To me this review does not do justice to the most compelling aspect of the book, which is how political pressure, and assurances of safety in the face of all evidence to the contrary, by governmental officials and other trusted leaders dissuaded the people of St. Pierre from evacuating the city in time to save their lives. I read this book many years ago and have forgotten some of the details, but this theme -- more popularly explored in "Jaws" and recently in "Isaac's Storm" -- has stayed in my mind. Most readers will never be threatened by a volcanic eruption, but this book is a somewhat grim reminder that our own leaders may be lying about impending natural disasters. Remember Pelee!

Thomas and Witts tell the story of a week in May, 1902,when the Carrabean city of St. Pierre was obliterated by a volcanic eruption. When I first saw this book, I wondered how anyone could pen over 150 pages on a volcano that wiped a city out in seconds, leaving only two survivors. I thought there would not be much to write about. Boy was I wrong! It turns out that in the week prior to the eruption, St. Pierre was hit by landslides, a tsunami, and even a deadly snake infestation! Several hundred were killed before the great event itself. The final eruption is simply the climatic horror and can almost be seen as a blessing, putting people out of their misery. This book is probably hard to find now, but it is worth getting, and will interest just about everyone from the scientist to the casual reader.

This is the kind of book cherished by all lovers of frontier history--historical researchers and genealogists, as well as those who simply love to read about it. Not just a book of letters, but a lusciously annotated treasure chest of biographical information, and not just on the Clarks, but on the frame of frontier history which surrounded them.

The insights on William Clark and York are indeed interesting, but biographical sketches in the notes reveal arcane facts on Daniel Boone, General James Wilkinson, Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and many others less known but equally interesting. Mr. Holmberg sometimes indulges in speculation and tentative assertions, but the demarcation between fact and inference is always clear.

The work is handsomely constructed, the font easy to read, the notes easy to follow. A complete bibliography is provided along with a complete index. All and all, a pleasure to peruse, a delight to own.

Mr. Holmberg's new forthcoming edition of letters discovered
in an old Louisville, Kentucky estate some two decades ago
will shed new light on many long unanswered questions regarding the life of William Clark, of Lewis and Clark Expedition fame.
Aside from being an archivist at Kentucky's prestigious Filson
Club which holds its own substantial William Clark collection,
Holmberg is himself an expert Lewis and Clark enthusiast who brings passion, intelligence, clarity and understanding to interpretation of these significant letters. I have been privileged to hear the lectures of Mr. Holmberg at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lewis and Clark Training Academies, and without a doubt this book and its letters give valuable
insight into the life of York, William Clark's slave and
fellow expedition member, the winter at Fort Mandan, William Clark's relationship with his wife, Julia, and his ongoing honest and open, although often grossly misspelled, literary discourse with his brother Jonathan. Readers of Ambrose's UNDAUNTED COURAGE will revel in this book as it gives further insight into the character of William Clark, who often gets
far less press coverage than the colorful figure of
Meriwether Lewis. Every Lewis and Clark enthusiast should
be sitting on the front porch swing awaiting the VERY MOMENT when the mailman delivers this upcoming Amazon offering. The fact that these unknown letters survived AT ALL is amazing. The added scholarship and editing added to the project by
one so respected in the field as Jim Holmberg makes the prospect of this literary work almost too grand to imagine.

Discovery of the letters of William Clark is as significant
as finding an undiscovered portrait of Lincoln. We knew the
man before the discovery, but now we will know him better!

Kit Carson is one of my favorite historical figures and this is my favorite book about him. Carter republishes and annotates Carson's laconic autobiography of adventures as a fur trapper, mountain man, indian fighter, soldier, and explorer. Carson went from being an illiterate saddlers's apprentice in 1825 to one of the famous men in America by the end of his life in 1868. A small, unprepossessing man, he never learned to read or write, never made any money, and was modest, even ashamed of his fame. Arguably, Carson lived through more adventures than anyone else in American history.

