Virginia Books

This really is a very nice book, with fabulous photgraphy which makes the book worth every penny of its price. The book was written just before the admission of women to its school, and therefore focuses on it being an all male school.

One of the things I loved about this book is how contemporary it is. Normally when I have picked up books on military colleges, the author spends pages and pages going on about the schools hisotry and its early formation and those who were involved in it. A miniscule amount of time is spent looking at the lives of cadets and how the school is structured (such was the case with Drawing out the Man, a historical book by a VMI grad). Fortunetly this is not the case with the Institute. The book looks at the lives of Rats (first year cadets) as it is right now and their transitions through the school.

This book has also taught me how far VMI has come. VMI is not afraid of positive making positive changes. Unlike another somewhat infamous military college. VMI will shed some of it more archaic traditions in order to be welcoming to others (There were several shots of multi-ethnic cadets). The school has seemed to shed some of its old emphasis on worhipping the Confederate Old South. And has now turned into a school dedicated to educating young people and building them up with character and fortitude. Which in my eyes is what makes this school truly great and unique.

I am too old to attend VMI now, but if I could I would quickly enter.

Rah! Rah! VMI

This is a very impressive book. The photography is exceptional, and the reproduction of the images on these pages is of high quality. You can practically count the individual threads in the cadets' coatees. I was also pleased to find that the captions accompanying the photos tend to explain what's happening in them, or at least provide some sort of context to the images.

An explanation of the Ratline and the phenomenon of Rat year is an essential component of any book about VMI, and Geoffrey Norman's text does a fine job here, too. This book was produced with the cooperation of VMI itself, and that access shows in the detail and thoroughness with which the VMI experience is explained. It may well be true that nobody who hasn't been through the Ratline can ever truly understand it -- but within those limitations, I feel like I have a much better grasp of what is involved, and what it all means, than I did before.

Certainly this book would make a fine gift for a VMI alum, or something he (or she!) would like to get for themselves. VMI parents and friends would get a lot out of it too, as would students and parents thinking about attending the Institute. I've been doing what I can to find and read as many books about "the I" as possible, and so far this is one of the, or perhaps THE, very best. I don't see that evaluation changing any time soon

Intermediate Cantonese is a great textbook to upgrade your knowledge of Cantonese, a language spoken by over 100 million people in southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong and Macau) and among many overseas Chinese. It's very didactical and quite easy to understand. Cantonese is not easy to learn, but the book makes it pretty easy to learn.

This book is an excellent sequel to: "Basic Cantonese: A Grammar and Workbook" by the same authors. It (and its predecessor) are the best sources I've seen as far as really explaining how Cantonese works. There has been some other good material published in recent years for Cantonese learners (I give high marks to "Colloquial Cantonese" by Tong and James and "Teach Yourself Cantonese" by Baker and Ho) but this is the best treatment of Cantonese syntax I've come across- having worked through it I now feel confident that I can speak good, authentic Cantonese. It is written from a linguistic point of view but it is so well-organized and the material is so neatly presented that even someone without much linguistic background would find it a help. There are some comparisons made with Mandarin usage which are interesting and helpful to someone who learned Mandarin first (as I did) but previous knowledge of Mandarin is not assumed or required. A further plus: Lots of contemporary vocabulary. If you think you'd like to be able to say: "The boss has sexually harassed her" "My daughter is giving me an attitude again" or "very soon one will be able to get on the Internet via mobile phones" look no further!

Comprehensive, well-written resource on the Tredegar Ironworks. A must for anyone interested in iron production in 19th century Virginia & more specifically Tredegar Ironwork's role in the Confederacy. A great book for those interested in Richmond history.

This book is the history of the biggest iron works that existed within the territory of the ill-fated Confederate States of America, focusing on the period of the Civil war (1861-1865).
The Tredegar Iron Works were largely the creation and the "thing" of Joseph Reid Anderson, a West Point graduate, and the course of their respective lives are difficult to separate. However this book is not a biography of Anderson but a complete industrial history of the company before ( it was created in the 1840s as a partnership), during and after the Civil War ( it still existed when the author wrote his book, in the 1960s, but what about 2003 ?). It examines in detail the questions of markets, production, transport, political lobbying, finance, labour force and raw materials, i.e all the practical aspects of the company's life. The contents are largely qualitative rather than quantitative; this is not "economic history" in this meaning of the word but "industrial history"; numbers illustrate the subject as much as other material, they are not the subject.
The author was able to draw upon an extremely extensive documentation on all those aspects, which contributed enormously to the outstanding quality of the work.
As said before, the status of Tredegar as the biggest if not the only sizable iron works in the South in 1861 give its history a special meaning. The Tredegar made nearly all the large guns that were used by the confederacy and were not either imported through the blockade ( a limited portion only) or captured from the US army ( essentially in the first two years of the conflict). It also made the armour for the famed Ironclad CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimac).
As such, its history shows very clearly the challenges facing the confederacy in its struggle against the much mightier Union. It shows how inadequate were all resources available to the South combined with policies applied by the confederate government. Of particular interest are the subjects of raw material shortages, crumbling railroad networks and industrial slave labour. The bibliographical essay at the end of the book will also be very useful to anyone interested to dig deeper into the subject of the industrial economy of the Southern Confederacy. Other books have been published afterwards that certainly also deserve a look. For more info please refer to my review of " Confederate Industry" by Harold S. Wilson (published in 2002). Reading a book like "Ironmaker to the Confederacy" can also lead to look for information about confederate finance, confederate shipbuilding, confederate railroads, confederate armories. Excellent books are available to cover those very interesting subjects.

