So much of what happened during the political development of Micronesia now come to light as a result of this well researched book. Until now, much of what transpired during the political status negotiations required tedious search in US government archives and the Library of Congress. That is if the documents were declassified. This book is insightful.

So mucy of what happened during the political development of Micronesia now come to light as a result of this well researched book. Until now, much of what transpired during the political status negotiations required tedious search in US government archives or the Library of Congress (if unclassified). Insightful!

I speak as one who has lived in the Northern Mariana Islands for more than thirty years, and who had a role in the events (I was one of those who were interviewed) and who knew and worked with many of the central figures involved in them. Willens and Siemer have written a thoroughly researched and historically accurate work, and one which I enjoyed reading immensely -- as will anyone interested in this corner of the Pacific.

This book is among the leading candidates in the race for best tree identification book ever. It has a huge advantage in that it first appeared in 1917 (as Native Trees of Canada, already a good book) and has been continually revised and updated since. This book pretty much has it all: clear distribution maps, fine line-drawings of details and pretty decent color pictures of various other details (including bark).

Of course Canada has the 'advantage' of not having many tree species, which makes it easy for an author to be complete. Just imagine Harri Lorenzi trying to cover Brazil to the same degree of detail!

It is a pity the US has no other books on this same scale, and that this degree of detail is only available for its Northern part (OK, California has some fine tree books too!).

I put Tree Finder or Winter Tree Finder in my pocket when I go for a walk, but this is the book I take out when I get home to learn more, or just for the pleasure of looking at the photos and illustrations. Very thorough--for instance, photos show examples of what the bark looks like on both young and mature trees for most species. It's really a Canadian book (published in Canada as Trees in Canada), but coverage is good for the northern tier states of U.S.

If you want to know about trees in the northern US and Canada this is the one book to buy. It's certainly not a pocket field guide, but for learning trees in all seasons, reproductive parts, bark, leaves/needles it's great. Lots of good color photos. I use this one the most of all the tree ID books I own. Even more than Barnes & Wagner, because of the pictures.

This is a good "inspirational" book to look through, with great full-color photographs on at least every other page. It's great for planning a vacation around because it gives you a taste of what many different areas look like. The written information is equally good, with lots of great hikes with short, concise descriptions. With this and a local topo map, you're all set.

I love this book. The photographs make me want to visit every place and hike every trail. I have several hiking books, and I enjoy them all, but I love this one. I am hoping that John and Mark Soares are working on hiking books for Oregon!

This is an exceptionally well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. The photos are all in color and are breathtaking! You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. Every hike also has a color map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive.

Equally pleasing is that the authors take the time to describe each hike in extensive detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

I have over 50 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete, more photographically stunning or better written guide. I enthusiastically recommend this gem!

This book is a must for all Northern Eposure fans out there! Chris' insight into love, life and the whole karmic enchilada will give you smiles and possbily provoke some inner reflection on how you view the world.
A great book!
(Wish I lived in their world in Cicely Alaska)

"Chris-in-the Morning: Love, Life, and the Whole Karmic Enchilada" is one of those books I would have loved to have put together. Louis Chunovic is not the "writer" of this "Northern Exposure" book, but rather has "Compiled and Edited" the proceedings, which are, of course, based on the television series created by Joshua Brand & John Falsey. The idea was to take pretty much everything said by the character of Chris Stevens (played by John Corbett), the voice and soul of the borough of Arrowhead County for everyone who loyally listens to K-BEAR's "Chris-in-the-Morning" radio show. I am not sure if every quote was actually uttered over the air, or simply in the radio station, and not on the streets of Cicely, but you get the idea. The result is that from the literal call of the wild to the complex vagaries of love to the fine art of curing a hangover, this book provides (in its own words) "a veritable aurora borealis of Chris's own recollection, speculations, dreams, and philosophies."

