A wonderful introduction to the conditions of the roads for the early travelers by car in America. Because of their determination, our roads were improved and the automobile industry flurished. A great way to make children and adults aware of the history of the early automobiles and how people like Alice Ramsey believed in them. The geography lessons lend themselves to great mapping activities.

"On June 9, 1909, Alice Ramsey drove out of New York City and into a grand adventure. Alice Ramsey wanted to be the first woman to drive across America. Alice's friend, Hermine, and her sisters-in-law, Nettie and Margaret, traveled with her..." So begins Don Brown's marvelous story of a little known young woman and her dream. Mr Brown's engaging and informative text, told in an easy to read conversational style, is filled with enlightening details about how the trip progressed over its 59 day period. Pigs clogged the road in Illinois, and railroad tracks slowed them down in Chicago and "...the car bounced over mile after mile of rail until the women were dizzy." Dirt roads became muddy and impassable when it rained, and as they traveled further west, there were no roads at all. "Alice followed telephone lines, hoping the wires would lead her to the next town. It wasn't always successful-sometimes it left them even more lost." And there were many mishaps and breakdowns along the way. But as she crested the Sierra Mountains, Alice knew she was now in California and close to her goal. "Alice guided the Maxwell onto a ferry that carried them to San Fransisco. When she rolled off the ferry behind the wheel of her Maxwell, Alice Ramsey became the first woman to have driven across America! It was August 7, 1909, Fifty-nine days had passed since Alice left New York City." Charming watercolor illustrations add just the right touch, and highlight the important events of the story. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure is an inspiring tale, told by a gifted storyteller, that is sure to whet the appetite of adventurous readers and send them out looking for more.

Luminous watercolors and a straightforward writing style serve to enchant the reader without over-romanticizing a true story. I look forward to more by this author.

Hey, thanks Matt, for another hilarious episode in the life of the now-well-off, but still neurotic Jacob Burns . This book was much funnier than the first and well worth the long wait.

The plot runs fast and straight forward. All the characters, whether you hate them or love them, are colorful and interesting. The rapport between Jacob and Tony is great. Can't wait to see them in November.

A funny, fast paced mystery. This book is even better than the first, which was great. It is a very engaging read and quick to finish. Perfect for the beach or a long airplane ride. The story moves along quickly which makes it a challenge to second guess the main character and fun to not have to wait too long to find out who done it!

Witten's huge talent for storytelling makes this a one-sitting read. He reveals information at just the right time in just the right order to keep us reading... and guessing. Filled with memorable and original characters. A great second installment in what I hope will be a long-running series.

Dick Dobbins does the job right in "The Grand Minor League", a retrospective of the old Pacific Coast League (PCL).

The PCL still exists today as a AAA league - one step below the majors - but it is purely an adjunct minor league system to the two major leagues.

However, this book is about the PCL's glory days, largely originating during the Depression and spanning the second world war and the first twelve years of the post-war era until the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to the West Coast.

The PCL financed operations by charging admission for its own games and by selling contracts of its more promising stars to the established major league teams. But some visionaries had dreams of attaining major league status for the PCL, and it could have happened. A disproportionate amount of major-league level talent could be found on the West Coast, and PCL scouts were busy signing it up.

While one PCL owner was dryly reputed to have the reputation of throwing dollars around as though they were manhole covers, the pay could be more generous (the players whose contracts were sold to the majors even received a percentage of the sales price) and the opportunities for stardom could be GREATER than that which was available in the majors; moreover, the Pacific Coast was "home" to many of its players. Hence, some major leaguers sought to return there.

And when the majors reluctantly granted the PCL "open classification" status, players drafted by the majors were accorded the option of waiving the draft and remaining with their respective PCL teams and were often rewarded with bonuses for doing so. The PCL could have evolved into a third major league, but the opposition from the established major league owners, who saw the potential for expansion or relocation to the West Coast long before moving the Giants and Dodgers there, was too great to overcome. The moves themselves sounded the death knell for the traditional conception of the league.

