The Tricky Part: One Boy's Fall from Trespass into Grace

Book Description

Martin Moran_s family lived in a Denver neighborhood called Virginia Vale. But what seemed most central, most important, was that they belonged to Christ the King the church and school up the hill. And what Martin learned, as a good Catholic boy, was that the Hereafter was what counted; the here fickle and unreliable was the problem. Martin_s world changed abruptly when, at the age of twelve, a church-camp counselor seduced him. New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley--praising Moran_s one-act play, The Tricky Part, for the quiet victory of rendering chaos with this kind of clarity--called his telling of this event a crystalline accumulation of moments. In his memoir Moran takes us deeper into the ongoing sexual relationship that followed the seduction, and for the first time he explores its effects upon his adult life. And finally, in a scene of stunning power and restraint, Moran confronts the perpetrator, now an old man in a veteran_s hospital. In examining the paradoxes of human relationships, Moran manages to uncover divine grace in the most unlikely forms.

Customer Reviews:

Frank and enightening memoir.......2007-08-12

Frank and moving account of the abuse the writer suffered as a child, and how he was subsequently affected and managed to cope. When he was twelve years old Martin Moran was seduced and abused at the hands of a camp counsellor named Bob, and so entered a relationship that lasted not unwillingly for three years. But the effects were lasting; such that Martin eventually took steps to confront the issues head on.
Martin's memoir is Insightful and enlightening, not always easy to come to terms with, for while what he suffered as a child was clearly an abuse, he was not an unwilling participant, and it maybe opened the way for Martin to accept more readily his life as a gay man. His account tells in detail of his early days, of the seduction and the continue relationship and its effects; of how he came to terms with the abuse, and of a successful career that eventually took him to Broadway.
Martin Moran's open well written account, at times funny, at others moving, is well worth reading

Excellent Book.......2007-06-03

Great perspective on the subject. Well written. It's not a happy book but then you really should not be expecting that. It is, however, hopeful.

A Must Read.......2007-03-08

Anyone who works with those that have been abused should read this book, especially if you're just starting out. The way in which the author details his abuse and his climb into Grace touches on themes common to abuse cases. Mr. Moran's honesty and plainess offer a glimpse into a world too many children are sucked into and too many adults are unaware of.

Making sense from the chaos of pain.......2007-01-27

I met Martin Moran when he performed his one-man show of this book, and he is an amazing person to take so personal an experience and make it an enlightenment for everyone. He's so intense, grabbing you and teaching you while he simultaneously works out his life for himself.
I bought the book afterwards, but took a long time before reading it. His story strikes your soul as he recounts his boyhood feelings and passions with such detail - you can tell he hasn't lost touch with those feelings at all. That boy of long ago, his memories constantly surfacing, both haunts him and enables him to cope with difficulties throughout his life.
This is about making peace with all of the pain, guilt and anger that can last a lifetime. And about finding a way to move on.

Powerful, affecting.......2006-07-09

I read this tremendous book in 1 day, through tears and laughter. But mostly tears. The young boy could have been me. What Mr. Moran felt, so did I. So do I. And I am 61 years old. I struggled through years of self-hatred and sexual addiction. This book was so powerful, so healing, so pointed that I want to thank God it was written. A must read for anyone. Anyone. This is not just a gay book. It is an affirming book about life and finding inner peace. Wonderful!

A different coming of age story.(The Tricky Part: One Boy's Fall From Trespass Into Grace)(Book Review): An article from: National Catholic Reporter

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A different coming of age story.(The Tricky Part: One Boy's Fall From Trespass Into Grace)(Book Review): An article from: National Catholic Reporter
Rebecca Beyer
Manufacturer: National Catholic Reporter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from National Catholic Reporter, published by National Catholic Reporter on July 1, 2005. The length of the article is 430 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A different coming of age story.(The Tricky Part: One Boy's Fall From Trespass Into Grace)(Book Review)
Author: Rebecca Beyer
Publication: National Catholic Reporter (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2005
Publisher: National Catholic Reporter
Volume: 41 Issue: 33 Page: 16(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

While on a mission to obtain information vital to the Union cause, U.S. secret agent Harrison Raines finds that his informant has been murdered-and his partner has been accused of the crime...

