Washington Books

What a fantastic view into what it was like to be a poineer and what it was like during the formation of western Washington State. I'm from the east side of the state and enjoy our state history but to see an overall picture of what it was like by someone living through it was just a fantastic experience. Much more interesting that just learning "facts" about the history of Washington and the early settlers.

Great book - even if you're not interested in the state itself!

An excerpt from this amazing book:
"While adoring the various brilliant tints of (October foilage)we are reminded "that we all do fade like the leaf." A more perfect simile could hardly be given. For a time "we flourish like the green bay tree," and then comes adversity, trials and griefs that sear and beautify the soul, as the strong blasts and chilly frosts bring out the beautiful tints of the leaves, making "old age" as glorious as the autumn season of the year." p 81

scence Phoebe is my Great grandmother it gave me a background on my history alone! this is a great book!

"A Pioneer's Search for an Ideal Home" provides an outstanding window into the life and times of the American migration westward. Through the eyes of Phoebe Goodell Judson, one lives the trials of the Oregon trail, the challenges of pioneering, and a powerful perspective on the American mind during the last half of the 19th Century. 20 years old and 7 months pregnant, Phoebe begins the 7 month treck from Ohio to Vancouver, Washington. Through her diaries, she chronicles the life changing experiences of exploration and community building that did so much to shape the American culture. One only wishes that she had kept additional records and thoughts as the reader is left wishing that there was more. First person story-telling at it's best, be prepared to go looking for maps of Washington and the Oregon Trail.

En menos de 72 horas en abril de 1961, Cuba repulsó una invasión de 1,500 mercenarios organizados por el imperio estadounidense. El pueblo cubano hicieron el ejemplo para los trabajadores, campesinos y jóvenes de todo el mundo por su consciencia política, solidaridad de clase, valor y liderazgo revolucionario en defensa de la reforma agraia y la alfabetización. Nos demostraron que sí se puede enfrentar el gigante y vencerle.

This is a timely book published just before the 40th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs. It's a great way to learn about what really
happened from the first-hand accounts of the Cuban revolutionaries who defeated the US-backed invasion. If you've never read a speech by Fidel Castro, there are a couple of very good ones in this book. You'll not only learn about what happened at the Bay of Pigs, but you'll also learn why the Cuban people smashed this invasion so swiftly and decisively. Another great part of the book is the testimony of Jose Ramon Fernandez who commanded troops in the thick of the fighting. There are maps, charts, all the details
of the battle. But it's not a dry or boring account. He tells what happened from a very human and personal point of view, revealing his own mistakes and weaknesses, and recounting some humorous episodes as well. Finally, the foreword of the book tells a fascinating story of how a group of young people at Carleton College organized support for
the Cuban revolution and against the US invasion and what they learned about politics. I think you'll be surprised as you read the
book about how relevant this forty-year-old event is today.

first read this book the first day of beach season. Instead of
spending time in the water, I just sat there and read this book until it was too dark to read. This account is an activist account ofthe fight from Cuban and US fighters who see and saw the US invasion and resistance in Cuba and the United States not as history to be deciphered but part of an ongoing struggle against imperialism, against war, and for the power of working people. I never stopped caring; I never stopped seeing what was hidden from me in 1961, I never stopped seeing lessons for the future. A good read. -

Aqui se ve la gente que hicieron la revolucio`n cubana , y defendieron y defenden hasta hoy di`a. Obreros, campesinos, vendedores de la calle, estudiantes, y trabajdores intelectuales - todos ellos combatieron y murieron en defensa de SUYA revolucio`n, nuevamente declarada socialista. Niguno otro libro publicado aqui` tiene la historia de los combatientes revolucionarios de Giro`n desde los comandantes hasta los soldaldos de infantri`a. Tambie`n se cuenta la historia de las actividades - contado de unos participantes - de unos revolucionarios jovenes EU aqui` en defensa de la revolucio`n cubano antes, durante, y despues de la batalla de Giro`n. Finalmente aqui` se puede ver el papel de la revolucio`n cubana en la politica obrera norteamericana de hoy y del futuro en el contexto del crisis actual mundial del capitalismo.Los autores y editores, Jack Brnes y Mary-Alice Waters, partcipantes mencionados, dirigentes socialistas EU, plantean que sin estudiar el ejemplo de la experiencia revolucio`naria cubana, no podimos constriur el liderazgo obrero necesitamos por las luchas de man~na y por la lucha tomar el poder aqui en el estomago de La Bestia Imperial.Incluye tambie`n discursos de Fidel Castro y Che Guevara en el tiempo de la batalla y un informe horario del comandante tactical de los tropas cubanas en Giro`n, Jose` Ramon Fernandez.

