North America Books

Many books have 10-20% useful information, padded with verbiage. This is a heart-touching book worth reading repeatedly- with 100% useful material, really more like 150%, because it is so good that as I grow, I go back and reread it. It is easy to read, and very profound. I got a B.A. in Anthropology, and all of my useful notes together do not equal what is in this book. This book, and Tad James' first book on Huna, are all I sought getting my BA, and didn't get. We don't know what healthy community is; we know only the pathology of the average. This describes the elements of healthy human living, of a healthy community. I paid to donate this book to 3 University libraries, so that other people, seeking as I was seeking, could find this. I didn't know this kind of high level awareness could be put in print. For my interests, I've never found a book even close to being as good as this one is.

It is somewhat difficult to enter the indigenous world of immediate experience and intuitive awareness from Western culture. Teaching it is even more difficult. Putting this transition in words, so people can read about it is even more difficult. Yet he does it. This book is the best book of its type, of the over 500 I have read. It is a book I go back to as I grow, because I find new ideas when I reread it, and this is not true of many books for me. If you have an interest in indigenous cultures- even European- and in expanding awareness, or in learning how shamanic indigenous cultures lived, this is a book well worth getting. I have personally given 10 copies away to relatives and friends. This is a treasure trove, a smorgasbord of useful ideas. Dover will, in my opinion, reprint this book, in another 30 years, because it is such a classic.

This book is really neat. I learn something new every time I read it, it's like it's layered, with something for every level. I will keep my copy of it as long as I live. In many other books, one finds cool tidbits, here and there. This guy gathered a lot of cool tidbits and put them in one place, with like almost no waste.

Western society is more and more fragmented. Indigenous cultures, before contact, weren't. This book is clearly written from the perspective of someone who has spent a lot of time among indigenous peoples. Really good books are such that you can read them several times, and get new insights each time. This book is like that, and I re-read it once a year, to get new insights. It has a lot of the heart of indigenous cultures. The heart of the problem is usually a problem of the heart, and this book is very useful for getting to the heart of issues. As a community organizer, student of minimal equipment wilderness survival, and even just human being trying to improve, I have used this book a lot. I have given at least 7 copies of this book to friends. I wish there were more books like this in print. It is really, really good. This is easily among the best 10 books I've read in my life.

This book not only gives a person a fresh perspective, it goes into detail HOW to begin anew - how to re-learn and re-live a common path and lifeway we all once walked. This is not a "dyed-in-the-wool" self help or new age book. The book shelves are lined with them. Anyone asking questions, and then questioning the resultant answers about their most basic belief systems will most likely renew their spiritual enthusiasm after reading this book. If you're a Seeker by nature, a questioner, this book will rejuvinate you. If you're living a lifestyle in the mainstream, and comfortable with what you know (or think you know), this book may challenge much of what you've been taught since you were a child. Especially re-assuring is the basis for the commonality we all share. Debunks the precept that Native Culture "primitivity" is inferior to the modern, civilized way of living. Outdoor enthusiasts will be challenged to view the world they love so much in a new light of Stewardship and Appreciation.

Best travel guide bar none. Fits your pocket or small purse.. Visually great looking. There are actual pictures .... All high recommended hotels different prices..Great maps.. hard to get lost . Great recommends for food I am a shopper.. Absolutely great & unusual shops ..None of the bad tourist gear only the styling gear.. .I am familiar w/ New York but I still use this guide. This is the one I get around with...I do not go anywhere without this guide if there is one available for the destination Im will be traveling to....

This is the most ergonomically designed useful city guide I've seen.
100 percent portable, no batteries, internet connection and user friendly.

I have bought several editions of this handy little guide over the years and am now giving one to all the guests at my daughter's New York wedding. It is very easy to use and has great suggestions for dining, sight-seeing etc. with very simple sections for each area of the city. I call it my New York bible.

I went to New York for the first time for two weeks. This map is great. It's small, easy to carry, and easy to read. You won't feel so obvious if you have to pull it out on the street corner or on the subway. It was so much better than the full size map that I got from the hotel. Beware, it only covers Manhattan. So if you have to travel to the outer boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Queens) you'll need a different map. However, since all the siteseeing, shopping, and eating I wanted to do was located in Manhattan, it was the only map I needed.

