Barrelhouse Boys [Paperback]

Joel Williamsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2009

It is 1894, and Nebraska's glittering state capital draws young Bud Gardner away from drought and poverty towards a precarious existence within his uncle's saloon, extended family and eccentric circle of bootleggers. But amidst the whores, oddballs, and shady characters of Lincoln's Haymarket district, Bud discovers Anna Marie, a fiery Czech girl-and the deadly forces that connect Chicago 's railroad strikes, Omaha's slaughterhouse riots, a grisly Lincoln train wreck, and a local black man that has "conveniently" been accused of causing it. Weaving together an intriguing storyline with the real historical events and luminaries of turn-of-the-century Lincoln, Nebraska, including John J. Pershing (commanding the Nebraska Corps of Cadets), Willa Cather (reporter for the State Journal), and Charles Dawes (lawyer and future Nobel Peace laureate), Barrelhouse Boys is a fictional romp through the gaslight era that shouldn't be missed. Nebraska Life Magazine: "Full of unexpected twists...vivid detail and lively dialogue. One inspired novel." Omaha World-Herald: "A fascinating event in Nebraska history...refreshingly readable...great historical facts and a likable hero...with mystery, romance, bigotry and riots." Lincoln Journal Star: "Rookie author Joel Williamsen creates an intriguing work of historical fiction. "The Barrelhouse Boys" is a mystery about a fatal Lincoln train wreck that might be connected to slaughterhouse riots in Omaha and railroad riots in Chicago. ... His interest in and extensive research of the history of his home state is evident in his first novel." Fremont Daily Tribune: "... Those who buy the book can see Williamsen's puzzle-solving and fact-ferreting skills. ... a puzzle -- an 1890s train wreck that remains a mystery ..."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Joel Williamsen is a Nebraska native raised in rural Alder Grove, south of the mighty metropolis of Craig. He attended Oakland-Craig high school and graduated as an engineer from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He has worked for the Army on anti-tank missiles, for NASA as a spacecraft engineer on the Hubble Space Telescope, Space Station and Deep Impact programs, and is now a Pentagon research analyst specializing in aircraft and missile live fire test and evaluation. This is his first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 536 pages
• Publisher: Joel Williamsen (November 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615333168
• ISBN-13: 978-0615333168
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,644,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Barrelhouse Boys is a Barrel of Fun and Facts!, December 15, 2009

By 

Susan Kotas "SUHsan" (Nebraska) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barrelhouse Boys (Paperback)

What a fantastic book! The factual details interwoven with a group of characters I felt like I knew were great to follow. Thank you most of all for the maps, photos, and chapter explanations in the back that helped sort the history from the fiction. I've spent years trying to track down similar information on Sandoz' "Captial City" to no avail.
I'm looking forward to your next book - perhaps bootleg beer during prohibition?
You'd have to be a hlupak (fool, idiot) not to enjoy this book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Historical Fiction, December 14, 2009

By 

T. Santmire (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Barrelhouse Boys (Paperback)

First and foremost this book is a great read. It is easy to identify with the characters and pleasant to follow their development throughout the book. I stayed up way past my normal bedtime several nights reading the book. There are a number of different plot lines taking place in parallel so there is always something to anticipate.

The historical detail is very accurate. I lived in Lincoln for 16 years and the references to the geography, society, industry, state politics, etc. are very true to what I have learned about Lincoln and Nebraska History.

The ending is also quite good. Many authors can't seem to figure out how to end a book. Mr. Williamsen however does a very nice job.

Highly recommended!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cheers to the Barrelhouse Boys, January 7, 2010

By 

Sansha Y. Landholm - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barrelhouse Boys (Paperback)

The way Joel weaves facts and real places into this historical fiction book while keeping your interest is superb. Since I grew up in the Alder Grove area and graduated from Craig High School, I found this to be a delightful read. It also provided a deeper appreciation of the rural life situations and circumstances during that era. I highly recommend this book.