Western Books

I have been extremely pleased with the content of this book and the way the information is presented. Little attention has been given to North American historians to the "plains wagon", the mode of transport for thousands and thousands of pioneers, as well as hundreds of tons of goods, across the wide, forboding western frontier of north American in from the 1820s thru the 1880s. The fact that not a single Murphy wagon is still in existance anywhere, when so many were made and it is such a famed wagon, points to the disregard the public and historians have shown for this important implement of the American west. The author does a great job, given the sparce available resources, of reconstructing both the history and the virtual views of these varied wagons. Many companies made the wagons, from different towns across the east, from Missouri to Illinois and beyond, and it was a monumental task to assemble information on such a little known subject, but the author excelled in his history, and presentation. His writing is clear and precise, and a pleasure to read. This volume will stay in my reference library for the remainder of my life, as it is priceless, and enjoyable. I am sure I will go back to it and refer to it many times in years to come.

This is an excellent, well researched work, a great companion to Dary's The Santa Fe Trail. It provides detailed drawings of the wagons, their construction and how they were used. There is even a chapter on Wind Wagon Thomas.

"Mark Gardner, who is one of the foremost trail historians of our day, an eminent researcher, and an excellent writer, has now entered the ranks of vehicle historians trying to make some sense out of transport history and the vehicles involved therein. This contribution to both historical trail documentation and the vehicle bibliography as well is superb. No serious scholar involved in either discipline can ignore this book." -- from The Carriage Journal

Among the abundance of literature on various aspects of Santa Fe Trail history, Mark Gardner's _Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade_ begins a new dialog about the development and variance of Trade-related wagon technology. The book documents advances in wagon building techniques as the Trade became more complex and sophisticated. The story of Santa Fe Trail wagon making is the story of the growth and changes in the development of wheeled vehicles designed for heavy-duty long range freighting. The Santa Fe Trade was a primary proving ground for freight wagon building and adaptability. This book grew out of a National Park Service report Gardner prepared on Santa Fe Trail wagons intended for use as a resource for the Santa Fe National Historic Trail project. This version is greatly expanded from the original. From the outset it will become obvious to readers how much painstaking work and time went into its production. During the course of his research he discovered a personal side to the story. His chapter "From Shop to Factory" allowed him to connect with the wagon building business through four generations of his own ancestors, some of whom had worked in the Missouri sawmill industry, and had probably cut lumber intended for the construction of the very freight wagons he now writes about. Gardner has a reputation in the profession for sifting through mounds of paper and microfilm, uncovering lost treasures of material. This reviewer has respectfully nicknamed him "The Mole" because of his research skills. His ability to dig and root through archive and manuscript collections and find the most obscure and previously unknown, yet meaningful bits of information has earned him a place among the great names in today's western historiography. With many books and articles to his credit, Mark Gardner is arguably one of the foremost authorities on the Santa Fe Trade. This latest effort guarantees Gardner's place as heir apparent to the title of Dean of Santa Fe Trail historians. _Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade_ is a detailed, yet coherent guide to nineteenth century freight vehicles. It is a highly beneficial research tool, as well as a pleasant recreational read.

Henry B. Crawford, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Perhaps the trade in wagons on the Santa Fe Trail is best summarized in one breathtaking quote from a newspaper in 1841:

"Six horse wagons are constructed in Pittsburg, loaded with assorted goods from New York and Philadelphia, transported to Independence in Missouri, and there driven across the country to Mexico . . ."

The great wagons of trade were the means by which the Far West was opened. Mark L. Gardner's "Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade," tells who built these wagons, how they were built and the changes in design as the years passed. Perhaps what comes through most clearly is that the great freight wagons were complex pieces of technology, best constructed by a factory system, not unlike how automobiles are assembled today. By means of these wagons, the South West was brought into contact with the United States, and, eventually, absorbed into the Union. An important and vital chapter of American history well told and well documented.

The final chapter deals with the adventure of the Wind Wagon. In these days of high gas prices it is charming to consider that an attempt was made to avoid high mule prices. A sailed wagon was actually patented (the patent drawings are in the book) and launched. Sometimes the stuff of legend is the truth.

As funky, ferocious, and fun as any big beat coming out a sound system in downtown Kingston on a summer night, this book brings Jamaican dancehall to life with some scintillating prose 'riddims'. A sensitive and vivid writer and a longtime student of all things Jamaican, Stolzoff goes everywhere, knows everyone, and brings it all together in the best book on popular culture that I have read in years. A must-read for anyone interested in contemporary music, African-American studies, or the Caribbean. Kudos also to the publisher for creating a beautifully designed book, with many superb photos from Stolzoff's camera. This book will be a classic for many years to come.

