This book is exactly the kind of book that will help your child realize the educational value of their vacation. We used it for three kids-- ages 12, 10 and 7. They liked it because it helped them remember special moments of the trip, and in the case of the 12 year old, "It was fill in the blanks!"

It was a lot easier getting them to complete this book rather than writing in a journal. There were also tips and hints that I had not found in any of the other books I used for planning the trip. I highly recommend it!

Crossword puzzles, cartons, and clever artwork make this book a great way to entertain and educate your kids about one of the greatest places to visit in the country. Each review reveals fun facts and an opportunity for kids to write, draw, or just play on the page.

This will keep all the words in your memory and keep extra words out. It will not teach you the words it will just make them stick. A combination of personal instruction and review from this book will keep you work right. Do not go beyond your experience. Getting wrong words out is difficult. The book will be there at midnight while an instructor is not. Use it and learn it well and 10 yrs later you will know it like yesterday. This is a fifth printing but no one has one, they just know someone who has one.

Washington Irving's A Knickerbocker's History of New York is the single funniest book in American literature. Despite a weak and too-lengthy opening segment on the origin of life and other awkward philosophical questions (the merits of this section are addressed by Irving/Knickerbocker in volume two), once the Dutch colonize the ancient island of Manhattoes (present-day Manhattan), Irving hits a rollicking gallop, going full stride at full speed and doesn't stop until the dubious William the Testy is vanquished at the first volume's end.

"Diedrich Knickerbocker" was arguably the greatest of the several personae Irving adopted during the course of his long writing career. 'Diedrich' penned 'The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow' and 'Rip Van Winkle,' as well as short stories 'Wolfert Weber,' 'The Devil And Tom Walker,' 'Kidd The Pirate,' and 'Dolph Heyliger.' Irving achieved magic whenever he wrote, but when he steps into Knickerbocker's antique Dutch shoes, the combination of humor, history and folklore that results is unique, sweeping, and highly entertaining.

Few writers could or would dare to write the kind of poetic sentances Irving/Knickerbocker could, such as "the inhabitants were of primitive stock, and had itermarried and bred in and in, never swarming far from the parent hive."

All lovers of American literature and history, and of Americana generally, should know this delightful, warm and amusing book. Too often today, when addressing the origins of American literature and our early writers, we turn to names like Hawthorne and Poe, forgetting that Irving came first and was in fact the first American writer ever to be taken seriously by Europeans. (It was Hawthorne and Poe that paid lip service to Irving, who was born a full 21 years before Hawthorne and 26 years before Poe.) Some historians and critics go so far as to credit Irving with the creation of the short story as a literary form; he was also the U.S. ambassador to Spain, a world traveler, a biographer of George Washington, and at one time requested to run for mayor of New York City (an invitation he kindly declined). Thanks largely to Irving, the New York City and Hudson River Valley areas have a thriving plethora of myth and folklore all their own. As Americans, we owe the dynamic, magnanimous and prolific Irving a great debt, which decade after decade we neglect to pay or acknowledge.

Knickerbocker's History of New York is not difficult reading, though it is too advanced for children and most teenagers. However, any young adult or adult with a love of American history, particularly with an interest in the founding of our country or the American Revolution specifically, will find it fascinating. Humorists will find it a page-turning delight, and send their volumes of Twain back to the library post-haste....

Over the past two decades, Richard White has been one of the truly outstanding historians of the American West, Native America, and the environment. This, his first book, is not nearly as sweeping in scope as his later works, but is a masterful look at the environmental history of a small county in Western Washington that will interest any student of American history. White examines the interaction of humans and the environment in Island County, Washington, to demonstrate how humans have continuously shaped the land over thousands of years, and how these changes have been both conscious and accidental. The opening chapters concern Indian land use in the county, and conclude that native people largely determined the region's landscape by encouraging certain crops through burning of prairies and forests. While this insight is fairly obvious to most environmental historians now, it is a direct contradiction of the European opinion that Indians did not alter the land. White settlers also altered the landscape of Island County by introducing market agriculture and logging. These activities had drastic consequences, some intentional, such as the introduction of European crops, and some unintentional, like massive soil erosion and the accidental spread of the Canadian thistle, a weed that temporarily threatened farmers in the nineteenth century. The final chapters of the book concern twentieth century attempts to encourage settlement of Appalachian farmers on logged-off land (a fascinating New Deal effort that was a complete failure), and the attempt to change the island landscape for the benefit of tourists. This is a fascinating transformation that continues to this day. Overall, this is a very well-written classic of environmental history. The in-depth descriptions of ecological principles may scare off a novice reader, but the history embedded in the ecology is fascinating, and well worth the effort.