The first time I went to New York, my mom bought this for our trip. It's been a life saver since. The maps are very detailed but small enough to carry with you without looking obnoxious. The subway map is detailed as well and when you use them with your sectioned maps, it completes the whole picture. This is a must have especially for first time visitors as the maps are very easy to read. I'm going on my third trip in two months and had to pick up another copy of this, as I can't seem to find my older one. I couldn't imagine a trip to NYC without it!

As a person who has celebrated Kwanzaa for a couple of decades and as the creator of several kwanzaa products myself, I found the book 'Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day' to be a very informative book on this growing celebration.

The book offers historical info on Kwanzaa and illustrates how the celebration connects people of African descent around the world with our cultural roots.

The book shows you how to organize a Kwanzaa celebration of your own and has a lot of great contacts for Kwanzaa music, books and supplies.

I recommend it for anyone interested in learning about Kwanzaa. I also recommend it for those who already know of and celebrate Kwanzaa as a way to reinforce its concepts and its meaning to you.

This book explores not only the holiday of Kwanzaa, but how to incorporate the values of Kwanzaa into your everyday life without going outside of who you intrinsically are. You are already a person who is creative, caring, conscientious and interested in African inspired cultural values, then this book can expand and enhance your practices.

Ms. Angaza's journalistic style takes the reader on a historical voyage as well as a personal one. Her sense of prose will dazzle the reader as well as make him ponder of why it is so important to celebrate such a holiday. This book has even inspired me to throw my first Kwanzaa event this year.

I picked up Ms. Angaza's text, Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day,and have begun to read it like a novel. I thank Ms. Angaza for penning this positive vibration and upliftment. Her prose is smooth and rational. It puts into perspective the cultural repression and damage to the psyche of Africans worldwide while also providing numerous examples of our triumphs, successes and committment to our cultural heritage.

I laughed out loud at the passage where she exposes the cultural bias inherent in the debate over hyphenated identities and the kiss me i'm Irish example. She's crafted a blend of history, social commentary, practical applications, call to action and inspirational vignettes that can be beneficial to all. I reccommend purchasing this text just for the resource section - simply phenomenal. The resource seciton could be used as a life long self study core curricula. Don't overlook the recipes - yummy. She presents things so honestly (sans pretext) that I think people will be encouraged to try out many of the book's recommendations. A Complete guide is an apt subtitle for this work.

I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone! Were I able to give it 6 stars, I would have given it 7. This book is not simply a nice read... it is an Absolute Need. Seriously, this piece comes at a time when our communities & our families are in dire need of self-realization and a reconnection to the roots and core values that make African people unique. One of the things that was most impressive to me was the level of research that was done to compile this work. Who knew that so many people in so many countries across the world are celebrating Kwanzaa and adapting it's principles. Myself and my mate have even discussed beginning to travel each year during the holiday so that we may expose this tradition to our children as it is celebrated throughout the world. If you have never celebrated Kwanzaa, have celebrated all your life or think that this book is not for you... Buy this book! It is for you and you will absolutely not be dissapointed. The Resource pages toward the back are worth the purchase alone.

While focused on the ANWR, this eloquent work has broad application. Kaye's careful analysis of what it took to mobilize disparate interests to reach a common goal, and of the constant attention that must be paid even after "success" is reached to avoid the same pro-development forces rewinding the clock, is instructive to every grassroots effort to protect our precious wild places. Well done at every level, and urgently needed as an organizing guide.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has for decades been at the center of the conflict between American needs for oil and nature's preservation, yet until now little has been provided in the way of a comprehensive history of how the Refuge came to be. LAST GREAT WILDERNESS: THE CAMPAIGN TO ESTABLISH THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE covers this history, from the early visionaries who set forth to save an entire ecosystem to the battles which led to the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964. It's a top, recommended pick for any interested in wilderness preservation in general and Arctic or oil issues in particular.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

"Last Great Wilderness is the story of the beliefs and values, the ideas and idealism, and the hopes and concerns for the future that inspired the leaders of the campaign and many of their followers. (LGW, review copy, p. xv) Because the national campaign for establishment covered the period from 1950-1960, Arctic NWR serves also as tracer for the evolution of the Wilderness concept and the 1964 legislation establishing America's National Wilderness Preservation System. The Arctic NWR campaign, in its broadest context, involved many famous names in environmental conservation annals--Olaus and Margaret "Mardie" Murie, George Collins, Lowell Sumner, A. Starker Leopold, F. Fraser Darling, Howard Zahnizer, and others. The foundational vision came from Collins and Sumner, but the Muries helped steer the campaign at critical periods and obtained broad support for the proposal in Alaska, a feat worthy of Hercules.

