I don't think there are any floorplans, but the book is awesome for the pictures of each house inside & out.

Filled with lavish full-color photographs and satisfying historical descriptions, this is the kind of coffee-table sized book that you want to curl up with and linger over.

The exteriors of the homes, photographed to reveal telling architectural detail, are also shown in their natural surroundings. You see the Virginia rivers that flow beyond the front lawns; the lavish beds of tiger lilies in full bloom; the grazing horses in pasture; the paper-white dogwoods blossoms at their peak in spring; the shade-dappled pea-gravel paths hemmed in by generations-old boxwoods that you can fairly smell. One estate in particular - Westover - reminded me of many childhood visits to family friends who lived in a very similar faux plantation house named Wilton on the banks of the James River in the Varina district of Henrico County.

The interiors of the houses are revealed in full clarity. Entire rooms are photographed, as well as details of construction and furnishing: chair rails, paneling, china settings, chandeliers, secret doorways, period furniture, fabrics and paintings on the wall. You feel as if you would like to sit in that bay window and savor the view to the outside; relax in that chair by that fire; explore that winding spiral staircase all the way to the top; play a hand of cards at that card table with the silk-inlaid top; drink brandy out of that crystal goblet; sleep in that four-poster bed under that bedspread; run your hand over that polished bannister railing.

The accompanying essays convey the history of each house, its architectural uniqueness, and the chain of ownership into the present day. Long enough to be informationally satisfying but brief enough to retain reader interest (no mean feat!), the prose serves to cre! ate a bridge into a past that has nonetheless been kept intriguingly alive by the stewardship of the current owners of these houses and grounds. The 27 homes profiled, built during the historical periods of English Colonial (1690-1720), Colonial (1720-90), Federal (1790-1830) and Antebellum (1830-60) are scattered through Virginia's Tidewater, Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountain areas.

Breck Montague, owner of the English Colonial estate Toddsbury in Tidewater Virginia's Gloucester County, says that "When I turn down the lane on my way home, I turn my car radio off and roll down my window. I smell the humus of the forest, and I feel the peace and tranquility of the place." Indeed, that feeling of place and quietness permeates this entire 215-page book, and time spent with this sumptuous volume is practically guaranteed to lower your blood pressure.

Because Toddsbury and the other homes in Virginia Country are in private hands and not on public tour, this book will prove especially useful to historians, designers, architects, landscapers, and antique and art lovers. Virginia Country is well suited for either library or private collections.

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Articles by Betsy Wells Edwards have appeared in lifestyle, business and equestrain publications. She lives with her husband and son on a 19th century farm in Goochland County, Virginia. Taylor Dabney's work has appeared in numerous publications and exhibits. He has been a recipient of the Virginia Commission for the Arts Photography Fellowship and was named in 1987 to the top-five list of new photographers at Photography Magazine's annual awards convention.

Henry B. Crawford, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

"Six horse wagons are constructed in Pittsburg, loaded with assorted goods from New York and Philadelphia, transported to Independence in Missouri, and there driven across the country to Mexico . . ."

The great wagons of trade were the means by which the Far West was opened. Mark L. Gardner's "Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade," tells who built these wagons, how they were built and the changes in design as the years passed. Perhaps what comes through most clearly is that the great freight wagons were complex pieces of technology, best constructed by a factory system, not unlike how automobiles are assembled today. By means of these wagons, the South West was brought into contact with the United States, and, eventually, absorbed into the Union. An important and vital chapter of American history well told and well documented.

The final chapter deals with the adventure of the Wind Wagon. In these days of high gas prices it is charming to consider that an attempt was made to avoid high mule prices. A sailed wagon was actually patented (the patent drawings are in the book) and launched. Sometimes the stuff of legend is the truth.

I found the book very funny (at times I was laughing so loud that my wife asked what was going on), and very easy to read. I do not hesitate to recommend this for anyone that wants an up to date look at where they should eat, and what they should see while in Paris.

The restaurant reviews were well written and in some cases extremely funny. Having been to Paris a couple of times before, I felt that Mr. Krupnick was on target, and very fair. But don't read this if you are on a diet. The more I read the hungrier I got! There was also an excellent section on French wines, as well as tips about what to see and do in each area.

As I was reading the guide, I almost felt as if I was on vacation already. We are planning a trip to France this fall, and I know that this book will accompany us on our voyage.

This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to learn about traveling to Paris, where to eat, and what to see in each area. The tone is conversational, as if the author was actually telling me first hand about his experiences. When you read the guide, you get a sense of what Paris is really like.

The book is laid out in a manner that would make it easy to use while in Paris. It covers everything from pre-trip planning to quaint little tea shops. However, the book does not cover hotels, so one would need another guide book for help with that subject.

I truly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in food, wine, and gourmet shopping!

This is a great book for bedtime stories for kids, although I should mention that, in spite of what the publisher says, the stories do not take four-to-six minutes to read - more like fifteen-to-twenty.

The Proverbs are very well illustrated here, and this is good to show a child what these Proverbs mean. The stories are funny, and sometimes sad. They are a great addition to a family library.

One person that I know (an adult I might add)told me that, while reading the first story, he was unable to put it down. Knowing that he had an appointment, he forced himself to put it down. A moment later, it was back in his hand. He did not leave until the story was over.

Although the summary says "18 of his best stories", I know the author personally, and he does not have any more. Rats!

The bonus was, I found some wonderful passages in Proverbs that seem to be written just for me.

Each day, you read 5 Psalms, and a chapter of Proverbs. This isn't a substitute for studying the rest of scripture, but is a wonderful devotional habit I plan to continue for the rest of my life.