Flying High (My Secret Unicorn)

Book Description

Lauren's pony Twilight changes into a unicorn when she whispers the magic words. The only catch is that Lauren has to keep it a secret or she could put Twilight in great danger. When Lauren's friend Tilly runs away, she and Twilight know they can help. But they need unicorn magic to find her. Will they be able to rescue Tilly without the news of Twilight's hidden powers getting out?

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Series.......2006-04-02

My 9 year old daughter loves this series of books. We got this one through the Scholastic book club at school and she has quickly read through 4 other My Secret Unicorn books. I would recommend reading them in order though as they make more sense that way. The text is in bigger print and the chapters are a good size for kids her age. All in all, we have enjoyed these books and highly recommend them!!

The Runaway Racehorse (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

Average customer rating:

The Racehorse That Runs Away
What a Mystery
It is a really cool book

The Runaway Racehorse (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Ron Roy
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375813675
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Book Description

R is for Racehorse . . .

And they’re off! Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are excited to see Uncle Warren’s new racehorse, Whirlaway, in action. But the night before the big race, the horse disappears! He shows up the next day, just in time to lose the race. Why is Whirlaway suddenly so slow? Can the kids figure it out–or is Whirlaway out of the winner’s circle for good? A to Z Mysteries are fast-paced, collectible mysteries for beginning chapter book readers!

Customer Reviews:

The Racehorse That Runs Away.......2005-12-01

The racehorse that ran away was a good book. I liked it because it was great and wonderful. I like horses and I want to ride my own horse someday. Josh was funny because he kept dropping ketchup on his shirt.

I am in Kindergarten and my name is Grace.

What a Mystery.......2005-07-08

Lena fourth grade

In this story The Runaway Racehorse has a mystery. There is a horse name Whirlaway that is missing. Three kids help the owner of Whirlaway looking for the horse. The kids are from Green Lawn but one of the kid's grandpa. This book has a great mystery. I think you should read this book because you can like the story from the mystery. My opinion on this book is really great. I couldn't wait to get to the end.

It is a really cool book.......2003-02-18

You should read this book. It is all about a racehorse, how he got lost and how they found him. It is a really cool story. You should read it sometime.
I'm 8 years old, my name is Lizzy, and this book is just the right level for me.
And I'm not going to give away the whole book to you, but it wasn't too scary that I didn't want to read it. It was just the right amount of scariness.

Average customer rating:

Continues the themes of SPRING SNOW with expanded form and new perspectives
greatest mishima book
Sequel to Spring Snow, But Not As Good
Sea of Silence ...
Standalone

Runaway Horses
Yukio Mishima
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679722408
Release Date: 1990-04-14

Book Description

The chronicle of a conspiracy and a novel about the roots and nature of Japanese fanaticism in the years that led to war--an era marked by depression, social change and political violence.

Customer Reviews:

Continues the themes of SPRING SNOW with expanded form and new perspectives.......2006-06-29

In RUNAWAY HORSES, the second volume of Yukio Mishima's "Sea of Fertility" tetralogy, we are presented with a remarkable turn of events. Kiyoaki Matsugae, the tragic protagonist of SPRING SNOW, has been born again. Those who wondered why the first novel in the cycle had those long debates on the transmigration of the soul will be pleased to see the consequences of the Siamese princes' beliefs.

The year is 1932. RUNAWAY HORSES unfolds through the thoughts of Shikeguni Honda, once Kiyoaki's best friend, who is now thirty-eight years-old and a judge in Osaka. Honda encounters a young man, Isao, who is almost as old as Kiyoaki was when he died, and Honda comes to believe that this boy is his old friend come again, whose life contains events that Kiyoaki foretellingly dreamed of and wrote in his journal. While Kiyoaki's fatal flaw was excess love, his reincarnation is an obsessive patriot, who seeks to purge Japan of foreign ideals and the vices of a capitalism which denied the Emperor. RUNAWAY HORSES is, essentially, a novel of political extremism. The Japan of this era seems poised on the verge of either Communist revolution or, what actually came to pass, military dictatorship, and the uncertainty of the times makes for a very engaging setting. Some knowledge of Japan history comes in handy, although the novel can still be read as it is. The form of the work is also rather more varied than in the first volume of the cycle. RUNAWAY HORSES contains a fifty-page long imagined political tract praising the leaders of a 19th-century rebellion, which inspires the protagonist, and a courtroom scene recounted in dialogue form.

