Colorado Books

Really nice photos for coffee table book. It will guide my exploration of the state.

Even though I have seen so many things in Colorado, this book made me realize I haven't seen it all. The book is a must-have for people interested in beautiful scenery.

This book shows the REAL colorado. If you want to see something
beyond Aspen and Vail, this is the book for you. There are even
directions on how to get to the places so if you are adventurous
enough, you can go out and see it all yourself. The pictures are
amazing and the nature essays put it all in perspective. Having grown
up in NYC, this book is a breath of fresh air!

This spectacular book is rewarding on every level possible. If you wanted a book that merely included gorgeous photos, this would be it. I have seen Jim Steinberg's photos elsewhere, but never presented so lavishly or effectively. They convey such a strong sense of this beautiful PLACE called Colorado. It's all there: meadows, trees, flowers, rocks, canyons, skies, and much more. I was particularly amazed by the wildflowers. When you look at a photo like the one showing why the "Black Canyon" of the Gunnison got its name, you realize that Steinberg has been sure to take all the time necessary for a photographer to capture the essence of a place. The compositions are splendid, full of rich color and detail. Every page is an eye-opener. In addition, Susan Tweit's text is a perfect complement to the images. I wouldn't change a word of it, and I'm a picky reader. Her text combines with the photos to provide an education into the geology, botany, ecology, and history of Colorado, making this not just an aesthetically pleasing book but also an enlightening one. I've been an occasional visitor to Colorado, but this book makes me feel that I've explored quite a bit of it. And the travelers notes at the end will make it much easier to see these places myself. I highly recommend this book to people who already love Colorado and to those who can appreciate it from afar.

This book is incredible. It's unlike any other photography book about Colorado that I've seen. The photographs are spectacular and the writing by Susan Tweit is an eloquent compliment to the photos. The book is broken down into six sections: the plains, foothills, mountain peaks, plateaus, mountain parks and travelers' notes. I especially liked the travelers' notes, which give very specific directions on how to get to all the places. The next time I have the chance, I plan to get out and visit some of the places myself. If you love Colorado or beautiful photography, then this book is a must for your coffee table!

This is an excellent book and it was written so people that did not read German Boy can understand. German Boy was written in a different style and I enjoyed it slightly more than this one. It basically leaves off in January 1963 and leaves you wanting more and wondering if he will write the third book.

I was amazed at how open he was in writing about his life. I highly recommend this book because it is a rare opportunity to hear the next part of the story of his life. Too many times you read a book about someone only to have questions, this answers most of the question you have.

His son becomes a 2nd Lt. and wears the same bars he purchased when he began to form his goal to become a pilot. This book is an example of the US became great, through people who worked hard to better themselves and become Americans.

I purchased this new and am happy I did.

I feel glad that I read this one last from the five books by Wolfgang Samuel. But I suspect that I might have felt the same way if there had been a different order. I have traveled a long way with the author, first as a German Boy and finished with a tower of strength well-rounded American boy Captain Wolfgang W. E. Samuel, later to retire as a Colonel in the USAF. The Colonel certainly gained my trust, my loyalty, and my admiration as a boy and then a man, Air Force Officer and author. His use of simile is very clever. And he can paint a detail and beautiful picture of anything perceived by the eye, be man, beast, or scenery. I found Coming to Colorado as worthy as the other four titles. I must confess that I felt a pervasive melancholy because I was about to lose contact: the end of a fine movie, an enjoyable trip of the human spirit overcoming obstacles, its wisdom. Holy, holy, what a tremendous experience! THANK YOU.

Wolfgang Samuel has been one of my very favorite authors since I picked up his exceptional book, German Boy, in a London airport several years ago. This book was a page-turner, poignant and beautiful, the story of a young boy filled with a dream. I have bought every book he has written, and Coming to Colorado brought his story forward to show how much he loves America and flying. His is a continuing story of hope, innocence, familial love, courage, and overcoming whatever obstacles stood in his path. It is a testimony to good overcoming evil. I highly recommend both these books by Wolf Samuel.

