U Books

This book offers a very enjoyable read.

I found it of interest that Criss discusses his own "odyssey" from "Marx, Ginsberg, Siddhartha, long hair and 'Rock Against Reagan' ... to Ayn Rand, Aristotle, Ludwig von Mises, Voltaire and business meetings," as he puts it in the Preface of his book. He praises "laissez-faire, individual freedom, high culture"-values "most often identified with the Right," while having no sympathy for the Libertarian Party (though he clearly agrees with the LP's core principles and "party message").

All this seems pretty "Right-wing" to me, including some of his stances on the current war.

But Criss is no traditional conservative, since he takes issue with the "Family Values" crowd in the GOP.

Criss has a fightin' style to his writing: very colorful and very entertaining. Even when you disagree with him on any specific issue, you marvel at his way with words.

The book is not all politics, however; I was most enchanted by his various musings on his personal life. A tribute to his father and his reflections on becoming a father offer the most poignant moments in the book.

Well done!

Jack is a breath of fresh air....it is a great refreshing departure when a person can stand and deliver his opinion
on matters without folding before the status quo. I respect his intelligence...his insight and his courage.

Edward S.
Jackson, MS

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jack Criss definitely has a way with words, and he certainly provokes the reader to introspection. His writing is upfront and direct, yet infused with an infectious sense of humor. Mr. Criss seems to have an understanding that belies his years. I recommend you get a copy of Ready, Aim, Right! for yourself and your friends...it will spark interesting discussion!

It often seems today that the voice of reason is trying to make itself heard above a howling, never-ending hurricane of perilous irrationality. It shouts, it pleads, it warns, it explains. Sometimes, it even damns the stubbornly, consciously deaf. It knocks on the doors of men's minds with the same persistence that the hurricane rattles and buffets those doors.
But most people, it also seems, can barely hear that voice because they have taken refuge from the endemic irrationality in reason-proof states of mind. They cannot be blamed for fearing the hurricane; they seem to think that the irrationality is a natural phenomenon, and that they are powerless to stop it. They think their only option is to ride out the storm and pick up the pieces after it has passed. Regrettably, when they lock out irrationality, they also lock out its antidote.
The number of American periodicals in the print medium that consistently promotes reason in men's affairs can be counted perhaps on the fingers of two hands. Almost without exception, these are conservative publications such as The New York Sun and the Washington Times, which unfortunately leave reason behind when the subject is abortion, the promotion of "family values" as government policy, and religion. Perhaps the only newspaper in the country that does not exhibit this dichotomy is The Orange County Register in California.
Jack Criss, career editor, journalist and former talk-show host, is also one of those exceptions. Ready, Aim, Right! is a collection of his writings covering fifteen years of shouting, warning and explaining in a variety of prominent Mississippi business publications. However, Jack Criss does not plead, whine or beg. Should the welfare state be abolished? Yes! Should the government, local and federal, get out of the lives of Americans, and protect their rights instead of violating them every day and everywhere citizens turn? Yes! Should the government cease its policies of fraud, deceit and extortion via Social Security and the income tax? Yes! Should the government abandon the education racket that accomplishes rampant illiteracy at the cost of billions? Yes!
Where in the original Constitution, Criss might cause a reader to ask himself, is the clause or article that grants the federal or any state government the power to "manage" the economy and the lives of Americans? And if such a clause or article exists, wouldn't it nullify the balance of the Constitution? He refuses to allow Americans to forget their rights and the original purpose of government, first enunciated by the Founders. Wherever he detects dishonesty, scams, lies, and outright robbery by career politicians and bureaucrats, Criss is on top of it, exposing it all. He does so with style, wit, frankness and integrity, virtues no longer apparent in most journalists today, either in the print or the broadcast media. His is a voice that should be heard and heeded.
We hope Criss's next book project will be a collection of his radio interviews, which should also make interesting and infuriating reading. They are discussions with notables ranging from populist demagogue Jesse Jackson to philosopher of reason Leonard Peikoff.

I am the author of "Ready, Aim, Right!" I must say that I am very proud of this work on many levels: I believe that the ideals of classical liberalism (i.e., Enligtenment values such as this country was founded on) find voice in my essays. Individual rights, the defense of the market along with those who create and produce in it, high culture, reason as an absolute, et al, are some the values I defend vigorously and cogently in a way that I believe is unprecendeted. As an autodidact---and business owner--the essays in "Ready, Aim, Right!" come from the frontlines of the modern, non-tenured boardroom. My perspective is that of a self-taught philosopher who is also a business owner. I attack and vivisect, yes; but I also propose solutions in a clear, often humorous and highly personal way. I urge you to buy the book. As a salesman, I would appreciate the business! As a classical liberal who is disenchanted with both the Right and the Left I will also add that you will find these essays unlike most commentary you might read today. Thank you.

I could not put this book down. It is an engaging book. I read it for some background research on John Steinbeck and the Grapes of Wraths. If you have read Steinbeck's masterpiece you have to read Red Dirt. I think Roxanne's memoir completes the story of the Joads. The psyche of the "Okie" comes alive and the drive of Roxanne to break away and then come to terms with it is fascinating. I loved this book so much that I use it for the Ethnic studies classes that I teach. I believe that to understand different ethnic groups we all have to understand what makes White America tick. This book delivers a much-needed look at the class divide among white America and no matter how much the poor whites have been abused by their richer cousins they still stand by their side. Why? Because they are white. This was a great ride

if you like books about the old way of living,you will love this book. it brings back memories of my childhood...

