After years of focusing solely on soldier experiences of battle, historians have finally begun to examine other important aspects of the war. Of these, the prison experience has been ignored--or generalized--for far too long. Books like *Rebels at Rock Island* are important to a fuller understanding of the war and the less romanticized suffering of POWs. This and *Unlikely Allies: Fort Delaware's Prison Community in the Civil War* are excellent studies of single Northern prisons.

For an enthralling and personalized examination of one regiment's experiences in Southern prisons, look at *A Perfect Picture of Hell: Eyewitness Accounts by Civil War Prisoners from the 12th Iowa.* As a guidebook to prisons on both sides, Lonnie Speer's *Portals to Hell* is another valuable tool. McAdams joins a growing body of important Civil War prison literature. I recommend all of these books highly.

REBELS AT ROCK ISLAND is a lesson in history that has not been told in depth until Benton McAdams put into words the events that took place 136 years earlier. I live near and work in Rock Island and visit the Rock Island Arsenal often. Until I read Rebels at Rock Island, I was not aware of the details of this Civil War chapter in history that seemed to be so remote and now so close. The Confederate Cemetary maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Rock Island Arsenal has always been of interest to the locals in and around the City of Rock Island. We have not had a resource to know the details of this historical landmark where 1800 Rebels are buried until Mr. McAdams pulled the documents from various sources together in a factual, yet easy-to-read book. Today this Confederate Cemetary is treated with a high level of reverence and respect to the men who took up the cause of the Confederate Flag. Prior to this book, which has given us the chilling and depressing details of the prisoner's ordeal and the extreme difficulties associated with managing a prison camp on the island, no one could artilculate the past with the present day Rock Island Arsenal. Mr. McAdams has relied on documents from various sources; one being the Rock Island Argus newspaper. The editor of the paper during the existance of the prison camp was very critical of the management of the prison. I have been able to retrieve copies of the Argus newspaper from the City of Rock Island Library which maintains much historical material available to those who may wish to read from this newspaper published during that period of time. This is a book which has interest for all who desire to learn more about the in-depth, factual events associated with a northern prison camp of the Civil War. I highly recommend the book, REBELS AT ROCK ISLAND: THE STORY OF A CIVIL WAR PRISON.

Benton McAdams does an excellent job of portraying the Civil War prison system, especially the North, in a very objective manner. His research is in-depth and is assembled in way to make the reading informative and interesting in a Shelby Foote sort of way. Mr. McAdams follows the birth, life and death of the Federal Prison at Rock Island, Illinois along the banks of the Mississippi River. This book is a must for any Civil War historian, both professional and amateur, as it hits upon topics not covered anywhere else to this level. The research includes letters, diaries, newspaper articles and Federal documents which are put together to allow the reader the feel for the day-to-day existance in the prison and surrounding area. A superior read that I liked and highly recommend.

I thought this book was absolutely wonderful. It had romance and suspense and mystery all wrapped up into one book. The book is about this girl named Jessica who one night in the middle of the night decides to go out to her barn to check up on her cats. But while she is in the barn she notices a young boy standing in the corner with a ............ knife. To found out what happens next you have to read this amazing book!

I really loved this book. It had a great mystery and some romance mixed in- which I personally enjoyed. I know for a fact that there's no doubt I will read this book again!

Jessica is a fourteen year old pioneer girl living in the wilderness of New York during the War of 1812. On a bitter cold Christmas Eve, she discovers a young man, barely older than herself, hiding in the barn. He's frightened and cold, and won't talk. As the weeks go by, Jessica and her family try to find out who he is. When a shocking accusation is made against him, Jessica must find out the truth - before he dissapears forever.

I read this book before my first job and I did excelent. I would really recomend it for young teen and parents who are nervouse about babysitting. ...parents feel good about having me as their sitter knowing I have had experience. I also feel prepared when I head in to a job.

This book was wonderful! It had everything you could ever want to know plus so much more. It told you how to make simple snacks, questions to ask the parents before they leave, how to give baths, want to do in any accident, when to call the parents, and what to do if there is a prowler.

The story is one of friendship. One friend shares something very special with her best friend who had always helped her in the past. This new sharing was more than it appeared in the beginning. The knowledge and inner soul of the young character Kathryn show another side to a topic often avoided and not dealt with by readers, teachers, or youngsters. In the end, the sadness is felt by those who can empathize with the main heroine, Kathryn, when she must be happy for her friend even though she is sad for herself - it is a book with so many lessons and topics for discussion that it boggles the mind. To ease your mind, if you are teachers or parents, order the parent/teacher guide it provides excellent literature extensions. Hope to see these wonderful women from Open Minds Inc. in Canada at the next CEC convention. If you didn't hear the author talk - you'll want to at the next convention.

