I stumbled across this book by accident one day and it has turned out to be my find of 2001 -- one of the most enjoyable books I have read in ages. Taylor, a youthful New York journalist and poet, was sent out to California to file back dispatches on this wild, gold-filled, lush place in the seminal gold rush year of 1849, when California was a sprawling region, and not yet a state. And what a fabulous job he does -- this reads more like an engaging adventure narrative than non-fiction, and I could not put it down -- a reader is completely transported into another place and time. One cannot fail to be fascinated by the bustling, energetic, multi-ethnic, can-do place that was the west coast. If you know California, especially the San Francisco, Monterey and Sacramento areas, Taylor's descriptions of their still-untamed landscapes will be both familiar and strange, but always utterly lovely. His reports of the gold rush regions are extraordinary, as is his walk -- yes, *walk* -- from San Francisco to Monterey... this at a time when a galloping horse could get from San Jose to San Francisco in perhaps seven *hours*. Taylor is funny, honest, generally very clear-eyed and unsentimental, and his writing is of very high calibre. Kudos to Heyday Press for bringing this wonderful book to a new audience. I am giving it to everybody as a gift this year.

Bayard Taylor, with the eye of the photographer for detail and composition and the writing talent of the professional journalist Horace Greely so willingly paid, provides the reader with a fantastic look at California of the mid-1800's. His vivid descriptions of the people, the events, and perhaps most importantly, the pre-development beauty of California's wild mountains, seacoasts, and valleys, made this reviewer (a native Californian) long for a time machine to allow visits to the wondrous collection of experiences described by Taylor. From his many travels across the land, to his viewing of the first California consitutional convention, his words allow the reader to feel the wind in one's hair as the California-bred horses fly at top speed across the valleys and through the washes, or to be a fly on the wall as the convention delegates reach compromises which shaped and prepared the State for it's Golden future. The pictures he paints of the natural environment of early California are so dramatic that they must certainly encourage all attempts to preserve the tragically few expanses of California landscape remaining. This is a book for Californians (and those who love the state) who wish to return, if only for a few brief moments, to the sounds and the sights of it's birth: raw, chaotic, beautiful, yet with a rich Spanish/Mexican heritage and social codes that provided a useable framework to maintain law and order. Taylor describes it all, allowing us to understand not only what was happening, but also why. It's a great book.

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I have employed this book for over twenty-five years and attribute my lovely gardens to it's advice. I will be ordering the new edition as I have relocated to the Gulf area once again after many years on the Eastern seaboard,but now I am in Florida. Still, the month by month instruction for garden maintenance, plantings, pruning, fertilizing etc. will work in my area of Florida. I highly recommend this to any gardener along the Gulf Coast.

This is a terrific all-around gardening book for the Houston/East Texas Gardener written by the premier Houston gardening club. It is probably good for the whole Gulf Coast too, since the climates are similar. As an ex-northeasterner and novice gardener, I can say that if you are gardening in Houston and can only buy one book, this is it.

The text covers everything from herbs to flowers to trees, as well as potting, lawns, ground covers, vines, shrubs and vegetables. Special sections concentrate on Azaleas, Camellias and Roses, as well as soil improvement, watering, drainage, diseases and insects. In each section, tables list best planting times, blooming times, light and wattering requirements and other comments for each type of plant.

I found the book great for brain-storming, as well as for carrying to the garden store to determine if the great-looking flower or vine was really suitable for planting in my backyard.

My only regret: that it's not 50 pages longer...

This journey is for all of us.
David Alderman takes you personally through " The Solo Seeker's Guide to a Real Life". Not just his but yours.
This book gives you the "ahhhhhh" to the feelings and thoughts that have constantly emerged and submerged throughout your lifetime.
If you dare to go deep within the human experience and navigate through the obstacles to reach your real life you will not be disappointed.
The information was not above my head and written with terrific storytelling and transmitted visualizations of every step of my journey. High Country was my guide and companion to opening the doors and finding my own truths.

In High Country, David Alderman draws upon his background in experimental psychology, counseling, teaching, and creative journaling to explore the universal and Transcendent Laws of Nature, and how they influence, affect, and govern our lives. Alderman also draws from both eastern and western philosophies as expressed by insightful commentators ranging from Lao Tzu to Carl Jung and argues persuasively that there are many effective paths to personal enlightenment. Enthusiastically recommended for students of metaphysics and spiritual enlightenment, High Country will enable readers to ask the right kinds of questions to determine the proper path for themselves.

