California Books

Insightful. From someone who knows. I don't ordinarily go for poetry (with a few exceptions: Charles Bukowski, Pleasant Gehman, Bill Shields, Dan Fante, Jim Northrup, Jack Micheline, etc.) so it's rare for me to spend money on a poetry book--but when I do, it's usually something worthwhile--and this certainly is that: a gem of a book. I'd like to see Suzanne Lummis write more. The lady has paid her dues and it shows. I don't recommend everything I read--but this is certainly a book I would recommend. Too bad it's such a slim volume. There's an old saying, though: good things come in small packages--and Suzanne Loomis' IN DANGER is certainly one of those good things. I had to give it five stars. Also, that was a moving obit the lady wrote in the L.A. Times a few years back when the late great Charles Bukowski passed on. The piece was so well done that I had to cut it out and frame it. I don't know, I'm sure others have felt this way, but there they were: tears rolling down my face when I heard that Buk was no longer with us. Thank you, Suzanne Lummis.

suzanne lummis take the femme fatale sterotype and inverts it, and as a result, witty and evocative poems are born out of her experience in los angeles; especially the dirty parts that no one wants to know about. the poems should be read while drinking a stiff one or listening to tom waits...astonishing....

Can't add much to David St. Johns' rave intro, but simply put, these poems live up to this bold title in ways intriguing, charming and stark. Though they're indelibly fringe Hollywood, they penetrate mysteries that have no address. In other words, these poems are excellent. You'll love discovering every one.

Two lines to give you a taste: "City of sirens and lowdown ways, neons wincing like nerve ends, see what you've done?" and "You were the B-movie I just had to sit through again." Equally touching and jolting, these poems are one part earthquake and two parts heartache.

Usually in Raymond Chandler (the writer whose noir Los Angeles world leaps to mind when you're reading In Danger), the women are darkly lit and shot slightly out of focus-they're alluring, risky, always our of reach. Suzanne Lummis has turned the tables. She gets inside these shadowy creatures; she's the femme whose got her weapon trained on Marlowe, a guy who's not such a prince after all. It's a brilliant conceit, and it sustains itself throughout this fascinating collection. Like her heroines, Lummis' poetry skirts an edge; it's breathless, chancy, full of juice. If only more poets wrote this way.

This is not really a tale of embezzlement and disgrace - it is the store of power struggles between the Board of Directors for Columbia Studios, who were clearly had personal loyalty in their underlings as their top priority, and the CEO, Alan Hirschfield, trying to do what he needed to do to save the studio.

I don't have access to people at this level, so I appreciate the peeping-Tom aspect of viewing the thought processes and actions of people who normally hide behind lawyers, secretaries, and call-screeners.

The author obviously interviewed many many people to put this book together, and I appreciate how he reported on the media coverage, as well. I never really thought of how people manipulate the news as part of the story, but course it is.

The book is like a newspaper story in that it is filled with information, but the narrative reads like a novel - very easy to read. The author does a good job of developing story-lines, so we have a sense of completeness, and a sense of an overview, while also sprinkling the famous names and the glamour that makes Hollywood so compelling to people.

I've never understood why Hollywood turns out bad movies month after month, year after year, when it is so easy to tell from the beginning that a movie is going to be awful. Why make awful movies?

This book doesn't directly address that issue, but it shows how irresponsible and irrational the leading powers that control Hollywood on both coasts are, and how corrupt the whole system is. It's obvious that normal things like making a good product become irrelevent to their attention span.

I guess it's not really corruption, if everyone knows it's happening, and it's just a way of getting things done.

My only complaint is that I wish I had more of a reality on the Board Directors. Their actions seem so irrational, but I'm sure it's because they were not forthcoming in their interviews, and did not take the opportunity to express their points of view. People at that level are notorious for avoiding the press, so it is not surprising.

I bought this book when it first came out and have reread it every year or so. Tends to be a bit long and sometimes slow, but it's great. Buy a used copy, or check at the library.

Being from the Washington D.C. area I kept constantly asking why someone didn't leak this to the press and blow the whole compiristy.

The only comparable book is "The Great Salad Oil Swindle"

David Begelman would never have been exposed as the crook he was without the dogged, principled determination of Cliff Robertson to get to the bottom of corruption at the top levels of Hollywood. This excellent book documents Robertson's heroic efforts to get at the truth -- for which he was blackballed by the Hollywood establishment for years. Cliff once said to me: "Of all the things in my life I'm proud of -- if I'm proud at all -- it's not winning the best actor Oscar or Emmy; it's my part in bringing down that crook Begelman."