Like a good naturalist or interpreter, this guide provides not only a concise way to identify the most common flora and fauna, but adds interesting facts and folklore. It will surely make the living things in and around Rainier very accessible, and provide even the most knowledgeable biologist/naturalist with enjoyable new information. Illustrations are detailed and beautiful, and the general information and references are an added bonus. And it all fits into your pocket! Great!

An excellent guidebook to the Mount Rainier area. As a former Mount Rainier Ranger, I would recommend this book to anyone considering a visit to Mount Rainier National Park. The illustrations are beautifully rendered and the accompanying text is accurate and insightful. The book is small enough to fit in a daypack or take it along for a backpack along the Wonderland Trail.

Excellent field guide with great illustrations

The problem with most field guides is that they've forgotten they are field guides and not coffee-table art books.

Not so with Joe Dreimiller's POCKET GUIDE TO THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF MOUNT RAINIER!

Sure, this book has plenty of pretty color pictures made by its three illustrators, but they are diagnostic illustrations, just like Roger Tory Peterson emphasized in his bird books. So, you have something pretty to look at but you also have something that will help you identify the common plants and animals to be seen in Mt Rainier National Park.

Pictures are nice, but after you've used the illustrations to identify an Elephant-head pedicularis, Golden-mantled ground squirrel, a Varied thrush, or a Mountain hemlock, Dreimiller tells you the field marks so you'll know what makes these things different from their closest relitives. That way, if you don't have his book next time, you've learned what distingushes each plant or animal from every other plant or animal.

And the help you get from this little gem doesn't stop there. Let's say you've used this pocket guide to identify a False hellebore [Veratrum viride]. Next time you're in the Park, hiking with a friend, and you spot it, you can say, "Oh! Look at that False hellebore! Did you know its botanic name means 'green plant with the black roots?'" And so you look at the roots and, "Wow! They're black."

For all the organisms in this book, there are not only field marks but an extensive list of notes to help you remember why each is so important to know.

Not only that, but there are descriptions of all the groups so you'll learn why mammals are different from birds which are different from amphibians. There is an extensive bird list for the Park including accidentals. And, unsual for this kind of book, there is a mammal list too. And to top off the list catagory, each habitat has a list of common plants as well as suggestions for places to walk.

Did I mention that Dreimiller's book is also pocket sized? How many field guides have you bought in recent years that don't even fit in the pocket of your daypack?

I also liked the short reference list at the end of the book, referring me to other helpful resources. The index is short, but complete.

Evidently Dreimiller worked as a ranger at Mount Rainier for a number of years and it shows. He knows his plants and his animals. All in all, I would reccomend this little gem to anybody who wants to know more about what they see while in the Park. And the best thing about this field guide is that it teaches you things that can be used elsewhere in the Cascades.

I write for a number of newspapers in the Seattle area and I'm pretty sensitive to writers who wastes my time trying to copy the prose of Muir, Leopold, Pyle, and all the other good nature writers. I liked this book because it tells me what I need to know without the usual cumbersome "awesome beauty of nature" rhetoric that encumbers so many field guides. Leave the literature for the coffee table. Take Dreimiller's book into the field.

This is a great book of emotions and feelings this author really knows how to put her feelings into words and touch your heart. Eventhough though some of the emotions are sad its the feelings that everyone experiences and would like to express. I especially love the poems about hear love and friendship the tell you the real meaning of love. I recommmend everyone to read this book and get in touch with their own feelings.