Coming to Colorado, a sequel to German Boy, is another outstanding work by this talented author. A breath taking account of a young man who suddenly finds himself in America. Poor and Illiterate in English, his lifelong dream of becoming an American Pilot drives him to earn his college degree which was a prerequisite for flight training. His story is living proof that courage, determination and strength of character can overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. This book, like his other five, is beautifully written, and takes the reader beyond where "German Boy" ended. A story that touches the heart and emotions, because it brings to mind some of the fears and experiences that we may have felt when growing into adulthood. For the young reader, this story is an inspiration and a beacon of hope, and at the same time it is a tribute to the remarkable ability of the human spirit to prevail - a poignant reminder that "No dream is impossible"

This is a must-read for anyone who enjoyed "German Boy". Those put off by Samuel's seemingly photographic memory may find his relentlessly detailed account of life in the United States to be a bit unbelievable. I, however, find his writing style very compelling, and although I am not a native speaker of German, the word "deutlich" kept coming to my mind as I read this book, meaning "articulate, clear, lucid, and precise" and presumably also fundamentally very "German" ("Deutsch").

Samuel's own life-story is so carefully chronicled that on one rare occasion when he says he doesn't remember exactly where his mother was at that moment it is actually a little disconcerting.

There is enough flashback to events in "German Boy" that this book can stand on its own: there would certainly be nothing wrong with reading this book first. His focus here is of course on the immigrant experience, and anyone specifically interested in that topic need not read "German Boy" to appreciate "Coming to Colorado".

I particularly enjoyed reading about life in the early days of the U.S. Air Force, and I find myself now motivated to read his other two books "American Raiders" and "I Always Wanted to Fly". Samuel's book is also a reminder that for those who experienced it first-hand, Communism was, and is, a very bad thing, and not just some kind of alternative political lifestyle.

Ms. Booth gathered an extraordinarily versatile collection of very capable professionals willing to share their memorable recipes. Those of us fortunate enough to have received this book as a gift can leisurely savor diverse meals we were unable to enjoy while scurrying through the mountains during our hurried ski vacations. Anxiously awaiting a sequel...please.

We have tried about ten recipes so far from the book and have been pleasently surprised in the outcome. In addition, the photography puts you there. Highly recommended!

This cookbook combines the ease and speed of preparation with beautiful pictures of Colorado. Most ingredients are readily obtainable at my local supermarket. The dishes taste great and never fail to get me compliments from my guests. Ms. Booth has done a remarkable job of getting some of Colorado's best chefs to let us in on some of their best recipes.

This cookbook is both a feast for the appetite and a feast for the eyes. It presents a great variety of delicious meals in an easy to follow "no fail" format. I'm a cookbook collector, and this is one of my favorites.

This is a great cookbook. The recipes are easy to use and create elegant meals. The photographs by John Fielder are gorgeous. It's also a terrific present for anyone.

...as a followup for Deadroll. It extends the previous book which seemed to end abruptly without proper ending. The writing style of Greg Moody is very natural, so the book reads very fast. So read the Dead Air and learn bomber's fate.

This review is long over due. I read Dead Air many months ago. I'm just now coming down from the exhilaration of another fine Moody murder mystery novel. Moody once again blends the two things he knows best...cycling and TV. He has written one of the finest and most exciting fight scenes I've ever read. If you think you know how this one ends....think again.

Greg Moody's books are a fun habit. If you have any interest whatsoever in professional cycling (and who doesn't after Lance Armstrong's feats) read Greg's books. You'll get an inside, albeit wild and crazy look at the peloton. You definitely should read the books in the order written (this is the fifth in the series), to understand the history of Will Ross, a washed-up bike racer who has years of European pro cycling under his belt, but always manages to get in one last ride, or one last season, in each of the books. In the latest, he is on staff at a Denver TV news station, and is sent to cover a ride through the Rockies. Mayhem predictably follows, and Will must try to clear his name, find and outwit a mad-bomber, get along with his mobster in-laws, and take yet another ride-of-his-life. Hang on to your cycling shorts!

