Washington Books

I knew nothing of rock n' roll life in the 70's before picking up this novel so not only was the book entertaining, it was educational. The book gave a raw, honest perspective of life in a band - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I would never have expected to be able to relate to characters that are so completely different from myself but I found myself understanding, sympathizing, and caring for the guys in the band. It was a sad moment when I turned the last page; leaving Daniel, Rob, Mick, Yogi, and Sam behind. I would snag the sequel in a second. Great read.
(Favorite quote: "It's turned black! And it's all your fault!" page 166)

I'm honored to be able to review "Getting in Tune." Roger and I spent many a night with our writing group editing each other's work. I never doubted he would be right here selling his book. Anyone that loves rock'n roll will enjoy making the journey from Creedly, California to Puente Harbor on the Olympic Penninsula with Daniel, Rob, Mick, Sam and Yogi--the Killjoys--in search of Pete Townsend's Universal Chord and the big break that will rocket them to fame. A great summer read, winter read, spring and fall. Congrates on a great accomplishment!

Getting In Tune is the kind of hands on, authentic rock'n'roll story that can only be written by someone who's lived the experience. You're taken not just to the front and center of the stage, but inside the head of a talented musician who seeks the transcendence that only music can provide. Trott gets all the details right as he chronicles the highs and lows of a 70s band on the verge of realistic success, and I was pleased that I found it was 4:00 one morning when I set it down; I was reading it all night. It's that kind of book. I look forward to his next outing.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable summer read for me as a fan of rock music of then and now, and it brought back so much about the 1970s scene. On the surface it's an easy, fun read but it also has some introspection about the author and the other characters. What a great first book from Trott--I'll be looking for more from him.

As a writer, I like this book because there's nothing fussy about the prose. It's clean, straightforward, and the characters are engaging right off the bat. Yes, they're recognizable types, but they feel true. Equally entertaining is how much Trott captures the details and mood of an era. Was cracking up all the way through. The water bed right at the beginning, the phone booths, the songs playing in the background. Hell, the word bodacious, the smell of the amp tubes and the wires and litter on the stage floors. This book captures the energy and drive and confusion of a particular culture. Even better, it recreates the high of loud, rocking music when everyone's locked in to the same groove.

My son recently moved to Washington State and I wanted a book that would help him get acquainted with his new home state. I enjoyed reading it, and he has found it to be an excellent resource.

I turn to Moon Handbooks first for nearly every trip, and I haven't been disappointed yet. This is the first time I've bought a Moon Handbook that covers an entire state; the coverage is less in-depth for specific sites of interest like Olympic National Park, yet there is plenty of information for the many places a visitor to Washington State might want to see. Reading this book made me look forward to my trip even more.

Even though published in 2003, this is by far the best advailable WA guide book. I would not think of visiting a state without the appropriate Moon supplemented by the WPA guidebook for that state[published in the thirties]

You'll find no fancy illustrations in this book - simply good information.



The author makes some snarky comments toward a local Christian ministry - which seems pointless - and includes a great deal of information specifically geared toward homosexual travelers. I didn't realize that was a niche market, but evidently it is.



Regardless, the book is quite thorough, if opinionated. I prefer the "Hidden Washington" books for pointers on places off the tourist track.



Recommended.

The first Moon book that I purchased several years ago was the book on Oregon. We made significant travel arrangements based on the information in that book and we were never disappointed.

An upcoming trip to Seattle/San Juans is based on the information in the Washington book. The real beauty is that the book leads you to the most likely area to visit, gives references to hotels, etc., then you can complete your research by reviewing up-to-date information about that spot/hotel online. We chose Orcas island for 2 days before heading to Seattle and I do not expect to be disappointed.

The authors are even-handed and complete --- they are not elitists, reviewing only the high-end accomodations. They have a good sample of a broad range of places. They point out lesser known restaurants and scenic spots as well.

I have found their advice in the Oregon, Washington, Coastal California and New England books to be quite excellent.

I have purchased quite a few different travel books in the past, but Moon Handbooks are my travel book of choice.

Hazel Wolf really understood how to organize and shares her knowledge with the reader. But don't be fooled by the practical nature of that remark: Hazel Wolf was also a great character and funny. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read about a woman with an amazing (and very long)life who knew how to get things done, how to grow and move with the times, and never lacked the self confidence to go for what she wanted.