I was surprised when I started reading this book that is was not only a book of fishing but a book of faith. The correlations Jimmy made between fishing and the Christion faith were inspiring. This would be a great book for a men's bible study or someone you were trying to reach out to. I really enjoyed this book and I hope the fishing tips work also as the tournaments are begining.

Jimmy Houston gives excellent tips on how to fish, and also mixes christianity in very well. He compares the different parts of fishing to different parts of the christian life. I totally recommend the book.

I am a native Houstonian and this book rekindled my desire to move back. The characters were rich in detail and he really captured the era. You really can feel the city down to the humid climate and the crazy people. Dig it, dug it, do. Andre in LA

If you want a book of great characters and interesting places, this is the book for you! The tales will grip you hard like a spell, and you will be mesmerized and unable to put the book down!

Way to go, Chimene.

Five Stars!

Liberty, Justice, and F'rall is a fun historical novel about the dog heroes of the Republic of Texas. Liberty is the soft-spoken golden retriever/narrator owned by Sam Houston; Justice is a handsome, black labrador who faithfully attends Jim Bowie; and F'rall is their mutt of a pup. Liberty gives a dog's eye view of life with Sam Houston, from the time she was given to Sam by President Andrew Jackson, through the war with Mexico. I read parts of this book aloud to third, fourth, and fifth graders during their library storytime. My Texas accent finally came in handy! The waiting list for this book is longer than the number of weeks left in school, so I will be buying two additional copies. It's a fun, energetic look at the war for Texas independence, which, by the way, took only 18 minutes to vanquish Santa Anna's army.

If you want your children to get into history this is a good start.

The author is familiar with all the aspects of the fall of the Alamo and puts the story from the view of the dogs (named Liberty, Justice and Furall) that were owned by the main characters of the hitorical incident.

The characters are easy and fun to follow for every adult that may read this wonderful and heartwarming story to their children. There is no political overtone, only a pivital hitorical event told from a different aspect.

This book has been chosen by the Daughter's of the Texas Revolution to be sold AT the Alamo book shop!

This book is a primer on how to grow spiritually, physically and mentally based upon the teachings of a great Native American who was in touch with the Creator. It includes common themes held in all religions, for all who seek a spiritual path toward personal renewal and God-consciousness. It requires the reader to do the work, acting only as a guide. It has much in common with the 12-step programs of today.

In this slim but powerful book, Jean captures one of the mightiest metaphors from North American history to help us figure out how to create a new vision for our nation and the world as we dash for the year 2000. If nothing else, it will assist you in reframing the existing whitewater world about us into one with hopeful patterns of peace and prosperity. Ned Hamson

an excellent way to get straight to the heart of the matter by delving into the actual content of his words, both spoken and written.

Much wisdom here.

This is an excellent translation of some of Meister Eckhart's finest works and is highly recommended as is McGinn's in this series. Eckhart is one of the greatest apothatic Christian mystics and both Eckhart titles in 'Classics of Western Spirituality Series' are a great place to start to read His works. If you want all of His sermons then buy O'C Walshe's 'Sermons and treaties'. For a study of Eckhart's mysticism buy 'Mystical Thought' by Bernard McGinn.

I am certainly not an advocate of slavery in any form. Yet how profoundly refreshing it is to unearth the point of view of an actual slave that shows that the "politically correct" viewpoint made popular with "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is not necessarily factual. Mr.Hamilton illustrates quite wonderfully that slaves were not always abused and mistreated as is popularly believed. What an eye opener this book truly is! Everyone should read this book. I feel that today's racial tensions would be somewhat mellowed if the attitudes shown by Mr. Hamiliton were more of the norm. This ex-slave has something to teach us all!

Wow! Think how rare it is to read a book from a slave's point of view (about a famous Texan, that was known world wide, even before his death)!

Don't get me wrong, slavery is terrible, but the point of view is like from another world. It is worth mentioning, the spirit of forgiveness and even loving kindness felt by the former slave, for his master. And how lovingly the ex-slave tells of how he looked up to the great man from Texas! This is a very rare bit of reading material!