As a newcomer to the Northwest, I sought a book that would enable me to identify the various seashells I had begun to collect on area beaches. This book is the only complete "non-scientific" field-guide type of text I have found on the subject. In other words, species are referenced by English common names, rather than simply by their more correct, but intimidating Latin names. All species are depicted in color photographs, with corresponding descriptions of habits, habitat, physical features, abundance, etc. Of particular interest are the color photos of the "shows", or siphons, of buried live bivalves.
There is some room for improvement in a future edition. I would like to see more specific information on distribution and abundance, collecting techniques, and on distinguishing species of similar appearance. However, it is the best existing guide to the topic that I yet know of, and it has greatly expanded my knowledge and enjoyment of Northwest shells.

While there have been literaly thousands of shipwrecks along the Pacific coast from mid-California to British Columbia, author selected unique wrecks and rescue operations most of which are not found in other books. The first 15 chapters detail all of the ships along the coast that were attacked, some sunk, by Japanese submarines shortly after the start of World War II--the "Pacific War" as the Japanese call it.

Many readers will find it amazing to learn that folks could stand along the beach and watch American ships sink, because of Japanese submarines, before their eyes.

A real surprize chapter is the detailed American sinking of a Japanese submarine (the I-12) in 1944 between the west coast and Hawaii, the sub having been spotted by an American civilian passenger airplane. The all Coast Guard crew on an American Naval frigate (USS ROCKFORD) sank the sub!

Book includes some specuacular U.S.Coast Guard rescues (with pictures).

Book's most unusual chapter is about the 1916 loss of an early American submarine on the beach north of Eureka, Califronia, then the destruction in early 1917 of the 10,000 ton USS MILWAUKIE cruiser that tried to haul the sub off the beach and got stuck herself.

In all there are 86 amazing true tales of shipwrecks and rescues in this book. There is adventure and action on every page of this book. Highly recommended

Pictures galore. Maps, Appendix. Bibliography. Index.

If you like history...if you like old photos that aid in bringing a story to life...if you like well-written sentences (unlike mine), then you will like this book. Shirakawa documents the lives of a Japanese American community in the Pacific northwest of the United States. This is not the first time I have read a book written or edited by Stan Flewelling. This writer is one who is unknown to the vast reading public, and that, truly, is a shame. As with his other works, Flewelling's Shirakawa has been thoroughly researched and thoughtfully written. If you have not read a book written by Flewelling, may I suggest that you start with Shirakawa. You will delighted that you found this author and his book Shirakawa. It is with pleasure that I give it my rating: DAYTON SAYS: BUY THIS BOOK.

This book is well written and wounderfully arranged for the shorebird buffs and beginners alike. The book gives a great over view on the identification of shorebirds and gives many interesting facts as to their range and occurrence in the Pacific Northwest area. Every thing from the most common Killdear to the rare Spoonbill Sandpiper is covered quite thoroughly with good photographs, descriptions of various plumages, and a habitat and behavioral description. Even though I do not live in the Pacific Northwest area, this book has been a great help in my shorebird watching.

Shoshoni Pony is a picture book that teaches young readers about the Shoshoni Native American tribe, and how they integrated horses into their lives. Quality color illustrations by Dick Lee and a straightforward prose by Carol Lynn MacGregor make Shoshoni Pony as entertaining a read as it is informative regarding the Native American culture which is its storytelling background.

Among historians in Kentucky the name Thomas D. Clark is almost as important as Simon Kenton. Clark has had a remarkably long and fruitful career as a historian in Kentucky. Too many historians after a long career of teaching and writing history will retire into anonymity, but not Thomas Clark. Many years after the age when most people retire, Clark wrote a book about a frontiersman who first came into Kentucky when it was known as the Hostile West. This story of Kenton will not only come alive for adults, but could also be enjoyed by younger readers due to the audience that Clark had in mind when putting this history together. When first learning about the history of our nation, Kentucky students learn about the great military leaders of Virginia, and the men of the North East who dared to dream of being great political leaders, etc; It is hard to find a book that a young reader can sit down with and read about a person who will forever be known as a great Kentuckian. The life of Simon Kenton was not polished up by Clark and made into a politically correct story that will fit perfectly into our historical revisionistic modern textbooks. Clark doesn't cover up the fact that Kenton killed Indians, stole horses and guns, and took land away from people who certainly had rights to this beautiful hunting ground; this is REAL history, and it is written for an audience that may not otherwise hear this story. All young people, not only those who live in Kentucky, should learn about the life of Simon Kenton. Like Simon Kenton, Thomas D. Clark will forever be known as a great Kentuckian.

This journal from John Work is a wonderful and intriguing look into the hardships, sacrifices and perseverences of fur trapper life in 1830-31. The Hudson's Bay Company's policy to strip the Snake River Country of beaver to make the lands less attractive to American trappers and thus eventually to American settlement, was the purpose of Work's mission. Work's trapping party of 115 men, women and children, 272 horses and mules and 337 traps departed from Fort Nez Perce for parts of Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Nevada. What unfolds is a fascinating, enthralling adventure of suffering through one of the worse winters on record, along with dodging and combatting the ever persistent Blackfeet Indians. Due to the severity of the winter, the party lost over 80 horses from the cold. We read of daily journal entries how grass was almost non-existent for the horses as the buffalo had already devoured most of it. As the winter dragged on, eventually the buffalo became so lean that there was hardly any meat to be taken from them. Horses were so jaded and fatigued from lack of food, blistered feet and traveling, that at times it wasn't even worth the effort to pursue the buffalo for what food there was on them. The Blackfeet were a constant menace, in fact killing a few of Work's party. He had to take many preventative measures to thwart these Indian hostilities and attacks. The introduction and footnote editing by Dr. Haines, Jr. is extremely well done.

Interesting book, containing letters of a army bride sojourn in Washington and SE Oregon in the 1860s. I just wish there was more to read about her life. It is interesting to read how optomistic she was while living in pretty harsh conditions.

Good Research, valuable information. This book combines fascinating folk stories with impressive facts. Genealogists say it doesn't matter how well the stories are told, the important thing is to tell them. Lois barton not only told them, but told them well. Dan Sellard, The Eugene Register-Guard

This book works on so many levels! In forty-one pages you get a multi-disciplinary unit of study. A spindle whorl is a tool used by Northwest Coastal people to spin yarn. McNutt spins her own yarn, so to speak, by telling the story of a young girl coming of age who receives a treasured family whorl. Included with the story are a variety of activities that explore the art of spinning. Teachers will find this book especially useful, as it also includes a map, bibliography, detailed research information, and even a sequenced unit lesson design. Students will surely find themselves eager to embrace the tradition of spinning when presented with this informative book that includes its own removable, easy-to-assemble spindle whorl on heavy cardstock. Consider purchasing the other books in this series, The Bentwood Box, The Button Blanket, and The Cedar Plank Mask to complete your collection.