I wish the movers and shakers in the film world, e.g. Coppola, DeNiro, Scorcese would read GROWING UP ITALIAN IN GOD'S COUNTRY and find out what life for the Italian immigrant was really like at the turn of the last century.The stories within would make a riveting movie. There's the great-grandfather dropping dead face down on the railroad tracks his mouth full of cinders; a great-aunt dying in agony for lack of medicine only to have her coffin whipped by the Irish priest who was exorcising her "sins"; the author's father, age 4, pulled from the Austin mill flood which took 78 lives;the author's mother hiding in the pantry from the Indian who came to breakfast. Often tragic, frequently humorous, always engrossing. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book so much. The writing style and subject matter are reminiscent of Bailey White's fact-based fiction. The descriptions of life in the Pennsylvania mountains are vivid and I felt as if I knew the characters. It is clearly written with love and enthusiasm for the subject matter. It made me long for the people and places of my own childhood and to know more about my ancestors. The old photos are so wonderful too. Thanks for a great escape.

The stories Patricia weaves in this lovely collection of insights is a treasure for her family as well as her faithful readers.

This book will be the spark that ignites every reader to embrace and explore their own family's history.

Patricia's enthusiasm is contagious, and her book "Growing Up Italian In God's Country" has renewed my interest and pride in my own family, as I too, grew up in God's country.

Thank you for writing this special gift, Patricia.

If you have any interest in photography, natural history or West Virginia then this book is a welcome addition to you library. Jim has a unique ability to capture in words and images the experience of actually being in the Allegheny Highlands. I know because after I read the book it inspired me to go there.

The images are very well done from an artistic perspective. The words in Jim's own hand make the book an experience to enjoy again and again.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my father, sight unseen, based on the description here at amazon.com. After he opened this gift, I had a chance to see it. I could not have been more pleased. The photography is amazing. It truly depicts the beauty of West Virginia. I liked the book so much that I have now ordered a copy for myself, which will be on display in my home in Washington, D.C.

"West Virginia: The Allegheny Highlands" is an absolutely resplendent volume. Nature photographer and biologist Jim Clark masterfully captures the colors, features, and animal life in the wildest and most remote region in the Appalachian Mountains. Clark takes us through four seasons in the Alleghenies. His 100 full-color pictures are as winningly composed as they are iridescently rendered. Clark is one of those rare photographers who can truly give you a sense of grandeur in his work. In "New River Bridge, Fayette County," he doesn't just capture the forminable span of the bridge. He includes the giant (yet tiny!) boulders in the river below, so that you can get an almost stunning sense of the reach and height of this engineering marvel. But Clark is just as adept with smaller scenes. Witness "Maple Leaves in a Stream" and the almost paint-like "Reflections, Branch of the Potomac River, Grant County." And Clark's prose is nearly as penetrating as his photographs. Of a winterstorm, he writes: "The first thing I notice about the snowstorm is how still it is. Nothing is moving; the only sound I hear is the wind whispering through the trees." Don't miss this rich and captivating work.

SISTER ANNE FRANCES DID A WONDERFUL JOB CAPTURING THE HISTORY OF CRESSON, PENNSYLVANIA. THE PICTURES IN THE BOOK ARE SUPER GREAT. I HAVE BOUGHT SEVERAL BOOKS AS GIFTS. RECOMMENDED IF YOU ARE FROM THE AREA OR HAD FRIENDS OR RELATIVES FROM THE AREA. A LOT OF RICH HISTORY IN THIS REGION.

An excellent book full of historic details and photographs

This is one of my very favorite books on any subject.

Historian takes loving look at landmarks H.H. Richardson designed the Allegheny Courthouse and jail.

By Lynne Margolis TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Hornbostel. Osterling. Richardson. Longfellow, Alden & Harlow. Janssen. Ingham & Boyd. Scheibler. If you don't recognize these names, you're not up on your Pittsburgh architectural history. But have no fear. A look at the newly updated book, "Pittsburgh's Landmark Architecture: The Historic Buildings of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County," will get you up to speed.