Ron Jager has used his considerable store of dry wit and keen sense of observation to create a book that wonderfully portrays life in a small New Hampshire town. His book is consistently entertaining, whether meditating on nature as observed near his pond or contemplating the ups and downs of life in a town that still practices the most basic form of participatory democracy - the annual town meeting. Mr. Jagers rural life does not begin in New Hampshire however. He also gives us glimpses of his own boyhood in the midwest; a background that makes him uniquely qualified to write about rural life in a very different part of the United States. Clearly the people that appear in this book are not just subjects but neighbors and friends and his affection for them and for his "last house on the road" come shining through.

Praise for Jonetta Rose Barras and The Last of the Black Emperors

The Last of the Black Emperors is wonderful...fascinating, colorful, exciting, honest, and stylishly written...An eye-opener for America that everybody will be talking about this summer... -Ralph Collier, host of the nationally syndicated radio program, "I Hear America Talking"

A deeply rewarding book. Ms. Barras is lucid both in her writing and her reportage. She deftly places Mayor Barry as the last beneficiary of a bygone era in black politics. All said and done, Marion Barry has been read his political obituary. -Max Rodriguez, publisher, The Quarterly Review of Books

This honest and in-depth look at the life and times of our national capital's most tenacious mayor not only helps us to better understand Marion Barry the man, but it also vividly expresses the unique political and social character of one of the last surviving city-states. Jonetta Rose Barras brings us an insightful and provocative perspective to the successes, tribulations, and resurrection of this "Old Guard" political activist-turned "Mayor for Life." Her book will forever stand as a historical analysis of the politics of the post-civil rights era and a prophecy for the future of American blacks in our nation's political framework. -Armstrong Williams, nationally syndicated columnist, author of Beyond Blame

An eloquent and disturbing book. Barras relocates the transfixing story of Mayor Marion Barry's rise and fall and rise and fall from the arena of electoral politics to the realm of cultural myth and religious belief. In a political sense, Barras's book tells us that we will have to leave behind the baggage of racial superstition if we are to confront the real problems of the nation's capital and our other cities in pain. Barras' book leaves you with more questions than answers, but they are questions that we dare not avoid as we move into the next century. -Jamin B. Raskin, Professor, Washington College of Law, American University

Marion Barry has done his stubborn best to clothe himself in a hopefully impenetrable cloak of insufferable hubris and racial pride. With clarity, passion, and often outright dismay, Jonetta Rose Barras unravels Barry's cloak - and shows that this particular emperor is about as naked as naked gets. -Arthur J. Magida, author of Prophet of Rage: A Life of Louis Farrakhan and His Nation

The story of Marion Barry is the story of a life and rare opportunity recklessly misspent, and Jonetta Rose Barras, who knows Washington much better than most, captures this story with sympathy and sensitivity. In an unflinching dissection of man and opportunity, she shows us why and how Marion Barry cheated himself, his city, and all the rest of us. -Wesley Pruden, Editor-in-chief, Washington Times

The most comprehensive and descriptive study to date of the elusive Marion Barry. Because of her thorough background and research, Barras has managed not only to capture the essence of one of America's most complex political personalities, but also to help us understand the sinister dynamics fueling Barry's political juggernaut. -Dwight S. Cropp, Associate Professor of Public Administration, George Washington University

