In Both A Name of Her Own and Every Fixed Star, Jane Kirkpatrick has done of superb job of compiling a huge amount of historical information and weaving it into a captivating story. I am a direct descendent of Marie Dorion and I loved the way Jane has portrayed Marie, along with her fellow pioneers, into people with strong personalities. She has interconnected a great number of historical figures in this series, people that just may have crossed paths. Jane has turned Marie Dorion and my third great-grandfather, Louis Venier into real, loving people. These books speak to my heart. Jennifer

I have read every book written by Jane Kirkpatrick, and I find her writing to be thoughtful, poetic and compelling. If nothing else, she is a gifted story-teller who keeps you turning the pages.

If you asked me to read a book about an Indian woman who lived two centuries ago, I would probably say no. What would I possibly have in common with this person? I found much common ground, and learned about things I have never experienced. A single mother? An abused wife? A woman stuggling to discover her gifts and talents? Trouble with relationships? A young widow? Difficulties with children? It is all there. And underneath it all, and through it all, God is with her, watching over her every move, loving her. This is the second in a trilogy about Marie Dorian. Start with A NAME OF HER OWN. You will be blessed by this gifted writer.

This is not the first book that I have read by Jane Kirkpatrick.
She is so very talented and writes fiction woven around real history which she researches in depth. She writes in such a way that you become the person she tells about -- in this case, Madame Marie Dorion, who was the first Indian woman to journey to the Northwest and STAY. The only problem with her books is that I devour them so quickly and have to wait for the next one to come out. She is definately my favorite Christian author, so if you enjoy real live history which puts you in the setting, Jane is the one to chose. I thank God for Jane and her talent.

If you like anecdotal stories about life in the late 1800s/early 1900s, you will like this book. It tells the story of a family that moves from the central ozarks of Missouri to Northwestern Colorado in the 1920s. It is autobiographical in nature, but the author is a superb storyteller and the pictures he paints of life in and around Craig, Colorado during the Great Depression are poignant and vivid. (True for the telling of the trip from Missouri to Colorado, as well.) Anyone who is interested in Colorado history, life during the Great Depression, or simple human interest stories about real poepl in real life will enjoy this book. For those who are not related to the author, the brief sections about family geaneologies might be a little boring, but these are a small part of the book and do not detract from the overall book. If you are from Northwest Colorado, who knows? Your name might be in the book (or at least one of your ancestors). There are also a few stories dating before the life of the author concerning events that were told to him by the people involved.

Evver wonder what life was like on a Colorado ranch back when the West was still young? This book will make you feel like you were there. Well-written and hard to put down.

Mr. Irby's book tells it like it was with a generous dose of humor. It also has some great genealogy info. You can really feel the cold of those winter nights, the hardships and the good times they all had. A hard book to put down!!

Over the last several years, I've hiked most of the trails described in "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon." Sullivan's diving directions, trail descriptions and maps have always been perfect and immensely helpful.

The trail descriptions are both concise and crystal clear. Sullivan does not meticulously describe each detail, which leaves much to discover on your own and allows for a more personal hiking experience. He writes eloquently, and often includes great tidbits of scientific and historical information that add context to your hike. For example, he might briefly describe how a specific area was geologically formed, and point out some evidence that you'll find along trail.

Sullivan's practical advice is invaluable. If he tells you that a trail passes poison oak, you better wear long pants! If he tells you that a trail is open from July to October, don't show up without snowshoes in March! Clearly, he knows these trails well. Readers should not overlook the preface, where he provides an equipment checklist, low impact camping guidelines, contacts for trail conditions, and other useful information.

The one downside of this guide is that so many people use it. If a hike is within an hour of Portland, and is featured in this book, you can count on a crowded trailhead on a nice weekend. Plenty of the featured hikes are off the beaten path, and still consistently provide solitude. Just plan on driving for awhile.

Anybody who hikes in Oregon should consult "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon," or one of Sullivan's other books. I also frequently use his Oregon Coast and Central Oregon guides, and they too are first rate.

Just a quick additional note: When you do hike, always leave no trace! If you see trash, pick it up! Always be respectful of our Earth, and all of its creatures.