But perhaps the book is most valuable for its exposure of the top echelon of Hollywood -- people with lots of money and no taste; people who know nothing whatever about movies. And could care less. I hope this book is reprinted soon. It is timeless.

This book gives details of David Begelman the head man at
Columbia Pictures getting caught forging Cliff Robertson's name
on a check. Robertson had won an Oscar for his role in Charly.
As a result of Begelman getting caught Roberetson would suffer
mightily at the hands of the powerful in Hollywood.Cliff Robertson wound up being blacklisted as a result of this scandal.This scandal would send shockwaves from Hollywood to
Wall Street.You are given a complete coverage of this event in
this excellent book.You are given good coverage of some of the
individuals who were involved in this scandal.David Begelman's demise is also given coverage in this book.This is an excellent book on this event. Read it. You will not be dissapointed.

David Begelman, powerful head of a studio thinks he is above the law, until an actor by the name of Cliff Robertson exposes him. This book is a well written tale of immorality in a town known for it's lack of scruples. Hollywood insiders should not be surprised at this tale, but I was. The check Begelman forged was for a small amount. The man made more than that in a month. The book exposes the reasons why a man who had it all, would choose to commit such a crime and fall from grace. I was quite disappointed by Robertson's treatment by Hollywood's hierarchy when he was the victim, not Begelman. But it proves just how far studios will go to protect the bottom line. I read this book when it was first published years ago and I'm reading it again. The list of books I will read more than once is a short one. I highly recommend it.

A first-class trio has come together to create the latest and greatest on the big green monster that is Mavericks. The format here is a collection of intimate perspectives by an ensemble of the knights-errant who have made it their business to ride these coldwater giants. The book is nicely split between the paddlers and the tow-surfers, with narratives collected by editors Bruce Jenkins (sports communist for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of The North Shore Chronicles) and Grant Washburn (surfer and documentary filmmaker) that paint a full, satisfying, and pretty scary picture of what goes in this marine no-man's land formerly known as Jeff Clark's private playground.
Contributors to this volume include Surfing mag editor and big-wave hound dog Evan Slater, paddle-surf advocate Dr. Mark Renneker, and a host of other giant killers including Josh Loya, Zach Wormhoudt, Peter Mel, Kenny Collins, Shawn Rhodes, and still more hugely talented riders, all of whom know how to spin a good yarn.
In addition to his editing duties, Jenkins offers up a trio of quality profiles and a neat piece on "going left" at this predominantly right-hander. For his part, coeditor Washburn, himself one of the great Mavs surfers, contributes an excellent reflective essay on the historic death of Mark Foo here in 1994.
But for me the big story in this book is the tremendous portfolio of legendary Bay Area shooter Doug Acton, who's been chronicling the Mavericks scene since the early 1990s. Acton has captured it all - from the biggest swells and the gapingest pits to nervous pre-session huddles and crux moments to the serene overviews and majestic lineups. With action shots bolstered by lots of images reflecting the mix of local and international camaraderie and lifestyle in and around this Half Moon Bay, California, phenomenon, this is beautifully-paced the book of classic proportions.
- Drew Kampion for The Surfer's Path [www.surferspath.com]

Outstanding!! A simply awesome book about one of the gnarliest spots. Five stars hands down. Buy it now!

Inside Maverick's is an outstanding mix of excellent photos, writing and story telling. The book captures amazing stories from the unique mix of surfers that ride Maverick's. No extreme sport enthusiast's coffee table or bookshelf is complete without this book.

The stunning photos alone make this book worthwhile, but the surfing commentary is topnotch as well. A great companion to the DVD "Riding Giants", and you will recognize many of the people from the DVD in the book.

If you are in to any adventure sports or just an armchair surfer, this book is for you.

"Are you KIDDING ME???"

Those are usually the first words out of anyone's mouth when they see this book on my coffee table. And then, usually I have to throw in "Riding Giants" and change any conversation we may have been having.

The photography and story telling present by Grant and team in top notch. Grant alone has spent more than a decade chronicling the history of the world's heaviest big wave, and it comes through in an amazing presentation that anyone who could possible comprehend what these guys do will appreciate.

But then again, comprehending just exactly what these guys are doing is pretty much impossible.