Customer Reviews:

Not Nearly What it Could Have Been.......2004-06-29

Harrison Raines and Boston Leahy are heading west on assignment. There are reports of the rebels trying to take over a path all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Their job is to find out what is happening and report back to the Secret Service.

But first they have to cross the desert. The climate is nothing like either of the men have seen before. When they find some time sensitive info, they split up. When Harry finally arrives in Santa Fe, he finds the town in disarray and Boston arrested for one of the murders he's learned about. Now he needs to find the truth to clear his friend and keep the west in Union hands.

I love this series because it brings the Civil War to life in a fascinating way. This book, however, wasn't nearly as good as the others have been. The plot dragged with too much time spent on Harrison's travels through the desert. When the plot finally does get going, it seems rushed as a result, and I found myself struggling to keep up. One thing I enjoy about the series is the developing storyline with the characters, but since only Harry and Boston were in this book, that aspect was absent as well.

I'm sorry to have to give this book such a low rating when the series is normally so great. Hopefully the next book will be more on the level with the others.

A Fun History Lesson.......2004-04-10

I'll keep it short.This book draws you right into an often forgotten theater of the US Civil War. Few Americans know that the war raged in the desertland of New Mexico. There's vivid battle scenes and of course the unforgettable Harrison Raines on another dangerous mission. I hope if you're a Civil War buff you give this book and the rest of the series a shot. You'll be rewarded with a fun and informative read.

Fast-Paced Civil War Mystery.......2003-02-14

Author Michael Kilian continues his Harrison Raines series, as the Secret Service agent and his partner Joseph Leahy journey to New Mexico to investigate reports of a rebel invasion there. Though the two agents become separated in New Mexico, they are both in close proximity to Glorieta Pass where the Union, under the command of Major Chivington, drives the Confederate forces back and burns their supply wagons.

Noting the rebels' retreat while trying to free Leahy from jail where he is accused of being a horse thief, Harry makes the acquaintance of Isabel Almaden y Cortes, daughter of Don Luis, a Union hero at Glorieta. When Don Luis is murdered at his home, Harry seeks to discover the identity of the murderer. Passions run high, as shades of gray blur lines of loyalty, and someone seems to be searching for the gold that Harry discovered abandoned near the bodies of a man and woman.

Gripping and intense, the pace of this novel increases in speed as Harry and Indian friend Tatou are attacked when they unearth the grave of Don Luis near Glorieta. Inspired by the actual 1862 Battle of Glorieta Pass, this novel brings into focus a clear picture of the division of familial loyalties and subterfuge that were so much a vital part of the U.S. Civil War.

great Harrison Raines Civil War mystery.......2003-01-18

He is a son of the South, part of a rich Tidewater, Virginia family who embraces the concept of slavery so wholeheartedly that they fight for the confederacy. Harrison sees slavery as an evil institution and severed his ties to his family. He became an agent for the secret service under Pinkerton's command. Having been involved in two battles in the East, Pinkerton sends Harrison and "Boston" Leahy out west to determine whether these states will join the Confederacy.

Harrison and Leahy are to make contact with Federal supporter Don Luis Almaden y Cortes but instead they journey into Santa Fe during the battle of the Glorieta Pass. The Federal troops, with the help of locals, win, ending the South's hope to make the west part of their new nation. Don Luis is killed after the battle is won and Harrison, who is infatuated with the deceased's daughter, vows to bring the killers to justice if the killer doesn't murder him first.

Each book in the Harrison Raines Civil War mysteries revolves around a key battle that is interwoven into the story line. Michael Kilian does meticulous research so readers are receiving an education while being entertained. A GRAVE AT GLORIETA is an interesting tale focusing on the Western states during the Civil War, but presenting all sides fairly so that readers can understand all the undercurrents pulling people in numerous directions. Critical to this theme is that war is not glorified, but presented closer to the lines of All's Quiet on the Western Front. This book and this series are highly recommended.