After an introduction that recalls how reading Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" changes his life from a budding hooligan of fifteen into an artist, this book is divided into two sections. Part I consists of Raps, Rants, and Wrenching Times. We are treated to The Chris Stevens Story, culled from his walks down memory lane, and then Chunovic tries to get thematic, with mixed results. Remember, for the most part these observations are divorced from the original context of their respective episodes. Part II is a catch-all section that offers Opinions and Observations, A-Z, which would be from Aging ("People impose all these chronological imperatives on themselves") to Zen ("See Carpentry; Mathematics; Plumbing; Technology") for those keeping track. As I said, I appreciate the attempt to present this collection of observations made by Chris Stevens as an articulated philosophical position, but this is more of a cultured and idiosyncratic weltanschauung. The key thing is that Chunovic is not trying to create consistent ontological, epistemological, or axiological positions. These are just scattered seeds of wisdom, embedded in Chris's recollections, speculations, dreams, and philosophies. Besides, the pleasure here is just getting a chance to re-read those big long speeches Chris used to unload on "Northern Exposure." The meaning, dear reader, lies not in Chris's words but in ourselves. Pick and choose as you desire.

My one minor complaint would be that the writers who came up with these great speeches and choice epithets are not credited. Allow me to rectify that with a list of all the writers who wrote on "Northern Exposure": Sybil Adelman, David Assael, Kate Boutilier, Joshua Brand, Henry Bromell, Jordan Budde, Mitchell Burgess, David Chase, Sean Clark, Denise Dobbs, Sam Egan, John Falsey, Diane Frolov, Robin Green, Barbara Hall, Karen Hall, Ellen Herman, Jessica Klein, Dennis Koenig, Jeff Melvoin, Geoffrey Neigher, Mark B. Perry, Robert Rabinowitz, Sy Rosen, Charles Rosin, Martin Sage, Andrew Schneider, Jed Seidel, Jerry Stahl, Meredith Stehm, Rogers Turrentine, Jeff Vlaming, Craig Volk, Steve Wasserman and Christian Williams. Thanks you very much, worthy scribes.

This book is a collection of quotes from our favorite DJ from Cicely, Alaska: Chris Stevens. This book is divided into categories and chapters, so it's easy to find something about a particular topic or occasion. Some of the quotes are short one-liners, and others are long passages that delve deep into the meaning of life. Either way, they're all gems, and it brings back memories of all those great episodes, and the faraway town of Cicely, Alaska. Pull out this book when you need to relax, or when you just want to hear what Chris has to say about the things in our everyday lives.

I am going to visit Santa Fe for a few days and to do a job interview there. I wanted a book that would give me all the information I needed about Santa Fe and the surroundings so that I could come up with a list of places I wanted to visit, restaurants I wanted to eat at, and so on. I definitely recommend this book for those who want to be able to have a clear picture of where they want to go once they reach Santa Fe!

I love Santa Fe and have been there numerous times. I'm always looking for new aspects of the city to see. I like this guide book because it is not mearly a list of places to stay and eat. I agree with the places recommended as some of the highlights of the city. I look forward to my next trip to enjoy some of the new things I've read to do in Santa Fe and the surrounding areas.

We just got back from Santa Fe. This book was wonderful! It has history, what to see (museums, ruins, architecture), where to eat (an interesting list -- we didn't particularly use it because we had personal referrals). It had great tips -- like buy the 5-museum pass for slightly more than a one-museum, one-day pass. I was very pleased I'd read it BEFORE I went and it was very useful while we were there.

This book is an incredible contribution to understanding California and the West. The author has a good eye for detail, and he tells a vivid story. Most important, he offers incisive analysis of race, labor and community in the Silicon Valley. The book is also enjoyable to read because the author has a very nice writing style, and he knows how to use his subjects' own insights to prove his arguments convincingly. This book should give activists, public officials, and residents a lot to grapple with. Highest possible recommendation!

As part of my doctoral research into the history of California, I've read several books on the history of Santa Clara County. Most emphasize the "pioneer" (read: white colonization) days, and the rest the technical magnificence of the Valley of Silicon Delight.

This new important work delineates the history of ethnic Mexicans in the county, particularly its East Side. From the poisonous mines of Almaden to the poisonous laboratories of the West Side, it has been ethnically based labor for low pay that has allowed the county to develop in all its prolific economic richness. The author's book provides an overview of these dynamics through research, figures, facts, and eyewitness accounts.

