This well written book is a "must have" for those who enjoy exploring the desert. The authors personable writing style, trip routes, and historical information make this a good book. But, the authors illustrated love of the desert and it's solitude and beauty make this a fantastic book. Those who love exploring the desert will treasure this book. I have a hundred or so books about the deserts, and this one is in the top three. When I need to relax from the days work load, I open this book; I'm taken from my office into the desert; My office chair becomes the front seat of my jeep, desert breeze in my face, while ghosts of yesterday's jackass miners abound.

Guidebooks are a particular fascination of mine. Where to go, what to see, and how to get there, all form the basis of many a road trip. Desert Dancing, a new book devoted to the California desert country, goes beyond being a simple A to B guidebook. Len Wilcox has put together a volume of information that takes you along as he explores the region. In a friendly, and enjoyable manner Len writes of his personal adventures off-roading in the rugged reaches of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, as well as Death Valley. It is obvious Len is one of the new generation of Rainbow Chasers - those who ventured West in search of gold. However, it is not the gold of the 49'ers Len is seeking, it is the gold that lies in the history of the people and places of the Desert lands. Subtitled, Exploring the Land, the People, the Legends of the California Deserts, Desert Dancing introduces not just the wonders of the desert, but some of the people who make the small towns and wide spots more interesting than any city in the world. Desert Dancing reads like the journal of a friend, who, in a highly readable style, shares with you a wonderful trip. Excellent research, combined with an in-person familiarity of the subject at hand, makes this a necessary volume for anyone considering a trip into the desert, or for the armchair explorer who wants to gain a sense of what the desert is all about.

Wow! This book places you right there, there in the desert. You can feel the heat, see the the old west as it was and what it has become. Wilcox seems to take you on a trip without you ever leaving your seat. This books makes you want to pack up your vehicle and head to the desert. But don't leave home without the book, you'll get lost in that vast sea of sand without it. Read this book and you'll enjoy what the California desert really has to offer. Water, water,water, please!

living in virginia beach we recently were warned of hurricane floyd was coming through. i was reading mr. wozny's book "desert delivernce". i was surprised at the many good ideas he pointed out. in case we lost electricity we were prepared to be with out water for a few days. we also had newspaper to burn in the fireplace in case of cool weather. we also had a way to cook with solar energy if we had too. we were lucky floyd slipped by us. but we were prepared. thank you mr. wozny for good ideas you can use now before y2k. by the way the town of franklin, virginia lost all power and have been with out water now and will be with out water and electricity for 10 more days. michael shelby, virginia beach, virginia

I was amazed to discover the many resources available in desert living, and how economical it would be.I'm contemplating moving to San Filipe also.After reading this book I did some research myself on the Web and I was quite impressed with "Eldorado Ranch" near San Filipe. It sounds like a paradise to me. Obviously this author has done his homework well.Maybe I'll meet him and his wife there and they can teach me a bit about solar cooking.

Steger's John W. Wozny is busy again with another book. "desert deliverance; a survival guide Y2K" isn't written to scare anyone, but to teach people what needs to be done in any emergency. "Most of it is good common sense", says theauthor. Wozny writes about his "new" winter home on the Sea of Cortez and how different life is there in the winter months. Wozny is a good writer and there is much to be learned from his book.

Lovely. Simply lovely. Already a very complex character, Kjars grows a soul and maybe even develops a smidgin of conscience. Time has passed since those wild days in the desert, regaling the Peach band with twisted passages of Mein Kampf. Kjars is no longer the dedicated brownshirt he once was-the War and the Party itself have pretty well beaten that out of him. Now he's stuck leading a rag tag band of Army soldiers through what is left of Germany. He's poorly suited to leadership and no one is more ready to remind him of that than Udo Schmidt, the one constant who has stuck with Kjars through every infuriating moment of the War. The challenge ahead for Kjars is trying to avoid the enemy (the Americans) and keep away from not-so-friendly "friends" (the SS.)

The art is stark and darkly contrasted. Donna Barr expertly paints the mood of paranoia and bitter longing as she asks the difficult question, "If you had lost everything you ever believed in, could you still do the right thing?" Kjars doesn't have anything more to give and when the order comes down to execute civilian prisoners, he's got very little reason to resist...

Donna Barr outdoes herself with Miki. Read it read it read it. Even if you've never read any other Desert Peach books, Miki is a fascinating, rewarding journey into the human heart. War brings out the worst in most, but for once, it brings out the best in Kjars.