I found so much of this novel supremely agreeable. Mishima expertly causes the reader to feel the long years that have passed for Honda, and the shock that comes in being jerked back to the death of Kiyoaki. Some of the people and places linked with Kiyoaki are seen again in this novel, and often the characters have little idea of the connection, but the reader knows the haunting truth. Nonetheless, the novel is not entirely perfect. One common objection may be that Mishima gushes too much over the purity of Isao, for the author's own political ideals where much the same. Still, anyone concerned with issues of globalization and the existential crisis of the West and westernized nations will have some sympathy for Mishima and his protagonist, even though much about them is deplorable. And Isao is certainly more nuanced than the protagonist of Mishima's gory nearly-pornographic novella "Patriotism" of three years before. My own dissatisfaction about the matter comes from Mishima giving his protagonist, toward the end, the opportunity to rather unrealistically give a long speech to an audience that in truth probably wouldn't hear it.

Still, these are relatively minor complaints. I underestimated the beauty of SPRING SNOW the first time I read it, and I'm quite happy that I re-read it and moved onto RUNAWAY HORSES. The "Sea of Fertility" cycle is indeed an impressive work of fiction.

greatest mishima book.......2006-06-23

this is definately one of the greatest novels written in japanese. though the main character seems naive and unreal, the novel does have merit in revealing a different side of japan. unlike spring snow or novels by kawabata, this does not conform to the steretype of being "feminine", but portrays the more musculine samurai culture of japan.

admittedly, the main character, isao's political fanaticism is somehow scary, especially when we look at it now. however, rather than portraying him as a hero who is perfect, Mishima's attitude toward him is conflicting, which makes the story more interesting and the characters more controversial.

Sequel to Spring Snow, But Not As Good.......2006-03-29

Mishima is a great author, but like every author not every book is likely to be 5 stars. The present book is one such example.

This is the second of a group of four novels by Mishima called The Sea of Fertility series. Taken as a group they are excellent novels or even what one might call a literary masterpiece. The four books are:

- "Spring Snow,"
- "Runaway Horses,"
- "The Temple of Dawn," and
- "The Decay of the Angel."

"Spring Snow" was set in Tokyo around 1912; it involves two families and two lovers; there is a problem betrothal involving the female protagonist Satoko (Kiyoaki is the male); and there are outside forces at work - the Royal family. The present book is time shifted 19 years later to approximately the early 1930s. The protagonist is changed to Honda - a secondary character in the first book - plus we have a new character, Isao, a young man of about 19 who is swept up with a national fervour after reading "The League of the Divine Wind."

It is a clear and compelling read, and I sat down glued to the book and read 220 pages the first day. Having said that, this story is not as good as "Spring Snow." The characters brought forward 19 years from the first book do not quite fit together. The author has to use mysticism to make the pieces fit together.

The parts that involve Honda are excellent - and if he had more Honda the book would be 5 stars. But as the story unfolds, his role declines. The youthful Isao seem immature, not attractive as a character, and the story is not that good about him. So, it is two parallel stories, one well written with great prose - about Honda, and one a bit immature and political about Isao. Finally, at the end of the book, the last 50 pages, it does not seem the least bit credible. Also, the author inserts and repeats parts of "Divine Wind" into the book on more than one occasion, and it seems a bit political. It reminds a bit of Upton Sinclair's book "The Jungle" where the last chapter is dedicated to advancing socialism. Here it is Japanese nationalism.

Taken as a group of four, The Sea of Fertility group might be a masterpiece series. In a society such as Japan, the book must have been a bit racy when it came out. That is the same comment that describes "Spring Snow" but now it does not quite work here. On its own this is not a great book, but I recommend the read as part of the series.

As a final note, this book has no introduction or extra notes on the author or the book. It is just the basic book, but it seems to be an excellent translation.

Sea of Silence ..........2005-08-15

This is not an intent to (summarize) mishima's sea of fertility... rather it's an approach into analyzing it ... a sort of reading between the lines...

