This book is very educational on the Gay Homeless Underground Society. It was fascinating to me & I finished the book voraciously.

Warm, intelligent, humorous, sensitive, are words I use to describe Mr. Washington's first published offering. I'm sure it won't be his last. He shows a world most of us will never see, and usually try to forget. Yet, does it with warmth and charm rarely associated with the subject. He could teach us all the value of love without question. For me, I see a larger message "life is a "learning process" sometimes good, sometimes bad, but you have to experience the pain and joy to learn and grow. We never know how we will be effected till journeys end.
I think we are all very lucky there was a chapter two, and more. Can't wait for the next edition.

totally groovy...realistic portrayal of homelessness...story draws you in...

Over the last several years, I've hiked most of the trails described in "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon." Sullivan's diving directions, trail descriptions and maps have always been perfect and immensely helpful.

The trail descriptions are both concise and crystal clear. Sullivan does not meticulously describe each detail, which leaves much to discover on your own and allows for a more personal hiking experience. He writes eloquently, and often includes great tidbits of scientific and historical information that add context to your hike. For example, he might briefly describe how a specific area was geologically formed, and point out some evidence that you'll find along trail.

Sullivan's practical advice is invaluable. If he tells you that a trail passes poison oak, you better wear long pants! If he tells you that a trail is open from July to October, don't show up without snowshoes in March! Clearly, he knows these trails well. Readers should not overlook the preface, where he provides an equipment checklist, low impact camping guidelines, contacts for trail conditions, and other useful information.

The one downside of this guide is that so many people use it. If a hike is within an hour of Portland, and is featured in this book, you can count on a crowded trailhead on a nice weekend. Plenty of the featured hikes are off the beaten path, and still consistently provide solitude. Just plan on driving for awhile.

Anybody who hikes in Oregon should consult "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon," or one of Sullivan's other books. I also frequently use his Oregon Coast and Central Oregon guides, and they too are first rate.

Just a quick additional note: When you do hike, always leave no trace! If you see trash, pick it up! Always be respectful of our Earth, and all of its creatures.

I bought this book two years ago to add to the many guide books in my library. After two years of hiking many weekends in northwestern OR and southwestern WA, it's become clear that this is the book that get's used the most. Most of the trails are suitable for the whole family. We've hiked into the crater of Mount St. Helens, eaten wild huckle berries in Indian Heaven Wilderness, hiked every slope of Mt. Hood, visited water falls in the Columbia river Gorge that we didn't know existed and more.

Many of the trails are suitable for the occasional dry weekend in the winter months as well. Sullivan provides many low elevation trails which extend the hiking season year round.

If you live in southwestern Washington or northwestern Oregon, you should own this book.

I bought this book prior to a trip to Oregon in hopes of finding some beautiful hikes. This book was a valuable tool in my search. Every hike was accurately described from details on finding the trailhead to distances traveled including the level of difficulty and points of interest along the way.

As someone who is reluctant to read anything more than once [I keep very few books in my home, reselling them all], I can convey my feelings about this book in one sentence: I have read this book over fifteen times. I find something new each time. I find myself thinking about the book at odd times: driving down the road, a casual phrase in a conversation. It is a quiet, poignant little story. Well-told, realistic characters. Read this book. You'll be glad you did.

First off, let me say the movie version of this book, while well acted, chops the story up in ways that kills some of the best things about the book.

This is one of those books that is tough to describe. I've read it several times now and find new things everytime. Beattie does an incredible job of creating these people who walk through their own little world, trying to deal with the hand that life has dealt them. They're just like us, selfish, unaware, worn out in places, but full of humanity. There are acts of kindness, warmth, vulnerability in these people the author has created. This is what makes this book, you follow these people along an episode of their lives and wonder where its going to go. I find that when I take a step back, I question where they end up, but while I'm in it, I don't.

At the heart of the matter is a love story, an awkward, imperfect love story about a man who is obsessed. It drives him through his days, drives him into doing dumb things, and gets his friends and family to roll their eyes.

