Kansas Books

This is a very unique book about settlers and the plains Indians because the author gives a detailed introductory history on each as it coincides with the discovery of gold, the mass migration of miners and settlers that went west and the effects it had on the nomadic Indian's way of life. Lots of minute detail that is not exactly for a quick read but the author makes great points that the Indians existed in America thousands of years before Moses and that their life as nomads accelerated when Cortez introduced the horse to the plains Indians. The author also demonstrates that the various tribes of Cheyenne, Kiowa, Arapahoe, Comanche, Apache and others were already straining the resources of the plains, which are dramatically effected by the mass migration of whites. Even the buffalo moved further east from the front range of the Rockies where tribal rivalries gave the over hunted beasts a sanctuary in no mans land. In addition, the development of Denver through the discovery of gold is actually quite interesting as the mountain men and those married to Indian women had initial influence that promptly disappears as Denver flourishes once a higher class society emerges. The initial boosters are eventually disregarded as well as the tribal influences through family relations. Finally, the author puts it altogether noting that whites took the various oases on the plains where water, grass and trees were plentiful, removing the primary sources of comfortable survival for the Indians. What happens to the Indians has some familiarity to what is happening in rural America where developers (ranchers, the army, farmers and miners in this case) flatten large tracts of land changing not only the landscape but also the community itself but of course with more dire effects to the Indian way of life. By taking the natives' areas of shelter and food, they are eventually hard pressed to survive culminating in occasional armed conflict particularly by the dog soldiers. There was a misunderstanding or lack of appreciation by settlers that just because Indians did not occupy water and treed sites at the present, it did not mean it was not used. The Indians used many of these more productive areas as seasonal shelters for their nomadic use, which begin to be occupied exclusively by whites. In the end, resistance by some dog soldiers fuels the totally avoidable massacre at Sand Creek where peaceful Cheyenne were instructed to camp. The massacre was even a greater tragedy since responsible individuals knew and informed Chivington that village camp was peaceful with several notable whites staying with their relatives by means of marriage. As the author points out, the massacre may also have been a violent repudiation of the intermingling of the races. Sometimes there is too much detail (in the introduction that author states that his friends complain that he cannot write about a stop sign unless he gives an in-depth history of the intersection) but the final 60 pages converge into understanding how the Indians were pushed out of their prime hunting areas and areas of respite resulting in short termed and sporadic welfare. As the author points out, the attraction of gold in Denver causes the vacuum of the plains to be filled changing the life of the Indians in virtually a short period.

Elliott West is an intriguing author and this expansive history of the Plains Indians and the Colorado gold rush is fascinating. He begins by relating the story of the peopling of the central High Plains, how the Spanish-introduced horses thrived on the grasses found there and how the Indians, especially the Cheyenne, made the horses the central aspect of their way of life. He describes next the earliest contacts with Europeans, the early fur trappers and traders along the Santa Fe and other trails. Then he reaches what will be the main thrust of his book: the discovery of gold along Cherry and Dry Creeks near today's Denver by a group of Georgian prospectors in the summer of 1858. Word of their finds reached Kansas City by late August, the rest of the eastern United States by September, and California by October (via the Isthmus of Panama). The rush was on. He tells of the three main river routes open to the gold seekers: the Platte (northern), the Arkansas (southern), and the Smoky Hill (central), the riskiest route because of a shortage of water and deadly weather storms. He explains how the Front Range prospered quickly and towns grew. And he traces how all of this activity devastated the way of life for the Indians, resulting, if not exactly ending, most disgracefully at Sand Creek. The field covered by West's book has been mined often, but rarely with the flair and style he brings to his study. The book combines scholarship and anecdotal reports magnificently, and is a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.

This may be an important work in it's field, but it is, sadly, quite boring. I began skimming it at about page 50 and finished it that way. I read a lot of history for pleasure and derived none from this book. I could only recommend it to scholars or students.

The Contested Plains, by one of the most imaginative Western historians writing today, is a masterpiece in the field. It puts peoples-white and Indian-together in a complicated field of action--the Plains and the Rockies in the 19th century. West shows us a world of surprising and fascinating complexity, a place of high drama undergoing sweeping transformations. West is a master storyteller. Behind the compelling and vivid narrative there are new approaches in the field of Western history, including its way of re-looking at the frontier as a zone of cultural contestation and exchange in which it is as important to take stock of the land and animals as of the peoples, their economies, and their ideas. If you are at all interested in Western history, read this book!