Fans of Will Ross will not be disappointed with this much anticipated followup to Deadroll. My only problem is I read the book too fast. I guess I'll have to start over with book 1 and read the whole series. Long live Will Ross!

Dead Air is another challenging mystery by Greg Moody. I so enjoyed getting to know new characters as Moody peels away the layers of their personalities, but I was also glad to encounter familiar old characters from his previous novels. The book flows with glimpses into the insanity of the villain and the T.V. Station! Along with the prose are gritty descriptions of life on a bike. Reading a book by Greg Moody is like choosing between plain vanilla ice cream or a hot fudge sundae... he makes you work a little harder than a "canned formula" mystery, but the satisfaction is well worth the effort!!! This is a great read and should be added to your summer book list!

Marsha Willis is a gifted writer. Her skill with the written word makes "The Ethan Chronicles" truly a work of literary nonfiction. It is written in third person voice (Marsha calls herself Ann) and one feels he or she is reading fiction. Ann's son Ethan is killed in an accident when he is hit broadside by a young man, "Matt," who has a "mile long" rap sheet of run-ins with law enforcement officials. Somehow, over the years, Matt has managed to escape conviction on many of the charges such as: "Charge of underage alcohol possession is dismissed because the original ticket has disappeared." In essence, he is consequently allowed to continue his reckless driving habits, which eventually result in Ethan's death. As loophole after loophole delays the trial, the reader wonders if Matt will ever be held accountable for his actions, especially in the death of Ethan.

Marsha skillfully weaves the incredible story of bringing Matt to trial (as seen on Court TV and Dateline NBC) and the anguish of her grief in losing her only child. As a bereaved parent, I related so strongly with Marsha (Ann.) Her words gave voice to my own grief journey. If you are a parent, bereaved or not, this book is a must-read.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2001. Last year was a year consumed by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments -- BUT it was another year of the gift of life. Thank you, Marsha, for touching my life and my heart with the reinforcement that every day is precious and to be enjoyed -- never to be taken for granted. Your courage, honest emotion and "recovery" are an inspiration to me! Ethan smiles down on us all!

Marsha did an amazing thing in this book. She took the most unbearable event possible and walked me through it with her, allowing me to believe that one CAN make it to the other side of this kind of tragedy. I was impressed that the journey was an enlightenment, and in no way morbid or prurient. I loved the way the story brought up one viewpoint after another, of an incredibly complex situation. This was one of the most thought-provoking books I have recently read.

A powerful story. I couldn't put this book down! The Ethan Chronicles is written with incredible eloquence and passion. Author (and mother) Marsha A. Willis' account of the death of her only son, Ethan, in a senseless car crash, haunts the reader long after the book is put away. For anyone who has ever been taken down the path of pain, frustration and loss of a beloved child--this author has paid an overwhelming price--to remind us all that we remain so mysteriously...mortal.

A woman and her family struggle to regain meaning in life after the death of a 21-year-old son in a preventable accident. Ethan Chronicles is more than an autobiographical chronicle of one family's suffering: it provides insights into the court systems, justice, and tragedy.

I have read, enjoyed, and forgotten a lot of decent mysteries lately. They were amusing or interesting, but nothing special.

Eye of Newt is different; the story is permanently embedded in memory. I will never read anything about Salem, MA, past or present, without mentally revisiting Dietz's Salem.

A very few authors introduce you to unforgettable characters, but Dietz manages to pull this off as well. It would be difficult to praise them specifically without hinting at the novel way in which they appear with respect to one another. So I'll just say, getting the parrot involved was a brilliant move, and the subtle ways in which the author allows the reader to make discoveries about her people will be particularly refreshing to those who are tired of having all the facts drummed into them by less skillful writers.

Don't be intimidated by the cast list kindly provided before the story begins. It's more menu than map because the tale unfolds easily; once you've started reading, you won't need to refer to the list.