This is essential reading for anyone interested in conservation and those who simply love nature writing. I read this book before reading "The Wild Muir". In comparison, this one is obviously a more thorough overview of Muir's life. Reading this book first makes "Wild Muir" more enjoyable....kinda like reading a novel before watching a movie based on it.

This Autobiography of John Muir was a look at the life of an amazing man. He was the type of writer that could take you to the place where he was living and make you feel like you were right there with him. His childhood experiences in Scotland and the farm life of Wisconsin formed the basis for how he viewed and related to the rest of his life and those around him. He was a world traveler who looked through the eyes of creation to observe ecology and invention. As a world traveler I also observe through the eyes of creation and as a native Californian I have had extensive experience hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada's. John Muir's writing style took me back to the places I have loved and remembered.

A great writer writing about great things - you'll feel like you're in the middle of the Sierra yourself. Endlessly enjoyable.

"American forests! the glory of the world!"
- John Muir, 1901

Of all the extraordinary men and women that have made our nation great, one stands above all others for his dedication to preserving its unequaled natural beauty: John Muir. Founder of The Sierra Club, this lover of the western forests' legacy to our generation is the National Park system, through which millions of acres of unique ecosystems have been set aside for everyone's enjoyment.

"Muir: Nature Writings" is a collection of the writings of this Scottish expatriate who first stepped foot in America in 1849 as an eleven year old brawler and budding naturalist. Blessed with a childhood mastery of Latin and Greek as well as a discerning and disciplined eye, the learned boy possessed a poet's heart, a scientist's mind, and a theologian's soul. A genius, who as a teen whittled precision wooden scientific instruments, Muir used his diverse skills to vividly portray nature's life and death struggles on his family's Wisconsin farm in "My Boyhood & Youth." Here we find Muir learning to swim by observing frogs or recollecting the mindless slaughter of the Earth's most numerous bird, the now-extinct passenger pigeon, a forlorn tale that foreshadows the conservationist he was to become.

While in college polishing his mechanical skills, Muir was detoured into studying botany. Dropping out to make powered tools for factories, an accident left him rethinking that detour; he forsook the factory and walked across America. His journey led him to the Sierra Mountains, chronicled in "My First Summer in the Sierra." Now working as a shepherd, Muir drove his flock through Yosemite while making detailed nature studies. Marveling at the natural beauty of the land he would eventually champion as one of the first National Parks, Muir wrote: "We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us. Our flesh-and-bone tabernacle seems transparent as glass to the beauty about us, as if truly an inseparable part of it, thrilling with the air and trees, streams and rocks, in the waves of the sun, - a part of all nature, neither old nor young, sick nor well, but immortal."

Muir's writings here run the gamut from analytical to thrilling. In "Stickeen", the author and a canine companion cheat death while stranded mid-storm between crevasses of an Alaskan glacier. (A self-taught authority on glaciers, Muir would eventually have one in Alaska bear his name.) "The Mountains of California" is an in-depth look at the geologic formations, plants, and animals of the region. In this piece, he tells of being stuck on the side of volcanic Mt. Shasta, staying warm in the bitter cold by nestling up to steam vents. Muir also laments the loss of the vast meadows of the San Joaquin Valley as he discusses how to make a living post-Gold Rush by raising bees for honey.

What makes Muir so unique when compared with today's environmentalists is this belief that we can live in harmony with Creation if we take simple steps to prevent despoiling it. In "The American Forests" he wrote: "No place is too good for good men, and there is still room.... Every place is made better by them. Let them be as free to pick gold and gems from the hills, to cut and hew, dig and plant, for homes and bread...." Muir's balanced view of Man's place in the wilderness overwhelmingly reflects his Christian faith, for he never fails to stand in awe of each living thing God has made. That our government leaders were so swayed by Muir's writing attests to the power of his "holy" persuasion. All of us are indebted to John Muir's single-minded devotion to America's wilderness.

("Muir: Nature Writings" is part of the Library of America series. This diverse collection of the writings of great Americans ranges from sermons of early American preachers to analysis of the Vietnam War. The works of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant, Flannery O'Connor, and James Thurber are but a few that comprise the series. An invaluable lookingglass into the heart and soul of our nation, this collection is essential reading for anyone who longs to know what makes America unique.)

