Dodge Books

In my work as a technical editor, I've had reason to review many of the other 800+-page books available on Excel 97. This one stands out, far and away, as the top reference available. It covers more than any of the other titles, and does so more thoroughly. For example, this is the only book I've found that covers creating custom numeric formats.

This book covers all the features of EXCEL 97 very clearly with good examples.

Unfortunately the support page for the WEB material has gone ...END

This book covers all the features of EXCEL'97 in detail. It begins at the beginning (What is a toolbar?)and goes on to Visual Basic. The main drawback of a book of this type is that it concentrates on describing features one after the other. Like reading a dictionary, knowing a lot of words doesn't mean you are developing fluency.

An exception to this remark is the last chapter in the book "Sample Visual Basic Application". I'm a novice in this area, so experts might not agree with me. But I found this example really got my imagination. It describes a project that picks up data from an outside monitoring station on a regularly updated basis, puts it into EXCEL, generates a regularly updated chart, and makes a report using WORD. The entire sequence is automatic. This example puts EXCEL to work with other applications in a complex project showing me what is possible. Variations on this theme could be used for many other projects.

Sometimes the Microsoft book is good and sometimes it isn't- this time it's the best. The book is a catalog of everything, with clear instructions. There's no need to read it cover to cover, though that will give you lots of ideas for what can be done. Just look in the index when you need something and flip back to the clear instructions and helpful illustrations. The book's pretty hefty, so the included book-on-CD is the best way to tote it around as a reference. Keep the CD at work for surreptitious reference and be the office Excel expert!

I purchased this book 4 years ago when my daughters were pretty young. They instantly fell in love with the book and we read it at bedtime every chance we get. Now that my daughters are avid readers, they read it to me!

The rhythm of the poems is very soothing and warm and the illustrations make feel like you're part of the animals' worlds. We love the way the book begins and ends right in the child's home yet explores slumber environments throughout nature! Ms. Dotlich's poems are captivating and comforting.

This is a great book for babies to 5 year old children. The words are soothing, and the children are able to find the various sleeping creatures in the pictures. I really like it when a book can become interactive between adult and child. This book would be a treasured baby shower gift to be passed down from generation to generation.

Sweet Dreams of the Wild has an almost musical lilt that fascinates my 20 month old son. The carefully worded poems and beautifully illustrated pictures invite your imagination to take you to the homes of the book's wild creatures. My son definitely has sweet dreams after reading this delightful bedtime poetry book.

Rebecca Dotlich's lyrical poems create descriptions of natural habitats for young children. The book is not a series of "lessons" to be learned, but a pleasant and enjoyable introduction to this aspect of nature. It is sure to stimulate thinking and wonder about the natural world. This book is a valuable example in my children's literature course when I discuss how poetry can inform science learning and can foster the beginnings of inquiry.

I'm not a fan of the series but this one is great. I read hurricane{boring} and attempted titanic [to boring to finish] but this was great! Max is a future lion tamer and jodi used to walk the highwire. {her mom was injured badly when she fell off one and she can't find the will to go back on} when the train crashes they escape alive but it might have been better they did'nt with what they are going to face.

Now I would like the world to know that everyone who likes to read should be reading these books. These books are da' best in da' world. I've read every single one of them and they got my 2 thumbs and five stars. Karen and Kathleen better be able to hear this, they also get my two thumbs up and my five stars. Keep writin'. The next book should be #12 Tornado, #13 Tsunami, and #14 Avalanche.

These books are way awesome. They are so real and lifelike you feel like you are there. And they way they put fictional characters in famous or every day disaters is very intriguing. Duey and Bale had better keep writing these because no one wants to lose a good thing.

Maximo Reyes is a Mexican orphan who joined a travelling circus and hopes to become a lion tamer. Thirteen year old Jodi Jamison and her father are performers in the same circus. Jodi used to be a high wire walker, but ever since her mother was badly injured after a fall last year, Jodi has lost her nerve. When their train wrecks one stormy night, both Max and Jodi must face their worst fears if they can even begin to hope to live through the most dangerous night of their young lives. I highly reccomend this book, along with the other Survival! books by Kathleen Duey and Karen A. Bale.

Jimmy's writing gets better with each book. This one does not disappoint---it's fast paced and as he might have put in his own wonderful words...BY GOD GOOD. Wonderful read. This is not pulp western folks. If you like good westerns, don't miss this one.