Eye of Newt is a very thoughtful and funny book, full of the kind of people you'd like your best friend to live next door to. The novel is satisfying in itself, but I'm hoping it's the first in a series. The complexity of relationships alone suggests questions about the future of the protagonists that readers will be eager to find answered in future volumes.

So thank you, Denise Dietz! And more, please. J

Sydney St. Charles is the latest in along line of witches but she does not really believe that she is a witch. Living in Manitou Falls, Colorado, she owns and runs an apothecary shop with the somewhat eccentric help of her great aunt Lillian. While she doesn't believe, the tax write off for selling eye of newt among other things is pretty good as is business. She sells all sorts of spells, potions, and talismans but she has nothing to stop gossipers and those that traffic for free in gossip.

Business is good, but the trafficking in gossip is at a rare level in this small town. Clive Newton, a local boy to some, and member of the rock band "The Newts" was recently murdered. His body was found in Black Forest, an area that is residential but also zoned to allow horses. But the body wasn't entirely intact and the killer has been every so often, mailing a body part to the surviving members of the band. No one knows why and so far the police haven't been able to find the killer/mailer.

And while that is fascinating, Sydney has much more personally important things on her mind. Her niece, Xanthia, is about to turn 13 and party plans of epic scale are underway. During her trip to the store, she makes the acquaintance of a handsome homeless man who is also an amnesiac. As she tries to control her mounting desire for him while helping him to discover who he is and his past, she nicknames him "John Elway" in honor of one of his memories.

Then a body part from Clive arrives in a package addressed to Xanthia at her party and Sydney has no choice to become involved in the search for the killer. As the same time, a journal from 1692 involving a deceased relative who lived in Salem is found in the attic. Are the links in the journal and the current case just coincidence or does the journal hold the key to a modern day killer who is becoming more and more bold?

This very enjoyable novel scheduled to be released on October 16, 2004 by Five Star Publishing blends two complicated mysteries with interesting characters and a strong sense of humor. Fans of the early work of Marcia Muller or Sue Grafton will delight in this heroine and her occasional irreverent attitude towards the world around her. Part romance, part mystery, and all fun, the resulting novel is often downright funny while at the same time providing a very good tale. Hopefully, this book is the start of a new series from this author.

Book Facts:

Eye of Newt
By Denise Dietz
www.denisedietz.com
Five Star Publishing
www.galegroup.com
2004
ISBN # 1-59414-096-0
ARC


Kevin R. Tipple © 2004

Sydney St. Charles, owner of an apothecary shop in CO, is descended from witches. Too bad she doesn't believe it. While Sydney's charms are popular, it isn't witchcraft that has the town agog - Clive Newton, a member of the rock band The Newts, has been murdered. More `band-related' incidents occur, and Sydney attempts to help with the investigation, but her growing attraction to homeless amnesiac, "John Elway" complicates things for her. Simultaneously, she is trying to solve an ancient family mystery: a parallel murder that happened in 1692, in Salem. She learns more than she expected about her own heritage thru an ancestor's journal. There is `A LOT' of humor in this book - and suspense - mysterious and romantic at the same time. You must like animals (with a sense of humor) also. They don't talk - exactly.....

In Manitou Falls, Colorado, witch Sydney St. Charles, who does not believe in witchcraft, and her septuagenarian Aunt Lillian, who does, share a home on top of their store Lilly's Apothecary Shop. Currently the town is in an uproar over the murder of Clive Newton of the rock band the Newts as the killer keeps sending parts of the victim's anatomy to the surviving band members. Before his death, Clive purchased a love spell from Sydney. Not long afterward, the band's manager Veronica Sanderson dies in a fire; Sydney is stunned as she sold a love spell to Veronica.

Concerned over the link and finding a connection to a journal describing a similar homicide in 1692 Salem, Sydney begins making inquiries. However, she also finds herself distracted with seemingly homeless amnesiac "John Elway" whose only memory is being a Bronco fan. As the attraction grows and she gets closer to the truth, the killer decides to eliminate one nosy witch.

