Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story by Mark L. Shurtleff

Am I Not A Man? The Dred Scott Story by Mark L. Shurtleff

This awesome debut by Mark Shurtleff, Utah's Attorney General, goes deep into telling the story of Dred Scott, the little 5'4" giant of a man. Dred was born Sam Blow on a Virginia Plantation, but when his brother dies, he takes on his name. Dred, even though he is a slave and is treated very badly at times, he treats others with a humbling dignity missing today. Early in his young life, he is asked of his owner, a doctor, to go out in the middle of a river, to stake a squatter's claim and he almost drowns, but has a total change in his life that changes him for good. During his early years, he was friends with Nat Turner, but because of his odd behavior, he didn't stay friends long and Nat ended by taking another path than Dred, as Dred was a very spiritual man, could quote scripture beter than some who could read. When Dred and a former owner were down on a riverbank, he overheard people shouting to Winfield Scott, Commander, "Great Scott." Dred liked the sound of the words and the man, so from then on, he went as Dred Scott.

When the love of his early life, Sarah, gets sold at an auction, it totally devastates him, but later, he does find the woman who loves him the way a wife should and that is Harriet, who was raised on a plantation and treated as one of the family. She and Dred had two girls, Eliza, known as Gypsy Girl and Lizzie. When Dr. Emerson, who Dred worked for, died, his widow took him to court. She had mistreated him terribly, much worse than her husband had. Dred had moved from a slave state to a free state with Dr. Em erson, so if you return to a slave state, you were considered free as the saying went "Once Free, Always Free." When Dred won his ca se in the lower courts, he was happy, but the decision was reversed, so he decided to sue at the highest level The Supreme Court and lost. It was a landmark case, and was the reason Abraham Lincoln was our 16th President, that if not for Dred Scott, Abraham Lincoln would not have been our President.

One of the things I really liked about this moving story was the bantering back and forth between Jefferson and Madison. And, when Dred gets so excited when he learns to "spell" his name in Morse Code. What an experience that must've been for him!!! Since I've had my ARC for awhile and have discussed this book and Dred Scott with friends and family, it has surprised me how many people do not know much about our Country and its history. And, for this, I'm sad. For those who read my review who have never heard of Dred Scott or his case, please do yourself a HUGE favor and read this most important story. I knew about Dred Scott, but learned so much and came away touched to have learned what a great man he was. No man should be abused the way he and hundreds of thousands of blacks were treated. We are all created by God as equal men and women, regardless of color. Mark, hats off to you!!!

Forever Friends Rating A HUGE 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.

Valor Publishing Group
Pub. Date: 3 November 2009
ISBN: 978-1-835546-00-9
534pp

There's Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber

There Is Something About Christmas by Debbie Macomber

In Debbie Macomber's 2005 Christmas offering, we find Emma Collins, being assigned her first major assignment for her Puyallup newspaper of interviewing the three Washington State finalists in the Fruitcake contest for Good Homemaking Magazine. Since she hates anything to do with Christmas, this seems to be a daunting task, especially since she detests fruitcake and the pilot, Oliver Hamilton, who just happens to take on the assignment for his air service business he has just started, in lieu of getting advertising. Emma hates flying, so when she has to fly with Oliver and his Terrier, Oscar, who sneezes each time he's around her, due to his being allergic to perfume, things get too much for Emma. Oliver seems to be too much like her estranged father, who left she and her mother years earlier.

The first lady Emma interviews about her Fruitcake is Earleen Williams, who lives in Yakima and who has been married three times. Emma learns more about her love of making Fruitcake than she bargains for and even gets laid over due to a snowstorm. Her next Fruitcake lady is Sophie McKay, eighty year old widow from Colville, who has a love for cats and flowers. Sophie gives Emma some wise lessons about life through Fruitcake recipe, which has a secret ingredient her husband requested of her to use. Earlene also had a secret ingredient as well. Her third and final lady is Peggy Lucas, a young mother of four children, who lives in Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. Getting to Peggy is an adventure, as Emma has to fly on a pontoon plane. Emma learns from Peggy that her recipe she'd only been making a short time, as her young kids didn't want to wait for weeks or months to eat her special Fruitcake. You will need to read this wonderfully witty adventure to find out what the secret ingredients for these three Fruitcakes are. What I loved about this offering was there were little snippets from well-known chefs at the beginning of each chapter and the recipes for each Fruitcake. I'm not a Fruitcake person, but these sounded like something I might try.

Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.


Mira Books
Pub. Date: November 2005
288pp
Available in eBook$7.20
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Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber

Christmas Letters by Debbie Macomber

In Debbie's 2006 Christmas offering, we find Katherine O'Connor writing Christmas letters in a cozy cafe. She writes for people who don't have the time and makes them sound more charming and dramatic. While in the cafe, she meets the reknowned Psychologist Wynn Jeffries, who is the author of The Free Child that touts that "parents bury Santa under the sleigh." K.O., as Katherine is called, has a sister Zelda who thinks Dr. Jeffries is wonderful and raises her two identical 5 year old daughters by his book. K.O. is adamantly against everything his book proposes, even though she's not read the book as yet.

K.O's good friend and neighbor, LaVonne, an older single woman with three male cats with human names, "sees" the future for K.O. and sets up a magnicent dinner date for the two of them. When K.O. writes LaVonne's Christmas letter to her college chums, she brings in the three elusive male cats as her suitors to make her letter sound more believable. When Wynn's hippie father "Moon Puppy" arrives for the holidays, K.O. turns the tables on LaVonne's psychic talents to bring the two together, which makes for some hilarious moments. When K.O. and Wynn babysit Zoe and Zara with the twin Yorkies Zero and Zorro, the two get a lot more then they bargain for and K.O. tries to show Wynn how wrong his child-rearing tactics are. This is such a good Christmas book and if you enjoy romantic comedies, this is for you. This is great for cuddling up in a big chair by the fire.

Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.


Mira Books
Pub. Date: October 2006
272pp
Available in eBook$11.96

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The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber

The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber

Jenna Campbell, an unhappy executive's assistant, finds Dalton Gray on the internet, so is on her way to Alaska to actually meet him to see if he is worth marrying, but sitting next to her on her flight is Reid Jamison, who is everything against what she is looking for. Reid attempts totell her that Dalton is a low-life, which she won't believe, so Reid kidnaps her and they are holed up in his Snowbound cabin during a 3 day storm where some funny antics throw them together.

When Dalton finds out what has happened, he gets Jenna's mom involved, who in turn gets Jenna's ex boss involved, causing more excitement to ever hit the small town of Snowbound. If you enjoy romantic comedies, Debbie Macomber's books are the place to be.

Forever Friends Rating 4 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.

Mira Books
Pub. Date: October 2003
240pp

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

This season's offering from the Queen of Christmas cheer hands up a knockout punch, not just in story, but with the absolutely wonderful front and back cover. A cover, especially with a Christmas novel, is what captivates me into reading a book, and then the author has to really sell her story to capture me totally and this one did in spades.

Cassie Beaumont, a very successful chemist, is looking for a husband for Christmas, but he needs to be perfect. Her best friend Angie, who suggests she go see this matchmaker, Simon Dodson, who is demanding, stodgy, know-it-all, who says he has the perfect match for her. He gives her three tasks to do during the Christmas season, the first giving her the assignment of being a Bell Ringer at a mall. What she learns there surprises her. Her second task is to be an elf helping Santa at another mall and the comedic results prove to be startling, if not embarrasing. Her third and final task are to fix the perfect Christmas dinner with all the trimmings singlehandedly. She has to invite her neighbors, who she dislikes and the end results surprise her. If you're looking for The perfect Christmas novel to cozy up in a chair with, this is it!!!!

Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.


