Kansas

Book Review & Giveaway: And Every Word is True by Gary McAvoy

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Genre: True Crime, Memoir
Published by: Literati Editions
Publication Date: March 4, 2019 
Number of Pages: 310
ISBN: 978-0-9908376-0-2 (HB); 978-0-9908376-1-9 (PB) 
Purchase Links:Amazon Barnes & Noble iBooks Kobo Goodreads

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Truman Capote’s bestselling book “In Cold Blood” has captivated worldwide audiences for over fifty years. It is a gripping story about the consequences of a trivial robbery gone terribly wrong in a remote village of western Kansas.

But what if robbery was not the motive at all, but something more sinister? And why would the Kansas Bureau of Investigation press the Attorney General to launch a ruthless four-year legal battle to prevent fresh details of the State’s most famous crime from being made public, so many years after the case had been solved?

Based on stunning new details discovered in the personal journals and archives of former KBI Director Harold Nye—and corroborated by letters written by Richard Hickock, one of the killers on Death Row—And Every Word Is Truemeticulously lays out a vivid and startling new view of the investigation, one that will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they pick up where Capote left off. Even readers new to the story will find themselves drawn into a spellbinding forensic investigation that reads like a thriller, adding new perspectives to the classic tale of an iconic American crime.

Sixty years after news of the 1959 Clutter murders took the world stage, And Every Word Is True pulls back the curtain for a suspenseful encore to the true story of “In Cold Blood.”

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I was excited to read And Every Word is True because In Cold Blood always intrigued me for some reason. It wasn’t just the story of the murders, but Truman Capote was such a unique person and it’s always been difficult for me to picture him investigating this story.

There are actually two different stories in this book. One is the evidence that Gary McAvoy “found” which possibly changes much of what we thought we knew about these murders. Also, Kansas didn’t seem to want this information to be made public. Why?

The second story is about the author and his case and fighting the state of Kansas in court to keep the documents. This part of the story was rather cumbersome partly because of repetition.

Even though And Every Word is True was a little difficult to get through, I’d still recommend it to anyone who’s interested in true crime, especially the murders of the Clutter family.

About the Author

Gary McAvoy is a veteran technology executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong writer. For several years he was also a literary media escort in Seattle, during which time he worked with hundreds of authors promoting their books—most notably Dr. Jane Goodall, with whom Gary later collaborated on “Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating” (Hachette, 2005).

Gary is also a professional collector of rare literary manuscripts and historical letters and books, a passion that sparked the intriguing discoveries leading up to his latest book, And Every Word Is True(Literati Editions, March 2019), a revealing look at startling new disclosures about the investigation surrounding the 1959 Clutter family murders, heinous crimes chillingly portrayed in Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood.” And Every Word Is True pulls back the curtain for a suspenseful encore to Capote’s classic tale, adding new perspectives to an iconic American crime.

Catch Up With Gary McAvoy On:
garymcavoy.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!

Tour Participants

04/01 Review/Showcase @ Feather Stone – Author of Romance & Suspense
04/02 Review @ The World As I See It
04/03 Review @ Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
04/04 Guest post @ Loris Reading Corner
04/05 Interview @ BooksChatter
04/06 Interview @ A Blue Million Books
04/08 Review @ Nesies Place
04/09 Guest post @ Mythical Books
04/10 Review @ Life at 17
04/11 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
04/12 Review @ Cheryls Book Nook
04/13 Guest post @ Cover To Cover Cafe
04/14 Review @ It’s All About the Book
04/15 Showcase @ Just Books
04/19 Guest post @ Read and Review
04/22 Showcase @ Eclectic Moods
04/23 Showcase @ The Bookworm Lodge
04/24 Interview @ CMash Reads
05/04 Review @ sunny island breezes
05/06 Review @ everywhere and nowhere
05/07 Review @ Thats What Shes Reading
05/10 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
05/19 Review @ Jessica Rachow, Author & Blogger
05/20 Showcase @ Celticladys Reviews
05/21 Review @ Quiet Fury Books
05/24 Review @ Cozy Up WIth Kathy
05/28 Review @ Book Babble
05/29 Review @ Bound 4 Escape
05/30 Review @ A Room Without Books is Empty

