Frank Mullen has added an important book to the history of Donner Party. The tragedy has been the focus of writing since the spring of 1847, but Mullen has found a fresh way to make the story understandable and, perhaps more importantly, human.

The book is a daily chronolgy of the year that it took the party to travel from Illinois to California, and each two-page spread of this large book is carefully laid out and presents a mix of graphics and text. It is rewarding if read straight through, yet very accessible if your reading style is more "grazing" than linear.

Mullen clearly has done his homework. The sheer volume of detail and complexity in the story can be overwhelming, and Mullen includes the details that are needed to clarify and develop the people in the story. He includes wonderful quotes from diaries and supporting material, and drawings of interesting side issues such as an analysis of the probable shape of the "Pioneer Palace Car." Additionally, Marilyn Newton's photographs of the trail as seen today make it real for a modern reader.

When I have given this book as a gift to anyone with an interest in American History, it has been very well received. A truly great book.

The full-color, glossy photographs of major landmarks and points of interest along the Emigrant Trail from Springfield, MO to Johnson's Ranch in Bear Valley are stunning. The color photos, all taken by Marilyn Newton, are grouped together in the beginning of the book, comprising 20 slick pages of almost 50 photos. It's hard to believe that wagon ruts from over 150 years ago still exist in places; happily, our continuous farming, building and paving haven't obliterated all traces of the route that so many people rode--and walked--in order to reach California.

Portraits, maps, drawings and sketches from the period are interspersed with sepia-toned contemporary photographs, some taken by Newton and some by other photographers, and appear on every page of the book. "The Donner Party Chronicles" is visually rich and stimulating. The area around Donner Lake and the route the relief parties followed are depicted in all seasons of the year. Even in black-and-white, the photos of Donner Lake and the surrounding mountains demonstrate the ruggedness of the terrain and deeply impress upon the reader the hopelessness the members of the Donner Party must have felt upon being snowed-in at the lake.

The book reads like a journal that would have been kept by one of the emigrants traveling with the Donner Party. The text is reprinted from installments journalist Frank Mullen, Jr. published in the weekly newspaper "The Reno Gazette-Journal" over the course of an entire year. The daily routine followed, problems encountered, and decisions made by the Donner Party are chronicled in a concise manner. The entries are short, most three or four paragraphs in length.

One very interesting feature of "The Donner Party Chronicles" is the map of the Emigrant Trail that appears on every left-hand page of the book, with the progress of the doomed emigrants clearly marked with a red dot. As you read along through the book, you see on every other page exactly where the emigrants were as the day's events took place. I found this map extremely helpful and fascinating. Watching the movement of the Donner Party as they traveled on foot at the pace of slow, plodding oxen made me better able to understand how great an undertaking their overland journey was. I shared this book with my husband, my Dad and my father-in-law, and they enjoyed it almost as much as I did!

This book is well worth the price, for the interesting text as well as the terrific photos; you can easily find what you're looking for in the pages, as each page is dated and the day's entry fairly short.

The strong point of the book is the day by day account of the Donner Party's journey. Mullen writes as if he were actually on the trail with the party, and the reader has that same sense of being there. Mullen's writing style makes this book the best Donner Party telling since George Stewart's Ordeal By Hunger.

This book will take you back to Burning Man but it's the DVD that I want to rave about. Watch it over and over. Beautifully done. A wonderful effort. Thanks to Holly and thanks to Bam Bam!

Based on the images of Holly Kreuter, Drama In The Desert: The Sights And Sounds Of Burning Man is a book and DVD set collecting full-color visuals and personal memories drawn from the harsh desert of Black Rock City, Nevada. Capturing the sometimes quizzical, sometimes cruel, sometimes dramatic art and documentary efforts of seventy contributors, Drama In The Desert is strongly recommended as an eclectic, unique, and vibrant experience impressing its fiery artistic message upon the reader's spirit.

