Yes, the story is excellent, if I do so say myself, but I don't recommend that anyone buy the iUniverse / Author's Guild edition. The photos didn't hold up well in the reproduction, and instead of "bleeding" off the edge of the paper they're set with a one-inch margin, so what was a 7x10 inch book comes out to magazine size.

Far better to buy a second-hand copy of the New Hampshire Publishing hardcover or softcover editor.

-- Dan Ford

I own this book in hardcover and I think it is great that it is available again in paperback. The author hikes through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and across into Maine. But more than a journal of his mini-expedition this is a glancing history of the Whites. Excellent! But the politically correct should take heed because the year is 1975 and the author among other things is a (gasp!) cigarette smoker. Let's hope that he has since reformed!

Good photographs taken along the way. Highly recommended.

Boy oh boy, Pam Smart can tell one lie, back it up with another, and not miss a beat or blink an eye...but such is common for those who have no conscience.

This book can serve as a cautionary tale in many respects: A) there are reasons laws are in place to prevent incidences of statutory rape, no sex between "adults" and children, and no sex between educators and pupils...B) if you are so unhappy in your marriage, for the love of God, please leave rather than take an innocent life!!! No amount of insurance money will wash that spot off of your hands, lady McPamBeth.

It sickens me that Gregg Smart was robbed of his chance to have actual happiness, to have the kids he dreamed of having, to even experience another beautiful sunset or holiday with his family...yet Pam is on televison constantly...wanting to "expose the truth" to the story. Oh well, at least she is doing the broadcasts from prison and not in the free world.

I will say this, she is quite humorous in that she constantly contradicts herself and DOES NOT EVEN REALIZE IT. reach wayyy into that cluebag, Pam, and don't hit your head on the bottom. Me thinks she doth protest too much...

THERE WAS ALOT OF INFORMATION IN THE BOOK THAT WASNT IN THE TRIA

I read Hebert's novel many years ago and was surprised when it went out of print. It is a wonderful novel, much better and more profound I think than "The Beans of Egypt, Maine" in honestly protraying rural poverty in New England. Hebert's characters are beautifully rendered and unlike with Chute's, the author does not condescend to them nor does he make them larger or smaller than life, though he does portray them with empathy and with heart. His characters have their own pettiness and desires and dignity, and he allows them to follow their own paths without making them cartoon-like puppets or grotesques. They are poor but they are not made to argue for some political point of view (though of course one can hardly not be moved when the main character talks about "teeth"--when referring to the lack of dental care for the poor). As with all great art, this novel makes its politcal statement by fashioning characters we do identify with. This is a profoundly moving novel that deserves to be rediscovered and applauded as the gritty and realistic novel it is.

I was sorry I waited to read it. I am from New Hampshire, a strange place but home. I have been in Seattle for several years. This book gave me flashbacks of growing up. I didn't realize then some of the odd behavior of those around me as well as myself. If you are from the sticks of N.E. you will love this book. It is hilarious, smart, and tight. If you are not and you like to read non-industry writers, writers with imagination. Pick up this book. It is great. I was truly blown away. I grew up with a TV but we had no channels but for PBS (Durham NH) and cable was not yet in the hinterlands. I read many books in New Hampshire and about New Hampshire, this is the very best. Hebert nailed this story. Trust me if you like original, new, fresh, material read "The Dogs of March."

One of a fantastic series of 4 chuck full of informational volumes dedicated to a particular geographic area. A must for any rock hound weather you travel or just live in the geographic area of the volume. If you can afford it, get all 4 regional volumes. Start with your area. The location information brake down of the minerals to be found in each state counties is so valuable you can't do with out it. Saves time, eliminate barren hunting grounds and it's so detailed as to where and how you find the minerals. This is just one of a fact full accurate guide series you'll want to have in your rock library. Don't settle for an older printing, this one is reprinted and has been updated.

This book looks like it's going to be a GREAT asset in my mineral hunting! I like the way it's set up, by state and then by county within the state. It lists the various sites, tells what has been found at each site and (by a code explained in the front of the book) where in each site the minerals were (in a field, in a mine, in the water, etc.). There are directions of varying degrees to each site. That's the one thing I'd quibble about -- some of the directions aren't that precise. But I understand that some of these sites are private lands, or not completely documented, and he can't come out and say, "Go fifty feet past the blue house, down a ravine, and to your left." In general, the directions seem good enough to get you close, and after that it's up to you.

He lists the rocks and minerals found at each site and gives some information about the quality at most places, including size of crystals found, color (and quality of color), and so on.

My only regret? I don't know if I'll have time to visit each site he has listed! So many rocks, so little time........

With all the drama and soap opera theatrics of the Clinton years, its hard to remember just how unusual and downright bizarre the 1988 Presidential election was. Though it didn't feature any serious attempts at impeachment or Wag the Dog style bombings, 1988 was still the year that saw, briefly, the possibility that both parties would nominate preachers for President, the Willie Horton ads (which have been called "racist" so many times that people tend to forget the fact that the only was they became an issue was because Gov. Dukakis saw no problem with allowing a known dangerous felon to have an unsupervised weekend outside of prison), Dan Quayle, and most strangely, the theory that the pairing of robotic Michael Dukakis and blandly corrupt Lloyd Bentsen would somehow lead to memories of Jack Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Yeah, it was a strange year from the beginning, as this book clearly proves.

