A Honkytonk of a Book!!!

Honky Tonk Man by Clancy Carlile

This is another of my old reviews I thought I would share. Of course this is one of my favorite books! If you haven't read the book perhaps you may remember the 1982 movie of the same title starring Clint Eastwood. Needless to say the movie of course was based on the book. Clancy Carlile the author of the book also wrote some of the songs on the movies soundtrack. Another great book by Carlile is Children of the Dust. If you've never heard of it here's a link to my review of that book. Scroll down towards the bottom of the page & you'll see it. Underneath the review you'll find the Synopsis also. O.k., now for the Synopsis of Honkytonk Man...

Following a musician taking one final chance at the big time. Red Stovall is a would-be country singer who has been bouncing around the margins of the music business for years. With nowhere in particular to go, Red arrives at the failing Oklahoma farm of his sister for an extended visit, where her son Whit quickly bonds with his uncle. However, it's obvious that Red is in very poor health, drinking heavily & breathing with difficulty, & when Red is invited to audition for the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Whit tags along for the road trip to keep an eye on his ailing uncle. En route, Red & Whit are joined by Whit's grandfather & another hopeful vocalist, Marlene, who like Red is chasing her own dreams of stardom on the Opry. Now for the review....

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I just loved this book! It is easily one of my favorites. A book about dreams, coming of age, life, honkytonks. It was such an interesting & entertaining read. One that will tug at your heart strings & make you want to cry while in other parts you will be laughing out loud. Definitely a book I will read again in the future.

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Children Of The Dust by Clancy Carlile

Children of the Dust by Clancy Carlile


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I did not want this book to end! I could not wait to read another of Carlile's books after reading Honkytonk Man & though I consider Honkytonk Man to be one of my favorite books I believe this may be even better!

I found it to be very well written with interesting & intriguing characters. I did not want to put this book down & could not wait to get to the next page to see what happened next. Taking place in Oklahoma during the Land Rush it was very interesting to read a little of the history behind that along with the intriguing storyline. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or just likes a good western type story!

I definitely look forward to reading more of Clancy Carlile's books!

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Currently Reading...

Children of the Dust by Clancy Carlile

Synopsis: Children of the Dust. Gypsy Smith is a half-black, half-Indian gunfighter, bounty hunter, and scout who reluctantly accepts a job leading poor black sharecroppers from the South to the border of new territory for the Oklahoma land rush. Among his charges is a young woman, Drusilla, with whom he fall in love. On the eve of his wedding, there's trouble with the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan lynches two young boys. When he tries to follow the trail, Gypsy is wounded, castrated, and left for dead. But Gypsy doesn't die, at least not in a literal sense. The old Gypsy is dead, the one who liked a joke, who was in live, and who found beauty in the hard land. All that remains is a searing, all-consuming need to avenge his mutilators. One by one, he extracts his revenge, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. The local law, spurred on by Klansmen, begins a massive manhunt for Smith. The conclusion is as inevitable as the plot is predictable, with Smith meeting his end as an avenging angel to some and as a devil to others. There are sub-plots and parallel story lines, but none of note. This is serviceable western fare lent import due to the four-hour CBS miniseries that will air as the book is released. On that basis most libraries will experience demand, but don't get carried away. It's not special. Genre veterans Cameron Judd and Elmer Kelton produce better work regularly.
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