I bought this book two years ago to add to the many guide books in my library. After two years of hiking many weekends in northwestern OR and southwestern WA, it's become clear that this is the book that get's used the most. Most of the trails are suitable for the whole family. We've hiked into the crater of Mount St. Helens, eaten wild huckle berries in Indian Heaven Wilderness, hiked every slope of Mt. Hood, visited water falls in the Columbia river Gorge that we didn't know existed and more.

Many of the trails are suitable for the occasional dry weekend in the winter months as well. Sullivan provides many low elevation trails which extend the hiking season year round.

If you live in southwestern Washington or northwestern Oregon, you should own this book.

I bought this book prior to a trip to Oregon in hopes of finding some beautiful hikes. This book was a valuable tool in my search. Every hike was accurately described from details on finding the trailhead to distances traveled including the level of difficulty and points of interest along the way.

This book is a classic, and is invaluable for the serious student of Pacific Northwest Coast artwork. Note, however, that I emphasize the word "serious." If you are more of a beginner or casual observer, this book should be third on your list behind "Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast" by Hilary Stewart and "Learning by Designing Pacific Northwest Coast Native Art, Vol. 1" by Gilbert and Clark.

Although the book is easy to read and very well written, it has a decidely academic tone to it. Mr. Holm studied large numbers of authentic examples, and draws conclusions about patterns.

For example, he points out that an ovoid within another ovoid (an "inner ovoid") is always placed either vertically centered OR closer to the top than the bottom. If it is placed closer to what appears to be the bottom, then it is because the artist is telling us that that particular part of the artwork is actually upside down.

He then backs this up with data based on his researches. In other words, he "reverse engineered" the unwritten rules of how to do this type of artwork.

But his focus is on details and small parts, not on the larger picture of how these elements are used by an artist to convey a message or depict something. There is almost no information on the myths and legends that the artwork is based on, nor on ways to discern between the various animals.

Note that I do NOT say this as a criticism -- it is not a bad thing that the book does not contain such info! Plenty of other books do. This book has a specific purpose, which is to analyze the elements of the artform, and this book is unquestionably the best one on that topic. In fact, it is the ONLY one that goes into this level of detail.

If you want to know why the Raven is often depicted with the Sun in his beak, this book is not for you. If you want to look at a drawing or totem pole and know which is a beaver and which is a bear, this book won't be much help. But if you want to know how and when and why to use blue as a tertiary color, or how wide a black formline should be at the top versus the bottom, this book is the one you want.

If you can only buy one or two books on this artform (or even if you can buy more), start with the two I listed above. Then buy this one. It is a great book and worth buying, and once you have an understanding of the bigger picture, the undertsanding of the details provided by Holm is truly fascinating.

If you are into authentic re NW American Indians, this ought to be your first choice. I've been in several museums in the NW and am most excited with the capturing of the art and spirit of the art and background. I am also a wood worker, soon to retire, and this book will let me afford true history I could not affort any other way.

I picked this book up because I thought it looked interesting. Prior to reading this book, I essentially knew nothing about NW coast indian art. I read this in an afternoon and thought it was tremendous. I have read it twice more since. It won't make you an expert on NW coast indian art, but it is a great starting point explaining what to look for, details of the style, and gives lots of examples to illustrate his explanations. It gives enough background and pictures of pieces to spark an interest and give the reader a great start on looking in detail at this beautiful stylistic Indian art form.

This cookbook is magnificent! With breathtaking photography,stellar production values and innovative recipes which emphasize the unique bounty of the Pacific Northwest, what more could anyone ask for in a cookbook? Grab your own copy to use and treasure forever!

Please contact me at either : hiltonpu@fedsure.co.za . . . or P O Box 371, Noordhoek, 7975, South Africa Many thanks!

I am looking for a copy. Can anyone help? Harriet

I get antsy when Native American themes and stories appear in children's books. Too often they reek of cultural misappropriation.

But this beautiful book--gorgeous watercolor backgrounds to the Northwest Native American-style imagery--feels respectful, and does a great telling of a favorite Tlingit Haida tale of how light came into the world.

The illustration of the morphing of the Sky Chief's spoiled grandson back into Raven is particularly effective.And when Raven fills the sky with the sun in his beak, it's very easy to buy into this story as a valid creation myth.