Then ... again, what are we exactly trying to portray?

we would say we are ( intending ) to deliver a semiotic vision of what the sea of fertility represents ... we are not trying to ( read ) it for our reader , rather , we let him read , and help him amidst it , by presenting a cluster of signs , keys , semiotics , call it whatever you want , that would - at the end - clarify the road , and that can be grasped by the reader so he can get a wider vision , and a better comprehension of this gigantic universe , which mishima called ( sea of fertility ) ...

But first, why is this bizarre title (sea of fertility)?

mishima himself is going to answer this question , to give it the first ( leading ) sign , that we should know it doesn't crack secrets for us , but merely provides us with a minimum limit , which we can begin our journey from ..

in a note mishima sent to the famous American criticizer Donald Keene , he clearly admits that the reason he chose this title for his tetralogy is a hint for an area of the same designation on the moon's surface not so far of ( the sea of silence ) ... the reason for this reference is to aim at a ( contradiction ) between this vivid and colorful name , and the wasteland it stands for in real ... we can go further on saying that this title combines the image of universal nihilism with the image of ( sea of fertility ) ...

in summer 1945 mishima wanted to write an immense oeuvre that would sum up Miller's famous trilogy ( the rosy crucifixion ) , and that would stress more and more on that ( dark ) side of art ... to write a novel that would take six years of his life , and that would cover - chronogically - those sixty years from 1912 and on ..

That decision , which was the most important one in mishima's practical life , obliged writing this novel in four volumes , in each an individual story , for each a special protagonist , but these characters would not be totally separated from each other ...

How?

The figure in the first volume is the lad kiwaki, the noble descent of the wealthy family of Matsugai, lives a love story, one of its kind that memory would not forget easily, and his friend Honda stands as an eye witness for this superb experience of his...

From that point on , in every volume that succeeds, we can notice that the hero is merely the first one, but after being (reincarnated), to start a new cycle of life, and to let Honda only figure out the connections that ties these four characters...

Mishima Knew very well that his Tetralogy is a rich threshold for everything he learned as a writer ... he told his friends, that when he finishes it, there is only one thing left for him to do ... (suicide) ... and by taking his own life in November 25th 1970, he fulfilled his final quote: the life of men is short, I want to live forever...

( The sea of fertility ) is not an easy read nor its a happy one , it is a lament melancholic presentation of life ... rendered by an artist ...

Standalone.......2004-04-15

No book sums up the austere, starkly proud side of Mishima's personality like Runaway Horses. Though it was written as part of the tetralogy and engineered stylistically and thematically for that purpose, it embodies its purpose, I think, better than any of the other three.

The style accentuates the theme. It's written in a more economical, less meandering way than Spring Snow, and the characters are more dynamic and quickly (though not sloppily) drawn. It has in common with Spring Snow an absolute mastery of the language, with no unneccesary details or sentences.

The character of Isao embodies the theme of patriotism without seeming to become its tool. He has a distinct personality, and it can be seen how his ideals stem from and compliment his inclinations. It never feels as though Mishima is putting words in his mouth (partly, though, because he is so much an aspect of Mishima). Some of his speeches are worth recording.

Book Description

Willie Weaver used to be a hero.
Now he's nothing.

Willie is a top athlete, the star of the legendary game against Crazy Horse Electric. Then a freak accident robs him of his once-amazing physical talents.

Betrayed by his family, his girlfriend, and his own body, Willie's on the run, penniless and terrified on the streets, where he must fight to rebuild both his body and his life.

Customer Reviews:

Redefining Self.......2007-02-18

Willie is a high school kid, the star of his baseball team and a town hero. His life is great and everyone is proud of him and his athletic abilities. Then he is in a water-skiing accident, an accident that leaves him partially paralyzed. He walks with a limp and can't play sports anymore. His parents are fighting and their marriage is falling apart because Willie's dad can't deal with his son's new disability. So Willie runs away.

After some bad times and a few dangerous situations, Willie ends up at a California high school full of kids who dropped out or were thrown out of regular high schools. The people at the school are kind to Willie and they help him get himself back together again. This story is about him coming to terms with his new identity and figuring out that his life will not always be perfect.

I liked the secondary characters, and I liked the way Chris Crutcher showed Willie's progress both pysically and mentally. I thought it was pretty weak that Willie would run away from his parents like he did, but without that part of the plot he would not have been able to go on this journey of self-discovery.