Time Magazine voted Rommel "The Desert Fox" as the century's "Best Dressed Man" but, we know who was picking out his daily ensembles, his pretty younger brother the 'cheerful' "Desert Peach". "The Desert Peach", lovely Fruit of the sands never fails to amuse and this is a wonderful introduction to him. As his "origin story" I can think of no better way to start the "Peach" series. Plus, its a good "coming out" story. The author has great command of history, horses, military life and German culture (she should, she's a German American who met her husband while serving in the Army and is also an acomplished horsewoman)and I give her extra points for her German-to-English footnotes and historical humor. Proving she's not only witty but, also intelligent. So, to those who already know the "Peach", here's a look back at the good old, bad old days. And to those who've not yet met him, here's a fine how-do-ya-do. Enjoy!

throughout the desert peach, donna barr has explored the human side of the german army during world war ii. with this issue, members of the 469th are found struggling to surivive in a ravaged germany. accompanied by a war refugee, the main characters (udo schmidt and kjars winzig) encounter the ss, concentration camp detainees, and the us army. never the best of friends, these men find themselves depending upon each other to survive these encounters without losing their humanity.

In the Gulf War the full technical advances in the gathering of electronic and signals intelligence were so impressive that Allied Governments were led to believe, that machines and satilites alone could do the job of man. This book proves that such assumptions were incorrect. What has been made plain in "Desert Storms" was that for certain tasks in most places of the world, there is still no substitute for the human intelligence agent. A good read.

World leaders should have the wit to learn that all wars teach lessons. If they do not have the sight to do so, they were faught for naught and those who have died in them did so in vain. What this author made plain was that for special tasks in unusual places, there is still no substitute for the world's oldest information gathering device: the "humant". The author's product (secretly gathered intelligence) should be highly regarded.

"Desert Storms" is a haunting and original story woven about two very different traditions, moving from opulent palacial rooms of financial diplomacy to private clubs. Where Emir's and King's patiently and effectively transform their enormous wealth and natural resources into political and military power. The ultimate participant in the story finds himself suddenly involved as a covert warrior among Middle Eastern strife. Told with historical accuracy, "Desert Storms" is cast in a nostalgic glow and, is the result of a massive research project and investigative journal. It would be hard to find another book as comprehensive and meaningful.

...Desert Town, written by Bonnie and Arthur Geisert, is an overview of life in a town in the middle of the desert. The story goes through what daily life for the residents is like and shows some interesting details that separate them from AnyTown, USA. The people of the town have to alter their lives to adapt to their environment. They change many daily activities to avoid the blistering heat of their locale. Yet through it all, the people do not seem to mind their unusual lives. The illustrations are simple and direct and seem to display accurately the desolate feel of a real desert. The text unfolds an interesting and informative story and informs the reader of what life in a desert can be like. A delightful combination of text and pictures, the book gives an accurate account of desert life. The story is simple but allows for the reader to discover a different ways of life in a different kind of town.

Kids ages 4-8 will relish this very simple, realistic story of small town living. A dry desert town is filled with life year-round in this fourth story of small town living, which is thin on words and big on pictures filled with fine detail.

The Geiserts have woven a wonderful story for children. It educates about life on the desert along with providing incredible etchings. A perfect addition to the collection.

Written over 50 years ago, this classic book of nature writing captures the near timelessness of the southern Arizona desert in a series of essays describing the author's fifteen-month sojourn there. While Krutch harks back to Thoreau, his perspective, turns of thought, and style of expression are similar to the reflective essays of E. B. White. They begin with observations of plant and animal life and evolve into ruminations on the nature of human life.

Krutch writes of birds, the night sky, bats, saguaro cactus, ocotillo, and desert flowers. Considering them, he rediscovers the truth in ideas he has so long held as true that they've become near platitudes. Where there is plentitude in some things, for instance, there is no need for it in others. Nature cares for the species but not individuals, while human values tend toward the opposite. While every rose has its thorn, the blooming cactus shows us that the reverse is also true. A visit to the vastness and forbidding desert monuments of Cathedral Valley in south central Utah reminds him of the precariousness of human life.

The desert leads Krutch to contemplation of its paradoxes, as well. For instance, the struggle for life here where conditions for survival are more restrictive actually create an uncrowded and more serene ecosystem by comparison with the tropics. The varieties of bird life are vastly greater here than in more temperate climates. A species of toads can live unseen and unheard for 363 days of the year, emerging after a rain fall to sing and reproduce, then disappear and survive somehow in the waterless months between. Finally, there's one question he's never able to answer: why bats fly clockwise from Carlsbad cave.

