I have Hopi in laws and adoptive family members whose pictures appear in this loving--and accurate--portrayal of a world into which I was honored to be invited. I lived on the reservation itself for 8 years, and continue to be a family member and trusted friend. But having moved away, whenever I need to be reminded of what a rich and wondrous world in which my Hopi relations still reside...this book brings it all back in beautiful photos and delightful accounts of village life. And, as I recall, it was one of the first books of its kind to be openly "endorsed" by many of the Hopi locals in their own art galleries on the mesas. They were very proud of this book!

Being someone who knows many traditional Hopi families and visits often, I find this a very accurate account of America's most traditional Native tribe. Although much of their culture is private, Susanne and Jake have done a great job in depicting the social apsect of Hopi culture. The Hopi people are a joy to know. ...

This book is absolutly amazing, with magnificint photographs, which are hard to find of the Hopi, and terrific information.

A great read. Brings out the warmth of the people, the depth of their culture and takes you on an unforgettable journey to the heart of Bali. I've only had a short stopover in Bali, where I picked up this wonderful book, but I want to return and spend time just wandering. If you read only one book to prepare you for Bali, read this one.

I picked up this book at Changi airport in Singapore, in transit to Bali. I import from Bali and frequently add books to my load read them once, and leave them in the library in Bali for others to enjoy. This one I have kept. I will not even loan it out unless I know exactly where I can hunt the person down to get it back - it is a great book. Great reading for the seasoned traveller. Great intro for people who are planning to go to Bali. I am currently ordering a few copies here at Amazon (the only place Stateside I was able to find it) to give to a friend (so I don't have to loan my copy out :))))))

Having just returned from my first visit to Bali, I have been anxious to read more about the people, culture, traditions, and religion. This book is an excellent recounting of one couple's experience living with a Balinese family. It was almost like getting to return to Bali for another visit. The writing is clear, concise, and illuminating. I truly enjoyed this book.

great guidebook. Describes in detail the good, the bad and the ugly of Nepal. The language section was extremely useful. A few hours spent learning some useful greetings and phrases will pay off tenfold upon arrival in Nepal. Being able to bargain or ask for directions in the native language is a lot of fun and much appreciated, especially since most travellers do not take the time to learn anything more than "Namaste."

This book has given me comfort and a wealth of information about what I would like to do and see in Nepal. Having a well planned trip in advance is smart and this book will probably tell you everything you need to know about anything, and more. Food, health issues, places to stay, sights, special points, etc. Definitely worth the investment.

I just returned from Nepal using this guide. The book was very well-written with lots of practical advice-- everything from how to book an airline to what kind of diahrrea you may have picked up. Very accurate information re. hotels, modes of transportation, etc. Useful vocabulary list.

This is the book that first opened my eyes to Nepal and its culture. It's much more than a guidebook: it has a sensitivity and compassion for its subject that is almost unique in the field of travel writing. It doesn't coddle you with if-it's-day-three-this-must-be-Namche route descriptions, but lets you find your own adventure and gain profound insights along the way. It also has an extensive medical section.

Stephen Bezruchka has prepared a valuable and complete guide to trekking in the Nepal / Everest region. The book offers practical advise from years of personal experience for anyone thinking about a trip to the area. Bezruchka also creates a much needed ecological awareness and offers substantial insight into the culture of Nepal. The book is much more than a travel guide and just plain interesting. I don't often give books five stars, but this work was beyond my highest expectations - a labor of love. Highly recommended!

This is the most fantastic travel guide I've ever used and the only one you will need in Nepal. Bezruchka's love and respect for the Nepali people is evident in every line and will enhance your journey to Nepal as well. We followed his advice and had a much richer experience for it. We watched other tourists who didn't follow his advice being laughed at and ignored. The language book and tape that you can order were incredibly helpful, way better than any dictionary. We were able to converse competently which made a huge difference in our experience. Don't bother with the Lonely Planet guide, which just tells you how to get through the country as cheaply as possible. There is so much more to experiencing Nepal than saving a buck here and buck there.