QH.......2006-06-08

this book is really interesting and gets you hooked as early as the first page and doesnt let you go till the very end. i love baseball and this book has a lot of baseball content and action scenes. i hard about this book from my friend and he told me that it was just ok, but i think that its great, anybook with baseball and gangsters is good for me. i would recomend this book to anyone who likes an action based fast moving book with some baseball scenes.

Crazy Horse Electric Game.......2006-04-07

Page turning! The Crazy Horse Electric Game, by Chris Crutcher is a great book that teaches the reader a life long lesson: you may only get one chance to do something and if you fail to fulfill that opportunity, it may be gone forever. If you let that chance pass by you may regret it because you could have let something keep you from going through with it.
When seventeen year old Willie Weaver, gets injured in a water skiing accident, he begins to have problems physically, with his friends, family, and also with his emotions. Willie's was an average boy, who was also the all-star baseball champion back at his hometown in Coho. Willie thinks that all of his problems would become non- existent if he runs away, so decides to do just that, but when he returns his problems are still there but in a different twist.
Chris Crutcher writes The Crazy Horse Electric Game so that the reader can easily understand the whole morale of the story, and it is attention drawing and is able to keep you interested from beginning to end. The language and book itself, is more for seventh to tenth grade students, because of the character, language and it's also something they can easily relate to. I think that this book will attract this age group to stay intoned with The Crazy Horse Electric Game, easily understand the morale, and will keep reading until the book is finished because they will want to know everything that happens from beginning to end.

The Crazy Horse Electric Game.......2006-03-18

Willie Weaver was an all star athlete before he was in a terrible boating accident. After the accident everything seemed to go bad for Willie, he lost his girlfriend, his parents started fighting, and he cant play sports. Willie tries to get help from counclers and theripests, but he keeps on getting worse. Willie runs away to California, where he is taught many valuable lessons. Willie strugles, but with help Willie tries to get over his accident.

The crazy cool electric game.......2005-12-10

The Crazy cool electric game

The story The Crazy Horse Electric Game is a good story that teaches you a life lesson about how to not give up in what you like to do even though a handicap might slow you down a little. It starts out this boy named Billy is a Jock kind of guy and he is good at everything and just when he has it all WHAM! He has a skiing accident and it leaves him where he cant do the old stuff he used to, like sports.

After all this happens to him, he is starting to notice that everyone is starting to slowly drift away from him and no one is hardly ever around him. So he runs away to a school to in Chicago to try to find himself and try to regain his old self, there he fits right in with everyone and feels like a part of a group again.

I think the author Chris Crutcher gets the morale of this story across to the reader really well, and from right off the bat the story gets your attention and it just draws you in from the beginning. It's a good read for all ages but preferably for kids in the 9-10 grade because that is how old Billy is in the story and he thinks a lot like teenagers think today and it speaks more to this age group.

I really enjoyed this book it was recommended to me by my English teacher and as soon as I read the first chapter I was hooked to this book and couldn't wait to find out what happened next in the story.

I hope all you out there will enjoy this book as much as I did and I also hope that you pick this book up at your nearest library or bookstore.

Shining's Orphan (Thoroughbred Series #12)

Average customer rating:

Welcome Cindy
Cindy's introduction into a series worth saving
Save Thoroughbred!
Cindy the runaway foster child
Awesome!!

Shining's Orphan (Thoroughbred Series #12)
Joanna Campbell
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061062812

Customer Reviews:

Welcome Cindy.......2005-07-11

In this book we r introduced to 3 orphans, Cindy and two twin foals. When Samantha Mclean goes to check on her filly, Shinning, Samantha is surprised to find a girl sleeping the orphans stall. Cindy told Samantha what she was doing in the orphans stall so Samantha lets Cindy sleep in their house. Soon, Ian, teh head trainer at Whitebrook and Beth his girlfriend decide to let Cindy stay. Cindys parents dies in a car accident so Cindy had to move home to home. The last home Cindy was at she ran away from and came to Whitebrook. Cindy does everything to help out the horses and even helps around the stable. When Samantha was about to take Shinning, half sister to Ashleighs Wonder, Cindy point out Shinning had a pebble in the fillies shoe which could have caused lameness. Cindy decides she liked staying at Whitebrook but the child care comes to take Cindy back to her old orphan home. Everyone including Cindy doesnt want her to leave. But can Samantha, Ashleigh, Ian, and Beth save Cindy from going back to her old foster home where she was just a rat running around the house or will the Child Care let Cindy stay at Whitebrook? Find out urself in Shinnings Orphan.

