doing at that particular time in my own life, whether I was a country DJ or playing in a band where I sang “On the Other Hand” and “Forever and Ever, Amen.” Randy was riding a wave all the way to the top, but then came the fall. Things sur- faced that I never knew about, like his breakup with his wife and manager, and the hell on earth he experienced following a massive stroke. I knew something had happened to take him out of the spotlight, but had no idea how close he had come to death. It was heartwarming to read of his love and faith in God and his true love coming into his life to help him through it all. Whether you are an old Randy Travis fan
or just love an amazing story with a happy end- ing, I highly recommend Forever and Ever, Amen. It’s a great story about a Grand Ole Opry member and a Country Music Hall of Fame mem- ber, but it’s so much more. It’s a story of love and faith, redemption and blessings.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Let’s All Make the Day Count The Everyday Wisdom of Charlie Daniels Charlie Daniels (Thomas Nelson) Another Country
Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry Member, Charlie Daniels is nothing
less than an icon. From his hit southern rock al- bums of the 70s and 80s, to his gospel records and country music hits, Daniels has always been an outspoken, wise, voice of a generation. With his latest book, Charlie has created the per- fect “gift” book to share with someone you love. A small, perfect sized hardback book, it even in- cludes a page for inscribing to your loved one, and a silk ribbon bookmark. The entries are also the perfect size to read along with your daily de- votional, and include a Bible verse and a related story from Charlie’s personal life. There are tales of loss and triumph, life on the road and back home on the ranch. The book is bursting at the seams with common sense stories that just plain make you feel good. These stories are as essential as your morning coffee in helping you to make
each day count. -Michael Buffalo Smith
The Paintings of Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter (Mercer University Press) Back in the 1980s,
President Jimmy Carter took up the hobby of painting, converting a sec-
tion of his wood working shop into a studio. Through his new hobby, Carter was allowed to see the people and places he knew in a whole new light. This beautiful new volume houses over fifty of his paintings, each one with its own narrative written by Carter. He is by no means a professional artist,
but he possesses the talent to draw you in with his folksy style and detail, whether he is painting a landscape of a portrait. Once in a while, one of the paintings will catch you off guard with its beauty, as with “A Young Rosalynn.” It’s beauti- ful. No small wonder Carter cites this portrait of his wife as his favorite and keeps it hanging in his office.
His still life paintings are lovely, and his
many paintings of life in Georgia hold the same magic as a Grandma Moses piece. As a long-time fan of Carter as a politician and even more so as a man, this book only serves to add to my respect and admiration for the former president. After all, this is the only US President I know of who was both a fan and a friend of the Allman Broth- ers band. Yet another feather in his cap. This is a beautiful, big book with beautiful paint- ings and excellent writing. It’s a must have for any fan of Jimmy Carter and/or lover of folk art.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
The History of 2 Williams Colleen Knights (Lulu) If you’d have made a bet with my friend Colleen Knights not so long ago that she would be author- ing a book, any kind of book, she would have laughed in your face. Although she has always been an avid reader, she never felt the urge to
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