A beautifully done baedeker of historic information on settlement patterns and architecture of the American West. As in their other books, Lee and McAlester weave local historiography with the creation of venacular architecture into entertaining narrative.

There are two apparent shortcomings: a relative dearth of good photos--for a quasi-reference work, there is simply not enough visual stimulation, and a highly cryptic reference system wherein the photo captions are not cross referenced properly with the notes. Otherwise, this is a book to be valued by those with an interest in housing and architecture.

Weirton Steel in West Virginia has now taken its place as one of the most successful employee buyouts in history. Because of the process that began in 1983, the company extended its life by twelve years and, according to the author, "probably will last another dozen." That's a big accomplishment in a business once thought destined for the scrap heap. The dramatic story of Weirton, with plenty of relevance for today, is dramatically and expertly documented by this attorney and experienced journalist who spent five years studying the process.

Ghosts and Other Plays is a seminal series of plays that combine humor with scathing social critique. Ibsen was not afraid to tackle weightier themes and taboos, in order to shock his audience out of their complacency. These plays demonstrate Ibsen's loathing of hyprocrisy, soulless institutions, the mandates of society which cause suffering (ie. Christianity). He has also been perceived as the figurehead for the emancipation of women from their traditional "place." That is not to say Ibsen is of dire seriousness or dry. His plays move quickly, the events in "Ghosts" for ex. occurring in less than a day. Ibsen is a great playwright whose works remain relevant and vital, in a consumerist society where people still remain afraid to defy cultural norms.

The Handywoman Stories link together to paint a picture of the lives of people in West Virginia's Appalachia from pre WWI forward. Their lives are spare, sometimes wretched, but the people meet their problems straight on. Coberly delivers quirky, humorous, generous and, for the most part, believable characters. The book left me with a warm feeling and a chuckle for Coberly's handywomen of West Virginia.

This book is an engaging first person account of the exploits of a rather daring Confederate foot soldier. The book is lifted from a series of newspaper articles John Blue wrote over 30 years after the War for Southern Independence ended. Blue does not get into the political and social issues of the day, but recounts in a straigtforward and interesting style the struggles of a soldier, including his experience as a prisoner of war and escapee. This book is particularly interesting to those familiar with the geography of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and the corridor through Brocks Gap into West Virginia where Blue grew up in site of what is still known as Hanging Rock.

the essays contained within Finkelman's books are well written and well argued, just watch out because they contain an anti-Brown slant. These works are far from impartial and for a history text, some of them don't follow the traditional road to research of primary source, secondary, and so and so forth. The text is excellent if are looking to read good essays, but they are not impartial.

This book about women painters of American West from 1890 to 1945 shows and talks about art and paintings. Reading its words and seeing its paintings was an experience over which I may not get. From the moment I opened the book I entered a new world of color landscape shapes figures flowers abstractions and movement. How did so many creative and talented people escape historical recognition and fame? Many of the artists in this book had to wage war with themselves, family, society and some won - mostly those with financial means, time to themselves, art education, human support and they succeeded as free spirits in the world of art. Independent Spirits is a study of pioneers who expressed themselves using artists' tools. For most fame eluded them while they made history by painting, teaching, building of museums and art schools, encouragement of public interest in visual arts and redefinition of feminine art.

Myra Miller of the Great Plains (1882 to 1961) painted game birds which she froze and painted in a cold room in the winter. She set up her own still lifes of birds and guns on panels and the paintings were 2' x4'. The subjects became the essential and yet ordinary stuff of life rendered so painstakingly as beautiful to behold, characteristic of her world and perhaps bounty for the family table.

Why the West? Why did O'Keefe feel compelled as an artist to leave the city and apartment dwelling for the open space of the west?

Independent Spirits tells of women set free to live creative lives determined to express record persevere and interpret what they saw - for themselves and for unknown and unseen viewers.

there's a new bizzrro legend in West Virginia and his name is Frank K Thomas. While ostensibly about flying airplanes, It is This Way With Men Who Fly certainly doesn't limit itself to that subject. Frank (can I call you Frank?)is more than happy to give you his opinion of just about anything you would care to know. Though he waxes philosophical at times, Antoine De Saint-Exupery he is most definitely not. This earthy witty little book is a gleeful romp inside the life and head of one of those colorful individuals that make America truly and gloriously the weirdest country I've ever had the luck to be from.

I recommend this book to those who are interested in the life of the early settlers of the Elk and Kanawha Valley area. As one of MANY Young descendants, I found it fascinating and very informative. The writer makes this a very enjoyable read.

I'm buying another copy of this book, to keep. I've loaned my first copy to many people and I don't know where it went. I just hope it is being passed on to others. Being a native West Virginian I find the story very entertaining. Many ideas seem would seem ordinary to me except that my twenty years in the Air Force gives me a larger prespective. It seems to me that the power of common sense is getting to be an uncommon virtue. tfs