It happened in Virginia by Emilee Hines, is a great historical non-fiction book about little things that happened in Virginia. It goes all the way back to 1607, and ends in 2000. If you want a book with good information on Virginia, then this is the book for you. This book is also for people who love all kinds of history. It happened in Virginia is a great book to read for people of all ages.

Whether you're a Virginia resident, one of her many admirers from afar or a general history buff, you'll enjoy It Happened in Virginia. Interesting, informative and entertaining, It Happened in Virginia consists of 33 brief historical sketches of various people and events that shaped the 400-year history of Virginia.

Some of the incidents described in the book had far-reaching repercussions on American history, while others were more along the lines of quirky local lore. But they're all written with vivid detail, subtle insight and a genuine love for the state of Virginia that sings through each page.

I have a number of friends and family members who live in Virginia (I'm from there, myself) and I'm already planning to give them copies of this book for the holidays. I'm sure they'll love it.

you can finish this book in one sitting, if you are so inclined. it is the first hand account of thomas jones, who hid and cared for booth and herold in a pine thicket for 5 days and 4 nights before he launched them off into the potomac for virginia. another person put into a situation by booth. he makes no excuses. it is what it is.

If you like Lincoln you will love this book.Long title but its excellent reading.Best book on Lincoln Ive read in a long time.

This is the book I needed when I lived in Virginia and fished the James River. Most fishing and floating guidebooks tend to concentrate on one or the other but Ingram does justice to both types of recreation. The chapters each cover a short float of from two and a half to twelve and a half miles. They include: a map of the area to be floated; put in and take out points; types of water including rapids; species of fish available, where they might be, and recommended lures. In addition, each chapter is a running narrative to help you enjoy all the sights, the landmarks and of course, includes some history. The author touches on all species of fish but this book would be especially helpful to Smallmouth Bass anglers. There are details on selecting the right lure and then how to fish it in different types of water. Even for canoeists who don't fish, this is a handy book to plan trips and be able to recognize any hazards in advance. This fellow enjoys everything about the river and even provides some camera and photography tips for those who want to record their trips. His love for the river is infectious making this a very enjoyable and helpful book and I would recommend it to anyone who plans to spend time on or around the James River. The author said it all in the introduction. " I am a fisherman, canoeist, bird watcher, photographer, and conservationist. My happiest times are spent in the outdoors. Although this book is mainly geared toward the angler and canoeist, I hope that it will appeal to all outdoor lovers, especially those who want to get to know the James better."

I sincerely hope Bruce moves next to the South Fork of the Shenandoah, then all of the other world-class floatfishing streams in the Commonwealth.

I've read hundreds of articles by Bruce Ingram in various outdoor publications over the years, but in those forums he simply could not begin to approach the detail contained in this book. I might use different lures than he does, and different approaches to the sport, in many respects, but I recognize smallmouth cover with the same eye.

Grab yer rod and yer canoe, pick a stretch, and commit Bruce's description to memory. Location of underwater mid-river ledges. Whether a particular outside bend also contains boulders/wood attractive to smallies. "False eddies" that look good below a rapid, but are devoid of structure and thus should be given a cursory cast at best. Average depth of long shoals. Angling routes through rapids vs. canoe routes. Spring vs. summer bass holding areas.

Although very useful to the casual canoeist, the shutterbug, and the nature/history types, this book was written by a river rat for a river rat. Without doubt the definitive guide to floating for smallmouths along one of the best rivers for same in the world.

Ingram has probably spent more hours just on the James than I have in a canoe-- and that's quite a few.

This may well be the first-ever structure-by-structure breakdown of a prime floatfishing river.