SOME POEMS MADE ME SAD AND WANT TO CRY, BUT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE READING MY OWN WORDS, IM A OLDER MAN AND ITS NOT MUCH THAT I GET CHOCKED UP OVER, BUT THIS BOOK HAD ME CHOCKED UP. I REALLY LIKE THE POETRY IN THIS BOOK, IT IS STRAIGHT FORWARD AND IS EXPRESSED PERFECTLY, THE POEMS ARE DEEP, VERY DEEP, BUT HEY I CAN RELATE TO THOSE DEEP FEELINGS MYSELF, I THINK THIS BOOK DESERVES FIVE STARS BECAUSE THOSE POEMS HAVE MANY QUALITIES TO THEM, POEMS IN THIS BOOK MAY VERY WELL HELP SOMEONE IN DEEP SADNESS ONE DAY, JUST BY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE.

I THINK THE AUTHOR POURS HER HEART OUT IN THIS BOOK AND BRINGS TRUE MEANING TO THE TITLE "POETRY FROM THE HEART". I RATED THIS BOOK FIVE STARS BECAUSE A BOOK SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL THIS WAY. IT SHOULD LEAVE YOU CHOKED UP MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW THE AUTHOR AND RELATE WITH THE STORY THERE TELLING AND FEEL THE HURT & PAIN THERE FEELING OR THE JOY & HAPPINESS. I THINK "POETRY FROM THE HEART" HAS IT ALL AND EVERYONE SHOULD OWN A COPY. THANKYOU MS BODDIE FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO GREAT POETRY AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR NEXT BOOK

Reading these poems leaves a tender spot in MY heart. "Living Without You", although I know that it wasn't, I still feel as though this was written w/myself in mind. I hope that she plans to do a book-signing because I would love to tell her in person how her book has affected me. I have yet to finish the book because I want to savor [if you will] these life poems. Although these poems are written about others, I feel like I could have written some of them myself. I guess that many people feel the same as I do, but I like to think that this book was more personal...that this was for Kokoa. All in all, I must say that "Poetry From The Heart" is definitely a work of art for any person to feel. Whether you're depressed and need to know that someone feels the same as you, or if you just broke up w/someone, or even if you've lost a loved one...now you know that Miss Davita Boddie "feels you."

Book follows alone with the trials & tribulations of the original people as it moves through the American Revolution

I am almost to the end of the last volume of the series. I have so come to appreciate the great sacrifice that our forefathers made to make and keep our country free. My heart was pained and I was brought to tears at the unbelievable things they had to suffer in their battle for independence. The 4th of July has a much deeper meaning for me now. I very much appreciated all the research done by the author to produce such a well written series. I have them all and they are prized.

This story of our American Revalutionary War, is told so vividly that the reader feels like they are there, experiencing it with the people at that time. It covers the period when George Washington and his troops were at Valley Forge. It is at the same calaber as the rest of this series; "Prelude to Glory". I highly recommend this book to all DAR members.

This book is extremely moving and intense. I have gained a great appreciation for the selfless acts and unyeilding faith that our forefathers had. I have learned a great deal about the history of the Revolutionary War as the author has creatively woven in fictional characters and yet accurately described events and locations that are a part of this nations history. I have read the entire series and cannot wait for the next one to be published.

This book is well written and very informative. This is more of an academic history than a page-turner, such as the books by the likes of David McCullough, but then again few books are. This book will appeal to those interested in history, especially American history. It is about the first 8 years of the government of the United States. Because the constitution was not specific on many of the aspects of how the government was to be run, it was necessary for Washington, his Cabinet and the Congress to further define their roles. This book describes how the men involved and the challenges that they faced directed the evolution of the government of the United States. It describes, in detail, Hamilton's financial system, the internal challenges of Indian uprisings and the resistance to the power of the government (as shown by the Whisky Rebellion) and the relations with foreign powers (primarily with Britain, France and Spain). I especially liked the discussion of Hamilton's system of monetizing the debt incurred during the revolution and using this as the basis for a currency system. This is a very complex subject, one that few at the time (or later) understood. This book not only clearly explains his system but also shows that it was based on the British system, thereby making it less mysterious and not a completely original creation of Hamilton's. Much time is also spent on the attempts of the French and Republican politicians, such as Jefferson, to support the French Revolution, even at the risk of war with Britain. In opposition to this were the Federalists, such as Hamilton, who wanted to avoid war with Britain at all costs. A considerable amount of space is therefore spent on the Jay treaty with Britain, and the support and opposition to it. The book also shows how the challenges faced by the US and the rivalries between the men involved helped to lead to the evolution (much to Washington's dismay) of political parties.

