and how everything always worked out. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about KY or living in a rural southern area. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A writer first
I cannot add much to the previous reviews-- all of with which I agree-- except this: Mr. Martin is, first and foremost, a writer. Indeed, he has ALS, and that is much of what he writes about here. But his lean, athletic style, keen observation and outstanding sense of humor would entice me to read router bit catalog copy, if Mr. Martin wrote it. I'm in search of his short story published in the Crescent Review (malcolm@walkaboutpress.org-- if anyone finds it first) and am hopeful he is at work on something else for us to enjoy and think about.

An inspiration for all
Like another reviewer, I also have the pleasure of knowing Joe Martin. And while I knew of some of his remarkable achievements, I was astounded to read of many more. Like Joe, I have ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. He, and his book, have inspired me to live life with joy, love, purpose, hope and faith notwithstanding the ravages of this disease. His book, like Tuesdays With Morrie, should inspire anyone and everyone. But while Morrie spoke as a dying man, Joe, with the same terminal illness, speaks with the vitality of a man truly living life to the fullest.

Laura Murphy Atlanta, Ga.

On Any Given Day
I found this first person account co-authored by Joe Martin, who has ALS, very inspirational. Joe allows the reader to share his feelings of frustration as well as to grasp the depth of his convictions that life should be celebrated and cherished. Ross Yocke's commentary throughout the book provides an additional source of information which is helpful for the reader to gain perspective about Joe Martin's life with ALS. This short 178 page book pulls the reader into Joe Martin's reality, and allows the reader to share his religious and moral convictions, as well as to revel in his wonderful anecdots. This book reminds me of Tuesdays with Morrie. I hope others will enjoy reading On Any Given Day as much as I have.

Inspirational, real and challenging
Joe Martin and his family (family, friends and bank colleagues) are the greatest support system. Joe's life inspires, challenges and motivates all to do more. His will to live is refreshing, unbelievable given the impact of ALS on his body but not on his mind or spirit. For anyone facing disease, stress or looking for meaning, this is a must read.

It's a quick read and doesn't leave you down -- but instead deals with a tough subject -- living with a terminal disease -- with reality and purpose. You will learn how "you can live like this"

Hope Amid Hopelessness
I must admit my bias up front. I know the Author, although we've never met face-to-face. I viewed a video of Mr. Martin several years ago, "Mountains Into Molehills", where he gave his acceptance speech for the Whitney Young Award from the Urban League. I was so inspired, I sat down and wrote him a letter, and so started a long distance relationship (I would like to call a friendship) via e-mail. The Joe I've admired for these past 3 years certainly comes across in his book...a man who is "recovering" from ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease), a man so full of life and hope despite the fact that he cannot lift his head, or any other part of his body, from his pillow in the morning.

There will be obvious comparisons with this book and the best-seller "Tuesday's With Morrie". Both books deal with the struggle of ALS,and both books feature remarkable human beings. Joe, in fact, mentions that book in his memoir. If it's possible, Joe affirms life and hope even more that Morrie. He may not offer his observations on all of the points of life that "Tuesday's" addressed, but his lessons on life shine through in how he lives every day. He faces each day with hope, gratitude, and grace. Long before this book, Joe Martin has impacted lives across the country..mine included.

If you are questioning life, are feeling sorry for yourself, or are facing the challenges that living can sometimes bring, buy this book now, and read it tomorrow. I'm sure the book will never achieve the stratosperic sales that "Tuesday's with Morrie" has achieved, but the message is just as inspirational and timeless. Joe's lessons and words will endure for many, many years. ... Read more

Book Description

A wide-ranging, spirited collection of personal essays about growing up black and Southern

Like Maya Angelou and bell hooks before her, Trudier Harris explores her complicated identity as a black woman in the American South. By turns amusing and probing, Summer Snow lays out in a series of linked essays the formative experiences that shaped Harris into the writer and intellectual she has become.

With passion and eloquence, Harris writes about the creation of her unique first name, how porch-sitting is in fact a creative Southern tradition, and how insecurities over her black hair ("the ubiquitous hair") factored into her self-image. She writes about being a "black nerd" as a child, and how the black church influenced her in her early years. But she also writes about more troubling topics, such as the price blacks have paid for integration, and the "staying power of racism." In one moving piece, Harris remembers a white teenager propositioning her for sex in exchange for five dollars. Unflinching in her assessment of white Southern culture, yet deeply attached to a South
many black intellectuals have abandoned, Harris in Summer Snow takes readers on a surprising tour of one woman"s life, loves, and lessons.