Randy Lewis Assistant Professor of American Studies University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

As a lover of the creative, colorful and very controversial culture known as Jamaican dancehall, I received this book ecstatically, but I wasn't quite sure of what to expect. I mean, this is a world that changes so rapidly that any attempts to document it have felt outdated even before their ink dried. I thought Stolzoff would play it safe and keep his approach as superficial as possible-a nice coffee table book perhaps, filled with eye-pleasing full-color pix of scantily-dressed dancehall queens, posturing dapper dons, maybe even the occasional text paragraph with amusing tidbits like, "Whatever happened to Wayne 'Sleng Teng' Smith?" Instead, I found a meticulously researched study packed with so much detail that several times I had to "wheel back and come again" (re-read pages) in order to digest it all.

Of course, this isn't the first piece of writing to cast a critical eye on dancehall; but past discussions (helmed mostly by staunch roots reggae apologists who make no bones about expressing their view of the subject as an anti-musical ebola responsible for devouring the innards of upright, "real" reggae as exemplified by the likes of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear), irrespective of whether they have been pro- or anti-dancehall, have all revolved to varying degrees around the old dancehall "reggae" vs. "traditional" reggae issue.

Stolzoff distinguishes himself from the pack by sidestepping that stumbling block altogether: In (what I think is) a revolutionary move, he posits ALL Jamaican music, in essence, as dancehall-from the creolized drum and fiddle music of 18th century slave frolics to the thundering amplified bass blaring from contemporary Kingston sound systems. In short, he sees dancehall not as a distinct genre of music, but as an interactive method of experiencing music that might be specifically Jamaican.

Stolzoff's an anthropologist, not a rock critic, so rather than examining the music in isolation, he reconstructs the world that is dancehall's context, starting from the beginning with the sound systems, the cornerstone of the Jamaican music world.( Stolzoff scores a major coup by including extensive interviews with sound system pioneers like Hedley Jones, who provide a lot of insight into the Jamaican music experience prior to the birth of the local music industry-all other books on reggae up until this time have summed the whole era up in a sentence or two). Upon that foundation, Stolzoff layers the various social and ideological trends that have shaped the dancehall: rude boys, Rastafar-I, fashion, technology... You come to see that as chaotic as the dancehall universe appears to be, it is a well-ordered cosmology where everything has its place: sexuality, piety, violence, flamboyance, humility... They can all co-exist.

What I really, really love is the "career trajectory" Stolzoff maps out from his observation of the dancehall field. Using many of the aspiring and established dancehall stars he befriended, Stolzoff illustrates the stages of a career as a performer in the dancehall economy-which is an actual economy that employs millions of Jamaicans in various capacities.

I think this is definitely an important book and a complete must-read not only for fans of Jamaican music, but for anybody interested in the way that music and culture intersect with the daily lives of its participants.

This is an excellant book, written by a genuinely knowledgeable scholar of dancehall music and Jamaican popular culture. Dr. Stolzoff has done an incredible amount of research for this book and puts it altogether with Wake The Town. A must for all reggae and dancehall afficionados. This book will be a classic for a long time.

I would like to commend Mr. Stolzoff for an in depth and enjoyable study of dancehall reggae. Being a dancehall fan for some time now, it's wonderful to see the music and culture being taken seriously. Ready first hand accounts of artists like the great Tenor Saw was an unexpected and exciting part of the book. Mr. Stolzoff goes indept as he discusses the origins of dancehall back to Africa right up to today with the top artists like Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Sizzla, etc etc. As Ricky Trooper says in the begining of the book, if you haven't been to the dancehall before, you wouldn't understand it, dancehall it something that you have to experience. Great reading!

This book is too incredible to believe. For those of us who are into dancehall, when we are in the midst of it, study and academia seem so far away. I never thought it was something that someone could record on paper and carry the true vibes of the whole thing. Stolzoff has not only captured the vibes of the dancehall itself, but also the vibes of life for the dancehall community, the economy, and the realities of Jamaica today. For anyone who ever wanted to get away from the tourist fakeries of what you think Jamaica and reggae music are all about, this book is for you. Of course there is nothing like the true experience of the dancehall itself, but outside of that, this book is the next best thing. Buy this book, you won't regret it. Even most of us Jamaicans, can learn a thing or two from it. And for my anthropologists out there, this book is the most gripping, meaningful ethnography since Bourgois' "In Search of Respect : Selling Crack in El Barrio".

