Highly Embellished Truth & Some Poetry: Just Folks Three [Paperback]

Jerry W. Engler (Author), Jerry W. Engler et al (Editor), Sheri Lauren Schmidt (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 2008

The book includes a variety of 30 short stories and 30 poems. It showcases why many authors, reviewers and readers call Engler one of the more versatile and newly creative writers they have encountered. The stories are predominantly humor, but also include history, nostalgia and poignancy. They are usually uplifting, but you can find a serious one here and there. The stories cover many bases whether your great loves are romance, the supernatural or animals. There always seems to be present that insightful humor which has people comparing Engler to the likes of Mark Twain and O. Henry. The poems are of a great variety from the inspirational and humorous, to the earthy and tongue-in-cheek. They include the epic World War II poem, Oh My Father, already becoming a classic among veterans and their families. The stories bring the total number of stories published in Engler's books to 140.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jerry Engler is, indeed, one person in this world with the talent and the knack of spinning a lyrical tale that make the hair on the back of my arms stand up, that chokes my throat with emotion, and that tugs at the melancholy of my heart till the tears flow. His poem, You'll Be Back Again, is one of my favorites, and yet but another of his many masterpieces. In their lifetimes, Mark Twain captured the soul of America from one coast to another with his folksy charm, and the great Kahlil Gibran stirred our hearts and emotions with the phrasing, wisdom and insight of his classic work, The Prophet. Comes now our own Jerry Engler with a style that rightfully has earned hm the accolade, The Voice of the Heartland. I say, without reservation, that Jerry Engler is a national treasure. --Richard Orey, author of The Paradise of Revenge, a sizzling psychological drama novel, and Mother Teresa, a poetic tale of a modern-day saint, Chula Vista, California.

Jerry Engler is one of my favorite storytellers and one of the most versatile writers I have come across in a decade. His stories are like photographs taken unawares, photographs that capture human nature at its best, worst and quirkiest with humor, warmth and startling accuracy. Reading his latest volume was like opening a treasure chest. I found myself laughing at the sly antics of Harlan Medlam. I was deliciously chilled by the visions of Anna Marie, an old woman nearing the end of her days on earth. I was warmed by Bob-A-Long Sings a Different Song, a story that illustrates that people are sometimes more than what they seem to be. The volume also features a delightful collecton of poetry including the heartfelt tribute, Oh My Father, and Twilight Window, a thought provoking poem about growing old. With prose ranging from whimsical and folksy to heartbreakingly tender, Highly Embellished Truth And Some Poetry: Just Folks Three, is a treasure you'll want to keep on your book shelf to enjoy again and again. --M. Jean Pike, Author of Heatherfield and other novels, Dansville, New York.

Once you delve into the world of Jerry Engler, you're hooked! Jerry skillfully weaves portraits of the heartland like few other authors ever have. Each of his short stories leaves a unique and distinct impression created by the perfect blend of Jerry's own life experience and his delightful imagination. You will fall in love with Jerry's colorful salt-of-the-earth characters as they take you on a journey back to simpler times and stronger values. Further, this particular book gives you a peek straight into Jerry's heart as he gifts us with his beautiful poetry revealing a side of himself many of his readers may not have had the pleasure to know. So, whether you're in the mood for down home campfire-style tales or poignant, reflective musings, this book has it all! --Gianetta, Ellis, Author and Artist, Black Ash, Pennsylvania.

About the Author

Jerry Engler grew up on a family farm southwest of Topeka, Ks., between Auburn and Pauline with a large extended family an important part of his life. He has written for daily and weekly newspapers, and for magazines, with many hundeds f articles published for readers mostly in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He was a farm editor for the Topeka Capital-Journal and for Farm Talk at Pasons, Ks. He shared ownership of the Enterprise-Chronicle at Burlingame and the Chase County Leader-News at Cottonwood Falls. He once took a long leave from writing, while maintaining interests in agriculture and a wholesale greenhouse business, because he says he got tired of always writing about what other people were doing, and doing nothing himself. So, he says, he has returned to include everything in his stories because it's time to. He also writes articles for the Hillsboro Free Press. He says, Don't write anymore of this because it's sounding like an obituary, and I haven't woke up dead yet.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Six-Mile Roots Publishing; first edition (December 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977125521
• ISBN-13: 978-0977125524
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,507,993 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)