I just finished reading J. Lee Butts' book, A Bad Day to Die, the adventures of Lucius "By God" Dodge, Texas Ranger. What a book! Butts is an exceptional writer, has an unusual gift for clever dialog, and is one who flat out knows how to tell a tall Western tale properly.
The book picks up on Lucius Dodge as an old man talking to an old Ranger partner, and then flashes back to one of the craziest, meanest, bloodiest, nastiest cases Dodge and his partner Boz Tatum ever worked on...the Nightshade murders. The two young Texas Rangers, tough, smart, hard working honest fellows are sent to Sweetwater, Texas, a town terrorized by a big family of thugs, the notorious Nightshades.
Two different beautiful girls fall for the handsome young Ranger, Dodge, one the impetuous, sweet-kissing, straight-shooting, green-eyed Martye, sixteen year old daughter from a big, dirt poor family of farmers, and the other the pistol-packing, hard-assed, gorgeous Nance Nightshade. Dodge is no ladies man by any means, often embarrassed by the obvious attentions of these two different, but extremely attractive females.
A Bad Day to Dies isn't light reading, it's a tough book, it doesn't have fairy tale ending, it isn't a book that seems destined to be a Hollywood movie...too real for Hollywood, but what this excellent Western novel is, is historically accurate, hard-hitting, true to the flavor of time and place, and above all, interesting at every point. The deeper into the story the reader gets, the more difficult it is put this exciting book down. Told in the first person by an older and wiser Lucius Dodge, the flow of remarkable similes and metaphors is staggering, the book has the feel of one that was written and then re-written and polished over and over, and of one that was written by a real pro, a wordsmith with uncommon and serious skills. If you've never yet had the pleasure of reading J. Lee Butts, and you appreciate a good story set in the Wild West as it actually was, check out this talented writer. A Bad Day to Die is one mighty fine Western novel. Highly recommended.

I'm a big fan of westerns, and spotted this one at my local Walmart. Intriqued by the title, I decided to pick it up. I'm glad that I did. This book is what westerns should be, exciting from beginning to end. It seems to be written in the first person at the beginning, and slips seemlessly in and out from that point on. I've read a lot of westerns, but the way the author put words together painted a pretty picture. Grab this one if you see it!

This book is very informative. It is an essential tool and reference for the student or new teacher.

I was able to get a new perspective on teaching after reading this. I have been teaching for 12 years and this book helped me change the way I teach. We are guiding and facilitating a family of learners. This book could be the primary teacher's bible!

This "must have" resource is a wonderful summary of everything that (hopefully) you learned in undergraduate school. Chapters include all areas of the curriculum. I recommend this book for ALL preservice teachers as well as veterans who want to do some individual professional development.

Additionally, Building the Primary Classroom is a "must have" for teachers who are pursuing National Board Certification.

Kathleen Dodge explores California's Range of Light with a zesty spirit that channels John Muir's infectious enthusiasm. Whether you are a Mount Whitney peak seeker, would-be John Muir Trail thru-hiker, casual day hiker or ultralight fastpacker, this accessible, well-conceived guide delivers a fresh take on a classic, life-changing pilgrimage.

- Andrew Dean Nystrom, author of Top Trails Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks: Must-Do Hikes for Everyone (Top Trails)

(Winner, 2005 National Outdoor Book Award, Best Outdoor Adventure Guidebook)

Unfortunately, I have never had the time to hike the John Muir Trail in its entirety (that is still a goal one day). Kathleen Dodge has written a book that makes it easy and exciting for people who either want to or need to visit the trail one part at a time. I have always been daunted into thinking I needed to have 3 weeks of vacation to experience the John Muir Trail but this book makes me feel like I can see it at my pace and not lose the wonderful outdoor experience. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to hike or just be outdoors!

Kathleen Dodge has put together a great guide to the John Muir trail. Half of the effect of this book was to inspire me to tackle (or at least dabble in) the trail and the glories it offers. It's a part of the country I didn't much think about it until I encountered this book and got a better sense of how awesome it is. The other half of this book is how much it puts you at ease. It's clear that a lot of care has gone into the book, such as getting maps that are really accurate and useful. This book is a great resource and should be the starting point for anyone exploring points along the John Muir trail.

The book came in better shape than said.I am very happy with my book.Thank-You.

Old Dodge trucks were, let's face it, not the best sellers in truckdom. We Dodge owners are few and far between, so trying to get information on how it looked back then is often an exercise in frustration. This book is packed with information for the rebuilder or restorer: which parts were used for which years, which engines, options, brakes, trannies, etc. Has been a great reference for getting my 55 and two 57 pickups roadworthy again!