Book Description

In 1862 a small army of Texans invaded New Mexico in order to win it for the Confederacy. Following the third day of the Battle of Glorieta Pass, the Texans realized their predicament: Â“Here we are between two armies, one double ours and the other four times our number, 1,000 miles from home, not a wagon, not a dust of flour, not a pound of meat.Â” While the Confederates had forced a Union retreat on the rocky, forested battlefield around PigeonÂ's Ranch, they could not press their advantage. The most crippling blow had come in the surprise destruction of all seventy supply wagons at JohnsonÂ's Ranch by Colorado Volunteers. So complete was their devastation that during a truce in the early evening, the Texans even had to borrow Union shovels to bury their dead.

Â“A superbly researched and well-written study of the Battle of Glorieta Pass that is likely to be definitive.Â”Â—Jerry Thompson, author of Confederate General of the West: Henry Hopkins Sibley

A highly readable account of this major turning point of the Civil War in the West.

Customer Reviews:

A quick account of the West's major battle........2006-09-12

I read this book before touring the battlefield at Pecos National Historical Park because the Alberts book had no reviews. This book is a well-written once-over-lightly account for people who are not Civil War specialists. As such, it is clearly written and devotes more space to Fort Craig and the battle at Valverde than does Alberts. However, I kept wondering how the action described filled up so much time.

I have two criticisms of this book. First, it is published in a very awkward size that is difficult to hold and does not easily fit onto my crowded Civil War bookshelves. Second, its maps are not in the standard format. Rather, they draw in the terrain and then locate the forces using standardized figures with each figure representing a number of men. They are interesting but not what one normally finds in books about CW battles.

The park ranger recommended Don E. Alberts's "The Battle of Glorieta: Union Victory in the West" as being very detailed. I agree. If you do not read a lot of Civil War books and just want a quick overview of the New Mexico campaign, the current book is perfect for you. However, if you read a lot of CW books, go for the Alberts book.

EXCELLENT !.......2000-06-22

I think this account of the battle of Glorieta will never be surpassed. After writing an superb book 'bout the battle of Valverde, Taylor, together with Edrington, somehow manages to write another great book. This time the important battle of Glorieta is described very vivid and also the maps, as in Bloody Valverde, really help you to get into the whole dynamics of this conflict. It's really very, very interesting and every serious Civil War interested person should study this book carefully !

A good review of an little known U.S. Civil War Battle..........2000-02-01

This was a pleasant suprise about a battle that I knew little about. I don't know if I would call it the "Gettysburg" in the West. The Battle of Shiloh is the only battle that comes close to Gettysburg when it comes to mass of troops and casualties. However, this little known battle was strategically important for the Confederacy as they tried to spread their power west and their ultimate goal of obtaining the gold of California and Nevada and also obtaining official recognition by Mexico. The author does a good job explain the background of the Confederate troops (Texans) and the expidition they were on, as well as the Union troops (mostly Colorado volunteers) meant to stop them in their tracks. The Battle of Glorietta Pass did have significant casualties on both sides, however the ultimate key factor for Union victory was the destruction of the Confederate's supply train. I recommend this book to any Civil War enthusiast who wants to read about a different, little known but significant battle of the Civil War.

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Heroes of Glorieta Pass
Brad E. Hainsworth , and Richard Vetterli
Manufacturer: Deseret Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1590384741
Release Date: 2005-09-09

Product Description

Heroes of Glorieta Pass is a compelling, unforgettable story of love, loyalty, intrigue, and war, set in Americas western territories during the Civil War. The Confederacy attempted to split California from the Union, controlling access to the West by blocking commerce and immigration along the Platte River Trails, and gaining access to the mineral wealth of the Southwest. These efforts affected the lives of many, including Latter-day Saints, testing their vision of the future and their loyalty to the Constitution and to their war-torn nation. This story of those people and times concludes with a critical and thrilling battle fought between Union and Confederate forces high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, along the Santa Fe Trail at Glorieta Pass. This page turner presents a fascinating new perspective on the Civil War.

