Books with author Don Middleton

I was 15 when I first decided to run away. I always had felt a something inside me,a spark… a flicker of light. It had grown, that spark, over the years, until one dayit flared into a wild fire, down deep in the pit of my stomach.In general I was just an average girl. I went to an average school and led anaverage life. In essence, at that point, I was just a bored, average girl.It was no wonder when I started to drift towards a new crowd. The dodgy kind, Isuppose; the kind that could get you into trouble.It was for this exact reason that this crowd appealed to me.The Grungers, we called them. Their way of life, the way they acted… itenthralled me. They were like no-one I had ever known. It was that certainmystery that surrounded them, that air of danger lurking in the smoke from theircigarettes that lured me to them.It was a time in my life, the time I was connected to the Grungers, that the flameinside me burned its brightest.

The intrepid Oxford don, explorer and author of "Going to Extremes" is back, and he's set himself a challenge to cope with the worst that nature can throw at him. Travelling to four of the most extreme natural environments: swamps, deserts, jungles and arctic wastelands, the question is can he pick up enough tips from the indigenous people to hack it at the very edge of human existence, or will his mid-latitude sensibilities forever let him down? This is Nick's account of how he put his body and mind to the test in a survival experiment.

Come along with the adorable Fluffy as he tells us of his trip along the coast of California from San Francisco to the Redwoods of the North. The colorful, artistic photographs beautifully illustrate what Fluffy is seeing, experiencing and telling the children about in his whimsical yet educational manner. His perspective is that of wonder, amazement, caring and compassion for the natural world and all that he sees as he learns of the environment from his owner Forest, whom he loves very much! Fluffy is warm and inviting from the beginning, keeping us interested and entertained the whole way through with facts, fun and a meaningful message for all ages. This will be a favorite book to be read over and over by the young and not so young. Whether or not the children have been along this stretch of incredible coastline, it is a trip they will always enjoy. Also, as Fluffy says, "I can hardly wait to tell you about our next adventure!"

In 1953 Bill Maddox comes home in his shiny red truck after hauling for the Commonwealth of Kentucky to find his home is a smoking hole in the ground: a black boy, who he and his wife Sarah had befriended and employed, has raped and murdered her, then burned the house down.Recognizing the boy is insane, Maddox, a WWII marine veteran, pleads that he be shown mercy. The judge spares the boy’s life and sends him to a mental institution, which enrages an element of the populace.Maddox falls ill. Deep depression, pneumonia and delirium overtake him. He nearly dies on the shanty boat where he has holed up. Unbeknownst to him the murderer’s mother and her children carry Bill off his boat to their home and nurse him back to health.During recovery he learns that his grandfather had been part of the Underground Railroad. He discovers forgiveness and joins the cause against racial oppression. His fellow travelers include a big time whiskey distiller, a prostitute, a blues singer and a juke joint operator just to name a few.Together, this alliance with the help of a cop by the name of Datillo uncovers and destroys a plot by the K.K.K. to infiltrate and take control of the Louisville Police Department. They receive no accolades, but interracial bonds are forged that bode well for the future. Mr. Maddox is a gritty triumphant tale told with ribald humor, a dash of hopefulness and a good measure of faith.