...
The best of autobiographical works are those that convey, in the telling of one life story, larger truths than those we experience as individuals. To accomplish this feat with seeming effortlessness, as Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz has done with Red Dirt, is to create not only a valuable historical record, but a literary work that is a pleasure to read. Employing the finest storytelling skills, Dunbar-Ortiz lovingly recollects her youth in Oklahoma and the family dynamics she experienced "growing up Okie" during the mid-20th-century. In the process, she touches upon a host of social issues--among them racism, sexism, and economic disparity--that have plagued the U.S. since its earliest days. Perhaps most importantly, she offers one resounding voice from among a vast population--namely, the white underclass--that consistently has been underrepresented in historical texts, and misrepresented in popular culture. Exploding the notion of 'poor white trash,' Dunbar-Ortiz offers three-dimensional alternative as she reconstructs through her personal memoir the history and struggles of the frontier settler class and its descendants. As we move into the next century, Red Dirt is a text of vital significance to our collective humanity

I grew up in central Oklahoma and can identify with many of the themes Ms. Dunbar-Ortiz writes about in Red Dirt. I think anyone who is on a journey of self-discovery or is attempting to reconcile his or her past will enjoy this book as much as I did. I rarely read literature about Oklahoma that makes me proud to be an "Okie" - this book does just that.

This book was my introduction to Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz. I read it before I learned more about her and her career as an activist for the past 40 years. She reflects on her life from birth until her move to California. She grew up in rural Oklahoma during some of the worst years ever. These were the years that shaped her, the launching pad of her feminist, anti-family, pro-socialist, anti-war, ... efforts.

The reader can learn a good bit about the Socialist movement in Oklahoma in the early 1900's, the Green Corn Rebellion and the patriotic surge that accompanied World War I.

Roxanne's grandfather, one of the less 'disfunctional' family members was a Socialist and strongly pro-labor and imparted his views to her. She remembers him fondly. It appears that her abusive alcoholic mother influenced her ideas about the family and church. She had very little to say about her mother or father that is not negative. Considering these influences, the dire poverty of her early childhood, and her marriage 'up' the social ladder her views on things are not too surprising. Simple - yes, but undeniably true, at least in part. And that does not take away from her drive, talent and desire to make a positive change in the world.

You can learn more about Roxanne at her website, reddirt.com.

I think I will read Outlaw Woman, the next volume of her story.

Beneath the blanket of cultural arrogance that - even today - refuses to acknowledge the contributions made by its own citizens, is a truth that has been beautifully presented here by Ms. Willis. The images and text fully support what writer Richard Wright wrote, that, "OUR HISTORY IS FAR STRANGER THAN YOU SUSPECT, AND WE ARE NOT WHAT WE SEEM." Brava, Ms. Willis, and thank you.

This fabulous book deserves all of the praise it has earned. In addition the final chapter, "Photography of the 1980s and 1990s," includes an amazing section of modern art photgraphy, unmatched in any other photography collection in print today. Astonishing and utterly original works of young African American photographers Albert Chong, Pat Ward Williams, Chris Johnson, Terry Boddie, and Calvin Hicks are just a few highlights. In addition, Ms. Willis, a MacArthur Fellow, brings a clear, assured, and scholarly voice to her narration of this wonderful collection. No public or school library can afford to be without this book. The notes and the index are terrific. Also worth mentioning is that the prints are big enough, the paper is top quality, and the color reproduction is excellent. Deserves more than five Amazon stars.

This history of black photographers covers 1840 to modern times, presenting a wide-ranging set of images and social and artistic observations which should intrigue a diverse audience, from artists to those interested in black history. Black and white images accompany in-depth text coverage of the artists and their times in this first comprehensive history of black photographers.

... For more than a century, according to Deborah Willis, curator of photography at the Smithsonian, black photographers deliberately used their work to counter prevailing racial stereotypes and enhance racial pride. Her monumental portfolio of photographs by these artists, studio owners, and itinerant "painters with light" does more than counter stereotypes; it defies attempts to generalize about its subject.

People in this arresting collection of pictures are caught up in all kinds of ordinary pursuits--reading, working, dining, marrying, praying, talking, playing games, posing in lovely clothes, getting haircuts, making music or speeches or dinner--in a spirited, generally trustful relationship with the camera. Clearly Willis's criterion as she selected photographs was, as she says in the text, "expressive power."

Still, white Americans viewing these pictures are likely to bring to the experience the same old images of slavery, Civil Rights marches, and past or present media caricatures of black life that they've drawn from school and popular culture all their lives. Perhaps the delightful photographs of children in the book will take on ominous overtones because we know of future trials the childish mind can't predict. But such a reaction can keep us from realizing that what's on the child's mind may be partly the point.

For example, two Boston children have been posed in front of ornate ironwork, wearing starched lace dresses (it's 1910) and starched bows in their hair. They look beautiful--and stiff, and miserable! Good little girls, they've let Mother dress them up today, but they seem to want to tear off those enormous bows, jump the iron fence, and tumble around on the grass like anyone else their age.

Another example: Malcolm X crouches to hold his two daughters in his arms. He's talking to little Attallah, his eyes warmly upon her. But she turns away from her father's handsome face to stare unhappily at the audience, as if asking us just to go away for a change and give her some private time with Dad.