Its legacy includes the players who became stars or near-stars in the big leagues, such as Lefty O'Doul, Dolph Camilli, Maury Wills (amazingly enough, he was only an adequate shortstop and a sometime base-stealer during his PCL days, who didn't reach stardom until he went to the Dodgers), and of course, Joe DiMaggio.

Startlingly, Dobbins fails to remind his readers that years before he electrified the country with his 56-game hitting streak, DiMaggio was thrilling West Coast fans with a 61 game hitting streak in the PCL. Both records are among the few that have withstood the test of time.

One can observe other ironies. Long before Tommy Lasorda and Sparky Anderson did battle, in their respective roles as managers of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine", for Western Division supremacy during the 1970's, they were teammates on the Los Angeles Angels, working together to establish geographical supremacy against the arch-rival Hollywood Stars.

And speaking of managers, debate rages among baseball historians about Casey Stengel's managerial acumen. Was he an adept, if incomprehensible, managerial genius or a bum who failed miserably in Boston and who only attained success by piggy-backing on the vast talent of some super Yankee teams? The story of Stengel's stewardship of the 1948 PCL Champion Oakland Oaks is a huge point in his favor.

Dobbins draws some of his history from the records but most of it from the recollections of the old-time players who consented to be interviewed. My only real criticism is that it took someone too long to undertake this project. The passage of time limits the sources from which Dobbins could draw.

And how trustworthy is human memory? There is a reference in one of the narratives supplied to Dobbins about a player named Johnny Lindell who alternated between pitcher and outfielder and who "would have been in the big leagues" if he could have only hit more consistently.

Who would dare observe, in response, that the record book shows that during the 1940's, an outfielder-pitcher named Johnny Lindell played in the majors, chiefly for the Yankees (this included several World Series appearances), on a part-time basis for 12 years and that he retired in 1954 with a respectable lifetime batting average of .273, having twice led the league in triples?

He couldn't hit well enough for the major leagues. Or could he? Were there two Johnny Lindells answering to the same description?

My favorite chapter was about the old ballparks. If you are a displaced and discouraged Giant fan who lives in the Los Angeles area, you can carry the book and its pictures of the ballparks to the corners of Beverly, Fairfax and Genessee and try to envision the Hollywood Stars' Gilmore Field having once stood there. The intersections now are home to a little company known as CBS - Television City, and there isn't even a marker anywhere to show that Gilmore Field ever existed.

And you can drive to 42nd and Avalon and marvel at the human and urban sprawl that has overtaken the area. Wrigley Field, home to the ORIGINAL Los Angeles Angels and named and constructed after its more famous Chicago namesake, has been torn down, and a community center named after a politician has been erected in its place. Again, no marker commemorates Wrigley Field. Soccer, not baseball, is the recreation of choice for the locals, and the excited cries of the players and spectators are not being delivered in English.

Is there any marker on the corner of 16th and Bryant in San Francisco to memorialize Seals Stadium?

"The Grand Minor League" is a fitting tribute to the REAL baseball giants of the West Coast and to a time when baseball was a "melting pot" language, when the game was played, not by overpaid egotistical prima donnas, but by men with working-class ethics, and when teams were managed by men and not "Dustys". Where have you gone, Rugger Ardizoia?

In this book, Dick Dobbins took a cue from the book, "The Glory of Their Times," interviewing numerous ex-PCL players and umpires about the league. This oral history of the league is an excellent look back. Reading this book takes you back to a different era of baseball and shows why the PCL deserved to be called the "Grand Minor League."

The book has chapters on the league's various ballparks over the years, the league's great teams and rivalries. There are numerous pictures of various players, managers, umpires and team owners throughout the book. There are also pictures of various teams' uniforms, hats and other assorted memorabilia.

Dick Dobbins put a lot of hard work and dedication into this book and it shows. Any baseball history fan will love this book.