Carter admires his subject which is good because Kit Carson is sometimes portrayed these days as a monstrous genocidiare because of his role in defeating the Navajos and forcing them to move to a reservation on which many of them died. In reality, Carson was a relatively humane soldier who often defended the rights of the Indians and who became a good agent on their behalf. But, unlettered and overly impressed by the authority, judgments, and education of his superiors, Carson didn't possess the moral courage and confidence to challenge his orders to suppress the Navajos.

Carter's research into Carson's life is thorough. He employs the unusual technique of publishing Carson's autobiography as written and commenting on it in extensive footnotes. Some might find this irritating as your eyes must move from text to footnote constantly. Carter also publishes a large collection of photographs of Carson, examines his fame, and extolls his virtues.

To my mind, Kit Carson is the premier hero of the western expansion of the U.S. Carter's book is one of the most accurate and well-researched accounts of Carson's remarkable life.

This is a readable and scholarly work that should be part ofthe library of anyone who is an aficionado of the Old West. This bookexplained to me not only who Kit Carson was, but why he was significant. Although the author makes a good case for why Carson can be considered a hero, he also doesn't shy away from commenting on the man's mistakes. The biography seemed thoughtful, balanced, clear, concise, and thoroughly researched. Moreover, this book is particularly special because, in addition to the author's biography, it contains the complete text of Kit Carson's own autobiography, along with biographer Carter's helpful annotations to it. There are also some photos giving the biography and autobiography an added dimension. Two more points: Carson's life is exciting-- he was a mountain man, an explorer, a scout, a cavalry officer, and more! Also, this biography is only about ten years old, so you know that Carter is basing his inferences on fairly reliable, up-to-date research! All in all, I'd say that whether you're a novice or an expert on the subject, if you had to read or own just one book about Kit Carson, this should be it.

"Democracy Delayed" is an excellent comparative study of the political forces that influence transitions in totalitarian societies and a comparison of present day Cuba under Castro and similar scenarios in Eastern Europe. It is a well researched document that is required reading for political science students interested in Cuban politics or transitional forces and their effect on totalitarian systems. Dr. Juan J. Lopez is one of the most intelligent political analists on Cuban affairs, going beyond the "cliche" to well thought out and researched conclusions.

Details of Value, Overview Clear and Cogent, Understanding Complete

This book (Juan Lopez 2002 Democracy Delayed John Hopkins University Press) is a "must read" for one trying understanding the complexities of Cuba.

Too often in books on Cuba, one sees errors of fact, misunderstandings and omissions of history, and above all blindness to what is really happens on that sad island.

You will find none of these illusions and errors in this book. This volume's wealth of details of value, its coherent, cogent and clear overview will lead the careful and discerning reader to a far more complete and greater understanding of Cuba's present and past circumstance than any other academic book I have ever read.

Larry Daley (Garcia-Iñiguez Enamorado)
Corvallis, Oregon
Formerly of Column One (Assault) Company Six M-7-26 (1958)

I was really pleased with this book. It covers everything you can think of and is easy to use. I recommend it.

Wonderful photography and witty editorial. I highly recommend this book for both newcomers and long time residents. It's a great way to get to get to know or become reacquainted with the city of Denver

I have lived in Santa Maria for 17 years, and have never heard anything about all of this. I knew that a toxic waste landfill existed in Casmalia, but i never knew that the drinking water was contaminated.

This book chronicles in engaging fashion the terrible and true story of how a city's water supply was contaminated when multiple measures to protect the citizens failed. It presents an interesting story on a personal level of one man who recognized a problem and did a tremendous amount of work on his own to bring it to the attention of elected officials. In this sense, it is a encouraging story because it shows one person can make a difference. It also emphasizes that the individual must attempt to make a difference because our representatives can not always be relied on to protect our interests. I think it would also be a very interesting read for anyone interested in environmental issues or who has a similar problem in their own community. This incident was not as well publicized nationally as some more infamous catastrophies. But to the residents in this area, the problem is well known. It is sometimes hard to comprehend how a disaster like this could occur. This book explains how it happened to this unfortunate community and is a must read to raise people's awareness. It could happen anywhere....