As opposed to other campaign histories, Grass Roots covers only one pivotal event in the campaign -- the New Hamsphire primary (which, even if it wasn't admitted at the time, pretty much sealed the nominations of both Bush and Dukakis). As well, instead of concentrating on all the behind-the-scenes strategizing, Grass Roots focuses on the citizen/activists who spent a year crisscrossing New Hampshire in an effort to bring their candidates to victory. Its a nice change from most campaign histories. Instead of supplying analysis of why certain campaigns failed, author Dayton Duncan instead shows us the gritty details that goes into the campaigns at the ground level and one comes away with both an appreciation of the massive effort it takes to run a succesful political campaign and a better feel for what makes for victory and what dooms a cause for defeat.

Duncan concentrates his narrative on a few individuals such as Doug Kidd, a former directionless man whose devotion to the Rev. Pat Robertson's campaign becomes rather touching and inspirational even if Robertson, himself, hardly strikes one as Presidential. We meet Al Rubega, a down-to-earth conservative whose frustration with the stillborn campaign of Jack Kemp reaches truly tragic heights. On the Democratic side, Dan Burnham faces the agony of watching Bruce Babbitt crash and burn as a result of the candidate's lack of charisma while veteran activist Andi Johnson helplessly watches as both Gary Hart and Joe Biden self-destruct in scandal before finally hooking up with the far more honest but just as doomed Paul Simon. Along with these stories, we get insightful views of various Presidential long-shots doing their best to make a name for themselves -- Duncan's account of a day in the life of Republican Pete Du Pont and his attempts to campaign as a common man (let's just say that juggling is involved) are especially funny and strangely sad. All in all, it makes for inspiring reading as both a political history and an account of human drama.

Duncan, it should be said, is admirably upfront about his own political leanings. He is a Democrat and, after the primary, even worked as a press secretary to the Dukakis campaign. So, what is amazing, is that this partisan has managed to write a truly nonbiased account of one of the most partisan presidential elections in recent history. As opposed to so-called objective journalists (Jack Germond and Jules Whitcover, I'm looking in your direction), Duncan treats all the candidates and their campaigns fairly and, even when writing about the Republicans that he surely disagrees with, Duncan never resorts to easy stereotypes. Everyone is allowed to present their case and everyone is treated with respect. What a concept!

Every post-election year, it seems that we are flooded with books that claim to give an inside account of the previous election and usually they dissapoint by either engaging in the pompous rhetoric of Teddy White's later books or the surly partisan grumpiness that seems to have afflicted Germond and Whitcover (who always seemed to be saying, "How could the rest of you vote differently from us!?") Duncan's book, however, reminds us why so many people have devoted their lives to politics. It reminds us that politics -- even today -- can still be an exhilirating way for a citizen to make his voice heard. And for that -- as well as giving as a wonderful record of really weird election -- he is to be commended and his book treasured.

Andi Johnson of Cheshire County, New Hampshire will tell you that NH takes their presidential politics seriously. You will find well educated voters and activists as they work hard to let people know their candidate can beat the other guy best. Dayton follows several local activists during the First in the Nation primary in Cheshire County, NH. You will learn what makes them tick and why they feel they are going to win: who's it gonna be: Senator Paul Simon (D-IL) or former Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis against George Bush or Pat Robertson...? Enjoy a good read and learn history in the making.

The very first written testimony about an encouter between human beings and alien civilisation can be found in the bible (the anciant testament is very rich in details if read and interpreted in a logical way and not in the "spriritual-traditional" way). The second written testimony, and the last one so far, is the "interrupted journey". The "interrupted journey" is according to me much more than a book. It's a real testimony which goes beyond the common question "do you believe in UFO", because a UFO is "just" an unidentified object and it doesn't say much. In the Betty and Barney Hill's case, it goes far beyond the "simple" unidentified flying object. There is a real encouter and a conversation between a human being and a civilisation which is obviously NOT from our world, which is obviously NOT from our planet. And it means A LOT. During her conversation with the alien crew "boss",she was told while she was staring at the map, that some planets (or stars) where regularly,frequently or occasionaly visited by them. It also seems that commercial exchanges between alien civilisations themselves are quite common. How about us, habitants of the planet earth, what do we represent for those civilisations? I haven't heard so far that we're making trade with extra-terrestrials. But it doesn't mean that they have no interest in our planet. We could even easily suppose that alien civilisations have visited us thousands of times and not only during this century but for many,many centuries.........and probably more. In conclusion, if we admitt that our planet have been visited for ages by aliens like the ones of "the interrupted journey", then we may ask ourselves "In which ways the alien intervention in the history of the Manhood has influenced our believes and in which way the alien intervention will influence the future of the Mankind".

I'd like to read a review of this book but can't seem to find one. Can anyone help me? Thanks.