If the original vitality in these photographs can't keep us from calling up the preconceptions we carry around with us, this may actually be useful. The book's very freshness about what seems familiar makes us realize how old and worn-out our assumptions can be. Thus the photographs can (as Willis says in her introduction) "create a new ý historical consciousness that has the power to rewrite history itself."

But "Reflections in Black" is more than a documentary that can provoke useful debates within ourselves and between groups interpreting past or present culture. It shows that despite their commonalities black photographers have a long history of debating with each other. Is their medium an art or an engine of social progress? Should photography make mementos for its subjects or involve and change its viewers? The competing purposes and conflicting angles of vision represented in the book are part of what makes it fascinating.

Best of all, the book is marvelous for simply wandering and wondering through:

A remarkable series by a photographer who eventually lived in Seattle presents a man in three poses- - seated for his formal portrait, then hanged for murder, and finally laid out in his coffin.

Women in the book are gloriously unpredictable. Billie Holliday rehearsing with Count Basie looks like a Fifties coed in sweater, plaid skirt, and ponytail. Zora Neale Hurston smiles like an angel instead of with her usual impish brass.

Men? None are alike. A nattily dressed man waits at a bright window, fedora tipped up to let in the view, papers gleaming mysteriously in the background. A lined, leathery cowboy smokes a cigarette, his arms roped with tendons. Seattle's own Jacob Lawrence looks like a serious man at twenty and equally serious midway through his life, midway up a stepladder, in reverie.

Elsewhere, a lonely stony beach caresses the eye with dark grays and liquid silver. And beside a brick building draped with a gigantic sky-blue banner painted with the face of Malcolm X, a black cowboy rides through a golden field.

"Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers, from 1840 to the Present" comes awfully close. The photos vividly chronicle the Black experience in America. From the famous to the not so famous, all the joys and sorrows of a people are marvelously presented in this exquisite document. The accompanying text is entertainingly informative. The authors have truly outdone themselves.

I will be purchasing a few copies for friends. Others, I will tell to get their own.

It's THAT GOOD!

As made clear by the subtitle, this is the story of the César Rincón, arguably the best Colombian torero in history, one of the best ever to emerge from the Americas, one of the best -- without respect to origins -- performing anywhere in the second half of the twentieth century.

This is the story of César Rincón the torero (not a biography; we learn little here about César Rincón the man -- quite possibly the only aspect of the book that leaves the reader wishing for more, though we learn plenty about César's view of toreo, his personal take on its hows and whys, the nature and price of the vocation and its demands) who, in 1991, burst onto the taurine scene from nowhere (or, seemingly so -- he was so little known on the day of his first triumph in Madrid that the program listed him as Venezuelan), managing performances that saw him carried out through the Puerta Grande in Las Ventas on four consecutive appearances, a feat unequaled by anyone, before or since.

Just how good was César Rincón? The inescapable impression given by this book is that he was a taurine epiphany:

Josephs is without doubt a full-blooded Rincóncista, but Ritual and Sacrifice in the Corrida is no tendentiously edited hagiography. The judgments it contains are not just his -- they're from the pens of some of the most important taurine critics of Rincón's day (Andrés de Miguel, Vicente Zabala, Norberto Carrasco, Joaquín Vidal, Michael Wigram and José Carlos Arévalo), writing with Rincon's performances still vivid from the previous days' events. Josephs gives us his eye-witness accounts whenever possible, but generously supplements them with the opinions of other commentators.

This is a stunningly successful book, unlike any taurine work published in English in decades. Without question, Josephs has given us a work that will, for years, sit comfortably alongside the best of Hemingway, the best of Conrad, the best of Fulton and Tynan -- destined to be one of the more re-read works in any taurine bibliophile's library.

Rincón was essentially unknown to Josephs in 1991, and the germ of this book took root slowly as Rincón began to stun the Spanish afición (and Josephs) with his performances during that year's Iberian temporada. The idea for the book chrystalized in the spring of 1992, in Plaza Santa Ana -- a Madrid neighborhood dripping with taurine history and activity -- during a chat with Michael Wigram. Josephs set out to follow Rincón, documenting his career trajectory, from Spain back to the Americas, back to Spain, to the Americas, over and over until the end of the 1995 season when Rincón, suffering from a resurgence of hepatitis "C," announced his retirement, intending to swap the role of torero for that of ganadero.

Written with the aid of unusual access to a torero's inner circle, this is not simply an insider's view of the taurine circuit (as might be, for example, a detailed diary kept by a torero). Josephs didn't travel as part of Rincon's entourage. But it is likely as intimate a view as anyone will soon provide. Josephs shadowed Ricón, his manager and cuadrilla for four years -- benefitting greatly from their assistance, attending every corrida he could manage, describing in great detail what he saw (how the public reacted, and how the authority and critics judged). He had access that only a personal relationship with a torero can provide -- to hotel suites before and after successful and disastrous corridas, to sorteos, to the callejon, to tientas, to family gatherings on ganaderias and in Rincon's home, to hospital/infirmary rooms, to post-corrida de-briefings with critics and ganaderos, and more.

Faenas are described in near photographic detail, both the good, the bad, and the all-too-commonly mundane. Although the degree of taurine detail may prove more-than-a-little daunting for anyone outside or new to the mundo taurino, Josephs has seized on a clever way of avoiding bad translation of taurine terms while simultaneously keeping the narrative clear of repeated explanatory asides. All terms that would not be done justice by clumsy translation into English are left in their Spanish forms, accompanied by explanatory asides only the first time they appear in the text. Supsequent appearances remain in Spanish and an index of defined appearances is provided for readers who didn't absorb the meaning of a term the first time around.