Trudier Harris is the author of numerousbooks, including Saints, Sinners, Saviors: Strong Black Women in African American Literature and Fiction and Folklore: The Novels of Toni Morrison. She is currently a professor of English at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Praise for Summer Snow:

"Stimulating and provocative, SUMMER SNOW resonates with folkloric energy and vividly evocative prose.Trudier Harris's presence and voice vibrate through this journey, guiding her reader with the sheer force of her rigor, grace, and intelligence as well as a goodly amount of wry humor and wit.A reader's dream-book, reminding us all of the resonant claim of southern spaces."
-- Karla Holloway, William Kenan Professor of English at Duke University, author of numerous books, including Passed On.

"Trudier Harris speaks of the "cotton-pickin' authority" of those in her childhood who earned respect because of their life-long backbreaking labors in the fields.Harris has translated that authority into one of her own, the authority of her words.Because of this author, we see, feel, understand and celebrate our people, who created--through sheer wit and will--a culture that defeated the dehumanization of slavery by keeping us, body and soul alive.A wonderful book you have to read to believe."
--Toi Derricotte, author of The Black Notebooks.

"Noon can be as blinding as midnight; snow no less than sun can cause a
vision distortion.Like Zora Neale Hurston, another great daughter of
the South, Harris lets her vision be tempered by her love.And make no
mistake, the South of Black Americans, is a love story.SUMMER SNOW
reminds us of that... causes us to remember that... lets us celebrate
that."
--Nikki Giovanni

"SUMMER SNOW is the classic we have been waiting for--the classic that
only a "Black daughter of the South" could have written.It has dance and song, color and texture, pathos and humor, analysis and introspection, and a gallery of fascinating women and men
we can never forget."
--Gloria Wade Gayles, author of PUSHED BACK TO STRENGTH ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Autumnal Harvest
Summer Snow is a cornucopia of riches about a landscape steeped in traditions and customs that evoke pride and terror, praisesong and dirges. Harris is funny, provocative, frank, and incisive as she ruminates on family, community, education, racism, religion, hair and the mannerisms that inform the black and white people who intersect on these social and cultural plains. Her essays are steeped in a wisdom that has accrued through a joyful life. The summer snow of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as depicted by Trudier Harris, is a cultural phenomenon that is quintessentially American for any reader growing up in the South--and I use Malcolm X's geographical construct, south of Canada. ... Read more

Book Description

Son of a Sharecropper tells of the flu epidemic of 1918, World War I, the Depression, and the Dust Bowl. Subject matter ranges from old-time doctoring, one-room schoolhouses, and old-time religion to moonshinin, 'ridin' the rails, and hard times. A thread running through the book is the desire of a sharecropper's boy to own his own land. Every chapter is filled with wry humor; tragedy and triumph are handled with an even hand. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amazing stories -Amusing Storyteller
It's hard to beleive all of these things happened to a man just 27 years old by the end of the book.

These are true stories of dustbowls and the depression - warm, heartbreaking and hilarious, told in anecdotal form. It flows easily from story to story, and each chapter begins with a brief overview of what was going on in the world at the time.

_Son of a Sharecropper_ gives an entertaining history lesson while providing a close look at an inspiring and hardy group of people. ... Read more

Book Description

Tony Earley is a writer so good at his craft that you don't read his words so much as inhale them. His first book of nonfiction is one of those unexpected classics, like Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies, in which a great writer rips open his or her heart and takes the reader inside for a no-holds-barred tour. Born thirty-nine years ago, Earley was too late to be a Baby Boomer, too soon to be a Gen Xer. Although he grew up in the North Carolina mountains, he says "I go around telling anyone who will listen that I am from the country, but deep down I know it's a lie. I grew up on Gilligan's Island, in Mayberry, I'm not sure where."

Tony Earley's view of the world is from the edge, at the cusp. Whichis what this collection of personal essays is about-about how he stands with one foot in the rural mountains and the other in the Brady Bunch's split-level, about how he's neither an adherent to the fundamentalist Christianity of his boyhood nor an unbeliever, and about how hard itis to find your place in the world without letting go of all you came from, without letting go of your authenticity.

