Dickinson has done a skillful job of bringing twentieth century history alive through the life of an Oklahoma individual whose saga is fascinating. Well-written, I found this book to be a great way to enjoy popular history and learned many things I didn't know about the recent past and the people who moved through it.

Amazing true adventure story; a real page turner!

If your grandfather bet a Hollywood movie star cowboy that you could make a little ride to prove that real cowboys still existed and the ways of the old west were not dead, would you do it? Now imagine that in order to win you had to ride a horse 1500 miles from Oklahoma to Hollywood, CA in 50 days, would you? Oh yeah, and throw in barbwire fences, raging rivers, rattlesnakes, murderous robbers, a gunfight, suspicious police, Apaches, and getting lost in the Mojave Desert. Could you? Well, real life hero Jerry van Meter and his Osage indian pony, Fan, almost died doing it in 1946 as the old west was disappearing under post WWII development. He never profited by his adventure. In fact, his grandfather, cowboy legend Rolla Goodnight, never even told him what he bet!

Jerry was barely 20 years old when he made the ride. He is now 73 years old and lives in Kalispell, Montana. By chance, writer Patti Dickinson heard about Jerry when she stopped for a hamburger one day in Montana. It took her a year to track him down and verify his story. She tells it in a straight-ahead style that makes you feel that you are riding along with Jerry and Fan all the way. Thank you Ms. Dickinson for finding and preserving a fascinating part of our American history.

what a terrific read about a young man becoming an adult as he treks from oklahoma to hollywood just after world war II to win a bet made by his uncle. shades of the poingnacy we saw in "lonely are the brave" to be sure, but this book inspires the reader anew as the young man and his horse face complications, danger and exhaustion before their ultimate triumph. there is a wonderful built-in nostalgia given the twilight of the cowboy era depicted here but the story remains both accessible and relevant in today's complex technological world. even with its simplicity of story, you won't be able to put this book down. this is a sure-fire winner; don't miss it!

I read this book after seeing what other people were reading after reading Dr. Sally Shaywitz's book. The title leads me to believe I wouldn't get much from it, but I was very mistaken. I found myself underlining passages and writing notes in the margins. West details a very compelling argument. His theory is since it appears the people with literary disabilities have superior visual/spatial skills, these skills may often be mutually exclusive. Hence, people with superior literary skills often have poor visual/spatial skills. He postulates that since human society has only been post-literate for hundreds of years compared to pre-literate for thousand of years, people with better visual/spatial skills would have a survival advantage as better hunter/gatherers and avoid other dangers. People with superior literary skills in a pre-literate society would have poor survival skills although they would be needed as say shamans, storytellers or record-keepers. The theory makes sense evolutionarily as it seems to confirm Shaywitz's observation that 1 in 5 people have some reading disability. Which at the time seemed high to me. West goes on to argue that society has been selecting against people with poor literary skills and details the danger this can pose. He argues it appears that society is turning back to needing people with high visual/spatial skills with the advent of cheap highly graphic computers and other visual modes of information communication. West details several famous (Einstein, Churchill, and Edison) and not-so-famous people (Faraday, Tesla and Maxwell) with literary disabilities but superior visual/spatial skills and how their skills were important for their success. I feel that dyslexics, educators, and policy makers should read this book. West makes a very persuasive argument that society should not select for only one skill set because you never know what skills a future society may need. In an aside, the film Gattaca uses West's theory as a basis of the plot even mentioning how Einstein was dyslexic. If you find this book compelling, you will enjoy the film.

If you have your own voice, know it is precious. If your child has the same, cherish, accept and nuture it. It is hope, we all live life threaded by hope. Please read this gentleman's book, his words eclipse my own with more passion and presience.

Thank you Mr. Thomas G. West.

Dr. Mario T. Scaduto Ph.D.

I am a spatial thinker who still struggles with language (I am autistic), and this book was amazing to me. It points out that the very same areas that cause difficulty for so many people and cause them to be looked down upon, are somehow tied into the areas of great strength that they may grow up to show. (In other words, having difficulty with language can actually be simply a symptom of having extreme ability in visual or spatial thinking).

This book has strong implications for anyone who has ever considered autism, dyslexia, or learning difficulties to be horrible things that must be stamped out. It shows that the apparent "weakness" and "lack of ability" in some areas can really be an aspect of a major (but often unrecognized) area of strength.

It speculates that the very skills that cause people to have difficulty in language and arithmetic (and hence in school) are vital and useful skills which have only recently been characterized as deficiencies. It shows that intelligence and creativity are not in fact synonymous with language ability.

