Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District by Hannibal B. Johnson

 I had first heard of Greenwood about two years ago when I read the YA novel, Dreamland Burning (which was fantastic, btw), and I've ended up finding more and more reference to it lately. I've been watching Lovecraft Country (which is a really good show loosely based around a really good novel), and a lot of the characters' stories are related to the 1921 Greenwood massacre. However, I started to wonder what the actual Greenwood was like, not just the tragedy. This book was perfect for that. The character and resiliency of the community is clear in the photos showing Greenwood in its early days through the present. I enjoy the Images of America series because I feel like I can actually step back in time to get a feel for very specific communities and their histories.

 

213 pages

Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

They met in Oklahoma and killed over twenty people on their way to and in New York City, but crime never wins.

Audio:  12 hrs. 25 min.
Print:  352 pages

Make Me by Lee Child

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

Out in the middle of an Oklahoma wheat field is a train stop.  The train did not bring the man she was looking for, but Jack Reacher did get off the train.  They are being observed by people who want to know why they are out there.

Print:  432 pages

Audio:  14 hrs. 5 min.

"That Eighteenth Summer" by Raine O'Tierney

This is the story of Oliver Hannigan, who has just graduated from high school and plans to join the military like his older brother, Benjam, did five years earlier.  However, word comes that spring that Benjam has been killed on duty oversees; this changes Oliver's life in many ways.  His parents both go a little crazy, and his mom begs him not to follow in his brother's footsteps.  And the arrival of Benjam's best friend from the Army adds to Oliver's complications.

This was a well written coming-of-age story, which takes part in Oklahoma and Missouri.  Oliver is forced to grow up quickly after the death of his only sibling, and the author makes him credible and sympathetic.  174 pages (Kindle edition).

The Pioneer Woman : Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond

Summary: "I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it. Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife---and manure---than I ever could have expected. This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet.
It's the story of a cowboy.
And Wranglers.
And chaps.
And the girl who fell in love with them."

My cousin introduced me to the recipes of the "Pioneer Woman," aka Ree Drummond. My cousin showed me one of The Pioneer Woman's cookbooks, and I enjoyed reading the delicious recipes within. However, I was more intrigued by the beautiful pictures of Ree's ranch in Oklahoma and her lovely family, along with her witty captions under each picture. Which led me to finding Ree's published love story of how she, a city girl, met and fell in love with her cowboy husband. It is a wonderful real-life story of romance and true love, and I absolutely love Ree's fresh voice and funny story-telling. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down (even though I know how it all ends!). I absolutely loved it; it made me laugh and it made my cry. I would recommend reading it or at least visiting her website: http://thepioneerwoman.com/, where you can read through many of her adventures. 

341 pages