This is an entertaining amateur sleuth tale that hooks the audience who will wonder if bewitching spells exist because Denise Dietz casts one on her readers. Fans will enjoy Sydney's struggles with a brilliant murderer who seems tied to her but outside of love spell sales, she has no idea what that is. The Elway and the seventeenth century Salem subplots strengthen a fine who-done-it in which the heroine needs a safety spell to ward off a deadly killer.

Harriet Klausner

For a woman who doesn't believe she's a witch, Sydney St. Charles sure works with a lot of spells. The owner of an apothecary shop in Colorado, Sydney is descended from a long line of witches yet she herself doesn't believe that she has the power to cast spells. She'll have her beliefs challenged when she gets involved in the mystery surrounding the murder of Clive Newton, the sexy lead singer of the Newts and whose body parts are being discovered all over town. What's more important (to Sydney anyway) is her meeting with "John Elway," a very hot homeless man with no memory. Despite her growing attraction to him, she begins to detect that John isn't telling her as much as he knows and Sydney soon begins to fear that he may be involved in the murder.

EYE OF NEWT is filled with eccentric and entertaining characters, from Sydney's warlock brother to her witch aunt who can do spells but couldn't cook to save her life. Chapters shift from the present to the journals Sydney discovers of a young witch in Salem 1692 who has a tragic past and compels Sydney to discover the girl's fate.

Denise Dietz has created an extremely funny and engaging mystery with a heroine who perseveres despite the fact that she believes herself to be an incompetent detective and a worse witch. With its blend of magic, romance, and mystery Dietz begins a series that is sure to please a wide array of readers.

I loved this book! It was so good I read it twic

I really loved this book about romance, and honor in the state of Colorado in the Post-Civil war era. Abbie and Monte are great characters and the plot took me off guard a couple of times. I like all of Kristen Heitzmann's books so far. They aren't dull, boring and same old kind of plot all the time. She is doing a great job on her books. Abbie is wondering why Monte's property is being sabotaged and when her determination takes over, a gun battle takes place and the results leaves Abbie devastated and shaken. Monte is being pulled back in the days of the Civil War and there is one enemy he must fight to protect Abbie and his ranch before it is too late. It shows us that God is with us in all we do and will forgive us for our sins. All in all this is one great addition to Kristen Heitzmann's ROCKY MOUNTAIN LEGACY series. You won't be disappointed in this book! I certainly wasn't!

Abbie has consented to be Monte's wife, but she has NO idea what it means to become a Southern Lady and give up the independence she knows she handles so well. This causes division between herself and Monte. At the same time, too many bad things are happening, Monte cannot explain them, but he vows to find the culprit. Cole is showing his true personality and loyalty throughout this whole book. I like him more and more all the time. Relatives from the defeated South have come to live with the newlyweds which turns out to be one long, horrid nightmare both financially and emotionally. The orphan children all have to have a home and Abbie volunteers without consulting Monte!

The town is growing, the train is coming and with it the threat of low life living, gambling, drinking and ladies of the night. When a family member becomes entangled in this mess, the whole area is affected and Abbie and Monte both have their lives threatened and attacked.

The author is developing an excellent story line for this new Colorado territory settlement, keeping Christ front and center with love at the root but the scars from the Civil War keep playing their part in the strife. Abbie's love for Monte along with her spontaneous and sometimes deadly decisions and actions cause her to extend herself and she ends up paying dearly. Living in her home is a snobbish, impossible sister in law who makes life in general torment for Abbie.

When a 14 yr. old girl ends up as a pawn in a horrible railroad land deal gone sour, the reader wonders just what makes some people tick. Suspicion, danger, violence and tragedy contine to dog this little family for whom the reader has now established a fondness.

This book has definitely improved and deepened over book one, and I have already started book 3 in this series. Thank you, Kristen.

I loved this book! It was so good I read it twic

This book is really great! It develops more of Abbie and Monte's relationships, taking us through their rough times. It's very excitng too! Way to go Kristen!