The Battle at Valley's Ranch: First account of the Gettysburg of the West, 1862

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The Battle at Valley's Ranch: First account of the Gettysburg of the West, 1862

Manufacturer: San Pedro Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The Battle of Glorieta (Texas A & M University Military History)

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Victory of the Pikes Peakers
Glorieta in detail

The Battle of Glorieta (Texas A & M University Military History)
Don E. Alberts
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1585441007

Customer Reviews:

Victory of the Pikes Peakers.......2007-03-24

I really enjoyed Alberts' well researched account of the climactic battle that doomed Southern ambitions in New Mexico and Confederate ambitions in the West. The book is well written and easy to read. Alberts is very familiar with the battlefields and uses maps to show troop positions and movements in the battles in Glorieta Pass. The book includes a good introduction of the campaign and troop movements to the area as well as the aftermath and southern retreat to Southern New Mexico. An Order of Battle and extensive end notes are helpfull and he even gives brief accounts of the fates of the major players in the campaign.

Glorieta in detail.......2006-09-12

Before taking the battlefield tour at Pecos National Historical Park, I read the other book on the battle because this one had no reviews. The park ranger recommended this one as having a lot of detail, and he was correct. Edrington and Taylor's book is good for a quick once over and for non-specialists. However, if you want to read about this battle in detail and/or you read a lot of Civil War books, this is the book to read. For non-specialists, he provides reviews of basic army organization and weaponry.

The author lives in the area and has spend many years researching the battle and the field including locating the sites of specific actions by the use of metal detectors and analysis of the materials found.

The book concentrates on the two-day battle and its immediate aftermath which have to be considered a Union victory. Although the Union forces retreated at the end of the both days, they were not driven off the field. Plus, a Union flank maneuver put these forces onto the lightly guarded Confederate wagon train, which the Union forces proceeded to destroy. With the destruction of their train in this poor area, the Confederate advance into New Mexico was effectively ended. The final chapter reviews the subsequent careers of the major participants.

The endnotes are excellent, and the maps are standard format (unlike in the other book).

Battle of Glorieta Pass: The Colorado Volunteers in the Civil War

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Battle of Glorieta Pass: The Colorado Volunteers in the Civil War
William Whitford
Manufacturer: Rio Grande Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Hey, it's not such a bad novel
Perils of Pauline, caught between armies
A Romance Novel
A GENTLEMAN'S BATTLE
a fair bit of room for improvement

Glorieta Pass
P. G. Nagle
Manufacturer: Forge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0312865481

Book Description

As the Civil War tears its way across America four lives are swept up and forever changed: a Colorado miner who captains a volunteer Union company; a young Texan who becomes a quartermaster in the Confederate Army; a Union lieutenant with a terrible secret; and a young Boston lady in the care of her uncle. These four lives will become intertwined by the bloody battle of Glorieta, and irrevocably changed by the shattering experience of war.

Customer Reviews:

Hey, it's not such a bad novel.......2001-01-15

Sure, Nagle didn't make the Texans sound as ferocious as they really were at valverde, or glorieta pass, nor did she write in much detail about the fighting or the smaller engagements(fort fillmoore,alamosa). But she deserves much praise, how many authors have paid attention to the forgotten war for the far west? Yes, i agree, it was a little too much of a love story, instead of paying attention to the fighing in the pass, it was more centered around her nursing the wounded lieutenant at pigeon's ranch, and being a guy, she did make us sound like fat, drunk, slobs. but remember. it doesnt take place in a well civilized area. most of the men out there probably were a lot like that. Even though most of the people who write reviews on this run this to the ground and make it sound like a terrible story. Dont let this stop you from buying it. it is a pretty good story and it will lead you to the sequel" The Guns of Valverde", which is a much better job and follows the texan retreat from the territory. being only 15 years old, and finding it very hard to find information on this underrated and neglected campaign, i think Nagle deserves better reviews than she's getting.

Perils of Pauline, caught between armies.......2000-09-16

Historians and novelists seem to traditionally fixate on those great battles of the US Civil War fought in the East - Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg. Occasional attention is paid to the equally great battles in the West - Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga. It's therefore both refreshing and unusual, in GLORIETA PASS, for a writer to focus on that forgotten backwater of the conflict, the Southwest - specifically New Mexico in this historical novel.

