Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle

Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle by Si Robertson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Gotta love Uncle Si! If you are a fan of Duck Dynasty it is a must that you pick up this book.

In Si-cology Si tells about his life from his time growing up thru his years in the military and how he met his wife of over 40 years. His story is told with humor and humility and you can see the great love that he has for his family and God. Some of what was here we had heard on Duck Dynasty but much of it I had not known. We get more information about his wife and children that stay completely behind the scenes of the show. I would have loved to have seen more up to date pic of his family but I guess since they are very private people they wanted to stay out of the limelight.

I loved hearing more about how he grew up in the Robertson clan and why he made the decisions he did about college and the service. Its obvious that he takes his religion seriously but unlike Phil's book its not overly preachy. Its full of humor and great stories of his life. A fun light read that everyone should enjoy.





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Happy, Happy, Happy: Phil Robertson's Biography

Happy,Happy,Happy by Phil Robertson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


When I first finished this book I gave it 5 stars because it was such an easy and interesting read. But after sitting back and thinking about it, I decided to drop that just a bit for a few reasons.

This is the biography of the Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson. Its a very fun and interesting read. It flows along like you are sitting on the porch and hearing about his life. We hear some of the things that are seen on the show but there is a lot more about how he grew up and how he learned to live off the land. He also talks about how after college he got in with a rough crowd and was drinking heavily.

What I didn't like about it was that it left so much unanswered. So many questions that one would have about his life and of those around him are not mentioned. And towards the end he gets a bit preachy but if you ever watch the show you would expect this.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I'm not a big reader of biographies but this one I loved. If you ever watch the show, you should pick this one up.



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No Crying For Elena

No Crying For Elena by N. Meridian

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an awesome read! It is one of those books that I found very hard to put down once I opened its pages.

No Crying for Elena tells the story of the life of a woman who was raised within the confines of the Nation of Yaweh cult in Florida. Seperated, along with her siblings, from her parents she is raised with other cult children and given Hebrew names as well as given little food and given strict discipline. When the cult begins to break apart amidst legal turmoil she finds herself in the real world as a teen and has to learn not only how to live but also to help raise her many younger siblings.

As the story is told you feel as though you are sitting on a porch somewhere listening to the story of her life. You feel her pain and shame as she survives rape and molestation. You see life from her point of view as a woman looking back on her childhood and teen years. Its amazing how she not only survives but grows to be a strong woman that makes a life for her and her child. A woman that has to make hard decisions and is better for it.

Women so often feel as if rape is their fault. And in this book we really understand the why behind this. Its not only men that make women feel this way, its society as a whole. Meridian tells her story in such a way as not to lay blame for this fact but just to state that it is. And through this we see how much of a horror and a crime it is for a family to turn a blind eye to the victem of rape as it is for the actual crime that was committed.

But there is so much more to this book than just these aspects. Its a very powerful, honest journey through the life of a remarkable woman. This is a book that everyone should read.



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Happy 4th of July!!!!

We here at the Cotton Patch want to wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July. And to say thank you to all the men and women who will be spending this 4th of July away from their families while serving in the armed forces.

This is the time of the year in SEMO when watermelons are coming off the vine and families are gathering for reunions. This year the oppressive heat and dry conditions have caused more activities to be moved inside and fireworks to be banned. And overall, less time for books. (Which is my excuse for not posting a review in the last week)

With it being our nation's birthday I tried to think about books that would be patriotic in nature, short of being some kind of political book or biography of a president. One book that came to mind was



This choice might be a little bit surprising, but Houdini found time to serve his country even as busy as he was with his great career. This was an awesome biography that was not only very intersting but written like a great novel. It was one of those books that I hated to see the last page come.

What books bring patriotism to mind for you?