Hazel Wolf was a friend of mine and fellow board member on the Seattle Audubon Society for nearly 25 years. Susan Starbuck's book about Hazel is both highly entertaining and a very personal view of this unique woman. Susan has done a masterful job of weaving together a myriad of stories from and about Hazel into a coherent guide to Hazel's life as a dedicated organizer of social movements from her early life through her death at 101. Hazel never saw a wrong that she felt could not be righted. She dedicated her life to achieving justice, whether it was for working men and women, for jail inmates, for racial justice, for the environment or against war, often at the expense of her own personal and family life. Hazel led the way for women's independence and liberation through hard work and example without ever thinking about the meaning of those terms. At a recent celebration of Hazel's 105th birthday, Congressman Jim McDermitt and Governor Mike Lowry both said that in these times of Bush's war, we need Hazel's example of leadership more than ever.

A powerful woman! If you think you have energy, read what this woman did right up to the end of her 101 years.

Hazel Wolf could have been your grandmother. A real tomboy, she grew up with her toes in the sand of Pacific Northwest beaches and her fingers around a basketball. The working class kids of Victoria B.C. were her "gang," and the comradeship and fun they cooked up animated her whole life.

Later, working as a secretary in Depression-era Seattle, Wolf organized fledgling unions wherever the bosses assigned her. They'd fire her for organizing, re-assign her to a new job, and she would begin organizing again. Like she always did, Hazel was just making friends and having fun.

In one of the "Hazel Stories" that fill the book, sheriff's deputies tried to evict a down-and-out family from their home by carrying the furniture out onto the sidewalk. Hazel and her friends, who sometimes cared to call themselves socialists or communists, simply carried the chairs and tables back into the house through the back door. The sheriff eventually gave up.

The U.S. government tried to deport Hazel Wolf during the McCarthy period because she was a) a communist, and b)Canadian. Just like the sheriff, the feds failed, too. Hazel had thousands of friends, and she wasn't afraid of political pressure. As she said, "I was just there, powerless and strong, someone who wouldn't chicken out. Somebody always stops the nonsense all through history."

Author Susan Starbuck says Hazel Wolf knew her life would make an important story; that it might evoke the next generation of social and environmental activists. At bookstore readings, Starbuck tells prospective readers, "Hey folks, here's an owner's manual about what to do when your government runs amok." The message of "Hazel Wolf: Fighting the Establishment" is theat we, too could have fun being activists...and also change the world.

I have just completed reading Hazel Wolf's biography by Susan Starbuck, which was published by the University of Washington Press. Ms. Starbuck has skillfully knit together the words of Ms. Wolf, based on years of interviews with her, with her own author's narrative. Because Ms. Wolf's life was so dramatic and has been so vividly presented by the author, the book is interesting and preserves an important part of Northwest political history.

I have to say that even though I love food and finding awesome recipes, I rarely use the awesome cookbooks and recipes that I already have. EXCEPT THIS ONE! I can honestly say that I have made and tasted several of Kathy Casey's recipes. I really like that the ingredients are all easy to find in your local, normal grocery store. (B/c I want quality AND a one-stop shop.) I also love the flavors that come from the finished product. Try the crab cakes or endive salad!

This beautiful coffee table cookbook has it all; from creative uses of apples and hazelnuts to raspberries and rhubarb (w/honey mousse!). Crab, salmon, muscles, oysters, and halibut all here as well as pork loin, lamb, chicken and duck. And the cocktails and desserts are spot on for our region. As a northwest native and editor of The Good Home Cookbook: More Than 1,000 Classic American Recipes, I can say that these recipes well represent our region in a classy, tasteful and accurate manner. I highly recommend it!

Last night we finally got rid of the left over turkey from Thanksgiving and I get to think about fixing something else. I think I'm in a shrimp mood, and this book just fell open to page 66 with Sesame Roasted Shrimp Sticks with Zippy Apricot Dipping Sauce. Spicy, quick, easy and they look absolutely delicious.

As you would expect, this book from the Northwest has a lot of seafood. More ways to cook salmon that you can count (well, really you could count them) including some ways that are quite different from the others I've seen.

Another food area that has a lot of production in the Northwest is fruit, and some of her combinations of fresh fruit with farly shart ingredients like blue cheese look like the evenings side dishes are well taken care of.

Complaints, well there's one - Martini's are sacred things, you don't go messing them up with things like cucumber and sake (see page 38) - you don't even make them out of vodka - yuch! And Seattle Expresso Martini isn't really a Martini at all. Then again, the Slow-Roasted Martini Short Ribs (page 134) maybe I won't do shrimp tonight after all.