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Giveaway

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Gary McAvoy. There will be four (4) giveaway winners.  One winner will receive one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card and three (3) winners will receive one (1) print copy of And Every Word Is True by Gary McAvoy (Open to U.S. addresses only). The giveaway begins on April 1, 2019 and runs through June 2, 2019. Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review: Larry Saves the Prairie by Matt Bergles

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Larry Saves the Prairie Cover
Children’s Book 
Date Published: September 1, 2015
 
Through the voices of Annabelle and Angus, discover what almost happened to wildlife on the Kansas prairie. When Larry receives a letter that says he must destroy the prairie dogs on his land, he and some of his neighbors join together to make certain that all wildlife remain unharmed. Not only were black-tailed prairie dogs at risk of destruction but the already-endangered black-footed ferrets were at risk of becoming extinct. 

 In Larry Saves the Prairie, with the help of Annabelle and Angus, you’ll discover what it means to be a true hero, and most especially, what it took to save prairie wildlife in Kansas.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

 

My Review

I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.

Annabelle and Angus are prairie dogs who share Larry’s story. What a great way to tell his story to children. It not only teaches them how every animal is important to the Kansas prairie, how Larry and his neighbors saved the prairie but also the importance of standing up for what is right.

The text is easy to read and it has colorful pictures. There are even pages at the end to color.

At the very end of the book is information for adults. It explains Larry’s story and how we can help. It also lists several groups that are dedicated to prairie preservation. This is a good book for both children and their parents. I enjoyed learning about how Larry Saves the Prairie.

 

About the Author

Matt Bergles is a Colorado native who grew up in Pueblo, Colorado. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from CSU-Pueblo, his master’s degree in U.S. history, and a Ph.D. in public affairs at CU Denver, as well as a certificate in alternative dispute resolution. 
Matt currently teaches at a K-8 private school in Denver, where he has witnessed firsthand young, inner-city kids’ curiosity and love of animals and nature, observing that every time they are asked what community service project or charitable cause they’d like to be involved with, most K-3 students pick something related to domestic animals or wildlife. This natural love and curiosity led Matt to write Larry Saves the Prairie for young children.
Matt is an independent researcher and advocate for wildlife conservation, especially conservation of prairie habitat. Matt lives in Denver with his wife, Kate, two children, Luke and Mary, and dog Samuel. He is a volunteer coach, a private pilot, and has helped teach his teenage son to fly.
 

Contact Information
Website: http://www.mattbergles.com/

Review: Kansas – in the Heart of Tornado Alley (Images of America)

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kansas (148x200)Title: Kansas in the Heart of Tornado Alley (Images of America)

Author: Jay M. Price, Craig Torbenson, Sadonia Corns, Jessica Nellis, and Keith Wondra

Genre: History

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Publication Date: 2011

Description: Back in 1915, Snowden D. Flora of the US Weather Bureau wrote, “Kansas has been so commonly considered the tornado state of the country that the term ‘Kansas cyclone’ has almost become a part of the English language.” Flora’s words still seem to ring true. Whether called a twister, a tornado, a vortex, or cyclone, these catastrophic events have shaped lives in the Sunflower State for generations. Just a few destructive moments forever changed places such as Irving, Udall, Topeka, Andover, and Greensburg. Even before Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz helped eqaute the tornado with Kansas, the turbulent nature of local weather seemed to parallel an equally turbulent history, with the fury of people such as John Brown compared to a cyclone. Even if they have never seen a funnel cloud themselves, those who live in Kansas have come to accept the twister as a regular and always unpredictable neighbor.

Dr. Jay M. Price is an associate professor in history at Wichita State University and serves as director of the school’s Public History Program. Dr. Craig Torbenson is a associate professor in geography at the university. Sadonia Corns, Jessica Nellis, and Keith Wondra are students in the Public History Program.

The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. 

Review:

There are a lot of interesting facts in this book. It not only covers some of the tornadoes that have affected Kansas towns but it explains how and why tornadoes form in terms that are easy to understand. It contains a lot of photos of tornadoes and damage done by tornadoes.  A great addition to the library of any history or weather buff

You can order this new book from Sleepygirl’s Used Books here.