The title, The Contested Plains, relays Elliot West's desire to tell the story of the 1858 Colorado Gold Rush not from the perspective of the destination, but from the tale of the journey. West is determined to understand the environmental history of the plains as well as the perspective of the Indians who long inhabited them. He not only attempts to understand the land itself, but also how the indigenous peoples, and ultimately the gold seekers, used it. Clearly defined within the story are the concepts of imagination, impact, and power and the story itself is in fact divided into these three subsections: Vision, Gold Rush, and Power. West relates the tale through multiple scopes as he attempts anthropological, geological, economic, cultural, topographical, and biological interpretations of the 19th century transformation of the western Plains environment.
West begins by taking the reader back to the land before time in what he calls the "Old World." His clever play on the general Euro centric application of the world is all the more poignant when it is understood that this truly is the Indians' "Old World," and that a new and generally inhospitable future awaits them. After this short introduction, introduced is Spanish explorer Coronado and offers the foreshadowing of the encounter, exchange, and exclusion of the next four centuries.
The staples of the Western encounter remain the same. Disease, trade, firearms, and the horse are the four major players in the transformation of Indian lives. This is where West's biological angle emerges. He constructs the interdependence of life between the Indians and the Plains and the fundamental impact that the introduction of the horse levied upon their lifestyle. While horse and firearm prove beneficial and disease fatal, trade has been cast in a more complex light. The same trading systems that permitted the general rise of the Plains Indian became its downfall as settlers pushed westward in search of increased capital through a marginal gold rush or a now expanded trade system.
The encroachment of settlers onto the Plains found fundamentally different uses for the land. While the Cheyenne, or Tsistsistas, had managed a sustainable lifestyle consisting of hunting, grazing, movement, and trade, the relatively static farming productions of the white settler not only consumed valuable land space needed for the Indians, it levied substantial tolls upon the environment itself, particularly in times of drought. Accompanied by a population explosion wholly untenable with the nature of the land, it wasn't long before bloody conflicts between the two groups would arise, with the ultimate victor being the white settler.
West has written a comprehensive narrative consisting of several different vantage points, the most emotive being the ultimate transformation and decline of the life of the Plains Indian tribes. Voice has also been given to the land in this account. West is careful to make no judgments on the Indians or the gold seekers and settlers. He is pragmatic when he exclaims that "two cultures acted out compelling visions in a land that could support only one."

I've only made a couple of the recipes. My spice cake came out great, but beware that a lot of the recipes produce many servings. I ended up throwing away most of the spice cake. I don't give my dog frequent treats. I like the tips they have in the book.

Bow wow! (that's hello in doggy language)I love everything about this book. The way it is written, the ease of the recipes and the naturalness in the ingredients. I have made the Peanut Brindle and Grandpaws Sunday Dawg dinner and all are delicious according to my two boys that lick their bowls. The title of the menu items are witty and cute. What I like too is that the book gives special occasion menus and menus for special needs dogs. The authors should open up a doggie restaurant serving not just bakery items but other recipes that are in the book!

If you bought this book for personal use then it's a great book but if you bought it to help with a home business, many of the recipes will not last long. A lot of the recipies I didn't think I would use for my personal pet either. But just to say, I like shopping at their stores.

This book has a pretty good variety of recipes. They are fairly easy and so far, my dogs have loved every one I've tried. Throughout the book, there are many interesting tips and entertaining anecdotes. Overall, a good buy in my opinion.

I recently purchased this book. Like others, I originally heard about Three Dog Bakery because of the book 'Amazing Gracie,' by the founders of Three Dog Bakery. We don't have a local Bakery so I thought it would be nice to try our four dogs on some of the recipes the Bakery suggested.

My dogs, in a word, SCARFED down everything I made. We've done a number of the cookie recipes thus far - all to the tail wagging delight of our four furry friends. We frequent a local dog park and not a dog turned up his or her nose at these treats.

In addition to the fun, easy and healthy treats and meals in this book there are numerous entertaining and informative snippets of information for the dog lover.

I would recommend this book to others who want to offer a healthy alternative to pre-packaged dog food and treats.

This is a must read book for all of the people who interact on the net with "FRIENDS".

This story blew my mind. I had just finished the book when I stopped for fuel at the NM/AZ state line on I-40. There was a state police computer printout hanging on the door, warning women against chatting with men on the internet because of the "internet slavemaster." The state police (NM) were asking for any information in connection to this internet entity. I couldn't believe it.

Then, when I arrived in Holbrook, AZ, I ran into four highway patrolmen at a truckstop diner and asked them about the notice. We engaged in an hour-long conversation about how a predator like this can disguise himself as an upstanding member of the community and keep everybody fooled. We had the book out and several people seemed mesmerized by our discussion of this story. It has that effect! It is just so unbelievable that people are astounded.

If you have not read this book, get it! This man was the first to harness the internet for serial killing. Boy, it will drive home the fact that there is no safe ground anymore. If you have children, you will be concerned about what they are doing online. It will make you look at your computer in a whole new light. It will also make you start wondering about all those upstanding citizens that you know so well ... or do you really know them at all?

There is a flip side to this story - the world of S&M and the women that were surfing for a "master." This man could not have lured them if they had not been presenting themselves as victims. That is where the game is so dangerous - you just never know when it is going to get out of hand. I would think that it is not something you would readily trust to a stranger. I think that is the part of this story that astounds people the most. Why would a woman readily place herself into the role of slave to a complete stranger?

The author has done a fabulous job of presenting the facts in a flowing narrative that keeps you reading. I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I can't imagine what he could have done to improve it. It was outstanding!

John Robinson was a businessman, Eagle Scout and Man of the Year. Very few people knew the real John Robinson. Three quarters of the book deals with the prior crimes committed by John. He was always setting up new businesses and trying to get people to invest. Each time the police caught him, he would start up another business.
While only a quarter of the book dealt with his new found internet lifestyle. The book was well written except for the ending, when the reader is left wonder what actually happened.