Make no mistake; Last Great Wilderness will help readers understand the significance of this largest and most threatened refuge in our U.S. Refuge System. The book presents the hopes and dreams of the visionaries who worked so hard and so well for its creation. It presents the compromises that had to be made, and it gives context to the International, scientific, wilderness, fish and wildlife, cultural, and landscape-level ecological values for which the refuge stands, thereby creating a preeminent symbol of freedom, "...freedom from the crowding and pollution of our cities, freedom to continue, unhindered and forever if we are willing, the particular story of Planet Earth unfolding here--freedom for us as well who need to come to the few out-of-the-way places still remaining where we can breathe freely, be inspired, and understand a little of the majestic story of evolution... ."

As conservationists continue the prolonged struggle to protect the Arctic Refuge from oil development and other encroachments, the epic story of the campaign to establish the original Arctic National Wildlife Range, documented in Last Great Wilderness, now provides new inspiration and deeper understanding of why the Refuge should remain protected. This is an invaluable resource for all who will face the battles that lie ahead because in revealing the idealism and values upon which the Arctic Refuge was founded, it provides the most persuasive arguments for keeping it wild. While Last Great Wilderness is a thoroughly researched and authoritative history of the conflict, it is at the same time an absorbing, hard-to-put-down story. Color and black and white historical photos lend interest.

Last Great Wilderness shows how conservation pioneers George Collins, Lowell Sumner, Olaus and Mardy Murie, Starker Leopold, Justice William O. Douglas, and Sigrud Olson united with Ginny Wood, Celia Hunter and other Alaskans to forge a highly effective strategy of grass roots action on a national scale. Their successful struggle set a number of milestones in conservation history: establishment of the nation's first vast ecosystem-scale conservation unit and the first administered as an adventuring ground--a place for the kind of challenging, self-reliant, and exploratory journeys that Bob Marshall had extolled. The Arctic Range exemplified the wild values and recreational opportunities its advocates soon succeeded in enshrining in the wilderness Act of 1964. The victory laid the groundwork for the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).

While Last Great Wilderness is about what happened in the past, like any history, it was written to serve the future. For those who believe the vision, values, and ideals that led to the Arctic Refuge's establishment should guide its future stewardship, Last Great Wilderness will be an invaluable guide. And for those interested in the evolution of the wilderness movement, and especially its influence upon Alaskan conservation efforts, this book is a must-read.

A PhD in wilderness studies, Roger Kaye has been the Arctic Refuge's wilderness specialist and pilot since 1985.

Establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was an epic struggle in conservation and remains a touchstone for many of us that prefer a hearty dose of wildness. In this book by Roger Kaye, the reader gains an appreciation of the place rightfully called the Last Great Wilderness, but perhaps more importantly we learn about the coalition of scientists, sportsmen, and wilderness lovers who were profoundly touched by this wild corner of Alaska and how they struggled to protect it.

The people involved in the campaign to protect what would become the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge read like a who's who of the early conservation movement. Among those described are the likes of Bob Marshall, Aldo Leopold, Olaus Murie, Mardy Murie, George Collins, and A. Starker Leopold. In those early days, no one knew what special designation was fitting for such land or which agency should manage it, let alone how to convince Congress or the President to act on its behalf.

One of the great lessons of this book is that despite long odds, persistence and dedication eventually pay off. Virginia Wood and Celia Hunter, two early Alaska advocates for protection, captured what I am certain was broad sentiment among conservationists at that time and even today, they wrote: "conservation gets so many setbacks...it is easy to get discouraged and feel that individuals or small groups are impotent in the machinations of `bigness' that plague the modern world."

