John Waters Books

If not considered a classic it should be. It is a great story about the never ending struggle between those with and those without.

I absolutely loved this book - a great story and excellently written.

The Milagro Beanfield War is a book that starts out very well. Nichols knows
the people and the area he is describing. The stories that he uses to introduce
the location and the characters have a touch of magic realism, and for the
first 100 pages I really thought this would be one of the best books I read
this year. I felt that after that the story got bogged down. As Nichols notes,
this is really a book with an agenda, and this becomes perfectly clear very soon.
Unfortunately this means that the characters and their lively stores that show
such promise in the first part of the book get pushed aside. What
remains are stereotypes of the people (on both sides) and language ("Ai Chihuahua!")
in service of an indictment of capitalism and large scale landownership. While
I agree with some of the points made, I thought that the approach was
heavy handed, and the story suffered as the result.

When Joe Mondragon illegally irrigates a puny beanfield, he starts WWIII and becomes the unwitting, reluctant symbol of this battle between the haves and the have nots. The book is absolutely hilarious with its wry yet rich descriptions of the people and the cultures clashing in Milagro, NM. But underneath, the end is near and everyone knows it, is resigned to it, but will fight to hold on for as long as possible. I've read this book several times and have come away with something new every time. Nichols' description of Kyril Montana's initial stealthy and secret foray into Milagro will always hold a special place in my heart. Que viva, Snuffy!

I finally got around to reading this novel whilst on summer vacation (it was in the free pile at the condo) and am so glad that I did.

Nichols engages the reader from the first page, with a blend of magical realism, social commentary, satire, and good old fashioned story telling.

Jose "Joe" Mandragon sets in motion a variety of forces in the state of New Mexico when he irrigates his family legacy, a miniscule beanfield left to him by his father. With that simple act, centuries-old tensions between rancher and farmer, Mexican and Anglo, subsistence living and the cash economy, come to a head.

What could have been a dull exercise in race relations, regional history, and economic theory, is instead brought to wonderful, earthy life in this charming novel that will make you think, laugh, and perhaps even shed a tear or two.

Definitely worth reading!

I am a DIY'er with an engineering background and this book is great! It walks you through various systems and associated calculations.

This book is assembled like a text book and comprehensive. It is not like a DIY brochure you'll find in your hardware store. This book covers everything you need to know to design and build a hydronic heating system and why you do what you do. As an engineer, I needed that level of explanation, however, some folks might not.

In summary, I found the book to be absolutely invaluable in designing and building my hydronic baseboard/boiler system and I highly recommend it.

The newest addition to my hydronic heating library thoroughly covers a complicated subject. Perhaps best suited for the seasoned professional, given so much information; proper application could be a challenge. The design formulas are certainly here for the discerning professional.

Well-done Mr. Siegenthaler!

Morgan M. Audetat
BadgerBoilerService.com

I've found this text to be extremely helpful as I am planning and building a new shop with hydronic heating. It is very well written with excellent photos & illustration, Good technical detail with graphs and equations to enable the reader to create a design with confidence. Definitely a good investment for my library.

This book is quite comprehensive, covering every component of a hydronic
heating system in detail, along with exercises and system diagrams of
numerous variations. Even simple components such as air purge devices
and expansion tanks get sections or even chapters to themselves.

There is a very good chapter that lays out about 10 different methods
of designing the distribution system.

Lots and lots of information and tips on tubing layout, as well as
surveys of the different methods of putting the tubing down (thick
slab, thin slab, dry on top, under the floor, etc)

It's definitely in textbook format, and would probably be the type of
book you'd use for a hydronic heating course at your local community
college IF you could find such a course.

Only a couple of nitpicks.
--It's a pricey book. I passed over it until I found a $9 copy
on the sale table.
--my first edition is still talking about polybutylene tubing
and tankless hot water heaters are not mentioned. I don't have a copy
of the 2nd edition to compare.
--given that PEX has become widespread for this type of application,
more information on PEX would be appreciated.

I am a Master Plumber who was asked to design and install a Hydronic Heating System. I hoped this book would provide a step-by-step engineering process for designing a radiant heating system, but it does not.

What it does provide is a somewhat scattered knowledge of Hydronic Heating, at the engineering and scientific levels, but does not bring them together to create anything useful like how to design a system. If you are to use this book to design a system, you are on your own. You must conceptualize the design yourself and choose the applicable engineering from various chapters in the book. I find it very frustrating.