I first came across this book as it was listed in another reviewer's listmania list. Given its lofty reviews, I was excited when I finally came across a used copy of this out-of-print book. For the most part, the book did not disappoint.

John Edward Robinson may go down as the first internet serial killer. However, the route to his crime was less than conventional. From fraud, theft, to various other scams, Robinson fits the profile of a career criminal. It was only when his BDSM lifestyle began to spiral out of control that his criminal world closed in on him. Like many criminals, his crimes became sloppy toward the end of his run. Even if Robinson appears reasonably clean early in the book, the search warrants toward the end lend an explosive image to the crimes.

The one major flaw I saw with the book is its inability to finish the story. The book ends with the case going to trial. Why end the book before the story is finished? I needed to do an internet search to learn of the court rulings.

Living in the Kansas City area I was particularly interested in the John Robinson case and followed it avidly. Glattt has done an excellent job in recounting the case and his research is first class. He also goes further and breaks new facts on the case which have never come to light before. I was very impressed by his writing style and attanetion to detail. I would recommend this to all true crime fans and have done so. This one is way up there with In Cold Blood.

I love this book. I recommend it to all my clients. The information presented is easy to understand, easy to use, and just plain reader-friendly. "Natural Highs" gives people the ability to take back control of their moods and their life safely and effectively. Read it, use it, and dare to be happy!
Mary Ann Michels, Certified Hypnotherapist & EFT Practitioner

Once again I reached for Dr. Cass' book today. I've had it for about six months and it hasn't sat closed for any two weeks in a row. I've tried several items listed and found that some worked and some didn't. One of the greatest joys is replacing a pill or supplement with real food. I'd rather eat fish than a tablespoon of fish oil!

It took time to realize that the book is written for a general audience, not just for me. Now I'm working through her suggestions methodically, patiently weeding out those that aren't right for me and keeping those that are. For instance, I discovered that high potency vitamin B "complete" supplements work well with SAMe. On the other hand, valerian only caused bad dreams.

Used in conjunction with Chris Carmichael's "Food for Fitness" and some great web resources, I find that I have both high energy and a great attitude towards life and my health.

I don't know about you, but I get tired of health & nutrition books that go on and on about technical details without supplying any real information I can use. That is why I have appreciated the direct approach taken in Natural Highs. The authors clearly explain how to feel better and why it works. The descriptions of neurotransmitters and brain chemistry are sufficient without becoming tiresome. The supplement recommendations are candid and well balanced. Important techniques such as breathwork and meditation are also covered. This book is readable and even entertaining. If you are curious about natural ways to relax or improve your mood, give it a try!

There is definitely some interesting information in this book, but the use of biased anecdotes and several totally false claims make it difficult to determine how much of the book can actually be trusted.

Overall it wasn't worth buying because I had to spend many hours doing my own research on the authors' claims. As always books that rely on anecdotes to back up claimed benefits should be viewed with suspicion.

The advice in this book worked for me, it has many options to improve over-all health!

Jake McPherson, 39 is the brother of Cord from HH 431 The Wedding Promise.
Was so glad that Jake finally got his story told.

Jake was in a wheelchair and has moved out from their ranch when Cord married Rachel Sinclair [more stories].
He married Lorena and they had a son, Jason who is now nine.
Lorena died just about 2 years ago, Jake and Jason are still grieving.
Jake is living like a hermit, having torn up the ramp built for him to get out of the house. Jason is showing an ill temper to get the attention of his father.

All of this attitude gets dumped on Alicia Merriweather, 30 as she is Jason's teacher. She considers herself on the shelf as far as marriage is concerned. She considers herself too tall, too buxom, too well built and just too plain.

Jake was well on his way to becoming a concert pianoist before Lorena died. Now he won't have anything to do with the concert piano. He refuses to leave the house. He has refused so far to open the curtains and let some sunlight in.

Alicia, with all she has heard of Jake, decides to beard the lion in his den for the sake of his son. She soon learns that Jake apparently enjoys the sass that she gives him.

This is the story of a woman who refuses to give into bad manners although she has to bear emotional hurt. A man who lets fly with his temper but eventually makes amends for his hurtful words. And a boy who just wants his father's attention.

Cord and Rachel show up several time to help the couple even though Jake seems to resent it. We get to see a strong love the brothers have for each other.

An exceedingly excellent story - without all that trashy PMS - heart-warming - even the sheriff is nice.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED [LIKE ALL OF HER BOOKS] there must be about 5 or 6 to this family run. start with HH 431 - 543 - 556 - 699 - HQN- Redemption + Haven. All excellent.

With effortless flow and emotional narration, Carolyn Davidson delivers REDEMPTION - a story full of profound tenderness and deep emotion delving deep into the heart of the human spirit.

Jake McPherson, is an embittered and angry man - he has the right to live as a hermit and a recluse in his boarded up house with his nine year old son Jason. He has lost much in his life - the Civil War put him in wheelchair and robbed him of his legs as well as losing his beloved wife to pneumonia.

Alicia Merriweather is the town schoolteacher. At 30, she is a no-nonsense, openly spoken, stout woman who realizes that nine year old Jason is belligerent and badly behaved due to the lack of regard from his father. Allowed to run wild, Jason has no discipline and Alicia is about to put a stop to it - no student of hers is going to disrupt her classroom. Sure as you please, she waltzes into Jake's house and into his life, by standing toe-to-toe with him and lets him know exactly what is going on and what he has to do to fix it!! The nerve of the woman!

