Rating: 
Summary: Looking Ahead With Courage given only by God
Review: All together in one place knits the lives of people who would probably not have ordinarily become close. The strength and weakness of each person gives meaning to the stories that unfold with each new chapter. The way women handled situations could probably compare, because we are seldom told, with the personal situations from the Bible. ie The Necessary Circle. These people and later the women were fortunate to have a strong Christian woman among them. God always tells us we are not alone but He gave them a Sister to hold them accountable for giving Thanks in all things - even tragedy. This book followed by No Eye Can See brought me into the lives and friendship with women from my past. I could at different times relate to most of them. Jane brings about personal situations that touch the innermost core of the reader. I could hear myself spouting angry words about a "rat" who tried his utmost to create disaster for Ruth and another time laughing out loud at another situation. I was so angry at the law that literally sold human beings and ripped babies and parents from one another. I held the new baby as did his Indian mother. Jane ends her books with hope for the future of all and the reader wanting MORE. I did not want to finish the books because then my "friends" would be gone and as with every good book - I felt like I moved away and would loose touch. I like to share my friends with people I care about so we can discuss them. JK books are fantastic.
Rating: 
Summary: History, Wholeness, and Hope
Review: All Together in One Place, transported me not only to another time and place, but also through a journey of wholeness with 11 women who suffer incredible hardships on a wagon train headed west. Yes, I smelled the wood smoke of their fires, felt their grime and sweat, and learned to yoke oxen and load wagons with them. But more importantly I walked with women of depth through a journey of healing and hope. I experienced their fears, cried their tears and saw answers slowly unfold within them. As usual, Jane has researched her subjects well. Authenticity shows not only in historical accuracy but in the psychological drama of what one normally considers to be only modern day maladies. Each character is alive with his or her distinct personality. Visionaries, exploiters, kind spirits, comedians, and all types of characters in between live on the pages of All Together in One Place, as does one very good dog. Lovers of history, the West, and wholesome books with depth will enjoy this book a lot.
Rating:
Summary: Speaks to a Woman's Heart
Review: I just finished reading All Together in One Place, and feel like I have been living and traveling with Jane Kirkpatrick's wonderful cast of characters on their long and dusty journey. This is probably the best book I have read in quite some time. It is engaging and thought provoking, and extremely well written. I came to care about the women, and cried over their sorrows and rejoice with their victories. Ms. Kirkpatrick really did her homework and created a story that speaks true to that time and yet is still relevant in our time. It lays around your heart like a well-worn sweater. In fact, I have decided not to start the next book in the series right away so I can just live with this story for a little while longer.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book....inspirational
Review: I read a couple of reviews stating that this book didn't hold a lot of suspense or drama. That's true. I did find it a bit slow at times but I also found it very much worth finishing and if you are interested in the westward expansion, this book has some factual information about it. The insight into the characters helped to spur me on to finishing it and even though its a slow and steady read without huge drama...I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book....inspirational
Review: I was attracted to this book, because I thought it would give me an historical accounting of personal experiences on the Oregon Trail. The book does offer that. However, I had a hard time staying interested. It was hard keeping track of the characters - if I had a nickle for everytime I turned to the page listing Cast of Characters, I could have paid for the book. This book moves very slow, there is not much action or suspense. Much time is spent on emotions and personalities. I can see where some readers would love this book - but it is not my style.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasant surprise!
Review: I'm not usually a fan of "Old West" novels and was skeptical when I first picked it up; however, once I started, I could hardly put it down. The book is written in a series of short sections, jumping from character to character, which is wonderful if you don't have the time to read several pages in a sitting. I carried this book with me everywhere and read a section whenever I could. The character development is superb! The main characters are women of all types and personalities, and any reader can identify with at least one of them throughout the story. I enjoyed this book so much that I kept my husband up to date with what was happening. (He even got a little misty-eyed with me at one point.) I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational Read, another title from a great author
Review: Jane Kirkpatrick's writing is not only inspirational, but also historically accurate. Her story brings alive the tribulations these women faced alone on the Oregon Trail. Who knows how close she comes to the actual facts, her research and depth of character is so marvelous. A great book. I love each of Ms. Kirkpatrick's books and consider her one of our outstanding Western Woman authors!
Rating:
Summary: Great entertainment
Review: Jane's books take me back to childhood when I used to read Little House on the Prarie. Not only is this series good, it is a page turner, fun and good moral standards. If you like Little House you will loves Jane's work!
Rating:
Summary: Politically Correct but well written
Review: No doubt about it - Jan Kirkpatrick is a wonderful writer. Each sentence is a work of art, and there is great depth and seems to be extremely well researched. I had a couple of problems with the book though. One was just that I'm not much of a wilderness/Old West buff, but the reviews made me decide to go ahead and read it. I still am not a fan of the genre after reading the book, so I'm sure that taints my opinion. The second problem I had was with the characters. The characters are wonderfully written and very real and multi dimensional. But, for the most part, I just didn't care for them too much. The ending helps shows the growth they made, but I really wasn't rooting for any of them through the book. Perhaps it was the politically correct slant that I felt throughout. All Indians and Asians were good, and did no wrong, while anyone who expressed fear of the Indians were shown to be judgemental and foolish. Ninety percent of the men were bullys, liars, abusive. The women were the stronger morally, spiritually, emotionally, and half the time physically. And while the book has a nice spiritual edge to it - the one person who is identified with faith is of course the legalistic, slightly dense one of the group. So, for me it's a mixed bag - great writing with a little preachiness and harshness that diluted the strength of the book overall.
Rating:
Summary: Only an OK Book
Review: This book is one of the best books I've ever read. Jane Kirkpatrick knows her material and brings to life a portrait of the Oregon Trail. It's informative, humorous, and solemn all at the same time. I just couldn't help but believe that *this* is what life was really like for people in the wagon trains.
|