Book was received in timely manner and condition as stated in the comments of seller.
I would definitely purchase from this seller again.

I randomly found Outback and read it through in a very short period of time, loved it and then just as randomly found Walk About and have plowed through it. What a story. The characters and descriptions of the land are so vivid, and it was really cool that characters from Outback popped up in the midst of their own story to be "guest stars" in this story. Can't wait to buy the other Outback books, and I look forward to many years of re-reading them all.

My friend J.D. "Red" Brown gave me this book in 1992. Red was a Yellow Cab driver that I knew in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He really loved this book, and he gave it to me to read. He died in 1992, not too long after the book was released. So, every year, in honor of Red's memory - I re-read this book, and it is just as incredible and thrilling as the last. Normally, I'm not a big fan of what might be called "cowboy" or Western types of books - I tend to like Sword & Sorcery, Conan, or material written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but I truly love this book.

The book is about a young boy who runs away, winds up living with the Aborigines for 11 years, and then returns to claim his fortune among the White people. It is one of the books that I have to read in one sitting - Once I start it, I simply don't want to put it down. It's 476 pages of pure enjoyment for me.


I would give this book 10 stars out of 5 if I could!

Want to learn more about the vast Australian wilderness? This is a great way to do it! Jeremy, grandson of the Kerricks who have built a prosperous sheep station, runs off on his own walkabout to find where he truly belongs. In so doing, you the reader learn about aboriginal life, dunnocks (wild cattle), how to find water where there seems to be none, etc.

I highly recommend this book.

After reading this book I am hooked on anything Aaron Fletcher writes. It kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end. It was exciting and tastefuly done. I have read 4 books of the outback series and can't wait for more. I love the history of the family the Aaron writes about. I could not put the book down until I had finished the whole book and then felt sad because I thought I would not find another as good. Then I read this author's next book in the series and each one was as great as the last. I would buy Aaron Fletcher's books any time, any where, I just love the way this author writes.

This walking tour is excellent. I just returned from Italy where I used it as well as those for Ancient Rome and Venice. It is the poor man's way to see the sights because taking a guided tour with a group is very expensive. The tour is complete in that it provides good explanations of major points of interest as well as interesting background information about the history of the place. ou can go at your own pace. It does not cover museums so you have to supplement this tour with those provided by the museum itself. I found it to be a really good bargin. Note that you have to be prepared to carry a cassette player to hear the tape! Recommended!

My husband and I were given this audio cassette and guide material for our honeymoon in Italy. We had a nice time. I probably would not have bought such a non-traditional tour guide before. But it turned out to be a discrete and fun way to visit the city.

I just got back from my first visit to Rome and Venice. It was fantastic and the Cicerone tours were really different and fun.

Next year we are planning to see France and I hope that you will have something for Paris by then.

I bought this tour because I wanted to make the most of my two days in Florence. It covered exactly what I needed to see. The tape guide has lots of interesting facts and it points out the most important buildings and places. It gave lots of history. Best tour I've ever had.

What a great way to see the city! So easy to listen and look where you are going instead of trying to read a guidebook. In fact I learned things I had not seen in my guide book. If your time is short you can be sure that you will not miss the important sites and with the minimum of effort. The guide will also give you info about where to stop for a snack and find the all important toilet! When I came back the map helped me identify the pictures I took. I recommend it highly.

I have been looking for this book for my grand daughter for about a year. It's not in print anymore so the stores don't carry it. I finally went to Amazon.com, and there it was. Thanks for your help. She was delighted.

Madeline

this book was brand new, my granddaughter loves it as her old book has fallen apart from reading it so much. it arrived in record time, before i even thought "when will that book arrive?"

Walt Disney's 101 Dalmatians

101 Dalmatians is a very good book. Its about 15 puppies that get kidnapped by a cruel Cruella Di Vil. They are tooken to her mansion where there were a lot more dalmatians. They then go through a lot of trouble getting home. I think that any age of kids would like this book. I really like how Pongo and Perdita save there kids. I think that this book teaches kids that if they steal that bad things will happen.

This beautiful book is a full color adaptation from the disney movie of the same name. The illustrations captured my child's attention and made for great story time. Timeless tale of good vs. evil. A great read for any generation!