Mira Books
Pub. Date: September 2009
240pp
Available in eBook$9.99

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Alma by H.B. Moore

Alma by H.B. Moore

As this was my first H.B Moore Book of Mormon novel, I was sort've hesitant to read it, but the up close and personal life of Alma and his family really blew me away, as the story reads like what our Country is going through now. From reading Alma, I was able to learn a few little tidbits about the area and culture of thse Nephites and the Lamanites.

As the story begins, we see Alma leaving King Noah's Court after Alma has repented an d changed his ways. Abinadi has recently been killed and King Noah is also killed, leaving Limhi as king. Alma, Helam, Abinadi's brother, and Raquel,widow of Abinadi, leave Nephi to find a place to live in peace, to be able to worship how they may. Maia, widow of King Noah, is kidnapped with some Lamanite women and winds up being a slave to the new King Amulon, a former High Priest in King Noah's court and former friend of Alma. Maia has help from The Lord in keeping from being King Amulon's 2nd wife. Alma has feelings for Maia and so does Helam for Abinadi's widow.

When Amulon and Korihor band together to take over the City of Helam, it takes all the courage that Alma has to keep from keeping his people safe. When he receives assurance from God that the Nephites will be saved, he feels calm and waits until The Lord says it's time to leave The City of Helam.

If you want an up close and personal look at this wonderful man and prophet who comprises a third of The Book of Mormon, this awesome historical novel is it. My three favorite Book of Mormon people are Nephi, Alma the Elder and Younger and Moroni.

Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.


Covenant
ISBN-13: 9781598118643
Pub. Date: September 2009
308pp

Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace

Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace

This Christmas offering by Aubrey is a wonderfully deliightful treat for cozying up in a chair, but make sure you're by a nice fire. Abbie is a thirty-year old single lady with a bakery, but she's lonely, wants a husband, but has lost out in relationships, so is talked into leaving a note to Santa, asking for a husband, never dreaming she would wake up Christmas morning to find a man asleep underneath her Christmas tree. Because Abbie sees the initials SBC on his monogrammed pajamas, she decides to call him Ben. And since he doesn't know how he got there or who he is, they try to find out who he really is. The situations they find themselves in, get quite hilarious at times. Do yourself a favor and read this charming holiday tale.

Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.


Cedar Fort, Inc.
Pub. Date: September 2009
ISBN: 978-8-59955-312-2
194pp

The Hidden Branch by G.G. Vandagriff

The Hidden Branch by G.G. Vandagriff

In G.G.'s last Alex and Briggie Genealogical mystery, we find their sleuthing sends them off to the sunny beaches of Huntington Beach, CA, my hometown, and better known as Surf City. And, G.G. you brought back some happy memories of some well-known places. I used to spend my Saturdays with my friend walking on the pier and walking across the street to the corner drugstore to buy movie magazines. Anyway, back to our story.

Paul Mardian, an Armenian billionnaire, who invented the pop-can, is found murdered in his wealthy home in Kansas City, MO.from one of his artifacts. Alex, Briggie, Richard, Charles and Marigny all fly to Surf City to find the heirs to the Mardian fortune, worth several million. With a murder, a kidnapping and a nearly dead Alex, stakes are high to keep Alex and Briggie from unveiling the murderer. And, with so many suspects in the Mardian clan, it's hard to trust anyone and with Alex, Briggie and Richard, there's no telling what kind of mischief they'll get into. An old journal winds up missing and it's up to the sleuths to find it.

The main attractions in this last of this series is Ruby's, a 50's-60's style restaurant in the motif of a soda shop, which is on the edge of the pier, with all the fishermen, surfers, espresso shops, Golden State Community College, Hoag Memorial Hospital (our family hospital), Four Crowns, UC-Irvine, Balboa Bay, (where we had our wedding reception), Corona Del Mar and The Hyatt Regency across from the pier and John Wayne International Airport.

Forever Friends Rating 4 Stars by Teri
Until Next Time, See You Around The Book Nook.


Pub. Date: September 2009
Deseret
320pp




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