Raleigh Reviews

SQUIRE'S LEGACY is a story told with so much love of the author's family.It is a true story that any of us who have grown up in the mining communities of West Virginia in the 30's,40's and 50's can relate to in many ways. When I started reading this book,it touched my heart like no other. I read this book aloud to my husband. Being a native New Yorker, I knew he might not relate to the book as I did,and I wanted hime to know what my life was like growing up in southern West Virginia during that time. We were both held captive by this book,from beginning to end. We laughed together and cried together at their joys and their tragedies.In this book,the authors JAMES AND ELLIE WHITE have caught the very essence of what family is all about. Theirs is truly a love story told with much love and tenderness.

Many have tried to portray the lives of the coal camps and the trials the people endured. This one succeeds highly.
I was the young boy who lost his father in a coal mine accident and knew Clifford and Ethel very well. Jim shows a
keen and accurate memory on these events and Ellies "editing" and writing are superb. They are to be congratulated. It has been said that someone is not really dead until they are forgotten. Jim and Ellie have assured Clifford and Ethel will not be forgotten for many years.

My husband and I grew up in the same area as portrayed in this book. We felt the honesty, storytelling, and details of the lives mentioned were just like we remembered. We laughed, and cried and wished others would read and apply the values taught in this book. It reminded us of hard times, hard work, the love and lessons we grew up experiencing. We would recommend this book to any and all who long to be inspired.

"God Will Provide" came into my life at a much needed time. The initial hours of the first reading provided an uplift with tremendous spiritual insight. GWP not only sheds light on daily spiritual problems, but, it also leads us through the scripture to the proper thought process each and every christian should have. I would recommend it to anyone who has had a time of stumbling in their christian life. It is a much needed help in this day and time in which we exist. I keep this book on my nightstand, along with my Bible, and refer back to it often.

What a blessing God Will Provide has been for me. I use the book in my daily Bible study, and have had several instances when the book helped me understand something that I had been troubling over. This book makes it easy for the new Christian as well as the more advanced Christian understand everyday concerns. May God Bless You Raleigh Jenkins for writing this book for me.

Often we become so overburdened by the pressures with life, that we sometimes seem to forget that God still loves and cares. God Will Provide, brought back so many things I had forgotten, and also opened my eyes to the manifold blessings of God that belong to all of us. It is the best book I've ever read to help me understand myself, and rebuild my faith. I would recommend it to anyone who needs strength to face every phase of their life.

OUTSTANDING ILLASTRATIONS AND DESCRIPTIVE CONTENT

An excellent introductory book on the skills, techniques, and dangers of rock climbing. All the fundamentals are covered.

I own nearly all the newer rock climbing books. This one, by the Managing Editor of Climbing Magazine and veteran climber/writer Duane Raleigh, has to be one of the best. It has been recommended by Kurt Smith, Lynn Hill and Bobbi Bensman. I found it very well written and hard to put down. At $11.95, it's hard to go wrong with this one as your first choice

I cook from this book all the time. I love the menu and wine suggestions. It is very easy to cook an impressive, multi-course meal from "You're Invited."

I've used this book to cook weekday meals as well as for entertaining guests. Some of my favoites are very easy- The Spicy Corn Dip and the Roasted Red Pepper Dip are great examples. Guests always assume they were difficult because they are so impressive. This book is an excellent gift because it is so useful and attractive.

This book has some great recipes that are very easy. The Peppered Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa was a huge success at a recent supper club and everywhere I have taken the Spicy Corn Dip, folks have raved. The menus also help with entertaining.

Beatrice, plump, intelligent, different, has been swept off her feet by a fortune hunter. Of course she doesn't find out until the deed is done and the marriage is two hours old. Gabriel has deceived her and married her for the fortune she possesses. Deep down he is an honorable fellow - he desperately needs the funds to restore his recently inherited estate to its former glory. He wants the tenants to be taken care of, and his aunt also! If hard work alone could save the estate he would not have sacrificed himself on the altar.

But Beatrice does find out and the marriage is off to a bad start. She punishes Gabriel by ignoring him. He punishes himself by believing she has the right to. He truly had intended to be a devoted husband and make her happy. Throughout the book you realize he desires her and she still passionately loves him but continued sharp words condemn them both to icy separateness. Enter Vicar Humbly, a man on a mission of love. He is playing Cupid to three couples he married who are not in a happy state. Before retiring to his simple cottage he feels compelled to assist each couple in communicating and loving each other.

This couple truly did have compassion and love for each other and those around them. They just needed a little push to see the good in themselves and to learn forgiveness. The Vicar advises Gabriel to woo his wife. He advises Beatrice to listen to her heart. From there on, romance begins to flourish and Beatrice comes to trust Gabriel and he, in turn, realizes he was drawn to Beatrice for all her wonderful qualities, not just her fortune. Gabriel learns he not only lusts for her, but he loves her!