I don't care how many BTUs/lb it takes to convert water to ice or vice versa, or the specific heat of steel. I just want to create a Hydronic heating system without being dragged through a lot of unnecessary knowledge.

If you new to Hydronic Heating you will need several days to familiarize yourself enough with the math and concepts presented in this book to design a system. Hope you have the time!

Incredible story. Well written. My family are sailors and my brother sailed one Fastnet race, so the details were both fascinating and scarey. Couldn't put the book down. If you have ever sailed, whether it be in a small sunfish or a larger boat, this story will ring so true. You will understand the challenges and the forces of nature, and hopefully make sure you are well prepared if you try anything on this scope. Great reading.

Even non-sailors will enjoy the thorough account of how a fast moving storm from America's Midwest grew into a sudden, shocking fury that wiped out the 1979 Fastnet race. Several boats and their fates are covered.

Although I am not a sailor (and was occasionally left beind by Rousmaniere's use of sailing terminology), I thoroughly enjoyed this account of the deadly 1979 Fastnet race. The book is a narrative of a summer sailing race turned disaster off the coast of England and Ireland. As a bonus Rousmaniere is a good writer unlike so many other adventurers.

One of the most striking elements of the storm is that its effects varied so much over a very small distance. The author, who took part in the race on a larger yacht, was never really in life-threatening seas, while other boats just a few hours away pitched and rolled themselves to pieces. Rousmaniere tells his story along with accounts from the yachts that had crewmembers perish. He also describe the rescue effort in detail and gives some explanation how more than 300 yachts could have been surprised by one of the largest summer storms in history. The most interesting chapter at the end is his attempt to explain the lessons learned during the storm.

A good account of a hideous sailing adventure that will be enjoyable to sailors and land-lubbers alike.

If you are looking for a good guys vs. bad guys screed; if you are looking for a juvenile, sensationalistic piece, look elaewhere. This is an intelligent, objective documentary of sea disaster in which boats were lost and people died. You don't have to be a yachtsman, just a muture student of the human experience.

Rousmaniere has done a great job on this book. He combines story and technical data quite well. He obviously did a lot of research, and it's reflected in the book. If you're a Sunday sailor - or a want to be ocean racer - this book is a must!

I read this book, along with its two sequels, in one sitting. The book simply wouldn't let me stop reading it. It is filled with wisdom, and it helped me gain tremendous insights into my own life. It was truly inspiring. It is a book that I will return to many times in order to absorb the depth of its wisdom. I look forward to more books by this author.

This book is a quick read, the title makes you think, mind stretching.

The note I wrote to myself after I read the book the first time around was:
"When you can accomplish good/great things, do it quietly in a simple way. Don't flaunt your abilities. Stay humble, be simple, uncomplicated. This reduces stress and does not bring attention to you."
I use this every day.

Several years ago, I was challenged by many doubts and fears
concerning my dreams of moving to the States and becoming
a successful law-enforcement officer there. It seemed like
a road was blocked anywhere I looked at. Whatever a way
I took, I was confronted by seemingly impossible obstacles.

Soon I was questioning my own motives and considered giving
up the whole dream. Back then I thought sincere dreams are
just dreams, and were never intended to come true.

Well, then I met someone who told me, "you are not alone with
your problems. Other people have gone through similar problems,
and there is a way out. You just need to try something else
in a slightly different manner".

As I am open-minded, I decided to give it a try, and read this
wonderful book. Indeed, yes, it comforted me and as this story
is based on a real-life experiences of the author himself, I
wanted to value the lessons it taught.

It was like a mutual journey with the main character who went
through life's rocky road -- ultimately leading a reader to a
place where all TRUE success and happiness originates. So
empowering was the message that I was nailed to read this book
through eventhough it took me a whole night...but it was really
worth my time, and actually has made me to read the book again and again.

John Harricharan knows what he is talking about, and he can
help you to return your faith in yourself. Never, ever, give up
your hope or dreams. You can do it, you can be anything you want
to be, and life can be your best friend. All that is needed is
a desire to try a slightly new way of thinking and feeling. Give
it a try, and I promise you will not regret that you bought this
masterpiece. After all, you should never waste your life.