In a prose style that is deceptively simple (E. B. White comes to mind), Earley confronts the big things-God, death, civilization, family, his own clinical depression-with wit and grace, without looking away or smirking. Earley has clearly lost patience with irony, for his is a journey from faith, through disbelief, and into a new faith . . . and a new family. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Really good book!
Tony Earley is a really great writer and this is a really great book! I first encountered Tony Earley in the pages of The Oxford American and his essay, A Worn Path, which is included in this book. He is a wonderful writer and reading his essays brought back countless memories of my own life. i can't say enough about this book!

Shooting the Cat, etc.
I met Tony Earley yesterday during the Festival of Southern Cultures at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Our group had the unique opportunity to sit with him once yesterday and once today and pick his brain about this book. It is a very amazing piece of literature, with metaphors hidden just below the rocky surface. His short stories include very insightful mantras...especially the ones about shooting the cat (not for cruelty, but out of pity) and hunting deer. I don't really know how else to describe this book, so all I can say is that you should buy it and read it as soon as possible! Also, he teaches at Vanderbilt University in Nashville if any of you go/are thinking of going there.

A Part of Some Family
Tony Earley's book drew me in immediately...from the first page, the writing is captivating. As he walks the reader through his life from a prepubescent age until he becomes much of the man he is today, it is hard not to see his family, hear their laughter and their tears. His writing is easy to identify with...we all remember having emotions like those that he goes through. There is a face the reader can visualize for every character that appears. There is a voice for every person. This book is amazing.

A Truly Wonderful Book
In the first essay in this amazing book, Somehow Form a Family, Tony Early writes; "I wanted to tell her that no one in my family ever raised their voice while the television was on, that late at night even a bad television show could keep me from hearing the silence in my own heart." That sentence caused my own heart to stop for a second. I put the book down and returned to it the next day. Tony Early writes in simple, concise English. There are no glossy, shiny adjectives. Each word is exact and to the point and utterly perfect. Jim the Boy was one of my most favorite books last year. Somehow Form A Family will I think, become a fixture in my home. One to be read and re-read for years to come. I better get another copy!

TV Turn-Off Life
Are we born with Tabula Rasa minds ready to absorb whatever TV shows happen to be on? Or do we come equipped with Jungian categoricies into which The Brady Bunch, Gomer Pyle, USMC and Hawaii Five-O naturally fit and are recognized (having been created by fellow-sufferers of the same categories)?

How would Faulkner have re-written the opening lines of Sound and Fury if he had lived in the age of, say, the Guiding Light? Luster could have then watched soaps, instead of plain old golf.

After getting re-acclimated to the TV shows of the 60s, 70s and 80s, this book does in fact read as well as the front cover says, with a reference to how reading this is how some people seem to eat cheeseburgers: they simply "inhale" them. So he writes like a TV show, and we inhale it. But I thought reading was a more active activity than TV gaping. Hmmm.

To fit Hemingway-esque, brusque factual smatters in between TV show qoutes ("Five-O, open up") is very creative, and hard/dangerous for a writer. It's risky because it can get too cute and trite; it's hard, because even if it survives the cute/trite test, it could then get grounded out on sheer boredom issues. It could be stupid. But Earley makes it past these obstacles. His TV memoirs do take wing, and carry the facts of his North Carolina childhood and foray into college and vocation.

Two chapters laden with TV shows lead to TV-free subsequent chapters, reflecting more grown up themes, as well as touching struggles, like wanting to be baptized at age 8, but being throttled back by a visiting pastor who thought he was too young; then when the grown ups thought he was ready at age 12, not wanting to.

The final chapter's story contiues to examine Earley's married life, with a ride on the Concorde and a trip of flights around the world, where dialogues with all kinds of fellow passengers are now substituted for the earlier device of using TV shows for contextualization. Then he ends up in Pittsburgh, of all places, happily married and powering on, past the strong memories of youth.