The Last of the Black Emperors is invaluable for all those who've never been able to figure out the enduring love affair between Marion Barry and Washington D.C. Barras uses the prism of African-American folklore to crack the code of Barry's appeal and fatal flaws. The nation's capital is on the cusp of ending its affair with Barry. Barras offers the kind of ferocious insight and outstanding historical reporting that make The Last of the Black Emperors a huge step in understanding one of the most controversial leaders in contemporary American politics. -David Carr, Editor, Washington City Paper

I wasn't that interested in the subject of Marion Barry when I was given this book, but once I started it, I couldn't put it down. The Last of the Black Emperors is a terrific piece of writing and an exciting read. Barras' metaphor of the folkloric spider is very appropriate for Marion Barry. Especially impressive is her ability to place Barry's leadership style not only in a political and historical landscape, but also in the emotional landscape of American racism. Barras teaches us a great deal about the development of black leaders over the last our decades, and delivers a compelling story of Marion Barry, the person, and Marion Barry, the emblem. -Lori Shpunt, Professor of English, Trinity College, Washington, D.C.

A no-holds-barred, but in some ways heavy-hearted look at the last of a kind-and, by extension, the times that made him happen. -Colbert King, columnist and editorial writer, The Washington Post

Information is power and, in this book, Barras serves up a heaping helping. With compelling anecdotes, brilliant insights, and real data, she takes you inside Washington politics and into the psyche of African-American voters across the country. With unwavering conviction, she explores myths and master plans by examining Barry the man, and Barry the legacy. For the casual political observer, Last of the Black Emperors is a magnificent treat. For pollsters, pundits, and campaign operatives, it's a must read.

-Sonsryrea Tate, author, Little X: Growing Up in the Nation of Islam (and third generation Washingtonian)

With keen insight, Barras takes us inside the corridors of DC politics, walking us through the maze of scandals, deal-making, and corrupt government officials. A well-researched analysis; highly recommended for political science collections. --Ann Burns, Library Journal

Can you go to jail and still be re-elected? You can if you're Marion Barry of Washington, D.C....Jonetta Rose Barras...looks at Barry's career and life in one of the most interesting political books written this year. --Alan Caruba, Bookviews

The Last of the Black Emperors explains the many paradoxes of Marion Barry's career, and documents the growth of his racial and political identities parallel with those of his largely black constituency...A fascinating, detailed, well researched political biography. --James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review

I thought this book was well laid out by it's author, who happens to be a descendant from the subject's family. The historical content is excellent, and provides some good insight for history buffs and reenactors alike on the personal opinions and emotions of a soldier in the 7th Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires to know more about the men of the legendary Black Hats! In all, a total of 27 letters are published here from George Washington Partridge, Jr. to his sisters, giving the reader a first-hand account of the Civil War through the eyes of a Union soldier.

The stunning, mostly color photographs in this splendid book facilitate a highly rewarding vicarious visit to one of the world's truly great Beaux Arts settings, the interior of the 1896 Library Of Congress, located just behind the U.S. Capital. What's more, punctuating the glimpses of the library's grand entrance hall, dazzling white and colored marbles, majestic staircases and wide, open balconies, arches, columns, carved relief work, painted murals and the huge, lavishly ornamented dome towering above the octagonal main reading room, is an alphabetically arranged glossary of architectural terms. Each photo provides a visual of description of the term cited. The colorful, often fantastic typography used for the alphabet letters themselves is an unexpected bonus in this nifty bargain-priced volume.

As the illustrator of the Jefferson building's overview for the book (pp.276-277), I had the rare privilege of walking through many of the areas of the Jefferson building not open to the public. Entering the Great Hall for the first time, I was caught off guard by its extraordinary beauty. Being a native Washingtonian, I was surprised that such a lavishly decorated structure existed here in Washington, D.C. The overall impression of the interior is more that of the Paris Opera House, than a government building. This beautiful book, with its many photographic details of the interior, allows the reader to recreate that sense of awe that I experienced walking through the entrance. With Anne Day's vivid photos, and the Libary's wonderful history, this book should be a welcome addition to anyone's personal library. Once you see the book, I suspect you may modify your itinerary for your next trip to Washington. This gem of a building is definitely worth a visit.

-Doug Stern