No dream is too good to be true... Most of the times we dream too
little, and after reading this book -- I decided it is time to
multiply my dreams -- and make them many times grander and
greater. You can do the same... I cannot say that I have always
achieved my goals -- but I am on my way, and won't give up
since I know that the Morning Has Been All Night Coming.

Several years ago, I was challenged by many doubts and fears
concerning my dreams of moving to the States and becoming
a successful law-enforcement officer there. It seemed like
a road was blocked anywhere I looked at. Whatever a way
I took, I was confronted by seemingly impossible obstacles.

Soon I was questioning my own motives and considered giving
up the whole dream. Back then I thought sincere dreams are
just dreams, and were never intended to come true.

Well, then I met someone who told me, "you are not alone with
your problems. Other people have gone through similar problems,
and there is a way out. You just need to try something else
in a slightly different manner".

As I am open-minded, I decided to give it a try, and read this
wonderful book. Indeed, yes, it comforted me and as this story
is based on a real-life experiences of the author himself, I
wanted to value the lessons it taught.

It was like a mutual journey with the main character who went
through life's rocky road -- ultimately leading a reader to a
place where all TRUE success and happiness originates. So
empowering was the message that I was nailed to read this book
through eventhough it took me a whole night...but it was really
worth my time, and actually has made me to read the book again and again.

John Harricharan knows what he is talking about, and he can
help you to return your faith in yourself. Never, ever, give up
your hope or dreams. You can do it, you can be anything you want
to be, and life can be your best friend. All that is needed is
a desire to try a slightly new way of thinking and feeling. Give
it a try, and I promise you will not regret that you bought this
masterpiece. After all, you should never waste your life.

No dream is too good to be true... Most of the times we dream too
little, and after reading this book -- I decided it is time to
multiply my dreams -- and make them many times grander and
greater. You can do the same... I cannot say that I have always
achieved my goals -- but I am on my way, and won't give up
since I know that the Morning Has Been All Night Coming.

A book you won't want to put down until you are finished. Great for business groups -- along with the companion book, Morning Has Been All Night Coming. This book gives the reader a peaceful perspective on life.

when I bought this book (some years back) I would have given it 5 stars, but all deco info is now very out of date, check dive computers reviewed on index page! otherwise a very god book that is an easy read. For more up to date info check Technical Diving in Depth (Bruce R Weinke) this has every thing you might want to know but is very technical and not (I find) an easy read.

This book was a useful introduction, actually a great deal more detail than in an introduction, to deeper rec. diving. Very useful technical information.

I wonder how many serious and dedicated scuba divers actually continue to put off their natural progression from recreational scuba diving to the more advanced techniques of technical diving? Personally, I delayed that progression for far too long. As a professional underwater photo-journalist who specialises in shipwreck research, however, I find myself being drawn more and more towards deeper and deeper wrecks - if only because these are the wrecks that divers want to know more about.

My first choice in books when commencing that transition to more technical expertise, was this book by John Lippmann. A number of people have commented that it is out-of-date - but it is only out-of-date if your own expertise has already progressed beyond the level which this book seeks to teach.

Any diver who is seriously thinking about technical diving but who has yet to make the first move in that direction should read this book. Yes, things have moved on since this book first appeared in 1992 - but that does not make the information inaccurate. It simply allows the modern diver to regard this book as the first step towards an exciting extension of their diving career.

Other books (including other books by this author) will then take that diver even further into the realms and complexities of serious deep technical diving.

NM

Everything you need to know in basic deep diving about tables, procedures, equipment, setings, planning, decompression techniques and decompression illness, a mut read book for every diver (especially novices) who wants to know more about deep diving.

Marcelo Moorea

I don't write a whole lot of reviews but noticed a few negative ones about this very informative book. This text is a simpler to understand and less costly alternative to John's "Deeper Into Diving", but is still a MUST read in my opinion. This text was recommended reading for my Divemaster course and should be considered as a MUST read for any serious sport diver. It indroduces you to and explains in plain English some additional risks to diving deeper. After reading this text I sought out other titles by John due to his writing style. This text makes no claims to being a TECH diver's bible, only that it informs the SPORT diver of the additional risks of deep diving. I can't say this enough, a MUST read. This text is timeless and with ANY text, product reviews and dive tables should be taken for what they are, examples. I still gain valuable information from diving books written in the 50s and 60s but am making no plans to dive those Navy tables on a double hose regulator. This was not a buyer's guide for dive computers and made no claim to being a guide for decompression diving. I think we as divers can all agree that specialties require specific training. John's book simply opens the door to many avenues. Did I mention it's a MUST read in my book, lol...

