I invite your comments about my books and/or public presentations that I have done for your college/university or organization. Here are some comments and critical assessments that I have already received:

Dear friends,
After 3 years in undergraduate and 2 years in grad school (so far), I am exhausted… especially with reading.
But I read a book that has just been released this summer, written by my friend, Dr. Charles Robinson, at the University of Arkansas that made me love to read again! It is a historical fiction placed in the time during the transitions from slavery and emancipation in Arkansas. I said historical, yes, but if you think history is a dry as old crackers (as do I, sorry Charles), this book will change your mind.
Taking the facts of historical documents, Dr. Robinson has helped me to understand the real struggles of real people, the reality of history and in so doing, I have discovered the reality of today. Facts that my brain could not retain, became real to my heart. The book is tender, and sweet, informative, and gripping. It will make you cry, it’ll make you hold your breath, it’ll make you think, it’ll make you ask questions, it’ll make you reevaluate, and, If you’ve ever been loved, it’ll make you remember what it felt like to be loved again.
Angela

Mr. Robinson,
I just wanted to e-mail you and say I really liked the book. I found the story so captivating I couldn’t put it down. I’m from Phillips County, Ark so the story was especially interesting to me. I grew up about 5 miles North of the Desha County line (though HWY 44 aka HWY 85 abruptly stops, and the part where I’m from is cut off from the rest of Desha County- thus making one drive all the way up and around to reach Arkansas City) I did some research and now I’m very curious to know if the I. Bankston listed as Desha County Sheriff 1876-Jan.11,1884 is the real person you based your character in story on? The ending was sad, I wanted happily ever after, but understand that in those times one could’t always get what they wanted. I still really enjoyed the book and hope to read more of your books as they are published. And thank you again for bringing me a copy, I had a pleasure reading it.
Johnna Sanderlin (Hper building)

Hey Charles,
Overall, I really liked the book. The story was amazing, gripping, and almost unbelievable in parts, but I’m guessing you stuck to the real historical narrative. I also didn’t see the duel between Ike and Coates coming until it happened and it was shocking–I was hoping Ike and Missouri would move to Chicago or something, but, sigh, it was never meant to be. The characters were all well drawn, and you did a good job with Martha, whom we want to dislike, but she must have suffered a great deal of embarrassment over the whole thing. I did wonder a few times if Ike’s brothers and dad were really as progressive as they seemed, but I think being raised by Molly must have changed their views a bit–though I wondered if that was toward all African-Americans or just her family. I also wondered about the use of the term “woman of color.” Did people use that back then or is that something later historians and the like have used? Would Ike have used that or would he have used something else? It jumps out at the reader because it’s in the last sentence of the first paragraph.
There were a few times when the historian came through a little too strongly for me–a bit too much exposition here and there that could’ve maybe been worked into the story. Instead of talking about seccession, for example, you could’ve had the characters engage in a debate in town or something like that. You might also hint at what the other whites thought of the Bankstons and their relationship with Molly–if that was a source of comment in the neighborhood for example. Finally, I prefer reading “said” after a spoken sentence than the various ways other ways: “stated,” “remarked,” etc. People sort of read over “said” and so I don’t see too many instances when it needs to be fancier–of course that’s just my opinion.
All in all, I thought it was a fascinating story that you did a great job of telling. In fact, I found it far more exciting and interesting than “Cold Mountain” which was the last novel I read set in the same period and frankly didn’t care less about the characters in it. Now if only you’d sell a few hundred thousand copies of it like Frasier did.
Well, that’s my two cents,
Jason

Dr. Rob,
Without writing too much, this was a great book. I would definitely recommend that you use this as one of the books for your class. I rank it right up there with Celia. I was intrigued by the way you wrote along with the story line and stayed very much with the tumult that was going on politically with the war and rights of freedmen. There were lots of tragic characters for sure with Ike, Missouri, Martha, and the kids. My favorite character was Molly…I loved her determination throughout and how she stood up for herself. I especially was able to picture the environment having been raised in the delta on a cotton farm, it hit very close to home. I was raised, albeit in the 20th century, by a housekeeper who just happened to be black. My grandfather was a lot like Ignatius, in that he never saw the color of ones skin and he taught me never to see that as well. I like to tell the stories of him taking me to the black juke joints to listen to the blues on Sunday afternoon. Not many people my age were able to have those experinces and I treasure them. I wished that i had finished my minor in African American History, I only needed two classes. I am going to recommend this book to some of my friends…I want give them my copy…I will have them buy it Ha ha. Have a great semester and thanks again for everything.
Kenny

If you’ve read any of my books or articles or attended any of my lectures, please feel free to leave me some criticism.