Very good paper, but the cutting is like the sheets were teared by hand... Not appropriate for anything important.

The fact that this paper has ragged egdes shows the hand made quality. It really is wonderful to write on. I totally recommend it! P.S. I have been to wookey hole and recommend that as well.

Good finish, wonderful with a fountain pen. Quite luxurious feel. A good gift for oneself. :)

So what do you if you're nineteen, working with your father as a brickmason, and he fires you for sleeping on the job? Well, if you're Eddy Joe Cotton, you find the nearest truckstop, meet up with an old hand named Alabama, and jump a train. This memoir covers Cotton's first month on the tracks from Denver to Las Vegas as he meets up with old and young tramps, starlets, and murderers.

Eddy Joe Cotton is a name made up by the author to be his "tramp" name. Hoboes don't look back at their past a lot and it's almost a ceremonial thing to leave your old name behind if you're a real traveller.

There is a constant conflict inside Eddy. The conflict is between living the perilous, well, let's say precarious life of the hobo, and the American Dream. By American Dream I mean that slough of a nice house, car, wife, whatever. The life of freedom is one of loneliness and an avoidance of responsibility according to Cotton. Some would see this as a rejection of adulthood in a way. In some ways I agree. What's going to happen to Eddy when he gets old and he can't jump on a train? Who's gonna take care of him after all his wanderings? What is he truly gaining here? Of course Eddy rolls out the cliched "it's not the destination, it's the journey" hokey.

I don't know, this book is sad in the same way that Jack Kerouac's books are sad. I mean, the longing to belong and live a normal life which can never be had by the writer. It's something that can threaten to overwhelm any happiness or at the least cast a shade on it.

There is a lot of interesting information here, what with all the hobo jargon, and it really does make for a good adventure. Call me cynical but at some points I began to debate Eddy's credibility. I mean how do I know that this book is true? At times, his escapades have the feel of lies to me.

The fact that I hold this book in my hand kinda ruins his credibility to me. For a man who doesn't want the materialistic and is supposedly a hobo, I'm sure he had to get an agent and make a book deal just like any other person. If you were a true "tramp", what would you want to publish a book for? Your concern should be with living, not with dredging up the past. I'm much more impressed with Jack Kerouac, who descended into alcholism and death BECAUSE he was famous, thereby proving the fact that he didn't want success and fame. While Hobo is entertaining and has good passages, I believe it should be taken with a grain of salt.

This is the Lucky Professor reporting to you from the outer banks of literature and prose. I have been scouring the banks of a dead and forgotten sea and what I have come across is the remains of a beautiful vagabonding culture - the bones of tramps and hobos. These bones are alive in this book, HOBO A Young Man's Thoughts on Trains and Tramping in America. Eddy Joe Cotton revives the power of a young man's free will with his simple ability to tell a simple and honest story. As Robert Hunter said "HOBO is a song straight from the heart." There is a war in many young men's hearts - that between a life that tradition has forged and a life that he must find himself. That is the beauty of this book - life and it's options are approached with naked abandon and eventually given into. Not so much decided on but simply surrendered to. As one can only do in times of sorrow, self examination and journey. I am relieved that this book found it's way onto my book shelf and highly recommend it.

Hobo was a funny and adventurous read. Cotton's humor alone made this book worth buying. What I found most fascinating about Cotton's story was the pure and simple way in which it was told. He's a hobo, though he never once admits to it in the book, and I wouldn't expect complicated plots, overdeveloped characters or long impressive words from such a character. The story is much more powerful as it is - a colorful adventure told with integrity by a vagabonding storyteller. I recently saw a copy of Hobo in my local library, which means that it must have it's place somewhere in our American culture.

This book is about the witch trials of the New England States. Cotton Mather was one of the witch hunters who prosecuted and executed hundreds of innocent women. Many were hanged and few went through the ordeal unscathed. This book was originally written and published in the 1600s. It was to be a guide for witch hunters and how to deal with them. This book symbolizes many of the mistakes that we, as a country, would like to forget. Check this book out of a library, its not worth the money to spend. Its only valuable to collectors or psychopaths.

Well I purchased this book for $10 at an antique store, got really lucky there. It is definitely a book to read if one is interested in the beginnings of the New England Witch trials. I'd also recommend The Malleus Maleficarum, both of these are well worth the study. It's amazing how the minds of individuals thought back then.