*****-MENTAL ENEMA-***** (Destinction Speciale Classique)(TM)

1. Give your thyroid a break! If you found this one then the book 'Fluoride: Drinking ourselves to death?' by Dr. Vyvyan [something - I forget]

2. Just type in npwa into google, it may or may not be available from the amazon UK site or even npwa, allegedly. It may be a British book, allegedly.

3. I'm not allowed to give availability information according to the rules so I cannot say whether or not it is available, so paragraph 2 entirely fictional and bears no resemblance to reality.

This book is excellent for pointing out the fradulent studies that were done and which were used as a basis for duping dentists and other health officials into promoting fluoridation. Dr. Yiamouyiannis outlines the history of the fraud and how promoters abuse their power to ruin the professional careers of opponents, especially if those opponents are credentialed. Chemical and Engineering News of 8/1/88 Vol. 66 and Newsweek Magazine of 9/14/92 p. 63, address this and other issues. This is must reading for those who are disciplined to think for themselves as opposed to those who just accept the word of indoctrinated individuals who are beholden to the power structure (e.g. ADA, AMA, USPHS). The "power structure" can never admit they were wrong in promoting the practice, because to so, would be to open themselves to untold levels of liability.

How a reviewer can call this 'junk science' is beyond me. Oh...an -anonymous- reviewer. Check the info on both sides; Yiammouyiannis is loaded with references and documentation, both in footnotes and as part of the text. He answers every countercharge one by one, in detail, and was eager to speak to any group and debate with any opposing speakers, any time. They weren't interested.What were they afraid of? The facts. The pro-fluoride faction merely repeat, over and over; "fake", etc. It's a profitable big business to turn this waste product from aluminum smelting into a fraudulant health product, (besides avoiding the incredible costs of burying it in a safe place), too big to let it go no matter how many people it hurts, and if they can keep making their millions by merely not logically arguing the point, why not?

A guest of Mr. Tom Valentine and many
other shows, Dr. Y as he is known by
is a very well respected Greek/German
American from Delware, Ohio, who once
ran for President and ended up on tic-
ket with Col. James Bo Gritz in 1992.
All of Dr. Y's books are outstanding!
Flouride is one of the biggest rackets
in the country! Help expose it, Mr and
Mrs America by reading this book and cir-
culating it far and wide!

It is in our water and we cannot get it out. So how can we ever say it is bad for us? I leave the doctor studies to the doctors and it is ironic how many agree with these findings. Especially those from foriegn countries where fluoride is not added or contimating their water supply. I refuse fluoride treatments and only young American dentists do not understand. Older doctors and dentists know the truth. My older dentists in Costa Rica refuse to offer fluoride treatments! They beleive in more than making an extra buck and supporting false beliefs! They've read the reports in the scientific journals and can understand what they've read. I will hold my guns and realize fluoride is poison but neccesary for dental care. I am just careful not to swallow any of the poison and rinse well with non-flouride water or mouthwash when this poison is in my mouth treating my teeth. Otherwise it is as good as swallowing lead chips. This book is a must read for an introduction to this poison which we Americans have been misled to believe is not hazardous.

This is a very personal look back at the author's great great grandfather, George Patten, who at age 28 in the summer of 1862 joins a calvary unit from his home state of Michigan to do his part in the American Civil War. He leaves behind his parents, a beloved wife and a young child to fight for a cause in which he deeply believes.

Through the eyes of Quartermaster Sergeant Patten we follow his journey from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where his company is trained to the long train journey to Washington City where he sees action in the battle of Gettysburg and a few days later in the battle of Falling Waters in West Virginia. His company, decimated by the Gettysburg battle, is ordered to charge a rebel position defended by hundreds of soldiers. Great great grandfather Patten writes a touching letter home before the battle and as he feared he is killed in a hopeless charge.