People who are autistic, dyslexic, or have other "learning difficulties" may be amazed to find themselves somewhere in this book; and people who seek to eradicate autism, dyslexia, and other "learning difficulties" may open their eyes and think twice about what exactly it is that they would be eradicating.

Anyone who knows the story of Amadou Diallo's fate at the hands of the NYC Police, does not know the story until you read this book. In the days and weeks following Amadou's death, the media frenzy revealed very little about Amadou's life and family short of the presumptive image of an African immigrant struggling to earn a living with little education and few family ties. Nothing could be further from the truth. This beautifully written account of Kadiatou's own story and her relationship to her son Amadou, reveals more of his character than any news report ever did. To understand Amadou, you must understand Kadiatou. Her story, and his, humbles the reader. The words are prose, the images are stunning; it is a visual read. Even if you know very little of the tragedy that occurred in 1999, this is a must read.

The immense value of this work is appreciated on so many levels. Immediately obvious is that it is such a privilege to read a beautifully written book and to savor the language. More importantly, the multi-generational story is a wonderful blend of culture and history, allowing the reader to experience the realities of the life struggle shared by the majority of this world. However, the greatest gift of this book is the truth that it speaks about all of us. Ms. Diallo's keen understanding and insight is readily apparent, yet she still surprises with her generous and understanding spirit. The most poignant passages, which bear repeated reading, describe the emotional and psychological burden of parenthood with such pain and yet acceptance and hope. These words will stay with me for a very long time. I am sharing this book with those I deeply love.

In most instances, books about crime victims - especially if they're black - get pegged into all the wrong categories and are marketed to all the wrong demographic groups until years later such books are discussed earnestly only in college "African Studies" programs.

"My Heart Will Cross This Ocean," by Kadiatou Diallo and Craig Wolff, deserves a better fate. It deserves to be read and re-read by every man, woman and - yes, young person - on this planet.

Americans, and especially New Yorkers, will immediately recognize the Diallo name from news reports. Kadiatou's son Amadou, in a horrific case of mistaken identity, was inexplicably shot 40 times by New York City cops in 1999 in the foyer of the Bronx apartment building where he lived. The police officers were tried and acquitted of any wrongdoing, and for many who followed the tragedy, it was "case closed."

Who knew from the papers and broadcast news that this sensitive and hard-working young man was descended from West African kings and healers? Who talked about his inner beauty or quiet religious convictions? Who spoke of his dreams and aspirations?

Most of us know John Donne's now famous quote: "No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Any man's death diminishes me because I'm involved in mankind, and therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Thus, the challenge for the authors was profound. It was not just to make us empathize with an innocent murder victim from Guinea, West Africa, or to give us insight into a mother's unspeakable grief, but it was to resurrect a mother and son's life story before it was irrevocably severed in a hail of bullets.

The book's preface says it all.

"When a young person leaves home from Guinea, he becomes the sette. He is the explorer and the envoy, carrying the family name to unseen places. In the villages, towns, and cities, too, they will talk about him. On his return, they will gauge his manner of speaking or of entering a room, the ease of his walk, perhaps a satisfaction that shows in his eyes, to determine if his travels have given him the bearing of a successful man. Beyond his conquests, they will wait for the tales he will carry back... For years he can tell people what happened when finally he stepped onto strange land, what surprised or scared him, lifted or saddened him, what he has discovered for them. Amadou was the sette for his brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, and for me, who anticipated a magnificent return.

"He returned, a silent body with a tale untold. If there is anything as cruel as the taking of a man's life, it is the taking away of his story, the particulars that make him holy. The mother who dreams that she can undo any harm that comes to her child, dreams fruitlessly. The one last thing she can do is to try to give her child back his story, the greatest and least obligation she can fulfill."

Kadiatou's life story is yours and mine. It is amazing, and Wolff's writing gives her story the wings to soar. This book is outstanding from start to finish. Fine literature? It's in every word. Superb storytelling? You will cry and laugh, and shake your head that one woman's journey could so affect your soul. Political intrigue; the bonds of love and family; the strange contradictions and rhythms of marriage and parenthood - of living and dying - are all here, written with such clarity and purpose that by the close of the book, Kadi's family has become yours - and you hate to see them go.

This book proves once and for all that Diallo's death did diminish each one of us, and, therefore, we owe it to ourselves to pick up these pages and resurrect his soul.