I bought your book for my son's 22nd birthday. He loved the book so much that I bought myself a copy. Last weekend I watched the DVD and was amazed at how beautiful the photography and music is. I went to Burning Man for the past two years and the experience has completely changed my life. I get inspired by the creativity of all the beautiful people that work so hard to make it the greatest art show in the world. I decided to share my experiences with my relatives this Christmas by sending them all Drama in the Desert as presents, so I ordered another six copies. Thank you for everything. You are an amazing group of artists.

A book for Fishing Guides and Fishing Instructors to teach the basics and master the hand, arm, foot positions, and body motions.
Applicable camping techniques for those who enjoy the Rocky Mountains and Eastern Coast states, and packtrain information.
Excellent guide reference book everyone will enjoy reading before entering the wilderness on opening fishing season and the summer months. Pier Techniques. Float Tubing Techniques for all experienced and beginners. Traveling techniques. Numerous Fly Casting Techniques that are applicable to stream and ocean fishing.
Hand Drawings are unique, very detailed and informative.

Detailed information for fishing and for horse back riding and packtrain trips in the mountains, detailed technical drawings by the author with expert advice on bait and fly casting techniques for all ages. An excellent guide reference book everyone will enjoy reading before entering the wilderness on opening fishing season and the summer months. A book for Fishing Guides and Fishing Instructors. Pier Ocean Fishing Techniques. Float Tubing. Traveling techniques. The Fly Casting Techniques are applicable to freshwater and Ocean Fishing!

Expert/Advanced/Basic Fly Casting Techniques, Bait Casting Techniques, Packtrain and Camping techniques for everyone to use before going into the mountains or on regular camping trips. Detailed drawings that will be useful for camping in wilderness areas. Special handling techniques of equipment in the Sierra Neveda Mountains and United States of America. Float tubing techniques.

It's a fasinating, very well-written book. Each story (about the ladies) describes what goes on behind the bedroom doors of a legal brothel (Wow, and I thought I was imaginative!) Reading this book, I laughed out-loud; I cried; I became angry; I was astonished; and after the last page was read, I was sad there weren't any more. What a wonderful experience. The writing style is nothing short of brilliant and made me feel like a Peeping Tom (and boy did I learn a lot!).

"MADAM" is by far the best book written about legal prostitution by someone who walked the walk and talked the talk. Actually, it's the best book I've ever read on the entire subject of prostitution because it's not a dreary social commentary written by a sociologist. It's a snappy sizzler of a read. Shaner doesn't mince words. She tells a hell of a story about the girls and their guys-of-the-moment. Everyone should read this book. It's funny, it's sad, it's informative, it's easy to read and still manages to be very, very intelligent.

See summary above. Those are comments I heard from the whole crew of my ship when I lent them my mother's book. I'm Lora Shaner's daughter, Kathy, a merchant marine on board a ready reserve ship on constant alert in the Indian Ocean. Sure, these guys are my shipmates and wouldn't want to hurt my feelings if they didn't like MADAM: Chronicles of a Nevada Cathouse. But they loved it! I sent copies of the book to all my friends for Christmas and have had nothing but rave reviews. It's a great book. I've visited Sheri's brothel many times during vacations home; even had Christmas dinner with the girls one year. My mom's description of the brothel and the girls is perfect. Biased or not, I think everyone interested in the details of legal prostitution should read this book. It's a terrific read.

This book allows busy individuals to make wholesome foods from scratch while saving up to 75% on premade store bought mixes. The mixes are easy to prepare ahead of time and easy to use. I spend one day each month or so and do all the mixes I will need for the month. I love the Snack Cake recipie which uses less sugar than commercial brands and I can customize the type on snack cake- chocolate, applesauce(my daughter's favorite), and more! Buy this book!

This book is wonderful!!! The recipes are simple yet quite tastey. I have tried numerous baking mixes and now rarely purchase any mixes in the store. I am constantly sharing this book and its ideas with co-workers, friends and family and several of them now want copies. It is a must for anyone trying to prepare food that is both economical and time saving as well as flavorful.