John Muir was one of the founders of the early 20th century conservation movement and godfather to today's environmentalism. This collection of three books and shorter works demonstrates the reason. Muir's description of the natural world is at times scientific, at others spiritual. Here nature is not some remote thing but the living manifestation of God's love. This is not a religious book as such and yet he finds that all parts of the natural creation from rocks and mountains to trees and animals have inherent within them a life force which makes them precious. Humans are neither removed from nor a "higher" part of nature. Muir shows that we are part of this larger whole - a radical concept when he proposed it and radical still. Muir set the standard in calling for preservation of the natural world. He was a genius as an inventor and scientist and, in addition, is one of our finest writers ever. These collected Nature Writings are simply beautiful and wonderfully presented in this Library of America edition.

This book has beautiful pictures and really interesting insights on what the best trails are. We loved the ones we chose based on the guide. It worked perfectly for us during our two-day trip to Joshua Tree National Park.

I loved this book. Superbly written and full of interesting facts and history. I have been to Joshua about 4-5 times and absolutely love it, and now armed with this book I am looking forward to going back. Great pictures, narrative and real life experiences make this book a must have!

An excellent book with great photographs. It is organized very well. The author's love of the park comes through and is very inspiring.

The book provides great ideas for trips within the park for any user. I spent 5 days climbing in JTree but enjoyed finding out from the book what the Joshua tree actually is and going on a hike to see some petroglyphs. The photographs are very vivid and the campground maps are very useful (although an overall map with the campground locations would be useful too).

This book is it. As an avid hiker, camper, and all around outdoorsman, I've used a lot of different guides, but this one takes it. Between the photos, the extra chapters on local history, ecology etc., not to mention one of the easiest to use trail guides I've seen, I'm set on Destination Press as my guide of choice. Mr. Kaiser has made my outdoor adventures that much more enjoyable.

Molly Fisk's volume of poetry, Listening to Winter, is candid, clear and understated as her stories unfold. And the reader, at the end of each line, wishes for blurred focus, hopes the next line will not confirm what has just been read. Themes of survival, abandonment, and truth-telling are interwoven with a rich pictoral landscape. I took away immense strength and admiration for Fisk's facility with language. A must read for students of life, language and women.

Molly plunges you into the terror and humiliation of the greatest personal harm, the most intimate human betrayal, with raw courage and boldness, with the keenest understanding, the clearest, most vivid images, with exquisite, painful, beauty. She tells the truth of it. This is a gift beyond measure. Finally, you're not alone anymore. The closet door has been flung wide open and love becomes possible once more. She makes it so. Molly Fisk is a fine poet. I can't recommend her work highly enough.

"Listening to Winter" is full of wonderful poetry, the poem containing the title line "Hunter's Moon" is so evocative of my youth that I gobbled the rest of the book in an orgy of reading and feelings. Then, hungry for more, read each line again slowly, as if sipping great wine.

"Sugar & Salt" let me FEEL what before I'd only glimpsed. "Couples" made me cry out in pain, yearning to talk to my long dead father. "Veterans" renewed the thrill of having lived when so many didn't, made me rejoice I came back whole enough to be healed by my loving wife. This wonderful book reafirmed my joy of being alive, of being part of this lovely world and in love.

If you love great poetry, buy this book!

Bright Blessing on you Molly, where-ever you are. Thank you.

If you have ever cared for a woman, buy this book.

Thank you Ms. Fisk for your terrifying but wonder insights into the word of pain, shame & humiliation shared by all incest survivors. It is heartening & frightening to realize both that we ALL, all men can & could be betrayers and abusers of trust. Users and abusers of those either in our power or under our protection if we just follow our desires. We could be but are not, are not because we chose to be better than the potential beast within. We are better men because we make conscious choices to be the best we can be instead of taking the easy path of choosing to have all the pleasure we can take, regardless of the pain and damage caused.

Your poetry, your pain ennobles us. It helps us to be the men we should be by showing so clearly the horrible damage caused and pain inflicted by being like your father.

Thank you. For all us us I thank you.

"Listening to Winter" perfectly illustrates the axiom that: "Hearing is a biological function - listening is a conscious decision." Molly's choice to listen is difficult and it is sometimes hard to stand beside her with open ears and hear what she hears. But her courage supports and sustains us, allowing us to follow a thread of exquisitely delineated detail into the darkest secrets of the heart and safely out again into the light. We are well rewarded for listening: the lyric voice that leads us sings in perfect pitch. Both as woman and poet Molly Fisk models integrity with grace and humor. Over and over again in her poems, she chooses life.