This ia an absolute must for anyone who enjoyed the old PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE.The photographs of the old P.C.L.ballparks are worth the price of admission.This is an excellent companion piece to Dobbins other book on the P.C.L. Nuggets on the Diamond.

Now in a revised and expanded second edition, Grandloving: Making Memories With Your Grandchildren is more effective than ever as a compendium of tips, ideas and suggestions for grandparents to bond with their grandchildren. More than two hundred fun and easy activities drawn from 350 families are presented along with sound advice, helpful suggestions, and inexpensive do-together projects. Whether it something special for family holidays and celebrations, or just a rainy-day or weekend visit pastime, Grandloving will have everything you need to plan and implement a truly memory making event. Enthusiastically recommended for grandparents of any age or circumstance, Grandloving's engaging, "reader friendly" text is enhanced with reminders about child development, an extensive list of resources, helpful logos, and an easy-to-use index.

This book has great information for anyone who works with children ! Of course grandmothers are always looking for ideas and new things to do with grandchildren. Offering specific activities, as well as helpful information, this book is a MUST HAVE for any grandmother. It's also a PERFECT gift for any adult who has grandchildren.

This book covers the gamut when it comes to finding fun things to do with children. Because my new grandson is 800 miles away, I especially liked all of the long-distance grandparenting ideas. I would recommend it to anyone, mothers and fathers as well as grandparents.

Greenhill books and David Markham have hit a home run with this magnificent collection of the Bulletins of Napoleon's Grande Armee. This is the first time they have been collected together and published in English. This book is a wonderful reference work, and if definitely fills in a very large blank in the history of the period.

There are some who would doubt the usefulness of the Bulletins as historical reference. It is true that they were used as propaganda, but it is also true that they were full of accurate information as well as some misinformation, deliberately put in them by the Emperor. There are two things that must be remembered when talking of Napoleon's Bulletins. First, they were never intended as history; second, Napoleon was the first European ruler to speak directly to his people, and the Bulletins was one of the ways in which he did it.

An interesting facet of this volume is that it contains more than just the published Bulletins. There is other relevant correspondence of the period, one of the most interesting is the death warrant issued against Austrian General Chasteler by Napoleon for his conduct regarding French and Bavarian prisoners during the Tyrol uprising in 1809. Apparently, he allowed prisoners taken by troops under his command to be murdered, and did nothing about it. There was a price on his head, but unfortunately he got away. This is but one of the valuable gems that you will find in the pages of this most excellent of volumes.

This book is highly recommended and it should be on the bookshelf of every enthusiast of the period. Much useful information and knowledge can be gleaned from these pages, and the author has definitely made his mark with this volume.

J. David Markham has compiled the first English language translation of all of the bulletins of the Grande Armée from 1805 to 1814. In addition, he has included reports from marshals and the major general of the army, Marshal Alexander Berthier. Markham has written an excellent introduction that he calls "A modern view of Napoleon's bulletins" in which he points out the strengths and weaknesses in the use of these documents. The book also contains the bulletins of Marshal Masséna's Army of Italy in 1805; a selected guide to men and their titles; a partial list of other important individuals mentioned in the bulletins; and a very good index, all of which make it very user-friendly for scholars doing research on Napoleon, his generals, and/or the Napoleonic wars.

These bulletins also provide a real insight into Napoleonic propaganda. They were written for publication in the Monitor, the official government newspaper, to bolster moral and support on the home front and to raise the moral of the troops on campaigns. Thus, when he deemed it wise or necessary, the Emperor was given to exaggerate his successes and accomplishments and those of his armies while playing down his reversals and setbacks.

Nevertheless, the bulletins provide a wealth of information on Napoleon, his armies, and men who fought those wars. Markham has provided a major contribution to Napoleonic studies by making the bulletins available in the English language in one concise volume. It will be a welcomed addition to individual libraries and a must for colleges and universities where French history is taught.