This book really details the history of the Dodge pickup trucks through the years. I found it very useful when trying to distinguish the years in which parts could be interchangeable in my Dodge truck. The balance of pictures and text creates an enjoyable reading experience.

In December of 1917, Mabel Dodge Sterne and her husband, artist Maurice Sterne, made their way up to Taos in an unforgettable journey up the rural road. Mabel immediately connected spiritually and emotionally with Taos and was drawn to find a place to stay. "Edge of Taos Desert" is the story of her personal transformation during her first year in Taos. In many ways, this book is an insightful commentary on Santa Fe and Taos in 1918. Mabel's description of the physical and cultural environment is vivid. She describes the Mexicans bringing in wood by burro to sell as well the first time she saw an Indian. Careful readers will discern the conflicts and prejudices between the Pueblo people, the Mexicans, and the more newly arrived Anglos. She provides many priceless early observations of the region that may best be understood by readers who have some knowledge of New Mexico history and culture. However, understanding Mabel's history may provide more information about the significance of this book.

Mabel Dodge Luhan grew up in a wealthy family that left her emotionally bankrupt. She spent years of her adult life looking for the fulfillment of her emptiness. She was a renaissance woman in Italy, and then a salon hostess in New York, hosting conversations with some of the brightest minds of her time. She was a radical modernist looking for a solution to the American ills brought on by the Industrial Revolution. "Edge of Taos Desert" is the most important autobiographical chapter in her life because, in the Pueblo people, she believed that she had found a solution to both her emotional emptiness and America's discontentment. Her role in the future became to draw artists to Taos to write about and paint the people, the place, and the culture in order that it might be saved and that, we, as Americans might also save ourselves with what we'd learned.

She had a messianic vision of utopia with the Victorian belief that a woman's role was to support others. She found her own voice, though, in writing her autobiographies and several other books. "Edge of Taos Desert" is a beautifully written literary piece. She journeys through with strong social and cultural observations and a bold confidence and irreverence that allows her to see what a white woman of her time would not have been allowed to see. By August of 1918, her third husband (Sterne) has returned to New York, and she enters the door of being one of the most infamous Taoseno's in that town's history with a poignant and personal tale to tell.

This book is a rare jem. The writing is of unparralled beauty and perception. Mabel Dodge Lujan describes her arrival in Taos, New Mexico in l9l7. Lujan has come from New York city where she was a wealthy socialite involved in various art and political/psychological cicles (She was the former lover of John Reed who was portrayed by Warren Beatty in the movie Reds). She has come to Taos to reunite with her husband, the artist Maurice Stearn. However, almost imediately she finds that the town of Taos, and especially the Indians of the neighboring pueblo, are awakening the depths of her in a sublime and inevitable way. She describes how this process of conversion from a relatively shallow person (though an earnest seeker of truth), to one who begins to understand and feel the life beyond herself is catalyzed by the Indian Tony Lujan, whom she later marries. The story is really a spiritual one, but never described as such. Rather one only feels the utter humility of this women in the face of a way of life that increasingly draws her to it while also drawing her to the depth of herself. Her descriptions of the Indian life of the pueblo must be some of the finest ever crafted about native Americans.

I really loved this book - beautifully written and it is a wonderful look at Taos and the Pueblo in the early 1900's. My daughter has orderd the next one, "Winter in Taos" as a Mother's Day gift.Luhan is a most unusual person with a very beautiful outlook on the high desert and it's people.

With a shelf full of baking and cook books, the one pulled off the shelf the most often at our house is definately this one. I hogged our local library copy as much as they'd let me, (off and on for almost a year! ) til I decided to find my own copy, and one for my daughter in college, but am sad to find it out of print. His step by step pie crust instruction, fulfills, nay, far surpasses, my lifelong fantasy of being able to master a decent result...Thank you, Jim Dodge! Everything we've tried has been magnificent, and even my 12yr old refers to you constantly! The Boston Creme Pie is truly out of this world; my 15yr old son's most requested dessert. Don't miss this gem!

I have over 100 baking and dessert books and if I had to pick the best of all it would be this book. the greatness of any cokkbook is if one goes back to it again and again and if many of the recipes in this book become your standards. this book is true with me and it is a shame that it is out of print. there should be more from Jim Dodge.

