Welcome to this week's Rendezvous With A Writer OutWest featured book round-up. Find these books, and many more like them, on our separate book website Bookshop.org/shop/OutWestShop.com. We've curated book lists representing the complicated, compelling, and engaging culture, history and diversity of the American West. This week's featured book selections were posted on our OutWest Shop Facebook daily post March 14 - March 20, 2021. Discover titles about Writing Your Story, National Kansas Day, Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries, Irish History, Wyatt Earp and More! Books are added to this blog as the week unfolds.
Ukrainian Easter Eggs Decorated by Artist Wendy MARCH 20...“TAKE A LOOK. IT’S IN A BOOK, A READING RAINBOW.” If this show played in your house, you may have seen author Patricia Polacco decorate Easter eggs in the Ukrainian tradition, alternately drawing designs on an egg with melted beeswax and dipping it in successively darker dyes. When the wax is removed from the eggshell, a beautiful, multicolored pattern appears like magic! The magic, of course is that wax resists the dye, protecting the color beneath each application.
Polacco learned to decorate eggs from her babushka, her beloved grandmother who appears in many of her books. I learned from a library colleague many years ago. I was so enchanted that I stayed up late every night learning the craft. In April 1972 an article in National Geographic, “Easter Greetings from the Ukrainians,” inspired me further. I started teaching the technique to children at my library. I taught at every place I worked throughout my career: libraries, confectionery, and bookstore. I led workshops for scouts and seniors and made countless eggs as gifts.
Ukrainian Easter Eggs Decorated by Artist Wendy Many of us will celebrate Easter on April 4. May 2 is Orthodox Easter this year. Whichever date your family observes, consider adding these special books to your library. If you are interested in creating the Ukrainian eggs known as pysanky, the family featured in that magazine article continue to inspire crafters by providing instructions, kits, and supplies at www.ukrainiangiftshop.org
Two of Patricia Polacco’s books feature pysanky. The goose in RECHENKA’S EGGS lays fabulously decorated eggs for Old Babushka, the egg artist who rescues and cares for her. This Reading Rainbow book has become a classic.
The children in CHICKEN SUNDAY use their egg decorating skills to overcome prejudice and earn money to buy a special hat for a beloved grandmother.
BEAUTIFUL EGGS is a large-format board book that uses striking
cut-paper style illustrations to introduce children to egg decorating traditions around the world.
---Post by Artistic Egg Decorator and Book Guide WENDY
MARCH 19...WYATT BERRY STAPP EARP WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1848, in Monmouth, Illinois and died January 13, 1929 in Los Angeles, CA. The life lived between those two dates has been the subject of countless books, movies, TV shows. and music.
So, just who was Wyatt Earp? Does he deserve the legendary status history has bestowed upon him? Best known for his involvement in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881, Earp was a saloonkeeper, gambler, and lawman...certainly an entrepreneur who followed mining strikes and seemed to rub shoulders with anyone and everyone in the west. When he died attorney W.J. Hunsaker, Arizona Territory diarist George Parsons, former Tombstone mayor and newspaper editor John Clum, actor William S. Hart, playwright Wilson Mizner and actor Tom Mix were his pallbearers.
LONG MAY HIS STORY BE TOLD. A life worthy to examine. Each time a new book publishes I wonder if there can really be anything "new" to report or insights to reveal. Yet, historians, authors and musicians continually find new aspects of his life - and the lives around him -to reveal. Here are four titles to consider:
A WYATT EARP ANTHOLOGY: LONG MAY HIS STORY BE TOLDWinner of the Best Book Award from the Wild West History Association and True West Magazine Editors' and Readers' Choice award for Best Author and Historical Non-Fiction Book of the Year. Published in 2019. Roy B. Young, Gary L. Roberts, and Casey Tefertiller, all notable experts on Earp and the Wild West, present in "A Wyatt Earp Anthology" an authoritative account of his life, successes, and failures. The editors have curated an anthology of the very best work on Earp--more than sixty articles and excerpts from books--from a wide array of authors, selecting only the best written and factually documented pieces and omitting those full of suppositions or false material.
LADY AT THE O.K. CORRAL: THE TRUE STORY OF JOSEPHINE MARCUS EARP by Ann Kirschner is the definitive biography of a Jewish girl from New York who won the heart of Wyatt Earp. For nearly fifty years, she was the common-law wife of Wyatt Earp yet has nearly been erased from Western lore. Kirschner brings Josephine out of the shadows of history to tell her tale: a spirited and colorful tale of ambition, adventure, self-invention, and devotion. Reflective of America itself, her story brings us from the post-Civil War years to World War II, and from New York to the Arizona Territory to old Hollywood.
