Colorado Books

Journalist Lettie Gavin first became interested in women's World War I experiences when she wrote an article back in 1978 about a retired Signal Corps woman denied veteran's status. She and other women had not been recognized for their service: AMERICAN WOMEN IN WORLD WAR I: THEY ALSO SERVED goes far in charting these stories, documenting the experiences and service of women during the first world war. By the time Gavin began interviewing survivors it was a race against time, as living veterans were dying off: her interviews together with her research from historical archives, diaries, letters and memoirs pair with some black and white photos to create a fine memoir.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Wow, I just read Ms. Gavin's book as part of my research for a novel set during World War I. The book is a wonderful compendium of pictures, actual eye-witness accounts and statistics concerning the more than 25,000 women who served in uniform Over There. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the history of the Great War and the role that women played in it.

Merline Lovelace, Colonel, USAF (Ret)

Gavin has written a clear, detailed history of the women and the various organizations they belonged to while serving their country during World War I. These often-overlooked women (finally!) get full credit for the back-breaking work they performed to serve "their boys." The real shame is that they returned to a nation which proved to be so terribly ungrateful that the women could not even get equal benefits that their male counterparts received. Gavin has organized her book by the various units and organizations that sent women "over there" and at the end lists those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those who earned recognition, more often from other countries, for the work they did.

Very informative book, covering an extensive range of animals. Descriptions have plenty of detail. Not just visual ID book, but a reference book on what makes them tick.

This book is the yardstick that all other field guides should be measured against. Detailed and concise, Hammerson gives an excellent account of Colorado herpetofauna. I have two copies, one for my car and one for home.

For those only mildly interested in snakes, lizards, frogs and other 'creeping things', this book will change your life's direction forever! The first edition of this book was a treat: a field guide to the herpetofauna of Colorado, complete with photos, descriptions and distribution maps. I was highly pleased with it, and looking forward to the release of the second edition (due out in 1998, I think). The wait was worth it! This new edition contains not only the photos, some breathtaking in their beauty and clarity, and distribution maps, etc, but also pretty much everything one would ever desire to know about herpetofauna in the Southwest. This book now contains chapters on biogeography, examining all the Colorado habitats, conservation status and legislation, human interactions, viewing methods, and each Colorado species has its own and very thorough entry. As a professional herpetologist, this book is invaluable to me wherever I happen to be, Colorado or no. As a complete amateur, this book would open up a mysterious world! It's too heavy for a field guide, that's why there's those terrible Audubon things (although Patterson is good), but terribly useful for when you get home again. Buy this book, now!

I just puchased the latest edition of Artforms which includes the CD-ROM with interactive explanations on elements of art. Artforms is a great introduction to art and art history for those who have always wanted to understand how to look at art and interpret it for themselves. Over half the book is dedicated to elements and principles of art and craftsmanship. I use this book in training my art museum volunteers so that they have a clear understanding of why some works of art have strong visual impact while others do not. I like how the book uses a mix of artwork from various time periods, media and cultures to explain the elements and principles. Far too many art/art history books become a history of painting, and Artforms represents a variety of art forms other than 2D. The history portion of the book is a gloss of art history, but good enough for someone just delving into art. The book is easy to read, relatively jargon-free and has a nice glossary at the end. I wish the CD had more information on it that you could use in a classroom setting, projecting it on an overhead, but that is my instructor point of view. For someone studying at home it is quite nice. To sum up, the book is so good I now own two editions and will continue to recommend it to people who want to understand how to look at art.

This is just like any other text book, a lot of words that you only read a third of. The pictures are beautiful though.

I purhased this book as a requirement for an art history and appreciation class as a required text. I think the book although a bit pricey is an excellent text book for the class. Additionally if you just wanted to get a good foundation for art history and appreciation I think this book would provide that as well.

The University of Colorado's School of Geography uses basic demographic and economic data to profile in understandable maps and graphs the population explosion occurring in the Western United States. The Atlas gives a dramatic presentation of the net in migration into an area with little water and vast amounts of open space. It chronicles the shift in economic activity from traditional industries such as mining and logging, to new industries such as information technologies and service activities. The latter having a special, and economically, rewarding basis in tourism. The Atlas portrays, in graphic form the perdictions made in Cadillac Deseret. It is a must read for anyone concerned about perserving western heritage for future generations.