Author Richard Hamilton uses letters from Patten along with dozens of primary sources to flesh out the story of this union farmer in his last year of life. Through Patten we see the horror of our nation's most awful war and the effect it had on one man's family. The troop maneuvering of generals, the political machinations of politicians are all there but it is the foot soldiers, George Patten and his comrades in arms, who do the dying and suffering. Hamilton never loses track of this and "Oh! Hast Thou Forgotten" is never far from this truth of war.

I hit the Trifecta. I have a history minor, I'm from Michigan and Richard Hamilton is a friend of mine. I am aware of the great amount of loving research that went into this book and it shows in the stunning details provided by Richard as he traces the steps taken by his great great grandfather, George Thomas Patten, as he joins the 6th Michigan Cavalry and ends up in the Gettysburg campaign. He eventually loses his life at the age of 28 in the battle of Falling Waters. I believe this book will be interesting reading on many levels whether you are a history buff or not.

Frank Valenti

A GREAT read!
VERY insightful!!!
And for once...a WONDERFUL account not only of the cavalry battle here in Hunterstown, July 2nd, 1863....but the entire Gettysburg Campaign.
I felt like I was "riding with the cavalry"!!!
I could "see and hear...and smell" the day!
A WONDERFUL account...that is MUCH needed....in the annals of history!
First rate!
Well done!
You are to be commended for this written documentation...
as are all the Wolverines that fought here!

[...]

Richard L. Hamilton, author of three unpublished books of Patten-Hamilton genealogy, calls this book a work of historical fiction, but it reads like the real thing.

Primarily written in the first person, it is the tale of George Thomas Patten, who enlisted in the 6th Michigan Cavalry in the autumn of 1862. The book follows his military experiences and personal tragedies through his death in combat at Falling Waters, West Virginia July 14th 1863 while engaging Lee's retreating army.

The 6th Michigan Cavalry was commanded at the battle of Falling Waters by 22 year old Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer. which should help sales.

What makes "Oh! Hast Though Not Forgotten" a good read is the honest story of George Thomas Patten. He just feels like the real McCoy. I think you will like him too. Several of his relatives also served in the 6th Michigan Cavalry, which remind us that families often served together in these volunteer state regiments. They lived as neighbors, enlisted together, suffered together, faced the reality of combat together and took care of their own dead.

Plenty of pictures are present, and an index which helps keep the characters straight. The editing could have been stronger, eliminating some duplicate pictures and lengthy narrative.

Richard N. Larsen
Reviewer

Now that the author's friends and relatives have had their say, perhaps a more objective appraisal is in order.

The book is readable enough, yes. But a serious historical work it isn't. Has the author never encountered the idea of citing primary sources, or for that matter citing anything? A university professor would not accept this sort of "scholarship" from a freshman. There's nothing whatever new here, and what might have been a useful addition to the subjects of the Gettysburg Campaign and the Federal cavalry simply isn't.

On top of which, the maps are really, really dreadful -- confused and hard on the eye -- and the quality of illustrations not much better.

On the whole, this is a rather amateur work.

Although ostensibly about identifying the many the features neccesary to have in a blue water capable sailboat (which it does very comprehensively), this book is as much about the techniques and finer points of ocean sailing. The book is very well written and illustrated and would be invaluable to anyone who is thinking about buying a fully seaworthy yacht or making a trans oceanic cruise.

With a bookshelf of excellent books on cruising, this became my primary source while shopping for a bluewater boat. (I had already digested his Twenty Small Boats . . . , even though I was looking for a larger boat.) Vigor's writing is clear and easy to understand. Plus he interjects just the right amount of humor. The books provides enough detail to truly educate me, without going into unnecessary detail.

Even if you do not plan to sail shorthanded thousands of miles offshore it's a very good idea to understand in detail what makes your boat seaworthy in difficult circumstances and to make it so.

This book is a very thorough and very readable treatment of the subject of everything you need to know about a sailboat (except how to sail; that part is assumed). These sorts of things distinguish good sailors from the mass of recreational sailors and I, for one, have an ambition to become the former. If you do, too, then this is a great book to read several times.

The Black Box theory of why some people are lucky and others aren't relates to preparedness and if only once in your life you need it, then it's worth it to you and your companions to have taken the trouble.

This book is well written and covers everything you need to know for an off shore voyager. I believe it is a must read for before a first time offshore journey.