Well i think that this book was GREAT it takes me back to 4th grade were this would have been my favorite book becaues it as exitment and love.It just was a wounderful story and i see why they make more of theses not alone dose it show right from wronge but it tell you about how the family love the doge weather there where 13 dogs or 101 dogs it was great!

This was the first, and best, cookbook my mother bought me. I still have my original copy and use it every once in a while. It is the BEST cookbook to use when teaching children how to cook. It's full of useful information for the aspiring cook.

I am 36 years old and I still have this book. My parents got it for me when we went to the Magic Kingdom in the 70's. It is a treasure I will keep always and share with my nieces and nephew. I made the big bad wolfs brownies a lot. I still look at it and use it when I make hard boiled eggs; I can never remember how to make them. I love the memories this book brings to me. I my a true fan of all things Disney. A must have for all fans of the Mouse!!!

Basic recipes with fun Disney characters fill this great cookbook. From Winnie the Pooh French Toast to Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee's Banana Split, this cookbook is great for kids who have 3-4 grade level reading ability. The recipes are great for adults as well.

I received this book as a child. The idea was that mom and I could spend time in the kitchen together. Honestly, over a decade later as a college student, I still have it... And I've been known to pull it out on occasion. ;) It gives kitchen safety tips and shows kitchen utinsels.

There are excellent recipes, in the typical categories you see in cookbooks (appetizers, main dishes, desserts, etc). They all have an appeal to kids. They're not all necessarily things that a parent wouldn't know how to make (like grilled cheese), but the idea is to help kids learn, so that's okay in my book. You didn't really expect a souffle recipe, did you? :)

The Disney theme makes it all the more fun! Some recipes include spaghetti (Lady and the Tramp's, of course!), custard, various cupcakes (for the 7 Dwarves), and more.

I have a lot of great memories of sharing this book with my mom and learning about cooking, and I believe that many other people could make these kinds of memories, too. Check it out!

This is a great cookbook that I had when I was younger. It was so interesting to see what my favorite disney cartoons loved to eat.

It is a shame that Amazon.com has to put on-line the review by Kirkus. I don't know who wrote it--he didn't sign his name--but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a jealous, inferior writer lashing out with his tiny pen.

The shame is this: Wandering Time is a fine book. A great book. One of the best books I have read. Urrea's language has a music all its own. That's as clear as I can say it. He knows the word-music, the secret combination that strings the right sounds together in the right order--turns the language into something better, something sweeter than it is for the rets of us, something delicious.

The Kirkus review sounds an awful lot like what they said about Mozart. In that regard it is appropriate. But in no other way.

Luis writes from his soul; he is a wonderful person and it shows in his work. Kirkus doesn't know what he/she's talking about...Luis is one of the world's greatest writers, and one of my favorite people. I hope he's happy and well. I am, Nicolina

This little book fell off the bookstore shelf in front of me while I was browsing so I knew it was meant for me to buy and read. It was also the first time I felt so inspired to write to the author to say how much his writing moved me. The book tells of his travels around the Western US while trying to find direction in his life but it is really a heart to heart talk with the reader. You will feel like you have an author for a best friend and you will never forget the beauty of how he puts his words together.

This American poet writer delivers songs in sentences and has a singular voice that calls out to you long after the book is lost on the shelf. His words don't just stay with you, but the spirit of a decent man does too. An engaging, funny, reflective, lyrical read.

I knew Luis and the other half of this "troubled marriage" (Kirkus Review) that ended. She left, he fell apart, she fell apart. But that was seven years ago! He's remarried and she has a two year-old by someone else! This is one of the great writers of our time; surely he can find something more interesting to think and write about. P.S. where do you want me to send your dad's records???

This was purchased as a favor to a friend who wanted an add'l copy to send to his mom.

Excellent book - practical spiral binding inside a hard cover, so the book will lay open nicely when you are working from the recipes. Beautiful pictures of the foods and various B&B's along with many tasty recipes that are not too complicated for the average cook. Information on several B&B's is included as well. I have given this out as a gift twice already.

I made the Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle for a Neighborhood Harvest Party, and I won the award for the best dessert brought! People raved about it and said it was awesome -- beautiful and delicious! One of the neighbors decided to purchase the cookbook to give to her daughter who was wanting an outstanding dessert to serve for a party.

