The explanations are clear, extremely helpful to anyone facing the possibility of this kind of surgery. A good reference and recommended reading for all women.

This book details women's reproductive system and offers easy to understand reproductive surgery. It is excellent as is Dr. VG Hufnagel's NO MORE HYSTERECTOMIES published in l989, five years prior to this one. BOTH should be on every woman's bookshelf. Both expose the unjustified medical practices women are constantly being subjected to. Intelligent, questioning women everywhere need these tools in order to demand the care they require if they are to remain healthy. If 51% of the world's population is female, someone better catch on or there're going to be massive legal problems ahead for the medical and insurance world.

This book is designed to help a woman ask the right questions, the most important of which is "What are my alternatives to hysterectomy?" No doubt having a female ghost writer, recognized on the front cover as one would expect from a sensitive person such as West appears to be, helped make this a clear and interesting read for the women to whom it is targeted. Everything one would want to know is included--that is, everything that is available to know. West is not vague in discussing areas of ignorance for the medical community. From the workings of the female organs to the myriad of ills that may befall them to the treatments that are available, everything is presented. At the end of each chapter discussing specific dis-eases of the female organs, West has included a list of specific questions to ask a prospective surgeon. To aid the woman who fears questioning the big daddy in a white coat, West reviews research on doctor-patient communication and gives soun! d advice on communicating effectively and fairly and expecting the same fair treatment from the physician. Among the many books on the market today, I would place this first for the woman weighing her options when hysterectomy has been advised or considered.

This book was a gift from my brother for the holidays. Being a native from Puerto Rico, I believe this book is invaluable for those of us who have been raised in Puerto Rico and like many others, like Mr.Labrucherie expresses in his book chapter "Jibaro", have pursued a more progressive lifestyle in the mainland. Nowhere have I read a book about Puerto Rico, its history and culture, that illustrates the true essence of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican as this book does. The author has an amazing ability of providing insight about the Island not only for the tourist but particularly to us that have lived there and are away. In its own way an analytical review of the Island's background, the book has been written in such a way that not only you learn but mostly you navigate through the book. When you finish each chapter, you feel that you have become part of the story told. Of course, the photography is superb, taking you to the heart of the topic for an extraordinary display of the profound beauty of Puerto Rico. A real pleasure and joy to read. Thank you, Mr. Labrucherie, for making me fall in love with my Island all over again. Cheers, for a fantastic photojournalism and writing exceptional gift!

I've been travelling to the islands of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, for over 25 years, and I have quite a collection of coffee-table books on the region. This author is a master of getting "inside" the county, the people, the culture, the history. Incredible pictures -- this man is a true artist. (The photo notes say he took over 15,000 pictures to put the book together!) The text is chock-full of info, for those who actually take the time to read this sort of book. Actually, I had not intended to read the text, but I started reading a bit here and there and ended up reading it cover-to-cover. This book covers it all -- I couldn't recommend it more highly.

In a word, Wow! This is a superb "portrait" of this island. The photographs are absolutely stunning. But this isn't just a "postcard" view of Puerto Rico -- there's lots of coverage of the people, history, and culture, too. The author-photographer has been traveling to Puerto Rico for over three decades, and it shows both in his photographs and his extensive text, which gives a solid but concise presentation of Puerto Rico's history in a very readable way without being dry. (Kind of National Geographic style.) And the picture captions are in-depth, presenting little gems of info about the picture subject matter if you're in too much of hurry to read the whole text. I've lived in Puerto Rico, and this has the feel of an insider's view, not just someone who has breezed through the island and shot a few pictures.

This is the first book in the Wagon's West series.

The president of the USA is calling in favors. He wants to make sure that the west is American territory and not British or Russian. To do this he calls on his old friend Sam Brentwood and asks him to start a wagon train to Oregon. Sam agrees and will guide the train to Independence, MO where he will stay and make a way station for the future trains to come.

This is where you first meet all the main characters and learn the interaction between them and the types of things that they must face if they are going to try and forge a new life in the west for themselves.

This is the story of their struggles against the British & Russian forces trying to keep them for making the trip.

This book is one of the 7th printing from back in the early 80's. If you are interested in the settlement of the American West this is one series that you need to revisit.