This is a wonderful dictionary. Western language takes work and violence and humor and a canny sexuality and uses them to enrich the terse conversation of cowboys, Indians, loggers, and other wild folk with history, culture, tradition, puns and irreverence. It's a language that comes from Spanish and French and Dutch and Indian and cussedness.
This dictionary pauses in its definition of mayordomo to discuss New Mexican acequias in a liesurely way. The definition of dogie, and speculation on its origins, is a satisfying essay on its own.
It's a book for reading, not a reference tool--it's too hard to get out of to be resorted to on a purely practical basis. Makes you glad to be a speaking creature.

* A murder. A body in the streets at dawn. Said to have been commonplace in the early days of Los Angeles and in Denver.

This book is invaluable to me as I work in a Museum that specializes in western exploration and life. There have been very few inquiries from visitors from all over the world that cannot be found in this book. Information from the early 1800's to the present time abound in this book in very digestible terms. Excellent reference book.

FDR died in 1945. Immediately thereafter, his medical records disappeared from the Navy files, never to surface again. Admiral Ross T. McIntire, FDR's personal physician for twelve years continuously denied FDR's health problems and, in fact, wrote a book in 1945 assuring the public that the President never had any serious heart condition. He clearly withheld information about FDR's health and, thereby, misled the American people. The truth came out in 1970. The evidence of secrecy and cover-up is there for all to see. FDR was a sick man for years, and, particularly, in 1944, when he attended the Teheran Conference. He did not fully consult with Churchill and did not stand up to Stalin's demands. Fifty-eight years after the fact we learn how the irresponsibility of one man, Admiral McIntire, likely influenced the aftermath of World War II. Mr. Wills leaves us to speculate how many lives would be different today and what ways these lives could be different. Could a cover-up of this magnitude happen again?
Mr. Wills has written an engaging history full of drama building to an inescapable conclusion that in 1944-1945 FDR was a very sick man who was not able to reprsent the ideals of the American people to the best of his ability. It is authoritative and well documented. A DIMIMISHED PRESIDENT, FDR IN 1944 is highly recommended.

Matthew Wills' book "A Diminished President - FDR In 1944" is outstanding. It is well researched and documented and brings to light little-known facts that clearly demonstrate that President Roosevelt was, in fact, a diminished President during the last months of his life. This may have led to some fateful decisions and actions that impact our Country even today. While the book presents many historical facts, Will's style is crisp and reads like a mystery novel. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. All who are interested in this period of our history must read this book; and, those who have not had any earlier interest could be highly enlightened and entertained. I heartily recommend the book.

It's a great book. It helped me understand the different types of kids... and how they learn differently... Now I can spot a learning type from across the room... really helped me understand the "wiggly" kid...

The Discipline Guide is an excellent source for anyone who is working with children. It can be used for teacher training. The book covers a variety of areas in discipline. The authors incorporate all the aspects of a child's whole person in a concise and understandable way. This book will change your thinking and will forever help in working with children. I really enjoyed reading the book and plan to use it when I train teachers in church. It can be used in a variety of ways, from sunday school to daycare.

The title says "Dive Sites of the Bahamas" and it delivers. Specific descriptions, exact locations, and details on the dive site (depth, currents, visibility, etc.)

My only wish would be for more. Essential for anyone planning a dive trip or cruise to the Bahamas.

This is a great book to pick up if you're even thinking of going to the Bahamas. Great pictures, comprehensive dive site reviews PLUS the book is loaded with lots of extras that make it one of the best dive books I've seen. Pages of fishID info with color photos, dive medicine, travel tips -- all in a very attractive package.