DC Washington Books

"Journey to China's Far West" reports the observations of an attendee at a Chinese conference on controlling the spread of desert wasteland from China's already vast stretches of north China covered by sand or gravel.

The traveler was surprised to witness the blossoming of free-speech posters accusing certain government officials of corruption, and others proclaiming personal grievances. Months later, however, the Democracy Wall was shut down and some of the protesters arrested. Still, the anti-intellectual Gang of Four (led by Mao's wife) is in jail, and audiences laugh when his little red book is waved in theaters.

Thousands turned out in some areas to greet the first American visitors in 30 years; tree plantings and squares of straw laid across the ground were helping to hold back the sand.

Farming occupies 80% of Chinese people, yet only 11% of the nation is arable. Efforts are being made by the government to placate ethnic minorities who outnumber the Chinese in far-off regions - 94% of all Chinese are Han.

Especially interesting was learning that wolves and snow leopards were a problem for far-West sheepherders. Workers on a collective farm earn "work points" used to allocate profits; members are also allowed a small number of animals for their own used and profit - a precursor to its economic revolution.

This book brings together the best thinkers on the National Mall. Their fresh insights on the history, current status, and future possibilities for this sacred ground are worthy of many readers' attention. Moreover, it must be read and understood by members of Congress and agency heads who should be thinking about the next logical steps to save and improve on the Mall.

If you are preparing to visit the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum it would be wise to read this book beforehand to get a comprehensive overview of the museum, its history and its collections. With nice photographs and an easy narrative the book does a good job of evenly going through the numerous exhibits within the museum.

Or if you visited the museum and want a remembrance this would fill that purpose also.

Very good.

The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) was developed in response to federal government spending on land management that was jeopardizing the existence of numerous species in the Rocky Mountain region from Yellowstone to Glacier National Parks. It quickly gained the support of over 800 independent businesses, conservation groups, and Native American religious groups.

NREPA has earned bipartisan political support. Members of both major political parties are sponsors who have introduced NREPA in the US House of Representatives. Former president Jimmy Carter has endorsed it. So has political columnist James Kilpatrick, and Pulitzer prize-winning poet Gary Snyder. Numerous scientists including the Craighead family, famed for its grizzly bear research, support NREPA for its promising potential to cut risk of extinction of the grizzly bears of Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.

Despite bipartisan political support and scientific support for NREPA, political opposition from wealthy industries has stalled its passage through Congress. The oil-gas, mining, logging, and motorsports industries want access to the acreage that NREPA would protect for a wide variety of other economic and environmental purposes. But a growing base of support across America is putting pressure on politicians to listen to the grassroots instead of the mighty lobbyists. Wilderness and many species of wildlife are rare in America nowadays, and NREPA will make sure they don't disappear. This is an excellent piece of wildlife legislation, and an example of how pioneering legislation of this kind should be written.

I purchased this book for a trip that my boyfriend and I are planning for Christmas 2009. After looking through this book, I was excited, I felt like I would have NO trouble navigating the cities that we will be visiting, this book contains locations of nearest banks, maps, resturants, shopping, anything you can imagine. I am looking forward to using this book.

For everyone who lives in or knows Washington DC and has ever wondered about its past, this is your book. This book contains various stories about peculiar events and notables in and around Washington through the lively story telling of the author. It touches on such issues as the Washington Senators, the DC transit system, World War II and Sept. 11th. A series of stories told through memoirs, it flows well and points out many particulars that even a native might not know about.

For anyone interested in this facinating subject...this book is the "bible!" Thank you Betty Monkman for updating this history and for letting "fans of the White House" like me - be able to learn so much! I truly dream of someday having dinner off some of this china!

I did not know anything about the world of model aircrafts until I picked up this book. This book does a wonderful job of interweaving the history of the Air and Space collection with the role model aircrafts played in the war effort. I would be remised if I did not strongly encourage the reader to really take the time to look at each picture in the book. Some of the pictures give you up close detail information on the the intricate work involved in the models (i.e. maps in the cockpits). This book gives you a new appreciation to a hobby that is finally getting the respect it deserves.

Note: I made some Mormon reader angry over my negative reviews of books written by Mormons out to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews.

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On this book: I have returned it again and again. "Connecticut Autumn," by O. Louis Guglielmi (1937, see image) was worth the whole book in my opinion. The mystery of the boy flying a kite on a cloudy day by funeral monument building is intriguing.

Another mysterious painting is the "Staircase, Doylestown," by Charles Sheeler (1925). This is a perfect setting for a mystery novel.

A highly recommended volume (color images).

Another book, this one full of rare black-and-white engravings (19th Century), is "A Celebration of Humanism and Freethought," by David Allen Williams. A Celebration of Humanism and Freethought
This book has been passed over as book of philosophy, but it is full of wonderful engravings.

I am posting some other neat paintings (mostly book covers). This is the only way I know to add to my images (some real winners--check them out).

I'm not an art reviewer, but I know what I like. Thanks for any comments you may have--positive or negative.

For anyone interested in water resources, or just intrigued by the glamorous world of insider politics, PICK-SLOAN PROJECT: OVERSIGHT HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITEE ON WATER AND POWER RESOURCES OF THE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION, PICK-SLOAN PROJECT REPAYMENT ISSUES.... is a must. Reading it in 2003, much of the information is no longer relevant, and the specific focus on repayment is often slow going, and many of the subcommittee members seem to repeat themselves endlessly, and the transcript doesn't hold up to the earlier subcommittee oversight hearing: PICK-SLOAN PROJECT: OVERSIGHT HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER AND POWER RESOURCES OF THE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS.... That said, I nevertheless found myself infinitely more knowlegeable about repayment and other issues surrounding the Pick-Sloan project after reading the transcript of this oversight hearing. Kudos to the stenographer.