One of the best introductions to social, economic and environmental trends taking place in the Western United States. The graphs and photos highlight the new trends from water usage to ethic population patterns. The 7 chapters and two essays provide telling examples of how communtities are adapting to the changes (or not adapting in some cases). The work is footnoted to provide jumping off points for more research. Also, I found the quotes that are placed throughout the margins of the text to be extremely insightful.

The book shines at showing how the West is moving away from a culture of exploiting natural resources for basic industry and instead exploiting the natural beauty to draw ever increasing numbers of residents and visitors.

For anyone who loves the West -- Old or New -- this innovative atlas must find a place on your bookshelf. Created at the University of Colorado's Center of the American West, it charts beautifully and eloquently how the American West has evolved. This volume will help you understand how some myths of the West grew out of proportion to the facts, and how some are not myths at all, but semi-fantastic truths.

To understand the contemporary West, this book would be a good starting place.

My friends and I used this book to come up with a fun fourth of July weekend. There were so many options we had trouble picking just one! After we agreed on a trip the book was very helpful with the planning and the detailed descriptions reassured us we were on right track enroute. This is a great book if you are coming to visit Colorado or live here and just want a weekend adventure!

If you need to know anything about Colorado, this book covers it. Lots of fun and interesting facts you would never find on your own. Great reviews on the lodging. This book is a must before you travel.

This book is the perfect companion to your map for your trip. Just look up the area you are heading through or into and you will find concise info summing it up along with contact info and lodging. I love how the book follows the mile markers along many of the roads and you just follow along when you're driving the road. Makes planning and setting expectations for what you'll do a snap. Best $10 I spent for this trip. Highly recommend.

Steve Trimble's latest book is a compelling look at the tensions between private mega-enterprise and public interests. If you care about the future of open spaces (and not just in the American West), if you care about the future of community, if you care about how to tend to democracy in an age of fracture and fracas, this is a sobering look at a battle in Utah that can stand in for many such battles across the country. Refusing to give into cynical preaching, Trimble offers a nuanced look at his own complicity in questions of ownership and activism, which makes this book even more important. It ends with a hopeful, necessary "Credo," which also was recently published in High Country News. A fine naturalist, photographer and writer, Steve Trimble is a treasure. This book demands to be read, understood--and its lessons put into action by thoughtful citizens everywhere.

Stephen Trimble tackles the paradox of the modern west: how do people inhabit and develop a rapidly vanishing landscape? Trimble weaves the important tale of public land transformed into a commercial ski resort with his own construction of a second home near a national park. This juxtaposition elevates the book from polemic to a serious discussion of the many facets of land development. Trimble recognizes that there are no easy answers, but argues convincingly that wise land use policy requires the contribution of all of the stakeholders in the landscape: developers, environmentalists, long-time residents and the public in general.

What sets Trimble's book apart is his obvious affection not just for the land, but for the people who have lived on the land for many years. His interviews with men and women whose families have lived on the land for generations provides the reader with an often neglected perspective on the west. Trimble has an ear for the ironic poignancy of how development displaces those families who have lived and loved a particular place for generations, even as that landscape is changed by their own decisions regarding its value and use.

Highly readable, Trimble's natural storytelling ability comes through to illuminate a transformative moment in western history. As a native Montanan and long-time resident of Utah, I recommend it to all those who seek to understand a sense of place.

Trimble tells the story of reclusive oil executive Earl Holding and his struggle to develop a wild mountainside into a an elite ski resort, using the Olympics as a cudgel to overcome passionate local resistance. This is a compelling story that has not been covered outside of Utah. It is a shocking example of how the powers-that-be facilitate destructive and one-sided land use and how common citizens who personally know thew land and love it resist. The book then takes an unexpected twist: Trimble builds a second-home in a wild canyon in southern Utah and realizes he is becoming like his nemesis, Holding, just on a different scale. This confessional realization makes him dig deeper. Ultimately it is our own human nature he uncovers.

Why do we violate the integrity of ecosystems and habitat and how can we stop ourselves? these central questions are not resolved here. Trimble's book is both a heartfelt and intelligent invitation to public discourse on these critical questions. The reader could not get a more honest or wise guide than Trimble.

