The book is very well proportioned for viewing stereographs which are presented full size and intact. Subjects and photographers are well indexed. Very pleased with my copy, an excellent companion to Darrah, Zeller, and Waldsmith.

This book does an amazing job of telling the story that is Iowa with amazing pictures and an insightfull bit of writing as well. Mr. Kurtz has hit the nail on the head in this one. Very Well written and the Most beautiful you will ever see.

what i would like to know is who is r. worner. i know the book as he was my great grand father. curious as to why he is being studied now. chase

The Kirkus review of James Whitcomb Riley: A Life is hardly a fair one. It criticizes the book because of two opinions of the reviewer that clearly the author had no hope of changing:

1. The facts about Riley are not as interesting as the myths about his life.

2. He was not the author of great literature.

It is, of course, the duty of the serious biographer to present the truest picture possible of the life of the biography's subject. To this end, Elizabeth Van Allen has done a prodigious amount of research in documents relating to the life of Riley. The result is a scholarly but readable and interesting book. She rightly puts to rest the myths about the poet, intriguing though they may be. Furthermore, as a historian, Van Allen discusses the significance of Riley's poetry but does not attempt to defend it as outstanding literature.

Certainly, the biography of Riley will be most popular in Indiana where he is still revered by many, but it also will be of interest to anyone who is interested in American cultural history. In presenting the context for Riley's early years, the author paints a clear picture of life in the Midwest in the second half of the 19th century. As Riley rises to national fame, the reader learns of the role of newspapers as a purveyor of literature in the late 19th century, the national importance of regional literature in that century, and the important role of the national lecture circuit as mass entertainment of the period.

As an immensely popular entertainer on platforms throughout the nation and later through the marketing efforts of his publisher and of Riley himself, before movies, radio, television, or rock and roll, Riley was the 19th century precursor of the 20th century pop culture celebrity. This fact alone makes him a figure worth reading about and the author's authoritative and entertaining book worth buying.

Another evaluation of the book that is recommended is the review by Rich Gotshall in the Indianapolis Star issue of Sunday, November 7, 1999.

This is a must have book for anyone intereted in photography. Jerry Liebling is one of the truly important photographers in this country. His work is in every major museum collection. Yet, he is almost unknown outside photographic and academic circles. "The Minnesota Photographs" offer a glimpse at an era that Liebling captures in his own very personal, insightful way. These are powerful pictures from the 1950's and 60's. Familiar, new, fresh, inspiring. George Wallace on the campaign trail surrounded by disinterested cronies. Eugene McCarthy and Hubert Humphrey at a baseball game. A commodities trade, his head buried in a handfull of soy beans, a home for retarded people, a slaughter house, boys hanging out on the street. It's great to see a body of his work from a particular era, not just a few pictures representing different subjects. Roger Sherman New York City

Being a former student of Dr. Porter's and a graduate of Muskingum College (1989), I was very impressed with the history of New Concord. There were lots of places (stores, businesses, etc.) that had existed long before I arrived. The old pictures made this "history study" quite interesting. Thank You, Doctor Porter for reminding how special a place New Concord, Ohio really is.

== For those interested in the early explorations of what is now the Midwest, this is an outstanding and interesting read.
From its initial publication in London in the late 1760's Carver's travels thrilled readers both in the colonies and in Europe.
== It is not exactly an action-adventure book, but for those who enjoy accounts of Louis and Clark this would be an excellent addition to a library.

This is a wonderful book filled with delicious recipes. They use common ingredients & most are fairly easy to make. Recipes include French toast, pancakes, cereals, fruits, beverages, desserts, muffins, & baked goods.

Egg, meat & cheese dishes including soufflés, quiches, & casseroles are here as well. Each recipe has a description of the B&B it is from along with contact information An index also lists the inns by city.

Some of my favorite recipes include the peach coffee cake, morning pizza, & broccoli bake. I also enjoyed the carrot cookies. My overnight guest loved the surprise French toast made with cream cheese & pecans.

I really love the section in the back filled with household hints. I found these very useful as they really do help save time & money. They have also helped make guests at my at home feel more welcome.

We've lived in Kansas our entire lives and this book still brought us great fun and many surprises. This is more proof that the Sunflower State may look flat and boring, but those who live here have no dull moments. Thanks for this book! -- The Chartrand family of Olathe, Kansas

Parenting can be so frustrating ... especially when your kids seem bored and are begging for creative ideas on something fun to do. Most of the time you end up at the local playground or amusement center for lack of better ideas.

"Entertaining children shouldn't be so hard. We wanted to make having fun family time easy. So, we researched and wrote this book" say parents/authors George and Michele Zavatsky. After 1000 hours of research and publishing, the result is their book, KIDS LOVE KENTUCKY. This book is part of a regional best-selling series including other titles for Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

KIDS LOVE KENTUCKY has kid-tested descriptions including great hints on what kids like best. This guide contains almost 200 pages packed full of 500 some places and events specifically designed for children between the ages of 2 - 15.

Kids can discover places from Boone to Burgoo, from Caves to Corvettes, and from Lincoln to Lands of Horses. It'll tell you how Appalacian and Pioneer folks live(d) and even how to pow-wow with Native Americans. You'll know where to go to stand side-by-side a Braille printer (and even get to try your hand at it), steer a boat, blow the whistle of a train, or learn the secrets of yummy chocolates.

Another weekend you'll have all the travel details you need to go behind the scenes of car assembly or learn the secrets to perfect pottery and woven linens (Secret: it takes loads of practice!). Of course, there's plenty of details on nationally known sites like skipping stones in creeks near Abe Lincoln's Boyhood Homes or purchasing a raccoon "Boone" cap and pretending to provide for your family while trying to keep peace with the Natives. There's lots of kid-friendly info on famous caves (even one you take a boat ride through!), singing a tune at My Old Kentucky Home and gazing at beautiful horses.

Getting back to nature is easy when you stay overnight in a wigwam, get inches away from a real shark, pet wallabies and kangaroos, see a prehistoric alligator turtle, hear the roar of humungous cascading falls, stroll through a bird paradise, or walk across a Natural Bridge.

If you're hungry, KIDS LOVE KENTUCKY knows where to dine on "hot browns", be a candy taste-tester, watch soft drinks mixed and bottled, and tell you how to eat your way through apple, barbecue, chicken, pumpkin, and sorghum festivals. Unusual theme restaurants include a log cabin, a real stagecoach stop or a riverboat.

The book is formatted in 6 geographical zones providing addresses, websites, telephone numbers, directions, admissions and descriptions to save you lots of time. It's a wonderful resource to make short vacation plans or to get to know your hometown area better. You will probably find there are at least 50 things to do within an hour of your home! Best of all, if you have a limited budget, the book has found lots of places to visit for little or no charge and a bonus chapter of inexpensive seasonal and special events.