Westerns Books

The author jumped around and I had trouble keeping track of what was going on. Was she introducing new characters where they did not belong just to make them a part of some old gang? Maybe I should have read the author's other books to be able to follow better. I must say, in addition, I was extremely disappointed in the ending which left me empty and feeling as if something was definitely missing! Did she have to cut something out in her revisions? Would not recommend Opal. My daughter read it after me and said the same thing.

Personnally i really enjoyed this book every bit as much as the first two. i love the ranch setting and Opal being an outdoors person rather than an indoor one like Ruby and Pearl, it gives it its own style thats different from the first two. and i also like that opal is younger, only 14, where the other 2 were already in their twenties. I like all of the challenges she has to face as a youg person and how her character is developped by what happens and how she learns. though why Atticus had to treat her that way i don't know, pride maybe. I love this book and cannot wait to read the next one.

Although I enjoyed the writer's style, and the subject matter, I was let down by the way it left me. I would read more of Snelling's books, however.

I really enjoyed the first 2 books in this series. As Opal started out, I enjoyed it, as well. However, as I got into it, I felt that it dragged. I've been reading it an unheard-of amount of time...a week and a half! and have yet to finish it. Ms. Snelling is a very descriptive author. This is not a bad thing; however, I got a little weary of the cattle drive descriptions. Also, Ruby and Rand's little son, Per, got kind of old. I realize that he should be in the story, because it is exciting that Ruby had a baby. But, his actions would be much cuter in person than written on just about every page of the book. I got tired of his repeating everything the characters said in his baby talk. Then, too, I'm ready for Opal to quit blaming herself for every bad thing that happens or might happen. Ruby finally got over her unforgiveness for Jake, but now we have to deal with Opal's guilt about Atticus...who, I don't know why he treated her the way he did. Hopefully, things will be resolved at the end of this book, but I may never know. I am not one to leave any part of a series unread, but as hard as I have tried, I just can't seem to finish it. Maybe Amethyst will be better, and I will able to catch up on the last 100 pages of Opal in it.

I felt like this book was sort of choppy. It completely skips Belle's reaction to Dove House burning down, which I thought would be great to see. With all of the different stories that kind of seem to pop out of nowhere, the book seemed more difficult to read. The preacher and his son were kind of interesting, but I didn't think a man that age should be interested in any way with a fourteen year old, even if he thought her a bit older. I do like that Ruby and Rand have a strong faith and show it constantly. I just felt like this book was missing what the first two had.

I ordered two books from amazon. The first one was lost in transit and I never recieved it plus I wasn't refunded my money. The second one they sold me a book that they actually didn't have in stock. It took them 4 days to figure that out so overall it took me about 6 weeks to get the book I finally needed and it was not through them.

The product in itself was exactly what I needed. I am taking a Business Law class as part of my curriculum in Business Administration. I have found the the book is very informative but a little dry in reading. I was pleased with the speed of how the product was shipped but displeased in the condition it arrived in for part of the binding was literally cut down the bottom. It hasn't caused any issues for use but I know I will not be able to sell the book back to anyone without losing half of what I paid for it. My advice is to be aware of what you are buying and make sure that you ask the right questions. This was my first item bought off Amazon and it was much needed for class becuase the bookstore ran out and would be a while before getting any in so really there was little to no room for argument with the vendor. Anyway make sure you ask question and be aware that New does not always mean New!!!!!

This is a highly recommended book by legal professionals. I support their opinion since this book holds a wealth of important information to help people have a vital resource to be successful. It is user friendly and the legal concepts are written to be easily understandable.

This is a great book for undergrad students taking any type of business law class.

I like it a lot but it needs to put into simple word for a person like me who don't known any thing about law could understand it better. over all its a very good book. A lot of good information.

Lollie L. Jefferson

This is great book, easy to read, well laid out and full of nice pictures. I did really enjoyed it, at least while it lasted. The book is not an absolute reference for the historical period but it has enough information to give the reader a good idea of the historical period and what was about! Mr. Brown did a excellent job, once again!