There are a lot of things here that you don't see in other cookbooks.

I just picked up Kathy Casey's new book and I love it. I must admit that I am one of those cooks that needs pictures to entice me to make something and Kathy's cookbooks always have them. Her salad recipes are to die for. So many salads are just so bland, but the Endive salad with Roasted pears is amazing. I'm also a big fan of her French Seasoning salt. I put it on everything!

Everything we have tried from "Kathy Casey's Northwest Table" has been incredible!! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to impress their Family and Friends with delicious (and fairly easy---a must for me!) Northwest favorites. You can't go wrong!

The item arrived on time and this web site was the ONLY place I could find this book as my daughter needed it for her English class at school!
Amazon really came through for me when we couldn't find the book anywhere else. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

THIS BOOK IS POWERFUL, ITS SHOCKING, AND IT IS ASPIRING. THERE IS NOTHING ON CHANNEL 11 THAT BRINGS THE HONEST, INSIGHTFUL, VERY REAL ACCOUNT THAT MR.DOUGLASS DOES IN HIS BOOK. FROM SLAVE TO FREE-MAN, THIS IS TRUELY AN AMERICAN SUCCESS. SKIP THE INTRO, AND JUMP INTO IT.

Douglass's second, and lengthier, narrative fills in many of the gaps left in his first autobiography: we learn about his mother, his siblings, and more details about his psychological transformation from brute to man. It's quite insightful, as Douglass is careful to relate each of his personal experiences to the innate evil of the peculiar instituition, for both the slave and the slave holder.

Having read a biography of Douglass many years ago, I thought I knew his story. Hearing through his pen was an entirely different matter. What a master of the language and insighful set of observations on human nature.

I am a man of many words, but words fail me in my endorsement of this book. The letter to his former master in the appendix is worth the price of the book by itself.

Standing in line at the Lincoln Memorial, a book beckoned to me that I previously hadn't seen before. The face of Frederick Douglas grabbed my attention; a man that I've respected for many years, encountering him mainly through my study of Abraham Lincoln. On the spur of the moment, I snatched up a copy of "My Bondage and My Freedom", and within a few days, my admiration in Frederick Douglass was transformed from interest to awe.

Frederick Douglass orginially penned his book as a response to people's accusations that someone as articulate and composed as he couldn't possibly be a former slave. With that goal in mind, Douglass wrote his memoirs, in a straight forward, powerful way. In the book, he painfully and honestly documents the path his early life took; the memories of being owned, how slaves coped during these times, and how he managed to pull himself out of it all.

While Douglass' life in itself is amazing, (as he describes the amazing process he undertook to learn how to read), what amazed me even more are Douglass' discourses that he sprinkles through the book, discussing relevant issues during the time. In one instance, he addresses the concern about why slaves simply didn't run away from their oppressive situations. It's almost as if you can actually hear the people talking to Douglass and he responding to them.

This book does not only tell the tale of a truly amazing American, but gives us a unique insight to the times. This book should be required reading in every high school in this country.

anyone wanting to understand what makes great art great should study this book. this collection includes tasteful and insightful comments about numerous paintings. this book is invaluable to me as an aspiring artist

This is a large book full of pictures of beautiful artworks. While there are some photos of sculpture and some of drawings, the bulk of what is reproduced here is painting. While many pages have multiple artworks, there are also quite a few where the painting is given a full page for more close observation and study.

The quality of the reproductions is quite good, if not quite superb. The captions and text describing the art and artists are very good and most helpful for the general reader. The book opens with several articles on the National Gallery and its history and policies.

The plates are organized chronologically and by the national schools of their times. The earliest artworks are circa the 13th century and concludes with works of the 20th century.

You could spend many days enjoying this glorious selection of art and still find many more days of study before you exhaust all that is offered in this fine book about a great national treasure.

This big, beautiful book should be on any art lover's shelf! A treasury of reproductions of the world's best art is contained here. The reproductions are excellent; colors are preserved in all their glory. Walker's text is informative & interesting. The next best thing to actually visiting the National Gallery is owning this book.

This is a beautiful book! The color plates are very nice and are good representations of the actual paintings. Brief histories are also presented. I bought it after my first visit to the National Gallery of Art and before my second visit. I enjoyed the second visit much more because I felt that I really knew what was going on with the artists and paintings. Get the book and then go to the National Gallery of Art!

