Just finished reading " Deep In Our Hearts", a book I'd like to strongly recommend. It captures on a very personal level, the spirit of the Civil Rights era, from the perspective of nine different white women who were deeply involved in the struggle to bring about more racial justice. It is a moving tribute to all the heroes of that very difficult time. To all who were involved at the time or those who are the least bit curious of "what went down", you cannot fail to admire the stories of these brave women. This is history (herstory) as it should be related-from the participants.

Imagine leaving your comfortable world as you knew it in the erly 1960's. Young white women; some from the north, some from the south. Rural and urban, college kids, middle class, working class and just plain poor. Heading to a dangerous world and joining the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. Leaving behind the scorn, disdain, and ridicule of family and friends. Walking into a climate of hate and bigotry, and joining in civil disobedience against segregation. Walking in the picket lines, sometimes fearing for your life; organizing, and joining in singing hymns of freedom. Going from tears of frustration to smiles of great joy, while hitching a ride on that freedom train and holding on for dear life.
One recent eveing at Northern Lights Book Store and Cafe in St. Johnsbury, Vt., 70 people heard two local women who participated passionately in that movement. The authors read from their book, Deep In Our Hearts: Nine White Women in the Freedom Movement.
The book is an eloquent and powerful one that takes us back to one of the most tumultuous periods in American history; the erly days of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Freedom Summer, voter registrations, lunch counter sit-ins and the rise of Black Power and the women's movement. Deep In Our Hearts is a collection of essays, that take us into the lives of a group of young women who were transformed by the Civil Rights Movement.
The audience listened as Penny Patch looked back and read softly. "I understand well that what was between us will never be again, but still, that experience remains at the core of who I am. The fact that some of us had deep friendships that crossed all racial lines is simply a miracle. For short periods of time, in those early yers, we leaped over all the history and all of the minefields between us."
Perched on a stool and sipping warm tea to sooth a sore throat, Theresa Del Pozzo read from the book. "My involement with the movement began as a moral reaction to the blatant injustice of segregation and the denial of basic human rights of African-Americans. Along the way I got an education in the intricate patterns of racism and began to experience what I think as the small-c culture of the African_American community: the wisdom, dignity, strength, humor, gentleness and creativeness of its everyday life and people. The experience of living within the black world changed forever the person I was to become and the way I live my adult life."
Listening to the authors as they told their stories one could not help but admire their courage and admire this courageous book. They stand as powerful testaments to a time when the goal of universal justice was truly in sight and to the hope that a new generation of blacks and whites will take up the challenge to make the world a better place.

Marvin Minkler of the North Star Monthly

This collection of stories, detailing the lives of nine white women active in the fight to end racial segregation and discrimination in this country, is sure to touch your heart. It is a must read for anyone interested in learning more about the Civil Rights movement of the sixties. I couldn't put it down.

This book has the consistently best recipes among all my Chinese cooking books. The flavors and textures of the meals are outstanding and they are easy to prepare. No required "deep frying" of meats, just stir fry. Some favorites include the potstickers (pan fried dumplings), beef with pan fried noodles, beef and asparagus stir fry, pork with mung beans stir fry, hot and sour soup, and won ton soup. It should be a mainstay of your Chinese cooking library.

I've used Dorothy's book for over 10 years and it still has some of the best dishes. She lists the ingredients from dry to wet (this is great for measuring spoons), rarely deep fries anything, and yet it still tastes delicious. My favorites include the potstickers (pan fried dumplings), pork and mung bean sprouts (p. 101), and her barbequed pork. Her meals are nutritionally correct.

When I moved to Houston in 1982, I was determined to learn to cook chinese. Through sheer luck, I found Dorothy's book in a local book store. My recommendation is to use the recipe verbatim the first time, then improvise according to your own tastes afterword. My daughter is now married and a mother and I have just ordered the book for her. She will SCREAM with joy when she receives it, but I am giving up much of my mystique...she thinks I came up with all these dishes myself. Oh, what we do for our beloved children. Thank you, Dorothy.

Love, Cynthia

This isn't the "bang-bang, shoot-em-up" West, but tales of life where the reality jumps off the pages. They are tales of quiet heroism and patient sympathy, in a language of wonderful imagination. People in these stories are just trying to live, love, and get through the day. I'm grateful to the friend who told me about Dorothy Johnson; her work reads just like yarns told around a campfire, and you can almost hear a grizzled old cowpoke's voice. If only an imaginative publisher would issue them in audio!

THE HANGING TREE is a wonderful collection of frontier tales by a woman who has gotten unfairly short shrift as a very fine American writer. Dorothy Johnson's stories, set mostly in her native Montana, dealt with men and women, frontier riff-raff, lawmen, and Indians. These are no stereotypical westerns, they are stories of the human condition that happen to take place on the frontier. The title story in this collection, THE HANGING TREE, is the best, I think. A haunting tale of an ill-fated frontier doctor -- Joe Frail -- it works as a pure western, as a moving love story, and as a psychological character study. It was the basis for Gary Cooper's last western, one of the finest westerns ever made, the masterful THE HANGING TREE.

