Washington Books

Second in the girls devotional series developed by Linda Washington and Julie Chen, "It's Me, Leslie," brings us the journal of a young girl trying to come into her own as a believer in Christ.

Genuine and engaging, Washington pulls the reader into the life of Leslie, a lively 11 year old, by peaking into her journal.

Likely in the first in the series, "Just Plain Mel," Chen has amusing sketches and doodling of everything from the "old church mother" (I've got one just like her in my church too!) to dialogue bubbles, ice cream and scratched out portions of entries Leslie must've reconsidered.

There is nothing stuffy about "It's Me, Leslie," and you can be confident that this is not just kid-friendly, but hip to what your preteens are going through. It's fresh, challenging, sometimes goofy, while retaining the innocence and purity of youth. The book always points the reader toward Jesus.

Issues such as materialism, unfriendly churches, self-confidence, gossip, spurring others on to "love and good deeds" are all discussed in this highly creative approach. Bible-centered, verses are printed before each entry area for the reader to think about when responding to the things going on in Leslie's life.

It is well-written, with a focused, stream-of-consciousness tone not found elsewhere.

I fully recommend "It's Me, Leslie," by Linda Washington. Inquisitive and curious preteen girls will love this, and beg for more. Try it in small groups, with a Bible in hand.

Anthony Trendl

I bought this devotional for my nine-year-old. She really loves the format. It is handwriting font with lots of doodles (looks like the Amelia books).The subjects are right where she's at too: Gossip, Do clothes make the Christian?, mean girls, sharing your faith with others.

There is spce for her to journal her thoughts on each subject. I would highly recommend this book as both a devotional for a girl and a beginner's journal.

James Lavadour's collection of Landscape pieces in this book are, well just tremendous, the finish of the paper complements the works upon it. I had never seen his work prior to coming across a series landscape at the Heard Museum in Phoenix,Arizona. It stopped me in my tracks, rather knocked the wind out of me so to speak. The light the expanse, the sanctity of The Land just grabs you by the throat in his pieces. The Book pretty much captures that in this collection as best as may be in the smaller scale of things.
Yeah I ought to read this book as well, and I will as well, as for the present i am still looking, and looking. Wow.

A long time ago in Pendleton, I saw James Lavadour drag boxes and boxes of REALLY crappy paintings into my high school class. Yet his face was alight with enthusiam for the work he was doing and I can see now that his vision was providing him with the momentum he needed to reach the point he has. He spoke of sitting in the foothills all day long painting. A couple years later I saw a painting of his, it was dark and mysterious and a tiny trickle of water in it appeared to actually move. I still long for that painting today. His work now is so luminous and beautiful that you find yourself transfixed and caught in the emotional content. I have always looked up to him as an artist, that this is what you can do with your talent if you are willing to work hard and seriously involve yourself with the subject.

Absolutly the best book of one the finest "artists" in recent American history. Ken Cory's work, best described as "Play Disguised" has a wonderful childlike quaility to it. Written by friends and family after his passing it chronicles his life and work with great anecdotes my favorite being the "John Colt" letter to his teacher from abroad as a teen. Excellently published with lots of wonderful drawings and photos of his work, shop and home. This book belongs on every artist's shelf! It needs to be in print for ever! A hardcover would be welcome as well. Get it NOW!

An underappreciated text about an underappreciated artist. For anyone who's convinced inventiveness has packed its bags and left the country, this is the book that will change your mind. This is a comprehensive yet readable book about the Northwest artist Ken Cory's delightfully funky, perverse, and beautifully crafted jewelry - truly little gems that most of the art world knows little about. Mitchell does a fine job of giving Cory his due credit, and putting his life and work in a context that is entirely relavent to what we think we already know about jewelry and art and craft. Extensive photos and a beautiful publication from top to bottom. Check out Mitchell's Summer 03 article in Metalsmith magazine on another diamond in the rough, Don Tompkins.

