Finch and Kirkwood have written a great and insightful book reviewing the premise that chance, operating during the fetal development of an organism, has a significant influence on all future physiological events during the postnatal life of the organism. These intrinsic developmental variations lead to seemingly subtle and, until now, thought to be insignificant, physiological differences between organisms. Finch and Kirkwood convincingly argue that these subtle physiological differences have a significant impact on later events during the life of the organism. For example, whether a given individual will get sporadic Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Also, the same variations would have an impact on the severity of the disease (should a person get the disease). This book is a must for any biology scientist serious about having a complete library on her/his shelves.

A wonderful reference for anyone attempting to reconstruct the landscape of the United States in the late 18th Century, particularly the North Central Gulf Coast. Ellicott's line (31st parallel) divided the United States from Spanish West Florida. He describes the topography in detail and the journal includes his interaction with both the Americans and Spanish citizens. Most useful.

I enjoyed reading the history of Ellicott City, Maryland. It is a very professional book that contains history of the historic town of Ellicott City, Maryland. The writer is a local gentleman who has a wealth of knowledge. He was born and raised in Ellicott City. So many people asked Mr. Shipley to write his recollections of growing up in a small town. This was accomplished through this wonderful publication.

From early in the 20th to the birth of the 21st Century, little changed along the banks of the Klamath in 95 years. The path these women followed remains little altered from when they traveled tho now covered in asphalt, it is still a remote and rough territory for the uninitiated. They stepped off a ship in Humboldt Bay and then walked off the map into the unknown. Surrounded by wilderness, the Marble Mountains and the Trinity Alps, as spectacular and rugged peaks today as they were then. Great Grandchildren of some of those who taught these adventerous ladies the skills to survive in this wild country still live on the same piece of ground. This is the canvas Mary and Mabel painted a wonderful picture of the world they found here. Let them show you the neighborhood and see if you could follow those footsteps down the trail.

Since the world was created at Katimin, the Klamath River has been home to the salmon runs that fed the eagles and fattened bears and filled the smokehouses of the people. The river is the life-blood that flows thru the canyon veins, like a puzzle, each piece necessary to make it complete. A blood transfusion 150 miles away only slowing foreclosure on farmland in another state, no crops must die. Now less water flows downstream and is murky colored and too warm for the salmon to survive in but the life of a potato was saved! A river with no fish is a watershed dying, when the life of the river dies will life along that river follow? These hardy women managed to live without fries, but a river without salmon would be both unbelieveable and inconceivable to them.

Mary and Mabel wandered into my part of northern california to be schoolteachers. From their story you can see how they knew nothing of what the territory was like, how the people were, or any local customs. They seemed to have a vague sense that it was a 'wild' land. They fit in amazingly well in a land where killing another person meant you had to pay that persons family $100 and law was either non-existant or uneffective. They seem to throughly enjoy themselves and set to learn the culture around them and teach what they can. Surprises are around every corner, from rattlesnakes to mountain lions to injun devils. Surprises such as their trusted friend telling them he couldn't go into one town because he had to 'pay $500 last time.'
A great story that is easy to read and gives a glimpse of the hidden corner of northern california where the hupa, yurok and karuk indians reside.

This is an amazing account, by two very adventurous women, of their time spent in an extremely remote area of this country. Even with the speed of modern automobile travel, the tiny communities along the Klamath River, in Humboldt & Siskiyou Counties of northern California, are still remote. Mary & Mabel's sense of adventure, humor, tolerance & joy radiate from this book. It's been 20 years since I lived near the Company Ranch, in Orleans, and read this story. I'm looking forward to owning my own copy and re-reading it. Another reader recommended a wonderful book of similar format. It's exact title is "Tisha: the story of a young teacher in the Alaskan wilderness". It is available through Amazon. I lent my copy several years ago; it's time to buy another copy and re-read it, too. These books are very difficult to find in bookstores. Thank you, Amazon.