But soon, Jake realizes that he needs more than a woman to keep his house clean and cook their meals. He decides that Alicia could be the right woman to be a mother to his son - so he asks her to marry him. The battle of wills continues as Alicia is constantly keeping him on his toes. Little does he realize that Alicia is the breath of fresh air his house and his life has badly needed - he comes to realize how much he cares for her as his life slowly starts to change in ways that he never knew would resurface.

With flawless execution and a simple but emotional narrative, this is the story of how a woman heals a man's wounded heart and makes him whole. REDEMPTION will crawl right into your heart and will find a spot on your keeper shelf. Bravo Ms. Davidson, on a beautifully written novel that truly speaks to the heart!

This is the first Carolyn Davidson book I have read and I am hooked!!! I like the language used and she describes her settings and characters so well a visual is automatically in your head. I will find her other books.

I really enjoyed this book. Finally an interesting love interest. Having a man in a wheelchair trying to take care of his son is not a topic dealt with every day. I also enjoyed that our heroine is not a breath taking beauty and he learns to see her inner beauty as he falls in love with her. This is romance, to me, at its very best.

I have just finished reading this book after buying it this afternoon. I loved it!! I honestly cant express in words how good it was. Funny and romantic. Everything I want in a romance novel. I actually picked this book up by accident and never having read a Carolyn Davidson book, was a little leary. I will most definitely purchase more of her books in the near future!! WONDERFUL!

~States' Rights and the Union: Imperium in Imperio, 1776-1876~ is perhaps one of the best new contributions to the study of American constitutional history in recent years. Most history books portray the nature of sovereignty within the American body politic as being well-settled after 1787. In their mind, it was settled that the U.S. was to have a strong central government. This is reductionism at its best and history at its worst. The essence of a true federal regime has always been a diffusion of powers and a dual sovereignty, not a centralized unitary polity like France or the United Kingdom. The framers of the Constitution deliberatedly contemplated a general government with expressly enumerated powers. The contest over States Rights and the Union was almost inevitable, as the American polity was framed with an ingrained contradiction of dual sovereignty that was anathema to European conceptions of sovereignty. McDonald's book is fittingly subtitled Imperium in Imperio, which literally delineates supreme sovereignty within supreme sovereignty. Likewise, the Calvinist notion of man's innate depravity was more readily acceptable to framers who were weary and mistrustful of concentrated power. It was the springboard for fortifying Anglo-American traditions of bicameral legislatures, common law protections for the individual and adding more checks and balances. The framers rejected whimsical views about man's good nature espoused by Rousseau. "Free government is founded in jealousy," avowed Thomas Jefferson, "and not in confidence. It is jealousy and not confidence which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power..." Much to the chagrin of modern liberals, the crux of the American polity was the nature of its dual sovereignty coupled with its corporate liberty (i.e. institutions jealously guarding their prerogatives,) not its popular representation.

Forrest McDonald chronicles the political and constitutional history of the American polity in its first century from the time of the Constitutional Convention where the states in convention assented to the formation of the Union. All of the pivotal debates about the nature of the Union are addressed. McDonald pays special attention to contests that reached a groundswell during the administrations of Jefferson and Monroe over federal appropriations for internal improvements. The ensuing Congressional fights over the Bank of the United States, internal improvements, and tariffs would deepen the vexing question over the nature of sovereignty. James Madison brilliantly asserted that the Constitution gives the general government explicit "enumerated objects" of power, and Article I, Section 8 empowers Congress to finance "post roads," though no mention is made for subsidies to railroads or building canals. The original secessionist movement was lead by New England Federalists ironically, and McDonald chronicles the saga of the Hartford Convention. The High Federalists opposed the Louisiana Purchase, because it expanded the states and they argued that while the territory could be expanded that no new states should be added. Jefferson had serious reservations about the legality of the purchase in the absence of Constitutional Amendment, but found the deal too good to pass up. The controversies leading up to the War Between the States and southern secession are discussed. Moreover, the actions of the Supreme Court in shaping the debate over States' Rights and the Union are the subject of constant discussion for McDonald. Ultimately, the Clay-Webster-Lincoln conception of the Union would work to steadily supplant the conservative Madison-Calhoun-Hayne conception of the Union. The dictatorial Lincoln regime and Reconstruction regime could only serve to set the precedent for the New Deal exploits of FDR.

States' Rights is considered an archaic concept now and is often demeaned as a mere buzzword for segregationists. Nonetheless states' rights remains a monumental pillar of the American Republic that needs to be rediscovered and not forgotten. Madison's point is simple, the federal government has expressed powers and limitations, and if there are no limitations on what that government may do than the Tenth Amendment is turned on its nose and a relic of the horse and buggy era. Modern neoconservatives seem only to argue for a renewed commitment to federalism by shifting some powers back to the states on utilitarian grounds of efficiency rather than on constitutional grounds. If you like McDonald, I think books such as _Reassessing the Presidency: The Rise of the Executive State and the Decline of Freedom_ and _The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War_ are also worth considering. McDonald is more of a constitutional storyteller who withholds judgment; those books previously, however, tell it like it is.