While the title is accurate, it is also a bit misleading. This book is not primarily about Washington, in fact, in most of the book he is only in the background, ratifying or rejecting the acts of others. The author's view of Washington really only becomes clear in the last two pages, where he is depicted more of a symbolic presence than a dynamic leader. Nonetheless, the book makes it clear that Washington was more than just a figurehead. He created a stronger president than the weak one desired by Congress. He brought the heads of the departments of the government (State, War and Finance) clearly under the control of the President, reporting to him and not to Congress. He refused to hand over the papers associated with the development of the Jay treaty and refused to acknowledge the Senate's right to prevent him from firing someone they had previously approved. This book thus shows how the presidency of George Washington shaped the history of the Presidency and the US.

The general consensus is that the two greatest US presidents were George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I firmly believe that and in my opinion, Washington was the greatest. Before he became president he did something very rare in the history of the human race. After the victory in the war of independence, his stature was such that he could have been "elected" king. However, his honor was such that he had to be persuaded to run for president and then re-persuaded to run for a second term. He then thoroughly rejected any thought of a third term.
The nation that he led was still very fragile and every action by Washington or congress that was not explicit in the constitution would establish a precedent. Furthermore, the world was still a dangerous place, with the French revolution and subsequent European war creating a dangerous environment for the new nation. His actions in building the new government and keeping it out of foreign entanglements fully justify the admiration that he receives.
This book kept my attention from the first page as the early years of the new government are described. For this is a book about the Washington administration rather than Washington the man. So many legends in the annals of history were there and setting the tone for over 200 years of continuous government. You also learn of the emergence of political parties, as Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson and Adams among others vie for power and influence. Alexander Hamilton is the most interesting of these giants, as he successfully creates the financial institutions that made the country fiscally sound.
The more I read about Washington and that period of history, the more I am impressed by him. I have no idea what would have happened if he had been different, but it is a sure bet that it would have been worse. It is unfortunate that we teach our children nonsensical myths like the one about the cherry tree. The truth is so much more inspiring, and he truly deserves the accolade of "the father of his country."

Forrest McDonald is an excellent writer. He produced a wonderful full length bio of Alexander Hamilton that I recommend to anyone interested learning about our government's start and the role played by the man second only to Washington in ensuring that these United States succeeded in laying a firm foundation for self government.

This book is one of McDonald's two contributions to the Univ. of KA's "Presidency Series." It is splendid.

McDonald concisely explores the challenges presenting themselves and issues demanding attention from our new and untested government. In just under two hundred pages, the author does an excellent job of boiling down the topics to their essentials and describing how the nascent government struggled to define its role, the meaning of it's constitutional structure, the balance of factions and America's relation to warring European giants.

His book accomplishes this with brevity, clear and concise writing and in an interesting manner. Along the way are fascinating tidbits. For example, neither Washington nor the Senate knew what "advise and consent" meant regarding treaties. About to send negotiators to several indian tribes, Washington walked down to the Senate to seek their advice on instructions for his agents. As the Senate sat dumbfounded, and then finally began to debate the seven points Washington sought advice on, it became clear how impractical legislative micro management of treaty making would be. Washington turned on his heels and left in disgust when it became obvious the Senate could not give him clear and definative advice. Thereafter, it was mutually agreed that the Senate's role would revolve mainly around "consent" and come when the President presented negotiatied treaties to that body for consideration and not before the treaty making in the form of advice. And thus has it been, evermore.

This is a very good book that will inform those interested in learning how our government got up and running and how important Washington and the players around him were in charting the course for our young government.

"The Presidency of George Washington" is exactly what its title implies. It is the story of the Washington Administration. It is not a biography of George Washington, nor is it even a book which revolves totally around George Washington. It is the story of the people, issues and events which made up the administration of George Washington.

The book starts out with an introduction into the United States of 1789. The regions and interests, as well as the political alignments, which supported and opposed the adoption of the Constitution are explained in some detail. The economy, trade, finance and the neighboring powers of Spain and England all laid the background for America's experiment with its new Constitution.

