Colorado Books

I found this book very enlightening. I learned a lot about a group of people I knew little about. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know the truth about the society in Colorado City/Hildale. The author is not interested in sensationalism, but in reporting the truth. I moved to an area just south of these twin towns - found the people interesting and the book helps me to understand them better. They do have tv's, computers, etc. in spite of their commands otherwise - and they have vehicles and modern conveniences. They just dress like pioneers. Great book!

I feel bad for what the women have to go through in Colorado City. They are force to marrie, even when their under age. Men are having mulitple wives and dozens of children. The people over their were clothes from and old century, theirs no entertainment for them to enjoy like television, radio, computers nothing. A person from the outside world comes in at night and get the girls out of that city to live a normal. They were talking about polygamisty on Opera and Dr. Phil. Why won't lazy George Bush do something about this.

The politically correct view has been that there never were any cannibals, it was just a slur against the "other." (See my review of William Arens' "The Man-eating Myth.")

Tim White has proven that it wasn't a myth. Through a minute examination of a collection of bones from the Mancos site in the Four Corners area, White proves beyond question that a community (inferred from the community-like distribution of ages and sexes) was all slaughtered and eaten at the same time.

Similar ancient Indian sites in the Four Corners region of the Southwest show that the event was not unique, although only Mancos has been subjected to minute analysis. The purpose of this painstaking work, aside from trying to discover what the archaeological remains meant, was White's attempt to devise a theoretical, quantitative method of analysis that could be applied to any bone assemblage found anywhere (although, as a practical matter, few outside the Four Corners have been so numerous and so well preserved).

The theoretical task was highly successful, which makes for tedious reading for the most part. This is a book for scholars although it is accessible to anyone; no specially deep knowledge of anatomy is required.

As for the archaeological question, who lived at Mancos and what happened to them, the answers are less clear. The residents can be placed unambiguously among the other pueblo-builders and dated closely. But what caused them to be murdered -- possibly to the last resident -- and by whom is wholly unknown. The site had two occupation periods, and there may have been two cannibal feasts as well.

In any event, the Mancos people were eaten for food. Even the deepest skeptics about cannibalism have always had to admit the existence of spiritual cannibalism: the eating of, usually, a portion of an enemy (often the liver) to either acquire the enemy's spiritual power or, possibly, to ratify contempt for it.

If that was a motive at Mancos, it was subsumed by a relentless effort to extract every last bit of food value from the carcasses. Bones were smashed to get at the marrow, and then were boiled for soup.

This suggests, to me, not a regular cannibal feast but an exceptional, famine-driven event. Such a development fits fairly well with the deteriorating ecological situation that the Indians faced about that time, which has been established through many different lines of evidence. But White does not speculate. The bones tell an incomplete tale, and he leaves it at that.

If political incorrectness is up your alley, this is the book for you. Informative, well-argued, great pictures. Adds new dimensions to the study of cannibalism.

Reading this book electrified me: Here is the book to let people experience the horrific events of the Ludlow and Columbine massacres 'first hand'. The book is a page turner, not a dry historical report. It is written with verve, pulls me into the action, the characters are alive - easily the best of any labor drama out there. The book also brings home how important the labor movement is for the workers, how many sacrifices were brought, how much injustice and cruelty was eventually curbed by these brave people - who paid the price of their lives not only for Colorado coal, but for all workers who stand up against exploitation and inhumane conditions. I can most highly recommend this book to all who want to get inspired and awed by the courage of these miners and their families. And finally let me point out that this book is now more relevnt than ever: we are facing slavery conditions in mirgant worker camps(see "Nobodies" by John Bowe)and labor movements are crushed and obstructed everywhere. Hats off to Greorge E. Ogle for writing this book!
PS - I do NOT know the author - just picked up the book at the local library...

