Drills and Mills, which covers the history of mining, milling and smelting from the 1848 gold discovery in California to the late 19th century is a wonderful, well researched book.

Loaded with pictures,tables,illustrations,chemical formulae and many interesting side notes (factoids),the author covers the gamut in the machinery used to win the metals from the earth.
Excellent review on the evolution of the rock drill,explosives, crushing equipment, pumps, timbering, etc etc.

Also included within the 250 plus pages of good reading, is an excellent 10 page bibliography which is referenced to the chapter footnotes, to assist those who may have a futher interest in any of the subject matter. This is a must have book for the mining historian and for anyone interested in 19th century mining. In short a great book.

As someone with very little mining knowledge, I greatly appreciated the explanations of the various mining techniques. The author's obvious enthusiasm for the subject made the book a joy to read. Highly recommended for both mining experts and for those simply wishing to understand more about mining in earlier years.

A very comprehensive book that is compelling and fascinating. I learned many unusual and intriguing facts. I thought that I was familiar with historical mining technology, but this book covers many topics with a new and different perspective. The chemistry of precious metal recovery is explained in such a way as to be informative and educational. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a book that is informative while still being lively and entertaining with great references.

The crucial Battle of Mortain, with the sole exception of Alwyn Featherson's book "Saving the Breakout", has yet to be examined in detail. Weiss literally provides a birds-eye first person viewpoint based on his experiences as an artillery observer in support of the 2/120th Infantry. Over the course of five days, Lieutenant Weiss called in over 200 fire missions against troops from a crack SS panzer division attempting to overrun the vastly outnumbered infantry battalion he was supporting. In the opinion of this reviewer, no single individual had as much influence on this pivotal battle as Weiss. A reluctant hero, his efforts ensured the defending Americans retained the dominating terrain that lay squarely in the path of the attacking Germans. His prose is lucid and his eye for detail has produced a fascinating account of a young man at war.

I'm very impressed with the power of the artillery and its effects on the battlefield. Very useful for understanding some technical aspects of US Army in the WWII, related to the employment of firepower. And also a dense history.

I found this book extremely useful. It is extremely readable, addresses a little known but critical battle, and also shows how U.S. artillery was used operationally. I thank Mr. Weiss for sharing his recollections with us.

Having lived on St. John for 20 years, it was fun to learn new information about this special island from Explore the Virgin Islands. Mr Pariser has hiked the trails and met the people. His book is the most personalized and comprehensive guide I have read. It is a must for anyone visiting S. John. Pariser's most complete guide is unique and fits easily into your beach bag or backpack. If you're planning on visiting the USVI , and St. John in particular, be sure to take this guide along!

Having been to the British Virgin Islands and getting ready to go to the American Virgin Islands, I was quite impressed with the depth and scope of Mr. Pariser's fine guidebook. I can recommend it to any pre-Virgin or post-Virgin traveler alike!

(Planeta.com Journal) - This new guidebook covers all the angles for visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix). Harry Pariser is one of our favorite authors and has also written about Costa Rica and Barbados. The travel essentials are well documented. Harry points out destinations for the nature tourist such as the St. Croix Aquarium and provides a guide to local plants and animals. Excellent!

I just discovered Melissa West's book. I am a longtime labyrinth facilitator and have devoured everything in print I can find. Her book is profoundly inspiring, both to newcomers (I've already recommended it to several) and regulars. I find especially helpful her specific instructions for using the labyrinth for fostering creativity and goal setting, something I've never thought to use the labyrinth for. I find very moving, and very inspiring, her work with people who are seriously ill to use the labyrinth as a powerful healing tool. Ms. West obviously lives life from a very deep place, and writes about the labyrinth from that place as well. Guaranteed to invite you into new territory with the labyrinth, no matter what your level of experience! A great gift to us all.

With wisdom and intergrity Mellissa reaquaints us with nature and with the vitality of the mystics.We are put in touch with the sacreness that embodies the smallest aspect of creation.With humor and insight we are awaken to the joys of walking the path.You learn that less can really be more and what really matters in our stressed out human hearts. Mellissa Gayle West book inspired me to build a labyrinth facing east out of stone with three foot wide paths.It is near a pond with a mountain veiw and a apple,weeper,maple,cedar and oak trees PEACE

I am a longtime scholar of the labyrinth, and labyrinth enthusiast. Ms. West's book is by far the best book I have ever read on labyrinths, and I believe I've read them all. I had never before had the courage to make a labyrinth, though. Ms. West's clear and simple instructions gave me the push I needed-I was astonished to find how really easy it was to create a labyrinth using her instructions. For anything to do with the labyrinth-history, theory, creative and imaginative uses, and how to make them-this book is absolutely essential.

Written by a soldier who fought in the Cuban revolution, Victor Dreke's From The Escambray To The Congo is a personal memoir and first-hand testimony of the end of the Batista dictatorship and the attempts to create a better government in its place. An insert of black-and-white photographs adds a visual touch to the gripping experiences both on and off the battlefield described in this memorable, gut-wrenching, up close and personal account of the modern history of a nation. From The Escambray To The Congo is a welcome and much appreciated addition to the growing library of personal memoirs and eye-witness accounts of the Cuban Revolution and its aftermath.