Today, we are the beneficiaries of their unselfish vision and dedication. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is indeed the last great wilderness, stretching for more than 19 million acres - about 9 times the size of Yellowstone National Park - plus adjoining parks on the Canadian side. Roger Kaye's fine book reminds us not only why such an area was protected but why it is vital that we not lose this vision of a place where nature still plays out her natural rhythms in tune to forces yet only partially understood by scientists and philosophers.

A very readable book on modern history of a segment of society that might go unnoticed. We all know about the Stonewall Riots and the importance they played in the history of gays and lesbians in the United States. THE LAVENDER SCARE puts that event in perspective and points out how this was only a part of the fabric started by brave men and women who finally decided to speak out against government oppression long before Stonewall.

David K. Johnson's history is an excellent, well documented, and captiviating account of a largely forgotten aspect of the Cold War and McCarthy period. While the reputation of Senator McCarthy is alive today, few people are aware of how the anticommunist and anti-gay purges affected life for all Americans, creating a bitter climate of fear and recrimination that felt nation-wide. The political spirit of that time will resonate for everyone who reads the news today, as political leaders are motivated not by a sense of justice, but by a fear of getting branded as being on the "wrong side" of a political issue. As Mr. Johnson points out, the only blackmailing government workers were subject to was that from their own employers. The fear, ignorance, prejudice of that time is brought vividly back to life in Mr. Johnson's book, as is the extraordinary intellence and bravery of the few souls who sought to make a just change in thier country. This is truly an important tale of freedom in America.

Cold war and McCarthyism are familiar topics from historians as America's fear of Communists and its reaction to this fear are interpreted from every side of the political spectrum. David K. Johnson does something different and, in its special way, far more important. The author, in The Lavender Scare, looks at how the cold war fears were used to hound gay men and women out of the federal service and how this continued unabated long after the Communist hysteria died down. It is fascinating, and horrifying, to witness how politicians used their fear and ignorance of "the perverts" for their own political ends and used the fear of Communists as a cover for their attacks. The case presented in this book is well researched and the voices from both sides are used, even from those voices of the gay men and lesbians which had to be silent at the time. This books holds valuable lessons (and warnings) for our own fraught times. A valuable addition to the literature of the history of the Cold War.

Rarely does a work of history both capture a particular moment in time and resonate so deeply with issues alive in contemporary public culture. As the country debates the possibility of gay marriage and the possible meanings of these unions, David Johnson's The Lavender Scare reminds us that homosexuality has at least one other time been conjured up as the nation's "bugaboo" during a period of political shifts and broad cultural change. In an account that is as riveting as it is sobering, Johnson shows how "containment of sexuality was as central to 1950s America as containment of communism." The issue of homosexuality sat at the center of discussions about "national security" during the Cold War period, resulting in the persecution and ouster of hundreds of gay (and suspected gay) federal workers.
The book is written with marvelous grace and sensitivity. Johnson's brilliant skill at research and powers of analysis are in evidence on every page. Much to his credit, Johnson has used those skills to give voice to those from whom otherwise we might never have heard. The impressive narrative structure of The Lavender Scare makes it read like a fine novel. And the callous devastation, the lives lost and ruined by the tactics of a government in search of a moral center after WWII, makes one wish it were a work of fiction. But it is far from that.
The Lavender Scare, rather, is a work of consummate historical research and writing. The enduring contribution of the book is that it shows how the "McCarthy Era" had much less to do with "the Communist threat" and much more to do with homosexuality and "moral panic" than we could have possibly imagined. We will never again be able to think of the Cold War period in quite the same way. Johnson has complexified and clarified perhaps the most vital time in Post WWII American history. The book is certain take its place alongside George Chauncey's magisterial Gay New York.

What a great book! I never liked any type of history. I almost failed it in high school. This book has changed that for me. The only reason I read this book in the first place was because the author is a friend of mine, so I felt obligated to read it. Otherwise I never would have considered it. Well, I was glued to it the entire time reading it. Not only did I find it riveting, angering, thought provoking and scary, but I actually learned a lot about history that I never paid attention to in high school! I also found it quite timely, and I feel like we're going through many of the same things in politics now. (John Ashcroft = Joe McCarthy)

This book is a must read!

