The Oboe Every occupation is marked with a boring monotony. With these words Dimitri would console himself every evening when he walked into the Opera House, swinging his oboe, nod to other orchestra players without a word, open the case and draw out his inseparable instrument, gently touching it with his short fingers. Then the huge chandelier would gradually fade like an old oil lamp, late arrivals would hurry to their seats as the conductor stepped onto the podium, raised his baton and the performance would begin. If it was a famous opera singer performing any particular night, Dimitri would occasionally rise during his pauses, standing on tiptoe to better see and hear the visiting singer. Otherwise the monotony was hardly ever broken. It was the same for the last thirty-five years, ever since Dimitri first joined Tbilisi Opera House orchestra when the great Sarajishvili performed as Abesalom and Don Jose. The same over and over again. Dimitri knew all the classical operas by heart. New and interesting was hard to compose, so there was nothing to stir the old music lover like Dimitri during the premiere rehearsals. Of course, every premiere was followed by reviews praising the director and lead singers, mentioning somewhere at the end that the orchestra sounded wonderful. That was it. Dimitri had never heard any other words of praise provided his oboe was included in this wonderful sound. True, along with some other orchestra players, Dimitri was awarded a medal for being part of the wartime orchestras entertaining the wounded World War II soldiers. Also, together with other players, he was formally thanked for his good work, but it always was along with some other and together with other players. Oh, no! Never had Dimitri even for a second considered himself any better than his fellow-players. He had never wished to be placed above them for his professionalism or any other reason. Never, but sometimes, on his way to the Opera or at bedtime, he would recall his young days in the village, girls, boys, the elders and his flute. How many had enjoyed his flute, how many hearts he made race faster, how many elderly people had kissed his forehead, asking the child to play more and clap for yet more. Those quickened heartbeats, those grateful kisses and encores belonged to him, were his and nobody elses! But the city seemed to have swallowed the lad. In a way, Dimitris talent ended up diluted, lost among thousands like his or even better than his. Now it was those thousands that kisses were addressed to, others caused the listeners hearts to race, it was others who received all the clapping. True, Dimitri was part of it, but only as a small part, like a drop in a mighty waterfall. Gradually, Dimitri got accustomed to daytime rehearsals, evening performances and getting home late at night... Daily rehearsals, evening performances... But wait, something unusual happened that evening, returning to the nameless musician the joy and happiness he hadnt felt since his childhood. That evening Daisi was performed. Dimitri didnt open his oboe case when he returned home from the rehearsal. He just wrapped it in a fresh newspaper and at about seven in the evening set back to the Opera. It was some time already that he took to wrapping his oboe in a newspaper. Once a group of tipsy lads had mocked Dimitri. Saying he was as short as his instrument, they laughed, adding they wouldnt hurt him out of pity. Dimitri didnt confront them, uttered not a word, but began wrapping the oboe case in a newspaper. Now too, he was trying to get through the crowds along the pavement. No one noticed him, no one made way for him. As if Dimitri wasnt there at all. The sea of people didnt in the least care whether he was wa

The Old Man of the Mountain: The ‘Trial’ of the Assassin He was a powerful influencing reference as Britain’s Bernard Lewis, who would become the foremost authority on Islamic history and traditions, traced the origins of the 'Assassin sect' in the Shi’ite branch of Islam and began to chronicle both their doctrines and the life of their enigmatic founder, the legendary “Old Man of the Mountain.” The Assassins were the first group to make planned, systematic, and long-term use of murder as a political weapon, and their ideals and methods have since found many imitators. Bernard Lewis was just about to publish, in 1967, one of his first books entitled the “The Assassins.” Once published it was to be the most comprehensive, readable, and authoritative account of history’s first terrorists. When Lewis’ book was published Dr. Ahmed Abdulla did take some exceptions on one major historical account but in all he was very pleased with the historical context of Lewis’ factual history. Where they differed would continue to be preserved and concealed, unknowingly, in Lewis’ account as one of the most guarded secrets in the history of the assassin’s legacy. Ahmed and Iran’s self-imposed exiled Ayatollah Khomeini, allegedly, were two of the very few Shi’ites in the world that knew about this well guarded secret. As descendants of the “Old Man” each was entrusted with continuing to pass the legacy down through history until the call would come to carryout the assassination. However, it was the one called Ahmed didn’t want to get because it was diametrically in opposition to his principles of democracy, tolerance and religion.

On September 11, 1857, a group of Mormons aided by Paiute Indians brutally murdered some 120 men, women, and children traveling through a remote region of southwestern Utah. Within weeks, news of the atrocity spread across the United States. But it took until 1874—seventeen years later—before a grand jury finally issued indictments against nine of the perpetrators. Mountain Meadows Massacre chronicles the prolonged legal battle to gain justice for the victims. The editors of this two-volume collection of documents have combed public and private manuscript collections from across the United States to reconstruct the complex legal proceedings that occurred in the massacre’s aftermath. This exhaustively researched compilation covers a nearly forty-year history of investigation and prosecution—from the first reports of the massacre to the dismissal of the last indictment in 1896. Of special importance in Volume 2 are the transcripts of legal proceedings against John D. Lee—many of which the editors have transcribed anew from the shorthand. The two trials against Lee led to his confession, conviction, and ultimately his execution on the massacre site in 1877, all documented in this volume. Historians have long debated the circumstances surrounding the Mountain Meadows Massacre, one of the most disturbing and controversial events in American history, and painful questions linger to this day. This invaluable, exhaustively researched collection allows readers the opportunity to form their own conclusions about the forces behind this dark moment in western U.S. history.

USA Today bestselling author: With a gun, a badge, and a thirst for vengeance, Smoke Jensen goes after a band of brutal bank robbers . . . Smoke Jensen stands as a force of will in the lawless west. Messing with his wife is a bad idea . . . Into the Valley of Death Sally has traveled to the silver-mining town of Goth, Colorado, to open a restaurant with a friend. That's where she crosses paths with five bank robbers in a hurry to strike it rich. With the local sheriff lying dead in a pool of blood, Sally fights for her life while a frontier surgeon tries to work a miracle. Burning with fury, armed with a gun and a badge, Smoke Jensen goes on the hunt—a posse of one against a gang of outlaws more dangerous than he can know. Soon, Smoke is being lured into a trap at a place called Black Canyon—a deep, dark valley of death, from which only one man will emerge alive . . .

Stories and poems on Colorado subjects dedicated mostly to people living in Denver. Includes the author's roll of honor (subscribers).

MOUNTAIN MAFIA IS A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BLACK HAND AND MAFIA in the Rocky Mountain region. It brings to life some of the more colorful leaders in the West's organized crime operations throughout the 20th century, including Roma, Colletti, and the Smaldones. Especially examined is the famous court case of "Scotty" Spinuzzi, who was acquitted of murder "because no one saw the bullet leave the gun." Also mentioned is the connection these western mobsters had with notorious crime members in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.