Most people don't know how to read Baroque writing any more. Perhaps it's a good thing. Mather's "Wonders" is a great example of such. I think it's written on two levels; read the words, then read between the lines.
I don't think he believed in witches any more than you or I, but I believe he thought (and knew) that they (the idiots that lived around him) did. A test of faith, as it were. The WONDERS proved an idea gone wrong in the hands of the powerfully ignorant.
It's amazing how quickly his contemporaries picked up on it. And equally amazing how slowly his antecedents miss the mark.
DPG

I think that no person that even thinks of him/herself as being a christian should study this 'bible'. In my opinion it is a very huge mockery of Christ and his life and doings here on earth. I have not personally read the book, but i have heard about it. And as a christian i don't even think it should be thought of like that book puts it, much less on shelves for anybody to be influenced by it.

Can be purchased directly from the author's community: Koinonia Partners, Inc. 1324 GA Hwy 49 South Americus GA 31709 (912)924-0391 Also many other books and cassettes by same author. (Even supposed out-of-print!)

My book club tried to read this book and no one was able to finish it! In an attempt to write what one woman in the group called "high literature" the author failed to connect and draw you in to the story. I only made it through the first 100 pages and gave up because it was just too hard to follow. Save your money and buy another book. Might I recommend "The Last Integrationist" by Jake Lamar or any book by Octavia Butler.

"High Cotton" is well written fiction by an author I'd like to see more work by. Pinckney is a "real" writer. By that I mean he knows how to use the language in an interesting way. It's not just a "what happens next" kind of book which, unfortunately, tends to be the norm in popular fiction by African-American writers. Just pick up a copy of any Terry Mcmillan book (with the exception of "Mama"), and you'll see what I mean. Read High Cotton to experience a black writer's voice, humor and wit, A family drama, a comedy, a social commentary, an excellent read

As a die hard Redskins fan, I was very sorry to see this excellent concept so badly muffed. The idea behind this book is to cash in on the Washington Post vault, providing great photos and articles combined with new pieces by long-time Skins beat reporters to tie it all together. Sadly, whoever edited and proofread this thing reeeally dropped the ball. Sentences at the bottom of the page are repeated at the top of the next, photographs are mislabeled, pieces of sentences are missing, words are chopped off in the middle. Probably still of some value for the die hard Skins fan, but a real black eye for the Washington Post. If their newspaper were produced as shoddily, Richard Nixon would have finished his second term.

Yes, there are some typos and such in the early chapters but the book isn't as lousy as described in the 2-star review. Most of the problems are hyphen-ated words that are not at the end of a page or line. It is like the typeset was changed but the book was not reproofed.

Still, there is a lot of good information in the book. I think it covers items that Loverro's book (very good as well) ignored or glossed over-- how Gibbs wanted to sign and trade Riggo and how Joe Jacoby ended up sticking around in that first camp. The Times summary makes it sound like Gibbs and Beathard were geniuses building a team. This book shows that they were also lucky geniuses. If you are a Skins fan, you should own this book.

I see there is also a newer edition out with the Synder years (ugh).

I can only describe this book as "Hewitt Lite". It is a very glossy, well-photographed book, larger in layout than her earlier ones. Unlike those books which were purely knitting patterns (lots and losts of patterns), this is set up as individual projects with instructions. It is full of "cute" ideas; skirts for china dolls etc. Many of the patterns are reprints from her other books.

That being said, I can see the use of this book. If you are looking for ideas for ring pillows, sachets, coasters and a few larger pillows, this would be a good resource. It is well illustrated and clearly written. The patterns are all written in long form; no charts. They range from beginner to moderate skill levels.

This book gives a close analysis of Blackburn's 19th and 20th century trade union history, and contains many examples of statistics which local historians will find useful. However, the chapter covering the town's earlier history is weaker and contains some small but irritating inaccuracies. My advice? Read it for the later insights - don't use it for industrial archaeology!

A reader is told more than they need to know about Clinton Neal Cotton, Navajo Indian Trader. The reader would have been better served if the editor had concentrated solely on the history of Navajo blankets. Williams is a relative of Cotton so don't expect a searching and objective examination of Cotton's activities in Navajo country. It's difficult, after reading the book, to determine whether Cotton exploited or assisted the Navajo in the marketing of their blankets, rugs, and jewelry.

Cotton left Ohio in 1881, traveled to New Mexico, and worked for the A & P Railroad. In 1884, he became a partner in Ganado trading post located near the Navajo reservation. The Navajos sold wool, sheep, cattle, hides, pinon nuts, jewelry, and blankets to the trading post. In return, the Indians bought merchandise from the trader's stock. This was a very competitive business but a shrewd trader could make good money.