Dorothy M. Johnson's stories echo real life. I got the sense that most of her characters came to her from bits and pieces of the people she grew up around. Although she wrote for the 40's and 50's, there is nothing dated about this book.As a people , we haven't changed much.

Dorothy Keddington is not only intelligent, she's a talented and entertaining author. She is able to draw you into the storyline from the very beginning, making it almost impossible to put the book away, even after you've finished it. After every Keddington novel I've read, I'm always left wanting more. Unfortunately Dorothy hasn't written very many novels, so I am left to reread the ones she has. But for those few I am extremely thankful.

DOROTHY KEDDINGTON IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE AUTHOR. READING JAYHAWK INTRODUCED ME TO THE JOYS OF READING. I AM NOW A "READ-A-HOLIC" THANKS TO THIS BOOK AND HER OTHER BOOKS. THANKS DOROTHY. PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEASE WRITE MORE BOOKS.

This book has it all. This mix of romance and and adventure grasps your attention and wont let go. The characters and story are unforgetable. This is a book you will want to read again and again.

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Wedding" but "The Living is Easy" is brilliant. Cleo is excellently portrayed....the kind of person that you want to hate but you can't help but admire her determination to attain her goal. Dorothy West skillfully reveals to us the inner woman of Cleo and we see that she is not so cold-hearted but has her share of hurt, pain, vulnerability etc. Her way of dealing with her emotions which to her is a weakness, is incredible. Her anguish when her husband leaves is the most revealing because she has become dependent on his strength.
The story deals with the universal problem of skin color and status in an upper-class society...this ongoing problem brings about such a sadness....such a waste of energy.....will it ever go away?

The main character has little feeling and reading about how she came to be that way was great. The entire plot was wonderful, cleanly written with nothing left hanging and Cleo was endearing but maddening. The author's description of the era and township was flattering and understandable. You will never forget Cleo.

I read this book months ago and it stayed with me. Her characters are fully drawn, not two-dimensional caricatures. The writing displays all sides of this complex heroine and her ultimately devastating impact on everyone associated with her. Also, a fascinating look into a society not portrayed elsewhere.

From start to finish, I liked this book very much. I've read a lot of Pagan related books, some excellent, some not so excellent. I found this one to be in the excellent category. I found it practical, user friendly and full of common sense. One of the things I liked best about this book was that it's 'down to Earth', combining spirituality with the everyday stuff, which makes perfect sense to me.
A keeper.

This book is 'Self-Help' at its best! With witty tales, and a humorous look at serious and common self-image and relationship issues, Morrison makes a fun and inspiring read out of subjects that generally get mired down in psycho-babble and drama. But, make no mistake - she provides real solutions to real problems without making you feel as though you've just spent 2 weeks on a shrinks couch! Her straight-forward, no BS style could not be more refreshing...

Dorothy Morrison has captured the soul in Enchantments of the Heart. Whether you are looking for your perfect mate, or if you have found them already. Enchantments of the Heart is filled with the spirit of romance. With all the "do's and don'ts" we can all identify easily. Backing her knowledge from experience, common sense and her natural love of the heart. Dorothy Morrison shines through from the beginning of Enchantments of the Heart all the way to the end.

She begins Enchantments of the Heart with good common sense of letting go, and cleaning out the old bagguage, both physically, mentally and emotionally. This is something that is at times the hardest, yet the most important. Dorothy lightens this task with a fortitude that makes you feel she is with you every step of the way.

Continuing on, she identifies every frog in the pond. "No guys, this isn't male bashing! These frogs are both male and female, and there is at least one or two everyone as a whole identifies with. Bringing forth humour as we identify our errors of the past and/or present in the mate selections is a brilliant strategy on Ms. Morrisons part to give us healing from past heartaches. Moving forth comes the "how to's and tips." With good common sense, spells and rituals to fine tune and perfect your romantic heart.

Once you have found your perfect mate, or perhaps you already have. This section is filled with wonderful ways to keep the romance fresh and your heart of love in flames of passion.

Whether you are still looking for your perfect mate, the relationship is new or fifty years in the making. Enchantments of the Heart is a pure gift of love, filled with humour, common sense and a perfected writing style that can only be attuned by a master, this book is a perfect gift. Give Enchantments of the Heart, to someone you know, to someone you love, or perhaps for the love of yourself and never kiss another frog!

M.L. Benton, Publisher, Echoed Voices Magazine
...2002

Wonderful and exciting. I ran the gambit of emotions on this one. Well writen and edited. The charicters were strong and dominering. I enjoyed it very much. The sex was good without being graphic. Well done.

Johanna and Burr's characters set off sparks from beginning to end. Burr resents Johanna arriving at the ranch, and takes his frustrations out about his father, by being cruel to her... to the point that he hopes to drive her away. Only he must fight his attraction to the golden-haired woman, that her father brought to the ranch to marry his son... even though Johanna was under the impression it was to only act as housekeeper on the ranch. This tale is full of unpredictable twists and turns, that will keep you reading until you get to the last word. I loved this story, and am anxious to read more of Ms. Garlock's books.