In New Zealand, politicians, government agencies, and many businesses like to crow about how much they oppose discrimination of any kind. However, most working people who come up against racist practices know there is big gap between what these institutions say and do when it comes to dealing with instances of racism.

"From the Escambray to the Congo" is a powerfully account of how after the 1959 victory of Fidel Castro's 26 July movement over the Batista dictatorship in Cuba, the new revolutionary government set out close to gap between the word and the deed.

How the Cuban government went about eradicating Jim Crow type racism, is told through the words of Victor Dreke, a leading participant of Cuba's revolutionary movement for half a century. The capitalist foundations that propped up racism in Cuba collapsed under the weight of the hundreds of thousand workers, peasants and young people - both black and white - coming to the realisation that racism was incompatible with the new society they were fighting to transform.

As a young teenager Dreke was advised by his father to "Study and get an education and don't mess with strikes or any of that; it won't get you anywhere. Besides, that stuff's not for blacks." Fortunately Dreke did not follow his fathers advice and threw himself into revolutionary activity. Beginning as a high school activist, then Rebel Army fighter. He was a commander in the fight to root out the counterrevolutionary bands operating in central Cuba and has been an internationalist combatant and representative of the Cuban revolution in Africa.

What comes across strongly for me is how the Cuba's determination to end racism in it's own country was inextricably linked to the liberation of the Africa continent from imperialist exploitation

For the millions of young Victor Dreke's - male or female - in the mines, factories and on the high school and university campuses around the world - this book is for you.

Read this small book for a series of snapshots of what it was like to be a participant in the Cuban revolution that triumphed in January 1959. From a high school activist under the Batista dictatorship, Victor Dreke joined the Rebel Army and fought in many campaigns. The Escambray mountains in central Cuba were the scene of a bloody five-year-long attempt by Washington-organized groups to undermine the new regime. Like the Contras in Nicaragua 20 years later, these 'Bandidos' murdered literacy volunteers, health workers, and peasants who backed the revolutionary government. Dreke was a leader in the military and militia campaigns that wiped them out. His description of the Cuban mid-1960s contingent to aid revolutionary fighters in the Congo complements Che Guevara's own recently published account of this. Dreke notes how the Congo campaign, though not a success at the time, paved the way for critically important Cuban efforts to aid African liberation struggles, such as the decisive victory at Cuito Cuanavale, Angola, against South African forces in 1988. As with all Pathfinder titles, the well-thought-out maps, footnotes and glossary in this book help the reader with unfamiliar names and events. Numerous photos bring Dreke's story even more to life.

The great thing about this book is that it was written by people with an inside view of "The business". Along with the most complete look at Tinsletown they add anecdotes and little known facts that make just reading the book fun.
And this book covers more that downtown, Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It travels north to Santa Barbara and south to Long Beach and Catalina.
If you're headed for LA this is the book to get. Even as a died-in-the-wool Angeleno, I found this book informative, usefull and fun to read.

Here's a 600-page book that's filled to its movie brim, with tons of offbeat things to see and do; bright and breezy in its writing, you'll find facts and other nifty news here about this incredible place called LA and Hollywood that, even if you've lived here all your life (!), you probably never knew existed.

John Clayton, Travel With a Difference radio show,
KNX 1070AM

As in all Hunter Guides, this hefty paperback is chock full of information - restaurants and hotels, shopping, daytime and nightime activities, even where to see the stars.

Anton Community Newspapers

Though often overlooked, live-action films brought some of the most talented artists in film history to the Walt Disney Studios. John West takes readers "behind the scenes" on such productions as The Absent-Minded Professor, Davy Crockett, The Gnome-Mobile, The Happiest Millionaire, Mary Poppins, Old Yeller, The Parent Trap, Pollyanna, Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Zorro, and many more.

West's commitment to this project is demonstrated in over six years of research and extensive interviews with studio cast and crewmembers. Noted interviews included Bill Anderson, Ken Annakin, Buddy Baker, Emile Kuri, Dorothy McGuire, Sam McKim, Fess Parker, Richard Sherman, Robert Sherman.

Behind any great film, a fascinating backstory usually resides. John West's book contains scores of interesting stories; all vividly illustrating the talent and creativity that was present at the studio during Walt's lifetime.

Though often overlooked, live-action films brought some of the most talented artists in film history to the Walt Disney Studios. John West takes readers "behind the scenes" on such productions as The Absent-Minded Professor, Davy Crockett, The Gnome-Mobile, The Happiest Millionaire, Mary Poppins, Old Yeller, The Parent Trap, Pollyanna, Treasure Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Zorro, and many more.

West's commitment to this project is demonstrated in over six years of research and extensive interviews with studio cast and crewmembers. Noted interviews included Bill Anderson, Ken Annakin, Buddy Baker, Emile Kuri, Dorothy McGuire, Sam McKim, Fess Parker, Richard Sherman, Robert Sherman.

Behind any great film, a fascinating backstory usually resides. John West's book contains scores of interesting stories; all vividly illustrating the talent and creativity that was present at the studio during Walt's lifetime.

