Virginia Books

Writing about race, specifically about the black race, in American entertainment is a dicey business--at best.

Then, not unlike a latter-day Alexis de Tocqueville or even Gunnar Myrdal, along comes Melvin Patrick Ely. Mr. Ely has written a well researched, passionately dispassionate analysis of the origins of the entertainment industry's racial miasma.

He takes us back to minstrelsy; on to the advent of radio before networks; then into the networks' formative years when an iconic show ruled the ether: "Amos'n'Andy". He informs us that even in 1930 blacks vigorously, if ineffectually, protested the show.

Mr. Ely has deconstructed more than a few of the racial myths that even today swirl around the "Amos 'n' Andy" radio program. He has eloquently put into context the television episodes and the NAACP's reaction to them.

He is objective and he is clear. Be forewarned, however, that this is not a coffee table book. It is written at 2nd to 3rd year undergraduate level, ie the book is not unlike a history text book, and all that that implies.

But it is, above all, lucid. And highly recommended.

History, well-researched and engagingly written, is as fascinating as the greatest fiction, if not more so. Melvin Ely combines a professor's concern for factualness with thorough, ground-breaking research and a novelist's way with narrative into an unfailingly entertaining work that is also of great and lasting academic, social and cultural importance. Ely has delivered a fascinating show business yarn with absorbing insight into human nature, sometimes noble, often naive, and occasionally downright repugnant. While not afraid to add an edge of attitude or a clear point of view when he chooses, the author still eschews easy answers and the predictable pedantics and prejudice of an ideologue of any political persuasion. With subtle surety, and never a trace of condescension, Ely ultimately shows us ourselves--good, bad and ugly--in an absorbing saga of American life and culture.

At a basic level, this book is a detailed, well-researched history of America's longest running (1929-1960 on both radio and television) comedy show. Ely does a fine job of describing the factors that led to the show's great popularity and the successful efforts of its creators, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, to maintain that popularity.

At a more sophisticated level, however, the book provides an intimate view of one of the great political events of this century, the American Civil Rights movement. Because Amos `N Andy was the only nationally popular series prior to 1960 featuring black characters, and because its creators and principal actors were both white, the show repeatedly drew both praise and criticism from the press and various organizations seeking to promote their own political agendas.

Ely describes in detail how Gosden and Correll went to great lengths to keep the show from being viewed as racist, yet in the long run they failed. As he points out,! that failure may have caused the major networks to shy away from shows featuring black performers and delay their introduction into television for another 20 years.

Having listened to Amos `N Andy on the radio as a child and subsequently watched it on TV, I was, like many other white Americans, was dumbfounded when the NAACP decided to attack it for being racist. For me at least, Gosden and Correll succeeded in their objective of establishing their characters as human types, not racial types. Sapphire was the spitting image of my best friend's mother, and Algonquin J. Calhoun came to typify every crooked lawyer (Is that redundant?) I later had the misfortune to meet.

Unfortunately, Ely touches only peripherally on the black sitcoms of the 80s and 90s (e.g., "The Jeffersons" and "In Living Color") which I (and many other Americans) personally found to be racist.

Despite dealing with a highly emotional topic, Ely has produced a lucid, objective and thought-provoking work! . His shortcomings consist of his failure to take into consideration the effects of the other great events of the period (the Great Depression, World War II, etc.) and his seeming assumption that all Americans cared about the Civil Rights movement. In fact, I think that more people (both black and white) cared more about putting food on the table and raising their families well.

There are few phrases in the English language as divisive as "Amos 'n' Andy." It is frequently a euphamism for humor at its most racist and simplistic. Yet could a program based on little more than a handful of stereotypes be able to thrive on radio for more than 30 years? This book answers that question by putting "Amos 'n' Andy" into perspective, through the evolution of the program, its roots in the minstrel shows, and its context within its own time. Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, the white creators of the program, are portrayed quite fairly in this book, and their motives are also presented in a fair way. Their goal was not to offend, though inevitably they did, but rather to entertain. This book shows how the core characters were portrayed in their own circle, the mythical Mystic Knights of the Sea lodge, and how they were portrayed beyond that inner circle, as the characters would intermingle with other blacks, and also whites. Also worth reading is the efforts by the Pittsburgh Courier and a few other black newspapers to boycott the show as early as 1931. More interesting, is how those attempts stalled, only to regain momentum 20 years later, with the advent of the television version. The phenomenon of "Amos 'n' Andy" is more complex than it would seem, as it tells us more about American society and racial relations than perhaps any othe program ever. This book is not just about "Amos 'n' Andy," but rather about ourselves. And for that, it should be a must-read. I was able to finish this book in two days it was so engrossing.