An excellent read, the first or fourth time around.

themes like the concept and importance of marriage and how music is "the soundtrack of our lives" help make Chilly Scenes of Winter a wonderful, Catcher-in-the-Rye-esque experience. One of my favorites.

Thanks to this superb book, the reader can almost taste, feel and see what it was like to live in Washington in the mid-1920s. At the time, DC was by far the smallest city in the major leagues, but baseball fever overtook the Nation's Capital in 1924 after years of horrendous teams. Judge takes you week by week through that wonderful season, culminating in what is arguably still the most exciting World Series ever. A heartstopper won by the Senators over the highly favored New York Giants in the 12th inning of Game 7. The city broke out in celebrations wilder than those following the end of the Civil War or World War I. Judge nicely reproduces the legendary sportswriter Fred Lieb's account of his conversation with Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis the night Washington won it all, in which Landis described the Capital's unprecedented celebration as the "zenith" of baseball's popularity in America.

Sadly, of course, it wasn't long after the glory days of the author's grandfather that Washington fans were forced to endure nearly 4 decades of teams that did not even try to compete, with the inevitably attendance problems resulting. Judge poignantly recounts the departure of the Senators in 1960, and then of their expansion replacement in 1971. Ironically, today Washington is the center of huge metropolis, the 6th largest media market in the U.S. Yet it has no baseball team. Mark Judge's book reminds us of a better time for baseball fans in the DC area, and points us to toward a day when the Washington Senators may be reborn.

Some minor quibbles with the background chapter that opens the book: Judge seems to confuse the identity of various 19th century teams (e.g., the Chicago "White Stockings", "Colts", and "Cubs" are all the same team). He conflates the founding of the short-lived National Association in 1971 with that of the enduring National League in 1876. And the number of pennants and World Series championships won by Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics are grossly understated. But none of this detracts from the excellence of the book as a whole, and particular the heart of it which recounts so beautifully Washington's experience as World Champs in 1924. We can only hope that there will be future authors to write so artfully about the championships of future Washington baseball teams.

Although this book was about the great Senators' franchise of the Walter Johnson era that included the "Big Train" Walter Johnson, Sam Rice, Goose Gooslin, Bucky Harris and the perennial first baseman Joe Judge, the author's grandfather, it also reflects on a City that had struggling teams in the last two decades of D.C. baseball only to lose them to a new owner that took the team to Texas with great sadness to the D.C. fans. Judge tells the story of one of the worst teams in baseball that eventually unfolds into a star-studded team that could beat the Yankees and actually win a World Series in 1925. Judge intermixes the play by play with biographies of the players of that era anchored by quality detail about Walter Johnson the dominating pitcher, a modest gentleman, and of course his grandfather who typically hit 300 plus with a tremendous fielding percentage. The exciting description of the Senators great team is also full of sports articles and editorials of that era that contribute to the telling of how the fans felt about their team and their national good guy, Walter Johnson. The author has a special view of Judge through his family as they presented a personal picture of the player that played consistently at a Hall of Famer level in 17 seasons with the Senators. The star players of the Senators of the twenties are in stark contrast to Ty Cobb with a bad guy image and the loutish Ruth who actually couldn't play at times due to bellyaches. The author quotes a Ruthian binge of eating 12 hotdogs and 5 sodas at a train stop resulting in intestinal injury. The good guy Senators of the twenties reminds me of my favorite Senator of modern times, Ken McMullen. McMullen, a lifetime 260 hitter with Washington wasn't the star sacker like Judge but he anchored the infield and played steady and had a consistent bat. But what I remember most about McMullen was that he signed autographs after the game for kids including me while most of the ball players of this second division team ran to their cars. McMullen like the Big Train and Judge were players that were gentleman far from the era of today made up of individuals. Bob Short, the 70's owner of the Senators, traded the left side of the infield (McMullen and Brinkman) for Denny McLain who lost over 20 games while Detroit flourished. That bad trade seemed to start Short's cruel destruction of a team that literally went south.