WYATT EARP: THE LIFE BEHIND THE LEGEND (Revised)by Casey Tefertiller. "A major contribution to the history of the American West. It provides the first complete and accurate look at Wyatt Earp's colorful career, and places into context the important role that he and his brothers played in crime and politics in the Arizona territory. This important book rises above the realm of Western biography and shows the development of the Earp story in historyand myth, and its effect on American culture."
--John Boessenecker, author Gold Dust and Gunsmoke
MATTIE: WYATT EARP'S SECOND SECRET WIFEby E.C. (Ted) Meyers. The first book to reveal the life of Wyatt Earp's second wife. Mattie Blaylock, born Celia Ann Blaylock. She was Wyatt Earp's second wife and ultimately became his darkest secret. This heretofore-unknown story has been thoroughly researched and is heavily footnoted, with a photo section, many fascinating historical facts and complete appendices, and a bibliography, and an index.
Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything. In a gun fight... You need to take your time in a hurry. ---Quote Attributed to Wyatt Earp
---Post by Book Guide BOBBI JEAN
MARCH 17...LET THE SHENANIGANS BEGIN! We've ordered for take out Corned Beef and Cabbage, Shepherd's Pie, Irish Stew and Irish Car Bomb Cake from O'Hare's Grille & Pub, a local eatery here in Albuquerque and can't wait! What's on your menu?
My sister, Wendy, an avid reader and Book Guide reviewer, brought this book to my attention. Unable to put it down, she's turning the pages as quickly as possible and enthusiastically recommends it to you, our Faithful Readers. The Boston Globe agrees:
"An old-fashioned tale of tall talk, high ideals, and irresistible appeal . . . You will not read a historical thriller like this all year . . . Egan] is a master storyteller." --Boston Globe
THE IMMORTAL IRISHMAN: THE IRISH REVOLUTIONARY WHO BECAME AN AMERICAN HEROwritten by National Book Award winner Timothy Egan, is an exciting and illuminating work. He delivers a story, both rollicking and haunting, of one of the most famous Irish Americans of all time. A dashing young orator during the Great Hunger of the 1840s, THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER led a failed uprising against British rule, for which he was banished to a Tasmanian prison colony for life. But two years later he was "back from the dead" and in New York, instantly the most famous Irishman in America. WAIT...THERE'S MORE!
Meagher's rebirth included his leading the newly formed Irish Brigade in many of the fiercest battles of the Civil War. Afterward, he tried to build a new Ireland in the wild west of Montana--a quixotic adventure that ended in the great mystery of his disappearance, which Egan resolves convincingly at last.
Reviewers exclaim:
"This is marvelous stuff. Thomas F. Meagher strides onto Egan's beautifully wrought pages just as he lived--powerfully larger than life. A fascinating account of an extraordinary life."
-- Daniel James Brown, author of The Boys in the Boat
"Thomas Meagher's is an irresistible story, irresistibly retold by the virtuosic Timothy Egan . . . A gripping, novelistic page-turner." -- Wall Street Journal
THE MUSIC OF IRELAND deserves to be heard year 'round, not just on March 17th. We have an enjoyable collection of albums and I've chosen three to highlight here.
A LUMP OF COAL (HOPE'S DIAMOND)by Steve Jones features a number of songs about the life of the Irish in the West. Favorites of mine include "If I Never See Ireland Again," "In The Middle of Nowhere," "New Home on the Range," and "Loving Today In the Land of Tomorrow." Visit his website for more great music.
THE EMIGRANT TRAIL by Ray Doyle. His journey west began even before his family boarded an overcrowded ship for a turbulent, nine day voyage across the Atlantic, and his friends and he rode their imaginary horses in what we call "The California HIlls" near his home in Dublin. Favorites of mine are "The Emigrant Trail," "The Jigger Boss," "The Water is Wide" and "The Cowboy LIfe." Contact Ray directly to order - ray.doyle@att.net
THE DROVER ROAD by David Wilkie and Cowboy Celtic featuring Denise Withnell is one of a trio of albums by Cowboy Celtic. Each one demands to be in your music library. This title does it all, stirs your emotions, takes you on a ride over the drover trails of Ireland and Scotland and brings you directly to the west. Favorites of mine are "The Drover Road to Amurlee," "Aura Lee," "Bonnie Dundee Fareweel Tac Tarwathie," and "Whoopie Ti Ti Yo, Git Along Little Dogies." Find all three Celtic Cowboy albums here:
Enjoy the OutWest Hour "A Taste of Ireland" Radio Broadcast
---Post by Book Guide and Western Music Radio Host BOBBI JEAN
MARCH 16...JOIN ME FOR A CUP OF TEA...AND MURDER!!