As the title indicates Ely's work is frankly a work of social history, not a performance biography, and is less interested in exploring "Amos 'n' Andy's" significant impact on the broadcasting medium than in viewing it as window into mid-20th Century American racial attitudes. Analysis of the program's content focuses on that perspective to the exclusion of all others, and detailed examination of the original scripts is confined primarily to the first two years of "Amos 'n' Andy."

Ely therefore fails to discuss in any detail the evolution of the characters and their relationships beyond 1929 -- and this is perhaps the book's greatest flaw, given that the characterizations and the dramatic sophistication of the program evolved substantially between 1929 and the mid-1930s It's unfortunate that Ely shortchanges this period of the program's history, as it in fact coincided with the peak of the program's popularity, and in my view an understanding of the evolution of the characters during the 1929-35 period is essential to an understanding of the series' appeal. (I have, in fact, read all of the scripts for the first decade of the series as part of my own research into "Amos 'n' Andy's" history.)

While Ely occasionally draws conclusions regarding the program's content that are contradicted by a detailed reading of the original 1930s scripts, and sometimes tends to over-interpret in his examination of public reaction to the program, in general his account is balanced and thoughtful, and his research into the African-American response to "Amos 'n' Andy" presents the definitive study of this aspect of the series.

Ely also deserves much praise for avoiding the self-indulgent deconstructionist jargon which tends to dominate current academic studies of popular culture -- his book is a rare example of an academic work which is both scholarly and extremely well-written. I'm very pleased to see the book is back in print.

Sensibly organized, this book was a terrific guide for a new grower like me. Though I've long been a gardening fan, I've rarely grown flowers for cutting and never with a plan. This helped make it managable and fun.

An American Cutting Garden provides in depth information for anyone interested in growing his own cut flowers. Whether you are a novice or a pro, this book offers practical advice that gardeners of all experience levels will enjoy. You'll no longer have to pour through book after book to decide what to grow and how to grow it. Everything you need to know about a cutting garden is contained in these pages.

So many garden books so little time! Yet take time for McIntire's hands on common sense. McIntire has spent 14 years experimenting and learning. It's as if your friend had decided to help you get started. And she can write. No matter where you are gardening, McIntire's got tips to get you started and to increase your expertise if you have already begun. If you are a real novice get a copy of the American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants (ISBN 8789419432) which has all the pictures of all the plants. But, if you want to learn what to plant under what conditions and how to succeed no matter how small, how shaded, how unfavorable your conditions might be, McIntire will, with writing which approaches the garden writing greats in style, lead you in the right direction. Skill is not the secret. But McIntire will provide you with the skills she has developed and the love for the process of gardening that nurtures every gardener, new or old. Best of all she will not send you out to buy 18 irises at $18.00 each. You can start with packets of seed. She follows in the footsteps of Henry Mitchel and Elenor Perenyi. Yet she provides simple access. Any latin or common name can be found in her Index of Plants. If you wonder how to coordinate various plants so that you have things in bloom over the season, there is a Sequence of Bloom for all the plants mentioned. Now the paperback has 28 color pictures (buy the A to Z). Gardening is much more than the photos in books and catalogues. We don't have Vita Sackville West's gardeners. We don't live at White Flower Farm. We have a small plot of mediocre soil and hope. Suzanne McIntire will provide you with both the knowledge and the intangible sprit to produce a cutting garden with flowers you will love and cherish. Try it. Try it. You will see!

The new paperback has 28 new color photos with loads of different flowers in them, all identified in the captions and mentioned in the text!

Finally a book that helps me navigate through the garden with a bit of information that is useful.I had great success using this text as a tool to prepare my beds for spring and summer. My garden looked beautiful. I experimented with new plants well.

This incisive work illuminates Virginia's colonial history in personal detail: legal procedures, community structures, and economic and political relationships. Researching primary sources, Professor Pagan brings the narrative to life with persuasive insights into decisions and events as the participants must have planned them: their ambitions, fears, successes, and failures. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in social or legal history.

