This book should be in all school libraries. The excellent illustrations bring the accurate text to life in a compelling way. I give 2-3 hr presentations in French or English as a voyageur. This book certainly covers more than I can in such a way. I would recommend it whole-heartedly as background for anyone interested in the period and the characters.

Every spring in the late 1700's canoes would leave from Quebec and head for upper Lake Superior. At the same time trappers from deep in the central and Rocky Mountain regions of Canada would head for the same location with the fruits of their trapping labors over the winter. They would meet for a couple of weeks of trading and partying. Then they would laboriously paddle back to where they had come from.

Howard Silvertson captures this time with short clear descriptions and beautiful watercolors that really make the history come alive. It is a part of history that is often forgotten. It's fascinating to imagine what it was like to live in those times. This book captures the feeling. This book should be in every school library.

Not a simple chronology of space exploration, this volume looks at why humans want to go and what they want to do when they get there. Life on Mars, extraterrestrial life, space warfare, and space colonization are among the ideas whose histories are explored. The stories of the people who developed the technology to go to space, their ideas, theories, and inventions are related, with many color illustrations. Launius is a historian and editor; McCurdy teaches public affairs at the American U. in Washington DC.

With a special foreword by famed science fiction author Ray Bradbury, Imagining Space: Achievements, Predications, Possibilities 1950-2050 is an amazing, informative, thought-provoking, and superbly illustrated armchair traveler's guide - one that takes the reader to other planets, past the solar system, and beyond the Milky Way galaxy. It looks back to the 1950 predictions of rocket scientists and science fiction authors, to the present day space program, and forward to the possibilities of 2050. Chief NASA historian Roger D. Launius and Dr. Howard E. McCurdy of American University explore the dreams and realities of our past and future as connected to space travel, including speculations of one day exploring Mars and creating space colonies. Imagining Space is written in lay terminology so that its dreams can easily be imparted to the casual reader, but by far its most vivid asset are its stunningly beautiful illustrations; over 150 artists' renderings and photographs display a breathtaking, unforgettable glimpse into the past, present, and future of space travel. Very highly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the future beyond the boundaries of the Earth.

"In For A Penny, In For A Pound" by Howard Hewer, sub-titled: "The Adventures And Misadventures Of A Wireless Operator In bomber Command". Stoddard Publishing, Toronto, Canada, 2000.

This book recounts the experiences of T. W. H. Hewer as a young man and a wireless operator in the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a young teenager, Howard Hewer had dreams of flying Spitfires, so he enlisted in the Canadian Air Force, which decided, at that moment, they had a greater need for radio operators than for pilots. He was shipped to Calgary for training in radio operations. Hewer then tells the story of his training as an enlisted radio operator, and his experience during bombing raids on Nazi held Europe. He retired as Wing Commander.

Young Hewer was well aware of the cultural differences between the British and the Canadians. He devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 6, "Yatesbury Wireless School - Collision of Cultures) to describe the class-conscious Brits and the young Canadians being trained in England. Throughout the book, these cultural differences will pop up, and, in some instances, be of major importance. In Chapter 19, (A Fine Line To Mutiny), it would appear that the British wanted a level of discipline that neither the Australians nor the Canadians wanted to accept. Admittedly, it as an Australian who first threw down his rifle and refused to drill, but Hewer appears to have approved of the group's refusal to exercise and drill. He later implies that this "mutiny" was responsible for the delay of his commissioning as an officer.

This book is not just the usual recounting of the terrors of flying bombers into German held Europe. There is that, of course, but Hewer narrates a story that involves the European Theatre, flying to Malta, on to Egypt and then a trip, in a ship, around Africa. In South Africa, when warned to avoid certain down town areas because the Boers still remembered the Boer war and therefore were "hostile" to the British, Hewer relies on his "Canada" shoulder flash. He and a Canadian compatriot slip into a down town hotel and are feted by the old Boers with free beer and lunch.

An interesting anecdote related by Hewer deals with the dance halls. He was on a balcony and looked down at the dancers, who reminded him of a field of moving daisies. . It seems that the ladies had all used peroxide to become blondes and their roots were slowly growing out in their darker colors. As Hewer glanced down, the whirling locks appeared as daisies in the wind. This remembrance, alone, makes the book worth reading.

Howard Hewer has done a wonderful job in bringing us his life in Bomber Command as a wireless operator flying in the belly of Wellington bombers. From his nights flying over Berlin to the bombing of North Africa to his time spent convalescing after a crash (when he went on some of his most dangerous missions), Hewer spares few details in providing a colorful first-hand account. Anyone with even a passing interest in war memoirs, or who truly enjoys the view of the world from 10,000 feet, should read this book. Without a doubt the best memoir I've read in a long time.

The authors have done a superlative job condensing years of research into a comprehensive encyclopedia of insect pests of palms. With a holistic approach that emphasizes the biological interaction of insects with their palm hosts, and a mix of basic and applied information, this volume is an invaluable reference for anyone who works with the "royalty of plants," from the enthusiastic hobbyist to an agronomist managing extensive palm plantations. Accessible and edifying for both scientists and non-scientists, "Insects on Palms" will remain the acknowledged authority on its subject for years to come.