I've now bought three copies of this book for various pre-schoolers I know, and all my grown-up friensd who've seen this book have fallen in love with it, too. This is a definite winner, bound to become as classic in its own way as Robert McCloskey's ``Blueberries for Sal.''

The children in my Pre-K class cannot get enough of this book. The magic of the illustrations and the text has them mesmerized. Many times, when we have finished reading the story, they want to here it again!

This is a wonderful book! My daughter and I really enjoyed the way that this tale was re-told and the illustrations were beautiful!

The book is very well written. If you loved "Here Comes the Brides" you will love this book. If you don't know what "Here Comes the Brides" is, but love historic romances, this book is great. The writer caught us up on what happened to our favorite characters on the tv series. I read the book in just a couple days I couldn't put it down.

If you loved the TV Show "Here Come The Brides," you need to read this book. Charlotte does a wonderful job making this book a believable continuation where the series left off. I really enjoyed it.

I loved it. A wonderful historical romance. The author skillfully adapted these characters in time and adapted them to real historical events that were happening during that era. One of the best books I have read in this genre. This author has one of the best grasps of her characters that I have read in a very long time. Bravo.

This book was indispensible for my recent travels through Alberta. It contains detailed descriptions of all the best places to go, including some great small town festivals that I would of otherwise missed. The book also has many hikes included, mostly in the Canadian Rockies. I budgeted to spend around $50 a night for motels, and found that this book described many good choices in this price range but also includes campgrounds and more expensive places. Overall, I found it to be very current, not only for restaurants and the like but also coverage of issues such as overcrowding in the national parks, which I found an interesting addition.

This book and its companion volume to British Columbia are undoubtedly the best travel books I have ever used. I just returned from a two-month trip that took me to the Calgary Stampede, through the Rockies, up to Yellowknife and through British Columbia to Vancouver. Alberta is an amazing place to visit and by buying this book I was able to enjoy it all the more. The author has obviously done his homework and describes the region in a colorful style but also with an incredible amount of detail. By using these books I managed to plan my trip before leaving home, even down to where I wanted to eat. The other guide I had with me was rarely used. I also found local information centers sending me along well worn tourist paths, and while this book covers all of that side of Alberta it also led me away from the masses to areas of equal beauty. I highly recommend this book to anyone planning a trip to Canada!!

This was an excellent guide for family travel. It provided first rate information on dinosaur adventures in the Red Deer region to Waterton NP to the Canadian Rockies including Banff and Jasper and all points in between. Includes tidbits of local history and written in such a user friendly manner that by the middle of our three week adventure we were fondly refering to it as Mr. Moon, as in, what does Mr. Moon reccommend for dinner. If you are traveling to the Canadian Rockies, the British Colombia guide by this publisher makes an indispensable companion to the Alberta Guide.

This is a great book I have used it a lot to find the mines we take trips to the mines, so if you want help to the mines we a lot of gear and HIGH lift trucks to get there. please e-mail me at 2975@2die4.com or ICQ at #59209002

I have read many books on mining in the northwest, this is the most accurate. With this book I was able to follow the paths of the miners before me, it's amazing. The book provides so much information on a particular mine, I have to read it several times just to absorb the information. I have traveled to many of the mine locations in the book and never been disappointed. After reading about the history and exploring for myself, I can't wait for the second edition to be released. Most mining books talk about history yet never lead you to the magical place. With a GPS and a good compass, I have experienced a overwhelming respect for these writers. For once, I'm a kid again exploring the mountains for buried treasures. I have visited many of the historic sites this year, thanks to these writers I have truly experienced God's Country.

I love exploring old mines and tailing piles. This book showed me how to get to some of the best old gold mines and tailing piles I have ever prospected with a metal detector.