Cindy's introduction into a series worth saving.......2005-02-17

Yes, a Cindy book by Joanna Campbell! What happens when a human orphan finds her way into the Whitebrook barns? A new chapter in the Thoroughbred series begins with Shining's Orphan. Unfortunately, Harper Collins has decided to end the series abruptly after #72. With such a dedicated following and online fan base with members from all over the world, this is a classic and beloved series that has inspired many people and provided horse fans with vicarious thrills and adventure. Ashleigh saved Wonder, now it's up to you to help save Thoroughbred. [...]

Save Thoroughbred!.......2005-01-13

While Cindy is not my favorite character, I did enjoy this book because it included some wonderful glimpses into Len's character and had a lot about Shining in it. This series is just too good to allow HarperCollins to cancel it! SAVE THOROUGHBRED!!

Cindy the runaway foster child.......2004-04-14

I loved this book, it was the best Thoroughbred book I have ever read. If you have read the other books in the Thoroughbred series I conceder reading this book. I love this book because when Samantha finds cindy in the barn with the orphan foals she dosnt kick her out, she and her family fight to become Cindys foster parents. I also love it because in the end cindy gets to stay with Samantha's family for a llittle while. I sure am glad she didn't have to go with that awful Mrs. Lovell.

Awesome!!.......2004-01-12

I love the TB series! They are so cool! They aren't always 100% happy. I like how it's not till the end that you know how the book ends. You will love this book! Cindy is such a sweet little girl. I don't know why people say she is a snob. It's not true!!!

Cindy's Runaway Colt (Thoroughbred Series #13)

Average customer rating:

A good one to read!
Stolen Glory
Glory's introduction into a series worth saving
Cindy and Glory
Lovely! Quite Darling!

Cindy's Runaway Colt (Thoroughbred Series #13)
Joanna Campbell
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061063037

Customer Reviews:

A good one to read!.......2007-06-09

This is one of the better ones in the Thoroughbred series. It shows you how much heart one girl can have. Cindy really cares about a horse that isn't even hers, and saves it from two men who are abusing the horse. You should really read the entire series, but if you don't at least read #12 so that you have some background on Cindy, the main character.

Stolen Glory.......2005-07-11

In Cindys Runaway Colt, Cindy Blake, a runaway orphan is being accuses of stealing Lavinia Townsends gold watch. But Cindy didnt do it and the child care want cindy back, and they use stealing to get her back to her old foster home but if she did move back Cindy would have run away again. But one day she went riding on one of Whitebrooks horses to their next door neighbor. There Cindy sees a beautiful gray colt. But Cindy also sees that his owners abused him. Cindy kept on visiting him and try to let him get used to her. But one night, Cindy finds the grey colt she named Glory out lose. Cindy takes Glory into hiding so no one knows about him. But Cindy knows she needs to let her best friend Samantha Mclean about the colt. But Cindy is also being forced to move to a different home but what will she do with Glory? Find out or email me at Blades60@aol.com

Glory's introduction into a series worth saving.......2005-02-17

Meet March to Glory, perhaps the most exceptional horse in the Thoroughbred series. Unfortunately, Harper Collins has decided to end the series abruptly after #72. With such a dedicated following and online fan base with members from all over the world, this is a classic and beloved series that has inspired many people and provided horse fans with vicarious thrills and adventure. Ashleigh saved Wonder, now it's up to you to help save Thoroughbred. [...]

Cindy and Glory.......2005-02-09

I love the way Joanna wrote this book. Cindy accused of stealing a watch when infact she stole a horse. This shows how far love will go to save someone. Cindy fell in love with this beautiful horse and when Glory appears at Whitebrook she just can't let him go back to his owners. Cindy hid him to protet him. In the end he was found at Whitebrook but instead of returning him they dug deep into his past and found out that he was stolen. In this book you see Cindy willing to risk anything to save the horse. I think Cindy and Glory were Champions from the begining. I can't wait to see what's in store for them.

Lovely! Quite Darling!.......2004-01-12

I really like this darling little novel! I can relate to Cydney.
And as for Glory,all I can say is
WHAT A SWEETIE PIE!
If I had a horse,it would be him.
HOWEVER-Cindy can be a little tempermental. I dont care for her.

