When Edgar Allen Poe died in Baltimore in l849, John G. Morris was already one of that city's prominent men. His "Lutherville Female Seminary," a pioneer educational insitution in this country exclusively for women, was to open just five years later.. As the Civil War loomed on the horizon, Morris was a Union man in a Southern city. He used to run to the train station to wave flags and shout "Hurrah" at Union troops passing through Maryland . A Lutheran Pastor and much more, Morris helped found Baltimore's world famous Peabody Institute and achieved world class recognition as an entomologist. Like many l9th century clergymen, he saw himself as a shaper of culture and destiny for his country and his city. His relationship with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington was just one of his many cultural and patriotic achievements. If "What is Past is Prologue," Dr. Kurtz has given us a valuable insight into 21st century America in his well-written biography of John G. Morris.

A must buy for any Waters' fan, Ives' book provides much in depth information heretofore unavailable. The author interviews Waters at the subject's residence covering John's entire life. This comprises about 3/4 of the book. The remainder is interviews with surviving Dreamlanders and later actors and actresses who appeared in Waters cinematic canon. Additionally, many rare and unusual letters, stills, illustrations and ephermera are provided throughout the book from both Mr. Waters own collection and from the Weselyan University collection of Mr. Waters papers. Great fun and a essential addition to your bookshelf beside Shock Value, Crackpot, The Trash Trilogy, not to mention Divine's biography and the "witings" of Cookie Mueller. Selah!

I live in Columbia, Maryland, and heard about this book in high school maybe a year after it went to print. I was entirely freaked out by the descriptions of police brutality in places I have been to. I played baseball at Oakland Mills High School. This is my town Parrish was talking about. I believe every word he said. I recommend this book to anyone. My only criticism is the second half of the book when Parrish searches for alternative explanations to Bowie's death. Noble, but pointless I thought.

"Journey Through Time: A Pictoral History of the Prince George's County Police Department" provides readers with numerous black-and-white photographs of the P.G. County police, a person will probably not find a greater source inasmuch as pictures are concerned. This book does an extremely thorough job of explaining the rich history of the police department, it tells through words and pictures the changes that have taken place as Prince George's County grew from a sleepy rural community to a heavily populated metropolitan suburb. In addition, every fallen officer received a one page synopsis explaining their careers and situations surrounding their deaths. This book is a must for people interested in the history of Prince George's County, it should be required reading for all recruits.

At last there's a book that celebrates the great variety of beautiful Judaica being hand crafted today in America. The pictures are great, showing a wonderful variety of objects, styles and materials. The text is delightful reading as it profiles scores of fascinating artists. And the intro and glossary are an education in modern Jewish art history and ritual ceremonies.

I am sure that many people will try to suppress the importance and truth behind this revealing book which definitively proves that Australia's primary nation icon, the kangaroo, is being deliberately and systematically slaughtered right in front of our eyes. According to this release by the Australian Wildlife Council so-called "legal" killings of kangaroos in Australia has reached 6 million, which when added to the uncalcuable unrecorded "illegal" killings certainly represents a slaughter of mass proportion. Australia's national icon has certainly been betrayed and if this controversial book opens the global public eyes to this problem, then it has certainly made a good start in addressing this otherwise widely ignored issue. If you are a supporter of wildlife issues, or an Australian or if you even have a heart you MUST read this book.

I found Lavish Legacies to be a very scholarly book with an inviting style of writing. The history of Baltimore Album quilts and others was wonderfully presented. The pictures of the quilts are breathtaking--capturing the fabric, craftmanship, and patina beautifully. I would highly recommend this book. It is a historic quilt book based on research from the experts (past and present) who have loved these these quilts for over one hundred and fifty years--which I think adds to the charm and preservation of the quilts.

This story was a great account of the turning point of college basketball, in which the view began to shift more towards the personal and academic side of the athlete as opposed to the athletic side. I would read it all over again.

This book would be good for 8th grade Maryland students to have on a summer reading list, or for reading in some other fashion. Maryland was as much a site for "pilgrims," in the general sense of the word, as were the Congregationalist settlers in New England, who unfortunately have been allowed by writers of old elementary history books and song to appropriate the designation as a proper title.
The name of Calvert is too little known. The Maryland settlement represented a first incidence in the colonies of a somewhat extended religious toleration, something noteworthy by its absence in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. The freedom of conscience now enjoyed in America was first conceived in the minds of the men who initially settled on the Maryland shores, and some would claim that spirit, despite subsequent severe attack on it, persisted in enough men through the generations to have a direct effect on the religious rights expressed in our constitution.
Nice drawings, large print, glossary, and suitable length make it good for students. A+

This is a horrifingly wonderful book showing the life of Wayne Dresbach. It is well written, portraying the feelings Wayne felt as his horrible childhood turns into a tragic adulthood. I believe this book shows just how life can be unfair and how you always have to take care of yourself. That means doing whatevers necessary. I couldn't put the book down, the way it was written makes you fell as if he were talking to YOU. My advice, read it, love it, remember it.