A unique collection of native American masks who's beauty is breath taking. The amazing pictures contained here show in great detail the talent of those who created them. Each mask has a description of its use and they are shown in all their glory - each one has been re-created using traditional methods so that you get to see them as they were intened to be seen. Invaluable!

It's been awhile since I picked it up, but I was impressed by the ease with which a layperson could understand the intricacies of the lore and ethnology of the Native Americans. The photographs and drawings are beautiful, the information about artifacts and culture are accurate.

This work includes a scholarly (but very readable) description of the role of the shaman in Northwest Coast cultures as well as a series of photographs depicting field portraits of shamans and gorgeous color images of artifacts associated with the practice of shamanism: masks, rattles, amulets, staffs, soulcatchers, etc. The writing is elegant and descriptive, and the layout and design of the book is of high quality. Very highly recommended for readers with an interest in shamanism, Northwest Coast Indian art, and anthropology.

Many of you will know the name Bob Baxter from his role as Editor of the American tattoo magazine Skin & Ink. During the summer of 2001, Bob took a break from the mag for a couple of weeks and took to the road to gather material for this book. To many of us, a road trip, especially in the U.S., is the quintessential freedom experience. A road trip with the sole purpose of checking out the tattoo shops and artists along the way certainly isn't a bad way to spend a fortnight. The area that Bob chose for his book is the Pacific Northwest, basically covering the states of Oregon and Washington and dipping over the border to Canada, into British Columbia. This makes the book particularly interesting and pertinent for me, because this is one of my favorite parts of the world. I have been tattoed many times in Vancouver, B.C., and the very first article I ever had published in Skin Deep was an account of my own tattoo road trip through Canada. Tattoo Road Trip is a beautifully produced hardback book with the high production values we have come to expect from Schiffer. It is packed with luscious colour pictures showing the scenery, the characters and, most importantly, the tattoos that Bob came across along the way. The text is part travel journal and part interviews with tattooists famous and unknown. Names include well known artists such as Vyvyn Lazonga, Terry Tweed, Dave Shore, John the Dutchman, London Bellman and Dave Lum. Bob also interviews the world's most-tattooed woman, Krystyne Kolorful. Some people you may not be familiar with include Jennifer Billig, Aaron Bell, Teresa Johnson and many, many more. The book conveys the sense of adventure and the journey into the unknwon that accompanies a road trip. Bob Baxter's writing style, honed after many years as a journlaist, is clear and evocative with a wry touch of humor. The book touches on the tattoo history of the Pacific Northwest and the colourful characters of years gone by as well as giving a sense of the vibrant tattoo scene there today. Trouble is, reading it will have you itching to pack a bag, sling it in the back of the car and head on down the road. Hmmmmm, now that gives me an idea...

Sally
Editor in Chief
Skin Deep Magazine

If you have always thought jobs and the environment were at odds with one another, read this book and see that there are very sensible ways to help the environment AND the economy at the same time. See how current tax policies penalize exactly the things we want more of (employment, environmental protection), and subsidize exactly the things we want less of (pollution, pillaging). The authors make their points powerfully and convincingly, yet with a surprisingly light, readable touch. Normally I would never read a book with "tax" in the title, but this is not a typical book. Any thinking citizen should take a look, and anyone interested in government, politics, or activism should read it as soon as possible. It will give you new perspective on how we run our society, and on how we should.

Update: the principles in this book are so impressive that the notion of a tax shift, and a related concept the "feebate", have entered the mainstream political agenda in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It's a persuasive book!

Paul Hirt has pulled together some of the best western historians to focus on the Pacific Northwest; from Spanish attempts to settle the coast, to Hanford, irrigation, and post-war race relations. Very readable, comprehensive, and well-done. Anyone looking to understand the Pacific Northwest will enjoy this book.

Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, who was also known by his Snohomish name Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket, gave an interview to the North American Review in l879. This book is a reprint of Chief Joseph's account of the Nez Perce's dealings with their white brothers, the Nez Perce War of l877 which he tried so hard to avoid, and his people's imprisonment on reservations following his surrender. The final portion of the book consists of Joseph's plea that all people treat each other with respect and human decency and as equals. Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket expresses himself in nothing short of pure poetry. He is generally considered in the Northwestern United States (where he is a hero with a town, schools and numerous memorials named after him) to be one of the greatest Native American orators. This book is a must-read for 1) students of American history and 2) proponents of civil liberties. This edition does contain some strange spellings (e.g., Rutherford B. Hayes is here spelled "Rutherford Hays" and Hin-Mah-Too-Yah-Lahket is spelled "In-Mut-Too-Yah-Lat-Lat"). However, since Snohomish was an unwritten language, the spelling of Snohomish words and names is anybody's guess. I'm just glad that Mountain Meadow Press reprinted Chief Joseph's l879 article.

"That Balance So Rare" is a perfect introduction to the history of Oregon. It can be used as a good general reference for scholars who need a starting point to further their knowledge of this State and region, even though it is accessible to all, and to readers of all ages. The well-written, informative and often humorous text is accompanied by dozens of lovely photographs and illustrations which really evoke Oregon's colorful past. O'Donnell focuses on the nineteenth and early twentieth century, as he correctly sees this period as the time when the political, economic and social features of modern Oregon were essentially defined. Also commendable is his treatment of the local Native Americans, who were pushed from their "garden of Eden" by successive waves of white settlement. Recommended reading for Oregon natives and anyone interested in learning more about this beautiful Pacific Northwest state.