This book is one of my favorites, and has been for many years. Its beautiful color illustrations are grouped by the period and country in which they were created. The book presents works (mostly paintings) from many countries (mostly Western) beginning in the Byzantine era, extending up until the early twentieth century. Many of the works are accompanied by art historical abstracts which offer insight for both the inexperienced and learned art enthusiast. This is a great book to have around as an extensive survey of Western painting.

I read this book several times when I was young. It brings together 2 people who society has forgotten. They both turn out to be great human beings. This book has adventure suspense and a great ending.

One of Astrid Lindgren's best books, deserves to be better known and more widely circulated. The characters are realistic, and the story carries them through difficult times into an ending that is satisfying as it is surprising. Bravo!

Rasmus is a likeable boy stuck in an orphanage because the prospective parents that come always pick the curly haired girls. He runs away and meets a vagabond named Oscar, and then the adventures begin. This book has it all - warmth, humour, danger, excitement, wonderful characters, and an ending that is deeply satisfying. I loved this book as a child and have bought several since as presents for other children. A hardcover edition holds a place of honor on my bookshelf. If you have a heart, you will love this book.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Its like a kid running off and joining the circus. Like going to the animal shelter and always seeeing the puppys or kittens getting to go home. This will take you back to simpler times, that I miss. I felt this is a great book for any kid to read. I read this at least 20-30 times and still am reading it! A+ A+ A+

I must have read this book 100 times as a kid. I remember checking it out from my school library so many times that the librarian told me I should go out and buy a copy to have forever. I wish I would have taken her advice as it is now out of print. I recently found a copy at our public library and had the pleasure to read it aloud to my 7 and 9 year old boys. It was great to see them enjoy this tale as much as I had. I would read two chapters a night and every night it was the same old thing... "Just one more chapter Dad???" Reading about Rasmus and Oscar again after all of these years was like meeting up with old, long-lost friends.

This book is very educational on the Gay Homeless Underground Society. It was fascinating to me & I finished the book voraciously.

Warm, intelligent, humorous, sensitive, are words I use to describe Mr. Washington's first published offering. I'm sure it won't be his last. He shows a world most of us will never see, and usually try to forget. Yet, does it with warmth and charm rarely associated with the subject. He could teach us all the value of love without question. For me, I see a larger message "life is a "learning process" sometimes good, sometimes bad, but you have to experience the pain and joy to learn and grow. We never know how we will be effected till journeys end.
I think we are all very lucky there was a chapter two, and more. Can't wait for the next edition.

totally groovy...realistic portrayal of homelessness...story draws you in...

They are with us every day. We try to avoid seeing them at the street corners and traffic lights of any large city. They are "street people". They are part of what is termed the "Civilized World". This world, however, wishes to ignore them by pretending they are invisible. They disturb our idea of "civilization", but they are real.

Archie Washington describes their daily struggle to survive in detailed and even colourful pictures. Depicting their quest for warmth, friendship, love and recognition in dry humour he shows that they are fellow human beings just like you and I, regardless of the way which led them into their current situation and of their chances to escape from it.

This narrative, which remains timeless, takes place in a past not long ago. It is an important document creating empathy and making us think about the war the homeless people wage on the system every day - in America and in most countries of the Western world.

then you should have no problem picking up this book, reading it and being able to go right to sleep after with a clear concience. Mr Bouvier takes the reader right to the heart of what is going on around me & YOU in our everyday lives. The events that he experienced took place some 10+ years ago, but don't let that discourage you for one moment, it may be 10 years old, but is actually more current then this morning's news on CNN. It gives you a frightening taste of what is really going on around us as we drive our late model cars and sip on our designer coffee everyday. It all takes place at a time when the name in the White House is "Bush" and we are about to embark on another WAR for Oil in IRAQ. Seems we are wasting more precious time and energy for over 10 years that has only achieved yet another WAR, meanwhile back at home, our own people are dropping like flies, suffering needlessly by our own ignorance. We have some nerve trying to tell other countries how they should run thiers when we can't seem to even run our own. I've never been a reader, but was instantly captivated by some of Mr. Bouvier's opening comments at the beginning of his travels. It is a very short book that will have your attention and keep you in suspense with something that surrounds us everday...... REALITY.

Winner of the 2004 Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry, The Sleep Accusations is an eclectic, intimate, and highly recommended collection of the greatest poetry from the intriguing and intuitive works by Randall Watson. A Dog's Life: I love the morning rain./I am like a dog in the street/with my ears up./It's as if I've been out all night/and I am hungry./I can hear the one who feeds me/calling me home.