John G. Gallaher
Professor Emeritus of History
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
Author, The Iron Marshal: A Biography of Louis N. Davout; Napoleon's Irish Legion; General Alexandre Dumas: Soldier of the French Revolution.

Occasionally a new book is released that is so important to the study of the Napoleonic era that it immediately falls into the "must have" category for both Napoleonic scholars and enthusiasts. Imperial Glory is such a book. David Markham has assembled for the first time, all of the bulletins written by Napoleon between 1805 and 1812. Many of them have never been translated into English before, while others were only available to the serious scholar. Additionally, Mr. Markham also checked the translations of those bulletins that had been translated in the 19th Century and found many errors in them.

Napoleon used his bulletins for a variety of reasons: to inform the public and his soldiers of the progress of his campaigns, to praise his soldiers and their officers for the actions, and to ensure his enemies heard of his triumphs. They were published in the government's official newspaper, Le Moniteur, and often hung on doors and posted in public squares throughout the Empire. The veracity of the bulletins has always been open to question, with one of the most frequently used expressions from the Napoleonic era being, "To lie like a bulletin."

Although many of these bulletins were published for propaganda purposes, Mr. Markham does point out most are "reasonably accurate." Furthermore, he writes "[Napoleon's] losses were sometimes described as 'considerable', and he would list specific officers that were lost, along with the numbers of men killed, wounded or taken prisoners."

In addition to all 183 bulletins written from 1805 and 1812, Imperial Glory contains 170 other documents, many of which have never been published in English before. Broken down by year, the book includes:

1805

37 Bulletins of the Grande Armée (complete)
9 Bulletins of Masséna's Army of Italy (complete)
9 Proclamations
3 Decrees
2 Orders of the Day
3 Letters
1 Armistice
1 Treaty of Peace

1806-1807

87 Bulletins (complete)
4 Proclamations
1 Letter
1 Armistice between France and Prussia
1 Armistice between France and Russia
1 Treaty between France and Prussia
1 Treaty between France and Russia

1809

30 Bulletins (complete)
4 Proclamations
2 Proclamations of the King of Saxony
2 Orders of the Day
2 Reports by the Viceroy (Eugène)
3 Letters
1 Treaty between France and Austria

1812

29 Bulletins (Complete)
1 Final dispatch from Paris
1 Order of the Day
1 Letter
21 Field Reports, including:
5 Reports from Marshal Ney
4 Reports from Marshal Murat
2 Reports from Marshal Davout
2 Reports from Eugène
2 Reports from Marshal St Cyr
1 Report of Marshal Macdonald
1 Report from Marshal Oudinot
1 Report from Prince Poniatowski
1 Report from Prince Schwarzenberg
1 Report of Russian General Wittgenstein to Tsar Alexander
1 Report from General Wrede

1813

51 Reports from Le Moniteur, which often include reports from multiple days
2 Proclamations
2 Reports from Marshal Berthier
1 Report from General Vandamme
1 Report from Marshal Ney
1 Report from General Milhaud
6 Letters
1 Armistice

1814

23 Reports from Le Moniteur, including two "bulletins" at the end of the campaign
2 Proclamations
1 Decree
1 Order of the Day
2 Speeches
1 Act of Abdication

The collection of material is by campaign, with a separate chapter covering the different campaigns fought in that year or years. Within each chapter, the material is also arranged chronologically. This is an ideal arrangement, for not only does it permit the reader to follow the campaigns as seen through the official press releases, but it also provides great insight into how Napoleon managed his propaganda campaign.

The supplementary material is fascinating. I found particularly interesting the after-action reports on various battles written by the unit commander to the Imperial Headquarters. These reports were not written for public consumption and often were the first communication between a subordinate commander and the army headquarters. These reports contain information that would not necessarily be placed in the bulletins. Mr. Markham also included all the bulletins written by Marshal Masséna in 1805. He was in command of the Army of Italy and operating as an independent commander. Masséna's bulletins are in chronological order and interspersed with Napoleon's. Reading them together will give the reader a good feel for the two individuals' writing styles.