This book is wide ranging, well-written, and full of vivid detail. One of the most important aims of this book is to situate the history of the end of the Roman Empire in the west in its broader context and to trace how Christianity, particularly western Christianity, arose out of that wider context. It is a triumph in aiming at understanding how the people of a period viewed themselves. The views the Romans had of themselves in, say, 500 AD is an important grounding for the student who has been taught that civilization had ended by the last decade of the fifth century. This is too short a space to review the book properly, but I will add a more personal note to encourage the prospective reader: this book is a joy to read; Brown has a fine and distinctive style that mixes the concrete and the universal in a way few historians can. This is a history of ideas, more than anything, and the student of ideas will find the book worth its weight in gold.

It goes without saying that one can disagree with Brown on various points, but his achievement stands, criticism aside. I, for one, find that he emphasizes the growing Christian culture at the time to the expense of a realistic appraisal of the state of society after the last western emperor was deposed. One might read this book in conjunction with Ward-Perkins' THE FALL OF ROME, which provides a detailed archaeological perspective.

I had this book for a class on Medieval Europe. This book was our main text for the first half of the course and I spent quite a bit of those two months reading this book... I probably would have liked this book more had I had longer to read and understand it. It's arranged in a very confusing way and it's terrible to write essays over. My professor said that Peter Brown is brilliant, and I think he probably really is. Unfortunatly, I was too lost to appreciate it. If things were arranged more chronologically and if some clear distinctions were made in people groups this book would be more greatly appreciated.

Let me say first that I have been a great admirer of Peter Brown for many years. His "World of Late Antiquity" was a seminal work that inspired a generation of scholars to look past the tired old concepts of the fall of the Roman empire, and his biography of Augustine, recently updated, is magnificent.

It was with some excitement then that I sat down to see what Brown had to say in a work that covers a larger span of time than most of his previous studies. And it was with a sinking heart that I realized, after a few pages, that this one-time master of prose has lost his way.

In his lengthy introduction, Brown seems determined to undermine every preconception we may have about Europe's evolution in late antiquity and the early middle ages. To reinforce his point, he puts quotation marks around a myriad of words and phrases: "Roman", "barbarian", "imperial", "Western." For a page or two this seems like a reasonable way of signalling that these words may not mean what we think they mean. But the trouble is, he never stops: the quotation marks multiply, sometimes occurring a dozen times on a page, and seldom less than once per paragraph. And it becomes impossible to know what he is trying to signify. If he finds words like "Roman" and "barbarian" useful, why doesn't he simply define what he means by them, rather than distancing himself from them? It seems pointless to contrast barbarian and Roman, if you believe that the one is not really barbarian, and the other not really Roman.

And it gets worse. What are we to make of the fact that Irish kings ruled over "plains"? Do the quotation marks signify that the kings called them by that term (or its Gaelic equivalent), or that they were not really plains? Why the quotes around "Carolingian minuscule", not just on introduction but in subsequent references -- was the script not truly Carolingian, or not truly minuscule?

I don't know who should take the most blame here, Brown for repeatedly flagging words as not meaning what we think they mean, without bothering to find alternatives that he feels are more accurate, or his editor for letting him get away with it.

I realize other readers may not be as bothered by this sort of thing as I am, but I found it baffling and, ultimately, offputting. I seldom return a book, and I never thought I would return one of Peter Brown's, but that is what I did in this case.

The book goes beyond the rather narrow sounding scope of the title; Brown nicely covers the changes in politics and economics that fostered (or hindered) the spead of Christianity from Ireland to the Middle East. The subject matter is cogently presented and enjoyable to read, unlike other scholarship of this era where authors tend to prove to the reader how much they know leaving the reader somewhat in the dust. Fascinating (at least to me!) is the number of texts that Brown cites that show the changes in orthodoxy from one century to another in various geographical areas, and how those texts came to be preserved. Conclusions are based on either these texts or archiology, not flights of a priori fantasy that all-too-often formed the basis for earlier works on this period. All in all, a book of great scholarship, but most approachable.