Written by Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation architectural historian Walter C. Kidney, the 756-page book, which contains 1,600 photos, follows this region's architectural growth from its days as Fort Pitt and wilderness to its 20th-century Renaissances.

The book, first produced in 1985, has been expanded as well; the section titled "A Guide to the Landmark Architecture of Allegheny County" grew from 468 entries to 645. Illustrations have been improved, errors corrected and statuses updated; Kidney says about 50 percent of the book's content is new.

It's a fascinating look at a history richer than most of us are aware of; gems of imagination have been found still shimmering in nearly every area neighborhood, both on and off the beaten paths, and each is illuminated by Kidney's narrative. "I think that people are getting to appreciate the older buildings more and more," Kidney said in an interview. When he speaks, his remarkably broad knowledge of every nook and cranny of the area becomes evident; he mentions streets many people who have lived here all their lives have never heard of, though we may have lived right around the corner.

Talking about the foundation's formation in 1964, partly as a reaction to modern architecture, Kidney said of the style that gave us square boxes and flat facades, "People decided it was too mute, too blank." That led to a closer look at structures from the past, and an interest in saving those of significance.

The first part of the book, however, is full of photos of buildings long gone. "A lot of things have gone simply because there was no preservation or because people didn't regard these buildings seriously as architecture," he explained. But he also notes personal tastes are relative; the issue of what constitutes fine architecture can be as hotly debated as what constitutes art - with no right answers but a lot of dubious decisions standing in prominent places.

A ceiling at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Fine Arts features J.M. Hewlett's painting.

At one time, even now-revered architecture was scorned. "You have that time early in the century when the adjective Victorian would be followed by the noun monstrosity," he noted. Not until 1960 did we really start to appreciate gingerbread as architecturally significant, he added.

Asked whether Pittsburgh is doing its part to save important structures, he said, "I don't think we're lagging. As far as I know, we're doing pretty well. ... If you wanted to save everything, I suppose you'd have to have a rally dictatorial situation, like they have in Philadelphia."

In that city, apparently, the historic review board has the power to declare anything it pleases as a historical landmark, according to Kidney. The designation severely restricts building owners from making changes or eliminating structures. In Pittsburgh, History and Landmarks functions only as an advisory board when it comes to designating buildings as historical. It does grant historical status to structures, marked by plaques, but Kidney said about the worst thing that might happen if a building is "mutilated" is that the plaque would be taken away.

Kidney said foundation executive director Louise Sturgess wanted to review everything in the guide section of the first edition, new or old, to make sure it was unchanged, or redocumented if it was. "So we spent at lot of time just on the road," logging a couple of thousand miles, he said. "Louise did the driving and the photography and I sort of bore witness to the results."

Five thousand copies of the book are being printed. Kidney says it easily stands as the most complete guide to Pittsburgh architecture available, possibly rivaled only by the tome "Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait." It's dedicated to the late Barbara Drew Hoffstot, a founding trustee and vice chairwoman of the foundation. The dedication says Hoffstot "gave us vision and fortitude to preserve the historic buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes of the Pittsburgh region."

This is a great book about a great locomotive and is a "must have" volume for the library of any 'ferroequinologist' (student of the iron horse) or anyone with a serious interest in the American railroads of the twentieth century.

It is all here, from an examination of the reasons that were responsible for the creation of this machine, to the backshops of the Lima Locomotve Works of Lima, Ohio to witness its birth, and to various locations along the right-of-way to see this fascinating machine in action. This work then conclues with a look at the circumstances that led to the untimely demise of these locomotives and the eventual preservation of two of them (one at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and the other at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.)

There is much technical data to hold the interest of those whose who are inclined to the technical aspects of the locomotive; this is nicely balanced with a wealth of photographs for those who lean toward the aesthetic end of the spectrum. The text is enlightening and informative,and is writtenin a manner that will retain the interest of the reader.

If you have an interest in the steam locomotive, this book is for you and it is not to be missed.

M Sanja is a field Outdoor editor-Nature & Fishing PSU Press just published Art Parker's "Monongahela River" It is unique to compare both watersheds, since these rivers converge to form the Ohio River.