Do you know someone who works in downtown San Francisco? Do you need to get him or her a Christmans gift? Look no further! Gail Todd has provided the perfect gift with her snazzy guide to lunchtime walks in the downtown SF area. A real treat for anyone looking to make good use of his or her lunch hour. A Great way to get to know the greatest city on earth.

As a 20-year resident of San Francisco, I'm pretty jaded when it comes to guidebooks about my city, but this book is a real treat! The author's fresh approach and clear, concise information makes this book a pleasure to read. Buy two and give one to a friend.

I just moved to San Francisco, and received Gail Todd's book as a Christmas present. It was the best present I've ever received. I had no idea downtown San Francisco was so beautiful, and I would have found the prospect of discovering it on my own daunting without this excellent guide. I recommend this book for anyone who lives or works in San Francisco. I also know from experience that it is a great gift to give to someone who lives in "The City."

Now that Spring is here, Gail Todd's walking guide to San Francisco is indispensible for anyone living in the City and looking for a new way to explore it. Beautiful pictures, detailed maps, tons of great ideas for lunchtime walks -- this guide has it all.

I would make one small addition to the other reviews. Lunchtime Walks in San Francisco, Gail Todd, is as useful for tourists as is it for residents! It became a permanent addition to our library after we were able to flip through a copy at the Rand McNally Store in San Francisco. For those not having the opportunity to peek first, this is a wonderful resource for trip planning. The walks aren't too long (about an hour for most), are centrally located, and a handy map is included with each. Information is provided on the history and the architecture of the area, shops, restaurants, picnic areas (yes, even in San Francisco there are areas for relaxing and enjoying your lunch in the great outdoors), and gorgeous views. Perfect for the visitor wanting to take some delightful jaunts including the 'must see' sites in a city that is made for walking. We've already book marked several of the 33 walks for our next visit to the city by the bay.

You'd expect this book to be either a paen to conservative values, or a completely dry legalistic review. It's neither, which is really wonderful. The first chapter suffers from bouts of overdetail, but once you get past that, the book blossoms into a very interesting pastiche of historical facts and musings reported in an unconventional array of styles that really hold your attention. Besides, where else would you read about the treatment of Jews in the Massachussetts Bay Colony?? A highly original read.

The first book by John T. Noonan, Jr., that I read was his tour de force, Contraception: A History of Its Treatment by the Catholic Theologians and Canonists, which I finished reading on June 5, 1967, finding it an exemplary study of a fascinating subject. On June 16, 1973, I read his Power to Dissolve: Lawyers and Marriages in the Courts of the Roman Curia. Each year I pick a book which I consider the best book I read that year. For the year 1973 I awarded Power to Dissolve the greatest book of the 55 books I read that year. When I saw The Lustre of Our Country I knew I could not go wrong reading it, and I was right. Other reviewers have written well of the book, but even if you do not read the entire book--its chapters are able to stand alone--read Chapter 7, entitled "The Pilgrim's Process." It is a dazzling and devastating critique of the Supreme Court's meanderings in dealing with the religion provisons of the First Amendment. This is an excellent book, and anyone interested in its subject will be rewarded in reading it.

This is a very special book. Its subject matter is weighty, its intent serious, its disciplines--law and theology--address issues of grave import. The purpose of this review is to alert potential readers to qualities as to which a more adequate review is likely to leave them unaware. The text of the "Lustre" is not ponderous. Instead navigation of the thicket of ideas which the text presents tends to leave the reader refreshed rather than drained. Eccentric and various in its organization and modes of presentation, this book frees one from captivity to a prescribed routing and invites navigation after one's own bent. Subtle logic combines with a pervasive historical sense. Events permeated with paradox and tragedy are presented with insight and wit. Not an easy read; but rewarding. As in the case of Whitman's Leaves of Grass, a reader of this book touches the life of a very special American.