Blood and Treasure is a fascinating book about a little know about Civil War campaign. Dr. Frazier is best lecturer I have ever heard, and this book does something to capture his skill on paper. This book is essential for anyone with an interest in Texas, the Civil War, or the American West.

This book is a must for Yankee Historian

Fantastic book about the southern struggle to build an empire!All northern history teachers should read this book.I am a U.S.History teacher who wrote a story about my greatgrandfather who was in prison in Texas during the Civil War and DFrazier contacted me for info,thus I have now read his book and it is superb!

That dreaded day will soon be here -- when I' done with this book! I have loved it from page 1 to now, almost 400 pages later. Things I will keep from riding along with Mr. Preston: the incredible amount of research done around the multitude of places, people and events. The masterful retelling of all of the above. The intricate inter-weaving of past and present, and how 'the twain always meet'. Would have been appreciated: some of Walter's photographs as illustrations. Reading this book makes me yearn for the next Douglas Preston, and many more with the same combination of author/place/subject. Thanks, Douglas!

Fantastic use of history and modern day adventure. History written as it happens. Similar to Michener in the range of history covered, but done in a way that brings it more to life. Highly recommended.

I loved this book. It is a terrific introduction to the Spanish Conquest. I now live in the West, but was raised in the East. It's true - the winners get to write history. I never knew much about Coronado or the Spanish in shaping our country, but Coronado was here in what is now the US long before Jamestown or Plymouth Rock. Preston moves back in forth between the history of the Southwest and his experience retracing Coronado's trail in the present. He was both incredibly foolish to make the trip and incredibly lucky to have survived it. It is a fascinating book.

When King came to our campus to lecture about this book, I was naturally interested in attending, but believed I knew the story already. (A man had been brutally murdered in a small Texas town because of his skin color).

I am glad I went on impulse because both the presentation and the book throughly examines intersections of race, gender, ecconomic status while imploring all of us to work together for the proverbial betterment of human society. What it lacks for in volume it more than makes up for with substantive content and heart-wrenching insight.

Alternating between detached reporting and personal narratives, this story chronicles the best and the worst of human condition. Just because it is easy to simplify things into a 'soundbyte binary' does not mean the action effectively generates learning, indeed such labeling effectively stops the process.

Without dilluting Byrd's saga, the author also recounts her complex feelings during the investigation. Briefly living among the residents of Jasper Texas in order to complete the book, she learned good people come from all backgrounds and there was no shortage of townspeople (including the law enforcement) who roundly condemed the act.

this Book is very much on point to me.it's no secret here in the United States we have come so far but we have so far to go.this is a Friendly Reminder of a time not so long ago.this Book details that&so much more.truth be told as much Hatred that still goes down you couldn't tell if it was 1898 or 1998? truth be told not much has changed overall.James Byrd should have been front Page News all over the World.Much Props to Dennis Rodman for Contributing to the Byrd Family a Story that went almost unnoticed by the Media.

This book was many things to me. Disturbing, insightful and educational. The book depicts the Mr. Byrd's death so vividly that at times I felt myself being dragged behind the truck. I had to put the book down many times but I was unable to stay away for long. The author did a very good job of exploring the backgrounds of the men convicted of this heinous crime. You must be made of stone to be left untouched after reading this book.

William K. Hartmann has bored into the inner payload of the Southwest ethos: he struck gold...and copper, and silver, and everythings else that gives southern Arizona its mystique.

Dr. Hartmann describes Spanish conquistadores trudging on multifarious missions of futility, the less-than-hospitable attitudes of Zuni tribesmembers, and the capacious appetite for real estate propogated by developers with equal parts wit and meticulousness.

Athough Hartmann has proven himself priestly when it comes to authoring non-fiction, as is evident in DESERT HEART, he has elevated his title to monsignor in tackling the challenging medium that is the contemporary Southwest novel.