Among their many failings, U.S. history textbooks have often portrayed national sovereignty as a largely settled question following the revolutionary war, which was resurrected years later by southern states who wanted to hold slaves. What University of Alabama Professor Forrest McDonald shows in "States' Rights and the Union", is that states' rights infused the national debate of most issues in the first 100 years of the republic.

One of those issues on which McDonald provides a particularly interesting read is the issue of "internal improvements" (modern-day supporters call them "earmarks"; detractors "pork-barrel projects"). What has become commonplace today was once looked at as an unconstitutional extension of federal power. As part of the ongoing debate, McDonald chronicles the 1825 passage of a resolution by the South Carolina legislature which condemned "the taxing of the citizens in one state 'to make roads and canals for the citizens of another state.' Virginia adopted a similar resolution early in 1827, as did Georgia late in the year." Where would today's politicians be if they couldn't deliver for their constituents road and canals? (and bridges and buildings and museums and subsidies).

The book is filled with Supreme Court cases, which serves to reinforce McDonald's contention of the Court's centrality in the states' rights debate. Although today the Supreme Court is looked at with an almost sacred awe, it wasn't always that way. Indeed, McDonald notes in the epilogue that it was with the dismissal of 20th century southern segregationist laws that "the Supreme Court gained an enormous fund of moral capital in the rest of the country" which it used to consolidate its power. But due to the constant shuffle of Supreme Court Justices, the Court has been a sometime friend and othertime foe of states' rights.

The jackets says the book was "written in an accessible style", but demands some familiarity with U.S. History (which should disqualify about 75 percent of the American public). However, what McDonald has done is to write a consistent narrative of one of the most important and unique features of American democracy. Although the narrative ends in 1876, it is instructive background for many current debates in U.S. politics and the epilogue sets the stage for a much-needed sequel. In light of the extensive research McDonald put into the first 100 years of the states' rights debate, it would be fascinating to see him focus that same energy on the last 125, and especially the Rhenquist court.

The other reviews have fairly well covered the ground, save for the notion that the more background you bring to this book, the more sense it makes. I had just finished bios of Washington and JQA when I undertook this, thank heavens. The "meandering" criticism is, I think, misplaced. The author is simply trying to ball up the strings of attitudes, attitudes which shifted as quickly as regional economic interests.

The reviewer who asserts the book is a lightening rod for one's own opinions has a point. The past few generations have grown up with the notion that the federal government is "She who must be obeyed" (with apologies to Rumpole). But it ain't necessarily so, were it not for the fact that the feds have the guns and tanks and, as Nixon and Bush 43 have demonstrated, the willingness to use them on our own people. (Don't get edgy about Bush43 -- absolutely not in the same league with Kent State. B43 has merely run roughshod over the civil rights of all Americans in the name of protecting me from terrorism).

It had been unimaginable to me that the states would ever consider they need not obey federal law. Nor did my American History classes cause me to realize that various state factions have seriously courted secession many times. Once again, "A little learning is a dangerous thing," A. Pope. Are we about to swing back towards greater states' rights? I don't know. Certainly the current administration prefers an Imperial Presidency, but the SCt may, indeed, move towards a more balanced situation.

As the reviewers have implied, McDonald leaves one with the notion that the founding fathers had no consensus about how much power belonged where. I do not subscribe to the view that constitutional tensions were left present because our forebearers were prescient. Rather, their generation, like ours, had a wide diversity of viewpoints. As has happened many times with many laws, ambiguity has allowed for agreement, after which legislators could move on to something else.

There are no simple solutions, nor have there ever been. Politicians, from revolutionary to the current batch, pushing simplistic solutions have, when successful, succeeded in driving a wedge between regions. After reading this book, I am astonished that the US has not torn itself asunder. Little wonder the 18th century Brits did not expect the US to survive as a nation.

States' Rights and the Union: Imperium in Imperio 1776-1876 written by Forrest McDonald is a very illuminating work on the vexing theme of States' Rights vs Union, a theme in American history and politics that has and will continue to elicite debate.

Forrest McDonald works both sides of the debate in this book and you'll find yourself straddling the fence here, wary of federal power or states' rights, as the Constitution gave the central government expansive powers, but it also legitimated the doctrine of states' rights, resulting in dual-sovereignty or as McDonald says, Imperium in Imperio, (sovereignty within sovereignty, supreme power within supreme power), or the division of power within a single jurisdiction. This inherent tension and uncertainty was, I think, intentionally written into the constitution to keep both sides honest. This debate seems to always keep the pot hot, only occasionally boiling over into contention.

McDonald has a pleasenly elegant narrative that is easily readable giving an insightful look at the delicate balance of dual-sovereignty. Taking us from the Federalist Era through the Jeffersonians to finally the Civil War and Reconstruction all the while giving the reader insight to the various positions each serving a purpose as authority between general and local seemed to sway in one direction or another, only to be upset anew and to move back toward the opposite position, but the contention never went away. The division of sovereignty was generally regarded as impossible, but only in America where political thinking underwent a fundamental transformation, bringing unparalleled and unprecedented constitution-making, and only until Americans devised a way of doing it, did it happen.