Joseph Paxton knows there's trouble when a neighbor's ranch hand shows up on his door step with a bullet in his back. Convinced that there's a killer on the loose the ranch hand makes Joseph promise to keep his employer Miss Rachel Hollister safe while he recovers. If the rumors are true then Miss Hollister has been living barricaded inside her home for the past five years ever since the massacre that took the lives of her entire family. She has never stepped foot outside since. Hasn't seen the sunlight nor felt a summer breeze in five long years. And when Joseph sees her elaborate fortress, he's shocked and saddened to see her living in such conditions. Now all Joseph has to do is to somehow bring sunlight into Rachel's life while protecting from a killer, possibly even the same one who wiped out her family.

A fine romance. Wonderful characters and an unusual plot. I've never read about someone having agoraphobia before. I can see how horror of having seen her family killed before her eyes forced Rachel into this maximum security type of living. She doesn't feel safe without having all those walls around her, especially since the killer was never caught. And Joseph has the patience of a saint to have to deal with all of Rachel's issues. He's such a *good* guy that you can't help but love him. And all the trouble he goes through just to give Rachel a bit of sunshine really brought a tear to my eye.

A great sequel to Keegan's Lady.

Recommended.

This is my first time writing a review, but after I read Summer Breeze, I had to express how much I enjoyed this book. this is the first time i've read the author and I am just about to buy her other books. This book was given to me as a present and THANK GOD she did or else I probably would have never picked up this book.

If you like a light intrigueing read this is the book for you. It was great seeing Rachel and Joseph go from strangers to friends to falling in love. I didn't find one boring part of the book and author made me feel that I was really there at No Name with them.

This book made me laugh and even made me cry. You will not be disappointed.

Summer Breeze is a prequel to Catherine Anderson's contemporary Coulter family stories, and is very much in the same style.

This time the heroine is agoraphobic. Rachel has been barricaded inside her kitchen for 5 years, since barely surviving the massacre of her family, aided only by her laconic ranch hand Darby. When Darby is shot in the back and suspects the killer has returned, he enlists Joseph, a neighboring rancher, to watch over Rachel.

The Good:
As usual, Anderson presents the disabled character with realism and affection.

The Bad:
The townspeople are a little too sweet and everyone's just a little too understanding of her need for walls and security, particularly in a time when psychology was not common knowledge.

The Verdict:
Not my favorite of Catherine Anderson's books, but still well worth reading.

I won't go into the storyline as that's been done but just to say it was an enjoyable read. I like a mystery/romance combination and there was enough of both to make it move along. Some of it was definitely far fetched. Have you any idea how pale and sickly looking a person would be who had been boarded up in one room with no light or sunshine for 5 years. She could do everything even beat Joseph's brother (who had made his living playing cards at one time)at cards. Probably she hasn't played in the 5 years she has been shut up in this house and suddenly can win every hand. h-m-m I had to keep reminding myself this was fiction and just laughed at some of it even the hokey stuff. I thought all the characters were likable. Though I had suspected who was doing all the bad stuff it still was just a good page turner. I liked that the storyline was a little different from many others I have read.

Maybe it was just me, but I found the "hero" of the story to be.... lacking? The dialogue was at times ridiculous and why in the world does he name his you-know-what and actully tell Rachel after barely knowing her? STUPID! And the storyline, come on! I figured out the "mystery" way before the end. Pretty predictable.

I won this in a giveaway, and although historical fiction is not my genre of choice, I loved this book from the first sentence: "I wasn't asleep--wasn't even pretending to be--when my cousin Phoebe slipped into my room." So many thoughts come to mind with that sentence. What time is it? It must be night because the speaker is supposed to be asleep. Why is Phoebe slipping into a room when someone is sleeping? What's she up to? Why isn't the speaker asleep? Why doesn't she even pretend? What happens next?

Allison K. Pittman can write! With the compelling plot, the main character so realistic that I felt as if I've had conversations with her, the twists and turns surprising me over and over again, all add up to make this ONE GOOD READ!