Prof. John Ruston Pagan has plucked a young 17th Century woman from deepest obscurity to become the subject of his book: Anne Orthwood's Bastard : Sex and Law in Early Virginia. This is a scholarly effort - it is heavily footnoted and supported by a large bibliography - and a first-rate work of investigation and authorship. Central to Anne Orthwood's detailed history was the availability of original records from the earliest days of English settlement in America. These records are preserved in an old courthouse on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Dating from 1632, they are said to be the oldest English-language court records in America.

First a word about "bastard." Today, it is little more than a curse word. As recently as the 1930s, however, it was still imprinted on birth certificates and, as in 1632, described a child born out of wedlock. In 1632, however, bastardy was considered a serious breach of morals, as well, and was deeply resented for the costs it might impose on taxpayers and church parishioners. Caring for bastards was provided for in detail by church and state law. Someone must pay for the midwife, lying-in expenses, wet nurse, etc. and fund the child's early years. That person was the putative father, if he could be discovered, and if he had any money. Failing that, the church and state stepped in. Punishment, too, must be portioned out upon the mother and father for their immoral behavior - and shame would burden the blameless child.

Anne is, herself, born out of wedlock. Rather than bear the humiliating penance the church imposes, Anne's mother escapes to the city of Bristol. That city just happens to be England's western port and the jumping-off point for the New World. Hoping to escape the stain of her origins and her mind filled with exaggerated stories of abundant potential husbands there, Anne indentures herself to a colony-bound sea-captain. He, in turn, sails to the Eastern Shore and sells her services - her indenture - to William Kendall, an upright, uptight, and upwardly-striving plantation owner.

When Anne gets too friendly with Kendall's nephew, John, she is sold off to another land-owner who sells her to yet a third. In the meantime, however, she has become pregnant by John. There can be no marriage, however, because John must "marry up." Conviction for fornication is out, too, since it would tarnish the uncle's reputation. Anne's joyless life comes to an end, when, in the midst of childbirth, she is forced to reveal the father's name, following which she dies. In death, even her honesty is impugned. Anne's son is a healthy baby. With only eight months between conception and birth, a healthy baby is not possible - so testifies the ignorant midwife.

Anne's son, Jasper, lives and is quickly indentured (under English law) for the first 24 years of his life. Anne's third indenturer sues to recover what he paid for Anne's unfulfilled service. Caveat venditor prevails over caveat emptor. A series of suits deal with who is the father - John Kendall is named - what he must pay, and what morals charge he might be stuck with. John pays the bills, but thanks to the machinations of Uncle William, he is found innocent of fornication.

This is an American story - it has a happy ending. Jasper sues for his freedom at the age of 22. The English Poor Law of 1601 specified emancipation at 24. However, in 1672, when Jasper was nine years old, the Virginia Assembly voted to lower the age to 21. Would the court agree that the Virginia law could take precedence over English law and that it could do so retroactively also? Yes! Jasper wins! He wins, in part, because of the quiet intercession of his guilty great uncle, William Kendall, who, incredibly, is now Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Dr. Pagan is a law professor and a scholar with a law degree from Harvard and a PhD. from Oxford. His purpose in writing the book is to show how English common law, rigid and steeped in precedent, was gradually and ever so gingerly adjusted by parvenu JPs and magistrates to meet the special needs of the colony. The sad life and death of Anne Orthwood and the freedom of her son, generating no less than four court cases and, spanning 22 years, serve as an armature around which to wind American legal development. It also makes for a great story. I have to agree with Dr. Pagan: Anne's story is the stuff of great opera. Where is her Verdi or Puccini?

Excellent, well-writen and very entertaining! Mr. Pagan's book covers a lot of ground, detailing a series of related trials that define the foundations of American justice. A++++

I just finished reading John Pagan's amazing true story of life in colonial Virginia and it reveals so much about life during a period that is little understood in our nation's history. After giving us the facts in the introduction, he unveils the history and its implications as each chapter focuses on one individual who was crucial to the events and the four legal actions which resulted from these events. The detective work has been done for you by the author who spent his summer researching every minute detail that exists--you just sit back and enjoy the tale! It is a great read and an astute portrait of a slice of Virginia life in the 1660s to 1680s--and gives us much to think about as the colonies began to establish a unique American legal system adapted from English law. It also gives us a sense of how "sex" was regulated by government at that time, and how legal decisions relate to social and economic realities of life. It is amazing that this little vignette of forgotten lives is so interesting to read about today and brings up issues of privacy, government regulation, and how courts consider society's social and economic goals--issues that resonate with judicial decisions that are being made today. So please read and enjoy and think about Anne and her son Jasper Orthwood. I think they would be very pleasantly surprised to know that their story is being retold in 21st Century America!