Favorite quote: "The only way that the word personal can be made more noxious is to immediately follow it with the word journey..." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A collection of life's observations
Robert Inman is the author of genial southern novels such as "Dairy Queen Days" and a keen observer of the human condition. He is also one of the best guides to the writing life, as sampled in the final chapter of his autobiography "Coming Home, Life, Love and All Things Southern". Inman takes a clear-eyed look at the southern style of life and the reasons we southern people are the way we are. The stories and reminices are tender and warmharted and a treat to read. The best part of thei book is Inman's explaination of why we in the south always ask "who are your people?" and the way we try to find the common link. As Mr. Inman says, we are just trying to say "I am prepared to like you, and would be honered to be your friend...". A wonderful read, a joy for its warmth and quick wit. ... Read more

Book Description

This inspiring book on the faith, the hope, and the heart of a woman who changed a nation gives the account of her infamous stand against injustice as well as the lasting impact it has made. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I loved this inspiring book about freedom and courage.
Quiet Strength, by Rosa Parks is an amazing display of one woman's journey to understanding why. Why she and her people needed to justify themselves. Why she had to sit a certain place on a bus. Why she was so tired. Rosa Parks is grounded in her source of Quiet Strength through her relationship with her Creator - God. This relationship has been reinforced by her family and culture. "Love, not fear must be our guide," Rosa states - I would recommend this book to every human being who has a heart and soul. ... Read more

Book Description

On a muggy, late August afternoon in 1936, somewhere along the banks of Greasy Creek, Life found Grace—walking the dusty mile between work and home in a brand new pair of leather kitten-heeled pumps, blond curls bouncing in the sun. Two weeks later, Lifie Jay Preston and Grace Mollette married, a union that lasted until their deaths fifty-eight years later. There was something about them, their daughter Linda would discover, a kind of radiance and love of living that would mark them in the memories of every person they encountered—a song that resonates years after their passing.

Songs of Life and Grace is their story, told by the daughter whose own life grew out of their loving ministries and Appalachian sensibilities. Linda Scott DeRosier, the celebrated author of Creeker: A Woman’s Journey, draws on family letters and lore, interviews, and her own recollections to reach a better understanding of her parents and the families that formed them both. Along the way, she introduces an unforgettable cast of characters: the formidable Grandma Emmy; Uncle Burns, an infamous ladies’ man; helpless and simple Aunt Jo; and gentle Pop Pop, who could peel an apple in one long, unbroken spiral.

A stirring, honest look at Appalachia and a tribute to the unbreakable bonds of family, Songs of Life and Grace establishes DeRosier as one of the most vital and exciting new voices of the American South. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Awesome book
There seems to be a lot of talk about Tom Brokaw's latest: A Long Way from Home: Growing Up in the American Heartland. What he has done for South Dakota and the generations that came before him, Linda Scott DeRosier has done for Appalachia and her people. This is a beautiful memoir: honest, intelligent, loving, and most of all human. I definitely recommend this book.

On the shoulders of ordinary giants; must read!!
Quite simply, Songs of Life and Grace is proof that each person makes all the difference in his or her own life. But they don't do it alone. As a native Kentuckian I am proud of where I come from. It's rare though to find a book that addresses the good things about Appalachian families. But this book isn't just for Appalachian families. It's for anybody who loves to read a good memoir. She's telling stories about her family that take place over the past century or more. But it's more than that. She's talking about the coal mines, the changes in women's lives in the past few decades, the value of remembering with pride where you come from.

DeRosier could have lingered on what was missing, on weaknesses, but she didn't. She zoomed in on the strengths that were present; saw in them her family's gifts to her. She succeeds, in part, because she knows where to focus. She knows finding the good always beats finding the bad. She understands each of us builds a life on the shoulders of those who came before.

I read DeRosier's first book, Creeker [it was good too!] and am glad she has another one out. This book is nothing short of a glorious tribute to the power of family and place in our lives. If you enjoyed Creeker, you'll love this. If you haven't read Creeker... save yourself the extra shipping costs...buy both NOW!

Good enough for Lee Smith; good enough for me
This book reminds me of my own family. I'm not from KY, but our lives our similar, but I never could have told the story as well as DeRosier. This is really a great book - she revisits her raising, as well as that of her parents, grandparents, and as far back as she could find genealogical information. It's been a long time since I read a book from cover to cover and enjoyed every chapter. She tells honest, charming, and heartbreaking stories with sensitivity, humor, and the kind of wisdom families used to pass on. Songs of Life and Grace is one I'll be reading again. This is a great author; highly recommend this book.

A worthwhile read
"Songs of Life and Grace" addresses, among other things, the primacy of the married state [for better and worse as they say]-not only its impact on every aspect of the couple's life but even their offspring. Strongly recommend this memoir for the following disciplines: women's studies, cultural/regional studies, family, and oral history. I recommend this as strongly as C. Bateson's autobiographical material. DeRosier writes well and the text is strong from beginning to end, enjoyable and thoughtful. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Award Winner for Book Design
This book has won a Southern Books Competition Award of Merit in Book Design from the Southeastern Library Association. This award is given in recognition of the book's aesthetic appeal and design and for fine craftsmanship in its printing and binding. Congratulations to author Patricia Foster, designer Michele Myatt Quinn, printer Thomson-Shore, and the University of Alabama Press.