The "devil" mentioned in the title has to do with racism, and the book goes beyond the usual sociological and psychological explanations of racism to emphasize its classist underpinnings in a supposedly classless society. Also emphasized are the creative responses in opposition to it as ethnic Mexicans have made their voices heard and refused to be subjugated without meaningful forms of culturally enhancing assertiveness. Highly recommended.

This is quite a book: a smart, easy to read, and important study of Latinos in California from the early 19th century to the present. Specialists and non-specialists alike will find here an engaging narrative guided by impressive (even stunning) historical research. Pitti provides the first accurate and sensitive portrait of the San Jose area's development, and he does so while showing how Northern California developed in relation to Mexico and to the wider history of "race" in the United States. Moreover, THE DEVIL IN SILICON VALLEY explains the many ways in which Mexicans and Mexican Americans responded to discriminatory treatment over time. The portrait of Latinos and their politics given here will be critical reading for anyone who seeks to understand Mexican Americans, the politics of immigration, and many other aspects of the multicultural United States in the years to come. Not to be missed!

I found this book to be a little bit dry at times, though on the other hand, the descriptions of the violence at the hands of both the IRA and other republican groups and by the Unionist/loyalist groups were quite graphic. Still, it was quite easy to keep up with who was who and who was on which side, something that can sometimes be a problem in a history book. The authors gave a pretty balanced perspective--I do think they were a little more on the Catholic side, but overall, it was balanced. I do wish they had gone more into the background. Why did the British send the Protestants to Catholic Ireland in the first place, and how did the two sides get along before the 20th century? This is glossed over, though I guess what information is given is sufficient. It does whet my appetite to know more, however.

David McKittrick and David McVea present a thoughtful, excellent overview of sectarian strife in Northern Ireland since the 1960's, giving a balanced look at both the Protestant and Catholic communities. They begin with a superb brief historical sketch on the origins and early history of Northern Ireland, chronicling its major events from its inception in 1921 through the 1960's. They offer many fascinating portraits of prominent British, Irish and Northern Irish politicians and terrorists, ranging from the likes of diehard Protestant minister Ian Paisley to former IRA member Gerry Adams. This is quite simply one of the best books I've read on recent Northern Irish history and may be the best historical overview on the origins and current state of "The Troubles".

If you are like I was before I read this book knowing only that Northern Ireland was about some kind of Religious Conflicts and the IRA then you have so much more to learn about Northern Ireland as I have learned with this book. This book covers everything in an informative way to help one absorb the information and yet not feel inundated. The book also features a chronology of events for quick references, tables and a glossary section that serves as a refresh section for the mind when the abbreviations of political parties and organizations become to much to remember. I recommend this book highly for personal or academic reasons in learning about the troubles in Northern Ireland.

I enjoyed reading this novel and considered it well written and very good. However, the hero, Devin, is such a perfect person that I had trouble making him real in my mind. He is an Irish Catholic rock star who is more popular and better looking than Bono of U2. He gives most of his money away to peace seeking charities. He also has not had sex in several years since his wife was caught on an IRA terrorist mission as a perpetrator. Devin lives like a monk despite women literally ripping their clothes off in front of him and throwing themselves at him. The only bad things one can say about him are that he's moody sometimes and that he doesn't tell the heroine the whole truth about his life until forced to do so. By contrast, Bellacera's other novel featured a Trinity college professor as the lead, who had his priorities in life confused, and let his own stubbornness and misplaced loyalty get him deeper and deeper into the Irish Catholic cause at the peril of losing his wife and child. I preferred the intimate, human scale of "Border Crossings", with its well rounded hero, to the superstar setting of "Spotlight" and its superhuman hero. Nevertheless, Bellacera is a very good writer and wrote a rousing tale with "Spotlight".

Carole Bellacera's exciting novel about a young, beautiful journalist and a rock star was delicious reading. Spotlight has a exciting and original plot as well as sexy characters. The suspense went up to the last minute and made it a great reading experience. Thanks Carole, keep 'em coming.