This book transported me into the life of the Colorado Coal miner. It really gave a grassroots view of what it was like to be both a miner and a miner's wife -- a position equally important to survival of families at that time. Before reading "The Price of Colorado Coal" I had only a vague understanding of the abominable conditions these men and women were forced into in order to survive. I was touched by their ability to overcome significant cultural and language barriers to be part of the process of making working conditions better not just for themselves (in fact their efforts more likely led to their own demise) but for future workers. This book was a great way to deliver a significant piece of Colorado history and humanity.

Having visited Grand Lake several times in my life, I was very pleased to get "A Quick History of Grand Lake" as a gift from my family. In this book, Geary offers historical insight and interesting anecdotes on the Grand Lake region couched within comfortable prose. Yes, it's a quick history - but it's hardly dull. Whether you've visited Grand Lake once or 1,000 times, there's something in this book for you.

This book was a quick reading history of a wonderful area in the south entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Anyone visiting Grand Lake should give this a read, well worth the money.

Recipe, Please by "Rocky Mountain News" food editor Marty Meitus is a compendium of recipes drawn from many of Colorado's best restaurants and most accomplished chefs. Original published in Marty's popular weekly newspaper column, Recipe, Please showcases 166 dishes that range from Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Lobster, Crab, and Goat Cheese from Paul's Catering; to Mixed Greens with Penne and Grilled Chicken and Lemon Basil Vinaigrette from Augustine Grill; to Seared Scallops with Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper Sauces from O's Steakhouse; to Wolfgang Puck's "Grand Cafe Key Lime Pie from Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe. A superb regional cookbook, the dishes comprising Recipe, Please are as kitchen cook friendly as they are palate pleasing and appetite satisfying!

I love this book!

I have been clipping out recipes from the Rocky Mountain News from the "Recipe, Please" section.

Now MANY of the delicious recipes from top Colorado chefs and restaurants are included in 1 book.

WONDERFUL!!

The rich history of the Highlands is brought to life in Wyberg's Rediscovering Northwest Denver. This book highlights events and places starting with the larger-than-life Victorians and their ornate homes to the bungalows of the working-class Italians during the Prohibition era and up through the present day. There were wild-west shoot outs, fortunes made and fortunes lost, world famous residents, gold miners, mystic faith healers, national attractions, mob violence, novelists, and much more. Many of the families who helped build Northwest Denver also played an import part in the shaping of Colorado, the West, and America. This book is a treasure from one of the area's most intimate historians and is a must read for locals and history enthusiasts. I give it five stars because it's well written, interesting, and rich in local history. It's also rare to find something like this about your neighborhood . People interested in Western history will find this book interesting and it's a must read for residents as it will totally change their perception of the neighborhood.

For those interested in local history Ruth Wiberg's book about northwest Denver is a treasure of information. Containing beautiful photographs as well as detailed history, it can provide hours of pleasure either walking or driving the area as you learn about the past.

Life in Peking (Beijing) China before World War II was the ultimate big frog in a small pond experience for Europeans and Americans. Persons of modest means and position, such as Marine Captain John Letcher, could live like pashas on a modest salary. Moreover, Peking had fabulous art, architecture, food, and a glorious culture to enjoy.

Life was not nearly so good for the Chinese and that was why Letcher was there. He was a member of a US Marine Corps contingent with the mission of protecting foreigners and property. The Chinese had the disconcerting habit of rising up occasionally and killing the Westerners enjoying their bounty. Captain Letcher's tour in Peking was made memorable by the beginning of World War II when Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at Marco Polo Bridge, just outside Peking. What is perhaps most remarkable is how little the war between China and Japan disrupted the good life of the foreigners inside the walls of Peking although there is a sense of gathering doom in Letcher's account.

This book consists of Letcher's letters and diary entries from 1936 to 1939. A lengthy introduction, a few photos and maps, extensive footnotes, and a bibliography supplement the text. Letcher has no startling insights or wisdom to impart, but his stories of daily life conjure up life in Peking pretty well and his eye-witness observations of the war are interesting. "Goodbye Old Peking" is a well done book of interest to scholars and those of us who are fascinated by old time China and the Westerners who lived there.