John T. Noonan, currently serving as Judge on the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, has written both a personal and historical account of the experience of religious freedom in American history. Noonan begins his book by giving an autobiographical narrative of his Catholic upbringing in Boston and how this affected his theological and political views on religious freedom. He discusses his difficulty in reconciling his belief, taught by his father and other intellectual mentors, in religious tolerance with the teachings of the Catholic Church, which asserted that it was the one true church and that it was the duty of the state to actively promote Catholicism as the only true religion. Noonan then draws upon his theological knowledge to argue, contrary to what his Church once taught, that the very idea of religious freedom is fundamentally a Christian one. Noonan sums up his argument:
"By the first century A.D. there is in the Mediterranean world a religionEhat carries the concepts of a God, living, distinct from and superior to any human being, society, or state; of obligations to that God, distinct form and superior to any society or state; of authorized teachers who can voice these obligations and judge any society or state; of an inner voice of reason that is one way God speaks as well as by His authorized teachers. According to these concepts as taught by this religion, each person, individually and not as part of a family, tribe, or nation, will have to account to God as Judge for every thought and deed. Collectively, these concepts are at the core of liberty of conscience and liberty of religion."
Noonan then turns to history. In the Introduction to the book, Noonan put forward the argument that "free exerciseEs an American inventionEever before 1791 was there a tablet of the law, a legal text guaranteeing to all a freedom from religious oppression by the national legislature." Noonan now goes on to demonstrate the evidence for this claim. He traces the settlement of New England, the religious oppression of the Quakers and the Baptists, and then tells how religious liberty came about from these early conflicts. Noonan writes that:
Plymouth and the Bay Colony provided an ideal and a rhetoricEhode IslandEnd PennsylvaniaEhowed that organized government could exist without supporting a churchEand] Maryland provided the phrase [free exercise] that is at the core of the First Amendment. All four colonies demonstrated that the Church of England could tolerate other forms of Christian worship and so prepared the ground for the English Act of Toleration.
Noonan demonstrates that it was the pluralism of the colonies and the diversity of religious sects that contributed in large part to the development of religious freedom in early America. This "proliferation of sects" gave colonists "a variety of alternatives to the established" churches, which "created political constituencies that politicians had to consider."
The book then turns to the legacy of James Madison and how he has so influenced our views on religious freedom. Noonan gives a mini-biographical treatment to Madison, describing his early religious training and somewhat sudden entry into colonial politics during a critical time in our nation's history. The reader cannot help but to sense the author's deep affinity for Madison and his legacy. Noonan gives special treatment to Madison's role in crafting the American concept of church and state matters.
Noonan then goes on to describe early 19th century American church and state relations through a fictional sister of Alexis de Toqueville. Contrary to Toqueville's, Democracy In America, Noonan argues that church and state interacted in a manner that was not exactly in keeping with the Madisonian ideal. Government at this time was very closely involved with religion and supported it in a number of ways that could be construed as respecting an establishment. Noonan also describes the abolitionist movement and how this crusade was firmly rooted in American Christianity, at least the Northern variety.
Noonan focuses a large portion of his book dissecting and examining the legal aspect of church and state matters and religious freedom as a whole. He keeps the readers attention by a fictional dialogue between 'Harvardman' and 'Mr. Simple.' There are several interesting observations made by Noonan during this quite extensive examination of jurisprudence relating to church and state matters. One of the most intriguing is:
"Ceremonial deism was the court's description of prayers by a legislature, prayer at the opening of a court, and of 'In God We Trust' imprinted on the coinagesEust as Secular Humanism was nonreligious practice that was called a religion, ceremonial deism was religious practice that was not to be called a religion. The court created a kind of American Shinto, a state religion that for establishment purposes was a non-religion because its purposes were secular."
One could only conclude after reading such an argument that the Supreme Court has indeed established a religion appropriate for government support at the exclusion of all others. Is this not what Madison and others warned us would happen if the state took it upon itself to delve so deeply into religious matters as our courts recently have? Noonan argues his point but at the same time allows the reader enough leeway to decide on his own.
The book concludes with four examples of how the American concept of religious liberty has impacted the world EFrance, Japan, Russia, and the Roman Catholic Church. The final example brings us back to Noonan's own beginnings, or where the first part of the book left off. In 1965 the Roman Catholic Church formally adopted, after centuries of persecution of 'heretic' sects, religious toleration. Beyond the significance this event served for the author, it provides an appropriate closing to the topic of religious freedom and certainly a monumental one in human history as a whole.