This book represents an exhaustive and outstanding treatise in Pauline studies by J. Gresham Machen. Even after the better part of a century after these lectures were given, the book represents a monumental feat and is still one of the best studies of Paul in print.

Machen's lectures that are presented in this book were given at a time when Biblical criticism that rejected supernaturalism, Bible inspiration, and Biblical historicity was in full blossom. Many competing schemes had been developed to naturalize the musings of the Apostle Paul and to separate the Pauline epistles in every possible way from the alleged 'historical Jesus' of the naturalistic scholarship fad that prevailed in Biblical criticism at that time. This book represents a comprehensive rebuttal to many of these theories. Machen's critiques are complete; and they are devastating. By so thoroughly destroying the naturalistic theories that were forced onto Christianity in an effort to discredit it, Machen not only discredits these theories, he strongly affirms the orthodox tenets of the historic Christian faith in a very scholarly manner.

Machen, with relentless logic, systematically tackles several main thrusts of criticism and finds each of them wanting to the extreme. In the process, Machen discredits efforts to separate the religion of Paul from the religion of Peter, and thereby discrediting the view that the Christianity of Jerusalem and the Christianity of the dispersion were somehow different. This section was simply masterful, in my opinion. Machen then discredits theories that tried to contrast Paul and Jesus. These theories suggested that the Jesus of Paulinism was different than the real Jesus of Palestine. Again, Machen is relentless in discrediting this argument. Machen moves on to perhaps his best section, which is discussing the alleged pagan influences and/or origins of Paul's thought. Two complete chapters, and a portion of a third, are devoted to tackling this subject. In the process, the theories of Bousset, Bruckner, Reitzenstein and others are demonstrated to be an embarassment. Machen's treatment of the pagan influence issue here was probably the most resounding rebuke written until Nash's 'Gospel and the Greeks' was written in the late '80s. At a number of points, Nash draws significantly from Machen here, and put together, the two works represent a devastating case against pagan influences upon early Christianity.

Throughout this book, I was simply amazed at how thorough Machen was in considering so many objections and nuances that impact on the central question of the origin of Paulinism. I was also amazed that even though these lectures were given so long ago, they are extraordinarily relevant today. Yesterday's Boussets, Bruckners, and Reitzensteins are today's Crossans, Funks, and Borgs. The arguments are strikingly similar, and fueled by similar motivations - ie: to find a way to desupernaturalize Jesus Christ, the words of the Bible, and the Christian experience. This book by Machen, therefore, is truly timeless because it thoroughly discredited such arguments when they were in fashion 100 years ago, and can likewise be used by believers today to discredit the Jesus Seminar and other like minded contemporary 'scholars'.

This is not a book that the reader will be able to rush through. I found each chapter so engaging and so deep in its analysis that I needed to stop after each chapter because Machen had given my brain a serious workout. This is Reformed scholarship at its finest. Machen brilliantly shows that in an effort to 'demythologize' the Bible, naturalistic scholars are engaging in a great deal of myth-building themselves. The orthodox Christianity of the Apostle Paul is demonstrated to be in comprehensive harmony with the other apostles, the Old Testament writings, and the sayings of Christ Himself. An outstanding example of solid scholarship!

I have never seen a secondary source reference to this, but years ago I read an English translation of Bultmann's German review of this Machen book. Bultmann generally ignored works written in English, especially by Americans, and he despised the theology that people like Machen stood for. And yet he gave a long review where he acknowledged this to be the best book of its kind to appear thus far.

Extremely insightful and thorough. And the balanced and fair tone will surprise those unfamiliar with Machen's more scholarly writings.

A real classi c still well worth reading.

This book is great. Young readers won't be able to put it down. Virginia Meachum is great-- she walks on water, sent the Pope to Cuba, and wooed Brad Pitt away from Gweneth Paltrow. And I'm not just saying that because she's my grandma.

How many of you out there in readerland have ever found yourself wondering, "Gee whiz, I wonder how anthropologist Jane Goodall rose to the top?" Well search no more, my curious friend! Author Virginia Meachum has provided an entertaining and informative story of the life of this wonderful woman that readers of all ages can enjoy. Walk, nay, RUN to a bookstore and purchase this book!

What better combo could there be? I'm not a student of law, but I still found this to be a facinating story about its history and importance. The descriptions of Larry Flynt are colorful and often times halarious. Fawell doesn't exactly come out looking like an angel either, but I found Smolla's treatment of both characters to be fair. Ultimately, the conclusion of this book are right on. Flynt and Falwell are both hustlers of the American Dream. They just sell their versions from opposite ends of the spectrum.