That's Denzel Washington (not Eric Clapton) teaming his prodigious talents with those of blues legend B.B. King in this powerful retelling of the classic American legend. This is another treasure from Rabbit Ear productions: a beautifully illustrated book that can be read on its own, or with the included cassette. Go for the cassette first: You'll be treated to Denzel Washington's warm, rich, folksy, awe-struck, conversational narration.

"So y'all listen up, `cause I'm gonna tell you the guaranteed, gold plated, ninety-nine-point-nice percent truth about John Henry."

Then, enjoy the inimitable riffs of B.B. King, as he and his guitar (presumably "Lucille") sing out with the pure, clear, authenticity of the blues: "My name is John Henry. I'm a born natural man. I was born one morning with a hammer in my hand . . . " This is collector material.

John Henry's triumph defends the dignity and perseverance of human labor against the encroaching machine. In its own small way, with a low-tech assist from the aural majesty of Washington and King, this volume preserves and extends the pleasures of the written page.

John Henry is one of the best Rabbit Ears titles - which is saying a lot. BB King is wonderful; Denzel Washington is wonderful. I'm not writing this for me - but if my 8 year old goes to sleep to it every (I mean, make sure you rewind that tape) night, then it is a wonderful book

I am so pleased to find that I may be able to obtain copies of this wonderful book at this time! The photographs of scenes in the Northwest are magnificent, sensitive, and intriguing. I have a copy signed by the artist/author that is admired by everyone who sees it. Any artist can benefit from studying the composition and color of these magnificent photos. I'm proud to be acquainted with Joshel Namkung--you too can get to know him through this beautiful collection of photographs. (Why doesn't Amazon give us photo samples for books like this, as they do sound samples for CDs?) Trust me, these are wonderful images! (I am a native of the Northwest.)

I am so pleased to find that I may be able to obtain copies of this wonderful book at this time! The photographs of scenes in the Northwest are magnificent, sensitive, and intriguing. I have a copy signed by the artist/author that is admired by everyone who sees it. Any artist can benefit from studying the composition and color of these magnificent photos. I'm proud to be acquainted with Joshel Namkung--you too can get to know him through this beautiful collection of photographs. (Why doesn't Amazon give us photo samples for books like this, as they do sound samples for CDs?) Trust me, these are wonderful images!

In this gripping and controversial biography, Anne-Maree Whitaker uncovers the role of Joseph Foveaux, a neglected and sometimes unfairly criticised key figure in the colony's development.

The vivid prose plunges the reader into the worlds in which Foveaux moved: the elaborate milieu of parliamentary politics and patronage in London, and the rough and tumble of the colonies of Norfolk Island and New South Wales where he was lieutenant governor.

We meet the irascible William Bligh, the visionary Lachlan Macquarie, leading colonists including John Macarthur and D'Arcy Wentworth and an enormous cast of supporting characters in Britain and the colonies.

"I have never yet met with any Officer...that is more eminently qualified for forming and conducting to maturity and perfection any infant colony committed to his charge," wrote Governor Macquarie in 1810, praising Joseph Foveaux, the man who had presided over the colony of New South Wales since the controversial Governor Bligh was relieved of his duties two years before.

If you saw any of the Sydney during the Olympics, you are sure to find this account of its early years a fascinating revelation. Based on the life of Lieutenant Governor Joseph Foveaux, demonised in Robert Hughes' The Fatal Shore, this book reveals the links and patronage networks which held the British empire together. I liked the way the author in each chapter flung the reader into a physical description of the place where the action happens. And I even found myself caring about Foveaux's successes and setbacks. This is a warm, elegantly written and compelling new departure in Australian historical writing.