Set in the Colorado territory in the 1870's, Robert Cooperman's collection, IN THE COLORADO GOLD FEVER MOUNTAINS, provides a real sense of the life, the values and the ambitions of the people who joined the gold rush, the fever they burned with, their actions and behavior. In doing this, the book is valuable as an historical document as well as a literary one as it provides an authentic imaginative glimpse at the people of that time and place. And as a literary work, IN THE COLORADO GOLD FEVER MOUNTAINS brims with the pathos, lust, and tragedy of humanity and sings in the lyric voice of its dramatic monologues.

IN THE COLORADO GOLD FEVER MOUNTAINS consists of three separate sequences of poems, all involving the ficitonal town of Gold Creek. The first, IN THE GOLD FEVER MOUNTAINS, provides a picture of the small gold mining town in the voices of its inhabitants. It could be a refugee camp; its existence is so tenuous and ephemeral, based on the neediness of haphazard human beings. Perhaps the most dramatic of the three sequences is the second, A COFFIN AND A CARVED STONE, in which the trial and hanging of a woman for the murder of her abusive husband are witnessed and described in the unique voices of several dozen characters. THE BADMAN AND THE LADY, the final of the three sequences, describes, in the voices of yet other western characters, the brief romantic encounter between a proper English woman, Sophia Starling, and an untamed wild west outlaw, John Sprockett, and the lifelong effects the encounter has on both.

All in all, IN THE COLORADO GOLD FEVER MOUNTAINS relates the drama of civilized people in the primitive conditions to which their fate has driven them, whether by choice or by circumstance, in the rich, vivid language of a gifted and skilled poet.

Cooperman once again leaves us in awe. He is a great poet, and a wonderful storyteller. He captures the spirit of the times, and lets you be part of the Gold rush. Only this time you are sure to come out a winner. Excellent work.

Robert Cooperman's In the Colorado Gold Fever Mountains captures in its own mountain of vivid, readable poetic monologues the Gold Rush experience from top to bottom. In the three books of poetry that comprise this handsome volume, Cooperman introduces us to characters of all kinds, many of whom we get to know well. At times, the book seems uncanny in how it reveals character. In one poem, a character speaks of another--a woman's anger and bitterness toward a faithless man. In the next, that same ne'er-do-well is seen in a wholly different light by a gold-panner, or the town's doctor, or a saloon-keeper. A living picture of sin and life's small salvations emerges from this choir of well-differentiated voices. Of course, some poems in this measurable collection are stronger than others, but the beauty here is the immense power of the whole package. I felt grateful to be in Cooperman's presence for the nights in which I read the book. I enjoyed my continuous sense of amazement that such a good poet could imagine that garish and golden and gritty world with such intensity--and such generosity of spirit. Hardly anyone's writing like this now. So reading Cooperman's latest work is truly a special delight. His other full-length book, In the Household of Percy Bysshe Shelley, is still available from the University of Central Florida Press. I recommend that highly, too. Cooperman's fearlessness, which keeps him writing the kind of books virtually nobody else in American is writing now, makes him a treasure for all readers.