The first task facing Washington was the establishment of the National Government. While reading this book we come to understand just how little guidance he had from the Constitution. Many of the practices which we take for granted derive, not from the Constitution, but from precedents established by Washington and his successors. The title of address for the President and the role of the heads of the executive departments, which were to become the cabinet, were among the first issues to be addressed. The role of the Senate in granting "advice and consent" on foreign policy matters had to be defined. An early trial occurred when President Washington appeared in the Senate to present his proposals and ask for advise and consent. After this awkward exercise, the practice was established that the executive would formulate policies and negotiate treaties, which would then presented for advice and consent.

The power of removal of executive officers also had to be refined. It was presumed by some that any officer who required Senate confirmation for appointment, also required Senate consent for removal. It was the Washington Administration which established the principle that executive officers could be removed by the President without Congressional approval. This was an issue which was to be resurrected during the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

Beyond organizational problems, the towering challenge facing the administration was that of finance. The debts of the Continental Congress and the states raised a myriad of issues. Should debts be paid? Should the debts be paid at par? Should payment be made to the bearer, who had often bought the bonds at a discount, or should some or all of the payment be made to the original lender? Should the national government assume the debts of the states? All of these issues had important consequences to the credit worthiness of the government. The assumption of state war debts had unequal impacts, depending on whether the individual state had serviced its debt or let it accumulate. Ultimately the Hamiltonian proposal to assume the war debt of the states and to pay the holders of the bonds was adopted, with the concession of the location of the national capitol in the South to win necessary support.

An issue which would remain controversial until the Administration of Andrew Jackson was the establishment of the Bank of the United States. One of the main reasons for the establishment of the bank was the dearth of banks in the country capable of handling federal deposits.

The domestic issues confronted by the administration introduced the spirit of party into the Administration. The differing views and personalties of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson brought contention into the administration. It was their personalties, particularly that of Hamilton, which came to be the heart of the Administration, even more than that of Washington himself.

The second term was to be dominated by foreign entanglements and a domestic insurrection. The advancement of the French Revolution and its wars with the powers of Europe brought European problems to America. The continuance or renunciation of America's treaty, made with Royalist France, was a hotly debated issue, as was the ratification of a later treaty with Britain. Acceptance of the Jay Treaty with Britain was, ultimately, decided in a reaction to alleged official corruption. In America's first encounter with Islamic Terrorism, raids against American shipping in the Mediterranean by Barbery Pirates, resulted in, again after heated debate, the establishment of the U.S. Navy.

1794 saw resistance to federal taxation on whiskey erupt into the Whiskey Rebellion. The assertion of Federal authority lead to the raising of the militia for the suppression of the rebellion. The declaration of the Rebellion and its suppression may have had more to do with Hamilton's desire to crush his political opponents and brand them as traitors than it did with any actual insurrection.

Washington's ultimate gift to the nation was his retirement and transfer of power to an elected successor at the conclusion of his second term.

This book is recommended to anyone desiring an understanding of the personalities who made up our first national administration, the challenges which confronted them, their responses to those challenges and their legacies to our country.

This book reminds me again just how much fun the study of history can be. The basic facts of Presidential elections from the beginning to today are solid historical accounts. But they also include the tidbits of electoral trivia that go on in each election, but that are often obscure or unnoticed. This book is both informative and entertaining. I plan to give it as a gift to my opthomologist who is also a history buff. As a retired history professor I look forward to chatting with him during my annual examinations.

Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington To George W. Bush by Paul F. Boller, Jr. is a lively, informative, and often surprising history of American presidential election campaigns. This is a complete chronological history of from the unanimously concented ascent of General george Washionhton, to the divisively contested Gore vs. Bush recall scandal. Presidental Campaigns is a superbly written and presented political history that, in these politically divise days of presential electioneering, deserves as wide a readership as possible among the electorate.

I own a previous edition of this book. Facinating information about each campaign. You think 2000 was bad? Take a look at 1876 or 1824. I'd offer more in this review, but it's 4 am and I need to get back to sleep.

You wouldn't have recognized the election of 1789. There were no primaries, nominating convention, rival candidates, campaign speeches, or debates on public issues." (All quotes are direct from the book.) Yet the will of the people was perfectly expressed. Everyone simply agreed that Washington had to be the President. Four years later they had political parties, but both of them picked Washington. That was the end of the smooth sailing.

In 1796 Adams and Jefferson remained on friendly terms with each other, but had their supporters do a lot of name calling (sound familiar?). By 1800 Adams was calling Jefferson ... well, read the book. Suffice to say, the American way of politics was in full swing, has continued unabated until now and shows no sign of making significant changes in the future.