Although this is the last book in a trilogy, this story was strong enough to stand on its own. The year is 1861. I was gripped by the story as Belinda's father packs up the family and moves them to the Wyoming Territories. They leave their family and comfort in Belleville, Illinois. Dad's a dreamer and this is an adventure of a life time; Belinda's mother is not convinced. She is a dutiful Christian wife who submits to her husband (but she doesn't have to like it). Her husband was so caught up in the new frontier and the opportunities of building something big.

The adventure began with a train ride, which was followed by a luxurious boat ride. Wow, things were grand!! Then came the wagon coach ride for days and days. Life as they had known it was over. As I read about all the discomforts of traveling this way for days on end, I never thought of all the uncomfortable things that could be encountered. It really made me appreciate what we have today which I sometimes take for granted. Even with gas prices being so high, I think I would rather ride a bike then a wagon coach.

Life as Belinda had known it, is definitely over when they get to their destination. There's nothing that she can do to bring it back. But, in spite of what her mother thought, she was determined to make the most of this adventure. Her cousin Phobe wasn't helping either. Her attitude was almost worse than her mothers.

Then something unforeseen happens to rock Belinda's world even further. It was totally a whole new world out here!! Her faith is being tested and she's really torn up to find out what she really believes. Her faith is wavering. Who is this God she has been serving? God is asking her to do the impossible. Can't He see she's in tremendous pain? She can't give any more! But, she does. She hears the Lord say "Be Still". God is asking her to forgive the very man who caused so much pain in her life. How could she? (She knew that God hadn't given her a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.) She memorized the scripture, but putting it into practice was another story. It sounded great on paper, but now God was asking her to do the unthinkable. She had to let God work thru her it was the only way. "Be Still" she kept hearing. So, she waited.

How fast life can change. She didn't appreciate what she had when she had it. Food, nice clothing and a warm bed. It was the simple things in life that she appreciated now. Funny how that is. It was harder and harder to not let the circumstances of this life get her down. At one point she felt blessed to find shelter with "souls wounded as mine. (she thought) I didn't have to spell out my pain; they knew it all too well. And I could talk to God without opening my mouth." She learned how quickly one simple step could change your world and everything you thought you knew. Belinda was starting to believe that she had run out of choices. She had to play the cards that were dealt to her. But a friend reminds her that we always have choices - no one can take that away from you.

This is a book that helps me to be thankful for the little things in this life that I take for granted. When I was done reading this story, I was thankful that I wasn't a woman born during those times who had to be put through the hardships of daily life and how women are viewed. In many ways Allison Pittman reveals the struggles we deal with today, are not that much different from women back then. We are in a spiritual battle. We don't fight against flesh and blood put against principalities and powers - the bible says. Allison does a beautiful job of showing that struggle with the back drop of the wild, wild west. It's made me want to go back and read the other two books in this series.

Nora St. Laurent
[...]

Belinda was born into wealth. Then, her Bohemian-like father decided to try out the new frontier. They head to Oregon against her mother's wishes.
This trip leaves Belinda to trust only in God and to seek his redemption and love. With only His grace, she survives the horrible trials of the trip.
Pittman has a rare talent for painting the setting with such detail that you feel as if you are with the characters. This will be a delightful read for anyone who loves Christian fiction and history.

With Endless Sight by Allison Pittman is the third and final book in the Crossroads of Grace series. 14 year old Belinda has set out for Oregon from her comfortable home in Illinois with her mother, father, older brother, and cousin Phoebe. They've left behind a life of luxury to start anew in 1861 to leave behind the new war and enjoy life in an undiscovered country. But tragedy strikes leaving Belinda to rely on nothing but her faith, and she has to begin her life again and again. Poor Belinda! This young girl is taken from her familiar home, then loses her family, then her only friend, then security. One by one each of her anchors are taken from her until all she has left is God. I fell in love with Belinda and her pluck. Confronted by a murderer, she shares her faith and changes a life. She manages to change those around her just by living her simple, trusting faith. By the end of the book, she's learned some hard lessons and lived through more than most adults ever will, but her faith is unshaken. I wasn't ready for the series to end: what's going to happen to Chester? What about Sadie? Pittman has a fresh voice filled with faith and truth and a great deal of promise.