Journal of Mule Train Packing in Eastern Washington in the 1860's by James W. Watt is a short, easy to read, book with tremendous connection with the past. Rarely does one have the opportunity to read actual accounts of the difficulties individuals went through in an effort to seek out their own personal business and survive during the 1800's. When we study the development of the western portion of the US we picture carts and wagons of pioneers struggling to a new life. Rarely do we realize that a tremendous amount of development occurred before there were wagon roads and much of this activity was accomplished with the use of mules packing supplies to the many places we visit by car. Mules and mule packing was one of the few ways to convey large amounts of necessary items during the western development. The book Journal of Mule Train Packing in Eastern Washington in the 1860's by James W. Watt is an outstanding collections of one man's recollection of how his life was spent packing with mules to the various camps and now cities in Eastern Washington. I highly recommend the book for any equine or mule enthusiasts, or historians who want to learn more about the development of the West.

Journal of Mule Train Packing in Eastern Washington in the 1860's by James W. Watt is a short, easy to read, book with tremendous connection with the past. Rarely does one have the opportunity to read actual accounts of the difficulties individuals went through in an effort to seek out their own personal business and survive during the 1800's. When we study the development of the western portion of the US we picture carts and wagons of pioneers struggling to a new life. Rarely do we realize that a tremendous amount of development occurred before there were wagon roads and much of this activity was accomplished with the use of mules packing supplies to the many places we visit by car. Mules and mule packing was one of the few ways to convey large amounts of necessary items during the western development. The book Journal of Mule Train Packing in Eastern Washington in the 1860's by James W. Watt is an outstanding collections of one man's recollection of how his life was spent packing with mules to the various camps and now cities in Eastern Washington. I highly recommend the book for any equine or mule enthusiasts, or historians who want to learn more about the development of the West.

The best way to see our nation's capitol is up close and personal. Not possible? The second way is through an excellent armchair guide. "Journey Around Washington D.C. from A to Z" is such a book. Martha Day Zschock, who has created several in this series, looks at the basic facts of a city through her delightful illustrations.

First, she begins with a broad, overview map of Washington, D.C.--no frills, then "A" page is devoted to "America's anthem awakens awe." The illustration is the flag that actually flew over Fort McHenry, when Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." The inset material for "A" includes the mascot for the football team of Washington.

"B" says "Boats paddle by Basin blossoms." In 1912 Japan gave hundreds of cherry trees which were planted in the basin along Thomas Jefferson's memorial building. "C" says "Congress convenes in Capitol chambers" and depicts the front of the Capitol and an inset of the ceiling of the Rotunda. Another note mentions the Library of Congress.

"Ornaments of nature occupy D.C." for "O" and shows a close up of iris blooms and an inset shows one slice of the children's garden in the U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Arboretum.

V is for "Veterans' memorials" and shows the long ribbon of glossy wall that is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed by Maya Ying Lin. Over 58,000 names are inscribed on the wall to signify their deaths.

"Z" is for zip codes and the U.S. Postal Service, begun in 1753, by Benjamin Franklin, who finalized the service. His statue greets visitors to the National Postal Museum.

That's a sampling of the broad range of topics included in this journey. Other topics include the Kennedy Center, Abraham Lincoln's statue, the National Air and Space Museum, the Metro system, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, fresh food markets, the White House, and Rock Creek Park, first of our national parks.

There you are--if you would like your child familiar with our nation's capitol, this fine book is a great introduction. Just "Journey Around Washington D.C. from A to Z." For ages 4-8, but I think 6-12 is a better interest level.

Other titles in the series include:
Journey Around Cape Cod and the Islands from A to Z (Journey Series)
Journey Around Chicago From A To Z (Journey Series)
Journey Around San Francisco from A to Z (Journey Series)

This book is 1 of 5 in a series on different U.S. cities. I was really impressed with the author/illustrator's artwork and love all the neat little details that she manages to fit on each page (so much that I met her at a book signing near DC so she could autograph it!). It is also set up in a way that even my 2 year old can enjoy the shorter, brief insets on each page, my 7 year old can enjoy and learn from the more detailed descriptions at the bottom, and even I really enjoy the beautiful artwork and have learned new things from it myself. She captures some truly interesting highlights from each of the cities in this series (others are Cape Cod, Boston, New York, San Francisco). It is a great book that I would recommend for ANY age!

