Hard Candy Christmas Dolly Parton

As an economist, congressman, and House majority leader, Dick Armey has been one of the most outspoken and highly visible conservatives of the last few decades. His principled positions– he’ s for limited government, low taxes, and free enterprise– and his straight-shooting style have made him one of today’ s most popular and respected Republican leaders. Now, in Armey’ s Axioms, he presents a lively, folksy collection of forty concise lessons on politics, power, faith, and life, illustrated with anecdotes drawn from Armey’ s own experiences on Capitol Hill and down home in Texas. Brimming with such catchy titles as " You Can’ t Get Your Finger on the Problem if You’ ve Got It to the Wind, " " Conservatives Believe It when They See It, Liberals See It when They Believe It, " and " If Ifs and Buts Were Candy and Nuts, We Would All Have a Merry Christmas, " this book offers insights and maxims that skewer liberals and extol traditional values. Armey presents dozens of pithy, humorous essays with astute observations such as: You can’ t stand on principle with feet of clayIf you love peace more than freedom, you loseInsecurity is an audacity in light of the Lord’ s promise: " I will never leave you nor forsake you" Your worst enemies are your best friendsNinety percent of all talk is unnecessaryYou can’ t get ahead while you’ re getting evenPolitics sooner or later makes a fool out of everyone Funny, provocative, and down-to-earth, Armey’ s Axioms will delight, surprise, and satisfy his legion of devoted fans, conservatives, and any reader not yet familiar with his often-quotedtruths.

Here is a perspective on contemporary country music's stars, promoters, and fans. It shows how this vibrant culture evolved from rustic radio programs based in the American South to become an international phenomenon charged by aggressive promotion of recording artists and an extended network of performers and fans unparalleled in other forms of popular music. Here the Grand Ole Opry is likened to the mother church, with the Carter family and Jimmie Rodgers as its tragic troubadours who passed the torch for plaintive anthems to Hank Williams and Patsy Cline. Elvis Presley provided an icon for spiritual devotion. Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Reba McEntire have carved popular images of strong, successful women, while Garth Brooks, country music's most vibrant financial success, plays out an image of sensitive masculinity. Drawing upon a diverse range of sources - literary and scholarly works, fan magazines and music business publications, biographies of country music stars, recordings, radio and television programs, and motion pictures - Country Music Culture is based on the author's firsthand observations of more than seventy-five live concerts and public events.