"Spotlight" is one of the best books of the year. I loved "Border Crossings", the author's first book, and "Spotlight", the second, is every bit as good. You simply cannot put it down. She captures the Irish experience as few others have.

I live close to many of these hikes, but never knew about them. Yes, there are some that just about everybody knows, but this book also takes you to places that are really overlooked. I like many things about the book: the chart in the front that lets you know about the hikes at a glance, how it is organized by region, and how the author tells little stories about the history, plants, and animals of the area you are going to visit. I own five other hiking guides to hikes in and around the area, and this one is, by far, the best of the lot.

I had bought Adkins' 50 Hikes in Maryland, so I thought I would give this one a try. He did it again for me. Short hikes, long hikes, overnighters--there is something here for everyone. And again he does it in an easy style of writing. As a response to one of the other Amazon.com reviews of this book; Adkins tells of general camping areas, but does not point out specific sites. He does this to help preserve and protect areas from overuse. Get this book--your feet will be happy and your eyes will enjoy the places it brings you.

50 Hikes In Northern Virginia is a superbly written and presented compendium of outdoor hiking trails that range from the rugged summits of the Allegheny Mountains to the gentle shores of the Chesapeake Bay. There are hiking opportunities for the novice, the experienced, the young and the not-so-young. An overview chart provides information on each of the fifty hikes at a glance. Each hike description includes directions to the trailhead, a detailed account of the route, a topographic map, and entertaining infobits on historical and natural points of interest. If you are seeking an outdoor adventure in what Northern Virginia has to offer, begin your planning with Leonard Adkins' 50 Hikes In Northern Virginia!

Strolling through the Mall I decided to stop in for a brief visit to the mass market oriented bookstore. Thumbing through the Civil War offerings I picked up this outstanding book. I did not recognize the name of George Walsh. He is a Yankee writing on the army whose story has been so well told from Southern superstars such as Douglass Southall Freeman, Clfford
Dowdey and Shelby Foote. Why plunk down a Visa card to purchase it?
Curiosity satisfied is the answer! Walsh writes in a personal style introducing the men and the units making up Lee's fabled Army of Northern Virgnia. Even an old Civil War buff such as I learned new things about the Victorian warriors of Dixieland who lend the forces of Lee against the enemy.
This book is an excellent survey of the war in the Eastern theatre. It is a valuable additon to my Civil War library. I highly recommend Walsh's book to anyone even casually interested in learning more about the American Illiad that is our Civil War!

George Walsh hit a grand slam with DAMAGE THEM ALL YOU CAN: ROBERT E. LEE'S ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA. Told almost exclusively from the point of view of the Confederate side this book does a wonderful job of getting into the hearts and minds of the men who fought for the Confederacy. The stereotypes of the lost cause or southerners as a pack of racists are replaced by a very human portrait of the men (and sometimes their loved ones too) who fought and died for what they believed in. Walsh has done a very real service to the memory of the Army of Northern Virginia. The battle narratives are really good as is the analysis of Lee's thoughts, decisions and occasional frustration with his subordinates. An excellent treatment!

"Damage Them All You Can:" Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia written by George Walsh is quite frankly one of the best accounts of The Army of Northern Virginia that I've ever read. General Robert E. Lee assembled the best army to ever, to this point in time, fight on American soil. In fact, The Army of Northern Virginia man for man, out Generaled, out fought all that the North could throw against it.

Walsh's book is a true delight to read, the principles in the book seem to come alive as you read on in the book. The prose is written with vivid descriptions and the author gives the reader insights albeit shrewd of how the battles were fought.

I got the inpression that I was there with the incisive insights the author gives the reader, from the Generals, to the commanders, right down to the trenches, told with deeply moving detail. I encourage anyone interested in reading about the Civil War or the "Yankee War of Aggression" to read this book.

I've read Foote, McPherson, and Catton's writings about this time in American History, but Walsh's account here is the best and most personal one that I've ever read, with a probing into the character and the battles that made them feel like they were fought right before your eyes.

This book is, by all accounts, for a single volume the best book written about one of the best fighting armies the Confederacy ever had... the Army of Northern Virginia. This book is worthy of a place in your library on American History.