Mr. Markham and Greenhill Books are to be commended for making available to the public, material that has long been inaccessible to all but those with extensive libraries. Imperial Glory is an impressive collection of documents that every Napoleonic library should own. Do not delay buying Imperial Glory. It will be snatched up quickly and soon will be out of print.

I normally race through books like a speed demon, but this was so enjoyable I read it s-l-o-w-l-y - and several times.

Olga was a woman raised in the lap of luxury in the Russian court but was able and willing to work at hard physical labor on farms in Denmark and Canada for decades without apparent bitterness at what many might consider her "fall" from high status.

At the very end of her life with no income and relatives around her, she accepted an invitation from Russian emigrees and spent her last months on a second-floor apartment in a working-class neighborhood in Toronto.

I have been going through some drastic changes in my life - rather unwillingly - and have spent a lot of time thinking about Olga and how she accepted things that happened.

Was she perfect? No, but I wonder if I could have lived her life with so much courage and acceptance.

I HIGHLY recommend this book.

This is a wonderful book, written in direct cooperation with the Grand Duchess herself. Born into the purple as the daughter of a Tsar, Olga Alexandrovna ended her life as she had always sought to live it - simply, and with family. Her insights, and the author's, are a wonderful portal to an era of an almost-mythical past. Though this new edition has many errors, I think it's due to sloppy editing of computer scans. I hope that next time around, these errors will be fixed.

This is one of the finest books I have read from the Romanov treasury. I have a first edition copy that took me almost a year to find and it was worth the wait. Because of Mr. Vorres research and interview skills combined the the story telling of the Grand Duchess, I was unable to put it down. In fact, I am reading it for a second time. There is no better story than that from the one who lives it. Olga was a cut above the others in the Imperial family in that she was devoted to common folk. She is revered and respected for thinking outside the box. A woman ahead of her time and one that refused to abide by the norm. I wish I could have met her in the simplest of circumstances. I recommend this book to those who a truly interested in Romanov history. She does a great justice in defense of her family.

Extremely Detailed, to detailed for me. It had a lot of reading and did not get down to the point on where, what and when. If your looking for lots of detail and history of everything about the park this book is for you. If your like me and time is limited you may want to look for a different book. But if you got all the time in the world or you want to know it all this is the book for you.

...just returned from driving trip to yellowstone/tetons/jackson hole....having bought 5 different guide books from Amazon.com to insure a trip that covered everything and missed nothing... I feel it is important to let potential driving travelers to yellowstone know how valuable this book is. Of all the books I purchased, this is the only book I used as we traveled the park by car. I used it daily as we went from one location to the next. I kept saying to myself as we toured the park using this book, that I wanted to thank the author and let the public know how valuable this book was. In fact. I saw this book for sale in the national park visitor centers. Get yours before you arrive to ensure a knowlegeable trip. Thanks, susan,

Butler's way of writing reminds me of my grandmother and our trip to Yellowstone. While reading her travel guide, I revisited the cold-sweat panic of sitting in the front seat of a car driven by my grandmother.

I was enthralled by Dancing on the Edge. The author managed to combine gripping descriptions of exciting experiences and magnificent scenery with deep and meaningful insights into the human spirit. I do not read "inspirational" books. I find most of them shallow and dull. This one not only inspired, it enchanted. I will read it again and again.

I purposely took a long time to read Dancing on the Edge. Partly because I didn't want to leave this wonderful, serene place and partly because I wanted to enjoy and digest every savory bite. I've underlined SO MUCH and I will keep this book close by to help remind me of its many fantastic life lessons. Charly, thank you for sharing your gift with us.

All of us share this journey, different life experiences, but a common bond. Charly Heavenrich has captured many rich emotions and this book swept me up in it's embrace, much as I'm sure his beloved river captivated him. I have learned from Charly Heavenrich, and his "Spirit Dancer".