First off, contrary to earlier reviewers, this book has NOTHING to do with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Out of the 350 pages in the book, they might be mentioned a half dozen times and one might want to get Lavender's "The Way to the Western Sea," if interested on Meriweather and William's trip.
Instead, "Let me Be Free," is on the Nez Perce tribe which lived in Oregon's Wallowa Valley until it was forced from the land in the 1860's. This is a great book if the reader is interested in a century's worth of history about the tribe but I'd suggest something else if the intent on reading this is solely learning about Chief Joseph's tragic flight from the US military in 1877.
I originally got into Lavender's works after reading his fantastic book, "Bents' Fort" which is about the trading family of William Bent in SE Colorado. I had no interest in the subject but was recommended the book and I fell fully immersed into it because of Lavender's detailed writing-style and ability to create real identities to the historical characters instead of just giving names and dates. He has the same writing style in "Let Me Be Free," and will never shy from a unimportant but lighthearted side story. The writing is anything but dry.
The first half of LMBF is on how the tribe lived and existed, its neighbors, and its relations with the first whites to reach Oregon. Lavender has a contentious understanding of the western Native American tribes and writes in a fair and unbiased reader-friendly style and includes the correct names and terms the Nez Perce (Nimipu) used.
The last 100 pages cover Chief Joseph's (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kehht's) flight and includes a fantastic map in the front for the reader to follow the tribe along on its failed march to freedom.
The book fails to get five stars from me because I was most interested in the Nez Perce march and it just took too long to finally reach that subject in the book. It reminded me of "Undaunted Courage," (Ambrose's book on Meriweather Lewis) where there is no much buildup to the expedition that once the reader finally reaches it in the book, it falls a bit flat. However, if anyone is interested on the Nez Perce tribe itself, you won't find a better book. Any Western Oregon historians would also immensely enjoy this work.

David Lavender just may have written the definitive history of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It is a wonderfully wrought narrative, capturing the full width and breadth of this incredible journey. Lavender's sardonic tongue deflates many of the myths surrounding the "voyage of discovery," noting that for the most part this was a well-trodden path. The only actual "discovery" was that of linking the Missouri to the Columbia. However, this makes it no less an adventure.

He downplays the significance of Sacagewea. For the most part she was little used on this voyage. Her one major contribution was helping to secure horses for the great fording of the Bitteroot Mountains. Still, Lavender lavishes much attention on her and her son, which it seems that William Clark did as well. Her presence seemed to secure safe passage during their final leg down the Columbia River, as it made the expedition team seem less war-like.

Lavender also provides the background for the voyage, detailing President Jefferson's dream to establish an American Northwest Passage, linking one ocean to another. Lavender probes the seemingly paternal relationship between Jefferson and Lewis, and how Jefferson was able to win Congress over to a third attempt to cross the continent, despite questions regarding Lewis' qualifications. Jefferson personally trained Lewis for the expedition and provided added tutelage in the form of the leading lights of American science. Like a devoted son, Lewis made every effort to carry out the mission, which Jefferson sponsored, even when it seemed foolhardy to do so.

For those who haven't travelled this route before, you will be in good hands with David Lavender. For those who have, I think you will marvel at how masterful a job Lavender does in recording the events, giving the best rounded version of the "voyage of discovery" that I have read.

Originally subtitled "the U.S. Army's War Against Seven Hundred Nez Perce Men,Women, and Children," this moving history documents the brutal persecution of a small Northwestern tribe. Western historian David lavender never hides his sympathy in this powerful chronicle of Chief Joseph's "flight toward freedom" in 1877 to avoid reservation life. This is a really sad story filled with overlooked possibilities for compromise, understanding, and tolerance. Lavender considers the Nex Perce War the final betrayal of a long and once-promising relationship between white explorers, fur trappers, Christian missionairies, and the tribe. Chief Old Joseph, father of the more famous Chief Joseph, even converted to Christianity for both spiritual and practical reasons. Peaceful coexistence and friendship with the new settlers was his policy. Greed, cultural intolerance, and racial hatred eventually doomed those possibilities for Nez Perce. Although Chief Joseph developed a reputation as an Indian Napeleon for his brilliant fighting tactics, Lavender emphasizes that Chief Joseph continually sought to avoid war. Chief Joseph's simple hope was to have a reservation that would allow his people to live in their traditional land and stay close to his father's grave in Wallowa Valley, Oregon. The United States military commanders of that time, however, demanded the tribe move. This compelling account of the Nez Perce's failed 1700 mile exodus to join Sitting Bull in Canada captures the cruelty, mindlessness, and viciousness of 19th century America's expansionist policies. Chief Joseph's eloquent words, especially when surrending after a blizzard just a few miles south of the Canadian border, accents the pain and injustice.