There are so many different and wonderful recipes, it's hard to start. But I have to tell you about the Beer Braised and Balsamic Vinegar Lamb with Rosemary White Beans. Give me a break!!! I couldn't even read the recipe without salivating!! (How embarassing!) It is one of the most unusual orchestrations of flavors I've ever experienced!! This is a special dinner, a night when you polish the silver candlesticks, chill some nice wine, and hope for rain, because you won't want anyone disturbing you at this dinner. The only thing I'd add, are a few of your best friends, then enjoy this elegant culinary event!!

This book contains illustrations, descriptions, and 11 specific items of information about 85 different Bed and Breakfast Country Inns in the state of Washington plus their most requested or favorite recipes. I especially liked one simply called "Bubble Bread" which included nuts, brown sugar, butterscotch pudding mix, and cinnamon in the ingredients!! The book lies flat when opened, has a beautiful hard cover,and is attractively printed in two colors. The authors also thoughtfully included tables of oven temperature equivalents, baking pan sizes, liquid and dry measures (including metric conversions), and high altitude adjustment suggestions. A special feature appearing throughout the book is entitled "Carol's Corner" where one of the authors records hints and happenings which developed during the testing of all recipes submitted. Tantalizing titles of some of the recipes are Banana Blueberry Muffins, Northwest Salmon Pie, Santa Cruz Sweet and Sour Zucchini Salad, Apple Breakfast Lasagna, Comeback Hash, and Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle. You'll love the book for yourself and it would make a much-appreciated gift.

This book has a lot of the fundamentals for selecting, purchasing and prepping several varieties of seafood. The one thing that could have been better is to have pictures of the prepared dishes associated with the recipies.

This book is probably the best cook book I have ever used. It contains detailed descriptions of a vast array of seafood along with copious information on buying and prepping each type. The recipes range from simple to modestly complex. They generally focus on enhancing the flavor of the seafood with a few well selected accent flavors. They are creative and easy to follow.

This is a great reference for cooks at any level of ability. Fundimentals of buying, cutting up, basic techniques, and cooking safety. Easy to follow recipes which are not fussy and don't loose the flavor of the seafood in the sauces, yet can be quite sophisticated. Expanded information, definitions and seafood facts which can enlighten profesional chefs and intertain those who pick-up cookbooks for leasure reading. For example, what constitutes 'white fish',who are the grazers and the predators in the ocean, and how is caviar farmed.

Living in Seattle we wanted to take advantage of all the fresh fish available, but we had no idea how to cook it. Everything we have tried out of this book has been easy and delicious. Most of the recipes give suggestions for side dishes which makes meal planning even easier. Whenever we get fish for dinner this is the cookbook we pull out!

This book is wonderful for cooks that use seafood comes from the California coast. The recipes do not take require the resume of a rocket-scientist and yet the finished courses look, taste and smell like fine cuisine from a highly rated restaurant.

Great recipes for every day or special entertaining occasions.

Bought this to accompany my Sunset Western Gardening. It covers most everything really well, and I was able to identify two plant problems within a couple of days after I bought it. The only thing it doesn't address well is dealing with some common landscaping issues, so you really need a third reference to cover it all.

It is very informative. I'm new to gardening, so this will be a great help to me.

This is a must-have book for any gardener or anyone who has the luxury of a gardener, second only to the Sunset Western Garden Book. It is superb at describing and illustrating problems and instructs you on what can be done, if anything. For example, it told us that the sudsy-looking substance on plants was relatively harmless and there is nothing much we can do about it. That put our minds at ease so we can move on to tackle other, more pressing problems. Sunset rules when it comes to their gardening books and their magazine!

I searched a long long time for a decent, yet reasonably priced problem solving book for plants/gardens. This book had the answers I was looking for; it really is three books in one. There is a section for basic plant maintanence and prevention, problems by plant types (blueberry, apples, roses, exc.), a flow sheet that shows what symptoms will manifest if (leaves, roots, bark, exc.) are being attacked by an invader, and an in depth section on damaging and beneficial creatures (with color photos). This book gives you everything you need to get started and problem solve your plant or garden. A solid book, and a good investment.

This is the best book I've seen on identifying problems in your garden. Clear color pictures make identifying diseases, weeds, insects and other pests easy and it tells you the most benign way to rid your garden of the problem. Insects good for the garden are shown as well, so you know what to kill and what to keep. Several chapters cover how to prevent problems from occuring in the first place. A heavy emphasis on evironmental gardening.