Far From Home: Families Of The Westward Journey consists of four essays by Lillian Schlissel (Professor Emerita of English and American Studies, Brooklyn College, CUNY), Byrd Gibbens (Professor of English, University of New Mexico, Valencia Campus), and Elizabeth Hampsten (Professor of English, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks) about the troubles and difficulties of individual frontier families in the latter half of the 1800s. Hardships, conflicts, and true tales of survival and what life on the fringe could cost fill the pages of these candid, insightful, scholarly, informative accounts into what it really was like to pack up and move West. Far From Home is a highly recommended addition to academic American Western Frontier Studies reference collections and reading lists.

YOU'LL LAUGH, CRY AND FIND YOURSELF IN THE PAGES OF THIS HUMAN HISTORY ABOUT THREE FAMILIES SEEKING A BETTER LIFE IN "WEST" OF THE 1840'S-EARLY 1900'S. YOU WILL SHARE THEIR HARDSHIPS, DISCOURAGEMENT AND TRIUMPHS, BUT MOST OF ALL, YOU'LL FIND OUT WHAT DREAMS, HOME AND FAMILY ARE REALLY ABOUT.

MY FAVORITE FAMILY, THE MALICKS IN OREGON TERRITORY IN 1840'S, COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO ANYONE OF US. I WATCHED AS THEY SUFFERED UNEXPECTED DEATHS AND HARDSHIPS. I SHARED THEIR MOMENTS OF JOY WHEN LAND AND LABORS PROVIDED THEM WITH ABUNDANCE, AND FAMILY TIES MATTERED MOST.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR A "GOOD READ" IN HUMAN HISTORY AT ITS BEST. I LIKED IT SO MUCH THAT I MAY READ IT AGAIN.

Although it is a work of fiction that was first published nearly fifty years ago, "Immortal Queen" still ranks as arguably the finest book ever written on the controversial Mary Queen of Scots. The novel is beautifully written and better researched than most biographies, but what truly makes this book such a classic is Byrd's insight into Mary's enigmatic personality. The psychological portraits of Mary and her star-crossed soul mate, the Earl of Bothwell, are the most fascinating and plausible ever written, and illustrate the Scottish Queen and her times better than a boatload of Antonia Frasers could ever hope to do. For anyone who wonders what Mary "was really like," this is the book to read!

This is a stirring, well written work of historical fiction about Mary, Queen of Scots. Drawing a three dimensional portrait of this tragic queen, whose reign was all too short, the author sets the mood for the turbulent time and place that was sixteenth century Scotland, replete with intrigues and almost unimaginable skulduggery. It was there that the beautiful Mary was to confront a certain duality in her nature that would see her rule Scotland with her heart, rather than with her head.

Mary was a woman who had the capacity to enslave men's hearts with her luminous beauty and inspire great loyalty in her friends with her innate charm and kindness. She went to Scotland to reclaim her throne after the deaths of her husband, Francois, the King of France, and of her mother, Marie de Guise, who had been Regent of Scotland on Mary's behalf.

In protestant Scotland, Mary was to be confronted with fire and brimstone preacher, John Knox, an ardent calvinist, who would brook no tolerance towards papists. Mary, an ardent catholic and well educated woman, wanted everyone to worship as their conscience dictated. Her benevolent posture and entreaties for religious tolerance fell upon the deaf ears of the rigid John Knox, a fundamentalist fanatic of the worst sort, who would prove to be the bane of Mary's existence.

Moreover, her older half-brother, James Stuart, was a cold and calculating man of great ambition whose bastardy was the only thing standing in his way of claiming the crown of Scotland for himself. The book reveals his perfidy and the machinations that he set into play in order to obtain by stealth and intrigue what was Mary's by right. He would secretly work with the English, as well as with the Lords of the Congregation of Scotland, to ensure that he would eventually be the power behind the throne.

Meanwhile, Mary would enter into a disastrous marriage with Lord Darnley, a dissolute, though devastatingly handsome, catholic member of the English nobility. This marriage that was to set the stage for a number of violent, heinous acts that were to traumatize Mary and set her upon a course for which there would be no turning back. This most unhappy queen would ultimately give birth to their son, James, the future King of Scotland, under the most difficult of circumstances.

