I wanted to read this book because of the family connection I have with it. My gg-grandfather was a member of the West Virginia 8th Mounted Infantry. As I read the book I realized I couldn't put it down. As Averell rushed to escape to the North, his decision to burn the Island Ford Bridge, my heart began to sink. For I now know what my gg-grandfather must have felt like to know that he was part of the rear guard that was left behind on the wrong side of the river. If you want interesting reading of a little known event in the history of the Civil War, then this book is for you.

I ordered this book hoping to learn more about my great-grandfather's regiment, which served under Averell in the Army of West Virginia. The excellent Order of Battle appendix told me right away that the 8th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry hadn't joined Averell's command by the time of this December 1863 raid, but that was my only disappointment. This is an easy reading, well documented story of a little known episode that shocked the Confederacy. More important, it is a gripping tale of men succeeding against the elements, and against overwhelming odds. Averell and his small brigade "marched, climbed, slid and swum" 355 miles through enemy held territory in the dead of winter, going without food and sleep, climbing mountains and crossing rivers, avoiding Confederates sent to intercept them, and striking the depot at Salem (today a suburb of Roanoke, Virginia) to threaten the lines of communication between Richmond and Knoxville. The book documents the extraordinary leadership and tenacity of Brigadier General William Averell, but it also highlights the streak of hesitancy that eventually caused Phil Sheridan to sack him during the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1864 (in which my great-grandfather's regiment did take part). Abundant photographs and simple, readable maps complement the text and help bring the characters and the story to life. A truly good book, highly recommended for descendents of the Gray as well as the Blue, and for anyone else interested in the Civil War.

Dear Sir !
Congratulations !Great books !But !
I.m missing the
explanation for the content of Foquet abbé:
"...so difficult to discover that nothing now on
this earth can prove of better fortune nor be their
equel.."
Nevertheless it is questionig to me,why Posussin
informed Foquet so easily-if this is so secret ?
Furthermore I doubt about the fact,how could Poussin
undertood all these really difficult mathematics in
this century-if it makes difficulties to me as well in
2001 ?

...and what is meaning:"nothing better fortune" ???
Just the mathematic rules and ????
I.m absolutely sure there should be more than this
and I think there should be any link,how rapidly
Sauniere became rich ?!
These are currently my doubts and questions to you.
With best regards:
Zoltan Szilagyi
Budapest/Hungary

This book is a really good read for anyone interested in Rennes-le-Chateau. For those who have read "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" by Baigent et. al., this is a totally new and different perspective on the mystery. The basic premise of "H.B., H.G." is that Jesus didn't die on the cross, but has a direct line of decendants to the present day, and relates this to the secret organization Prieur de Sion and Freemasonry. Wood and Campbell take the same information Baigent et. al. used to derive this hypothesis and, using a more mathematical approach, relate the secret of Rennes-le-Chateau not to Jesus Christ, but to a returning comet that will destroy the earth at a certain date. Worth reading!

This book contains invaluable information for museuum docents whose presentations involve gilded objects of any kind. There are, for sure, technical discussions of the physics and chemistry of gilding, but these are the minority, and their presence should not deter. The history, process and restoration practices for gilding are carefully described in lucid prose. Emphasis is on English, European, and North American topics, with only the briefest mention of Spanish and inferential mention of colonial Spanish-American gilding, in religious or secular settings. This omission, of interest to docents in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, in no way reduces the usefulness of the essays for them, or for others. Highly recommended.

If your looking for a resource guide for restoration of gilded surfaces this is it. This manual is very detailed and techincal. This is not for the crafter but for the professional. Endorsed by the the Society of Gilders.

I was a little put off by this book at first. Fantasy is not my favorite genre, and I especially don't like stories where problems are conveniently resolved with magic spells. But the characters in this wonderful book soon grabbed ahold of me. The author did an amazing job of maintaining my interest. There was literally never a dull moment.