Andrew Jackson, the President of the United States in 1844,
tells Martin Van Buren, his vice president and successor, that "joint control is no control" because under the terms of the Treaty of Ghent, the United States and Britain have joint
control of the Oregon Territory. The book's set in 1837, which historically, isn't when the Oregon-bound settlers
set out. Chalk it up to dramatic license. You have your
cast of characters: Whip Holt, the assistant wagonmaster,
he takes over after Sam Brentwood leads the wagon train as far as Independence, Missouri. Sam marries Cathy van
Ayl's widowed sister, Claudia, and they stay on there to outfit
future wagon trains. You have Henry St. Claire, a British
spy, whose mission for Her Majesty's Government, is to
sabotage it. You also have a beautiful Russian, I forget her name, but she's blackmailed by the Czar's government into
sabotaging it too. Then there's Hosea, a runaway slave,
you also have the Taylor family, Danny, an escaped endentured servant, and Stalking Horse, a Cherokee Indian.
You also have a man dying of consumption, a father with a
daughter, and his illegitimate granddaughter. There's also
a bankrupt planter and his daughter, also named Claudia.
I highly recommend it.

The greatest series of historical fiction starts with a bang. Hey, someone contradicts Andrew Jackson in the FIRST sentence.

With an interesting cast of characters, as well as action and intrigue, this book has it all as the wagon train starts its journey to Oregon by covering the eastern half of the US. Historically, settlers Oregon-bound did not start until around 1844, but we can let that slide. What is strange is that THE principle cast in this book take a diminished role in future titles, save for Cathy Van Ayl. (I'm not counting Whip, who was more prominent later on in Nebraska and aafterward). A MUST READ.

As a local, who takes the city for granted and continually revisits the old haunts, I am enormously grateful for this comprehensive insight into what MY city has to offer.
Katie has sparked the "adventurous" in me and now I am ready to hit the road. This is a book meant for every local's library not to mention all visitors to the city. Most of us are unaware of the myrid options that Kansas City offers. This guide gives us the opportunity to explore and enjoy everything that is available. We are also prepared when, when they come, to enlighten visitors as to everything that Kansas City is about.
Thank you Katie for making all of us who have the book "insiders." The book is a must.

Kansas City Magazine's review from December 2002 issue: Stumped for something interesting to do around the metro? Get a copy of the "Insiders' Guide to Kansas City" and you'll be out of your house or hotel room in no time.

This comprehensive guide has something for everybody whether your interest is music, art, sports, restaurants or casinos.

"Insiders Guide to Kansas City" offers travelers, newcomers and locals the best, most comprehensive information on what's happening in the "City of Fountains" as well as the surrounding areas. Sample world-famous barbecue, dance the night away at a hot spot, or take the kids to Science City. Everything you ever wanted to know about Kansas City is at your fingertips.

I moved to New York City over 7 years ago - I grew up in Overland Park, Kansas.

Now when I go back home, I don't know the best places to go - plus my tastes have changed. This guide book is so classy, chic, and full of new adventures for me as a former Kansas City girl! And it's tough to compete with NYC.

Thanks for the insight, Katie, and for making me feel at home!

This is an interesting experience about how Hank (head of ranch security) leaves and goes to the town to visit his sister Maggie. She tricks him into eating an ivory bar of soap. Then he gets caught by the dog pound and they think he has hydrophobia. However, Hank manages to break out.

This is the halarios story when Hank goes uptown to visit his siter Maggie. whiel teaching Maggie's pups,Spot Roscoe Barbra and April who to be a cowdog he ends up in the pound!!he also has interesting adventures such as" the ivory dog bar".

I'ts a Dog's Life is an interestingbook about the end of the world and thigs that Hank messes up. Also about how along the way he enters ordeals with Pete the cat, who informs them of some very disturbing news. How he involves his sister and teaches his neices and nephews how to deal with cats. It's a funny and interesting book about well... a "Dog's Life" You can be sure that I would recomend this book and that people who have one of those ego's where they think they're better than that than oh well! Your loss!