"All the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind were hurrying over the Green Meadows. Some flew this way and some ran that way and some danced the other way. You see, Jerry Muskrat had asked them to carry his invitations to a party at the Big Rock in the Smiling Pool." Originally published in 1910, the Old Mother West Wind Stories of Thornton W. Burgess are brimming with just this type of endearing and whimsical imagery. They are quaint but clever, sensitive and fun-filled. This lovely book contains sixteen stories featuring many charming woodland characters such as Tommy Trout, Mrs. Redwing, the Willful Little Breeze, Billy Mink, and Little Joe Otter. Burgess was a dedicated conservationist and these stories were intended to instill an abiding love of Nature and wildlife in small children. They do a wonderful job of it and Burgess would be delighted, as I am, in this edition's beautiful illustrations that are the work of the talented Michael Hague. The first illustration in the book, featuring Old Mother West Wind in her flowing grey and blue gown and her long flowing hooded cape, is worth the price of the entire book in and of itself. We have come to expect great things from Hague but he outdoes himself in this book. I'm glad to see these wonderful stories available to another generation of children. Their gentle pastoral nature really is timeless and the less our world sees of natural habitat and woodland creatures the more we need this book. Treat yourself and you children to it. It's one of my favorites.

"Old Mother West Wind", is the first of many stories by Burgess of his imagined world of The Green Forest, the Laughing Brook, and the Smiling Pond. Originally published in 1910, it is based upon a series of bedtime stories Burgess wrote for his son. The characters are inspired by the variety of wildlife Burgess was surrounded by as a child growing up in the yet-uncommercialized Cape Cod, Mass. His love of nature and his desire to instill that love in future generations is conveyed beautifully in these classic tales.

Old Mother West Wind comes down to the Green Meadows from her home in the Purple Hills daily to allow her children, the Merry Little Breezes, to frolic among the residents of the area. In "Old Mother West Wind", you are introduced to many of the characters upon which later books in this series are based. As the back of the book states, "[This book] combines gentle lessons about wildlife and the environment with the fun of a good story". In addition, most tales contain a basic moral lesson (ie. don't steal, don't lie, etc).

Any imaginative child will be captivated by this book. The chapters are short, with simple language that children will identify with, for the most part. Read aloud to pre-readers, or read by children themselves, this book will surely be a family favorite in no time.

This republication by Dover Children's Thrift Editions costs only a dollar. If you are looking to fill in your child's library a little whithout breaking the bank, I highly recommend starting here (and with the other Burgess books). You'll be glad you did.

Note: the next book in publication in this series is the Adventures of Johnny Chuck. While it is not necessary to read the books in order, I just wanted to add that info in case anyone wanted to know.

I read Burgess as a child and have loved him ever since. These wonderful stories inspire a love of animals and a love of nature, but not at the expense of good, old-fashioned American story-telling, and those who dismiss them as "sentimental" are displaying an unbecoming pomposity, in my view. Old Mother West Wind is beautiful classic, a book that escapes the pushy realism of so much contemporary storytelling aimed at children, which is really the choice of the parent, and not the child. Let kids imagine! It'll last them all their lives. What a gift, indeed!

This book is a good source for midwest-specific plantings and landscape ideas. I found I didn't have to look up the growing zones of plants I found interesting, wondering "Would this plant grow well around here?"

I also enjoy the overall friendly tone of the text. Some other books of this type that I own are written in a stuffy, almost highbrow manner.

The only thing I would have liked to have seen more of in this book is more actual photographs of the landscapes. There are many photos of the featured plants, but the book relies heavily on artwork for the landscape design images.

This book is a tremendous resource for landscaping in the midwest. It provides great ideas for landscaping for different seasons, conditions, and locations. Most of the recommended varieties of plants are easy to find at your local nursery which has always been a problem with other books I have used. The pictures and drawings really provide extreme value when trying to picture how plants will look together. It has already given me enumerous great ideas and suggestions.

A big problem I've had with gardening books is that they so often cover areas with different climates (such as the wet Pacific Northwest) than that which I have to face here in the American Midwest. This book, however, has shown itself to be an excellent resource!

It starts out with a portfolio of 23 designs, giving the reader excellent advice on appearance and what plants to use, complete with color pictures, and a sample graph paper design. After that, it has step-by-step instructions (again with great color illustrations) on building projects, such as sidewalks, walls, patios and so much more. The final part of the book is a series of plant profiles that looks at garden plants and their needs.

So, just to make everything perfectly clear, I loved this book, and highly recommend it to every gardener in the American Midwest!

I found this book while browsing through Winepress Publisher's site several months ago. I unreservedly recommend I Desire Mercy to everyone! The offbeat, yet very realistic characters have endeared me to themselves in a way that few have. I love mysteries, and this one was well-plotted.

There is so much more to this novel! I appreciate the gentle spiritual lessons taught in an honest and imaginative fashion. And I found myself wanting to "know" Marietta, Brianna, Philip, and the other characters that filled my heart. Thank you, Sharon West, for using that wonderful gift you've been given to bless us! Looking forward to the next book..