My husband has allergies to just about every preservative, artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, and any other food additive on the market. All the stuff you really shouldn't eat anyway. I cook from scratch mostly, and this book has been a wonderful addition to my kitchen.

Last night I made the chocolate syrup; almost all the chocolate syrups on the market have artificial flavorings. My family loves the chocolate pudding from scratch (just three ingredients -- did you ever look at a pudding mix box?), and my kids are so used to tasting my home-cooked meals that they think the processed meals are gross.

The money we save is great, but the time I save in the kitchen is even better. I highly recommend this book.

I really liked this book! Terri did an awsome job on this series!
Samantha (sam) forster has come home after a long two years in San Francisco. Because of a riding accident, everyone is very (overly) protective of her, espesially her pal Jake Ely. Jake (as well as various other people) blames himself for her accident because he was riding with her when it happened.
Then a wild horse called the Phantom comes to her in the middle of the night, not just once either. Sam beleives it is her colt Blackie (Zanzibar) grown up, and wild.
A nearby rancher (Slocum) wants the Phantom for himself, so he hires a cowboy (Flick) to work for the BLM and capture him.
The Phantom is caught and Sam saves him from Slocum (with the help of her buddy Jake) and from captivity, leading him too freedom on her cow pony Ace.
This is a wonderful book and I recomend it to anyone. Even if you don't like horses

This book is fantastic. It is thrilling and the main character (Sam) reminds me of myself. It is a book that should be passed down, read, and cherished.If you liked this book I recommend The Little White Horse, a book that is similar and is great!! If you haven't read either they are both really good books.

This was one of the best books i've EVER READ! I'm in love with this series! Everybody should read them weather your a horse lover (like me :D) or not. There's a lot of adventure and suspense...and even some surprises! I'm not gonna give the book away...you'll just have to read it for yourself! Read this book! I can't wait to read the rest! You've done and awesome job Terri!

I'm a cross country skier and avid hiker. I had never been to the Eastern Sierra before and this book piqued my interest. All the trails listed were true to their descriptions. You can really get the flavor of the area from this book. It includes driving tours, fishing spots and tips on how to fit in like a local. It's fun to read and I definitely recommend buying it.

About a decade ago, before I started an academic career, my wife and I reviewed travel guidebooks. We published several books on the subject, the last one covering about 3,000 books. I mention this only to underline the fact that I have looked closely at a lot of guide books, including myriad hiking guides. With that in mind, let me underline my overall opinion: Alpine Trailblazer is as good as they come.

The amount of thought and hard work embedded in this book is amazing. Alpine Trailblazer is more than just a description of hiking trails. It is much more versatile. If you are interested in outdoor activities (be they hiking, packing, biking, skiing, fishing or whatever), if you want to explore the Sierra Nevada mountains from Tahoe to Yosemite, but especially that less-discovered gold mine of a county called Alpine, Jerry and Janine Sprout will provide you with more well-informed, good ideas than any other single resource.

The Sprouts are long-time residents of Alpine County and have enthusiastically explored its trails and hidden pleasures for more than two decades. That they are willing to share their discoveries with you must have come after considerable soul searching. But we are all the beneficiaries.

And such attention to detail! From what should be an award-winning cover to the careful organization of materials, from the informative and beautiful black-and-white photographs to the practical hiking advice and Happy Jack's Campside Cookbook, this book has it all. Each suggested route is tied to the appropriate topo map and succinctly but informatively described. The types of outdoor pleasures most applicable to each route are clearly noted. The many choices are indexed in great detail. For example, routes that are best for wildflowers are then broken down into three subsections: early season, lower elevation; mid-summer, mid-elevation; and high elevation. Day hikes are organized under headings such as falls and cascades, old growth conifer quests, snow-free in late spring, short hikes with small kids and grandparents. And so on in incredible and useful detail. If you can't find what you want here, it doesn't exist.