Because I Love You: The Silent Shadow Of Child Sexual Abuse by psychotherapist Joyce Allan (Coordinator of the Chid Development Resource Center and past Fellow at the VFH Institute on Violence, Culture, and Survival) is a compelling and revealing report on the psychology, beliefs and values underlying the child abuse associated phenomena of silence-keeping, not only by survivors of child abuse, but by their friends, family, and communities as well. The format is a compelling memoir, enhanced and informed by the expertise of a trained and experienced child activist. Because I Love You is strongly recommended reading for professionals dealing with (and students studying the psychology of) child abuse in general, and what the author describes as the "ecology of child sexual abuse" in particular. Because I Love You is a welcome contribution to the national dialogue regarding the sexual abuse of children, and in that regard is recommended to the non-specialist general reader as well.

Joyce, in a very intimate way, has revealed to the reader the consequences of keeping secrets about child abuse. We get to know her family as she reveals in a unique manner the story she must tell. Thank you, Joyce, for this vulnerable and important work. You may save a child from being abused today.

I was deeply moved by this book and its authentic and sensitive treatment of a subject seldom spoken about. What gets into headlines is shamefully limited in understanding of the scope of the problem, and only with understanding will victims and perpetrators alike find the courage to seek help. And, the understanding needs to come from all, not just those directly affected, because our lives are all intertwined. What hurts one of us hurts all of us.

We must educate ourselves and this book has opened both my mind and my heart.

As a seasoned world birder with a very extensive birding library, I have purchased dozens of birdfinding guides to regions, countries, states, cities, parks and refuges, and local areas. Scott Roederer's book ranks among the very best birdfinding guides available. I purchased it prior to a trip to RMNP in 2003 and used it to successfully find a number of specialty species missing from my ABA Area and Colorado lists. Scott's book is sort of like a Lane/ABA Birdfinding Guide, but better. Since RMNP is large and possesses many different habitats, Scott has divided the park into about eight areas and provided thorough birdfinding directions for each of these areas. He uses easy-to-follow directions and strategies for locating not only specialty species, but the more common western birds as well. This book is easily used while driving your car since Scott has provided mileages (from various start points) using your trip odometer and bird species names in boldface. The same goes for use when hiking along trails. This book is directed toward both casual and serious birders who want to easily locate their target birds in a reasonable period of time while enjoying the beauty of RMNP. My main target birds for my all too brief trip to RMNP were the Brown-capped Rosy Finch, Williamson's Sapsucker, and Three-toed Woodpecker. Using Scott's directions and strategies for avoiding the crowds, I easily found the sapsucker and woodpecker on my first try at the Endovalley picnic area and the rosy finch along Trail Ridge Road at the Lava Cliffs parking area. The Lava Cliffs parking area is normally crammed full of tourists and birding is difficult or impossible. Scott suggested arriving at dawn before the other tourists were up and about and this strategy worked brilliantly. I had the entire parking area to myself and within minutes had several Brown-capped Rosy Finches land on the retaining wall about several meters from me. I'm looking forward to using this book again on my next trip to RMNP.

This summer while stopped at an overlook on Trail Ridge Rd. in Rocky Mountain National Park, we spoke with a Park Ranger who had Scott Roederer's Birding Rocky Mountain National Park book in her vehicle. She told us that Scott's book was the best book on birding in RMNP. She uses it as a reference for park visitors who have questions about different birds and where to find them. It also is very well illustrated. I would definitely recommend this book for birders who visit this magnificent Park.

As first time visitors to Rocky Mountain Park, we purchased Scott Roederer's Birding Rocky Mountain National Park in the park bookstore, but we wish we had had it to study beforehand. This guide not only focuses on the best locations for specific birds, but also provides careful directions (complete with odometer readings!) to trailheads that go well beyond the general maps available. We were also grateful for his strategies for avoiding the summer crowds, including when to arrive at specific trails and the order in which to bird them. Add to all of this Scott's warm, lucid style spiced with birding anecdotes that we can all relate to, and you get a bible for birding Rocky. Although we are certain that birding the park with Scott would have been the supreme experience, carrying his book in a hip pocket is the next best thing!