Welcome to Gold Creek, the fictional Colorado boom town in the 1860s that is the central character in Robert Cooperman's collection of extraordinary dramatic monologues, In the Colorado Gold Fever Mountains. These poems tell of the most lowdown of high times, for Gold Creek is a town that, in Mr. Cooperman's words, "is emblematic of that most American of activities: working like a dog to strike it rich quick." In this book, the inner lives of the townspeople rise from the dead and, like ghosts compelled to confess, at last speak true. From Mayor Cavendish to Mary Benedict, the Golden Slipper's charwoman, dozens of characters reconstruct the loves and lusts of a town that rose from, only to return to, dust, even though some of that dust was gold. And yet, despite its portrayal of the ultimate squalor of Gold Creek's riches, Mr. Cooperman's collection is great fun to read. One can't help being captivated by the Shakespeare-loving badman John Sprockett, his face hideously mauled by a bear. Sprockett is guide to one Sophia Starling, a daring English beauty, on her one-woman tour of the Rockies. This Victorian vestal virgin for high adventure sports a truncheon, no less, obtained from a New York City policeman. The sexual frisson between Sprockett and Starling is exquisitely funny and touching, as the snowed-in pair learn that two people could not be more perfectly mated--or ill-suited for one another. Equally fascinating is the tale of Etta Lockhart, the prostitute hanged (or "jerked to Jesus," in the talk of Gold Creek) for killing her abusive pimp. Her hanging is the book's central event, reacting to which the townspeople show their true colors (which are more than a little muddy). Mr. Cooperman's poetry perfectly adopts the vernacular of the Colorado mines. The characters speak in that plain American that even cats and dogs can read. Their confessions are often punctuated by the surprise of a simile as they reach for words to make clear their most turbid feelings. "She slapped my face/her palm a hive of hornets," Linnett Sparks says--a poor miner's widow, recalling how, in her girlhood, her mother had reacted to Linnett's mentioning her lost sister's name. Later, on catching a glimpse of outlaw John Sprockett all sorghum-sweet in the presence of Miss Starling, Linnett--now a cook at the Blue Lady Mine--admits, " If he looked at me that way/my skillet might've melted." In the Colorado Gold Fever Mountains proves Mr. Cooperman to be a great storyteller, an accomplished poet and a robust lover of life.

So, you say you like reading about the history of Colorado's early gold mining camps but usually don't like poetry? Well, you are in luck. Robert Cooperman, one of Colorado's premier poets, has written a book of narrative poems that is unlike anything you have read in a long time. In The Colorado Gold Fever Mountains is a trilogy of poems that are a pure delight to read. These poems paint pictures of the people and events in 19th century mountain towns that are so vivid you will take a place among the participants. Cooperman does this by giving realistic, believable voices to the people living in the Mountain West we know as Colorado. Book One takes the reader into the thoughts, activities and every day life of residents and visitors alike to a fictional Colorado gold camp. Don't miss "Francis DeLacey, Publisher of the Gold Creek Optimist" or the thoughts of "I.O. Emerson, Freighter, Salida, CO." This is definitely not your every day poetry. Book Two is my favorite. It is titled A Coffin and a Carved Stone and relates the towns feelings prior to, during, and after the death of a prostitute who was hanged. The thoughts attributed to "Simon Black, Hangman" and "Thomas Burden, Preacher" will stay with you long after you lay the book aside. Book Three describes the journey of a proper English lady and her hired outlaw escort on a tour of Colorado in the 1870s. It is a touching, gentle, harsh narrative with a surprising ending. Cooperman has a talent to write nattative poetry in a manner that draws the reader in, sits them down, and virtually involves them in the discussion or event. He is that good. If you are looking for a book that portrays the entire spectrum of humanity as it may have been during the gold fever period of 19th century Colorado, get this book. You will never view poetry in the same way again.

This book is perhaps the most elaborate statement of general living systems theory yet to be written. Not recommended for those not well versed in both systems terminology and biological concepts. However, if you are adept in these areas, you will be rewarded with incredible insights.

Despite this is a book with an enormous and difficult text, since the very first chapter it enlightens the most basic message: that sciences, and knowledge, can be integrated, in a sort of unified theory, the "general theory of living systems", as the author puts it. And it does; since I began to understand the hole thing, it really makes me easier to think, and to view the world, like somekind of natural phylosophy, or organic phylosophy. It's really helpfull. (My email is galfroid@hotmail.com)

Although reading such a long book in its entirety seems at first measure a daunting task (and one that few people's academic credentials hold up to....), readers daring enough to try are pretty well rewarded across the whole of this book. This book is an introduction to systems theory (i.e. that the result of a conglomeration of small scale processes can be seen to accumulate into larger, predictable processes at macro levels, similar to how a person who makes individual knots can end up with a rug...) that straddles the mark from physics to political economy (which is running far indeed!!!)