This story flowed superbly. You become immersed in each character's lives. Our hero and heroine realize each was different from their families in many ways. They grew up rather lonely, feeling unloved and unwanted - (even though Beatrice's family appeared to care about her). The secondary characters, the Vicar and Aunt Sarah are charming. There are funny moments, romantic moments and tense moments. Each person remains true to themselves. Gabriel does not deny that her fortune was needed, but he builds up Beatrice's confidence in her worthiness as she helps him to realize his own worth. .

This novel reminded me of Balogh's "Dancing With Clara" without Balogh's dark overtones - Beatrice is crippled in her perception of herself as Clara was physically crippled. Gabriel is a much more honorable and sympathetic character then Freddie was - but each originally meant to keep the truth from their wives.

This all adds up to a delightful story which is hard to put down. A MUST READ.

Plain and intelligent heiress Beatrice Chaswell could hardly believe her luck when the incredibly handsome and kindly Earl of Faulconer, Gabriel Baxtor, actually began to court her. And in no time at all, the dashing earl had won Beatrice's heart. But Beatrice's joy soon turns to ashes when she discovers on her wedding day that Gabriel is actually a fortune hunter, and that he has married her solely for her fortune. Angry and bitter, Beatrice turns against Gabriel, treating him with a coldness and disdain totally foreign to her warm nature. As for Gabriel, while he regrets having misrepresented himself so woefully to Beatrice, he's at loss to figure out how he can make things right with Beatrice, and so see the warm hearted and generous woman he fell in love with in the London drawing rooms. And just as Gabriel is beginning to despair about the state of his marriage, Beatrice's old parish priest, Vicar Humbly, descends on them unexpectedly for a visit.

It doesn't take too long for Vicar Humbly to realise the miserable state of affairs at Falcon Park. And as he did with Addy and Adam ("A Proper Marriage") the gentle vicar is determined to take a hand at mending things between Beatrice and Gabriel. This time around however, the vicar's task is complicated by the presence of Gabriel's marriage minded aunt who is determined to nab the vicar for herself!

I liked this particular installment of the "Marriage" series very much. Perhaps it's because the characters of both Beatrice and Gabriel "spoke" to me. At any rate, it was really easy to empathise with both principals -- even when I became (at times) a little impatient with Beatrice over her intransigence -- and to root for the couple to work through their problem of broken trust, and so achieve their happily ever-after ending. Debbie Raleigh did a first rate job of putting forward both Beatrice's and Gabriel's points-of-view and feelings. And I loved Gabriel's renewed courtship of his wife -- it was both romantic and steamy. As for the scenes between Vicar Humbly and Mrs. Quarry (Gabriel's aunt) their were a treat to read.

Storywise, "A Convenient Marriage" almost (but not quite) breaks new ground. It did (in parts) remind a little of Georgette Heyer's masterpiece "A Civil Contract." I liked that this was a story about the rebuilding of fractured ties, that the heroine was not a fashion plate (and that her husband did not try to turn into one) and that the hero, realising the role he played in making his marriage a mess, was patient and actually persevered in trying to mend what he destroyed. All in all, definitely a romance novel worth recommending.

Martha Johnson's cookbook is a wonderful collection of recipes of Hill Country, Texas flavors. Easy to follow recipes, producing wonderfully tasteful dishes. A valuable cookbook for any kitchen.

I have enjoyed these recipes immensely. Mrs. Johnson ran a wonderful restaurant in the Hill Country of central Texas for 34 years. This book contains practical and delicious recipes from her years of running the restaurant and loving to cook for family and friends. My personal favorites from this cookbook include Raleigh House Orange Rolls, make-from-scratch pancake mix, and the Raleigh House blueberry muffin mix. Thank goodness for these delicious recipes! This is a must for every collector of cookbooks, or anyone who likes to cook. For those who don't cook, buy this one for those who do!

An absolutely delightful read! Hard to believe this isn't a first-rate autobiography - the author perfectly captures the feelings and emotions of an orphaned seven-year old boy. Danny Dorsey is absorbed into his extended Irish family with a few hitches --and with the love of his grandparents and uncles, especially his hero, Uncle Tom. I found myself laughing out loud as well as wiping away tears. The characters and their eccentricities are wonderfully described. Can't wait to read more from this author.

"In The Castle Of The Flynns" is what other Irish writers have strived to write in this decade of Irish fiction and non-fiction. "...Castle..." is joyous and ebullient, and a wonderful read.