I re-read Woodworth's excellent treatise on Jefferson Davis and his involvement in the Western Theater. The chapters are succinct and focus more on strategy than in specific battle details. My favorite parts are the reviews at the end of each chapter. I have always believed that Lee's strategy to invade the North rather than deploying his forces in the West was a major blunder. If there is one salient point that screams from this book it is that Jeff Davis' personal relationships with his generals (Polk??) definitely was a detriment to his decision making. This book should be required reading for high school and undergraduate students. Indeed any leader could profit from the analysis and history rendered here.

This book is a must read to understand the generals, campaigns, strategy, and the thinking of Jefferson Davis in the Western Theater. The book is well-written, informative, and features good analysis of the differing generals, Davis' actions, and some very good mini-biographies of the major players. Although the book does not go into major detail about specific battles, Woodworth does give a good overview of the major campaigns and battles of the West. The book also has some interesting theories on why Davis failed in the West. Although I disagreed with some of Woodworth's conclusions, especially regarding Braxton Bragg's capabilities as a commander, I found his arguments well-reasoned, although I thought he went out of his way to bash James Longstreeet. The major sticking point I had with the book was Woodworth's analysis on Bragg and his theory that J.E. Johnston thought the CSA's cause was doomed so he didn't really try to win. I thought that was utter nonsense, but that was really my only quarrel with the book. Well-written, informative, just an excellent book.

After reading 'Davis & Lee at War' I ordered this book from my local book shop and I loved it, more so than the first book. The author explains the relationships between Davis and his Generals who were trusted with the Confederacy's command in the West. That so much damage could be done to the Southern cause by these men in petty infighting is amazing. Beside analysising the Command/Leadership relationships it provides an overview of the battles and fighting in that theatre of operations. I highly recommend this book, it's a great read.

A friend lended me Victoria's book a few years ago, and I am grateful for that. I found her to be such an inspiration. This book has had a profound influence on my life. Her experiences are fascinating, her inner strength is amazing, and her love for the beauty of man and nature is uplifting.

Victoria was a terrifically generous woman. In spite of the fact that she was battling a very aggressive brain tumor over the last year, she gave me the pleasure of her company for an afternoon during a recent trip through Winnipeg. She spoke of a second book she was working on about her return to the North. Unfortunately this second book remains unfinished, as Victoria passed away on May 20, 2000. She was a great lady!

Dear Victoria Yes, I still believe you are an amazing woman. You have accomplished so much and with such enthusiasm and serenity. Your love of the north is so well reflected in your book that It continues to make me dream of the day I will attempt a Kayaking tour similar to yours. I should mention we met at the Chateau Larier in Ottawa when one of your relatives was getting Married. My name if it has slipped your mind is Mark MacNeil. At that time you mentioned about a project you were working on in reference to kayaking tours starting at Pelly Bay. I hope everthing worked out. I long to meet with you again someday to talk about your adventures. I also will be sending the book I have found that is about Inuit culture, the one you had not in your vast collection. I'm also waiting patiently for you next book.

Sincerly Mark

A great adventure and wilderness story. The author displays a sensitivity towards nature and a bit of insanity (good insanity) given the risks involved in the trip through the Artic. If you like to sea kayak you will enjoy this book. If you like adventure stories you will also like this book.

Although I'm an ardent supporter of Israel, I deliberately picked up this book hoping to better sensitize myself to the enormous pain in the Palestinian community. Mr. Barghuthi's touching personal story did help to achieve that goal.

I'm not an educated literary critic, but I found the style and substance of his work to be engaging and difficult to put down. If anything, I concluded my read feeling a strong sense of accessibility in Mr. Barhuthi's personal journey and his humanity. I believe that important because of how penetrating the constant images of violence and suicide bombing are, and how easy it therefore becomes to forget that there are real, human families on the Palestinian side of the conflict.

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't make note of the few places in which Mr. Barghuti lashes out at Israel with political comments that seem to ignore or misunderstand the Israeli point of view. I couldn't help but also feel that as a person who grew up under totalitarian Arab regimes, he has a basic misunderstanding of classic, liberal society. I also wondered whether or how much his views might have changed since the time this book was written. Those political interludes are few and far between, though, and not at all the focus of this work, which feels intensely personal and excruciating.

I think that all such things deserve a critical eye, but I also believe that anyone deeply interested in this conflict would be well served by reading this touching work.