I am now 23 years old, I read this book in the ninth grade. I have not forgotten it yet. I have been looking for another book this good since and have not succeed. I am going to order this book and read it over and over. Wonderful reading here !!!

HIGHLY RECOMENDED! ******** Five stars are not enough.

I GOT THIS BOOK ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM A BRANSON, MO VACATION TRIP, AND IT WAS SO GOOD I'M AFRAID I MISSED MANY OF THE SIGHTS I HAD GONE TO BRANSON TO SEE. I COULDN'T PUT THE BOOK DOWN. IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW I CAN GET MORE OF HER BOOKS, LET ME KNOW PLEASE!!!!

This was my second book from Judith Henry Wall, the first being 'My Mother's Daughter', and once again I was very pleased. So pleased in fact, that I've bought 4 more of her books. This is the story of four Colorado girls...Helen, Bonnie, Jen, and Libby. As children they promise to always be together, and when they get older, to go to NYC and really make something of themselves.

But time goes on and the four girls graduate high school, then college together. Bonnie, Jen and Helen all find their future husbands and start to settle down. Libby, the fragile, angle-like dreamer of the group, and extremely talented ballet dancer can be tamed by no man. She sort of hovers on the outside of the group for a while, bitter about her friends abandoning their childhood dream. Babies are born, careers are started, homes bought, ect.

The three couples married within months of each other, Libby being a maid-of-honor at each girls wedding, and every year they throw an anniversary party. At the fifth party, Libby shows up acting very strange, sort of detached from reality, they take her home to rest, and she's never heard from again. Libby seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. The only thing missing are her car and purse. No clothes, money, valuables, nothing.

The remaining three girls are then thrown into a 15 year journey of trying to find out what happened to Libby. Perfect Libby...or so they thought. In their search they slowly uncover disturbing facts about their friend, things that affect all of them, and even threaten to ruin the lives they've so carefully built. I wouldn't say I was super surprised by the ending, but I was very happy with it. This book was so captivating, I hated to put it down. I definitely recommend this book, and any others by Ms. Wall. She's an excellent author, and a tremendous storyteller.

Knowledgeably written by Larry Thomas Ward, Canon City, Colorado: Every Picture Tells A Story offers the reader an engaging and colorful history of a genuine "Wild West" town complete with stagecoaches, saloons, bar fights, hangings, gunfights, and vigilante justice. By the 1890s, Canon City had grown from its original days of lawlessness to become one of the most agriculturally advanced areas in the country -- only to see it end by the late 1940s. The informed and informative text is superbly enhanced with the inclusion of more than 200 vintage photographs -- most of which were drawn from the files of the Local History Center. A unique contribution to the growing canon of Western American History, Canon City, Colorado is especially welcome reading, and could well serve as a template for developing and presenting the histories of other frontier communities of the American West.

Knowledgeably written by Larry Thomas Ward, Canon City, Colorado: Every Picture Tells A Story offers the reader an engaging and colorful history of a genuine "Wild West" town complete with stagecoaches, saloons, bar fights, hangings, gunfights, and vigilante justice. By the 1890s, Canon City had grown from its original days of lawlessness to become one of the most agriculturally advanced areas in the country -- only to see it end by the late 1940s. The informed and informative text is superbly enhanced with the inclusion of more than 200 vintage photographs -- most of which were drawn from the files of the Local History Center. A unique contribution to the growing canon of Western American History, Canon City, Colorado is especially welcome reading, and could well serve as a template for developing and presenting the histories of other frontier communities of the American West.

Knowledgeably written by Larry Thomas Ward, Canon City, Colorado: Every Picture Tells A Story offers the reader an engaging and colorful history of a genuine "Wild West" town complete with stagecoaches, saloons, bar fights, hangings, gunfights, and vigilante justice. By the 1890s, Canon City had grown from its original days of lawlessness to become one of the most agriculturally advanced areas in the country -- only to see it end by the late 1940s. The informed and informative text is superbly enhanced with the inclusion of more than 200 vintage photographs -- most of which were drawn from the files of the Local History Center. A unique contribution to the growing canon of Western American History, Canon City, Colorado is especially welcome reading, and could well serve as a template for developing and presenting the histories of other frontier communities of the American West.