Cities of Gold is an excellent book tying together the history of the Southwest with its' present day concerns. Cities of Gold shows where the American mind-set of the west - its treatment of land, people, and economy by treasure-hunters with get-rich-quick schemes - began, and how little has changed even today. William K.Hartmann's treatment of the Spaniard's recognition of the mistakes that were made by Cortes in his conquest of Mexico and how they wanted to avoid repeating those same mistakes, leaves the reader with much to think about in terms of our current relations between Euro-Americans, Native-Americans, Mexicans-Americans, and Mexican Nationals. The Southwest is an area of the United States that has been, and still is, largely ignored, but it is the setting of the initial contact between Europeans and Americans. Cities of Gold gives us a better understanding of the area as well as our selves, and what could have been, and what still can be. It is great writing and research, an entertaining mystery offering plenty to think about.

Cities of Gold is an absolute must read particularly for Coronado and Marcos de Niza aficionados. Hartmann brilliantly weaves 16th century Southwest history with 20th century Southwest mystery to postulate a fresh and thought provoking hypothesis on Marcos.

In 1538, two years before Coronado's entrada, Marcos set out into what the Spanish referred to as the "northern mystery". In a sense he entered the "northern mystery" to solve a mystery--that is, the location of the Seven Cities of Cibola. What _really_ happened on Marcos' journey and what was his path through the Southwest remains an unsolved mystery in and of itself--or does it?
[four centuries later ...]
In 1989 Kevin Scott (Hartmann's lead fictional character) sets out to solve the mystery of Marcos. Kevin has recently joined a Tucson-based land developer who is planning "Coronado Estates" outside of Willcox, Arizona. The land developer wants Kevin to determine if "Coronado Estates" intersects with 16th century history by determining if Marcos (and later Coronado) "marched right across our property". Let the sleuthing begin ...

Hartmann is a renowned expert on Marcos de Niza and Cities of Gold is packed with meticulously researched quotes and translations from participants and historians. This is an important element of the book because Hartmann equips the reader with sufficient historical evidence to support his hypothesis, leaving the reader satisfied that the Marcos mystery has been solved.

Read it for the history. Read it for the mystery. Either way, I think you'll be absolutely delighted.

Foo, A Japanese-American Prisoner Of The Rising Sun is the true and riveting account of Frank "Foo" Fujita's experiences of being a Japanese American combat soldier who was captured by the Japanese during the Pacific campaign of World War II during the defense of Java in early 1942. Based on his secret prison diary, we are provided a "window in time" regarding the daily life and experiences of a prisoner of war which vividly recounts the privations of the POWs and the living conditions in Japan. The text is illustrated with drawings, maps and photographs. What is surprising is the humor that was to be found -- even in the midst of the most severe circumstances. Foo, A Japanese-American Prisoner Of The Rising Sun is a unique contribution to the annals of World War II literature and highly recommended for academic, community, and personal library collections.

I met Foo in a restaurant in Abilene, TX, sitting in a booth next to him and two other gentlemen. His book was to be released the next day. My wife, after evedropping on their conversation, introduced her and myself. Foo sold us a copy of the book....and autographed it for us. This was several years ago. We have learned he has since died. He was very warm and personable with us. His story is facinating. (His reason for being in Abilene was that there was to be some sort of POW reunion the next day.)

Having known Foo since High School days and later being a sister-in-law, I read the original dairy and saw the pictures he drew of the atrocities experienced there in prison. This book is an excellent account of the way it was. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a factual story of what it was like to be in a POW Camp in Japan during World War II.

When I was little (a long time ago at this point!) I had this book and was utterly fascinated by it. I remember trying to dye yarn myself after reading it... (well, that didn't work out so well as I recall-- since this is NOT a how-to book, just an engaging story-- but it was fun all the same.) Now that I'm an adult, I would definately recommend this book to anyone with "creative" children who love to make things.

I was raised on this book and it has always been a favorite of mine. The pictures are delightful and the story has stayed with me through the years. I love how Geraldine decides to eat all the yummy plants they were going to use to dye the wool. OOPS! Now I find it is on the school reading list and being used in the classroom! I highly recommend this book as a favorite for children and parents alike.

This is a very funny story about a goat that tells the story of how her fur becomes a Navajo rug. If you look close enough at the front cover, you'll notice the book is written by the goat herself. It's a wonderful book for all ages, especially Navajo children.