I must say that I do miss the rum. When Washington was running for the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1758, there were 391 elgible voters. Washington gave them 160 gallons of rum. It's kind of a wonder just how they could vote.

This is a delightful book. I remember taking American History in college, and that was pretty dull. This reads like a novel, full of interesting anecdotes while conveying the facts as well.

This book is wonderful for ages 7 and up. Our family members are all becoming Presidential scholars. Can't stop reading it.

I am teaching a high school extra-curricular class this semester on the history of U.S. presidents and wives. This book has proven wonderful! Loads of information and each formatted the same for easy referencing. Great buy!

Quotes from Raiders of the Lost Ark aside, I recently became alot more interested in American history. I guess after years of complaining about politicians and where I stood on issues, I kind of wanted to know at least a little of what I was talking about. So I stumbled upon this book,and at a great price no less(cue audience going OOOOOHHHH with fake surprise)! Anyway, I eagerly awaited it and when I recieved it, couldn't believe how extensive it is. It covers every president up to Dubyah and basically reads like a school textbook-which I think it was. It is a very large book and not only focuses on the Presidents and their administrations, but important people behind the scenes and even family members. I learned alot that I didn't know(or couldn't retain from school) and it allowed me to view alot of these men in a different light. It is truly a fascinating read. The one drawback is the fact that it is basically a textbook makes the writing very dry and sort of fact by fact history. This really isn't too much of a problem though because i really wanted something unbiased and informative. This is by no means a way to become an expert on any on of these people, but a great way to get started by learning a little about all of them.

The price tag for The Presidents Fact Book: A Comprehensive Handbook To The Achievements, Events, People, Triumphs, And Tragedies Of Every President From George Washington To George W. Bush is a bargain for a weighty, sweeping survey of American presidential biographies as presented by Roger Matuz in over 700 pages of detail: any high school, college or general public library collection with an interest in Presidential history and biographies will appreciate this review of the lives and times of all the nation's presidents. Included are not only biographical sketches, but boxed details on key historical figures of their times, first ladies, and lesser-known presidential facts.

This is a terrific, pretty light read. The thing that keeps it from getting 5 stars is the fact that nobody followed in Morgan's footsteps to keep it updated. It is an excellent account of early PNW history, but it stops before it gets to more recent events in the region's history.

This is Murray Morgan's masterpiece. I've read most of Murray Morgan's popular histories. Skid Road is more popular, a breezy, easy read that gives great context to Seattle. The Last Wilderness (about the Olympic Peninsula) is my personal favorite, for sheer range of characters and stories, more humanity packed into a book than most novels.

But Puget's Sound has the most depth and detail, from original sources, of any of Morgan's books. It covers each era of South Puget Sound history, thoroughly and with footnotes. Because of that, it reads more academically than Morgan's other books, and weighs much more, too! But if you are a fan of well-written history, there's nothing better than reading a labor of love from an author with great depth and feeling for a region.

Great book. I disagree with comments in earlier review about book being "... a must-read if you want to amuse and/or bore your fellow Tacomans with antecdotes on street names, unusual buildings, etc". This book is a true narrative as the title indicates, with Morgan taking the historical details and breathing life into them, making for both an informative and an engaging read. Although the title suggests Tacoma as a major topic, the book is really a narrative of Puget Sound. Other books of this genre often spend too much time on Seattle and not enough on other places. This book does NOT focus soley on Tacoma - I'd estimate only 1/4 of it is Tacoma. Although Morgan's "Skid Road" about Seattle is more popular, I'd consider this book "Puget's Sound" to be a much better book than "Skid Road" in content, style, and prose. In fact, University of Washington Press just reprinted "Puget's Sound" (May 2003) as one of the Columbia Northwest Classics Series in recognition of its very important contribution to the Pacific Northwest. Great book by a great historian, newspaperman, writer, etc.

It's unlikely this book will be of much interest to anyone not living in the Tacoma area. Just the same, it is a colorful portrait of the city that used to be, the dreamers and scheamers who came so close to creating the west coast's hub city from scratch. The story of Tacoma's rapid rise to prominence, and its equally swift and steady decline is not only facinating, it delivers a valuable lesson on what still happens today when civic cheerleaders go blind with optimism.