Althouh this is Rincón's saga, Josephs' eyes aren't focused on Rincón alone. Had they been, no proper assessment of Rincón would have been possible. Though bullfighting isn't a contest between matador and bull, one can't really judge a matador's mettle without seeing him alongside his peers, each trying to tease the best out of the unpredictable complexity of the animals drawn each afternoon. Fortunately, Josephs doesn't slight Rincón's rivals (most noteworthy among them, Enrique Ponce and Joselito), giving everyone their due. We're provided a very balanced view of years of performances, the good and the bad, solidly retained in the natural context. To back every judgment we're given dates and locations (no need to take Josephs' word alone for the quality of performances observered; we're everywhere pointed to sources that can confirm the observations made) and detail that could only be noticed by one steeped -- as Josephs is -- in Spanish history and geography, taurine lore and fact.

All this is done without any of the dry, ponderous, academic heaviness that made Josephs' last major work (White Wall of Spain (c) 1983) so nearly impenetrable. Here the writing often seems to dance along with the improvisational pas de deux between Rincón and his partners of the afternoon.

I can't recommend this book too highly.

There are many ways to explore and come to begin to understand the fascination that many find in the corrida. It absorbs those that have come to know the bravery exhibited through ritual that lies at the heart of the corrida. The best way to reach some understanding is the way found by Alan Josephs. Josephs tightly focuses on the life of an individual, great torero. Josephs provides an intimate and satisfying examination of Rincón. Along the way, he brings all into the spirit and essence of the corrida.

Ritual & Sacrifice in the Corrida
For many Americans bull fighting is the one of the most misunderstood phenomena. The title of this fine book by Allen Josephs best explains bullfighting to the uninitiated Bull fighting, or toreo as Josephs correctly prefers to call it, is a ceremony of ritual and sacrifice.

The relation between man and the bull is lost deep in the fog of prehistory. Some say it was the bull not agriculture that domesticated man. The corrida is one aspect of that relationship, a sign of respect and honor to a noble enemy and friend.

The book is much more than a story of bullfighting. It is a classic saga of courage and perseverance as Cesar Rincon, a Colombian, against all odds succeeds in a foreign sometimes hostile land. From the plains of southern France, across the mountains of central Spain to the difficult rings of Andalusia, Allen takes us on a whirlwind adventure that criss-cross the breath and depth of Spain as he follows Rincon in his quest for the perfect corrida.

Josephs writes in a lyrical style more in the mode of Garcia Lorca than Hemingway.

Josephs, author of the White Wall of Spain, has an innate understanding of Spain and the Spanish which he imparts to the reader.

Read Hemingway, yes, but Ritual and Sacrifice in the Corrida is a must read for anyone even vaguely interested in that most Spanish of Spanish phenomena.

As made clear by the subtitle, this is the story of the César Rincón, arguably the best Colombian torero in history, one of the best ever to emerge from the Americas, one of the best -- without respect to origins -- performing anywhere in the second half of the twentieth century.

This is the story of César Rincón the torero (not a biography; we learn little here about César Rincón the man -- quite possibly the only aspect of the book that leaves the reader wishing for more, though we learn plenty about César's view of toreo, his personal take on its hows and whys, the nature and price of the vocation and its demands) who, in 1991, burst onto the taurine scene from nowhere (or, seemingly so -- he was so little known on the day of his first triumph in Madrid that the program listed him as Venezuelan), managing performances that saw him carried out through the Puerta Grande in Las Ventas on four consecutive appearances, a feat unequaled by anyone, before or since.

Just how good was César Rincón? The inescapable impression given by this book is that he was a taurine epiphany:

Josephs is without doubt a full-blooded Rincóncista, but Ritual and Sacrifice in the Corrida is no tendentiously edited hagiography. The judgments it contains are not just his -- they're from the pens of some of the most important taurine critics of Rincón's day (Andrés de Miguel, Vicente Zabala, Norberto Carrasco, Joaquín Vidal, Michael Wigram and José Carlos Arévalo), writing with Rincon's performances still vivid from the previous days' events. Josephs gives us his eye-witness accounts whenever possible, but generously supplements them with the opinions of other commentators.

This is a stunningly successful book, unlike any taurine work published in English in decades. Without question, Josephs has given us a work that will, for years, sit comfortably alongside the best of Hemingway, the best of Conrad, the best of Fulton and Tynan -- destined to be one of the more re-read works in any taurine bibliophile's library.

Rincón was essentially unknown to Josephs in 1991, and the germ of this book took root slowly as Rincón began to stun the Spanish afición (and Josephs) with his performances during that year's Iberian temporada. The idea for the book chrystalized in the spring of 1992, in Plaza Santa Ana -- a Madrid neighborhood dripping with taurine history and activity -- during a chat with Michael Wigram. Josephs set out to follow Rincón, documenting his career trajectory, from Spain back to the Americas, back to Spain, to the Americas, over and over until the end of the 1995 season when Rincón, suffering from a resurgence of hepatitis "C," announced his retirement, intending to swap the role of torero for that of ganadero.