The title is slightly misleading-it is ideas that are always in conflict. The measure of Justice is how those conflicts are dealt with. The transformational concept presented by Hampshire is that which side of the argument prevails is not nearly as important as the system used to determine which side prevails. He observes that there are always arguments to be made on each side of a difference of opinion whether it be pro or anti abortion or pro or anti assisted suicide or pro or anti welfare state or pro or con on ethnic cleansing. The important thing to a civilized society is that when decisions are made on these issues that both winners and losers in the debate accept the outcome peacefully rather than degenerating into violence. The measure of Justice is the willingness of the interested parties to accept the result peacefully rather than resorting to violence. If there is to be any hope of peace in the world it is through the kind of Justice that Hampshire describes, where parties in conflict are willing to trust institutions rather than war to eventually determine which side will prevail. As a measure of Hampshire's power of persuasion, he won me over even though I am quite conservative while he describes himself as a liberal who holds a number of opinions on social issues I strongly disagree with.

Like the superb book "A Darwinian Left" by Peter Singer, this is a marvelous discourse on one of the fundamental principles of our society -- for anyone who wonders about the meaning of life, both are fascinating excursions into the realm of new thought.

This book is founded on an image out of the Middle Ages -- when two men, wrapped from head to toe in gleaming steel, carrying wicked lances, mounted on massive horses, charged full speed at each other to settle disputes about truth and justice in the confrontational medieval way.

That, in essence, is the basis of 'Justice is Conflict.' It's been the basis of Anglo-Saxon justice for at least a millennia, and for unknown hundreds of years before that. It's far from the idea that "might is right," instead it embodies that God is on the side of the just. Movies always depict it in that manner. From the meekest knight to the American fictional cowboy with a six-gun on his hip, justice always triumphs. It's a confrontational system of justice based on combat, as explained by Thomas Jefferson when he said he was not afraid to tolerate error "so long as reason is left free to combat it." The key word is "combat." Today, when lawyers challenge each other in court battles, they are staging a ritual re-enactment of those old jousts.

In contrast, the Navajo spirit of K'e emphasizes a consensus system of justice. The goal is not that God can be counted on to favor the just; instead, it is a search to find truth and thus assess blame properly. There's usually no clear "Guilty" and "Innocent" verdict; instead, blame is assessed on a proportional basis. In other words, even if you are guilty, perhaps you are only 90 percent guilty. Perhaps the other person did contribute somewhat to the problem. Perhaps the solution requires a compromise to achieve justice. Harmony, rather than win-loss absolutism, is prized.

Hampshire is undoubtedly correct in asserting that our society is based on the ethics of confrontation; he asserts this eternal "conflict" produced our modern world. He's very persuasive; and, as a friend used to say, "Interesting . . . if true." But, what was the situation a thousand years ago when Europe was the weakest and most backward region in the world. The question then, is whether transforming the direct confrontation system of justice into a careful and precise ritualized procedure made all the difference, or were other factors involved in European society becoming dominant.

Twenty-five hundred years ago, Plato argued for the Navajo approach -- reason should be used to achieve agreement and harmony among warring ideas. That was at a time when society worshipped a pantheon of gods; two thousand years ago, the concept of a single God began to take hold. The same idea took hold in matters of justice; instead of a panopoly of truths, people began to seek one truth -- a person was either guilty or innocent, with no Mr. Inbetween. Justicfe became an all-or-nothing decision. Forget about the middle of the road, the only thing you find there are yellow stripes and dead armadillos. As Thomas Paine said in 1792 in 'The Rights of Man,' "moderation in principle is always a vice."

Hampshire, like Singer, goes to the heart of what makes our society tick -- perhaps. It's a book for readers who like to think about philosophy and the fundamental roots of our society. These books will make you think; for people who love ideas, Hampshire and Singer are two original thinkers. Both are eminently worth buying.

Thomas Williams blends intricate prose with real skill for story-telling. His accounts of Leah bring the town to life, filling it with vibrant characters and a tangible spirit of the northeastern United States.

This is one of my favorite collection of short stories. If you like Hemingway's short stories and if you live or like to visit New England you will love these stories.

Perley M. Leighton's work was cited by George F. Sanborn Jr., FASG, as "one of the best twentieth-century genealogies of a major northern New England family." I echo his sentiments. The 1989 books are out-of-print with reprints unlikely in the near future. LEIGHTON GENEALOGY ON CD includes the entire two volumes by Perley Leighton in original format with recent updates, electronically searchable and includes photos, documents, maps and more. Information at jpnotes.com.

Perley Leighton has done the Leighton Clan a great service in compiling this history of the family's origin in the new world and their spread throughout the US. It is the foremost reference for researching Thomas Leighton's descendants.

This book is a very comprehensive guide to NH. I reccomend this book to not only new visitors to NH, but seasoned regulars as well. Lantos seems to have gathered an immense amount of information, I can only hope that he will continue to write further guide books.

I couldn't believe the amount of detail found here; anything I've ever wanted to know about New Hampshire, I now know. The book is full of not only geographical information, but a lot of history to go along with every site/hotel mentioned! Truly gives you a taste of what you're seeing, and gives your trip a lasting impact.