The Constitution did give the general government broad powers within a limited sphere and thereby institutionalized a system of divided sovereignty. Reading and understanding this book you'll find that you'll side and reside yourself as the debate goes on, from the states' righters as John Taylor and John Randolph argue the definition of tyranny is the concentration of power in some remote center, but the opposite side John Quincy Adams and Nicholas Biddle ardently argue for vigorous action at the center was vital if the nation was to fulfill its promise and its destiny among the family of nations.

This is a well balanced work of enlightenment for each position making point and counter-point and is well documented. This is a worthy read for those wanting to broaden their knowledge of why things are as they are in the United States... according to their Constitution, a form of government that empowers its people above all.

This book would be of interest if only for the fact that it serves as a lightening rod for the reader's preconceptions on the issues surrounding States' Rights. Read the reviews below and note that some of the reviewers tend to regard McDonald as an advocate for the States and some read him as an advocate for the Feds.
Readers will tend to find in this book evidence to support their own views. That should suggest that McDonald has succeeded in giving us a fairly objective history of the issue. I feel he has. Sort of.
The first part of the book does seem to meander. That is the nature of the beast. I have never read any comprehensive history of constitutional history that does not meander. Many different issues were argued during the first sixty years or so of our constitutional history using States Rights on one side or the other. I think you would be very hard pressed to name one major national figure in that time frame who did not argue both sides of the debate at different times in their lives or in regards to different issues. Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, Jackson, Webster, Clay and Calhoun all are associated with one side or another on the issue yet all at some point in their careers argued the other side.
Individual states showed their flexibility on these issues as well. In the chapter on the period immediately preceding the Civil War, 'Dissolving the Union', McDonald notes that the North began to preach nullification while Southerners began to praise the Court.
The latter part of the book probably seems more focused because the issues were more focused and the positions of the players more dogmatic.
I suspect that most of us still find ourselves on both sides of the debate depending on which issue we are discussing. As an Oregonian, I have been annoyed recently by the Federal government trying to contravene the wishes of the people of my State in regards to the Death with Dignity Act. On many other issues, I have supported that same Federal government when it interfered with the laws of individual States, e.g., in the case of laws nationalizing voting rights. Now, before, y'all jump all over me for inconsistency, ask yourself in you are not in the same boat. And while you are at it, ask yourself if most political issues do not involve making a decision on more than one constitutional issue. And whether how much of a role that States' Rights play in our reaction to an issue depends on our feelings about the other constitutional issues involved.
Consider that the political and economic issues debated in this country have always had that type of complexity and I believe it will be clear why McDonald's history is not a nice flowing narrative.
While I think McDonald's history is useful, I find myself questioning some of his judgments. I think he has a tendency to make statements that are not supported by evidence. On p. 120 McDonald claims, 'Jackson brought such disrepute to his office that that vital function of the presidency could scarcely be performed again for the remainder of the century'. This strikes me as a wee bit of an overstatement.
I also find his handling of certain events to be questionable, e.g., the notorious caning of Charles Sumner by Preston Brooks. McDonald seems to feel that Sumner was malingering. Maybe. Maybe I would feel like malingering too if struck repeatedly on the head with a gutta-percha cane. In any case, I remain a little skeptical about McDonald as pure historian. But don't take my word for it. I am just some schmuck who reads a lot. Read one of his books and decide for yourself.
If the issue of the relative power of the States vis-a-vis the Federal government is of interest to you then this is a useful book. If you have a strong opinion you will find additional support for either side within these pages. If your opinion on these issues is unclear, this book should be of use in sorting out some of your ideas simply by the way you find yourself reacting to the various arguments.
One final note- in evaluating what happened to the South after the Civil War, it is important to also keep in mind the monumental and systematic terrorism that was unleashed on black people during this time. The reaction of Southerners to Reconstruction is probably the strongest argument for federal intervention in the political lives of the states. The protection of minorities from the majority was one of the main reasons Madison and others pushed for the writing and ratification of the Constitution. Which minority is the focus of that protection at whatever historical moment is one of the story lines of our constitutional history. It is altogether too easy to forget this when reading a book like this one. I cannot recommend highly enough Eric Foner's great book on Reconstruction as a general background to reading about the era.

Great book on the history of the presidency by the inimitable Professor McDonald. The book begins with how the framers were influenced by English law and the history of the executive (ie king and prime minister) up to that point in history. Realize that had there been no George Washington, the framers would have been reluctant to create an executive position that is now known as the presidency.

Professor McDonald marginally develops the intellectual foundation for the presidency and produces soundly researched insights into the presidencies of Washington and Jefferson, but the book cascades into a morass of arbitrary research and shallow analysis in the second half.

His treatment of early philosophical underpinnings for a presidential-type leader is overly long is not well-connected with the actual thoughts and writings of the founders, but his attempt is admirable. The book reaches its height in the examination of the presidencies of Washington and Jefferson, particularly with regard to Jefferson. McDonald describes Jefferson as an astute molder of presidential authority, especially in relation to a quasi-legislative role with Congress and with regard to international relations.