Belinda, the main character of "With Endless Sight", is different from the heroines of the previous books in the "Crossroads of Grace" series in two big ways: she is a woman who relies on God from the beginning the end of the story, and although she calls Jewell's brothel home for a while, she is never a prostitute. It may sound like her story makes for a fairly unexciting end to a sensational series, but that's entirely untrue.

I won't ruin the plot for you by telling you WHY her story is exciting, you'll just have to read it yourself. But I will say that Pittman's third novel shows how God can bring someone through the most horrific events and still have their best interest at heart. Through everything that Belinda endures, God is still guiding her steps, and she needs only to believe that in order to make it through. What I love about her character is that she still has times of doubt, and times when she feels further from God than she wants to, just like we all do. She has the hope and strength of God's provision... without being so goody-two-shoes that it's impossible to read, as is often the case in Christian fiction. There are times in the novel where you may find yourself thinking that nothing of consequence has happened for the last thirty pages, when will she get to the meat of the story?... and yet, this novel is still so entirely riveting that you will not be able stop reading page after page until there is no more left to read!

My favorite of the series is still the second book, Sadie's story, titled "Speak Through the Wind", and I loved seeing more of her in this novel. Even though the previous book ended Sadie's journey in a fairly satisfying way, I still hoped that Belinda's story would give a little more insight into the rest of Sadie's "happy ending". It was interesting to view Gloria from Belinda's eyes as well, and I had to keep reminding myself that Belinda knew Gloria before she had seen God's grace. It was also nice to finally "meet" Belinda after reading about her fresh-faced innocence in the previous two books; I thought it was a wonderful illustration of how no matter how perfect someone may appear to be, everyone has burdens from their past to bear, and EVERYONE needs God's forgiveness.

I love the way that Pittman used three entirely different women with completely different pasts and paths, and drew them together to tell three different tales that still have a beautiful sense of cohesion. I sincerely wish that this wasn't the final book in the series, as the jacket suggests - I wish Ms. Pittman would tells us Mae's story, too! Overall, "With Endless Sight" is a wonderful conclusion to the series, which I wholly enjoyed. I highly recommend the entire series!

Grade: A-

This has been a great read. It's a little book but packed with tremendous depth and unique perspectives about how to live an authentic life. I highly recommend this book and it would be a great gift, too. So wise and the beauty of it is that it's not hundreds of pages but you get so much wisdom out of it.

I picked up this book at a used book store. It was in a bin of little books for a dollar. It is small, 4x4, so you can tuck it in a purse or a pocket. It is good reading when you are stuck somewhere, like in a line, or waiting for the car to be fixed, and recharge you with some soundbites of wisdom.

He says that happiness is not an event or a feeling, but the quality of a whole life. How true!

This small book contains concise and easy to verify life's truths which enhance our joy of life.It allows to readers and practitioners to choose consciously between boring, bitter, sour and sterile or sweet and fulfilling life under any circumstances.It can be used from time to time or daily as handy helper and worthy reminder on the paths of everyday life. This jewel of wisdom gives a powerful thrust adequate for both; young ones and adults,giving them immense support and leaving them absolute freedom traveling the path of the heart.

Sharon Lebell's paraphrases of the Roman Stoic Epictetus are convincingly presented in this little guidebook. Much of the core Stoic philosophy is translated for us in this brief but philosophically weighty interpretation: See things for what they are; guard against a false sense of self-importance; practice indifference to external conditions; the life of wisdom demands its price; speak impeccably; you become what you give your attentions to; action is what counts, not talk; practice tact and tolerance; wisdom depends upon vigilance.

Highly recommended. And a very quick read.

Epictetus also recommends the study of Heraclitus and Diogenes, his philosophical ancestors.


Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

The Cloud Reckoner

The remarkable thing about this book is it contains so much wisdom in so few words. It truly lives up to its title - A Manual For Living.

If there is any fault to be found with the book it would be in its brevity. I have read many books that say less in four times the number of words.

It is really amazing that so many of the truths of living a purposeful life filled with happiness have been around for so long. We struggle with day to day problems because we fail to seek the answers contained in this book.

It is also amazing that most of todays graduates of institutions of higer learning do not possess the wisdom that Epictetus did. We seem to have become a nation concentrating on acquiring knowledge without learning how to apply that knowledge. Epictetus shows us the way to achieve our purpose in life. To achieve freedom, which he says is the ultimate way to live.

Some of the better lessons are:
You become what you give your attention to.
Think things through and fully commit!
A half-hearted spirit has no power. Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes.
Wise people on the other hand realise that we are the source of everything good or bad.

It you want all the wisdom without an excessive amount of reading, this book is for you. It is short enough you can read it weekly and let the concepts sink into your subconscious mind where they can lead you to the life you were designed to live.

I found this book to be an excellent guide when it comes to describing the entrepreneurial process as well as how to start up a business. Not only does it cover the theorectical sections of this vast subject, it also provides guidance on how to go about getting funding, encouraging creativity and innovation within a firm etc. It details the stages of a business and has a number of case studies. A great book!

This book played a significant role in shaping a business plan that attracted institutional investment for a technology start-up I co-founded in Brazil. Great book.

This book has really helped me in class. It ties into all of the other books we use and all of the discussion in class. The book is actually interesting and easy to read unlike other textbooks!

This book is phenominal. While it is an academic textbook, it really hits home to the real world. The business plan section is extremely useful and the real life company examples and case studies are quite interesting and insightful.

Dr. Kuratko's book is positively OUTSTANDING and a MUST read for anyone who is even CONSIDERING starting his or her own business. Dr. Kuratko is considered by many to be the nation's foremost expert in the field of entrepreneurship and small business management. His book blends the structure of a course textbook with excellent real-life case examples. This is, without question, the finest book that I have ever read. I keep it by my nightstand!!!

Buy this one! You WON'T regret it!

Michael

My first encounter with Tom Perini was shortly after moving to San Angelo, Texas. I was told I had to make the journey an hour and a half north to the small, out-of-the-way town of Buffalo Gap, Texas. Turns out there was a great steakhouse there by the name of Perini's. I went there, somewhat skeptically because of the hype... and fell in love.

My visit was even more special because I got to chat with Tom himself. He's quite an interesting character, and I was surprised to actually see him hanging around the ranch, involved with the customers and striking up conversations. I bought a copy of this book during that visit, and he was kind enough to sign it! It's been a constant source of delicious concoctions ever since, and Tom's style of writing is very down to earth and measured. He tells you why cowboys would've cooked or eaten that particular dish, how to cook it, and why it matters.

I recently ordered another copy because my seven month old decided to take an interest in my previous one, and I decided that one needed to go up on the mantle as decoration. And perhaps I'll let my inlaws finally borrow this copy- but then they'll finally catch on to what "calf fries" are.

If you like real cowboy cookin', don't let this one pass you by!

This truly is cowboy fare...not Texas fare so if you are looking for very basic recipes, this is the book for you.

Absolutely wonderful. The recipes are easy and tasty. The pictures are beautiful. I would recommend this to anyone. I have eaten at Perini Ranch and the recipies are just like those they serve.

This is the best cookbook I've ever used. Everything is so simple and delicious. Tom Perini really knows his stuff!

Wonderful in all respects- the recipes are excellent ways to fix good substantial food, written understandably. Outstanding pictures and commentary. I have been a Texas Panhandle cowboy and New Mexico rancher.
Have cooked for hunters and working crews and own an extensive array of gourmet cookbooks. This is the one used for our recent holiday, and I have given 3 of them to friends since. Don't think this is rough food - it's the kind that everybody loves.