This scholarly work of legal history comes in a surprising package -- a gripping tale of early Virginia families and early colonial life and the economy. What a great way to learn about the development of American laws and their foundations!! It is so well written that I didn't want it to end.

Ms. Adair was a mentor of mine some years ago. I like her work so much and find her poems to be like magic boxes: one opens them and finds treasures.
Brava, Virginia Adair!

One of the best books of poetry I've read in years, and I go through hundreds of them to find the good ones. What a discovery! She is simply marvelous! Charles Sullivan

Virginia Hamilton Adair (1913-2004) was raised in an environment which seemed truly perfect for a (budding) poet. She was born as the daughter of Robert Browning Hamilton (a poet himself). Her parents suffused her with poetry and gave her loving encouragement. After having published some of her works in the first decades of the former century, but because of several private reasons she did not publish for a long stretch of time, she only began to publish again in her eighties.

And I for one am very glad to have discovered her! Mrs. Adair does not mince words and speaks in a direct, assured and clear voice, so no mannerisms here. She takes a refreshing and intelligent look at things. I do love her fine and wicked humour.

These poems cover a wide range of subjects. The experience of a long life is distilled here. Heartwrenching are many of the poems in the Exit Amor section, because in 1968 her husband committed suicide. Her grief and despair found their voice in her poetry (One Ordinary Evening, Dark Lines, The Ruin, Exit Amor, The Year After or Coronach).

So try out Ants on the Melon and you will discover a wonderful poet!

It's always unfair to compare one writer to another, but if you love Emily Dickinson, then Adair's book is for you. Succinct, masterful use of the language. I loved this collection. Buy it!

I'm a literary dilletante and I admit it. I picked up this book because of its swell cover and title.

Upon skimming it in the bookstore, I was hooked. Poems about life, without sappy metaphor or tricky construction. Good earthy, practical poetry. Such breadth of matter, such depth of understanding. I felt that I'd met a poet of substance.

Let's leave it at this, Adair nudged me into reading more poetry, more often.

Though I never thought of Vermont's role in the war against the South, except related to their Heavy Artillery, the price was right and I bought it on Amazon. When I finally opened it to read, I found a really good treatment of Grant's Overland Campaign, with excerpts from Vermonter's letters about ferocious combat, horrendous casualties, hot and dusty forced marches and night marches - all that can make you feel some of what it was like to be involved. I recommend this even for Sons of Confederate Veterans like myself! There is little of the usual propaganda about who was justified, and the author's writing is very pleasing.

I did not quite know what to expect from this book considering it was published by a non-academic press and written by a political bureaucrat, but I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. Battered Stars is well written and informative, adding a new fresh perspective to an over-studied portion of the Civil War. I have read over a hundred Civil War books and I have seen many second rate efforts by non-professionals, but Battered Stars is highly recommended. My only wish is that Coffin had used professional footnotes to show exactly where his quotes were coming from, but most sources are nonetheless clear.

A powerful historical account of Vermont's role in the Civil War, The Battered Stars: One State's Civil War Ordeal During Grant's Overland Campaign by American Civil War historian and expert Howard Coffin (himself a sixth generation Vermonter with four ancestors who served with the Vermont regiments in the Overland Campaign) is founded on a wealth of primary sources and archival materials, including wartime letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts. The state of Vermont paid a toll in blood from the strife of the war, and the brutal battles are explored in detail as well as the resolve of those who stayed at home and did their best to keep the wheels turning. A welcome and much appreciated contribution to the growing field of Civil War Studies, The Battered Stars is a powerful, fascinating account highly recommended for civil war buffs, as well as anyone native to Vermont who wants to immerse themselves in the gripping saga of a watershed time of civil war.

Howard Coffin has established himself as the premier authority on Vermont and the Civil War. He has exhaustively researched Vermont's historical records including countless letters and diaries from the actual participants. He allows them to directly share their personal, heroic, sorrowful and inspiring stories and insights. It is difficult today to appreciate the pain and suffering which was brought home to every Vermont family during this Campaign. Mr. Coffin does honor to their memories and has provided a valuable research source for those interested in this period.

