Few people know the name of Madison Grant--yet he holds the distinction of being one of the first of what today we call environmentalists--struggling hard to preserve the rapidly-shrinking wild lands of the Far West.

His other interests--race--were much more predictible--being as he was a man of his times. Oddly enough the situation today is reversed--anyone worth his salt finds environmentalism a worthy cause--while racial issues are fraught with controversy.

To Grant, though, the two issues had a close relation--with only limited room for people if he wa to help preserve his beloved land the question of just who owuld occupy the land was of top importance.

Grant was not necessarily a "racist"--he had as little desire to see non-Anglo-Saxons like Italians etc. in the US despite the fact that they too are "white" and share certain values with the WASPs he endorses.

Needless to say the book is controversial, and his Malthusian presuppositions are typical of his era. Still as an historical piece The Conquest of a Continent is an interesting read, especially for environmentalists. For eg. few of them know that a lot of the "first" greens were none other than the Nazis!

Technical and oriented to understanding cancer, not understanding the existential side of a cancer diagnosis. You have to have a smidgen of cell biology and genetics to really get into it, but it's pretty readable for a technical book. In it I found the most revealing explanation of how cancers form, grow and spread that I've encountered. Steen deals with cancer in general and from there takes you through the "natural history" (i.e. how it forms, grows, spreads) of all of the major types. After reading this, you'll understand why doctors make the sorts of decisions they make and why one person's cancer treatment may differ from another person's. The publication date (1993) should tell you that some information on treatments may be out of date. Will appeal to educated people obsessed with the details.

All casebooks should be written as well as this one.

Now in a newly updated twelfth edition, Corporate Foundation Profiles is a solid, comprehensive, reliable resource filled with a wealth of descriptive information and facts about philanthropic foundations across America. Corporate Foundation Profiles includes extensive and detailed lists of each foundation's purpose, background, staff, extensive analysis and charts concerning its grants, contact information, and much more, Corporate Foundation Profiles is a superb, comprehensive, unparalleled reference and an essential addition to the fund raising resource information collections of non-profit organization and community library reference collections.

First of all, I'm somewhat biased in my opinion because Mr. Grant was a distant relative. That aside, this book is a must read for anyone who wants a first hand glimpse into life as seen through a pioneer settler's eyes. This man could tell a story in terms that any true midwesterner can appreciate. His other book, Vanishing Wagon Tracks is equally entertaining.

I want to buy this book for my family members. However, others must agree with my review because I've had no success finding this title anywhere else. Hopefully, Amazon.com can hook me up with someone that has this out of print work of art.

Have you ever wondered what the old Westerners meant when they used words like "rustling," "handle," or "blind trap?" This fascinating book has plenty of words like these, but it is not merely a dictionary. It is filled with history and lore that may keep you browsing for hours if you have even the slightest interest in the Old West, or in American culture in general. While somewhat dated (it was first published in the 1950's), it also highlights genuinely little-known history, such as the "Rustler War" in Wyoming in the 1890's. The information about famous Old West artists like Frederick Remington could be valuable to art historians as well. Speaking of art, the illustrations by Jackie and Fiore Mastri add greatly to the book's appeal, as does Grant's cleverly-written text. Even the typeface is well-chosen. This is very, very worth searching out.

A Cultural History of Theatre by Grant McKernie and Jack Watson is a terrific tool for learning about the development of dramatic arts. The book traces the history of theatre from the Greeks to modern day. By combining theatrical history with developments in art, science, and politics, the reader gets a clear view of the world that shaped the dramatic performance of the day. I was privilaged to use this book in a class taught by Grant McKernie, a professor who makes theatre interesting for everyone from the serious actor to the serious sports fan. This is a great book for high schoolers through adults trying to understand how and why the dramatic arts developed.

I read this book in April of 2002 before going to Scotland for ten days on business and pleasure. Please pardon the lack of detail in this review, since it has been a year. It gave me a good foundation for understanding many aspects of Scottish society and history. I did not want to read a simple tourist reference guide about the attractions of Scotland-I desired to know more about the people and culture. It turned out to be a terrific book was for me.

Author, Jamie Grant, touches uses his "Guide to Customs and Etiquette" to describe history, stereotypes and the nature of the people, "fitting in", doing business, arts & entertainment, food & drink, the outdoors, The Highlands, and Do's and Don't. His humor makes helps to make an already interesting book fresh.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone going to Scotland who wants to get a comprehensive overview of Scotland, especially if it is their first time. I learned a lot from it.

-EH

The story of the Civil War focuses primarily on the duel between Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, and that duel is told in the great battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and the rest. The end game of the war, where Ulysses S. Grant laid siege to the Confederate capital of Richmond does not have the glamour of the more famous battles, a fact which is more than evidenced in "Death in the Trenches: Grant at Petersburg." This volume in the Time-Life Civil War series by William C. Davis begins with a series of prewar Petersburg from a trio of local artists, and although the photographs of the devastated city after its capture are not included in this particular volume, it is clear that all of this civic beauty will be gone by the time the war is over.

The Petersburg siege is divided into five chapters: (1) An Opportunity Bungled tells the story of the last great lost opportunity of the Civil War for the Union forces as the initial assault on Petersburg failed to capitalize on Confederate weaknesses and the two armies were committed to a siege; (2) Crossing the James is essentially about how both sides established their lines, but includes the story of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's miraculous recovery after being wounded during the attack on Rives's Salient; (3) Valor and Calamity at the Crater tells of the Union army's last debacle, as the brilliant plan to open the Confederate lines succeeds in creating an enormous hole, 200 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 30 feet deep at the center, but inept leadership once again keeps the Federals from taking advantage of the situation; (4) Tightening the Noose records how Grant and Lee both extended their trenches throughout the summer of 1864; and (5) Portents of an Arduous Winter simply covers the drawing out of the siege over the final winter of the war.

Of course this volume is illustrated with dozens of historic photographs, paintings and etchings, most of which will be new to most Civil War buffs. There are also several photo essays throughout "Death in the Trenches," such as the baptism of black troops during the Battle of the Crater and how City Point wharf became the Southern terminal for the abundance of Northern supplies that would keep the Union troops well fed during the siege. Historically it is interesting to look at the difference between this siege and Grant's earlier efforts at Vicksburg. Davis does a fine job of covering the significant aspects of the siege as the Civil War played out to its inevitable conclusion.

Wow! This was a great book! It is a story about baseball, and a man who takes profound steps to get back into the game. It will take you some effort to get a copy but it is so worth it. Trust me stick with it to the end, and you won't be dissapointed. :)