The fact that Early was able to make this raid is in itself a miracle. This is by far the most entertaining and best researched book on this subject. It offers great fun and deep understanding of this most important Civil War action. Early is a complex figure and Vandiver shows us the person under the facade.

Many works about Jubal Early's 1864 Valley Campaign have been produced, but none come close to this one. Frank Vandiver's JUBAL'S RAID stands out as, by far, the most lively and insightful of all the 1864 Valley histories, keeping the reader riveted throughout. This is a superb book that should be on every Civil War library shelf.

Anybody interested in politics and the Supreme Court is bound to be enthralled by this book. It is I suppose mainly a reference book but I read it cover to cover in less than two days. It includes a number of ratings of Presidents, and also ratings of Supreme Court Justices. Each person nominated for the Supreme Court is described, together with a sketch of his (or her) work on the Court after confirmation. Some may disagree with some of the judgments, but in general they resonate well. This is a great book. I noted a few errors and will list them, tho they are minor. On page 189 it is stated that "the key slogan of Eisenhower's campaign in 1952" was "Had enough?" That was the Republican slogan in 1946. The slogan in 1952 was a much milder one: "I Like Ike." On page 345 footnote 14 lists the Senators who voted against Senator Hugo Black's confirmation as Justice of the Supreme Court, and names one of the six Democrats who voted against him as Burke (N.H.) This is an error; Burke was a Senator from Nebraska, not from New Hampshire. On page 364 footnoe 63 gives the citation for United States v. Eichman as 496 U.S. 310 at 4776. This is an obvious error, since no opinion goes on from page 310 to page 4776. I have not checked the page number of the language quoted, but it is not on page 4776 since no volume of the U.S. Reports has that many pages. But these minor errors do not mean the book is poorly edited. In general the editing is quite good. This is a book that any person interested in the Court should own.

Professor Henry J. Abraham has long been recognized as an expert on the Supreme Court's history and federal judicial appointments process. His book, "Justices, Presidents, and Senators," is newly revised to include information on President Clinton's nominations to the Court (Ginsburg and Breyer). Professor Abraham provides insight on some of the top contenders for the High Court, the politics and process of evaluating potential Supreme Court Justices, and enlightens the reader on the contentious battles before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Professor Abraham examines the Supreme Court appointments process and why certain individuals were selected over others. For example, Justice John Paul Stevens, who was nominated by President Ford (Republican), was chosen in part because he was "confirmable" by a heavily-Democratic Senate, especially in the Watergate aftermath. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was originally considered by President Ford for the seat currently held by Justice Stevens, but President Reagan nominated her instead several years later. Another example of political strategy and perfect timing is the elevation of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the nomination of Justice Antonin Scalia. Both of their contributions to the decisions of the Court has impacted, to some degree, the workings of the lower courts and the federal judiciary's original understanding of the Constitution and how that should play when decisions are made.

This book's latter sections are divided by the tenure of several Chief Justices, starting with Earl Warren. I find these sections thoroughly fascinating. The last fifty years for the Surpeme Court has arguably been the most interesting period of time since the founding of the Constitution. Beginning with Brown v. Board of Education, the Court has exerted more power and significantly more influence that is more widely recognized in today's society. Professor Abraham details the individual Justices and their famous (and infamous) contributions to jurisprudence and understanding of the Constitution. This book also contains some statistical information on the ratings of Supreme Court Justices and ratings of Presidents in its appendix.

I highly recommend this book not only for academic reasons but for personal reasons, as well. Many Americans have misunderstood the role of the courts and their jurisdiction. I think this book is a fair attempt to dispel some of those misunderstandings. The book is not written from a perspective of a bitter partisan or a politician attempting to deceive Americans (unlike Alan Dershowitz).

Overall, this book provides a fair and balanced approach to the Supreme Court, its appointments process, and significance it plays in American society. This is one of the best books on the Supreme Court I have ever read.