This is a great book, and I hope they write a follow up that focuses more on interviews with the principle screenwriters, actors, directors, and such. Very entertaining, and even in my huge library of over 60 books on Disney,it stands out as being the only book that focuses on their live action subject. The author breaks down each film, listing titel, cast and crew, synopsis, a review (he does a great job at this). He includes behind thescenes information and comments from participants. Very few pictures,I wish there were more. Overall it is very comprehensive considering the library of live action films from Disney is much bigger than most people realize. It is alsocurrently the BEST and most COMPLETE book on this subject. I am grateful at having found this book.

If you want more on the subject of Disney films, I reccommend the following books for sale at Amazon: THe Disney Films by Leonard Maltin; the Disney Studio Story by Richard Hollisand Brian Sibley; The wonderful World of Disney Animals by chief animal trainer William Koehler; Walt, Backstage Adventures with Walt Disney by Charles Shows; One of Walt's Boys by Harry Tytle.

Besides telling the not-to-be-put-down story of her life, the author has created a historical document of southeastern Alaska, including the changes that occured during her many years there. The book is also a source of inspirational quotations which embody the Alaskan spirit. Marilyn Jordan George is a multitalented person; I am glad she penned her life story.

Vivid portrayal of southeast Alaska's vanishing fishing industry. Sharing the author's lifetime of experiences I could almost feel salt spray in my face. A must-read for anyone who has lived in this beautiful country, has visited there, or dreams of Alaska.

Marilyn literally takes you aboard with her and her family. I almost got sea sick. LOL Marilyn is articulate and tells it like it is. She doesn't sugar coat the unfortunate happenings. You will laugh, you will cry and you will get angry at certain characters. All in all a wonderful read.

I have read the first chapter. It is about a boy named Alexander and he thinks there is something in his barn. He is to scared to go see what it is in the barn. so he tells his friend to go see. That is all i know about my book.

I found this book very interesting and the characters vivid and one's I'd like to read more about. It has a very good plot with some interesting twists turns and many pieces to the puzzle. I have just finished it and I am already going to go after the rest of the Blossom Culp series. I highly recommend this book to almost anybody.

I'm twenty-three years old, so not necessarily the typical age to read this book, which is aimed at a younger readership. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed this story, whose main draw are its vivid characters with their different idiosyncrasies, especially the underappreciated Blossom and the sweetly naive Alexander.

Peck starts off by writing a summary of the story in the first chapter, which helps a lot in keeping the reader interested during the somewhat lengthy (but necessary) opening part which introduces the main characters. Ably and wittily Peck illustrates the contrasting mannerisms of Alexander's family, and his keen sense of observation makes this unlikely group seem all the likelier.

Since the title contains the word "ghost", one expects magic in this story; the magic to me is the nostalgic wholeness of a world in which despite quarrels and fights a family stays together, and where quite obviously a protecting hand brings and holds things and people together. At odds with my experience of my world, this book creates a yearning for a better place inside of me, a place where modesty, honesty and trust receive the honor and reward they deserve.

This is the book that set the standard for the plethora of guidebooks that have appeared in the past few years. I reviewed this book for a magazine shortly after it debuted in 1998 and was impressed by it's intuitive, easy-to-navigate layout, crisp detail and value for dollar. The big question became accuracy. I began using it in my many travels over Colorado backroads, some familiar, some not. In the end, I had to admit that Wells had hit the target every time. My only lament at the time was that the entire state wasn't covered. He answered this in '99 with Volume 2, which rounds up the remainder of the state. If you are headed for Colorado to 'wheel, I suppose you could buy whichever of the two books covers the area where you are going, but that's like heading for the OK Corral with a six-shooter that has only three bullets in it. Better pony up for both books if you are going to hit the Colorado backwoods. Bottom line is that you can count on Wells' trail guide to deliver to goods, and do it at a great price.

My wife and I were extremely skeptical we would be able to take our stock Ford Explorer on anything other than pavement or hard-packed dirt roads. This book changed that for us very quickly.

The book is divided into regions and gives details and descriptions of each trail. Each trail has been very accurately rated for difficulty level from novice to expert. We started out on a novice trail and from the first 5 minutes, we were hooked. The first trail took us to a great secluded hiking area and beautiful highland meadow and stream. The road was just difficult enough to provide appropriate challenges to a novice 4WD-er.

After this trip we ventured to the intermediate trails which were definitely more difficult, but well worth the effort. I would never have guessed that our stock SUV would have been able to tackle the terrain it did. It really makes you feel good about your purchase.

Overall, a very good book for beginners to advanced. I would recommend to anyone interested in taking up 4WD in Colorado or anyone who wants to get off the beaten path!

I bought this book before travelling from Ohio with ATVs. The book was extremely helpful in finding good trails to ride and to know what to expect. It is actually written for Jeeps and SUVs but since I could not find anything on ATV's this was the next best thing. If you are going to use ATV's or motorcycles you can adjust the difficulty levels accordingly. ie. Difficult for an SUV is Moderate for an ATV and so on. I am planning another trip out next summer and will probably buy Vol. 2.