When I bought this book, I expected to read about one man (Joe Judge) and one team (the 1924 World Champion Washington Senators). I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the author had actually written much more: a condensed yet thorough history of the Washington Senators franchise; a nice biographical sketch of the legendary Walter Johnson, as well as numerous anecdotal insights about many other baseball players of the early 20th century; and a glimpse of life in Washington, D.C. as it was almost 100 years ago.

Because I am an amateur baseball historian, I loved the accounts of the players, games, franchises, and even stadiums of the early 1900's, and the detailed descriptions of the 1924 World Series games made me feel like I was there. The author wrote quite a bit about Walter Johnson, and did an excellent job of illustrating his superlative career and the enormous amount of respect and admiration that teammates, opponents, and fans had for "Barney."

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and his skill in weaving descriptions of baseball games, personal information, historical anecdotes, and cultural background into a smart, well-flowing narrative- something that is difficult to do without sounding awkward or uneven. Possibly the best example of this is the story from which the book derives its name, about the retired Joe Judge serving as the inspiration for a famous play and movie.

The included history of the Senators franchise is great- even though the franchise had painfully few highlights during its existence, the author covers them all, as well as some of the more infamous moments such as the record-setting futility of the 1909 team, Clark Griffith's attempt to buy Ty Cobb, and the mess surrounding the team's departure in 1971. There are plenty of nuggets of baseball lore to savor within these 170 pages (including some great photos).

If you are an old-school baseball fan, or a resident of the Washington D.C. area who remembers baseball in the nation's capital (or waits patiently for its long-overdue return), I strongly recommend this book. Mark Gauvreau Judge successfully combined the histories of a family, a city, and a sport into an excellent work.

The portrayal of our defense industry in this story is unfortunately accurate. We have placed so much emphasis on "smart weapons", that we have forgotten the real effectiveness of our military. The action and pace of this book will keep the reader enthralled and they will not want to put it down.

I've read almost all of Ralph Peters' novels, and this is probably my favorite to date. I passed it over in hardcover--frankly it didn't sound very interesting. I couldn't have been more wrong: it's one of the best written, engrossing novels I've read in a long time. Peters is one of the few military thriller writers that can name drop Thomas Hardy novels and actually make us believe his characters read them. I know what a cliche this sounds, but I couldn' t put it down. Peters has within him his best novel yet--some day he'll write the Once An Eagle of his generation of officers.

After 25 years in the defense industry, watching the Services buy big things they don't need while neglecting small things they do (like enough pay so the troops don't have to be on food stamps), it continues to disturb me that the American taxpayer continues to allow Congress to sell out to what Ike Eisenhower called the "military-industrial complex". TRAITOR could have been a documentary. This is a great novel, thrilling and unpredictable, but it is also based on the real world and all the more gripping because of this.

The Crimes of Fred and his mother, Ruth Coe: A true story of obsession, revenge and family tragedy in the all American City.

This is one of the most remarkable true crime books you will ever read. It is many things at once. For months, the story of a mother, a son and a city emmeshed in tragedy made headlines across the nation. This is the story behind the headlines. It is also an extraordinary examination of the mind of a psychopath and of the women -- and men -- who were his victims. And it is a chilling investigation of the consequences of a crime that does not kill -- but which destroys as surely as any knife or gun.

For more than two years, a rapist prowled the night streets of the homey, "All-American" city of Spokane, Washington, terrorizing women, sparking a run on gun stores, and finally causing one newspaper to offer a reward, the calls taken by the distinguished managing editor himself, Gordon Coe. In March of 1981, luck and inspired police work at last produced an arrest, and Spokane shuddered. The man was clean-cut, teetotal, conservative -- and Gordon Coe's son.

The family rallied behind Fred Coe. They had an explanation for everything. Fred's mother, Ruth, gave "Son" detailed alibis for the rapes. But the evidence was overwhelming. As Fred was led away, Ruth Coe was heard to say, "Down, but not out." It was no mere gesture of defiance.

Ruth Coe was bent on revenge, and soon the judge and the prosecuting attorney would feel the full force of her murderous wrath.