Average customer rating:

I loved them
Runaway Pony
Will they find Snowwhite
This book rocks more than your mom!
Where Is Snow White?

Runaway Pony (Pony Pals #7)
Jeanne Betancourt
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0590543385

Customer Reviews:

I loved them.......2006-11-05

I'm in 2nd grade and I think number 7 is really good.I like all of the pony pals!

Runaway Pony.......2006-06-11

This book is about snow white, Anna's white pony. Snow white comes down with the strangles,a horse sickness, and must be isolated from her "horse friends". Snow white becomes very lonely, and during a big snow storm, gets loose. Now a sick pony is out on the loose in a big snow storm. Can she survive? Will the pony pals find her in time? Guess. I'm really not a fan of pony pal books. They're definatly geared towards younger kids, maybe first grade. they're really poorly written, and the plots i find very boring. That's my opinion though, you may find them great. But if you decide to try the pony pals series, try Ponies from the Past. It's the best one so far.

Will they find Snowwhite.......2004-06-29

This book was good.In it snowwhte gets the strangles and is seperated from the other horses.She is loney.One night during a snowstrom (which snow white don't like cold weather) Snowwhite runs away.She gets trapped and with her having the strangles will she survive.Will the pony pals find her in time.If they find her will SnowWhite be the same.Read and you will find out.I reccomend all pony pal books no matter what age you are.To everybody who reads this review have a great year and have fun reading.

This book rocks more than your mom!.......1999-10-28

I like reading Pony Pals books. I like to read them with my friends. And sometimes even when I'm alone. Sometimes I like to pretend I'm a pony! These books are great!

Where Is Snow White?.......1999-07-10

Snow White is sick. She has the strangles. Pam,Anna and Lulu are going to see a movie but Lulu knew she should have stayed with her Pony. When they all come home Snow White is gone! Where is she?

Promised Lands: A Novel of the Texas Rebellion (Southwest Life and Letters)

Average customer rating:

Intense and compelling
An absorbing, powerful epic novel
A novel filled with dread, ghastly events, and remorse
All Students of Texas History should read this book

Promised Lands: A Novel of the Texas Rebellion (Southwest Life and Letters)
Elizabeth Crook
Manufacturer: Southern Methodist University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0870743856

Book Description

Elizabeth Crook's vast yet intimate novel of the Texas Revolution takes us beyond the traditional setpieces of the Alamo and San Jacinto to the other places where the war was fought--to the forest traces and prairies and Gulf Coast beaches, and to the hearts of the novel's vibrant characters. Among them: Domingo de la Rosa--the great Tejano ranchero, implacable and devout, for whom the fight against the Anglo "heretics" is nothing less than a holy war. Hugh Kenner--a physician whose son has run away to the war. Hugh will discover the heroic strength of his compassion, and also its brutal cost. Katie Kenner--Hugh's restless daughter, a refugee caught up in the massive human stampede known as The Runaway Scrape, who finds herself in love with a foreigner and responsible for the life of an orphan baby. Adelaido Pacheco--a dashing tobacco smuggler loyal to no cause but his own, a man without a country and in peril of becoming a man without a soul. Crucita Pacheco--Adelaido's beautiful sister who has lost her family, all but Adelaido, in the cholera epidemic of 1832. Feeling that God has forsaken her, she enters Domingo de la Rosa's employ as a spy against the Anglo rebels, and discovers an improbable love. Through these people and others, Promised Lands brings a myth-encrusted chapter of American history to authentic life. Elizabeth Crook demonstrates once again a stunning command of her period and a passionate regard for her characters. Promised Lands bears the hallmark of a master novelist: a grand vision, rendered on an unforgettably human scale.

Customer Reviews:

Intense and compelling.......2007-09-21

Elizabeth Crook's novel, Promised Lands captivated me. Her research so accurate and her characterization so poignant that I feel like I lived the times with these people. And though Fannin's indecision, the subsequent cause of his downfall, stings the Texan,history is never made up of simple infallible characters. My imagination was so piqued, I revisited Goliad after reading the book. Reading Ms. Crook's novel illuminates the past and it is beautifully written. And outstanding work and yes,a must for every student of Texas history.