Rod Smolla knows how to tell a story. We all know Larry Flynt is colorful, what we didn't know is how brilliant his young attorney was in getting the Falwell trial heard in the "Live Free or Die State" when Hustler's distribution there was about 1% of its national sales. A must read for any staunch defender of the First Amendment.

This lovely collection of 26 stories, first published in 1891 in Mannheim Germany, is finally available in a new English translation. Most are accompanied by illustrations reproduced from the original text. Each tale is from a different country or region and together they provide a wonderful cross-section of Jewish life at the end of the 19th century.

"Bessure Towe" (Good News!) is the story of how a unfortunate man (a Prosteck) wins a dowery for his daughter through his faith in the Talmud.

"Rabbi Abdon" is about a elderly scholar and his son, who is more interested in farming than study.

In "Lewana," Nahum Bukarest wants to get from Belgrade to Constantinople. He meets a beautiful woman who offers him passage on her father's ship but gives him much more than he bargained for.

"The Meal Of The Pious" tells the story of Adolf Tigerson, the official clown of the Jewish community in Lindenberg, and his happy married life with a pretty and clever woman. This story is a fine example of "the wisdom of a fool."

"David And Abigail" tells the story of a Jewish soldier returning to his village from the Danish army after a war is over decorated with a medal in the form of a cross for bravery. This leads to a discussion in the synagog as to whether a Jew can wear a cross and remain devout.

"Shimmel Knofeles" is actually a story about how his beautiful wife outwits a Polish suitor who won't take "no" for an answer.

"The Bookbinder From Hort" is my favorite story. About a bookbinder who reads every book he binds, and to whom WORK WAS HIS PRIDE AND READING HIS HAPPINESS.

"Galeb Jekarim" is a Talmud scholar who decides to walk to Jerusalem.

"How Slobe Gets Her Sister Married" tells the story of a young woman who must find a spouse for her older sister in order to get married.

"Mrs. Leopard" tells the story about how a Jewish widow takes revenge on the town's outspoken anti-Semite.

"Handsome Kaleb" is a spoiled and vain young man who seeks to marry well. This story tells how he finds his rich bride.

"Praise Be God, Who Gave Us Death!" tells of the last days of ancient Father Menachem. A wonderful presentation of Jewish death and burial practices.

"Sholem Aleichem" tells of a young man who goes to the United States to get his family out of debt.

"Machsheve" is about a rich but superstitious merchant who overcomes his fears to save his son.

"The Angel Of Death" has a wonderful dialog between an ascetic man and a moderate Jewish woman.

"Haman and Esther" tells how a play at a festival brings together unlikely lovers.

"Deliverance" is the story of a young woman who is wasting away because of a forbidden love.

"The Tragedy In Rose Lane" is a Jewish version of Romeo and Juliet.

"Kitty Parsley" is the story of a woman who gains inner strength through confronting adversity. Here we see Sacher-Masoch's use of fur garments to show a woman's self esteem.

In "The False Thaler" a counterfeit coin helps a man win his love's hand.

In "The Two Doctors" scientific medicine confronts faith healing.

"The Iliad of Pultoff" relates a struggle between the tzaddik leader of the local Chassidim and a worldly Jewish woman.

"The Story Of the Roman Matron" is a fable about a woman who marries her 1,000 slaves randomly to each other with disastrous consequences. The moral of the tale is that marriage is more than just law.

"Thou Shalt Not Kill" shows how the word "Jew" was used as an insult in society and what it really meant to be a Jew.

"Bear And Wolf" tells how two feuding families reconcile during Yom Kippur.

"Two Kinds Of Nobility" is the last story in the book. It shows how the Jewish tradition honors intelligence and talent as much as wealth.

There is an "Afterword" by the translator, Dr. Virginia Lewis, in which she discusses how the author, a non-Jew, came to know the Jewish community and to write these stories. A "Bibliography" at the end of the book lists 14 German-language books of Jewish stories written by Sacher-Masoch. In the last 100 years only one other has been translated into English, A Light For Others And Other Jewish Tales From Galicia. Jewish Life compares well with this other book and both are recommended to readers interested in stories of 19th century Jewish culture. The stories in Jewish Life are shorter than those in A Light For Others and simpler in construction, yet they reveal much insight into life in the Jewish communities of the time.

Originally published in Mannheim in 1891, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's Jewish Life: Tales from Nineteenth-Century Europe is an impressive and compelling anthology of twenty-six stories which present a vivid picture of Jewish life and culture in Europe before the twentieth century. From the Chasidic movement to cabalism, Judaic holiday celebrations, cultural life, and much, much more, Jewish Life encompasses humor, sentiment, abiding faith, and a rich legacy of tradition and is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal and academic Judaic Studies collections and reading lists.