Los amantes de las palmeras y los que trabajamos en este campo echábamos de menos un buen libro sobre las plagas de las palmeras. Desde que Lepesme publicara en 1947, en francés, "Les Insectes des Palmiers", nadie se había atrevido a poner al día, de forma tan profunda, los conocimientos sobre los insectos de las palmeras y las modernas técnicas de control. Por fin, los autores de este libro, que poseen una amplia experiencia en estos insectos, nos ofrecen una herramienta de trabajo indispensable, moderna y llena de conocimientos.

This book is on my "short list" of essential references. Species are covered in clear, concise descriptions. This well organized volume makes hunting for similar species as easy as turning a page. The photos? I can't say enough about the clear, photos that make insect identification a good deal easier!

While an excellent book for the landscape professional, scientist, or advanced gardener, beginners might be a bit overwhelmed by the technical language and scientific names.

When trying to identify a particular problem with growing trees or shrubs knowing what kinds of insects are possible culprits is a major step. This book gives us, in color photos and descriptions, most of the common larvae that can be found feeding on the particular plants. Even Entomology texts often refuse to deal with larvae of insects, keeping only the adults in the keys and descriptions (even though the adults are often not pests!). This guide will be a welcome addition to any plant clinic, grower, or Entomology professor or student's bookshelf.

In her book, Howard discusses her life as the wife of a diplomat living in Iran for several years. She traveled all over Iran and met women from all walks of life; big city sophisticates, traditonal villagers, nomads and others. Howard discusses the ups and downs of women's lives in a totalitarian Islamic state where there is no freedom of speech or press; where saying or printing the wrong thing can result in imprisonment, fines and/or whippings. There are so many restrictions on Iranian women and Howard does a great job of describing how they get the proverbial short end of the stick in almost every aspect of life (one exception is that female homosexuality carries a lesser punishment than male homosexuality). She describes their brave struggles for personal freedoms and the same privileges that men currently enjoy.
"Inside Iran: Women's Lives" is best described by the author in one of the last paragraphs of her book:

"The general frustrations with everyday life here, the petty restrictions of the dress code and the restrictions on freedom of speech are tempered with the warmth and hospitality of Iranians. For me, it was a fascinating experience and a lot of fun. But for some women, not just foreigners, Iran sometimes feels like a life sentence from which they cannot escape."

Lots of charming black and white photos included.

Foreign correspondent Jane Howard made her home in Iran for five years and raised her two children there: these experiences brought a more personal set of insights into the lives of everyday Iranian women, explored here. From tea in a nomad's tent to presidential places, Inside Iran: Women's Lives provides a different image of Iranian women than most books would offer, going beyond the veil to explore how they work outside the home, drive, and even become politicians. A fascinating report.

Howard L. Russell is a professional loan broker who has been working in the trenches getting loans for his clients for years. He has also talked to thousands of people who didn't qualify for a loan and finally realized no one had written a complete book on the subject.

"After you read this book, you will be able to get a copy of your credit report and sit down at the kitchen table with a pen, paper and calculator and determine whether you qualify for a loan or not. If you don't quality, you will know exactly why and what to do about it." -Howard L. Russell

The Insider Credit Handbook will show you:

1. How to get, read and understand your credit report
2. How to establish credit
3. How to re-establish credit
4. What is a personal loan: what it takes to qualify for one and how to get it
the two kinds of car loans: what it takes to qualify and how to get one
5. Home equity loans: what they are and how to qualify to get one
6. Using a loan broker: what they do, what they charge and avoiding the rip-off guys
7. Bankruptcy and what to do next. An alternative to bankruptcy.

In the first chapter you learn exactly where to go to find your credit report. Web site info and phone numbers and how to get your report fast. In the back of the book, there are sample reports so you can read this book and see examples on the actual forms.

Once you get your "own" report, that is when this book gets really helpful!

Like: You might see: Sum-ACCTS 18, 3-ZEROS, 14-ONES

What does ACCTS:18 mean? When you see this on your report it will mean you have 18 loans listed on your credit report.

The author takes you step-by-step through your entire report! How unique to actually have someone spend that much time explaining things. Oh the beauty of books. There is no way the author could spend this much time in person because he would be out getting loans for his clients. So, this is really the "decoder" for your report. Although, I must say, he does do everything he can to help people get their credit back so they can get a loan the next time they apply. There are plenty of examples and stories that were quite interesting to read.

There are some very important "warnings" listed. Like if a loan officer pulls a credit report and sees lots of recent inquiries, it might mean you are trying to borrow a lot of money in a short period of time or you have already been turned down a few times.

You know, I don't normally review "finance" type books, but this one is dang interesting! It is like entering this secret little world of loans. The font size is nice and easy on the eyes.

This should be required reading at some time during high school! Everyone in America needs this information, because eventually you will need a loan. At that point it might be too late to undo the damage caused by mistakes you didn't even know you made!

