Wichita is a great city, i love it!! great book

As a thirty-five-year resident of Stillwater, MN--one the world's most beautiful cities, located on the banks of the St. Croix River--I can attest to the quality of Debra Chial's book. This rather small pamphlet-like coffee table book contains stunning photographs of some of the river highlights, including fall foliage, bridges, bluffs, cascades, historic sites, trains, boats, and scenic cityscapes. With a well-crafted foreword on the history of the river, and clear captions throughout, this out-of-print masterpiece is worth locating for photo buffs and all Valley residents. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.

To get the record straight: this is mainly a photo book of St. Louis. Bob Costas only wrote the introduction. I think I have to say that I have never been to St. Louis and that a friend of mine (who lives there) gave me this book as a gift. One of my hobbies is photography, so when I see photos by other people, I expect a high standard. I can truly say that I was amazed by the standard of the photos contained in this book. For example, there are great pictures of Eero Saarinen's Gateway Arch and of St. Louis' art deco gems like Fox Theater or Union Station that are really inspiring. In addition to this, the book contains a large section which portrays the industry situated in and around the city. So if you want to know what St. Louis looks (and is) like or want to show somebody, I highly recommend this book.

This book is a must for any boater around the Great Lakes. Too often, national press focuses on the East and West coasts when searching for great places to feature. This book provides a introduction to the "3rd Coast".

In 1855, the recently-ordained young Norwegian immigrant pastor Johan Storm Munch and his wife Caja came to Wiota in southern Wisconsin to organize a rural church to serve the enclave of families who had arrived from Norway over the previous few years.

The book, by Peter Munch, grandson of the subject Munch's, consists of 1) a forward relating the very interesting story of how the material was located, 2) letters written between 1855 and 1859 by Caja Munch to her family in Norway; 3) a memoir by the pastor covering the same years as the letters; and 4) an excellent essay by Peter Munch, "Social Class and Acculturation," about the Norwegian immigrant experience, especially that of the group of Lutheran pastors who had arrived to serve the several communities in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota during the time of the letters.

The book provides a wonderful portrait of both the pastors' families and those of their charges, the farmers struggling to make a living on the land in a new and undeveloped area. There is no shortage of animosity on the side of the educated Munch's toward the less sophisticated farmers and, as we learn in Caja's letters especially, vice versa.

An excellent book on several counts.

Sunday Rides On Two Wheels: Motorcycling In Southern Wisconsin by Barbara Barber is an original and "user friendly" travel guide to motorcycling for fun and relaxation in and around the southern Wisconsin area. Travel routes, black-and-white photographs, and a spiral binding for easy reference while on the go, make Sunday Rides On Two Wheels an excellent, enjoyable and very worthwhile vacation planner and travel guide for the dedicated motorcyclist.

This book serves up something for every traveler of back roads and unbeaten paths. It's a collection of essays written by people who have opened their eyes wide to the often overlooked vernacular images of hte Iowa countryside and small-town Main Streets.

I am a personal friend of the authors, and I want to say he has written great book. Very funny. I am in the book as well, "Joe Becker on Norm". Let me just say all true. I got confused on his "stories" but they were crafted quite well. If you want a laugh and a realistic point of veiw on life, compiled with interesting stories, this is your book. This book also notes breifly to the works of KISS.

Tap into the Great Lakes - A guide to the Brewpubs and Microbreweries of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin.

What a title! What a book! This is an in-depth review of microbrews in the Great Lakes region, and oh what a region it is! Mr. Bice must have had a great time sampling the various brews throughout the five states listed.

Having visited a few of the microbreweries, I can certainly attest to the accuracy and quality of the reviews. It is very well written and clearly understandable. The glossary of brews is certainly a useful tool when search for the perfect Scotch Ale!

Knowing the author and the neighborhood personally I really enjoyed this book. Having grown up in the same house as the author I could relate to her description on a very personal level she is very thorough in her writing and the details were very impressive. I felt like I was back home while I was reading. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.