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and I could identify with much of the subject matter in this book. It was well written to the point of totally identifying with every character...There is a piece of all of us in the people Keith Egawa writes about.
It is a powerful expression about Domestic Violence, Alcoholism and Hope in a culture that has been destroyed by the conquering society.

I desperately want Keith Egawa to write more books.

I am very excited to present this book to my Book Club next month.

From the moment I began reading this book, I couldn't put it down. It grabbed my attention and never let go. Keith Egawa has written from his heart with the true insight and compassion one who works in his field seldom has. He takes us into his personal world of social work and beyond, into the realm of what it means being Indian in America. My heart was brought along for the ride...and when it was over I sat in awe.

Lynda "Spiritdove" Imburgia

highly descriptive, fast moving, angst filled, intensely gripping novel that captures the plight of a young man coming of age. this rough-edged first novel simmers with energy. like any good author, egawa draws the reader into a foreign land and sketches from the reader's imagination using the familiar emotions and common issues. a must read.

highly descriptive, fast moving, angst filled, intensely gripping novel that captures the plight of a young man coming of age. this rough-edged first novel simmers with energy. like any good author, egawa draws the reader into a foreign land and sketches from the reader's imagination using the familiar emotions and common issues. a must read.

If you are a person who has unresolved issues with your family, or are someone who works or is planning to work in social services, you will probably gain a lot from reading this book. As I don't fall into those categories ( well we all have unresolved issues with our families, but I'm talking about the major kind that affect your mental health)I have to review it on its literary merits-and they are many.

At first, I must admit, I was a little disappointed. I have come to expect a little "extra" from Native American writers. Whether it's mysticism or time travel, or simply the dry wit of a Sherman Alexie, I assume that Native American literature will take some unusual twists and turns. For the most part Egawa's telling is pretty straight forward. But eventually I found that this approach actually added to the story, especially as the author managed to avoid all the obvious cliches a story of this type lends itself to.

Egawa is very good at portraying familial relationships, but, by far his best talent is his handling of the children the main character deals with. Many authors have difficulty portraying children, and especially teens realistically and in all their complexities. Egawa does it very well, right down to the body language.

In all I would say Egawa is off to a good start and I look forward to some of his other work.

Talk about food for thought, this book should be required reading for everyone. I plan to read it to my granddaughters when I finish it. I love how Indians tell a story that raises one's consciousness. How we have treated the land and one another has cost us too a high price. There is value in taking this wisdom to heart. It's not just a fairtale, it's truth well said.

"Mark of the Stone" is written in a modern context, but the style and presentation are reminiscent of Tribal storytellers, making the message of the story ageless. Like the stories told by elders to grandchildren, this story has a strong underlying message and it is told in a very entertaining way. I highly recommend this book for the young or old.

Rabiah Yazzie Seminole's "Mark of the Stone" really got me going. The writing style is terrific and really reminded me a lot of the "Harry Potter" books with it's detailed description and fantasy elements.

I think this is a great book for Indian kids and their parents. The book has a lot of great messages to impart -- things we ALL need to hear above the noise of the modern world.

Get it, read it and enjoy! I'm a fan!

Rabiah Seminole has written a wounderfully enlightening book with a message for everyone. It lets you use your imagination as you follow the journey of a young boy who learns about himself and the world that we live in, the good and the bad. Once you start reading this book it is so engrossing that you can't put it down, you want to see what is going to happen next as the journey continues. I highly recomend this book to all, young and old alike. I am looking forward to reading more books by this exciting author.

Rabiah Seminole has written a wounderfully enlightening book with a message for everyone. It lets you use your imagination as you follow the journey of a young boy who learns about himself and the world that we live in, the good and the bad. Once you start reading this book it is so engrossing that you can't put it down, you want to see what is going to happen next as the journey continues. I highly recomend this book to all, young and old alike.

We bought this map/gazetteer in preparation for our trip to Maryland. I am satisfied with the quality of the atlas, it's easy to read and well organized.

The only atlas I've found which shows the whole penninsula. That makes it easy to find directions around traffic without using two or three maps. Wonderful for those of us who know the major routes but always wondered to where the side routes lead.