I found Ms. West book to be one that held my interest and I am looking forward to her next book. It is refreshing to find a really good book with a Christian base.

Grafton, Lehane, George and now West. It is so exciting to find another excellent author in the mystery genre. Ms. West has given us a new character whose adventures I hope to follow for years to come. Keep up the good work!

I first saw this book back in 1985 when it first was published and I will never forget the menacing stare of James Kimberlin, drifter, in Hobbs, New Mexico. A very powerful set of images. Almost made me want to become a drifter myself, wild and free on the American plain. Carry me back to the lone prarie, where the coyotes howl and the wind blows free. Best photo book ever.

My son gave me this book years ago as a birthday gift. It's not one that I look at every day. In truth , sometimes years go by before I pick it up again. Always, the images beg to define their stories. I often wonder as the years pass, what has happened to those portrayed. Only once, as I recall, did Avedon return to shoot the subject twice. That image is of a young cowboy. Avedon initially captures the hope and wonder of what his future holds. The second image taken but a few years later already shows much of that hope diminished with the realization of this is all there is. Perhaps I read too much into it, but I think that's the power of the images. We read individually into them and perhaps with more than a little bias come to our own conclusions. Anytime I need a shot of creativity to look at our world and the people and stories within so that I too can try to capture on film, or now digitally, I need look no further than Avedon's book.

When I was a teen in the early eighties, I went to see the exhibit of these photos in SF, CA with my mother. From what I understand, Richard Avedon traveled the American West, photographing people that he came across in his everyday travels. They weren't beautiful supermodels, they weren't made up actors, they were real live people. I remember like it was yesterday, the huge black and white photos included the tired and haggard teen girl on the cover, a snake handler holding a disemboweled rattlesnake, a grizzled and mean looking prisoner with jail tattoos, insane asylum patients with wild eyed stares, scruffy drifters and many more. After the show, I talked my mom into buying the book for me, and took it home, where it's been a prized posession ever since. Every time anyone comes over to my home and checks it out, it always opens up a discussion. When it went out of print, I know that I was disappointed as folks always wanted a copy after seeing my own, and I think it's great that it's been re-issued. If you are a fan of photography that captures the stark realism of the human spirit, don't miss out on this book.

This is indeed a terrific guidebook for B.C. Previous editions, however, included Banff and Jasper National Parks, which admittedly are in Alberta, not B.C., but are usually included in Canadian Rockies travel itineraries. There's no excuse including Yoho (which is just over the border) but not Banff and Jasper, except to sell more books. So this is not an improvement.

I know of no better book to my home province of British Columbia than this Moon guide. On my travels as a semi-retired geologist, I also carry copies of the Lonely Planet and Frommer's book and have reviewed both of them and others at Amazon.com, but Moon Handbooks British Columbia stands alone for its usefulness. The other books have their good points, but this one encapsulates everything one needs to enjoy the wonders of the province, whether it's their first trip or they live here. It covers every single corner of BC and is thorough and up to date.

The Moon guide is cleverly written and arranged to appeal to all budgets. The bulk of the text relates to towns and parks of BC, with informative coverage of everything from museums to fishing opportunities and wildlife viewing. Each section ends with details of the best places to stay and recommendations for dining. If you're camping out or RVing I'd suggest also getting a campground guide, but the Moon book suggests at least one campground in each town, each of which the author has obviously visited. Motels are also detailed, and over previous editions I'm yet to find fault with the author's choices. Ditto for bed and breakfasts and restaurants.

In my opinion, thois is definitely the best allround guidebook for British Columbia

I've used Moon Handbooks for years and they are simply the best! I have the Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Alberta, and now the British Columbia book, and I've never been disappointed. These books include the usual stuff, such as lodging, restaurants, and recreation, but they also include local history and cultural information that makes them far superior to most guides. Buy a Moon Handbook that covers the state you live in--you will be surprised at how much you can learn. If you're going traveling, they are indispensable.

Mustang:Wild Spirit of the West is a good story about a girl who loves horses all of her life. When she grows up, she tries to stop the killing of wild mustangs. It is a story that I'm sure you would enjoy.

When I was in Elementary School, I read all of the books in the school library that had to do with horses. Of all of them, this was my favorite. I've remembered it until today when I decided to refresh my memory from 7 years ago. I think it's so neat that books like this can stay with you and impact your outlook after so many years. This is such a beautiful and inspiring story, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

I first read the book in sixth grade for a book report. One of my friends said I should read it because my name is Annie, too. The aspect I like most about it was the fact that it the hero was a woman, and she fought with courage and determination for something that she believed was right.