Not just for women?
This is a book I would probably never have chosen for myself. I guess the chain of events that got me here began in 1971 with the birth of my only child, my daughter. Possibly that, and the fact that I was raised by a single mother, gives me a little more insight into women's issues than the "average" guy. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. My wife and I had just joined the local Friends of the Library. The first event we were invited to was a reading and book signing by Patricia Foster. I was ambivalent about it, but my wife thought we should show our support by attending, and that's how I wound up in the audience. It was a well spent Sunday afternoon. Ms. Foster's reading was delightful. This lady has a terrific sense of humor. She kindly autographed a copy of her book to our daughter. I won't take up space with a synopsis. That's been done quite well by previous reviewers. I will say that I enjoyed the book and, although it has been termed a "woman's book", I think there are a lot of men who would also find it worthwhile. Ms. Foster is writing a novel now, and I look forward to reading it.

Mothers and Daughters--Enigma or Revelation
All the Lost Girls is a touching memoir of life in the Deep South of the 50's and 60's, but at the same time, it is the universal revelation of the mother-daughter relationship that touches all women. The question is, can we ever really know our mothers? No matter how much of their lives and dreams they choose to reveal to us, daughters are forever in that limbo of unknowing regarding their mothers. Whether it is competition for the father's love or favored status within the family, children, especially girls, are constantly competing with their mothers to be the best, not only to be the best and make her proud of you, but also to be better than she is. Here we find Patricia Foster, second daughter in a family only one generation removed from dire poverty and ignorance, who is raised in middle class splendor by a bright and ambitious mother and a doctor father. His status elevates the family to heights only given to professionals--doctors, lawyers etc., and her mother is determined that her daughters will have the talents and advantages that she was denied. They take every lesson available in a fifty mile radius of Foley, Alabama, a small town between the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile. Alas, Patricia's older sister, Jean, always seemed to be the better of the two, leaving Patricia to feel lost and without accomplishment, falling short of her parents's expectations. It takes years for her to make the break she must make to be her own person and even more years to mend the break with her parents. However, she realizes at age thirty that she has become her own person and that she has overcome the uncertainty and lack of self confidence of her youth. At last, she can be friends with her parents and relish the deep love and understanding she has longed for all her life. Patricia's story is a mirror of so many girls who feel they cannot live up to their mother's expectations and who feel inferior to them. Her revelation is that her mother's prodding was for love and even if to shed light on herself, she wanted her daughters's accomplishments to be embelishments for them to carry forward into the world.

Amazing new book
In All the Lost Girls, Patricia Foster has written an incredibly lyrical and brilliantly insightful book about growing up in the South. The writing is sheer poetry, and the story is captivating and powerful. With this memoir, Foster has proven herself to be one of the most talented writers of our time.

Best of the Best
Patricia Foster has taken us into the intimacy of her family and made us feel not like strangers but like we too are a part of that amazingly complex, intelligent, and creative group of people. I am certain that it was not easy to write in such a revealing way because Southern women are taught that if you don't talk about problems they will go away and no one will ever know. I found it extremely brave of Foster to break that mold and come forward with facts that exposed not only herself but her mother as well. After all, what makes her admired mother tick was one of the best kept secrets in town! I feel that Patricia Foster's writing is comparable to the witty self-deprecatory style of Anne Lamott and the scandously revealing style of Kathryn Harrison. I would place this book with the best of the best. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An Amazing Life Story
This book is a wonderfully informative and touching story of a great and honorable man. Through Totch we learn of a nearly forgotten way of life and we see the Everglades as it used to be. I appreciate his honesty and plainspokeness and I'm thankful Totch made this book to preserve an important history. I also recommend the three movies made about him: Totch Brown's tales of the Everglades and 10,000 islands, The Everglades outlaw Totch Brown, and Yesterday's Everglades.

South Florida revisited
Any south Florida history buff will want to add "Totch' to their collection.

Totch a Life in the Everglades
Don't be misled by Peter Matthiessen's forward, this one is not for the ecologically friendly faint-of-heart. Tot