Winner of the 2004 Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry, The Sleep Accusations is an eclectic, intimate, and highly recommended collection of the greatest poetry from the intriguing and intuitive works by Randall Watson. A Dog's Life: I love the morning rain./I am like a dog in the street/with my ears up./It's as if I've been out all night/and I am hungry./I can hear the one who feeds me/calling me home.

Winner of the 2004 Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry, The Sleep Accusations is an eclectic, intimate, and highly recommended collection of the greatest poetry from the intriguing and intuitive works by Randall Watson. A Dog's Life: I love the morning rain./I am like a dog in the street/with my ears up./It's as if I've been out all night/and I am hungry./I can hear the one who feeds me/calling me home.

Winner of the 2004 Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry, The Sleep Accusations is an eclectic, intimate, and highly recommended collection of the greatest poetry from the intriguing and intuitive works by Randall Watson. A Dog's Life: I love the morning rain./I am like a dog in the street/with my ears up./It's as if I've been out all night/and I am hungry./I can hear the one who feeds me/calling me home.

Winner of the 2004 Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry, The Sleep Accusations is an eclectic, intimate, and highly recommended collection of the greatest poetry from the intriguing and intuitive works by Randall Watson. A Dog's Life: I love the morning rain./I am like a dog in the street/with my ears up./It's as if I've been out all night/and I am hungry./I can hear the one who feeds me/calling me home.

After reading Before Women had Wings, I hungered for more from Connie May Fowler. I found Sugar Cage to be a deeply satisfying follow-up. The novel, told in many different voices, takes us on the unforgettable journeys of a diverse cast of characters, all of whom reel the reader into an intricate tapestry woven by Fowler. Startling descriptions of Hatian voodoo rituals were among the most vivid scenes from the book, whose magical conclusion leaves the reader spellbound. A mesmerizing novel, Sugar Cage, like Fowler's other work, has left me hungry for more!

SUGAR CAGE weaves the story of such disparate people as Inez Temple, black maid to rich folks, Patrick Lackley, finicky mortician, and Charlie Loonie, front-man schmoozer for a local band. The women in this book will steal your heart -- especially the dear-hearted Inez, Charlie's loyal wife, Rose, and the magical Soleil Marie Beauvoir. The story is often dark and sad, but the mystical ending will inspire and uplift you.

For a first novel, I found the writing astonishing. Anyone who can make you care about so many contrasting characters (and make it easy to follow the thread) is a born writer. I adore a novel that pulls you in from the very first sentence . . . SUGAR CAGE does that.

This was the type of book that you can never put down. I read it all in one night. The best part about the book is the way the author displayed each character individually. It then ended up showing how each of the characters were uniquely linked togeather. It's a book that I will always love to read again and again. I would most definitly reccomend it.

Connie May Fowler creates intimacy for the reader and all of the books characters. By bringing first person to all the characters we get to know more about how people choose the decisions they made and what motivates each one towards the life they choose. I really enjoyed the way she was able to keep the story progressing thorugh time but also using other's perspective on what occured or is occuring at the moment. Also the influences of Haitian voo-doo help add new depth to Florida southern culture. And gives new information to the reader about pagean religion and the intellegence and beauty it brings to the characters of this book. I felt her pride or her willingness to explore and place in a positive light Haitian voo-doo. I think the main essence of the book for me was that everyone needed to listen to thier own voice. And once they steered away from that is when thier lives turned towards unhappiness. The realness of coming to terms with our demons and releasing ourselves into our own strengths was what I felt Fowler was trying to get across. The beauty of how she used everyones perspective instead of one main character and narrator is what I enjoyed the most. I enjoyed being able to be sypathetic to everyone's life and the way they had/have chosen to live it.

Inez Temple is working as a maid in a cheap tourist hotel on the South Florida coast when she meets Rose Looney. A Haitian woman with an ability to "see' the outlines of peoples lives, Inez sees in the sugar crystals in the bottom of a glass Rose has drunk from the outlines of a cage and knows early on that Rose and her new husband, Charlie, and their friends Junior and Eudora, and their children, are destined to be trapped in many ways in the years to come.

15 years later, Rose knows this as well. How she struggles to find her way through her broken marriage and try to save her only son from the same fate in the midst of all the "bars of the cages" society and life confine her within--poverty, racism, sexism, cultural snobbery and so on, is at the core of this unusual tale of life in the melting pot that is South Florida.

The mysticism gets a bit out of hand at times-and stretches credulity it the process, but this is a minor flaw in an otherwise excellent novel.