Written with the aid of unusual access to a torero's inner circle, this is not simply an insider's view of the taurine circuit (as might be, for example, a detailed diary kept by a torero). Josephs didn't travel as part of Rincon's entourage. But it is likely as intimate a view as anyone will soon provide. Josephs shadowed Ricón, his manager and cuadrilla for four years -- benefitting greatly from their assistance, attending every corrida he could manage, describing in great detail what he saw (how the public reacted, and how the authority and critics judged). He had access that only a personal relationship with a torero can provide -- to hotel suites before and after successful and disastrous corridas, to sorteos, to the callejon, to tientas, to family gatherings on ganaderias and in Rincon's home, to hospital/infirmary rooms, to post-corrida de-briefings with critics and ganaderos, and more.

Faenas are described in near photographic detail, both the good, the bad, and the all-too-commonly mundane. Although the degree of taurine detail may prove more-than-a-little daunting for anyone outside or new to the mundo taurino, Josephs has seized on a clever way of avoiding bad translation of taurine terms while simultaneously keeping the narrative clear of repeated explanatory asides. All terms that would not be done justice by clumsy translation into English are left in their Spanish forms, accompanied by explanatory asides only the first time they appear in the text. Supsequent appearances remain in Spanish and an index of defined appearances is provided for readers who didn't absorb the meaning of a term the first time around.

Althouh this is Rincón's saga, Josephs' eyes aren't focused on Rincón alone. Had they been, no proper assessment of Rincón would have been possible. Though bullfighting isn't a contest between matador and bull, one can't really judge a matador's mettle without seeing him alongside his peers, each trying to tease the best out of the unpredictable complexity of the animals drawn each afternoon. Fortunately, Josephs doesn't slight Rincón's rivals (most noteworthy among them, Enrique Ponce and Joselito), giving everyone their due. We're provided a very balanced view of years of performances, the good and the bad, solidly retained in the natural context. To back every judgment we're given dates and locations (no need to take Josephs' word alone for the quality of performances observered; we're everywhere pointed to sources that can confirm the observations made) and detail that could only be noticed by one steeped -- as Josephs is -- in Spanish history and geography, taurine lore and fact.

All this is done without any of the dry, ponderous, academic heaviness that made Josephs' last major work (White Wall of Spain (c) 1983) so nearly impenetrable. Here the writing often seems to dance along with the improvisational pas de deux between Rincón and his partners of the afternoon.

I can't recommend this book too highly.

I knew the subject matter of Ritual and Sacrifice would hold some general interest, but I had no idea that the book would be so lively, so entertaining, and so damned dramatic, from Rincon's opening of the Madrid gates to the story's heartbreaking "surprise" coda. Josephs makes what was obviously a Herculean literary undertaking seem easy and natural, and the writing's terrific--fluid, confident, passionate. Equally thrilling are the hundreds of superb photos, also by the author. Aside from Hemingway's masterpiece--an inevitable but impossible comparison--this is the best book on toreo I've ever read, as well as being a provocative and engrossing cultural study.

This is unquestionably the best written book of its type that I have read. It's about time somebody took the time to write a book as a teaching vehicle using a light, humorous approach. I've a huge library of books on the subject, but this one has become my favorite. I fully intend to recommend it to others interested in the subject My advice to the author: don't stop now, write more !!!

This is really a great book!! It's very informative and easy and fun to read.This book gave me all the information I needed to visit the rock art and ruins sites I did while I was in Utah.It gives you directions,the type of hike to get there,when to go,photography tips and other useful comments.It also has lots of nice pictures,some in color and some in black and white.It's one of the best books I've read on visiting these sites in the Southwest.

IF MY HOUSE WERE ON FIRE THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST BOOKS I'D SAVE! IT IS FUNNY, CREATIVE, PRACTICAL, AND VERY WELL ORGANIZED. EXPERIENCED HIKERS, BEGINNING HIKERS, OR ARM CHAIR TRAVLERS - YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK - AND IT JUST MIGHT GET YOU OUT OF YOUR ARMCHAIR.

Rock Art And Ruins For Beginners And Old Guys is a travel and field guide to more than forty major Native American prehistoric rock art sites as well as fifty other ruins and attractions that can teach even the most urbanized city slicker the basics of prehistoric rock art in the West, including where to find it, as well as how to hike, camp, and cook while making the journey. From the equipment needed on the trail to the type of vehicles that are best to drive, Rock Art and Ruins for Beginners has it all - along with descriptions and directions for many ancient, fascinating rock art sites. If you are planning on viewing rock art in the American West, begin by reading Albert School's Rock Art Ruins For Beginners And Old Guys!

With a sence of humor Mr. Scholl does a great job of educating others about rock art.

In an introduction chapter he discusses what rock art is and types of rock art. He discusses what rock art means and refers you to other well written books. He also provides lists of emergency equipment, camping equipment and more that you should consider taking as you begin looking at rock art.

In the next chapters he tells where to go to see rock art. He also instructs the reader about the expected behavior, tours to take, and more.

There are directions for taking pictures of rock art and explanations of clothes to wear, weather, and even a few recipes for crockpot cooking... so you can cook while you are looking and come home to a nice meal. Great!

This is a very exciting book. It made me want to jump out of my seat and go looking. The pictures are nice. His enthusiasm is catching and the format is easy to understand. Well worth the money.

Enjoy

It's a story about cowboys - good guys and bad - but it doesn't really matter.

The beauty of this tale lies in that you have a master story teller who carries you along with lyrical prose and engaging illustrations.

I have the feeling Roy Gerrard could write about anything, and it would be a great story.