One of the ironies of American Constitutional history is that many of our greatest jurists have never had the opportunity to sit on our highest court. One thinks of such obvious examples as Learned Hand, John Johnston Parker,Arthur Vanderbilt, Roger Traynor, and John Minor Wisdom. John T,. Noonan, currently a senior judge with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, clearly deserves to be ranked in this select company( as does his philosophical antipode, Richard Posner of The seventh circuit). This book, remarkably lucid, remarkably learned and remarkably humane, constitutes the culmination of Noonans historical, legal and philosophical reflection.Other reviewers have already indicated the riches of this fine books contents. I will only note that I learned something new, or encountered a fresh and startling argument, on almost every page. Noonan has thought deeply about democracty and human freedom, not only in America, but in other countries as well. The chapters on France, Japan, and Russia show an understanding of the cultural political, and religous life of those nations which borders on the extraordinary. The chapter on Tocqueville( told through the literary device of an imaginary account of America written by Tocquevilles equallly imaginary sister, Angelique,) is quite brilliant, and opens up new perpectives on Tocqueville. All in all, a great book. One hopes for more from Judge Noonans learned and humane pen.It is truly amazing that mediocrites such as Breyer, Kennedy, Ginsburg and Souter sit on the court, while this deeply patriotic and brilliant man has to preside over the often humdrum cases of the ninth circuit.

Picked this up for an extended Northern California hiking and riding trip. I purchased about four others as well and I used all of them as each has a little something different. Not a single one was useless and none warranted less than 4 stars. I would reccomend doing the same rather than just picking one for your trip.

Pros - 1. This book is a very easy read. 2. Lots of very good information that you wouldn't find any place else. 3. The book is always prominently at the different Mammoth sport goods stores so its clearly popular.

Comments - 1. I really disagreed with one of her recommendations. But that is completely understandable. 2. There seems to be a little problem in mammoth with food being completely cooked at their restaurants. My wife got food poisoned at one place and my kids weren't feeling real good. The next day I talked with a "local business manager" who said she doesn't recommend restaurants in mammoth for this reason. The bottom line is to make sure your food is completely cooked and if it isn't send it back ! There are just too many fun things to do in mammoth instead of being sick.

As an avid skier and hiker I have found Mammoth from the Inside to be a goldmine of information. I keep it in my Jeep so I can find those great, really special, out-of-the-way Mammoth places Dunn Bates has discovered.

Very well written and concise guidebook on Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding area and region. We enjoyed Ms. Dunn-Bates light sense of humor, which made for easy and understandable reading. My wife and I have been residents of Mammoth Lakes for over 20 years, making the trek to L.A. and back many times, and Ms. Dunn-Bates wrote about stops and sights along 395 that we now must make time for! Good job!

What a great book! Thanks to the author's casual style and comprehensive knowledge, reading MAMMOTH FROM THE INSIDE is like getting "insider" postcards from a good buddy. A must-have book for outdoor enthusiasts.

I live on the Mojave Desert, Antelope Valley to be precise, and this book portrays the beauty we are now experiencing this spring. We have a beautiful Poppy Preserve on the westside of our valley. Jane Pinheiro was a woman who not only painted pictures of many of our wildflowers , but she was one of the people instrumental in seeing that the Poppy Preserve came into being. A number of her paintings are on display at the Preserve. I have one of her paintings, and with this lovely wildflower book, I was able to ascertain which of the wildflowers is depicted in my painting. If anyone is interested in not only viewing the array of colors during our spring wildflower viewing, but is interested in learning some of the names of said wildflowers, and a bit of background for each of them, this is the book to buy.

Money well spent. We are ready for wildflower season! A lot of color pictures with good information. If you live in or near the Mojave Desert this is a valuable book.

I love these Falcon guides mainly because of the lavish color illustrations. Every flower in the book has its own color picture, along with helpful descriptions. The front matter in this book includes all sorts of background material about the Mojave, along with the usual educational stuff about plant types, leaf distribution, etc. And the book is made to last -- if you take any care of it at all, it will last you forever.

This is probably the easiest to use desert plant book I have (and I have eight that focus on desert plants in all). What it lacks in completeness, it more than makes up for in terms of ease of use. There is a picture for each plant and the plants are grouped according to flower color. So as long as the plant is in bloom, it's not too hard to find out what it is. This book does a great job of covering the plants you are most likely to come across which makes it a great book to thumb through in the field. If you are dealing with similar species within the same genus or rare plants, you'll probably want to get the Jepson guide.

Pam MacKay's 'Mojave Desert Wildflowers' is a wonderfully informative & beautifully photographed guide to the wildflowers of the Mojave. This sturdy plastic-coated field guide contains over 300 gorgeous photos, finely detailed plant descriptions, and is virtually an introductory textbook on Mojave Desert ecology. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the Mojave Desert. The author lives & teaches in the Mojave and her dedication, attention to detail, and love of the desert are revealed on every page.

Jim Otterstrom