For eighteen months, Jack Olsen researched the cases of Fred and Ruth Coe to try to learn not only what happened within that family, but how and why. He intereviewed more than 150 people, and slowly, bit by bit, built up a portrait not only of that extraordinary family, but of the mind of a psychopath. Talking with the rape victims, he probed the devastating effect the violations had had on their lives two weeks afterward, two months afterward, two years afterward. And searching the memories of the women in Fred Coe's life, he unearthed a most horrifying question: What is it like to love and live with a man for years -- and then discover he is a psychopathic criminal?

The answer to that question, to all the questions Olsen asked, and the bizarre conclusion to an ever-more-bizarre series of crimes, make "SON" the most riveting account of villainy and dark obsession since IN COLD BLOOD.

You always know to expect outstanding true crime writing from Jack Olsen, however, this has to be considered one of his best. The story of Fred Coe, his mother, the crimes, and those effected both directly and indirectly by his otrocities is written and researched perfectly. READ THIS book!

I read this book and really enjoyed it. It was very well written and very understandable. I am 13 years old, and i still could read it, understand it, and like it! I hope more people will but this book

In addition to being a real-life investigative crime solving book, Eagan's descriptive writing in "Breaking Blue" touched upon many areas that brought the people of the 1930s and this part of the country to life. The natural beauty of the inland Pacific Northwest in the setting of the Great Depression. Hobos, gambling, (...), saloons, opium dens, Nez Perce tribe and police corruption. This work provides a historical glimpse, within its' investigation, which ultimately led to success. Tony Bamonte, A County Sheriff in Pen Oreille County in eastern Washington state, turned his 500 page Master's Thesis into a murder-case solver.

Clyde Ralstin lived a life in the West in some fashion of the Wild Wild West. After he committed the murder, he was fingered out by a fellow detective in the police department. The detective was ordered by his superiors to stop the investigation and be quiet. At the same time, Ralstin left town. Files on both men "disappeared." But many statements and investigations were all uncovered by Bamonte. Living out his final years in Montana, Ralstin was aware of the tightening noose around his neck for what he did 54 years before. The stress and anxiety he experienced, which ultimately help end his life, was the only small amount of justice he received.

Some people close to Ralstin actually accused Bamonte of causing trouble and being the problem. Such is sometimes the twisted loyalty of the blue line, when a member commits wrong doing, even the murder of a fellow police officer. Ralstin stated, "the whole department was crooked back then. Why are they coming after me?"

Bamonte submitted his Master's thesis to his professor at Gonzaga University with trepidation. Is this 500 page piece of work going to be scoffed at, rejected, or laughed at? His professor said it was the most intriguing thesis he'd ever encountered. After some media attention over this 54 year-old local murder case, some turned the tables on Bamonte. During Bamonte's re-election campaign in 1990, the Spokane police chief held 3 press conferences publicly criticizing Bamonte. Actions like this are unheard of. Bamonte lost the election. Why did the the Spokane police chief do this? Because Bamonte was investigating a similar murder in his jurisdiction.

After Clyde Ralstin died 1989, the murder case was closed.

A terrific story that encompasses the mood and flavor of the setting and climate. I often felt as though I was right in the middle of town or in the same room with the characters as the story unfolds. Well written with reference to various time frames over a span of so many years. As I read, I kept wondering if the main characters research was going to be availble as a story in itself. I'll let you find out for yourself. I've never been to the area or even the state itself but after this read and Snow Falling on Cedars, I may be hooked enough by the authors descriptions to travel out sometime.
A great read that will touch your emotions.

Egan goes beyond the typical "true crime" formula to explore a hidden history and sub-culture. His depictions of the regional character resonated with me (a former, recent, Spokanite and Washingtonian born and bred). As one reviewer pointed out, the corruption Egan plunges the reader into is still a powerful force in the region today -- an ugly undercurrent that, in order to remain there, most find necessary to turn a blind eye to. "Breaking Blue" manages to weave several complex elements into a highly readable story without condescending to, or losing, the reader. "The Good Rain" is another masterful study of the Northwest Egan fans may want to read.