The hiking tips are short and to the point, capturing the wisdom of years of trail experience. The only advice I take exception to is the choice of external over internal frames for backpacks (though, of course, they are entitled to their opinion). While external frames have certain advantages, as the Sprouts detail, the internal frame provides my back with a comfort I only dreamed of with an external frame--and that, at least for me, is priority number one. Then again, perhaps the Sprouts are made of stronger stuff. Let your own back be the judge.

In any case, I can't yell it loud enough (especially in print): grab a copy of this book without delay and visit the Alps of the Sierra Nevada. You won't be disappointed.

Alpine Trailblazer is a terrific guidebook that feels good in the hand, looks good, and- most importantly- works well at introducing folks to the unspoiled, less-explored Sierra between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. Everything in this book seems of the highest quality: the maps, the photos, the organization and indexing, the design, the writing. But best of all is its usefulness; it's hard to believe how much solid information these Alpine County locals have been able to fit into a guidebook that can fit nicely in the outside pocket of a backpack. Bookended by quotes from John Muir, this handy volume gives you essential information for hiking, backpacking, cross country skiing, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking, rafting, horseback riding, camping, wildflower sighting, etc. etc. The heart of the book is the excellent, clear trailhead descriptions with good directions, advice, elevations, difficulties, maps, and so forth. In addition you can find driving tours, information on local flora and fauna, resource links to regional services and sights and events, fascinating historical background on this unique area, and even a campside cookbook. My favorite parts of Alpine Trailblazer, however, are the hilarious Glossary to Understanding Alpine Culture and Customs (Example: "Sign of summer: snow shovels are off the porches.") and the witty and wise :"Free Hiking Advice and Opinion." However, the best part of the guidebook is its practicality, usefulness, and abundance of information. If only all guidebooks had this combination of practicality and quality!

"Comstock Lode" is just fantastic! This book was written by the famous Western writer, Louis L'Amour. Louis L'Amour has written over a hundred books, including the famous Sackett novels. The setting of this story is in the mid-1800's, during the gold rush in America. The story is told in Virginia City, Nevada.

The main character is Val Trevallion, a young man of twenty-four with a harsh past. Both of his parents were killed when he was young and he has taken it upon himself to have revenge on the killers. He is a quiet man but very strong because of his work in mines. Though he has not had the best education, he is very smart. Grita Redaway is Val's friend from his past. Her parents were also killed by the same people who killed Val's parents. She is a very beautiful and an intelligent actress. She is independent though with a streak of stubbornness in her. Al Hesketh is the villain of the story. He is a cruel and wicked man, only thinking of himself and how he can become rich.

The story begins in Cornwall, England in the year 1859. Val is fourteen-years-old when his father and mother decide to move to America. His father wants to work his own mine in California. He saves enough money so they go to America by boat. When they reached Gunwalloe, the Trevallions decide to travel to California with another family, the Redaways. The Redaways have only one daughter, Grita, who is eight-years-old. A few days before they leave, Val's father goes to buy supplies a few miles away. Suddenly, drunken rustlers attack the wagons in which Val and Grita's mothers are in. The drifters kill the mothers then beat up Mr. Redaway. During the whole time, Val and Grita are hidden nearby; Val protecting Grita and shielding her from the sight. After they leave, killing Mr. Redaway, Val and Grita go find Mr. Trevallion. After the dead are buried, Mr. Trevallion, though heartbroken, decides to carry on to California with Val while Grita goes to live with her aunt. But on the way to California, Val's father is killed by the same men who had killed his mother. Val swears to have revenge on the murderers. Ten years go by, during which Val shoots two of the people who were involved in the murders. Val then realizes that he has wasted his life and decides to settle down and have his own mine in Virginia City, Nevada, where the Comstock Lode is. He gets good land and finds some silver in his mines. But trouble seems to follow him everywhere. He finds out that Grita is in big trouble, in which the remaining men who murdered his parents are involved.