Smallchief

Mr. Letcher's letters were written in a style that gives the reader a "visual" description of pre World War II China. Although some of his opinions may not be politically correct by todays standards, I think he honestly expresses his feelings of the people and surroundings at the time. Some of his predictions regarding the upcoming war are almost right on--however his prediction that California would eventually be captured by the Japanese happily did not come true. Regardless of Mr. Letcher's personal opinions, his letters are well written and gives the reader the feeling of being there. A good story. The editors did a great job of keeping the story on track, and the footnote information was very informative (Their references led me to several other publications which I subsequently read). The copy I read was from the public library. I plan to buy the book for my collection in the near future.

Despite statements to the contrary, this book is not out of print. It is still available. Publisher ships within 24 hours.

The majority of this collection is from the Southwest or Mexico but interestingly there are similar pieces from less expected places e.g. Eastern US, central Europe, the Philippines. A significant number of the pieces are pictured. The text mixes technical information about the art pieces with information about how they came into the collection. The art itself ranges from primitive to superb folk art - executed in a variety of media. Among the pieces that catch my attention is a crucifix with an angel at Jesus' side and the retablo of Our Lady of Refuge.

This is an excellent volume for those interested in folk devotional art or Mexican / Southwestern art.

This book is great and i love the recipes that the auother has put in the book it has helped alot with how we cook . I was really impressed with the book . I think rockey mountain gourmet is one of the best and most specific on how to start a gourmet group that i have found i recomend this book to anyone that is even thinking about starting a group because this book will defently help you the best .

Rocky Mountain Gourmet was a fabulous book and I would reccomend it to anyone who is thinking about and or starting their own gourmet group! After reading this book I was determined to start my own group and now I have a very succesfull gourmet group thanks to Rand A. Christenson!

Anyone who is considering or is going to, travel away from developed ski areas or open and maintained highways, over snow by foot, snowshoe, skis, sled, tobbogan, snowmobile, snowcat, by any other possible means, or stay in a snowbound cabin, should purchase this book (and its 3 other editions)and read it. Then before next winter read it again, then before the winter after next read it again, then . . . . . . . Retired after 25 years with the U.S. Forest Service, completion of The National Avalanche School, a few field classes in avalanche awareness, and traveling a thousand or more miles in snow covered mountain ranges, I keep this book close to my desk and read and study it, along with almost every "Avalanche Handbook" I've ever come across. This book relates the consequences of a powerful force which often has serious or fatal consequences. The danger is subtle, the indications of the hazard are difficult to read, but there are potential loaded weapons lying in wait all over those magnificent, beautiful, and inviting mountains. Some are just waiting for a trigger and that could be you.

"When I was young and first started in this business it really scared me and made me nerveous, then as I grew older, I learned and became more experienced. I began to think I was understanding the subject and the fear subsided, now I'm getting older and wiser, and I'm getting more nervous all the time" Norm Wilson, world reknowned avalanche consultant, in the Sonora Pass area of the Sierra Nevada, circa 1982, to a class of avalanche novices. My apologies "Nordic Norm", if I didn't get this exactly as you said it.

"We don't control avalanches, that is a myth, we merely attempt to release snow from slopes at times and places where we can get everyone out of harms way" Approximate quote by Norm Wilson, Edward LaChapelle, Betsy Armstrong, Knox Williams, or Art Meers, I don't recall which, circa 1986.

A compelling collection of avalanche incidents which describe the events leading up to each avalanche, diagrams of the avalanche, and an analysis of the cause and how it could have been avoided. These stories drive home the point that avalanches don't just happen to someone else, they can happen to anyone who puts themselves in bad situations. This book can help you recognize and avoid those bad situations. Highly recommended.