Mourid Barghouti's vivid memoir was a pleasure to read. "I saw Ramallah" describes the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the eyes of one of the millions of human beings and families directly affected by the conflict. We learn how the author was exiled because the 1967 war took place while he was studying abroad. We see how he was separated from his wife and kid by a second exile from Egypt due to his "Palestinianness". We get to cry with him when he hears of his brother's tragic death, also in exile. And we get a taste for his complicated feelings upon seeing his country for the first time in 25 years during the Oslo Peace process.

This book truly shows that nothing is simple about the Middle East Conflict. It spares no authority from criticism - not the Palestinian Authority, not the Arab countries, and not Israel. At the same time, the book shows that in fact the Middle East conflict IS simple: we are humans at the base of it. Enjoyable reading, and very thought-provoking.

Choice
(July 1, 2001; 977-424-499-0)

A well-known Palestinian poet, Barghouti was exiled from his village near Jerusalem for 30 years and finally granted permission to return for a brief visit. In a rich and evocative language, he reveals his feelings as he re-enters Palestine and begins to visit again places he knew as a boy. Barghouti writes in a poetic prose whose unexpected images constantly open new vistas for the reader. With neither polemics nor exaltation he explores the sense of self and loss, the interaction of the past and the present in the emotional baggage that exiles brings with them on return home. He makes the reader feel in the most personal way a sense of presence and absence and the changes that time has wrought both on him and on his homeland. In the growing body of exile literature (the Iranians contribute an important share), this book is one of the most human and humane documents available. It is both timely and timeless, a powerful statement of an existential condition that is becoming increasingly common in the world. It should be in every library.

I'm a Texas History teacher, and I use the book quite a bit in class. It is broken up into short, true stories of encounters with Indians in the days of early anglo settlement. Some of the accounts are funny, some harrowingly tense. Others so heartbreaking that I've never been able to shake the violent imagery. As other reviewers have stated, it reflects the opinions of the time, so if you're into PC BS you won't like it. Books like this shouldn't be forgotten.

This is an excellent peek into the history of Indian raids in Texas and the attitudes of those they raided. It is related through a man whose brother was scalped alive by Comanches, which accounts for his bias. It was also written in a day and age before the present-day hindsight morality and political correctness was in vogue, therefore it is a genuine book with genuine attitudes of the time.

This book, though written by a person who obviously hated Indian, was an excellent book for anyone interested in Texas history. I particularly like how the stories are indexed by county so that one may quickly find stories relating to local history as well. This book is not only fascinating from a narrative perspective but also from the fact that it contains photos of settlers who are chronicled in the stories, adding yet another dimension to the books authenticity. I highly recommend this book to parents who are trying to get their children to read (middleschool level). The book reads like a series of short adventure stories. I feel that teens would find this highly engaging especially since the stories are true, even though reported by a biased observer, Wilbarger.

Jack the Ripper is the not quite the definitive history that the sub-title promises but there is much fascinating information in this book by Paul Begg. For the best history on the Jack the Ripper case, the reader is strongly advised to read Philip Sugden's The Complete History of Jack the Ripper. Begg's book would then make an interesting follow-up for the beginning Ripperologist and a must-have for the more devoted follower of Saucy Jack. The author provides a great deal of context (perhaps a tad too much, did the story truly need to begin in Roman times?) which other Ripper books never provide and gives important political thumb nail sketches of the political personalities and issues at the time which directly and indirectly affected the investigations. It would have been nice if the information on the victims and suspects had been expanded a little as one could always feel the author wanting to let loose with his opinion and other facts, particularly noticeable in the chapter on Mary Kelly. An interesting enough addition to the Ripper lore.

Paul Begg has written the most insightful volume on The Whitechapel Murders to date. Putting the whole series of events in to historical context is something that has been terribly lacking in other histories surrounding the events of 1888. Bravo to Mr. Begg for his ability to avoid speculating or casting the facts in a slanted light. This book should be the first purchased by anyone with interest in the subject. Thank you, Mr. Begg, for such a thorough and refreshing book.

This book is great. This is by far one of the best books on the subject. Paul Begg has written a masterpiece. I probably wouldn't recommend it to amateurs on the subject, but once you have a feeling for the case and its history, this is the book you want to read.