Danny Dorsey, orphaned suddenly, is taken in by his relatives. All of them. In this subtly hilarious and often poignant account of the summer of 1954, we see his new family through his eyes...to great effect. Reading "...Castle..." was like reliving my own childhood in a large Irish family...a wonderful journey that I would do again and again if Michael Raleigh could be the tour guide every time.

I love this book! I don't even have the right words to fully explain how wonderful this story is. I found myself laughing out loud and needing to read parts to my family. Just like a real family, there were sad parts too, and parts that made me examine my own life events and choices. The ending was masterfully done. It brought everything full circle around. As I read the last two lines, I gasped and my eyes filled up with tears....not because of some shocking end, but at how beautifully the author said it. I don't recall that ever happening to me before while reading. The book was SO well written.

I really liked this book. I read it in one sitting, because I didn't want to put it down. I recommend this book to any girl around the age of 11 or 12. It is a really good plot with realistic characters. I really liked it.

I think Almost Home was a really good book. I recommend this book for anyone who really likes girl protagonists (like me). This book was very well written so that's why I rate it 5 stars.

When i read What every girl except me knows, i thought, wow, now there is never going to be a book better than this. when nora raleigh baskin came out with this book, almost home, i was amazed to see that she had come out with another book even better than her first. if shes coming out with a third book, i just cant wait to read it!

I have to admit that I picked up this book on a whim, and I was very pleasantly surprised. Although it took me several chapters to get into this book, once I settled in, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

The novel tells the story of Will Baggett, a North Carolina weatherman who has been on the job 20+ years and is loved throughout the community. When his station changes ownership, the main character is fired. The firing sets into play a stage of events that leave Will questioning the choices he has made in life and re-examining the events of his past that have led him into his choice of journalism. Will emerges from the chain of events following his firing as a better man, and it was fun to watch him grow and change during his ordeal.

The author does a great job depicting the life of a small-town TV personality and the sacrifices he is forced to make. I was cheering for Will along the way, and think you will too. As a North Carolina native, I can tell you that the author gets his geography and local flavor 100% correct. I would definitely recommend this book -- don't be discouraged by the slow start.

This is the first Robert Inman book I have read. I heard Mr. Inman on NPR doing a book review with Rebecca Bain, mediator of a program called Fine Print.
I enjoyed his program, so I wanted to get a copy of his book.
How delightful is this book! This is not only a "good southern book", but it is meaningful to all who read it. It reminds us once again, it is our relationships to others (wifes, sons, relatives), that truly brings us happiness.
Each of us has a little "Will Baggett in us". Have we not all built our image carefully, so that others see us one way and our family really knows the true person?
Will Baggett is a survivor. After 9/11, we all need positive affirmations that no matter what happens we are the master of our own fate making mistakes, but also making corrections (along with a good dose of God's mercy).

Read IT..I plan on getting other books by this author, right away.

In the hands of many modern novelists (of the John cheever ilk) this novel of a middle-aged man losing his job, wife and self-respect would be a dreary depiction of life in the "soulness" of their America. But not here.

Will Baggett, formerly lead weatherman at Raleigh's channel 7 is a man who seeks out validation and human connection in malls rather than at home, Baggett is fired when a conglomerate buys out the family-run station and decides to cut costs by hiring a younger, cheaper weather personality. Within short order Will injures himself, his wife gives him the boot, he learns that his soon is failing med school and he goes to jail for possession of marijuana.

Rather than dwelling on the failure of the protagonist, Inman goes back in time to sketch Will's goofily eccentric family and in the process lets the reader figure out the man Will has become. Upon his release from jail, Will begins to remake himself and finally finds out the person he could have been.

Peopled with wonderfully quirky Southern characters and imbued with a generous loving spirit, CAPTAIN SATURDAY is an affirmation of love, family, honor and generosity. A delghtful subplot is the romance between his cousin Wingfoot and a former basketball player now country singer. Read this book for an uplifting, yet honest, portrayal of a good man.

A wonderful job of compiling and organizing all the basic Southern recipes and so many new decadent ones! The format - stories in simple language - is such fun and so Southern!! I have already thought of many "Folks" to present with copies. A truly clever cookbook!... Keith Headley, Memphis, TN.

I bought three copies for "Yankee" friends with whom I have been exchanging recipes and cookbooks for years - the Amaretto pie is unbelievable!...Suzann B. (a Southern Belle from MS)

As an avid cookbook collector, I was excited to find this true Southern Masterpiece to add to my shelf. Raleigh's recipes are both invaluable and delicious, and her keen sense of humor flavors this charming book with wit and wisdom...Jack Morton, three-time Emmy Award-winning stylist and owner of Indulgence Salon in Atlanta, GA