What the critics say:

Derek Roberts, founding member of the Southern Veteran-Cycle Club (now Veteran-Cycle Club), England, editor and principal contributor of 'The Boneshaker' for its first 21 years ('The Boneshaker' is the first periodical to be devoted to cycling history):

"...you have produced a work that every student of cycling history must buy. It is the coffee-table book to end all coffee-table books, and it has the merit of being a work of art as well as a reference manual. I congratulate you on your fine achievement...I shall obviously have to have a special coffee-table made to hold it."

Les Bowerman, editor of 'The Boneshaker':

"It is a magisterial view of all aspects of cycle history, and I strongly recommend it to all interested in the general history of cycles and cycling. Forget the high price - you must have the book,....this is the cycle history publishing event of the decade."

Nick Clayton, Honorary editor of 'The Boneshaker':

"...the most comprehensive and correct treatment of the subject to date."

The Guardian, Manchester (UK), February 27, 1997:

"Pryor Dodge...has combined what is unquestionably the most finely illustrated history of cycling ever produced with a text which is both erudite and elegant. Dodge not only reminds us of the curious paths and byways the bicycle has travelled down; he points a way forward by documenting the bicycle renaissance of recent years."

London Review of Books, April 24, 1997:

"The Bicycle is full of delights....adds up to what used to be called a wonder book....close-ups of clean, shining mechanisms can have an elegance all their own..."

Bicycle Culture 11, York (UK), December 1996:

"This is the most sumptuous book ever on the history of cycling. The author borrows generously from his astonishing collection of historical illustrations: revealing images not previously known even to cycle historians.  That so many of them are in colour is particularly delightful. The many finely-lit studio photographs make old, worn machines look truly beautiful, from the pitted and scratched Levocyclette of 1905 on the front cover, to the two-page spreads devoted to a Velocipede pedal detail and to the Simpson lever chain."

VELO, 1996 Fall/Winter Catalogue:

"This book is nothing short of the finest cycling history/picture book ever published...This book is a treasure for any cycling enthusiast....Outstanding color photographs."

In 1988, when living in China, I bought a Shanghai-built Yongjiu ("Forever") bicycle. Reputed to be a copy of a 1936 Raleigh, or a 1938 Legnano, depending on which expert it was, the Yongjiu is clearly from another era: massive steel tubing, rod-operated brakes, a wide, brown sort-of-leather saddle with lots of springs underneath, one speed. It was almost brand new and very inexpensive, so I thought I was buying a bit of history and a nifty souvenir. It looked great, with its deep black enamel finish and chrome flourishes. And it had a sturdy rack, suitable for carrying furniture, or ducks to the market.

After returning to Canada, I had the opportunity to ride the Yongjiu to work once when my regular commuter bike, an elderly Gitane ten-speed, required some major repairs. The five kilometer trip was interminable. The bicycle was awkward and ponderous. It was undergeared for load-carrying, meaning I had to spin at much too fast for comfort. But the bike was so heavy that even speed bumps took on Matterhorn dimensions. The brakes did not appear to slow what little forward progress there was, although I could hear them working. And I had to ride with my feet pointed outwards to prevent my knees from being whacked by the handlebars on every revolution of the crank. And everyone at the office who saw the Yongjiu was enchanted by it.

This fascination for old bicycles seized Pryor Dodge at an early age. His epiphany was seeing Cantinflas ride a high-wheeler in the film "Around the World in 80 Days" and the result has been many years of collecting old bicycles and related paraphernalia. And this wonderful book, which traces the development of the bicycle from Baron Karl Friedrich Drais von Sauerbronn's Laufmaschine ("Running Machine") of 1817 to the velocipede, with its cranked front wheel, to the elegant but precarious high-wheeler and, finally, the safety bicycle of 1886. The last thirty pages are devoted to the bicycle in the Age of the Automobile, but you can tell Mr. Dodge's heart is not really into relating the story of the BMX or mountain bike.

No, Pryor Dodge loves bicycles from before 1900, when an inventive madness swept the world and the bicycle took so many whimsical forms. One can savour the details of the 1884 Kangaroo geared high-wheeler, the steam-powered velocipede (!), the bamboo bicycle or the bizarre Coventry Rotary Tricycle, whose appearance defies description but which is beautifully illustrated in one of the many superb photos that grace this book. The text, which is somewhat overwhelmed by the quality of the images, is full of interesting facts, conveyed in a clear and attractive style. The photos of bicycles are supplemented by images of posters, medals, club uniforms and other amazing things.

For anyone with any feeling for bicycles (or gorgeous books), "The Bicycle," which has been published in at least three languages, is a must, and a steal at the price.

And on page 193 is a photo of people in Shanghai riding to work on their Yongjius.