In the Preface, the author, Howard Coffin, states "I doubt that any northern states suffered more sever losses during a limited period of time than did Vermont during the Overland Campaign." Page 20 notes "In the great eastern battles of the last spring and early summer of 1864, no northern state, certainly on a per capita basis, would pay a higher price than little Vermont." The Vermont Brigade was unique it that it had been formed entirely of the regiments from a single state.

Coffin provides an excellent narrative of the brigade's combat experiences in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna River and Cold Harbor in the Army of the Potomac's 40 day Overland Campaign. Here, the Vermonters suffered distortional high casualties. For example, in defending the Wilderness crossroads "The killed and wounded of the Vermont Brigade numbered 1200" as they "suffered one-tenth the entire loss of Grant's army in killed and wounded in the Wilderness." Extensive use of soldier's letters and diaries greatly adds to the narratives with family correspondence giving insight into wartime life in small-town Vermont. Most interesting is Chapter Eight's account of the treatment of the wounded in hastily organized field hospitals and later treatment at Fredericksburg and in Vermont.

The narrative of fighting in the trenches at Cold Harbor is most fascinating. The author states "The Confederate victory (Cold Harbor) had been the most one-sided of the war." There were no big attacks but rather "day by day the killing went on while night by night, the works were dug deeper and became more complex." WWI Trench warfare was reminiscent of this campaign and with only a change in army names and location, Cold Harbor would describe a 1917 battle on the Western Front. The text contains a brief but interesting account of Grant's evacuation from Cold Harbor, the crossing of the James River and the initiation of the siege of Petersburg, Virginia.

Finally, the text deals with Vermont's substantial combat losses and the post war Vermont public reaction to the Civil War. The total loss of the state of Vermont in the Overland Campaign approached 3000 men. "Among the fallen were some of the bravest and best."

As prominent Civil War historian James McPherson states on the book's dust jacket, "This is Civil War history at its best."

This book is a must for anyone, including family, caregiver, or friend who knows someone with Alzheimers. The "best friends" approach is a caring, sensitive and thoughful way to work with and care for those with this disease. The authors provide practical examples of dealing with behavior problems, planning activities and most importantly how to be a "friend" to the person with Alzheimers. The authors have done a superb job of providing a creative yet common sense approach to caring for those with this disease.

I read this book as part of training to lead activities in an adult day center. It is thorough, concise and very reader friendly. This is an excellent resource for training programs and for anyone wanting to develop skills in working with persons with Alzheimer's Disease or dementia. This book is a must have.

This past semester, my seminary (Christian Theological Seminary) was honoured to host Virginia and Wayne Bell as they led a conference on Spirituality and Aging. As we approach a time in which the issues of aging will take increasing prominence, as the baby-boomers reach a collectively-older age than any generation in history has reached, the issues surrounding health care for the elderly are of primary importance, and part of that health is mental (which includes spiritual) health. The Bells have spent much time investigating and helping in the area of Alzheimer's, a disease that affects mind, body and spirit. Virginia Bell, together with a colleague, David Troxel, collaborated on two books (one of which is the the subject of this review) presenting an innovative way for care of those with Alzheimer's: `The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care'.

Virginia Bell, MSW, is currently Program Consultant with the Lexington/Bluegrass Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She is a graduate of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky, and has lectured widely at national and international conference. Her co-author, David Troxel, works with the Santa Barbara chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

`"The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care" reflects a growing optimism in the field of Alzheimer's care that much can be done to improve the lives of people with the disease and to transform caregiving from a terrible burden to care that is manageable. This book represents the development of the first comprehensive model of care, which is easy to understand and learn.'

At the start of the book, Bell and Troxel describe the various experiences of those with Alzheimer's. By looking at the depression, confusion, and detachment that those with Alzheimer's experience, the caregiver gains a greater understanding and compassion for those suffering. Perhaps the most important key insight comes from a nurse and teacher, Rebecca, who began to experience symptoms of Alzheimer's at age 59.

`I dislike social workers, nurses and friends who do not treat me as a real person.'

Despite her slowly declining cognitive abilities, she is still able to sense that people are regarding her differently, as a patient, as an object, as a 'third person' rather than a real person.

Persons with Alzheimer's experience loss, sadness, confusion, isolation and loneliness, fear, frustration, anxiety, paranoia, anger, and embarrassment. The Best Friends model takes all of these into account as a normal part of everyone's life.

The second chapter gives a basic overview of Alzheimer's, giving symptoms, diagnosis, services, caregiving issues, and research news. The Best Friends model requires no specialised medical or scientific knowledge -- an appendix is included in the book for those who wish to pursue those topics in more detail.