This book is a must-read if you want to amuse and/or bore your fellow Tacomans with antecdotes on street names, unusual buildings, et cetera. Perfect fodder for Tacoma's burgeoning barstool-pundit culture.

This book on Puzzles was first published in 1986 and later published in paperback. I borrowed it from my Library a couple of times and recently obtained my own copy. If you have any interest in puzzles,you'll immediately agree that this book is outstanding in every way. The authors are two of the biggest names when it comes to writing about mechanical puzzles of today and of the past. Jerry Slocum has collected puzzles all his life,has over 30,000, and has probably the finest collection in the world. He is President of the Slocum Puzzle Foundation,in Beverly Hills,California.
This book is an overview of just about everything there is about puzzles.There are all kinds of puzzles such as Crossword,Word Search and many types more commonly called Pencil Puzzles;but that is not what this book is all about. It is somewhat difficult to define Mechanical Puzzles;but if you think of the types of puzzles that you can pick up in your hand,it helps to see the types of puzzles covered in the book.
The authors cover puzzles everyone is familiar with such as Rubik's Cube,Sliding Blocks,Tangrams,Wire,String & Rings,Mazes,Puzzle Locks,Puzzle Boxes,Take-Apart Puzzles,and on and on. I think you get the picture.
The authors cover the history of the puzzles and give hundreds of pictures of them from their collections as well as from collections of other great collectors. The book has many pictures of the creators of puzzles and it is a real treat to put a face to the names which are so well known in the puzzle world.
The book is a pure delight to read and to look at the fascinating array of puzzles;but it doesn't end there. There is all kinds of information on how to go about solving many of the puzzles;and on top of that lots of instructions oh how you can make many of the puzzles. No doubt,the reader could build quite a collection of puzzles,just from the information in the book.
I also find this book to be a real help in finding and identifying puzzles. People don't throw away these puzzles;but they often end up in Flea and Antique Markets,Second Hand Shops,Garage Sales and so forth. This book shows you what to look for and find. Let me give you an example. A while back,I saw one of the Japanese building towers shown on page 65,sitting on a shelf amongst a bunch of bric-a brac,didn't recognize it as a puzzle ,and passed it by. When I saw it in this book,I immediately knew what I had missed. Oh well,live and learn. The point is,if you hope to find puzzles,you got to know what to look for;and this book shows you. Another good example. The Bombay stores carries puzzles at times and recently had 4 very well constructed puzzles.I bought one called "The Comet" which is quite similar to the "Papa-Chuck" puzzle on page 74 and consists of 51 interlocking pieces.
So,if solving,collecting,making or anyting else about puzzles interests you,this book will become a prized possession.It would take many lifetimes for one person to find and enjoy what the authors have assembled in to this excellent book and made it available with extremely high ,color,paper,illustrations ,printing and construction quality;and at the same time a very reasonable cost. While you're at it,why not check out Jerry Slocum's Page on the Web,to see what's going on in the world of puzzles.

I bought the book originally to learn how to make some of the puzzles. The fact that there are dozens of puzzles to make immediately differentiates the book from others. There is an enormous wealth of information about puzzles of all kinds. The authors have notes about puzzle inventors, tips on making puzzles, and, in a few cases, tips on how to solve the puzzles. Really a nice book for anyone with an interest in puzzles.

This book is full of many types of mechanical puzzles many dating from the early 19th century. 150 pages of pictures and discriptions of how to make and solve many of these puzzles along with history and biographies on many of the puzzles and makers. The authors have included concise instructions on how to make many of these puzzles from wood with common handtools and a basic knowledge of how to read net drawings. A great read for any age.

Whether you love puzzles or they just frustrate you beyond belief, you's sure to find this book intriguing and absorbing. Filled with 150+ pages of pictures, diagrams, text, and solutions, this book is the most comprehensive treatment of puzzles of all natures that I've ever seen. Puzzles addressed include: 3D Wood block puzzles, Drinking Vessles, Imposible Objects, Folding Puzzles, Disentanglement Puzzles, and more...

Of course not all puzzles are solved by the book...the authors have to leave you something!

If you're handy in the machine shop you'll enjoy the diagrams of wooden blocks and other items that you can make. I've made a few with great results.