Excuse me while I purchase every other children's book he's written...

I don't know why this book isn't listed as a classic in children's literature...but it should be! I first bought a copy for my two youngest toddlers in the late 80's, a copy that we enjoyed enormously over and over again. Gerrard's crisply detailed illustrations are perfectly matched to the rythmical text, allowing each page to be entertainingly and imaginatively explored at liesurely length. Some overly purient parents might object to the "innate violence" of the storyline, but in so doing they will only be depriving themselves of an enchanting piece of Americana populated with some of the most wonderfully drawn western characters to ever appear in a children's book!

My two sons are now 18 & 20 years old and I bought it for him this Christmas.
We read this book at least 30 times when they were around 7 years old.
I puchased this for my younger son he could enjoy reading it to his children some day. It has great illustrations and a wonderful ryhming story line.

I read this book to my granddaughters when they were small. I made up a tune so that I could sing the ryming text to them and they were simply thrilled with the book and the illustrations. Soon they were able to sing the words along with Grampa. It is a treasured memory for us all.

Roy Gerrard is a rare talent. The charming text, the masterful watercolor illustrations (as an advertising creative, I see a LOT of illustration. Few illustrators hold a candle to Roy) come together in a wonderful book. The rhyming text entertains my kids and I at storytime

I bought this book out of desperation for something to read while i was out of town and what a GREAT choice i made! I don't wont to get into too much detail and spoil the ending, but I wasn't able to guess who the killer was, until the very minute he was revealed toward the end of the book, his identity was very well hidden. This is the first book i've read by Colleen Thompson, but it want be the last.

I have just finished reading The Salt Maiden. (I am a slow reader.) It is, there are many adjectives to describe this book. So my best one is, fantastic, stimulating, provocative,sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat. Simply put, I loved it.

You will love Dana, a very sensitive animal lover. Jay, a war veteran, now Sheriff, with traumas that haunt him, will capture your heart,make you wish that you could comfort him. And as they are thrown together to find Dana's sister, in an effort save a sick child, you will travel with them on a journey wondering what will happen to the child and to Dana and Jay as they struggle against all odds to save each other and themselves.

THE SALT MAIDEN by Colleen Thompson is riveting suspense with an emotionally satisfying romance. The finely detailed characterization combines with an eerie exquisitely written landscape to make this novel a reading and re-reading pleasure.

Dana Vanover needs to locate her sister Angie and time is of the essence. Nikki Harrison needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life. Dana and her mother, Nikki's grandmother, are not matches, so as her biological mother, Angie is Nikki's last hope. With urgency to save Nikki and please her mother, Dana travels to Devil's Claw, a desert in Rimrock County, Texas --- the last place Angie was located. The deeper Dana delves into her sister's life, the more danger she unearths... including a body preserved in salt. The town's residents were none to keen on Angie's eclectic ways or her interference in town affairs nor do they relish Dana's digging up the past. As soon as she arrives in Devil's Claw, danger lurks everywhere. Sheriff Jay Eversole is Dana's only ally in the small town but as a former desert warrior and war veteran, he is plagued by day time nightmares. Can Dana find her sister in time and is her growing attraction for Jay a threat to her safety? Will the sheriff's past come back to haunt their search, making him a threat?

Each chapter of THE SALT MAIDEN begins with either an entry from Angie's sobriety journal or a quote about salt, adding a suspenseful or reflective dimension to the novel. The desert wasteland haunts the landscape of this novel, creating an almost paranormal character in THE SALT MAIDEN. Colleen Thompson creates an intriguing landscape, not only of the natural world of the desert but also a landscape that extends into the daily life and dynamics of the community of Devil's Claw. The outer landscape becomes an internal landscape of her characters as Colleen Thompson reveals the vulnerabilities and inner psychological wasteland within Dana, Angie and Jay.

The suspense of THE SALT MAIDEN twists and turns as the motivations of different characters conflict and add new suspects. When one clue is solved, another even more intriguing mystery remains. Colleen Thompson creates fast-paced suspense where every second contains both danger and a pressing need to find answers. At the same time, Colleen Thompson creates a romance that is reflective in tone through her portrait of the wasteland, adding a fresh intriguing vision to the genre. As the desert warrior Jay and Dana work together, they are forced to reveal parts of their pasts that they have kept hidden. THE SALT MAIDEN is a romance that dares to look into the wasteland of the heart and heal wounded souls. Readers will appreciate THE SALT MAIDEN both for the immediate reading pleasure but also the mysteries and questions that remain afterwards. The almost mystical nature of salt and the salt maiden haunts even once the suspense resolves. THE SALT MAIDEN leaves the reader with a question that will make this book a re-reading or book club discussion delight: are some unforgivable acts redeemable?

I'm so glad to be finally giving a 5 star review. I've recently tried 3 new authors (based on 5 star reviews) and have been sorely disappointed in two of them.

This book was excellent! The detail of the author's writing was tremendous - one could actually picture what she was describing. Very few authors have that capability so Kudos! to Ms. Thompson. I also liked the originality of the story. Jay and Dana seemed like "real people in real situations" so the reader wasn't asked to suspend reality. I've read too many books where the author writes some unbelievable, unrealistic heroics even for a romance book.

Anyway, wonderful book going on my keeper shelf.

The Salt Maiden is an amazing book with so much texture and depth. The setting is haunting and the twists and turns drew me in. In fact, the suspense was so exciting that I read this instead of watching my favorite basketball team play on television.