This isn't a Bad book; it's just that it's not a good one either. It's typical of the sort of thing that yachting journalists crank out to make money. The information in it probably won't get you killed, but some of the content is either wrong or contradictory. Vigor might be more convincing if he didn't confuse "soft tucks" (which used to be called garboards) with "soft bilges." He calls the former the latter. (Or is it really the deadrise angle he's talking about? Hard to tell.) It's the sort of mistake a beginner in yacht design might make because the area of the bilge in the interior of a boat might logically be thought to be called that on the exterior of a boat. But, in fact, the bilge curve (in contrast to "the bilge"), which may be descibed as soft or hard, is the area of a hull in cross section where the bottom curves or, in a chine-built boat, angles into the topsides. One might say of the error, "Hey, it's just a sematics problem," and be correct, except that it implies a lack of the expertise that Vigor claims at least tactitly through his authoritative prose. There are also other problems of "fact" in the book, e.g., his equating straight angled house fronts with seaworthiness or strength or something, when, in fact, such design elements require extra special strenghtening if they are to be strong.

Like so many, Vigor quotes Tony Marchaj as an authority on off shore yachts when, in fact, much of Marchaj's actual experience was in sailing dinghies at which he was an expert. L. Francis Herreshoff might have said of him (as he did of Manfred Curry in a similar context)that most of
his offshore sailing experience was in the realm of the imagination. But Vigor makes the mistake of taking all that theorizing for gospel. Again, it's a common mistake.

I could go on, but perhaps I've made my point.

People buy books like this as a substitute for their own experience. It's better when the writer knows more that this book exhibits.

On a positive note: what Vigor says about upgrading a Catalina 27 mostly makes good sense if, indeed, you want to go offshore in a Catalina 27.

A much better book on essentially the same subject by a genuine, but modest, expert, a man who admits when he's speaking from research rather than experience, is Hal Roth's, "How To Sail Aroung The World."

John Manuel's lyrical writing is evocative of Salinger and Knowles as he tells of personal rites of passage. Whether reading this book as personal memoir or whitewater adventuring, it's captivating and realistic. With each chapter focusing on a different river Manual (sometimes with friends) has paddled, comes a clear window into life experiences. The beauty and honesty of Manuel's writing makes this a memorable reading treasure.

I'm delighted to say that I enjoyed John Manuel's book MUCH more than I expected to! (I actually rated this Four Stars - not One as indicated above - but the software won't allow me to edit this. Sorry about that, Mr. Manuel!) This was a thoroughly smooth and pleasurable read. Although I'm not a paddler, and much of the whitewater tech talk raced past me, the author's fluid language evoked a vivid sense of time, place, and character. I was very much at home with John and his band of merry pranksters, and by journey's end felt as if I knew every one of them. Read this book!

John Manuel's The Canoeist is a page turner at the same time it is poignant and personal. It offers vivid descriptions of dramatic and sometimes nail-biting river runs as it weaves a picture of personal growth, family love, and decades long friendships. It is intensely male, offering a window into the world of summer camps, father and son dynamics, and important relationships. I highly recommend it; it's a great read.

John Manuel's The Canoeist is insightful and well-paced. He intertwines quiet reflections on life and relationships with tales of trips down various rivers, providing insight into more than canoeing and rivers.

Much of the book circles around Manual's prickly relationship with his disapproving father, who died before its writing, and the author's very different relationship with his own son, Jackson.

Recounting a trip down the storied Nantahala with his son, Manuel writes:
We rounded the bend to find a canoe broached on the rock, its bow sticking right in our path.
"Draw right!"
Jackson pulled hard, the sinew flexing in his thin arms. We slipped thorugh the narrow gap between the rock and the shore, punched through the tail wave, and eddied out against the bank.
"Good job!" I said.
Keith and Roger came around the corner, dodged the canoe, and swung in behind us.
"We would've hit the boat if we hadn't seen you bogey for shore," Roger said. "Way to go, Jackson."
Keith nodded his approval. I felt a sudden wave of emotion and glanced away to hide my tears. I couldn't understand what was happening. Was it just Jackson I was happy for, or was there another boy in the boat who'd waited a lifetime for a few words of praise?

Like many memoirs, "The Canoeist" is an interesting recounting of people, events, time and place, but it also offers a rare and welcome perceptiveness.