Love this book, and is one of my favorite L'Amour books. Louis L'Amour is the type of writer that, whatever he writes, you'll know before-hand that you'll love them. "Comstock Lode" is no exception. Some other of my favorite L'Amour books are:

*North to the Rails*
*Sackett Series*
*Matagorda*
*Crossfire Trail*

...and this list can go on and on and on!

This is my all-time favorite L'Amour book. I read it for the first time several years ago and have since read it many times over. Each time I have read it, I find something new that only adds to the story.

I have read many L'Amour novels and this one stands out because of its detail of the charactures. L'Amour explains why his charactures act as they do while still containing all of the typical content of most of his novels. If you read one L'Amour novel, read this one!!

Louis L'Amour is not a literary genius. He's a fine author though, and he writes a compelling Western. Comstock Lode was the first of his novels that I read, well over ten years ago, and found it to be an enjoyable treat. His stories are rich in accurate historical detail, yet not overwhelming. His writing style isn't literary, but it's good. His characters are reasonably three dimensional, especially in comparison to other writers of Westerns. (I find Zane Grey nearly unreadable.) Most of all though, his books are fun.

This book in particular recounts actions in and around the greatest single discovery of silver in the United States. Though the particular details of the plot have long since left me, during a recent visit to Virginia City, years after having read Comstock Lode, I was able to explain to my companions why the cemetery held the remains of so many from Cornwall, England. So I can say that at least some part of the book has remained with me over the years.

The southwest United States is a geomorphologist's dream... There's not a lot of green stuff covering up the beautiful geology! This book details the geologic features of Death and Owens Valley, CA. It gives the geologic history of features while succinctly describing the details of the processes that brought about these features. The Tufa Pinnacles in Searles Valley, the alluvial fans in Death Valley, the interesting history and development of Gower Gulch, the mysterious ascent of desert pavement, the glacial morraines and routes of the Tahoe and Tioga Stade glaciers at Convict Lake, the Mono Craters (Domes), Fossil Falls, the Alabama Hills and more. You'll even get the heebee jeebees when you read about the monstrous explosion of Ubehebe Crater! Certainly one of the most interesting and pleasurable books I've read in ages! Highly recommended for ANYONE who plans a trip to California's awe-inspiring Death Valley and environs! A must have!

Most years we vacation in Mammoth. This book describes a number of convenient and interesting side trips to take with the family. We wander around, sometimes visiting the same features, sometimes visiting a new site. Always appreciating more & more of the world around us. My children have a much better feel for geological processes and their impact on the landscape than do their peers.

The book starts with a five page description of Eastern California's geological history, then jumps into 30 sites of interest, nearly evenly distributed between Death Valley & vicinity and the Eastern Sierra & vicinity. A glossary, "Sources of Supplementary Information," and an index round out the book.

Each site receives its own chapter, replete with photographs, maps, geological diagrams, and even driving directions, as needed. I'm not a serious geologist, but landscape features fascinate me. The explanations that the authors give work well for me: I can understand them well enough to explain them to children.

If you're interested in how the land has been shaped, if you're willing to turn off the tube & make contact with the natural world, then this book is for you. One of the best "field guides" to geology I own. One of my favorites, too. (The companion volume, GEOLOGY UNDERFOOT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, is also an excellent book).

I've always had an interest in geology, but have had only a little formal education in the subject. I've also been to Death Valley and Owens Valley a few dozen times. The accuracy and attention to detail in this book along with the vivid descriptions often made me feel like I was back there as I read. On more than one occasion, I could replay what I had seen when I was out there as I read (in some cases picturing things that I had hardly taken notice of when physically there). The many photographs and diagrams also helped immensely. The occasional touchs of humor made reading fun, and it being a series of vignettes, it's easy to cover a chapter in a short time and not worry about setting it down until later. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in geology and how the area got to be what it is today, and you don't have to be an expert to enjoy the book.