Colleen Thompson has been one of my favorite authors, but this is her very best.

I found this book fascinating and it actually brought back fond memories of life when life was not so hurried. While Howard Mansfield's thoughts seem to flash from one event to another, it gives the reader time to pause and reflect on their own historical experiences in perhaps a small town they once lived or at least wished they had lived. This book reminds us how sweet life was before the words tract (home), fast (food) and drive-thru (service) became a prefix of our vocabulary. Don't think for a moment it's a dull book--its far from! Appropriately, Mansfield manages to interject his humor which at times had this reader in stitches! He also reminds us how much we ache for that simple, easy existence and that deep sense of community. A great book from a genius author.

*A powerful book with a unique perspective on the following:

--What we can learn from the past

--The fragile finite nature of physical objects and the material world

--How to breathe life into a restoration and learn from it, as opposed
to shellaking it over with a polished artificial veneer

--That the work of restoration is as much about the action of
restoring as about the finished product

--That the work of restoration is never done

*Personal essays and interviews rather than a how-to-manual

*Poetic and thoughtful

*SPECIAL NOTE FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE CLUTTER/HOARDING problems*
Please note that for people with a hoarding/severe clutter problem, this will be a hard book to read, because it definitely hammers home the fact of "dust to dust".

You will find a new name for yourself however: a "Noah"! In fact one of the chapters is called "An Arkload of Noahs."

And you might even find for yourself a paradigm 180 degree shift in the way you view the objects you are trying to save. The lesson here may be to save less, so that you conserve your energy to try to protect the objects you love the most. Also to realize that the act of preserving should be one of life-giving affirmation for YOURSELF in the
process. It's what you learn and pass on that matters, more than the actual objects.

*Most interesting fact from the book:
(p. 5) "We have our own shrine,...the U.S.S. Constitution, Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world.....The ship has survived some close calls with oblivion....Saving a wooden ship is a job that's never finished. The Constitution has been rebuilt and repaired in 1833, 1858, 1871077, 1906, 1927-30, 1953, 1963-65, 1973-75, and the most recent and most extensive...1992-96. ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 20 PERCENT OF OLD IRONSIDES IS ORIGINAL." (The rest has been replaced over the years through restoration.)

*Here are some favorite quotes from the book:
(pp. 270-271) "Noah gathered two of all that lived, following some of the most specific instructions in the bible. We aren't always so carefully guided. Voices, visions, burning bushes are given only to a few....All Noahs are like Sadie Huntoon. They pull from the wreck we have made of the world what they can, and time will judge its value."

(p.274) "We must let go of some things--some beloved things--to allow the birth of the new, which at times will be shocking and awkward."

(p. 58) "An earthquake in 1997 destroyed important frescoes in the 13th-century Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the ceiling came down in thousands of pieces....One Franciscan nun said: Sometimes things
need to be destroyed so they can be renewed."

(p. 58) "All materials are fugitive. Things fade, dry out, crizzle and craze. Glass is a liquid. Mountains are borne to the sea. Life is fugitive."

(p. 275) "Nothing is ever (permanently) saved. ...Restoration is a legacy. The job isn't finished; it is handed off to the next generation of caretakers."

(p. 53) "To the keeper of a historic house, the earth is a science-fiction horror film. Life-giving water rots roofs and dissolves stone; benign sunshine reduces silk curtains to rags, bleaches wood, and cracks leather.....The curators are condemned to live on a planet where the fingertips of earthlings leave behind acid that tarnishes silver, where bronze and pewter are prone to 'diseases,' and dust can defeat a suit of medieval armor.
Life is a fire. Sunlight, air, and water sustain us and destroy us. Life consumes all we wish to save."

(pp. 55-57) "The curators' task is impossible: preserve all this stuff FOREVER. They are in a pitched battle with the elements.....Says Pam Hatchfield, an objects conservator at the museum. At best, you can extend the life with low humidity. 'You have to assume that objects you're using are disposable,' she says. 'No matter how much you love them.'"

(pp. 57-58 )"The philosophers call it EVANESCENCE, the passing from one state to the next. Under the right conditions, ice evanescences to vapor....Evanescence is a wonderful phrase, but when I pry back a board on our old house and reach in, and the beam comes out in moist handfuls like devil's food cake, it's not evanescence, it's rot....Everything
created will rot eventually: the Mona Lisa, the Brooklyn Bridge....The world works to recycle itself.....Without rot, life itself is impossible. Rot probably deserves a better name....Most of life is....maintenance."

(p. 276) "Ours in an age of broken connections...Restoration is renewal--and effort to mend the world--or it is not worth doing. Good restoration is a prayer, an offering. It's praise, attention paid; it revels in the glory and spirit of this life."

I just want to pass on this review from the Spring 2002 issue of ArchitectureBoston:

THE SAME AX, TWICE is one of those quiet books that foments revolution. Although identified as merely "journalist and author" (and by implication, non-scholar?), Howard Mansfield has just the right combination of erudition and humor to challenge conventionally held ideas about historic preservation. Like IN THE MEMORY HOUSE , his wise 1993 exploration of the New Englander's defining relationship with the past, THE SAME AX, TWICE ought to be on your bookshelf along with Wendell Berry and Noel Perrin."
-- William Morgan, Professor of Art, Wheaton College
--

Howard Mansfield has written an immensely insightful book about the ways we see our own past. If you were to say something to fault this book it would be that it has crammed twice too many ideas into half too little space, but for those of us who are tired of books with next to nothing to say, Mansfield delivers a powerhouse of ideas about where we are and where we are going.

