Colorado Books

Susan Goodman is a very creative lady. The way she writes about the long journey of the Hannibal Leap kids is very realistic. When I read this book, I felt like I was on the journey with the children.

Kate McCullough, an investigative reporter, is tired of all news stories being censored and gutted. She wants to write a real explosive investigative report and she may have stumbled across a story. Some kind of secretive government communications system is built into the side of a mountain in Alaska that is more than the government admits; it may be the most powerful weapon the world has ever known. Anyone who gets too close to information about the ARC, or opposes the project seems to die, painfully.

While Kate is trying to finds leads to her story, her father unveils that he is the guardian of a secret project built by the world famous scientist Nikola Tesla in 1899 and they are going to make the machine work again. Now Kate and everyone important to her are in danger and someone will do anything to stop them. It can't be her father's project, no one knows about it, so it must be the people from ARC. Can Kate and her new boyfriend David figure out what is going on and save her family or have they just guaranteed everyone's death?

I loved this book! It is full of secret government conspiracies, death threats, and wonderful creative scientific advances explained in terms a lay person can understand. Kate is a woman not to be messed with and by threatening her family, the bad guys just made her that much more determined to bring them down. David is also a smart and talented man with his own secrets, and he is a great partner for Kate in stopping this plot against the government.

There are almost two parallel stories running through the book but involving some of the same people, and I quickly decided that somewhere there would be a connection. You will have to read the book for yourself to find out how the two stories come together.

If you love action, danger, violence, technological advances, and government conspiracies, this book contains everything you enjoy. I would love to see this book as a movie!

Armchair Interviews says: Lloyd Ritchey is an author to watch!

If you're looking for a "names and dates" academic history, don't buy this book. But if you'd like to be treated to some very weird events from the past, then you should find this book chock full of entertainment value. I went looking for the book when the book editor guy from the Boulder Daily Camera wrote something about it being "...the perfect bathroom book." It's true-- The stories, over 100 of 'em, are short and come with surprise endings. And there were nearly as many companion pen & ink drawings, which for me gave the book a magical feel.

What I especially loved and vital about this map was downtown Denver which is a triangle. I never have had this good of a map of downtown.
Downtown is very difficult if you do not travel downtown much.
It's just Denver and easy to read and find your way. It has a limited overview of Boulder and the general Denver area. I found areas on it listed that I have not found on other maps. It consise, small, laminated and excellent if just focused on Denver. Excellent map. An anyone's map who travels in Denver or even lives there and still gets lost I do.
And again, for visitors to Denver, I strongly recommend it, as well.

This map, like all the skyterrain maps I've seen, is simply outstanding. It *so* clearly presents the big picture for roads and overall terrain, as well as the "important details" on topography, hiking trails, and water-ways. And the map is amazingly readable - even for those of us in our forties with failing near vision. Extras include various charts, overhead views and selected trail details. The waterproof material is quite handy too. No CO mountain hiker should be without one.

I really liked this story. The author did an incredible job developing the characters. The main chaacter is an ex-military sniper and is now a deputy sheriff who must track down another sniper in a small Colorado town. The mystery keeps you guessing and is loaded with western flair and sniper strategy. I just bought the author's second book to see if I like it as well.
Note: My review is based on the unabridged audiobook.

When one thinks of the old west, they think of cowboys, Indians, gold rushes, and... candy? Published by the Denver Art Museum with the support of The Institute of Western American Art, "Sweet on the West: How Candy Built a Colorado Treasure" is the story of one of the most famous candies of the modern world, the Jolly Rancher. Although modernly known for fruit based hard candies, the Jolly Rancher company started with chocolates and being a soda tap product. Its history over the past century is showcased through photographs, drawings, and old advertisements. "Sweet on the West" is an entertaining and informative story about how one company in Colorado became synonymous with a popular delicacy in the modern era.

In 1949, William and Dorthy Harmsen started an ice cream shop in Golden, Colorado that would soon grow to become the Jolly Rancher Candy Company. By 1967, they were able to sell their company to a large food processing company. That same year, the Harmsens began to seriously collect western and Native American art. Over the next quarter century, the Harmsens put together a very fine collection. In 2001, the collection was transferred to the Denver Art Museum.

"Sweet on the West" was published by the Denver Art Museum and is an appreciation of some of the best works in the collection. Of special note, are their paintings by members of the Taos Society of Artists. "The Game Hunter (Snow)" by Victor Higgins is an especially beautiful painting. This high quality book shows the life work of two collectors who had a keen eye for fine paintings. This book is a nice purchase for all those who love western and Native American Art.

I lived in the Grand Canyon Area [near Ash Fork, AZ] for about 8 years and visited the canyon on a fairly regular basis. I have looked at many souvineer books and post cards and screen savers of the Canyon. But this is by far the best there is. There are nearly ninty 360 degree panoramas that cover Grand Canyon from Glen Canyon Dam to Diamond Creek, from top to bottom. Most of them are from places where most visitors only dream about going to.

The panoramas are linked by "hot spots". When you click on a 'hot spot' you move to another panorama somwhere along or in the canyon. They are all labeled so that you can easily find where you are on a map.

And speaking of map, the CD comes with 9 high quality topographical maps that show where each panorama was taken from. Look for the yellow stars. Also, look for the panoramas which are not linked, hidden like jewels on the maps. The maps can be printed.

Besides all the panoramas there are several illustrated side trips, a file of individual photos and 4 complete books about the Canyon, including General Wesleys Powell's book, "Exploration of the Colorado River..."

This is a must have!!!

Diane and Allen Roy

Lots of good stories and lots of information on the first 15 years of the team.