Cotton's contribution to trade goods involved the upgrading of Navajo blankets. He initially insisted on more colors in the blankets. Navajo weavers found it difficult to produce red, blue, or black dyes from native (organic) materials. Cotton stocked aniline dyes in these colors which eventually brightened newly produced Navajo blankets. Cotton also convinced the Navajos to upgrade their sheep stock to produce better wool; he thought the improved product could then be marketed as rugs. This proved a breakthrough allowing the marketing nationwide of Navajo blankets and rugs.

Cotton assisted Navajo weavers in creating different designs for their blankets and rugs. He bought paintings of better quality blankets (from the near east/far east), placed them throughout his trading post, had the weavers study the designs, and suggested they imitate the "oriental" patterns. Other Indian traders also convinced the Navajos to imitate similar patterns. By 1911, the transition from native Navajo patterns to Oriental patterns in Navajo blanket/rugs is very evident.

Cotton interfered in the design of Navajo silverwork. Prior to 1900, most silverwork created by the Navajos was for personal use thus was crude by Western standards. In 1884, Cotton brought a Mexican silversmith to Navajo country to teach his sophisticated craft to the Indians. Cotton also dealt with the purchase and sale of ancient pottery taken from Indian ruins -- a practice that is illegal today.

In 1888, Cotton moved to Gallup to open a wholesale business and was able to gain exclusive control of two items basic for trade with the Navajo: Arbuckle's Coffee and Pendleton Blankets. Cotton began to create a demand for the many Navajo blankets/rugs he took in trade. He developed an eastern market by mailing the first illustrated catalogs of Navajo products to prestigious stores wherein he listed blankets and "rugs." Cotton graded the woven products into three classes: the best grade were the rugs; the second tier were the saddle blankets; and the poorest grade were the shoulder blankets and/or bed blankets. Soon Navajo blankets and rugs were on sale at Marshall Field and Wanamakers.

Cotton's "paternalistic" attitude led him into trouble when he tried to expand into the construction business. He used Navajo workers and paid them in trade tokens which were restricted for use in Cotton's stores; a variation of the notorious company stores of the coal mining regions. An investigation proved Cotton's "chit" system was corrupt. Cotton was quite successful. He became mayor of the Gallup, NM, became the director of several banks, and was instrumental in getting Route 66 to traverse his city.

Willimas isn't a good writer and delves too much into minutia. The principal interest in this book are the reproductions of Cotton's catalogs, dated between 1896 and 1919, which describe the different Navajo blankets and rugs and the grading system Cotton used. A brief history of the Navajo blanket, it's varied patterns, and the process employed by the weavers is also included. Additional items of interest are the various photos of the Indian trading posts, Cotton's warehouse, office, and so forth.

I didn't care for Williams' commentary, C. N. Cotton's so-called achievements, or his interference in the Navajo Way; however, there is good information about Navajo blankets/rugs so this book earns a qualifed recommendation.

Professor Cotton's book is a well written introduction to the theory of group representations for chemists. It is appropriate for chemical experimentalists and beginners with a more thoeretical bent. It was NOT INTENDED to be a book of algebra for mathematicians or physicists interested in Lie groups. The pure rotation group is not covered, representations of space groups are not mentioned, ray representations are not used, etc. Many of the reviewers below seem to think they will need one and only one book that deals with applications of group theory - not likely! For a beginner with a background typical of a 1st year grad student in physical or inorganic chemistry at an American university, the book is good. If the complainers below ever tried to teach a course to such students using the more rigorous books they are clamoring for, they would be hung in effigy (if they were lucky).
However, even for the intended audience, there are things that could be improved. Most glaring in my opinion is the treatment of electronic states, as opposed to orbitals. Even "mathematically-challenged chemists" have to face up to Slater determinants as basis functions for multi-electron wavefunctions. The spectroscopy and ligand-field theory topics are obscure if you don't introduce this concept. Symmetry with respect to interchange of particle labels is not that difficult to teach, and is essential for understanding the symmetry requirements that must be placed on electronic and vibrational wave functions.

So if you are a mathematician or a physicist, don't whine if this book isn't for you. It's for chemistry, specifically inorganic ones, who use group theory to analyze ligand chemistry and spectroscopy. It is also useful for those who utilize computational chemistry programs like Gaussian and need to know the basics of orbital and molecular symmetry. I'm an organic chemist by trade, and this book is the gold standard for my field.

I used this text as a reference for a grad course in inorganic structure and reactivity. I found it most useful. The explanations were clear, yet not wordy. The exercises at the end of each chapter adequately cover the material. And the character table appendix is invaluable. With appropriate guidance, any student will master the subject.

Professor Cotton's expertise in this field of study is well known. The texts he has authored along with the late Prof. Wilkinson have instructed a whole generation of chemists. This text continues that tradition. Any scientist will found this text useful.