This is a really big book besides having a lot of pages, and I have a hunch that not too many people are going to buy it outside of researchers or university librarians. But, I suppose, if you're either of these (though if one were going to research they'd probably look to a sucession of smaller books, no?) I'd buy this book.... your collection would be enriched through having it....

This is the Bible on the living systems we see around us in today's world. Years ago, a reviewer described Miller's theory as "fundamental yet capable of elaboration in great detail." No one has explained it better.

Here Miller lays out 19 processes which every living system needs to perform in order to compete and survive; eight processes for information, nine processes for matter and energy, and two processes for both. Miller also sees that there are billions and billions of different kinds of living systems in the world from microscopic cells to international organizations. So, he has categorized them into seven levels from the simplest and tiniest to the most complex and largest. And, he frequently makes interesting comparisons across these different levels.

Miller weaves volumes of information about the life sciences into his theory, particularly the biology of evolution. The concept of "emergence" appears to be its bedrock. New characteristics emerge as living systems become more complex, miraculously it would seem. In that sense, the book appears to be a detailed proof of Aristotle's famous conclusion that "the whole is more than the sum of its parts."

Many readers of this book have described it as a reference book, which it is. But, that description sells the book too short. Miller's prose is graceful and readable. I would say this book is enjoyable and well worth reading even if you have only enough time to read one chapter.

Two interesting companions to Living Systems would be Kevin Kelly's Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems, and Economic Order and also Ruppert Sheldrake's Morphic Resonance: The Habits of Nature. It might be said that Living Systems is a sequel to Alfred North Whitehead's famous book Process and Reality.

Don't let the size of this book stop you from exploring it. The author has designed the book so it (slowly) reveals itself, working from basic concepts of how dynamic systems work through levels of biological and social complexity. It is a brilliant work, a must for anyone involved in any sort of analytical work. It is one of the most important books of the 20th century and, if attention is paid, will be an important guidebook to the 21st.

To see more of Miller's work and its implications, see the web site Principia Cybernetica.

--- A LONG REACH Michael Stone Viking, Feb 1997, $20.95, 225 pp.

The promise that author Stone showed in The Low End of Nowhere is delivered in this second book of the series. While a key plot point is telegraphed fairly early on, the author uses this to his advantage and delivers some nicely unexpected twists. This time out, the characters stand solid in their own right and in the climactic scenes of this book Stone lets his sense of humor loose, with the result that there are some hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments. It's always rewarding when a writer finds his stride and takes off. I'm looking forward to the other books in the series--which are already waiting for me in the small mountain of bedside reading.
Highly recommended.

Streeter is back and up to his old tricks. Following the bad guys through twists and turns is no easy job in itself...throw in, getting the girl, making wisecracks and being quicker than the police and you have a five star detective story. I love Streeter - he is like a modern Phillip Marlow. Here Streeter has to protect his ex-wife from a psychopath that was her client and went to jail. Now he is out on a technicality and is furious. His specialty is to make bombs/booby traps to kill everyone involved in the case.
Buy this book if you love faced paced mystery and danger. I guarantee every time you put it down you will make the long reach to pick it back up - it's that good!

Relic113

This book (and the rest of the Streeter Mysteries) are captivating with a rough appeal. The rawness of the lead character, Streeter, makes you scared of him, yet leaves you wanting to now more about him. Stone does an excellent job with the story line that will keep you in suspense until the very end. Can't wait for more of them. If you love a good mystery, look no further.

The first 2 sentences of this book hooked me. "Merton"Buddy" Hinckley wouldn't tell you the truth if you set his hair on fire. As a small- time contractor, he treated his customers like lice, and he had more process servers after him than both Clintons combined." Move over, Raymond Chandler. Read this in one sitting. Even though I hated the ex-girl friend and hoped she'd get iced or at least didn't care, Stone makes you care about the story. It moves fast and has interesting characters. The final "show-down" is hilarious; this should be a movie. I plan to read all the Streeter books.