Al Gore might have grown up there had his father been a plumber who moved north for work. Not many St.Albans boys in that neighborhood though. As in none. Gotta wonder if Harrington and Gore don't hook up once in a while what with the wellheeled intellectual Nashville/DC connection. All in all not a bad intro to a forgotten people in a very interesting time and place. I was happy to have stumbled upon it.

This book should be mandatory reading for all high school students in the United States. Poverty is indeed a virtual reality in this book. You cannot help but gain an appreciation for all you have, however little it may be.

Howell utilizes a "hands on " approach to drive home the reality of a very large segment of our society by literally moving in with them and living the life - in spite of peril for one year. Through this approach, he gains the trust of two families, the Shacklefords and the Mosebys, and we are able to move into their homes, travel with them on their drunken runs, and thereby gain an insight from a perspective within that no "text" could ever offer us. I applaud this book and have used it yearly in classes since 1978 with raves from the students.

Nurseryman and author Jeffrey Meyer started the project called America's Famous and Historic Trees, wherein said trees are rescued for posterity through seed propagation. Seventeen specimens are discussed, each featured in a chapter that relates the tree's historic significance, botanical description and instructions for propagation and placement of the tree. There is one color photograph of each of the seventeen trees, with many small black-and-white photos and drawings. Initially I was disappointed that the book did not take more pains to represent these trees more lovingly with good color photography, but the inspiration is in the text and the companion project, and one is struck by the brilliant simplicity of Meyer's idea for preserving these lovely old giants.

What a thrill to find Jeff Meyer's book at Amazon and Barnes& Noble! I had no idea he was working on one - and one so comprehensive as this. I knew he was extremely involved in the historic tree/seed program and research. There is also a very interesting documentary on this subject that Jeff appeared in and advised on, which was aired on PBS this year. His mother, Joanne, has been a strong influence on Jeff in this field. She is a tireless member of The Garden Club of America and, by her efforts, raised the conciousness of many.This book is a fine explanation of all the work that has been done to preserve history, as well as to make us more aware of how important beautiful trees are to our quality of life on this planet. The photography is marvellous and the book is a wonderful read, as well as a great coffee table book for just a quick pickup. We all love a "picture book", don't we?

Here is a book that combines a love of trees with famous American individuals to make an outstanding addition to any book collection. The author, Jeffrey Meyer, gives an account of 17 of the most noted trees and the historic persons associated with them. From the Indian (Comanche) Marker Pecan or George Washington Tulip Poplar to John F. Kennedy=s Post Oak or Elvis Presley=s Pin Oak, Meyer goes through pages of American history to pick out some the most significant figures of the time (Patrick Henry, Lewis and Clark, Johnny Appleseed, Frederick Douglass, Wyatt Earp, etc) and the trees (Osage Orange, Cottonwood, Rambo Apple, White Oak, Black Walnut, etc) that meant so much to them. In so doing, he provides the reader with a fine book, easy to read, beautifully published, with magnificent black/white and color photos and illustrations, and sidebars on how and where to grow the particular tree. As a idea and as a published work, America=s Historic Trees ranks in the top five per cent of books I would urge all to read and enjoy.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in street art and the Baltimore area. It is packed with Tony's beautiful artwork and the authors' detailed stories of the area. Every Baltimorean should own a copy. Rita and her co-authors have done a superb job.

This book is like a trip down "memory lane" for those of us who grew up in Baltimore. It is apparent that a great deal of thought went into the prepartion of this book. The full page prints are nicely presented on glossy paper. This is also an inspiring story of a man's generosity to his family and his community via his artwork.

This lovingly crafted book Rita and Perrin French
traces the work of Rita's brother Tony DeSales.
The prints are warm,evocative and touch the spirit of
place, They show artist and scene as one; his trying to
make you observe the vision of Baltimore that he had embraced.
Many are hauntingly beautiful renderings and show a warm remembrance of his vision. You will see many nuances
of place and look again at places found in this wonderfully
crafted editon.