Customer Reviews

Barrelhouse Boys

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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!!

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.

Enjoyable, entertaining, interesting, enthralling and humorous, decently written.

Certainly a noble first effort.

Definitely fills a niche.

Could be a bestseller in the midwest.

Has entertaining family movie potential, could provide a good basis for a good, light, humorous family film.

When I was in college, my American Literature professor, Dr. Rhodes, was a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He introduced me to Willa Cather through one of her books, Death Comes To The Archbishop. Later, when I married my Nebraskan, I went the Willa
Cather home in Red Cloud and left with a copy of each of her books that were for sale there. Willa Cather was just one of the many colorful non-fictional characters in Barrelhouse Boys. Over the years, I have read other books about Nebraska, Pioneer Women comes to mind.
But Barrelhouse Boys is the best. Historical fiction is one of my favorites, and this is an adventure from start to finish. Barrelhouse Boys is a must read for anyone interested in turn of the century action in the American midwest. As the author Joel Williamsen
said "All of this could have happened - A fair amount actually did".

Excellent book and a very enjoyable read. Great character development, really get involved in their lives; both the good guys and the bad guys. Conversations between the characters flows very naturally. Extremely interesting historical perspectives, appreciate the author completing the research necessary to ensure the details are realistic and brings history to life.

I really enjoyed the Barrelhouse Boys. This is a western/historical fiction/action drama that provides an entertaining story of the gaslight Midwest. Williamsen brings out the richness of the period when the American identity is transitioning from cowboys and farms to big business and cities. The story is centered about real events with some historical personalities thrown in, giving it a feel of credibility and connection to reality, and the story is fun and the characters, both real and fictional, are compelling and interesting. I highly recommended the Barrelhouse Boys.

fun, interesting book for those of us in Nebraska. Not so sure that people not from this state or those who don't enjoy history of the state and/or the railroad, would enjoy as much as I did.

I actually went to elementary school with Joel, so many names and places he uses are what I grew up with. The book starts a little slow, detailing all the characters, but it gets really good and exciting after the first 50 pages. He does a good job of telling stories that parents and grandparents told of times during the turn of the century. He also does a good job of showing how an event can change a persons view of life for many years. He does this with many of the characters in the book.

It is a great book, that gives a good look into the time period of 1890's in the plains, and especially Nebraska.