From the Wright Brothers to the Gillette razor, Mansfield explores American culture and the complex interplay between who we are and who we think we would like to become. Solid pleasure.

This is not the kind of book I usually read. It's probably not the kind of book that **anyone** usually reads. I bought it because of a favorable review in the New York Times. The review made the book sound good and, what do you know, the book really is good.

Now, I'll never renovate a house. I'll never live in a log cabin or an old stone house. I don't want to live in New England or visit Walden Pond or petition city hall to save an old building. But when I read this book, I found out I was a "Noah." (A "Noah" is someone, according to Mansfield, who tries to preserve things that are beautiful or useful from extinction.)

I encourage you to read this book as an allegory for renewal in your own life. What important things in your own world are threatened by what's new? What can you do to preserve those things you find useful as they're encroached upon by change?

My norm is to buy books on Amazon.com and then sell them on half.com to support my habit. But not this book! This book is staying on my shelf. I'll read it again whenever I'm in need of inspiration or creative insight.

As a San Francisco resident of nearly 20 years, I loved this book. It is not a typical, boring guidebook, but rather a very well written, witty book that reads more like a novel. There are many places that Wach writes about that I have never heard of and I am so glad that I recently purchased this book. A must read for San Franciscans!

This book is a great way to get to know SF. As a local, you can do all the things you're "supposed to do" that you haven't done, even though you've lived here for years. Visitors to the city will get a great mix of must-do tourist attractions, and an inside peek into the many things that make San Francisco great that don't begin with "Fish" or "Golden" - a real local flavor.

The author is a regular contributor to the SF Chronicle Newspaper, and her articles are always a treat. She has a great writing style and is extremely witty - this book is actually an entertaining read straight up even if you're not looking for a guide book. She "gets" San Francisco and passes it on to you.

Especially invaluable if you have friends/family coming to SF and you need to show off our little city by the bay, but can't for the life of you remember anything to show them, except for things starting with "Fish" and "Golden". Many chapters that customize a visit to SF for each visitor type - from that "interesting older aunt" to the "wornout by the kids couple". It's a lifesaver when you're expected to give someone the "SF Experience".

Over twenty tailor-made tours of San Francisco are outlined for specialty tourists, from food fans to shopaholics. This isn't your normal tourist's view of the city. At the heart of San Francisco As You Like It: 23 Tailor-Made Tours for Culture Vultures, Shopaholics, Neo-Bohemians, Famished Foodies, Savvy Natives & Everyone Else lies its small neighborhoods and long-lasting shops and restaurants which often are hidden from casual visitors. Add a healthy dose of humor and you'll find a tour to suit all kinds of visitor - and even the San Francisco native.

It doesn't matter if you never go to San Francisco -- buy this book just for the sheer joy of reading it. Bonnie Wach has real opinions and does not dish out the usual everything-is-great travel-guide drivel. Her writing sparkles with personality, wit and humor. All the particulars for the places she writes about are listed in the margins, making the information easy to find when you're looking for it. If you have any interest in San Francisco or travel books in general, buy this book.

This is one of my favorite guidebooks to one of my favorite cities. Witty and funny writing style. Filled with interesting detail and juicy tidbits, yet at the same time simple to navigate. The approach is clever too - tailor made tours for a wide variety of perspectives and preferences. Even though I used to live in SF and know it fairly well, I've gotten so that I don't visit The City without this book.

I have known Scrappy for several years and I have heard many River Rats talk about him. But until he wrote this book I never knew the details of his life, and what an interesting and exciting life it has been. If you have interest in flying and history, this is the book for you. Scrappy takes you through all of his adventures.

Scrappy is not only an interesting book, but Scrappy the man and warrior is just unbeatable. A great read not easy to stop, enjoyed it immensely.

Scrappy and my dad, Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, were cohorts and compadres in a world that only fighter pilots can understand. I read this book with great enjoyment, appreciation, laughter and admiration. Through no end of great tales, self-deprecating honesty and acute analysis of the political bureaucracy in play during the Vietnam war, I learned far more about fighter pilots than I already knew I didn't know! "Scrappy" is a great read and should be on everyone's list - not only for Air force veterans but for active duty pilots of today.

I had the honor of reading Scrappy over the past three days while traveling by air on a business trip. I found his book difficult to put down. The book just keeps moving without ever getting bogged down. Every time I turned the page I found something new and refreshing.

I feel like I have known Scrappy my whole life now after reading his story. In fact when I got home last night I kept telling my wife Scrappy this and Scrappy that.

The story is at times very touching. I felt like Scrappy was able to take words from my soul and put them on paper. He showed me insight to my own experiences as a son, or a father, or a husband. On the other hand it was full of action and excitement too. Scrappy is filled with his professional and private ups and downs. And most of all it was filled with stories about flying.

All in all this is a great book. I found it refreshing and easy to read. This was no school book that I had to pull myself through. No, Scrappy pulled me through. Page after page he carried my attention to the end. This was a real page turner of a story. This is Scrappy.

I had the pleasure of meeting Scrappy a couple of years ago at an astronaut and aviator autograph show in Florida. He was more interesting and likeable than the more famous spacemen sitting around him. His new autobiography is excellent. I couldn't put the book down until I had finished reading it...in one sitting. I enjoyed it so much I purchased another copy as a gift!