The aspects that were enlightening have been presented to us through the combined efforts of researchers who truly reflected on the best interests of humanity. These dedicated individuals recognized the properties of the brain that are so negatively affected by the ravages of cocaine, in addition to displaying their sincerity in enabling the American populace to recognize the truth as it pertains to the devastation on the unborn, following them into their early years and, finally, the horrendous outcome as it displays learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, anger and aggression issues. This book is a must for those who are attempting to solve a mystery concerning the deficits that are growing clearer regarding our youth, and what we may be looking forward to pertaining to the future of America. I highly recommend this book as, while it is an expose (and exceedingly well written) on the negative effects on the brain of the developing fetus, it is a composite of well-documented research efforts by scientists who clearly recognize a need toward deeper evaluative efforts concerning the issue of brain damage. This information doesn't conflict at all with research in other areas of psychological knowledge-gathering exposes.

Written by Tom Dwyer, A Guide To The Allegheny National Forest is a marvelous pocket reference packed with history, detailed commentaries, maps, area-specific information and much more concerning this grand, 513,000 acre historic forest that makes Pennsylvania truly sylvan. Of especial note are the many hiking trail descriptions in this concise, easy-to-read, straightforward and friendly guide. If you are planning a vacation, hike, or just a plain day off to enjoy the beauty of the Allegheny National Forest, you should consult A Guide To The Allegheny National Forest without delay!

Although I live in Charleston WV, I find myself going to hike in Maryland a lot, and this book is the best of the guides I've found. You can tell by the descriptions that the author has actually hiked all of the places he sends you to (the book cover says he uses a surveyor's measure wheel to get accurate distances). When I'm alone, I look for some of the more rugged hikes he describes; when with family we look for some of the easy 1-2 hour trips.
What I really like is the book provides a lot of background information on the area you will be hiking in--history, plants, animals, and not just telling where they are but lots of tidbits about plant and animal life.
Get this book and you will find some great places to enjoy the outdoors and the reasons as to why you are enjoying it so much.

I live in neighboring wv and am happy to finally see a good guide to MD. I travel there often and was becoming frustrated about not being able to find good hiking information. This book is it--better than any other I've used and full of wonderful background information on the places it directs you to. Hikes range from easy jaunts suitable for families with children to some good overnighters.

What a great book. I've lived next door to Maryland all of my life and never realized all of the wonderful outdoor opportunities it has. This book brought me to many different places, from beach walks to mountain treks, from isolated locales to hidden spots near Baltimore and DC. What I really liked, though, is that it is much more than a "here's a hike and here's how to get to it" book. The author provides dozens of bits of inofrmation on the human and natural history of the areas you hike through--and does it in an entertaining and enjoyable style of writing. Thanks to him, I now have a complete year's worth of hikes to look forward to.

I live close to many of these hikes, but never knew about them. Yes, there are some that just about everybody knows, but this book also takes you to places that are really overlooked. I like many things about the book: the chart in the front that lets you know about the hikes at a glance, how it is organized by region, and how the author tells little stories about the history, plants, and animals of the area you are going to visit. I own five other hiking guides to hikes in and around the area, and this one is, by far, the best of the lot.

I had bought Adkins' 50 Hikes in Maryland, so I thought I would give this one a try. He did it again for me. Short hikes, long hikes, overnighters--there is something here for everyone. And again he does it in an easy style of writing. As a response to one of the other Amazon.com reviews of this book; Adkins tells of general camping areas, but does not point out specific sites. He does this to help preserve and protect areas from overuse. Get this book--your feet will be happy and your eyes will enjoy the places it brings you.

50 Hikes In Northern Virginia is a superbly written and presented compendium of outdoor hiking trails that range from the rugged summits of the Allegheny Mountains to the gentle shores of the Chesapeake Bay. There are hiking opportunities for the novice, the experienced, the young and the not-so-young. An overview chart provides information on each of the fifty hikes at a glance. Each hike description includes directions to the trailhead, a detailed account of the route, a topographic map, and entertaining infobits on historical and natural points of interest. If you are seeking an outdoor adventure in what Northern Virginia has to offer, begin your planning with Leonard Adkins' 50 Hikes In Northern Virginia!