"Glorious Dawn" is one of my favorite books! At first Johanna and Burr dont hit it off. Johanna is annoyed by Burr, and Burr just can't seem to stop teasing Johanna. But they discover their passions for each other. Many exciting and sad parts in this book. I didn't even stop to hesitate to give it five stars. I loved it and can guaranty you will too!

This is not your typical boy meets girl romance. There's so much more going on behind the scenes than anyone on the bluff ever imagined. Ms. Bowman keeps you on your toes and I found myself holding my breath wondering if Abigail would be safe or not and if Ethan was too good to be true. You'll have to read it to find out if Abigail is the one to take on the challenge of The House on the Bluff

"The House On The Bluff" is a delightful mystery laced with romance and adventure. The language is descriptive and brings to life the compelling story. Once started, it's hard to put down. I enjoyed reading every page of this wonderful novel in the north shore setting of Massachusetts.

- Author of "Look Out The Window"

The House on the Bluff, Elena Dorothy Bowman's first novel, is an interesting fantasy and mystery novel bowled into one. It is clean and appropriately written for both adults and young adults. There is enough in this story that everyone can enjoy Ms. Bowman's tale.

Imagine a large and beautiful house on a bluff. Wonder why no one in New England ever goes there, ever? Because, that's why, the place might be haunted, or perhaps, merely enchanted. However, the last time someone was in that house-everyone heard the screams and no one ever saw that woman again.


So an entire town finds it unnerving when Abigail Pierce shows up and decides to live in the house. She has every right to, since the house belongs to her ancestors. There is a secret reason to why she is staying at the house. She found the rules to a game, so to speak. She must play the family game by the rules. If she succeeds, she has so much to gain. If she fails . . .


Abigail befriends some special people while staying in town. These friends are at wits end, spending days and especially nights worrying about Abigail alone in the big, haunted (all right, enchanted) house. They understand Abigail is playing some kind of game, what they don't understand is the secrets of the game, but they plan to stand by her until someone eventually wins.


A quick book with enjoyable scenes and characters. Bowman has written a book that should be enjoyed by many. The story is well crafted and entertaining. I look forward to other stories by this talented author.

--Phillip Tomasso III, author of Third Ring, Tenth House and Mind Play

This book really made me laugh out loud in places. It's the kind of book you come across everyday.

Bert Rinehart's look at the life of a man whose wife left him for a career in the porno industry is one of the funniest books I've read in some time. The narrator's wry view of things alternates between hilarious, pensive, and touching. There are some classic lines here, especially the description of a woman who always calls when he is at his lowest points, and his social commentary of how well-dressed, well-spoken Southerners lose several I.Q. points around Northerners. The trip to the professional wrestling show is a riot, and the way the narrator's family dotes over his brother who flipped out after college is hilarious.

The chapters are vignettes, sometimes complete in themselves. I would have liked to see more detail in some instances, this being such a short book while so many works that pale in comparison go on for hundreds of pages. Some characters and scenes that were glossed over in a few short sentences could have been fleshed out. Still, a work must be judged for what it is and not for what it might have been. The author's use of the comma and his use of dashes for dialogue instead of quotes sometimes stalled me, but once I got into the story I couldn't stop reading. The way the narrator falls in love with his ex-wife every time he sees her is something we all can hopefully relate to.

Even though I was slightly put off by the subject matter (i.e. a woman leaves her husband to become a porno actress) I was soon sucked into the world of Heath Ketchup. (WHAT A NAME!!) This guy, well, you just feel sorry for him. His tidbits about life, though sometimes laugh out loud funny, can be a little bitterweet. The way he pines for lost love is somewhat sweet, but you think, he should just forget about Audrey (his ex-wife, the porn actress) and move on. But then again, we wouldn't have this book, would we?

I liked it and I recommend it.

This book was not only touching because of Helen Keller's fascinating story, but also an uplifting reassurance that life is worth living. Her ideas, those from and about Emanuel Swedenborg, strike me as poingantly true. Helen Keller's unique perspective on the world adds an amazing depth and reality to this work. I absolutly reccomend it for anyone and everyone.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me look again at what I believe and see it more clearly. This is a great introduction to the ideas of Emanual Swedenborg and the New Church.

The newly revised and updated second edition of Helen Keller's autobiography originally published in 1927 includes a substantial foreword by Keller biographer Dorothy Herrmann. The deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller (1880-1968) became an internationally known spokesperson for the blind. Her amazing story of being taught to communicate by Annie Sullivan is very well know. But what is not so well known Keller's faith in the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg whose spiritual vision gave her "the light in my darkness, the voice in my silence". Light In My Darkness is wonderfully informative and inspiring reading and this splendid edition will re-introduce a most remarkable woman to a whole new generation of readers.