There are five main characters (and a regiment's worth of minor ones I won't mention). Jamie Russell is one of three sons of a Texas family who join the Southern Cause. Jamie marches west, his two brothers east (and out of the plot.) Lacey McIntyre is a lieutenant in the regular US Army stationed in the New Mexico Territory at the outbreak of the rebellion. Lacey's family is from Tennessee, so his loyalty to the Union is tenuous at best. Alastar "Red" O'Brien is an illiterate Irishman working the Colorado mines near Denver. He organizes a group of his fellows into a unit of the Colorado Volunteers, and is awarded a captaincy by the state's governor. Also in Red's unit is Charles Franklin, an Eastern dandy that becomes one of Red's lieutenants. Finally, there is Laura Howland, a young woman recently orphaned, who is invited to New Mexico by her dead father's brother. Suffice it to say that all players come together at GLORIETA PASS, the book's climactic Blue vs. Gray encounter.

The military action proceeds at a relatively sedate pace. But, since the facts of it were passably researched by the author for background material, and I knew relatively little about this theater of the war, the novel held my interest in that respect. With the exception of Jamie, the female author characterizes the principal male players as usually drunk, loutish, treacherous, or otherwise in the grip of base passions. (Men are such brutes!) It's virtuous Laura, the story line's Female in Distress, around whom much of the action coalesces, especially as she attracts the attention of just about all the love-starved male leads at one point or another. Most intriguing is the Charles Franklin character, a very unusual trooper. And, it's a measure of the reader's perception as to how soon he/she can answer the question "What's going on with this guy?"

The book doesn't measure up to THE KILLER ANGELS, or even the prequel and sequel to that classic, GODS AND GENERALS and THE LAST FULL MEASURE, respectively. However, it's still fairly good, especially if you're a Civil War buff. I also suggest that it will appeal to women as much as men, if not more.

A Romance Novel.......2000-08-27

This book belongs in the Romance Section! She picked a good subject that sells, because little has been written about the CSA in the West. I just wish someone would write an unbiased accurate account. I was so disappointed in this book. I had hoped to learn some real history regarding the original CSA of Arizona & New Mexico. This book is Anti CSA and Yankee driven pc. I know for a fact that there were many Southern Sympathizers in New Mexico, Colorado & Arizona. Arizona is the 13th Star of the Confederacy and New Mexico was a Territory. The author painted Southernors as drunks, ill kept hoodlums with poor military tactiles. She gave little account to actual history and culture of these Southern States.

Furthermore, her admirers are definitely of the Anti Dr. Laura persuasion and pc Anti Southern bigotry.

A GENTLEMAN'S BATTLE.......2000-06-09

Since I also wrote a novel with a Glorieta battlefield connection, I really appreciate P.G. Nagle's careful research about what happened. Although my concept of the Texans who fought the battle are more brutal, I'm sure there were tea parties and shopping among the officers' wives. A little mild but this novel deserves five stars.

a fair bit of room for improvement.......2000-05-20

I find it extremely difficult to give this book three stars. I had eagerly wished to see a book on this topic and hate very much to have to give one a lukewarm review, but I can't honestly do otherwise.

The difficulty lies mainly in character development. The problem is that the character development is so tardy and iffy as to detract from the entire book. Characters are referred to by either first or last name (almost never both) so frequently it is never easy to keep track of who is who. Physical descriptions are almost completely absent. The characters go on to have definite tendencies and personalities; however, by the time you identify these, the book has gone on for some time and you still have no idea how to picture them.

Book Description

In a territory where there were no enslaved blacks and statehood was still fifty years off, the most unlikely campaign of the Civil War was being launched. Seth Russel, a naive youth from Texas, finds himself leading a troop of lancers in the Confederate Army invading the territory of New Mexico. War, the cruelest of educators, teaches Seth the origins and the meaning of courage. From Teresa Donley, beautiful wife of the territorial governor, this man/child learns of the enchantment and the heart break of forbidden love.

The Battle Of Glorieta: The Union Victory in the West

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The Battle Of Glorieta: The Union Victory in the West
Don E. Alberts
Manufacturer: Texas A&M Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IN52WK

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