The third Tuesday in March is TEA FOR TWO TUESDAY. What could be more delightful than settling in with a pot of your favorite tea, (Wisteria White perhaps), sipped from your favorite teacup, served with a tasty scone and clotted cream? The only thing missing in this scenario is...an engaging mystery! Enter author Patrice Greenwood's entertaining and delicious series, WISTERIA TEAROOM MYSTERIES!
Ellen Rosings’s Victorian Wisteria Tearoom is in an historic home in Santa Fe, New Mexico remodeled to offer a variety of cozy rooms, each named for a flower, for her guests to enjoy. Each room is sumptuously appointed, the tea extraordinary, the food "to die for" and... there's even a resident "ghost."
Author Patrice Greenwood, calling New Mexico home, writes of Santa Fe in an intimate way - making the reader feel as though she is walking the Plaza, smelling the roses in the Harvey Cornell Rose Park, or attending the Opera. What inspired her to write this series? After enjoying tea at the St. James Tearoom, near my home in Albuquerque, the mysteries series idea grabbed her attention. I've been to the St. James Tearoom, and I can tell you firsthand, it is the ideal place for dreams to be born!
Photo by Albuquerque Magazine -Best of the City - St. James Tearoom I'm a Wisteria Tearoom Mysteries fan! I'm eager to see where the relationship between Ellen Rosing and Detective Tony Aragon is going, what will be ghost Captain Dusenberry's next antics, and what delicious confections is chef Julio adding to the menu? Here are the first three in the series:
They don’t belong in Ellen Rosings’s Victorian tearoom. But when her opening day thank-you tea ends in the murder of the president of the Santa Fe Preservation Trust, the police invade her haven....
A SPRIG OF BLOSSOMED THORN As summer surrounds her Wisteria Tearoom in the beauty of a lush rose garden, death overshadows the tearoom a second time. Maria Garcia―a venerable member of the Santa Fe Rose Guild―breathes her last in the tearoom’s front parlor, throwing Ellen into a morass of doubt and conjecture. Was it murder, or merely misfortune?
Wisteria Tearoom owner Ellen Rosings coaxes Detective Tony Aragón to go with her to the Santa Fe Opera, but the magnificent performance of Tosca ends in disaster. In bizarre counterpoint to the opera’s plot, the leading man is murdered in his dressing room, and Tony must rush to secure the crime scene. Ellen is left to comfort Vi Benning, a former server at the tearoom who is now an apprentice at the Opera and a protégée of the slain singer.
At the top of this post, I included a charming notecard set, A TEACUP COLLECTION, for you to share with your tea loving friends.
Patrice Greenwood mysteries are more fun than a tray of chocolate desserts!
—Patricia Rice, New York Times bestselling author
--Post by Mystery Lover and Tea Enthusiast BOBBI JEAN
MARCH 15...WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD "KANSAS?" Kansas City Chiefs? Witchita? Sunflowers? Wheat? Tornados? Famous quotes like ""Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. We must be over the rainbow!"
TODAY IS NATIONAL KANSAS DAY...and when I think about KANSAS two things jump to my mind immediately...the awesome Western music trio
3 TRAILS WEST and author, storyteller and entertainer ROGER RINGER. I've had the privilege of meeting these folks several times over the years - there are no better Kansas ambassadors than they are!
3 TRAILS WEST is named after the three famous routes to the New Frontier which originated in Kansas City; The Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. Brothers ROGER and LEO EILTS who head up the six-piece ensemble are true sons of the Kansas Soil, and proud of it. Along with their Pal JIM WINTERS and the Trails Hands Orchestra (Marvin Gruenbaum, Ken Lovern and Bill Dye) they pump out enough energy to jump start a Mac Truck. Tight three-part harmonies backed by legendary Kansas City instrumentalists, the band takes no prisoners and delivers the goods. Check out their website and fun, entertaining videos.
3 Trails West is passionate about vintage Western Music. They've dug deep to uncover recordings that got left in the dust. Their journey has taken them down some old rutted swales, "Trails Less Traveled", you might say. They hope their music sounds familiar in the way that only a good Cowboy song can; like putting on a favorite shirt, a little faded and frayed at the collar, but more comfortable for the wear. 3 TRAILS WEST CD TRAILS LESS TRAVELED (AGAIN)
Their approach is drawn from the Silver Screen Era of Cowboy Music and Bob Wills-style swing. Laced with humor and audience interaction, 3TW is a family-oriented show band. They also spend as much as they make on Wardrobe, so their on-stage appearance is an eye-catching sight.
