The Lake Erie Campaign was one of the few bright lights during the War of 1812. This succinct, readable book details the challenges and hardships faced by the combatants in what was then a largely unsettled part of North America. I bought mine at the National Historic Site headquarters at Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio...and at the time, they had plenty of copies.

This excellent book is the definitive history of this hard-fought, valiant effort by two small fleets fighting each other to the death quite literally in the middle of nowhere, 1813.

Two quickly built naval squadrons, getting men and material for sailor and ships from wherever they could, fought each other to literal annihilation for the loser, and great strategic gains for the victor. Two talented naval officers, Briton Robert H. barclay, and American Oliver Hazard Perry, built their small fleets, manned them with whatever came along (in Perry's case 'a motley set, blacks, soldiers, and boys', including a Marine officer who was given his choice of a court-martial or serving on the northwest frontier-he was later killed in action in the battle, quite gallantly taking his death wound leading his men), and set sail to settle the fate of Lake Erie and its surrounding territory.

The authors tell their tale with wit, verve, and aplomb, from the different characters to the ships and the men that manned them. This volume definitely has the smell of gunpowder about it and is meticulously researched and very well-written. It is highly recommeded both as a valued addition to the literature of the period and a book than can stand on its own.

Skaggs and Altoff have done a terrific job with this almost forgotten piece of North American history. The authors deal not only with the battle itself, but also describe the events that lead to it, and the repercussions of it. The research is meticulous and put forth in a very readable way. This should be required reading for any history buff.

This educational story tells about the construction of the Erie Canal. Colorful illustrations project the happiness felt by many once the waterway was completed. Along with these illustrations are diagrams and captions provided on most pages. Such graphic aids help the reader understand many different aspects of the canal. Readers ten years and older will appreciate the additional information as it explains how the canal operated. I would recommend this book for readers at the fourth grade level and higher. It is an informative story with exceptional illustrations. Readers will find the history of the canal engaging and the graphic aids intriguing.

This is an excellent expansion of the "picture book" format for more mature readers; the colorful pictures show action scenes while text elaborates historical details. Additional embedded illustration shows map details of regional sections as the story unfolds. Fascinating information helps us understand why this feat was so important to the country's development at that time.

A companion book to the award-winning PBS series "Cruising American Waterways," The Erie Canal by Debbie Daino Stack (PBS Project Coordinator for the "Cruising American Waterways" television series) and Captain Ronald S. Marquisee (Producer of "Cruising America's Waterways"), is a quality travelogue showcasing the history and beauty of the famous Erie Canal, a still active waterway used for recreation, flood control, irrigation, and power generation. Lavish color photographs of this historic canal fill The Erie Canal from cover to cover, and the insightful text offers a wealth of cultural lore. A superbly gorgeous coffee-table book and enhanced with a foreword by Andrew Cuomo, The Erie Canal is a true pleasure to read and enjoy and highly recommended for armchair travelers and community library American History collections.

This book is filled with color photographs that capture the beauty and historic charm of this waterway. The text is comprehensive -- touching on everything from history to Canal utilization. It let's you see what all of New York's canals have to offer - as a boater, cruise ship tourist, or automotive traveller. The Canals are fully functional and waiting for tourists. This book let's you understand the "New York State Canal System" and all that it has to offer. As the text points out... (rough quote)...if we had not inherited this legacy resource; costs, environmental concerns, and political considerations would not allow its construction today. This is a superior book on the world's most famous canal.

IF YOU LOVE TO DIVE, AND WOULD LIKE TO DIVE LAKE ERIE, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. THIS BOOK GIVES YOU EVERY DETAIL YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW, WITH NUMBERS THAT WILL HAVE YOU SITTING ON THE WRECK. I WOULD AND WILL RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE THAT WOULD WANT TO DIVE LAKE ERIE

A well organized reference of shipwrecks in Lake Erie, Erie Wrecks East provides vivid discriptions of Lake Erie's underwater treasures. The authors' 20 years of SCUBA diving in the Great Lake provide an insight that is unavailable in most other works about the wrecks in Lake Erie.

In GHOST OF PORTBYRON AND GHOSTS ALONG THE ERIEI HAVE SELECTED MOST OF THE FAMOUS STORIES.P.BHAPPENS TO HAVE A WEALTH OF THEM.MOST OF THEGHOSTS RECORDED CAN BE CONNECTED WITH SOME PERSONWHO DIED THERE.IN MY STORIES I HAVE PRESENTED ONLYTHOSE ACCOUNTS SUBSTANTIATED THRU OLD FAMILY RECORDS AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF RELIABLEINDIVIDUALS.HOW THE READER CHOOSES TO INTERPRETTHEM IS A MATTER THAT ONLY THE READER CAN DECIDE,IF YOU MEET UP WITH A GHOST, JUST EJOY THE HAPPENING. DON'T BE AFRAID. MARY ANN

This book is absolutely ravishing. It's obvious that the author put her heart-and-soul into writing it and has a keen sense of recording the stories from around her town. Maryanne Johnson must be a wonderful woman to know and must be the best and most beautiful Grandmother in the world.

This book is by far the best trail guide I've ever used. (a) The directions to the trailhead are accurate to the tenth of a mile; (b) the directions on the trail are also very accurate; (c) each trail description has its own topo map; (d) the trails feature what the book says they'll feature; (e) the trails are fun!

The trail lengths in the book vary between 1-hour hikes to all-day affairs, with plenty of all types; also, the directions usually suggest other places to go or variations to shorter or lengthen the hike.

If you live in Pittsburgh or the area, buy this book.

The author is an old friend of mine. Although I am not a cyclist and no longer live in New York I was curious enough to see what kind of book he had written. I found it to be filled with lots of interesting historical and geological information along with the guide of where and how to go. All intertwined to make it an entertaining and easy read for either history buffs or those intending to ride parts of the canal routes.

This bright, colorful book has full-page water-color illustrations that accurately depict the story. The book is the song "The Erie Canal" illustrated. One charming touch is the written music and accompaniment on the back page. I highly recommend this book for those who are looking for quality, entertaining books for their children.

I have never been on the Erie Canal but Peter Lourie, with his great ability to blend both history and adventure, made me feel like I was right there with him. Vivid historical and contemporary photographs, as well as lots of canal stories turned, what might've been dull history, into a wonderful reading and visual experience. I never thought I could find the story of a waterway so engaging, but it was. I read this book with great pleasure and so did my two children. The author successfully broadened our appreciation for the wonders and history of this waterway; he kept us interested with tales about tug boat captains and other folks that he meets along the way. I'll probably never canoe the Erie Canal, but in a sense Peter Lourie has done this for me. We all thoroughly enjoyed reading this memorable account and look forward to reading more books by this talented writer.

I really enjoyed viewing the black and white photos of one of the countries most versital cities, Erie, Pa. Mr. Comstock managed to really focus on the simplistic views of our city. Breathtaking views from the Centenial Tower and views of many Erie Landmarks. A wonderful book for anyone who has lived in Erie.