The following chapters develop the aspects of care along the Best Friends model. This requires first assessing the strengths and abilities of the person receiving care (and this may require a daily update). An understanding of what persons with Alzheimer's may require is included as an `Alzheimer's Disease Bill of Rights'. These are important, and often overlooked, so I shall reprint them here:

Every person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder deserves the following rights:

- To be informed of one's diagnosis
- To have appropriate, ongoing medical care
- To be productive in work and play for as long as possible
- To be treated like an adult, not like a child
- To have expressed feelings taken seriously
- To be free from psychotropic medications, if possible
- To live in a safe, structured, and predictable environment
- To enjoy meaningful activities that fill each day
- To be outdoors on a regular basis
- To have physical contact, including hugging, caressing, and hand-holding
- To be with individuals who know one's life story, including cultural and religious traditions
- To be cared for by individuals who are well trained in dementia care

A key point to being a Best Friend is that the caregiver becomes a memory aid to the person -- friends know each others' histories. Being reminded of past accomplishments, family connections, personal beliefs and traditions helps tremendously. It gets them involved in their own lives again.

Friends do many things: they share history, they do things together, they communicate, they build self-esteem, they laugh often, they work at the relationship, and they are equals. These carry over as key concepts in the Best Friends model. Bell and Troxel go into some detail about how to handle situations for the full-time caregiver, the volunteer, and for those who visit persons with Alzheimer's in care. Specific situations and general principles are presented in a clear, intelligible manner with great application potential.

An important part of the process of understanding and dealing with those with Alzheimer's is to understand oneself. Thus, there is a section on Being One's Own Best Friend. How do we react and respond? Do we give ourselves enough care? How can we care for others if we do not care for ourselves? How do we respect the needs and desires of those we care for while recognising and respecting our own needs? These are important questions, and Bell and Troxel address it by illustrating the relationship between Rebecca and Jo, her Best Friend.

`Because any of us can be touched by Alzheimer's disease, can have bad things happen to us, our friends, or our families, the ultimate message the authors wish to convey is this: We should treat everyone important to us as we would our own Best Friend.'

Seeing the Helping Hands Adult Day Care program, which is the fruit of the philosophy of this work, was a life changing event for me. The caring and love shown by the staff of Helping Hands are living testiment to the dedication of workers to improve the quality of life for clients affected by the devastation of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. If all facilities, both assisted living and nursing homes, truly invested in this approach, life would indeed be different for the persons affected by this disease and their caregivers. A definite must for those struggling with the problems of caregiving those with Alzheimer's disease.

Simple yet profound new way of caring about people with Alzheimer's. Easy to read with practical use.

This book was much more detailed than I expected. It covers the entire Mountain State from top to bottom and east to west.It is well researched the author definatly spent time at each location. He also covers obscure locations as well as popular destinations. Anyone intending to use the campgrounds of West Virginia should have this book.. Well worth the price.

My husband and I picked this book up on a fluke. It was the best thing to happen to us on our trip. The book provided excellent suggestions and descriptions of rustic campsites. It was excellent. I would definitely recommend it if you don't have a clue as to where you're going but you know what you want.....to be away from RVs, portable radios, etc!

Back when I was a youngster growing up in Columbus, Ohio my parents would often find relief from the heat by taking my family on monthly camping trips into West Virginia. I remember the shady trees and cool springs that were a second home to me, my two sisters and young brother.

Now that I have my own family complete with three young children ages 9,7 and 4 it is most important to me that they come to appreciate and respect the outdoors- especially W.V., where I spent so much time as a youth.

Of course, I remember the old campsites that I long ago visited; but my wife and I decided to explore more of the camping scene in W.V. While in a local bookstore, I came upon this camping guide of West Virginia by Johnny Molloy. This little treasure has been a great guide in our quest to search out new sites to visit.

This book is directly responsible for trips to Tomlinson Run (in the panhandle), Kanawah State Forest (near Charleston) and Bishop Knob (in the beautiful Monongahela National Forest). My wife and I hope to eventually visit all the camp sites in Mr. Molloy's book.

When I mention to the kids that we are going on a camping trip, I can't quite help but notice the thoughts of coming adventures and fun in their eyes and smiles. It reminds me of my brother and sisters some 25 years ago. Thanks to Mr. Molloy for his great stuff.