"...As I returned across the fields I'd known
I recognized the walls that I once made
I had to stop in my tracks for fear
Of walking on the mines I'd laid..."
--Sting

Tobin, though innocent, has pled guilty to treason, sacrificing his own honor and future in order to protect the life of his little brother. Disinherited and disgraced, Tobin is offered an opportunity for regaining his good name and, at the same time, saving the people of the Realm:

" 'If I bring down their leader, what will the goblins do?'
" 'If they were human, they'd probably thank you. But goblins are completely mercenary--they never do anything except for payment, or to avoid punishment. Once her hold over them is broken, they'll probably just run off...'
"Tobin drew a deep breath, his gaze wandering over the map, chest, stone, and charm. 'Isn't there any other way?'
"Master Lazur shook his head. 'The barbarians are coming. We have no place to go except north. They have no place to come except here. There is nothing in this world I would not sacrifice to get the Bright Realm behind the goblin wall in time. How high do you weigh the life of a sorceress, one who has killed again and again, against the survival of this whole realm?'
"Tobin's finger traced the river curve that marked his home. He couldn't imagine living in the woodlands, but he'd seen the barbarian armies for himself. Master Lazer was silent, letting him figure it out. Tobin didn't like it, but surely the priest was right. How many knights, men Tobin knew and respected, had already died? If it would end the war, save the whole realm, then the life of one sorceress was a cheap price to pay."

But we know that "sorceress" whom he's being asked to "eliminate" is the young hedgewitch Makenna. She has pursued a relentless outlaw lifestyle since the priests enacted new rules of intolerance that destroyed a long-standing coexistence with the goblins and resulted in the slaughter of Makenna's mother.

What will Tobin, a principled young man, do when he learns what we know about Makenna? How will he reconcile his training that the goblins are merely vermin with the reality of meeting, talking, and seeing the real qualities that goblins possess? Why was Tobin's brother plotting against the Hierarch, the leadership of the Realm? And who is right and who is wrong when climactic changes trigger a widespread crisis, forcing a desperate and starving people to encroach upon the lands of a neighboring civilization?

THE GOBLIN WOOD begs comparison to analogous intercultural/international situations in the real world. It is also a captivating story of scheming and blundering, spells and slapstick, powers and paybacks.

" 'And you're human, whatever else you are.'
" 'Insults,' she snapped, 'will get you nowhere.' "

In addition to the human characters, Hilari Bell does a stellar job of creating the various groups of goblins--the bookeries, the stoners, the charmers, the trackers, and so on. She similarly succeeds at drawing individual goblins. As a whole, these goblins all possess just enough "humanity" to allow us to readily identify with them, while, at the same time, they are different in sufficient ways to prevent them from ever being human.

But why, Tobin ponders, do the goblins follow the girl?

"Was it possible the girl really was a common hedgewitch? If it was, then how had she defeated all the forces that had been sent against her? A small force could defeat a stronger one, but only if the leader of the small force was a very good tactician. To defeat stronger forces again and again, the leader had to be not merely a good tactician, but a truly great one. A general, in fact. Tobin scowled. A seventeen-year-old peasant girl? He couldn't believe it. But he found it no easier to believe that she was a mighty sorceress."

The crown jewel of the story is Makenna, a young woman whose heart is torn between recalling the lessons of tolerance and charity her mother taught by example, and her fierce urge to protect the goblins and seek revenge upon those responsible for her mother's demise. Not an especially quick learner, nor a character whose actions we always agree with, her complexities and contradictions compel us to think, and are prime reasons why THE GOBLIN WOOD is a superb fantasy tale that deserves to be read and discussed.

Richie Partington...

Matt- What a great surprise! Congratulations! mao98mao@hotmail.com

pls. give me a list of different types of flooring tiles suitable for each areas of a terrace house. as well as the prices.