I watched THE CANOEIST evolve from the first scribbled pages to the last polished paragraph, and I read the book several times in manuscript form before it was published. But reading the finished product was like shooting the rapids with John Manuel as my guide...a wonderful ride! John did what many writers fail to do, which is fine-tune his book during the last few months before publication. I was delighted to come upon whole chapters revised and even more so to find added words of wisdom, eg, "...obstacles that appear so daunting often turn out to be easy, while the unnamed threats do us in." Such thoughts and observations take the reader in tandem with John, give us an intimate relationship with him as we read this story of his life. Memoir is variously defined as "an essay on a learned subject" and "an account of personal experiences" and "a narrative of something noteworthy." John Manuel's book explores all facets of memoir; he lets us look over his shoulder as he runs wild rivers and as he struggles to be a good husband, father, and friend. The book opens on the deathbed of John's father, a man we come to know as both critical and kind, both harsh and gentle, both judgmental and wise. Throughout the book John struggles to be a better man than his father was; by the end of the book we come to see that the two men are more alike than they are different, because John allows us to see his own weaknesses, and to be with him when he acknowledges his father's strengths. It is appropriate that John dedicated this book to his father, the man who first put a paddle in John's hands. From "The Chagrin" to "The Ocoee," this is a book to be savored, one riveting chapter at a time.

This book is scholarly, poetic and contemplative, which I love.

Thesis is that landscape is always in flux, and with it even our way of looking at it, and talking about it. It's quirky, conversational and absorbing, even if marshland and nautical history isn't your field. The evolution of language is my interest and the main reason I purchased it. The book's strongest point for me was to reveal how dictionaries are constantly changing in their definitions through the centuries, rather like the esoteric landscape this book describes.

I have to advise, though, that this is a medium-length essay, it's not really a book. Opening Amazon's over-sized packaging, I found the smallest book I ever seen. There are some very basic illustrations that are truly disappointing, a fancy printed binding that dwarfs the handful of actual printed pages, and some eccentric typefaces that I hope never to read again. Over the top for an academic essay - ought to be a download from the Harvard archives.

John Stilgoe's "Shallow Water Dictionary" is a fascinating essay on the "lost" landscape of salt marshes and the language needed to describe them. He tracks down the sources of words such as "skiff" and explores the vagueness of definition found in words such as "creek", "brook", and "flotsam and jetsam". His references to historical dictionaries plot the changing importance of these words over time as society's attention wandered elsewhere.

Anyone who spends time in a small boat or who loves the language of the sea will find this book immensely satisfying.

This book is one of my absolute favorites books of the past several years - a tiny jewel of a book. While it contains lots of interesting facts for boaters and word-lovers, it is also lyrically poetic (Stilgoe's MOST poetic work, quite unlike his other books), evoking the images, rhythms and sounds of an oft-neglected but major aspect of coastal New England - and makes you really want to see for yourself what it's like to paddle through - the coastal marshlands. For anyone who loves the ocean, secret places, history, nature-lovers, book-lovers, this book will slowly unwind it's magic on you.

What a gem of a book! Who would have know that a topic as esoteric as the 19th century English of eastern American coastal marshes could be so interesting, and that such a small book could deliver so much information? One learns the correct usage of the word "creek", the difference between a "gutter" and a "guzzle", the etymology of "schooner", and a detailed description of the elusive "gundalow". John Stilgoe provides some great comparisons of the unabridged dictionaries of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, as well.

"Shallow Water Dictionary" is written as a narrative, a lament for the loss of words from dictionary English, arrived at while the author pilots his rowboat, "Essay" (A pretty enough boat, then, with lines more gentle than a skiff...), through the saltwater marshes of Massachusetts.

Don't be put off by its small size; lovers of the English language will find this book to be a good reference that is also enjoyable to read.

Many who read this will miss the main point. Of course it's about words, but it's more about "seeing" as in "I see." Frost said that he wrote as he wrote so that the wrong people wouldn't get it and be saved. This book has some of that in it. Don't let its almost being a dictionary or the title fool you.

John Stilgoe gives it away on page 54 where he says,"Landscape-or seascape-that lacks vocabulary cannot be seen, cannot be accurately, usefully visited." It's not just a question of vocabulary or even vision. It's all about perception, experience, and finally, reality.