These state gazetteers make traveling the back roads a pleasure, and is a great value from Amazon.

I originally used Delorme road maps of NH, VT, ME & NY when I hiked extensively in the High Peaks of New England. They were EXTREMELY helpful in navigating the confusing mess of old logging roads, etc.

I bought this map while planning a cycling trip from Virginia Beach to Philadelphia. While it looks like it's probably the best thing out there which would give road maps of the entire state, it doesn't show as much detail as a local map would.

It's Wednesday evening. You're trying to think of something new and different to do with you weekend. Your loved one(s) are bored and restless and want to do something different. It's all up to you... What to do...

If you've been there before, there is one solution - this book of great maps. In addition to the detailed accuracy of the maps, there is a great section that details locations of interest, places to go, things to do, phone numbers you can call to make arrangements and get info. This could be the book that saves your weekend!

Stored in your car, it could also be the book that get's you where you want to go without driving to a gas station to get directions. If you've tried that lately, you know that your chances of getting good directions to far-off places are slim to none.

I have purchased several of these books - one for each state that I frequent. Whenever I want to get away, I take them out and see what I can find. We have visited covered bridges, homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright, cliffs and caves, museums and all kinds of historic landmarks.

For the price of a nice meal, you will have a travel companion for many years to come. While you can get maps on the internet, most of us still don't have that at our disposal when we are on the road. This book will be your guide!

This is an update to the earlier book that was also excellent. The authors provide a very good baseline for how mobility works through IS-41D/ANSI-41C. It is a must have book for those in the wireless arena.

Un excelente libro del protocolo IS-41, gradual en su presentación. No entra al detalle de los bytes. Mantiene un muy buen nivel, con claros ejemplos. He preparado un buen curso de este protocolo a partir de este y otros libros

I just read the authentication chapter, and I just left behind all my doubts about authentication. Anyway not just the Auth Chapter is excelent but the whole book.

This is a great IS-41 book. It is very instructional(going over the IS-41 protcol) and also as a reference(to view call flows for different features). This is a must for anyone involved with IS-41.

Highly recommended book for IS-41... the networking standard between AMPS, TDMA and CDMA switches, HLR and VLRs. I'm relieved there's a book out there which explains everything in layman's term, yet goes through enough details to give a great grasp of the important concepts of mobile networking.

The authors give a great background of mobile telecommunications, the making of the IS-41 standard, mobility management, call processing (and most of the important feature procesing), and SMS. Concepts like authentication and mobile roaming are covered quite well.

The basic format of each section remains the same, so it's easy to follow. If you really want the details, like the IS-41 parameters, it's not in this book, but that's when you go to the actual standards document!

Kudos to Michael Gallagher and Randall Snyder for an awesome book!

Though my atlas is in need of an update now, more than seven years after I purchased it, it is still the only one I use when I have a choice. It is, quite simply, the most readable atlas there was when it was made, and, I can say from experience, more accurate than AAA. The hierarchy of lines and type, the fonts, the use of color, and the use of solid color borders on the highway roads especially, increase the readability of the map greatly. It is the only one that can be read at a glance while on the road (not that I recommend doing that...often).

I bought my National Geographic atlas last November. I have been pretty amazed at its accuracy and detail. I think it is ALOT better than Rand McNally or AAA maps. I threw away all my other atlases!

Blows Rand McNally and AAA away! If you need an atlas, quit looking and buy this one. Best I've seen.

Take it from a real "map nut", this is the best road atlas ever. RM and AAA might as well stop publishing. Not only is it VERY readable, but it contains references to interesting places along the way, places like "Carhenge", lots of rail and otehr museums and other off-beat but interesting sites you just shouldn't pass up.

My friend from Ohio summed it up best: "When I look at it, I can see the roads." As the earlier reviewer says, it blows Rand-McNally away. I was a big RM loyalist until we used the National Geo atlas on a recent drive from New Mexico to Iowa.

The major highways and state roads are much clearer on these maps than in the RM, and the national parks are exponentially more visible.

It is a pleasure to use this atlas. Can't wait til the 2000 version comes out in September.