In the last half of the book, however, McDonald turns rather cavalier in his research and arbitrary in his conclusions. Mostly secondary research is selectively presented and arguments are developed with little depth. Most alarmingly for a seasoned and well-regarded historian, his partisanship is scarcely veiled. He defends Nixon as a sympathetic foreign affairs wizard who tried to reign in an irresponsible Congress, but fell prey to a shallow and vindictive press. While a full treatment of Nixon is hardly within the boundaries of this book, Nixon's self-induced problems and serious attempts at Constitutional disruption are embarrassingly not discussed. Additionally, his unabashed admiration for Reagan, while blaming Congress for huge budget deficits and while indicting both a partisan Congress and the press for exaggerating the Iran-Contra affair, displays a lack of judicious and rigorous analysis.

Not a waste of time, but not satisfactory either.

The American Presidency is like no other institution in the world and as evolved precariously from its heyday in 1787. Forrest McDonald focuses on the first few years of the Presidency. he then correlates modern developments and the expansion of the executive state coupled with the rise of the so called fourth branch of government, the bureaucracy. McDonald is somewhat of a conservative, but often withholds judgment on , though refrains from the enthusiastic lust for power and centralization that liberal historians like Arthur Schlesinger seem to have. (I give this book a 3.5/5.0 rating.) I recommend purchasing this book in tandem with _Reassessing the Presidency : The Rise of the Executive State and the Decline of Freedom_ from the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

Mr. McDonald, in his excellent book, traces the theory and practice of the presidency from Washington to Clinton. The theme is a comparison of constitutional writings and the framers' intent, an area in which McDonald is expert, compared with the actual events on the ground. The oval-office push for ever increasing amounts of power, dubbed the "Imperial Presidency" during the Nixon administration, is behavior that did not originate with 20th century presidents. McDonald argues that congress bears much if not most of the responsibility in that it has, decade by decade, abdicated its constitutional responsibilities in many areas, creating a partial vacuum into which the presidency has stepped. McDonald points out the large number of undeclared wars presidents, stretching back to Jefferson, have begun with no objection from congress. Lest we have forgotten, the ability to declare war was vested in congress to prevent presidents from "expeditioning" abroad.

The book is heavily footnoted, but that is not a distraction. The bulk of the focus is on the first decades of this country's existence and the historic background to the creation of the office of "President." Much effort has gone into detailing the philosophy considered by the framers. Our constitution was, after all, written during the "Age of Reason." This background is, at least in part, the reason the book is subtitled "An Intellectual History."

The difficulties in defining the role of the president are part of why most democracies opt for a parliamentary style government. Another huge issue, as Lincoln demonstrated by completely ignoring the constitution he claimed to be upholding in the Civil War, is that if the troops remain loyal to the president, the American system of checks and balances can be destroyed much more easily (at least in theory) than in parliament in which the prime minister's coalition could remove him from power.

This book is another of Professor McDonald's carefully researched and well-written series on the foundations of our nation and our government. It is truly a "must read."

The American Presidency: An Intellectual History written by Forrest McDonald is a book with incisive analysis of political ideas which are found in the characteristics involving the Presidency of the United States. This book is well founded in the history and is solid in early hystory.

The presidency is given a thorough thought-provoking, with historical review, going over... leaving the reader with insight into the institution of the presidency. We are guided with a shrewd sense of political reality, making us understand what the presidency is all about. Reading this book will open up and give us an erudite exanination of the roots of the American presidency... so much so, that you'll feel history come alive and jump right in your lap.

I particularly found the writing on the Washington and Jefferson presidencies to be of great value as the author shows us how these men distinguished the office and made important contributions to our constitutional history. The reader finds out about the awesome responsibilities combined with unique opportunities to persuade others to do their bidding.

In truth, presidentual power is complex and ambiguous, traits that stem from the constitutional provisions for the office... the executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States according to Article 2 of the Constitution... unequivocally. This book is well documented and is written in a masterful narritive, but is easily understood. I found that the early work to be indispensable as the ground work is set and the office is determined. Though the restraints and limits are necessary, they are not, in the nature of things, susceptible to delineation and definition.

As the book progresses on in the life of the presidency we see the individual personallities of the men who served in to office begin to shape the outcome of the office. Making scupulous adherence to written law, self-preservation, and the safety of the nation all interplay in the balance of power between the different branches of the constitutional government.

If you really want to know more about the presidency, look no further as this books gives the reader an illuminating insight with theoretical background of the presidency. this is a very informative and fascinating book.

This was a pretty good book about American Indians and the whole boarding school experience. David Adams really brought the experience to life. The only downside to this book is that I think he tried to cover too much. He covered a great span of time and the book was pretty long and got a little slow at times.

I read this for a class and enjoyed it very much. It is one of the best I have read for Native Studies. There are many facts and other pieces of information that I had not found in other books.

A fascinating -- and heartbreaking -- look at the cultural devastation ensuing from the efforts of many well-meaning educators intent on "civilizing" Native Americans. Beautifully written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking, this book is a splendid and welcome examination of one of our contry's most shameful episodes.

This all too true account of the reeducation process which American government officials euphemistically had Indian children go through is very chilling. It is maddening to believe there were people in Washington who actually considered such treatment of kids to be 'good policy'.

While reading through this book, I was gennuinely driven to tears. The tactics which were used on the kids were what was 'savage'. Ethnocentrism and racism kept the United States government and its representatives from seeing the Indians as a civilized and advanced society.