I couldn't believe Kathryn was in a wheelchair. I was so surprised by it that I read all night and didn't put it down until I finished it. I would recommend it to everyone. I am now reading another book about the same character called Whoa, Nellie! and I love it too.

"Deaf Elephants" is a picture book for gentle persons of all ages, based on a little fib about elephants that you'll quickly forgive. The simply told story of their lives is filled out by the author's ink drawings, swinging easily from the elegance of the "Little Prince" illustrations to goofy humor. This is a wonderful book full of love and encouragement. I'm sending it to all of my friends.

Given the reviews, I am very curious about what is inside this book. Have never seen a book with an overall rating of 1 star before.

I really enjoy Irving Stone's novels. He writes factually, and very humanistically. You feel like you are right there with the characters and experiencing everything that they are going through. Immortal Wife has been my favorite book since I was a teenager. Jessie Benton Fremont was a great supporter of her husband. Whether it be his political aspirations, his travels through California, or any trouble that he got into. A great book if you enjoy romance, history and the flavor of the Civil War era. John C. Fremont was a great explorer, and he and his wife were very much against slavery, and started the civil war talk on slavery even before President Lincoln did! This is a must read.

I find reading Irving Stone very informative. I get my romance and my history all rapped up into one book. Immortal Wife has been my favorite nov el since I was a young girl. My husband just recently purchased the book for me, and I reread it. I loved it the second time too!!

Great book to read with children to explain the Ojibwe creation story and other stories.

This book is great. I have read it to my children and they love it as much as I do. I would recommend it to anyone. It is well worth it.

Finally. A well thought out and well executed book about a major movement in American art that is often dismissed as being one dimensional. Dennis' introspective look into the most revered "Regionalist" artists not only offers engaging scholarship, but a very good education in American social history as well. A must read for anyone who thinks they know what "Regionalism" is.

This book makes you rethink any ideas you might have about Regionalism. Whether you agree with James Dennis or not is up to you, but he certainly does bring up some very interesting ideas. The basic ideas of the Regionalism school are initially laid out for the reader, and from this beginning it is already possible to see the weak foundation of the very definition of "Regionalism," as it was defined NOT by the artists, but by their critics and the public. The sterotyping generalities inherent in this 'school' set the stage for Dennis' questioning of the similarities of the work of Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, and John Steurat Curry, the triumvirate of Regionalism. The author proceeds to explicate the inherent differences between the 3 artists' work, as well as the eventually obvious flawed general definition of "Regionalism." Dennis breaks down his discussions into realism vs. abstraction, realistic subject matter vs. fantasies, the ideas of nationalism and fascism in the artists' work, their varying depictions of women, and finally compares the three Regionalists to three contemporary modernists, Charles Demuth, Charles Sheeler, and Marsden Hartley. Dennis concludes with the assertion that the so-called "Regionalists" are in many ways more "modern" than their modernists contemporaries. The book has plenty of pictures, sadly only in black and white, and thus the book is a surprisingly quick read. Each chapter is thorough however, and must be studied to be fully understood. The reader should have some art historical background, and some knowledge of the history of the first half of the 20th century. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Regionalism, and the history of American art. Makes you think.

What's the best way to get people interested in history? Pictures, of course.

Ronald Christopher Zurek pieces together almost 200 vintage photographs into a regional history in "Sauk Rapids and Benton County."

Going back as far as the 1850s, the book explores the industries, businesses and the people that have contributed to the area's growth.

James J. Hill's influence on the railroads and the tiny saloon that was to become Coborn's Superstore are just some of the highlights. Group portraits dominate the book, capturing the lifestyles of granite workers, young men leaving for World War II and operators connecting telephone conversations at the turn of the century. And we can't forget the Prohibition era federal officers reveling in their moonshine bust.

The Ojibwe American Indians who originally lived in the Benton County area serve as a brief introduction to the rest of the book. One chapter focuses on Sauk Rapids' fatal 1886 cyclone, with photos of the destruction.

In "Images of America - Sauk Rapids and Benton County", Ronald Christopher Zurek has brought a collection of vintage photos and text into a cohesive history of the early years of that region of Minnesota. I have to admit that before reading this books I had no idea that sauerkraut was made in big wooden vats, but the photos from the Foley Pickle Factory certainly enlightened me. This book is a wonderful look into the past of a Midwestern small community. From the early Ojibwe and Sioux settlements to the daily life of the European settlers it fascinates us with high quality black and white photos.

The history of the railroads, the "Sauk Rapids Cyclone of 1886", the vintage family photos and all the other elements of this book should be a compass to the current residents of the Benton County proclaiming their heritage. The next time I pass through that region I shall have to spend time looking for the landmarks that still exist, and pondering the ones that have passed.

This book is "a keeper" and will be a welcome addition to my history collection.