When most authors sit down to pen a book on barbecue their purpose is to share with the reader what a taste of barbecue food is like. When Doug Worgul authored The Grand Barbecue, it wasn't just the food he wanted to share but a taste of the entire barbecue world of Kansas City. And he does such a complete job of relating the entire experience that I swore I could smell a slight hint of sweet barbecue smoke when I finally put his book down.

In The Grand Barbecue, Worgul has assembled the ultimate book on one of the major regions of barbecue ­ Kansas City. Hours of painstaking research show through, beginning with the thorough recount of barbecue history in the first chapter where he traces the roots back to the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and then follows its spread until it reaches Kansas City. In Chapter Two, he introduces the icons of Kansas City barbecue like Henry Perry, Ollie Gates, Arthur Bryant and Rich Davis, and adds to that tales about the city's great restaurants like Fiorella's Jack Stack, Lil' Jake's Eat It and Beat It, L.C.'s and Oklahoma Joe's.

Chapter Three is titled "The Barbecue Life" and it is here that the uninitiated get a feel for what makes barbecue a passion for many rather than a label for a food style. It's here that we get to meet three people who made barbecue a lifestyle ­ Carolyn Wells, Ardie Davis, and Paul Kirk. He ends the chapter with a look at the three main Kansas-City area barbecue cookoffs ­ the American Royal, the Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle, and the Blue Springs Blaze Off ­ and the local tradition of tailgating at Arrowhead Stadium.

Worgul finishes with a pair of obligatory chapters - "Barbecue for Backyard Beginners" and "Barbecue Nation" ­ which are handled well. The former is a fairly complete chapter on the basics of barbecue and the latter a brief acknowledgement of the other barbecue regions.

If you've ever had the pleasure of experiencing Kansas City barbecue, you will truly love this book, and the [money] price tag probably won't bother you a bit. If you're curious about the subject, this book communicates all that goes into making Kansas City the great barbecue city it is. You'll have to tolerate some tub thumping about Kansas City being the barbecue capitol of the world (please, I cannot take sides here), but I still know you will enjoy it.

This book has been out over a year now, but I had not really heard anyone talking about it. Recently, while on a trip to Kansas City, I saw the book on a shelf in Oklahoma Joe's BBQ.

What a FUN read. This is definitely not your typical BBQ book. Those would be the one's full of recipes and nothing else. This is a book - book. It's full of people, tales, facts, information and fun about BBQ in general.

If you're a fan of Q, this should be on your shelf. If you're just getting into Q, I might recommend a couple of other books first, but I would come back and buy this.

This would be one of those "table top" book. Put it out and let your friends browse through it. The photos and articles are very, very well done.

Thanks to the author, Doug Worgul, for a magnificent read

I dropped this book off to a friend of 25 years around 7pm one evening on a work night. He called me the next day and said he was up till 3am reading it & it was awesome. He couldn't put it down & was very impressed with the many venues: history, how-to, competions & dates, ect. I went out and bought one for myself after hearing this & could not agree more. I WAS SO IMPRESSED I BOUGHT 9 MORE & HAD THE AUTHOR SIGN THEM & I GIVE THEM AWAY AS GIFTS. A great coffee table book or convesation piece for the bar-b-q enthusiast, rookie or kc native!

Dynamic pictures.... factual historic information...bought 3 for Christmas gifts.

I originally bought this book as a gift, but ended up keeping it for myself! I have never seen a "coffee table book" that is so well written. The photography is what initially grabs your attention, but the stories and historical information are what keep you coming back for more. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether they have an interest in Jackson Hole's past and present, or they just like looking at amazing photographs.

... this is your book. The history of the area is fascinating, but the interviews with the locals really bring this book to life. David Gonzales has collected a plethora of amazing pictures from the area's best photographers, too. Whether you've just visited Jackson Hole or have lived in the area, 'Jackson Hole: On a Grand Scale' brings back great memories of skiing and snowboarding a place that's like no other!