Highly Recommended!

For the inside scoop on how to go from bad credit to good credit, this is an excellent source. It's full of sound, practical tips and information that people who want to move ahead really need to know. No matter what your income or credit history, unless you've worked in the credit business, you can't know all the facts this book has to offer. Russell has the experience in the business to know his subject from the inside out and he writes in a way that everyone can understand. One of the things I learned from this book is that there are ways to apply for loans without creating credit report inquiries. If you have bad credit, this could be a lifesaver! But whatever your financial goals, this book is sure to help you move toward them.

This is an amazing book containing oral histories of African American US soldiers during World War II. While each story is different, common themes are that preserving white supremacy was a preeminent motivation of American life, and that such discrimination was usually enforced or condoned by the federal government through the military. If African American soldiers were allowed to succeed, that would bring the Jim Crow system into question.
The author skillfully orders these narratives, also noting the role played by each soldier and unit noted in a brief introduction before each narrative. These soldiers give the facts, their opinions, and some general observations. "At times it actually seemed that the white man would rather lose the war than give the black man the recognition he so clearly deserved."
The African American had two enemies -- the Germans, and the white soldiers and civilians. Southern law officers might force African American soldiers to march in the ditch, since the very highways were reserved for whites.
There were times that African American soldiers would fight white soldiers who provoked them. In the South, this might lead to a lynch mob. A number of accounts note that German POWs were granted privileges denied to active duty African American soldiers. One soldier notes that he had to walk down an alley to the back of an eatery in Texas to order food, while German POWs were allowed to eat inside; this was a common practice in the South. In the South, African American access to the base PX would be restricted.
Trained African American soldiers were assigned to stevedore duty. Trained African American pilots were assigned to guard airbases which were in no danger of enemy attack. White officers were promoted or transferred, to prevent them from having to follow the orders of an African American officer of higher rank in their unit. Officers' clubs were "separate but unequal." Only when mixed with African Americans in actual combat against the Germans, did whites treat African Americans equally. There were rare exceptions of white officers and units who stood up to this segregation.
This book is full of hundreds of such memories and incidents. Some incidents recount how African American soldiers interacted with other minorities in the army, and with the citizens of different countries. This book is slow reading, because each incident generates thought, but it is well worth reading.

This is one of the best two books I've read on the Black military experience in the twentieth century, the other book being Lee's "Employment of Negro Troops." The Invisible Soldier contains a series of interviews with black officers and enlisted men from World War One to Vietnam and from many different services. These men discuss things which are not written about in any other book, and that you wont find in the national archives, such as an on going battle between white and black officers for authority during segregation, or overt racial violence between soldiers once the Japanese had surrendered.

I read this book after Lee's book and Nalty's "Strength for the Fight" and it added clarity and depth to their more traditional format. The author, a woman, is aware that she is stepping into an arena that is traditionally all-male but provides a balanced view to the male voices she transcribes in the book.

Should be required reading in some military history classes.

Although most famous for his laconic barbarians and the dour Puritan swordsman Solomon Kane, Robert E. Howard's work spilled over genre lines to include sports and pulp adventure, among other themes. The lead story, the novella "The Iron Man," is a standard Howard celebration of machismo, starring a boxer whose sole claim to attention is the ability to absorb inhuman amounts of punishment. Of considerably greater interest are the Dennis Dorgan stories that follow. Dorgan, a not-too-bright merchant marine and shore-leave pugilist with an English bulldog, is a delight. The Dorgan stories, told in a Runyonesque first-person palooka-ese, demonstrate a wit and charm that rarely surface in Howard's better-known works.

Robert E. Howard churned out a lot of fiction during his short lifetime, and most of the attention has been claimed by his laconic barbarians-Conan, Kull, and Bran Mak Morn-and that humorless Puritan Solomon Kane. As a result, the fantasy crowd has tended to overlook these idiosyncratic gems about a not-too-bright prizefighting sailor and his bulldog. Forget the lead story "The Iron Man"-it's just more of Howard's self-serious exploration of machismo. The Dorgan stories, however, show a real sense of humor and an ear-however odd-for palooka dialogue that approaches the Runyonesque. Sure, it's out of print, but pulp fans will find it worth hunting for.

Anyone working with AS400 query should look into buying this book. Not only does Howard explain how SQL works, he also gives working examples with the sample data included on the CD. Now using AS400 query seems a little odd and very cumbersome.

His writing is laid out very well and easy to read. While reading this, I felt that he was actually there explaining the chapters to me as a one on one instructor.

Great Job!

If you wondered how to call AS400 programs from your Visual Basic program correctly, this book is your one source for how to do it.

First book on the market that answered all of my client/server questions when I deal with PC to AS400 programming tasks!

Not only does Howard do a good job of explaining how stored procedures work, but gives some great coding examples on how to get you up and running correctly. He goes the extra mile and talks about performance too, one thing that normally is lacking in many others out there.

Nice job Howard. Look forward to others in the future!