Touch down at Dead Cow International Airport and sample the state's bumper crop of bizarre history. The most commonplace sights contain unlikely stories, from the bulldozer's Morrowsville origins to the sunflower's journey from outlawed weed to state symbol. Some of this heritage lies submerged or buried, like the world's only saltwater spring that now sits at the bottom of a man-made lake. Rumored caches of the Fleagle Gang's loot still draw treasure hunters in spades. From mariachi legends to rodeo roundups, author Roger Ringer gathers in a vast and varied harvest of Kansas lore.
The historic tales of the Sunflower State and its people are as interesting as the days are long. A pair of brothers went from making airplanes to tractors and soon became part of John Deere. Kansan Captain Donald K. Ross won the first Congressional Medal of Honor through his actions at Pearl Harbor. Author Roger Ringer details these stories and more.
Kansas was all golden and smelled like sunshine.
–The Outlaw Josey Wales
--Post by Book Guide & Western Music Radio Host BOBBI JEAN
MARCH 14...WHAT'S YOUR STORY? Everyone has a story and on March 14th, National Write Your Story Day challenges you to tell your story in written form. The observance encourages us to start telling our personal stories today. The best way to get started is...just write! Sit down with your favorite writing instrument and let your fingers doing the talking. As you write, no editing or criticizing allowed! Just write.
Love writing? Here are a few titles to feed the writer in you:
OLD FRIEND FROM FAR AWAY: THE PRACTICE OF WRITING MEMOIR by Natalie Goldberg. This title teaches writers how to tap into their unique memories to tell their story. Aspiring writers of all levels are encouraged to find their unique voice to tell their stories.
THE TRUE SECRET OF WRITING: CONNECTING LIFE WITH LANGUAGE by Natalie Goldberg. Sit. Walk. Write. These are the barest bones of Natalie Goldberg's revolutionary writing and life practice, presented here in book form for the first time. In her inimitable way, Goldberg will inspire you to pick up the pen, get writ-ing, and keep going.
Disclosure: OutWest Shop is an affiliate of Bookshop.org and earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Who are we to be your guides? We are two sisters who grew up in a family that valued reading and encouraged an interest in history and the arts. Wendy spent her career with books. She worked as a children's librarian and as the buyer and manager of the children's department of an independent bookstore. A college major in literature introduced her to the classics of the American West.
Bobbi Jean and her husband, Jim, own OutWest Shop. She was the manager and buyer for a museum store before they started their own business. Bobbi Jean co-hosts The Writer's Block on LA Talk Radio, where she interviews authors of all types. The three other radio shows she hosts involve Western music and horses. Find podcasts of all her shows at OutWest Live!
We love sharing our book knowledge. You are not limited to the titles you find on our lists, though. Use the search box to rustle up any books that you want, and put them in your OutWest Book Shop cart!
Happy Reading! Remember, it's always a Great Day OutWest!
AUGUST 9 is a day for all those who love to read! National Book Lovers Day encourages you to find your favorite reading place, a good book, a favorite beverage, and read the day away. Looking for suggestions for your next read? Enjoy conversations between authors and readers? Want to know the book's backstory or author's writing process? Here at OutWest Shop, we enjoy writer/reader podcasts, do you? Who do you listen to?? Here are four of our favorites. Click each image for broadcast information. HAPPY LISTENING! HAPPY READING!
AUGUST 8 is Global Sleep Under the Stars Night and is a night to spend outdoors enjoying the sensational night sky. With summer coming to an end, take advantage of all the night has to offer by gazing upwards and see the wonder of stars across the sky. Whether it’s in the backcountry or your own backyard, one of the best ways to experience the beauty of the outdoors is to spend a night under the stars. Gazing up at the night sky gives us a sense of peace and, at the same time, an overwhelming sense of awe.
As the host of the weekly radio show, OUTWEST HOUR, I'm blessed to receive new music on a weekly basis. Some are in CD form and some are MP3 singles. This week's playlist, RIDE ALONG WITH ME, features recently received music and poetry I hand picked. This is a fun show I know you'll enjoy!
I'm Bobbi Jean Bell, an International Western Music Association (IWMA) award-winning DJ playing Western, Western Swing, Cowboy Country, Poetry and whatever "strikes my fancy." Since 2009 I've been promoting Western music and poetry on the radio and am honored to know, personally, many of the musicians and poets I play. I consider myself a storyteller using curated music and poetry tracks bring the story to life..
I invite you to ride along with me live every Saturday at 4pm (MT) streaming on www.KUPR.org OR follow OutWest Hour on Mixcloudand enjoy every broadcast on demand.