Once again, Mike Venezia does a first-rate job of introducing young readers to the life and art of one of the world's greatest artists. This time around it is Grant Wood, who youngsters might be surprised to know did more than paint "American Gothic." Venezia explains how Grant Wood, along with John Steuart Curry and Thomas Hart Benton, developed the style of art which celebrated people and customs of the Midwest, which became known as Regionalism. We see examples of paintings by each of the three down during the same period of time. Venezia also shows how Wood developed his art style. After a trip to Europe Wood was influenced for a while by the Impressionists; we see a comparison of a painting by Camille Pissarro and one in a similar style by Wood. But Wood was also influenced by the old master painters of the 15th century, and we see examples of that as well.

Venezia also covers the biographical details of Wood's life, usually illustrated with humorous cartoons. My favorite is when Wood painted camouflage on tanks and cannons during World War I. This book is illustrated with ten paintings by Wood as well as an early sketch and a stained-glass window he designed. I think they will find "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" to be the most striking and memorable. The last page has a special treat with his sister, Nan Wood Graham, and his dentist, Dr. B. H. McKeeby, photographed next to the "American Gothic" painting that immortalized the pair. I have enjoyed my education in Art Appreciation from Venezia, and this is one of his better efforts in the excellent "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists" series.

As an elementary art teacher, I always keep my eyes open for power-packed, informative, interesting, art-related books. This book is excellent in helping children relate to the artist's individual style ("...his trees look like broccoli") and comparing Wood's style to similar styles of his inspirational fellow artists. The children especially love the fictional yet funny cartoons relating to the artist's life. This book successfully portrays Grant Wood's love of his homeland.

This is an easy to buy, easy to read and easy to look at book on carousels. It is filled with wonderful full color pictures and a great written history of the carousel. If you enjoy looking at carousels, you will adore reading this book.

As a lover of carousels, history, and books, I was captivated by Tobin Fraley's presentation of American carousel art. This book is lovely to look at, richly illustrated with all kinds of carousel animal photographs as well as historical photos and memorabilia about carousels and carousel carvers. I liked how the book was divided, chronologically outlining carousel manufacturers and master carvers. Each carver had a different style ("the eyes of a Zalar horse always have a certain sadness to them" and"Charles Carmel captured a whimsical element that no other carver could match.") and this book does a great job of showing off these masters' beautiful work and individuality. If you're looking for a book that visually captures the fantasy and beauty of carousel animals while providing a highly interesting dose of American history, this book is for you.

Reading this book I truly felt that I was walking with Peter O'Shea through the woods listening to his wonderful stories. This book is lovingly written and provides the reader with vivid, memorable descriptions of what I know to be a magnificent area of New York State. Well worth reading!

Peter O'Shea's "The Great South Woods" is a detailed and heartfelt account of the flora, fauna, geography and people of the Northwestern part of the Adirondack Park. All the native creatures of the area are described in detailed narratives similiar to one heard around a deep woods campfire. Golden eagles, racoons, bears, bobcat, snowshoe hare, beaver and white tailed deer are just a few of the animals reviewed in detail and passion. O'Shea easily describes the large variety of trees native to the area. Black cherry, white ash, tamarack, sugar maple, white birch and white pine read more like personalized characters rather than simple plant materials. The rivers and famous waterfalls of the region are also portrayed in delicate prose, prompting one to want to visit them over and over, if only in this book. Hiking along these ancient trails, O'Shea conveys a magical aura to everything he views, including the sweeping vistas from the many peaks and the experience of having a quiet hike interupted by a flight of a grouse or the discovery of a rare plant in a bog. Not content to stop with these topics, O'Shea delves further into the local lore and legend with well researched stories of the trappers, guides and sportsmen that first discovered and then protected this land. You'll find many favorite passages here and a wealth of information that will last lifetimes.

