Jim Fredrickson's book Railroad Shutterbug is not just a tremendous collection of beautiful black and white, and a few color, photos of Pacific Northwest railroading, but a collection of historical anecdotes as well.

Each photo is accompanied by a caption which goes two steps beyond. They describe the "why" and "what-fors." For example, they may describe why certain locomotives were used in this part of the country, and, the historical reasons for having so many depots and their original function (not just a point for passengers to come and go). The descriptions go beyond the normal "photo review" most commonly found in similar books, which give simple description, but don't explain "why." The book is beautifully printed on glossy paper, and the horizontal format increases the snapshot viewpoint. The large-format camera prints show incredible detail. I certainly hope this is not the last book from Mr. Fredrickson.

As a native of Northern New Mexico, I often see all sorts of photo books documenting the touristic attractions to the area. However, Alex Harris' book acurately documents the real life of rural northern New Mexico. The best you could buy!!

Part natural history, part local history, and chock full of fascinating details about Redwood National and State Parks, this is the guidebook to get for the Northern California Coast. I purchased it primarily as a hiking guide for the all too brief period I first spent in the Park, but have enjoyed reading it ever since.

The book covers Native American peoples of the region, the history of conservation efforts to save the Redwoods, and provides detailed descriptions for those who want an "auto tour" through the park. But the most enjoyable aspects of the book for me were the many sidebars within the text and their selection of hiking trails. The sidebars deal mostly with local history, and are written with a healthy dose of humor. Indeed, such titles as "The State of Jefferson: Not just a jest" and "Big Diamond: The Prehistoric Pachyderm of Prarie Creek" are so enjoyable that they deserve a separate book in their own right. The selection of hikes the Rohde's offer is also excellent. These parks offer lots of hiking opportunities, but they have picked the best of bunch, a real help to visitors with a strict time budget.

Why is it that all the truly wonderful books are 'Out of Stock' or, worse yet, 'Out of Print?' This book deserves better. Buy it if you get the chance. It's an excellent investment in any vacation on the Northern California coast.

As I write this review, the book is out-of-stock. I want to share this book with everyone, so I am hoping that my review will change things around. First of all, the recipes in this book are complex -- but -- there are books that are much more challenging. Haute Mexican and Japanese cuisine are more difficult, the first because it grew out of a class culture where the food was cooked by maids the second because it is so unlike western food. There are things in this book that are exotic, even to Bostonians where "the Italian North End" was made such an imprint on the city. There is a pasta based on yeast raised dough that is wonderful on a winter's night when snow is falling. There are superb chicken dishes and magnificent desserts. This one of only two cookbooks that I have wanted to go through, page by page, recipe by recipe, and cook everything.

Evans is a fascinating man to listen to. He is a decorated veteran, but shuns the recognition he rightly deserves. He admits that some of his actions during the heat of combat "might have been foolhardy." Evans was not interested in medals, only in trying to keep his men alive. As Evans' Third Army Com mander, General George S. Patton remarked, "No one ever won a war by dying for his country. He won by making the other poor bastard die for his country."

Evans met several truly historical figures. First and foremost was Patton. After the first day of the Battle of Arracourt, Patton visited Evans' command post to commend him on a job well done. That was just the first of many encounters with General Patton. After hostilities ceased in 1945, Evans was assigned to a Prisoner of War camp near Landshut, Germany. There, while interrogating prisoners, he briefly met General Vlasov, another larger-than-life individual. Vlasov was a former White Russian officer who was convinced (some say coerced) to help the Nazis against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. Later, in Switzerland, Evans was able to get a glimpse of a compound full of Nazi war criminals, most notable of whom was Herman Goering.

Evans was also fortunate to have been able to participate in the design, testing and eventual combat deployment of the M18 "Hellcat" tank destroyer. The United States Army found that its antitank capabilities were woefully inadequate against the masses of German armor, so a new tank destroyer was desired. Evans, along with a handful of other armor officers from various posts around the US, was invited to Detroit to the Buick Division of General Motors, to offer suggestions for the design of this new vehicle. There are precious few times in a soldier's career that he is given the opportunity to impact upon the equipment he will use in the performance of his duty. Evans and these other officers seized the moment and helped to design one of the most effective combat vehicles ever. In ju! st a few short months the M18 went from the drawing board to the maneuver field and then the European Theater of Opera tions.

When war broke out in 1861, Wayland F. Dunaway was studying law at the University of Virginia. He promptly enrolled in the 47th Virginia Infantry and, after a non-eventful first year, participated in the 1862 battles of Seven Pines, Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, and Frayser's Farm. Due to the regiment's heavy losses in these encounters, Lieutenant Dunaway served as a company commander during July and August of 1862. He then assumed the post of regimental adjutant, a position that he held until March 1863 when he became captain of Co. I, 40th Virginia Infantry. Soon thereafter, Dunaway joined the staff of Brockenbrough's Brigade. Dunaway's memoir was characterized by one reviewer as "brief and bright"; another wrote that his recollections were "even-tempered" and that they "avoid the unreliability of more detailed narratives." This book serves as one of the only substantial sources on Charles W. Field's Virginia brigade.

Meg Strathmann (and her colleagues) put together a wonderful reference book that is a must-have item for anyone doing work on the reproductive biology or larval biology of marine invertebrate animals along the Pacific coast of the North America. This book is also a great source of reference material for invertebrate biologists anywhere in the world.

This book includes information about methods, and hints about culturing and maintaining marine invertebrate larvae. It also contains published or unpublished (but documented) observations on the reproduction and development of marine invertebrates of the northern Pacific coast.

The book is divided into chapters devoted to different invertebrate phyla, including methods for culturing their larvae, as well as information on the timing of spawning and development of as many Pacific NW species as have been studied.

The book, published in 1987, is now approaching its 15th year in publication. Even though some parts of it are slowing slipping out of date, this book remains the best reference book on this topic.

Absolutely top notch reference material, 5-stars!

Alan Holyoak Dept of Biology Manchester College, IN

As a graduate of political geography living in Belfast, I have often been bored by books on the political situation in Northern Ireland. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and even though I have finished my course I find myself picking it up again for inspiration. BUY IT!! AND KEEP IT FOREVER!!!!

Volume 216 in the outstanding University of Oklahoma Press "The Civilization of the American Indian Series", Rifles, Blankets, And Beads: Identity, History, And The Northern Athapaskan Potlatch by Northern Athapaskan Native American culture expert William E. Simeone is an impressive presentation and analysis of the Northern Athapaskan potlatch, a Native American tradition in which the hosts have a party for the specific purpose of giving their possessions as presents to their guests, while accepting no gifts in return, and keep very little for themselves. The role of the potlatch in promoting societal cohesiveness, in curbing greed and excess, in encouraging familial and tribal cooperation, and a great deal more is carefully scrutinized in this intriguing study. Rifles, Blankets, And Beads is a welcome and valued contribution to any personal or academic Native American Studies collection.

In River Life: The Natural And Cultural History Of A Northern River, naturalist and ecologist John Bates takes the reader on a fascinating and informative exploration of Wisconsin's Manitowish River. Packed with historical and environmental information, River Life carefully examines current ecological studies, draws upon fur trader journals and archaeological surveys, and is replete with Bate's own personal observations to vividly describe the "life" of this small northern Wisconsin river. River Life is enthusiastically recommended for students of natural history and river-based ecological systems, and would serve as an ideal template for similar historical and environmental accounts of other small to medium sized rivers throughout the United States.