Danny Walker Columbus, OH

Best in Tent Camping: West Virginia

I just got back from the best trip! After sweltering most of the summer I decided to head for the cool mountains of West Virginia. A roommate in college was from there and suggested I go camping in the Mountain State. I found Johnny Molloy's book and away I went. I started in the south end of the state at Bluestone State Park. The lake was refreshing and the nights were much cooler than at home. After this I headed really high and went to Spruce Knob Lake, at 4,000 feet the highest campground in the entire guidebook. Oh, the weather was spectacular! I fished the lake and went hiking in the nearby Seneca Creek Backcountry. The trip to Upper Seneca Falls was idyllic. I tell you what -- I'm gonna try to get up there when the leaves turn, because West Virginia is the unsung outdoor jewel of the East. (make up name and place, someone from the South

Louise Johnson, Richmond, VA

I was anxiously awaiting the publication of this book for my May trip to WV. I picked a campground based on this guide, and once again I was not disappointed! The site was the best one I've camped at yet--very private, beautiful, peaceful, quiet--just as described in the book. The guide rates the campgrounds based on beauty, security, spaciousness, and quiet--four very important factors to me. It also describes campground costs, facilities, area attractions, and gives directions. I like knowing what the site will be like--fire ring or fire grate, picnic table, graded tent pad, etc. All of this information contributes to a great camping experience without unpleasant surprises.

This is the second great camping trip I've had thanks to Johnny Molloy. I also bought his guide to camping in the Smoky Mountains and was rewarded with another memorable vacation there. I will continue to use these guides to plan my camping trips, and I can't wait to see what the next published guide will be!

I can't believe I found it! This was one of my favorite books from when I was in kindergarten. I remember it well. I'm buying it for my 6-year-old daughter tonight.

"Way out west in Cactus County there was a horse named Calico. She wasn't very pretty...but she was very smart. She was the smartest fastest horse in all of Cactus County." She could run like "greased lightning", and she could smell like a bloodhound. "Her nose was so keen she could track a bee through a blizzard." She was owned by a cowboy named Hank, and "...she would go to the end of the trail for Hank. They had a language all their own and understood each other perfectly." Life was good and happy for everyone who lived in Cactus County, no locks, no fences, and no sheriff or jail. But across the Cactus River were the Badlands where the villains of this story lived. And the meanest, sneakiest, absolutely worst bad man of them all was Stewy Stinker. He was so mean, "he would hold up Santa Claus on Christmas Eve if he had a chance." So sit back and get comfortable and see what happened when Stewy Stinker and his nasty gang came to town..... First published in 1941, Calico The Wonder Horse is as fresh and entertaining today, as it was over fifty years ago. This is an old fashioned, action packed, rootin' tootin' western that has it all...cattle rustling, hold-ups, a stampede and kidnapping, a wild and thrilling stagecoach chase, and through it all, Calico comes to the rescue, outsmarts the bad guys and saves the day. Virginia Lee Burton's clever, witty text is dramatic, engaging and full of wild west colloquialisms that will have both kids and adults laughing and cheering at all the fun. Her marvelous comic strip illustrations are expressive and full of detail and beg to be pored over and explored. Put it all together and you have the makings of a timeless classic to share with friends, family and future generations. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Calico The Wonder Horse is a masterpiece and a MUST for every home library.

The illustrations of this Wild West comedy saga are just as good as the lively and creative prose. Easy to read in one sitting as a great "before bed" story. The adventure and humor will keep even those with short attention spans listening intently. The ending is perfect!

My 2 1/2 year old daughter and I love this book! Best of all, and unlike many of our other favorites, the hero (Calico) is female whose merit is based on her intellect and problem-solving skills. I really like that subliminal message. I'll admit that at first I was a little put off by the artsy "comic book" format, but it grows on you, and I appreciate it more each time I read it. This book and Mike Mulligan are must-have Burton books.

I am a big fan of Virginia Lee Burton and Calico the Wonder Horse is another example of her great illustrations and story lines. The story is action packed; you laugh, you cry, and you want the good guy to win and live happily ever after. What is interesting about this book is that the color of the pages correspond with the action of the story. It is an all around good read for you and your child.

Guitarist Leo Kottke also wrote a song called Room 8 that is on his Capitol album "Mudlark" released in 1971. He includes the story of what happened when the cat passed away in the liner notes. (Are the poems still in the cement?)

I grew up with my father reading this book to me as a bed time story, It was my favorite book growing up and I was curious if Amazon.com had it and apparently they do...