An absorbing, powerful epic novel.......2007-04-09

I'm not a Texas history buff but this story is fascinating. It captured my interest right at the beginning and picked up steam all the way to the end. It has everything you want in historical fiction: romance, humor, violence, tragedy, and characters you care about. It has funny scenes and extremely amusing dialogue mixed in with the tragedy. It's also beautifully written. There are two or three plot lines in the beginning but I was happy to go from one to another as they all interested me, and as they came together fairly quickly. If you're looking for a great epic, this is a perfect selection. It's not light reading, but enriching and satisfying. Highly recommended.

A novel filled with dread, ghastly events, and remorse.......2006-09-01

Promised Lands, by Austin author Elizabeth Crook, is a grim novel about grim people caught up in one of the grimmest incidents in Texas history, the Goliad Massacre of 1836. And did I mention that the book is grim?

In following two families as their fate puts them on a collision course with history, Promised Lands is based on a time-honored premise for historical fiction. But Crook, who showed her skill in writing about emotionally damaged people in her earlier novel The Raven's Bride, does not settle for easy cliches about high-spirited women and two-fisted men. The characters in Promised Lands are extraordinarly complex and finely drawn. On the Anglo side of the divide, we follow the Kenner family, particularly dad Hugh, a doctor who has given up practice; daughter Katie, a young woman who yearns to feel needed; and son Toby, a bespectacled boy who wants nothing more than to prove himself. On the Tejano side, we follow the brother-sister pair of Adelaido, an arrogant young caballero, and Crucita, an introspective seamstress whose kindness tears her between love and loyalty.

One of the problems in Promised Lands is the number of characters. Besides the five primary characters mentioned above, there are a half-dozen more point-of-view characters, all with complex motivations, back stories, and emotional baggage. I think that because of the large cast, the story never achieves much momentum. I felt I had to press a mental "Reset" at the beginning of every chapter to follow someone new. Even within a chapter, there is some "head jumping" to include the thoughts and motivations of even minor characters. While the writing is skillfully handled, I got frustrated after a while. This novel is stuffed with enough characters and ideas for three novels. I wish Crook had done some cutting and perhaps refocused the novel on just a few characters. For example, it would have been interesting to see what she did with a book that followed just Katie, Crucita, and Toby, allowing us to see the others only through their eyes.

I also became weary of the depression that enshrouded most of the characters. While I didn't expect a rollicking good time with a book on the Goliad Massacre, I think the novel might have been improved with if the characters had been more varied. Several of these folks were significantly traumatized before the novel even began. A couple of smart-alecks would have provided some much-needed relief for the reader and maybe even have added some good interpersonal conflict to the story.

All Students of Texas History should read this book.......1996-12-29

Very readable book about the Texas War of Independence with Mexico. Although a fictional book, it accurately shows the real issues in the Texas War. The "heros" of the Texas Revolution such as Fannin and Bowie were shown to be men who made serious mistakes in the war. Some of the issues surrounding the "war" such as slavery were documented. While I have read several books on Texas History, this book brings out new information and facts through the fictional setting. The horror of Goliad was accurately protrayed in this book. This is truly a book that is hard to put down once it has been started. There are touches of Jean Auel in the author's writing style. It is obviously a well researched book that even documents in detail the early use of "natural" medicines

My Little Pony Crystal Princess: The Runaway Rainbow Reusable Sticker Book (My Little Pony)

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My Little Pony Crystal Princess: The Runaway Rainbow Reusable Sticker Book (My Little Pony)
Nora Pelizzari
Manufacturer: HarperFestival
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0061116920
Release Date: 2006-08-15

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Relive the excitement of The Runaway Rainbow movie with this reusable sticker book, featuring background scenes from the film!

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Away West (Scraps of Time)
Patricia McKissack
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670060127

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Unlike his older brothers, thirteen-year-old Everett was "born in freedom," never knowing life as a slave. His most prized possession is the medal his father earned in the Civil War. Now, more than 125 years later, that treasure is kept in the Websters' attic with other "scraps of time," ready to be discovered by another generation eager to know its family history. The second novel in Patricia C. McKissack's family saga recounts a young Southern boy's dream of heading west to a new life and the way in which his journey teaches him the deeper meaning of the medal his father won.

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Willie Weaver used to be a hero. Now he's nothing.

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