The primary and secondary sources which David Wallace Adams cites emphasize that the 'pupils' were not naive and passive victims of these abuses. Predating the American Indian Movement of the 1960's and 1970's, they resisted the 'education' which these schools were trying to shove down their own throats.

This book was recommended to me by my academic advisor, as it is considered an important and influential treatise on the subject of Native American education. David Wallace Adams, in his groundbreaking book, "Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience, 1875-1928," shows how the case for education was made. First, Euro-Americans believed that the older generation of Indians was incapable of becoming civilized and were too attached to their old ways to change. The youthfulness of Indian children meant they could still be saved.

Secondly, education quickened the process of cultural evolution from savagism to civilization. Isolating the children, many felt, would help to reduce the influence of their tribes and their traditional cultures. Lastly, education helped prepare the Indians for self-sufficiency.

I really enjoy this book as it is extremely well written. Adams, unlike some historians, did not use too many jargons and his writing is easy to understand. Adams also provided background information for readers who are not proficient in this subject matter. In addition, "Education for Extinction" was heavily researched and well-documented.

The Kansas Connection "Dugout" block is simply a square with two smaller squares sewn diagonally on opposite sides, pressed open, to reveal two triangle units. Very simple to make, but with so many possibilities! Using different color variations and layouts, the designs you can make are almost limitless. Like her book, "It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt," Mary Ellen uses grids to show her blocks and quilts, which makes it easy to understand where the units are. However, like all of her books, this is not a "how-to" book with detailed instructions. It's a workbook that encourages the reader how to use his/her own creative imagination.

I think the book you would need is "Connecting Up" also
by Mary Ellen.

Get ready quilters because this pattern is addictive. There is so much you can do with it. Mary Ellen's instructions are very easy to follow and just by twisting and turning one square you can have several different turn-outs. She also shows ways to make the prettiest stars by using the Kansas Dugouts. I don't think anyone should be without this book in their collection. It's an adventure every time you open the book.

This is another excellent "how to," easy to follow guide for the beginner who has made at least one block, and a seasoned quilter looking for inspiration. It's full of color graphs, encouragement, and innumerable variations on one quilt block pattern. You are limited only by your own imagination. One reviewer mentioned the block "Mississippi," also known as the "Friendship Star." It's shown on page 22. (The pattern appears also in Hopkins' earlier work, "It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt," as graph No. 194, page 61.) I'm a self-taught quilter of over 20 years and still learning. Mary Ellen Hopkins is one of my favorites - she can make the basics seem new. And I like her attitude!

if you ordered this book after seeing Ms Hopkins recently on "Simply Quilts" and seeing her demonstrate the "Kansas Dugout" block and the "Mississippi" block and quilt (supposedly based on the Dugout block and this book). The book came today, and guess what? No pattern, picture, or diagram of the block or quilt "Mississippi"! There are plenty of colored diagrams of her designs, but (as is true of many of her other books) woefully little in the way of instructions, sizes, yardages, etc. This is mainly a 47 page combination coloring book for her designs...and a "new" design for "Barn Raising". It is not, I believe, worth the price.

I wrote my masters thesis on the Urschel kidnapping case and spent a year reading thousands of related books, articles, historic documents and public records. Hamilton's book was by far the most exhaustive and most accurate account. The few errors in the book are errors that actually exist in the public record (Kathryn Kelly's eyes were green, not hazel; her middle name was not Mae, and a few other minor facts.)

In addition to being accurate and complete, it was also well-written and interesting to read. It's novel-like qualities included excellent character development and conclusions about each player that helped "close" the story. If you want to know the Machine Gun Kelly story, this is the book to read.

BTW: A few interesting facts were not included in the book, such as: 1)the Urschel kidnapping trials were the first in U.S. history to be recorded on moving camera; 2) the Kelly trials were the ONLY federal criminal trial EVER to have news cameras in the courtroom; and 3)Kelly's accomplices were the first criminal suspects ever transported by airplane.

The telling of "Machine Gun Kelly's Last Stand" is at once fast-paced, eerie and suspenseful. Stanley Hamilton's eccentric characters are plucked from the pages of history to recreate their nefarious deeds. Truth really is stranger than fiction, and Hamilton fills every keystroke with tension.

Stan Hamilton has written a great narrative history in which there are surprises, odd twists and unexpected heroes. It is a fine well-written book in which neither Kelly nor his foil, J. Edgar Hoover, are the most fascinating charcters' but rather that role is reserved for the smartest of victims, Charles Urchel, and the powerful, conniving Kathryn Kelly. I will not give this one away, but will tell you that this book delivers one first rate couple of evenings of reading which not only tells a strong story but gives an insight into the world of 1933 --gangsters and bootleg gin. You will love this book!!!!

Stanley Hamilton's account of the Urschel kidnapping is very good in this book. He has some new information on George "Machine Gun" Kelly, which has not be published previously. This book is good reading and should be in your library of crime books. A great job!

Mike Koch, author of "The Kimes Gang."

Having read many books on gangsters you come across some real turkeys but Stanley Hamilton's account of Machine Gun Kelly's crimes was very well written without the usual padding out that some writers tend to use.

It is a very informative account of the kidnapping and aftermath which kept me gripped until the end.

The book's ending was, for once, a surprise and I would recommend this title to readers who like True Crime to be based on facts and not the fiction.