Maryland Books

This book is about an influential businessman's crime of evading payment of legally required fees in connection with his obtaining an illegal building permit issued by Anne Arundel County's Permit Office. Despite being informed beforehand of the illegality Permit Office officials colluded with the businessman allowing both illegal actions. But this was just the tip of the iceberg.

The shocking fact is in the systemic corruption that ensued on appeal of the businessman's crime and illegal permit. The appeal involved Anne Arundel County's Board of Appeals, the County's Circuit Court, and Maryland's 2nd highest court, the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland. All three of these courts used biased, unethical and corrupt tactics to avoid the law in aiding and abetting the businessman's crime and illegal permit. In so doing the judges involved opted to commit their own crimes of obstruction of justice rather than follow the law to bring his crimes to justice.

The biased, unethical and corrupt tactics included: suppression of evidence and law, misrepresentation of testimony, reliance on perjured testimony rather than law, and a cover-up by the County's attorney to obstruct justice; this was followed by crooked judges that lied, misinterpreted and misquoted the law violating their own ethics and established review standards, and a dirty trick to boot! The result? The law and justice were destroyed by this cesspool of systemic corruption allowing the corrupt businessman to evade the payment of required fees and to operate under an illegal permit. Maryland and all its citizens lose by the existence of this thriving cesspool of systemic corruption.

Jack Patermaster, the book's author had first-hand knowledge of this corruption as he was the appellant. He used his skills as a former federal audit manager and CPA to compile the book with ample documents and evidence to support the biased, unethical and corrupt acts at each of the appeal courts, and the collusion between the businessman and County's Permit Office.

The book is published by PCB, Inc., West River, MD 20778. Call 1-800-866-2848 for inquiries.

Wonderfully edited, written, and especially photographed memories of life and lives for the past century. Being a compilation of photos from the Baltimore Sun, it is primarily about the state of Maryland, but the book captures life in the entire country. The beautiful photographs will take you home, not only to places and times that you may have experienced, but also to something deeper inside us all. The A. Aubrey Bodine photographs are especially a treasure. The exceptionally written short text at the front of each section properly sets up the photos. I look at this book often, and come away with different feelings each time.

This book, with its wonderful array of photographs, provides a nostalgic trip down memory lane for anyone who lives (or has lived) in beautiful, historic Southern Maryland, which has been called "the Land of Pleasant Living."
-- Joe Carvajal

We wore out the first copy within 3 months, bought a second for the car. Comprehensive -- every road, trace, damp ravine (well, maybe that's going a bit too far) -- and accurate. Printed at a very readable scale. For someone used to NSEW-oriented streets in the SW US, a little time curled up with this map provided an absolutely essential re-orientation to the delightful aimlessness of southern MD roads.

If you live on, near or visit and love Chesapeake Bay you should read this engaging and informative book. A collection of John Page William Jr.'s columns from "Chesapeake Bay Magazine," the book walks you through a year on the Bay and it's surrounding country. Once you've read it, you'll be amazed at how it sharpens your view of what is going on around you on or along the water. This is a book for anyone who enjoys the Bay in any way -- boating, camping, cottaging, or just sitting by the waterside on a quiet afternoon with a line in the water. Highly recommended!

Long considered "the classic" volume on the Chesapeake Bay country. Now the famous figures live again: Captain John Smith, known to every school child as the man rescued by Pocahontas, who said of the Eastern Shore of Virginia: "Heaven and earth seemed never to have agreed better to have framed a place for man's habitation," and whose explorations were such an integral part of the history of the region; Francis Scott Key, who was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner" aboard a British ship which was bombarding Fort McHenry; signers of the Declaration of Independence.

But if the reader is given new insights into familiar personalities and their exploits, he is also made privy to tales concerning lesser known persons and places which are no less interesting. Many of these, described in brief, could well be the nuclei of whole novels.

There is, for example, the tale of Col. George Talbot of St. Mary's County, a member of the Council, who had an altercation with the King's Collector-General and fatally stabbed him. Fearful that he could not receive a fair trial in Maryland, he had a change of venue made to Virginia, then subsequently received permission to go to England. But by that time he had already fled the environs. Legend has it that he found a haven in a distant manor in Cecil County, took refuge in a cave, and was fed by two trained hawks who brought him wild fowl from the river to serve as sustenance.

Or there is the story of Tulip Hill in Anne Arundel County, an outstanding example of colonial architecture at its best. Sometimes known as the "Old Galloway Place,". When it was being built Mrs. Galloway was an invalid, and the staircase was therefore constructed with exceptionally easy rises. It is reported that one of the Galloway sons returned from the capital one night in such high spirits after an evening of revelry that he rode his horse straight up to his room. Which may explain the print of a rough-shod horse's hooves on the stairs, which one can discern if one looks closely.

What material for a romantic historical novel in the section on the "Taney Place", the birthplace of Chief Justice Roger Taney and the site of a duel between Miles Taney and John Magruder, both of whom were smitten by the same beautiful Baltimore belle. During the course of a festive dinner Taney made a remark about the lady which angered Magruder to such a point that the latter, undoubtedly encouraged by a generous comsumption of wine, slapped his rival's face. Whereupon Taney drew his pocket knife and stabbed Margruder through the heart. Then, aided by his slaves and the darkness of the night, he escaped through a secret passage and made his way out of the state.

How Hope House was sold for a case of spirits, how Bowie Racetrack got its name, why early colonists burned down plantation houses to secure the nails used in building them - these are but a few of the nuggets to be found in this historical treasure chest.

And the copious photographs of boats, landscapes, the exteriors and interiors of houses, persons and college campuses add visual enchantment to the text while reminding Americans of richness of their artistic and historical heritage.

Experience the history of the Chesapeake Bay through this recently published museum guide. Full of beautiful photos and in-formative narratives. This would surely entice the new Eastern Shore visitor and prompt old friends to return.

A delightful pistache with Chappell's usual witty touc

Whether you live in the nation's capital, Chevy Chase self or have an interest in architecture and history, this book is sure to please you. Beautifully written and illustrated, this is ***** reading. Sure to feature prominently on my coffee table for a long time too!

For anyone who has ever vacationed at Ocean City, MD this book adds a whole new dimension to memories of the seaside town. The ultimate beach book--I thorougly enjoyed sitting on the beach and imaganing the town the way it was decades ago.