Her relationship with dashing James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell, her third and last husband, would prove to be her undoing. The book explores this relationship in great detail, in all its tumultuousness and passion. It delineates the events that led up to their marriage, and Mary's own complicity in them. Eventually, the decisions that Mary would make at this difficult time in her life would render her the captive Queen of Scots and set her on the royal road to Fotheringay Castle in England, where she would be sentenced to death by her wily cousin, Elizabeth I.

The author's interpretation of the major events in Mary's life makes for fascinating reading, as Mary comes alive on the pages of this book, a compassionate and vibrant, flesh and blood woman. It is simply masterful storytelling at its best. Readers will find themselves riveted to the pages of this beautifully written, well researched work of historical fiction. This is a book that even the most discerning reader will enjoy.

It looks like intelligence and wit might be making a come back.

I loved this book because the story is tight and the author is generous. She doesn't just give you a requisite description of the alcoholic's house, but tosses in this gem about a lush "...her feet looked like two poached footballs..." You won't find such observations in the typical page-turner (which so quickly turns dull as you realize you're only exercising your fingers and not your mind).

And how about a lead character who, in the end, prefers getting herself centered over hanging out with the rich and famous? Honor thyself instead of some poohbah, that's a fresh new idea. Too bad they won't read it in school.

The book is delightfully engrossing from the opening page. Read it and enjoy.

Purchased this book and Ms. Sims' other book "Holy Hell" based on your "recommendations"....thank you. While I really enjoyed her first book, this book had me chuckling. I, too, have seen those "poached football" feet. Additionally, her editor and proofreader must be commended. So many books being put out today are like buying a new house and finding out that no one did the final inspection.

Of the several Dover scores which I have this is the most 'readable' and, by far, the most usable by all family members. Scores by Bach and Couperin are way too ornamented. and grace noted for an amateur. The Rameau and Purcell texts by Dover are not too bad but the Byrd is beyond the average player. This book is not, however. There is stuff not much more demanding then '10 little fingers' and others hard enough to keep you working on them for hours. If you looking for some fun scores that are reasonably accessible and feature 'unique' music buy this one. As a hint: look at the book, 'The Baroque Pianist' for a little later music scores....

One of the things that makes this book so interesting is that it is set in the 1920's, right before the stock-market crash. The girl who is the main character is vividly rendered and interesting. The plot has several things happening at once that makes it such a joy to read!

I loved Elizabeth's Holy Hell. I am always on the look out for a quality book with a strong woman as the main character. And what a character Lillian is! It's a perfect mix of humor, crime writing, and spirit. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth.

Be sure you have some time because you won't want to put this original murder mystery down. This beautifully written Lillian Bird novel gathers momentum as it goes. Join Lillian in her pursuit for justice as she challenges Bucky with an X-Acto knife, meets Minerva for dinner at the Great Enchilada Place by the Bridge, and encounters danger from other quirky characters. Elizabeth Sims maintains suspense well with surprises for even the veteran mystery reader. Will Minerva survive for another book? Is Lou just a big puppy dog or a vicious stalker? What crime will Lillian Byrd solve next?

I'd never heard of Elizabeth Simms before finding "Holy Hell" reviewed along side my own book. The story sounded so interesting that I had to read it! Simms is a master at character development and weaves a plot with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled without getting overly complicated. Lillian Byrd is a fascinating character, and I hope we haven't seen the last of her. As long as Simms keeps writing, I'll keep reading.

This novel is an odd companion piece to "Immortal Queen," Byrd's brilliant 1956 novel about Mary Queen of Scots. I say "odd" because it is a virtual retelling of "Queen," except while the earlier novel was told from Mary's viewpoint, "Maid" is "told" by Mary Seton, one of the Queen's maids-of honor.

There are obvious disadvantages to this method of telling Mary's story, namely, that everything of interest in the novel is related to the reader by second-hand. We are "shown" only a surface glimpse of Mary's life, and to try and compensate, Byrd throws in a throughly pointless subplot concerning Seton's (completely fictitious) love for a priest. If Byrd found it so impossible to leave the subject of Mary alone, she would have been better advised to have used a more satisfying method of retelling the story.

That said, however, while this is no "Immortal Queen," "Maid of Honour" is still far superior to the usual examples of Marian fiction, which, (with a few exceptions) tend to range from mediocre to godawful.