It is a story about a stray cat and a classroom adopts him as their school pet...

If you are looking for a good bed time story book to read to your kids, this is it!

I am the current teacher in Room 8 and have read this story to my students for the past 11 years. The children love listening to the story and they check out the book from our library to read at home.
It's a wonderful book, it gives our room and school a history. Since the mural is still there and the cement prints. The photographs are still displayed in the main building.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the feeders of Room 8. My mother was best friends with Miss Mason. I had never heard about the Leo Kottke song before. There is a group of people looking to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Room 8's passing this year, and possibly to find a way to have the book republished as it's long out of print. I'm lucky to have at least one first edition copy of the book. Yes, I believe the footprints and murals are still at the school. I'm hoping my grandkids love the story of Room 8 as much as those of us who loved the original cat. He was amazing and he remains a character that looms large in my childhood memories.

I didn't attend Elysian Heights until a few years after Room 8 had passed, but he was still a very important part of our school. Every year or so the school would have more books printed and sell them as one of the fundraisers.
My parents bought me one of the books and it was one of my favorites. As I became a teenager my interest in childish things waned and I don't know what happened to my copy. A few years back I was desperately searching for an old copy to buy so I could read the story to my daughter. A friend found one and gave it to me for Christmas. My daughter loves this story more than I think I did when I was her age. This book is just about Room 8, and Room 8 started it all, but I have to tell you about how great the school was after Room 8. It is amazing how one cat can change everything.
At the time I attended Elysian Heights (the 70s), Ms. Mason was still our principal and there were two cats that roamed the school. To the students it was normal to have cats (and even the occassional dog brought from home) roam the school and as long as the animal itself didn't disturb class it was always welcome in the classrooms. I remember the case of a substitute teacher trying to corral a dog so the office could call the pound, but he was finally informed of school policy and the dog was set free. The school still received lots of fanmail for Room 8, even in the 70s, and students often had writing assignments responding to other children who wrote asking about Room 8. If you went to Elysian Heights for any period of time, you learned how to write a letter.
Another great thing about our school was the animal pen. We had a pony, goats, sheep and chickens in an animal pen next to the playground. It was the responsibility of the sixth graders to take care of those animals. I was so happy when I finally became a sixth grader and we had the job of caring for the animals. This was such a great thing to have only three miles from the center of downtown Los Angeles.
Everytime I read this book, it reminds me that Ms. Mason, Elysian Heights and all the animals of the school played a special part my life and, I hope, in the lives of all the students who attended Elysian Heights Elementary.

This is the first, the original, the most seminal, and the best Chinese cookbook ever written. Period, end of story. Irene Kuo is hailed, but in fact her cookbook, in my opinion, is inferior to this one; useful, but secondary. The only missing key and central recipe is Salt Roast Chicken, the best recipe for which is to be found in the Classic Chinese Cookbook by Mai Leung.

Though we own twenty other Chinese cookbooks, we still think this is one of the best.

I have the '72 edition as well, bought new then, and turned to it again just last night. I agree with mbrown's description of the recipes by category and don't wish to be redundent. What charmed me and Chinese shopkeepers was being able to point to the Chinese characters of various ingredients in the glossary. They were then able to quickly find just what I needed. The recipes are organized, easy to follow, and consistently tasty. I love Chinese cuisine and would be lost without it.

I have the old version of this text, which was published in 72. I was browsing through cook books at the store and noticed that I had seen all the recipes before and then I realized it was the same book, only a newer cover. This has been my bible of chinese cooking. The book is very thorough and easy to understand. It has all the well known chinese recipes and a description of cooking techniques, such as the proper ways to carve and present meat. All recipes are categorized by their main ingredient (pork, chicken, beef, seafood, ect. . ) with a chapter on deserts. My only qualm with this book is it doesn't provide the chinese name for many recipes. This might be because they have been generalize for a western audience and the chinese names no longer apply, but I'd like to think that they are authentic originals from traditional dishes. If you only own one chinese cooking book, this is the one to have. Maybe that is why the title is "THE Chinese Cook Book".

This is an outstanding book. It far outstrips every other Chinese cookbook, including some very good ones by Irene Kuo, Ellen Schrecker, and others. I've been cooking out of it for 20 years. Every recipe I've tried (and I've tried most of them) turns out extraordinary food. Don't bother with the other books. Get this one, if you can find it! The publisher who let this go out of print should be strung up by his thumbs. The world deserves better! A billion stars!