"Emily Hiestand, with her radical trust in description as a guide to the moral life--and her extraordinary trust in the processes of logic--works reason--kneads it, assaults it really--till it explodes once again into the magic and mystery it truly is. In Green the Witch-Hazel Wood, the breathtaking hesitancies and suddenly explosive new vantage points of the physics of our time are suddenly alive in the poetry. It crackles like some source of energy we had no idea we had lived without and now--of course--would not." --Jorie Graham

"Here is a poet with an exact and exacting intelligence which is not based on presumptions, but which arrives at its...conclusions with melodic intricacy." --Derek Walcott

"Green the Witch-Hazel Wood...is a dazzling, engaging book, wherein the chief pleasure is watching the play of Hiestand's imagination and curiosity. [This is] a bountiful group of superb poems." --Frances Mayes San Jose Mercury News, October 15, 1989

"This poet aspires to a Wallace Stevens-like palette.... The best poems experiment with scale, expanding and shrinking scenes until images achieve potency.... A sensuality, an unabashed play with language...renders her work distinctive." --Lee Upton, Belles Lettres, Spring 1990

"The remaking of nature poetry is always a challenge within a discourse. Emily Hiestand seems particularly fit for the challenge... Her poems are full of (the) correspondences and yearnings she observed in Bishop. Her line is swift, with a lovely, citric vernacular about it. I admire this in particular about her work...a powerful and gifted stylization within her wider themes; a sort of sibylline demotic. The pleasures of tone make the control in her nature poems a real mix of verve and intensity... These are wonderful gifts to find in poetry." --Eavan Boland Partisan Review, Summer 1993

"One of the most valuable things about Hiestand's poems is their vision of human life, and of its most characteristic featur! e, language, as continuous with the natural world. Here there is no romantic abyss, and no sentimentality...This first collection of poemsdeclares its attention to and affection for the natural world beginning with the title and the cover painting.... The opening epigraphs then define the tasks at hand: "If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred" (Chief Seattle) and "What we admire in the green world is a benign selfhood./ And in one another, the ability to speak of this. / Or better, to act it out." (William Meredith, Dalhousie Farm ). The poems themselves take up Meredith's challenge with wit, intelligence, curiosity and obvious pleasure in the task at hand. Their attention to detail is both lavish and precise." --Sharon Bryan The Boston Review, October 1989

"Emily Hiestand's Green the Witch-Hazel Wood is a foray into logical thought, beginning with the traditional logic of the mind where the world is questioned and observed. Much of...the book is an attempt to define, and broaden, that window of reason. To do so, Hiestand examines the world under a scientist's microscope, somewhat reminiscent of Dickenson, Moore, and Bishop before her. There is a parallel logic of the senses. the dominant sense here is sight (Hiestand is also a painter) where objects are lovingly made palpable. Nouns are clean and simple--eggs and sofas and linoleum and the smell of kerosene. The known world sparkles and comes alive under her observant eye: "here is an orange that fits in the palm of your hand / with segments like maps, and sweet, and hard." Hiestand's volume was selected by Jorie Graham for the National Poetry Series, and it shows some of the same proclivity for abstraction and philosophy as Graham's own work. This is an interesting turn of mind, and I find it refreshing." --Judith Kitchen The Georgia Review, Spring Summer 1990

These are poems that stop one's wandering mind and focus it onto an image, a detail (a rivet in a bridge, a passage from an archaic encyclopedia). And, remarkably, each detail contains an insight, a structural discovery about people, cultures, animals, or the hard material world. To be savored, and read out loud to good friends.

Esterly has created scholarly yet engaging study of the life and work of Gibbons, arguably the greatest and most well known master of the art. Esterly delves into the thought processes behind the work of carving and reveals his intimate knowledge of the subject honestly aquired by countless hours at the carver's bench. Historians, woodworkers and art enthusiasts will be find his account of Gibbon's life and work as complete a treatment of the subject as they could hope to find. While there is much carefully explained technical information concerning the mechanics of carving and creating Gibbon's monumental works it is presented with rare clarity and enthusiasm. Any serious carver should own and study this unparalled work.

A master of his trade, Grinling Gibbons astounds you with his work. In this latest book on Grinling Gibbons, David Esterly adds something new to the usual discussion. He disects and explains the techniques that Gibbons used to create his work. If you have marveled at Gibbons' work, you won't want to miss this book to have the secrets revealed at last.