You can't really know a place, he believes, until you have seen it both as novel and as familiar. A landscape is no more than a picture postcard until you have spent time there and discover yourself in the midst of it. "The Desert Year" is a wonderful account of that process and a celebration of the joy that can be found in settling down for a while in a place that gradually comes to feel like home.

Here is a converted desert romantic with an interest in not only nature but man. Krutch writes and hits the mark like Thoreau and Eiseley and you won't want to miss him or this book if you're looking for a little sanity in a world gone mad.

If you have an interest in the desert and why we live here with JOY you must read this book. Krutch was an extraordinary man and he lived an extraordinary life his first year here. This book is the story of why he stayed instead of returning to New York. It is perhaps the most admired book about Tucson that has ever been written.

This was the last of Carell's books for me to read, so finishing it was bittersweet. Once again Herr Carell has produced a masterful historical piece laced with many eyewitness accounts that keep it interesting to read. Overall coverage is good, especially from the german point of view. This campaign was always a relatively small time sideshow to the germans due to their preoccupation with the Ost Front. Logistics eventually won the campaign for the allies, though Afrika Korps fought with great daring and elan for over 2 years, giving the Brits the fits! Small unit actions are covered as well as the more strategic picture. I recommend this book to persons wanting a thourough review of this excing and exotic campaign and devotees of Herr Carell. It is,of course, somewhat slanted to the German point of view. This should not dissuade you from enjoying this wonderful African campaign overview.

I must say that after reading several very dry battle and war Histories ('Assault on Moscow', by Werner Haupt comes to mind)this book was very appreciated. Whereas the current (ie. the last ten or fifteen years) trend is to throw in a few personal accounts of a battle by someone who was there in order to make the book a bit more interesting, Mr. Carell worked/works from these accounts much more heavily. Because of this, his story of the African campaign is much more readable than the vast majority out there. I must say though that the book is somewhat dated and perhaps also a bit jaded in some aspects. For instance he gives only slight credit to the French resistance of the American landings in Algieria in Nov.42 when in reality the French in this case were extremely loyal to their German alliance and fought as tenaciously as was humanly possible. Overall, I must say that I very much enjoyed this book.

Unlike most other books about the North African war, this book is a superb account from the German perspective. One wonders what might have been if Hitler hadn't been so stubborn, or if Malta had fallen. It gives the insider view of the famed Afrika Korps, and is a gripping tale ( just like a war thriller ) of the campaign. This is a must read for all enthusiasts of military non-fiction. One would also do well to reread The Destert Fox after reading this book - it would definately lend a new perspective to Rommel's biography.

Unfortunately the copy I have is old, and has started coming to pieces. The price of the hardcover edition is rather high. It would be good if a cheaper, softcover edition is available.

Learn about desert life in a child like way. The illustrations are great. This book teaches about the value in us all.

I read this book by chance at a book store once, and immediately fell in love with it. In fact, I now send this this book to all my friends with newborns, and it has always been warmly received and appreciated. If you live in the Southwest (like I do), or just love the desert, you'll be drawn in by the desert setting and characters in the book. I really appreciate the non-denominational "Great Spirit" usage. The story is simple without being too cutesy, the artwork is incredible, and the ending moral tells little ones to listen more to others (something all of us could stand to do more of). All in all, a children's book that adults will enjoy reading. I highly recommend this book for any day-care/pre-school/home schooling setting: the morals are easily and enjoyably picked up by little ones.

This book was great for children and adults. The illustrations were great, and the story held wisdom for all ages. I bought it with intentions to give it as a gift and now I can't bear to part with it. This one is destined to be another childrens classic!

Kissing Coyotes by Marcia Vaughan is a whimsical picture book about a big-mouthed rabbit who has to keep a dare to kiss coyotes. His escapade across the desert is filled with perilous adventure in a delightful and original tale which is whimsically illustrated by Kenneth J. Spengler in a full color "cartoony" style ideally suited for young readers.

Kissing Coyotes is the type of book that my grown sons would have loved as young readers. In your face illustrations full of action and color and a chase that will leave your little ones on the edge of their seats. Nice lesson about the consequences of being boastful all wrapped up in a delightful story, action prose and full page graphics. Another winner offered to us by Rising Moon Publishing.

I saw this book in a gift shop and just laughed and laughed! The words are so fun to say and the story is so lively and cute, this is a great book to read aloud to kids. The author made good use of alliteration, internal rhyme, and best of all--silly wild west words. It's a tall tale about a bragging jackrabbit and all the critters of the desert.

Don't buy it used!... Buy it NEW because you're going to read this book over and over.