Burns Books

Wow, what great photography. Jim Burns without question knows how to use a camera as well as his pen. The stories make me want to plan my next trip out into the wilderness. I will use the photography as a refrence for years to come. nice work

Instead of creating another field guide, bird photographer Jim Burns has approached writing this book from a different angle. Covering 19 species of North American owls, he sets about describing his own personal observations and experiences with each species in a "journal of owling". His style of writing brings forth the mysterious and illusive side of owls and owling, creating in the reader a sense of desire to experience the owls as he did.
The writings for each species are accompanied by beautiful photographs, including wing detail from above and below. There is also a brief statistics table for each species covering description, size, vocalization, nesting, movements, habits, range and habitat.
Accompanying the Book is short audio CD containing the calls of each of the species in the book. Generally, it is the main call, but several tracks have alternative songs as well. For this reason, it would have been good to have a more detailed track listing than the one provided in the book.
Overall, "North American Owls, a Journey through a Shadowed World" is a splendid experience for any owl lover, and is likely to draw all readers to this unique bird family.

All of my favorite scenes in the Harry Potter movies involve owls. Now that I live in the woods, I can hear owls hooting almost every night, but how can I go about identifying them? Is there someone out there who is even nuttier about owls than I am? Someone who has actually spent nights out in the woods with a flashlight and camera, identifying these mysterious birds? The answer of course, is yes. Jim Burns, author of "North American Owls" doesn't write a 'mere' natural history text about these (mostly) nocturnal predators. He also narrates his journeys of discovery, from Alaska to southern Arizona, usually accompanied by Deva and the bumbles (his wife and two boys). His stories sing a mysterious, mythical, even mystical nocturne. He familiarizes us with "the more nebulous and mysterious aspects of [the owls'] darker side."

Owls are creatures of wisdom, harbingers of death. Even a naturalist of "reputed backcountry acumen and skill feels a little shaky thrashing around in the dead of night chasing ghosts." The chapter on Long-Eared Owls is written as a poem, and many of the narratives of other North American owls lapse into blank verse.

The book's photographs equal the beauty and strangeness of the text. One photograph of a Short-Eared Owl shows its head rotated so that its beak is pointed at 'two-o'clock.' I knew owls could swivel their heads around to look over their backs, but I had no idea they could rotate them like the hands of a clock. I laugh every time I come across this photo. The photos also capture the predatory nature of owls: bloody bits of rabbit and mouse dangling from their claws and beaks.

The author, Jim Burns, has been photographing birds for over 20 years and many of the pictures in this book are his. I am guessing from the text that his favorite photograph is one he took of a Northern Pygmy-Owl, silhouetted against a hazy solar disk, mouse clutched in talons--more art than identification photograph. My own favorite is of a soaring Snowy Owl, because that's the only owl I've ever seen, gliding down the road ahead of me on a cold December evening. I swear its wings spanned the entire width of the state highway. Big. Silent. Snow-colored. Eerie. A visitor from the Arctic that we Michiganders are rarely privileged to see.

This book also contains sidebars with identification features, habits, and range/habitat maps. A CD is included with the book that contains the vocalizations of all nineteen owls included in the text. My only complaint is that the author did not include his own vocalizations on each track in order to identify the owl that is hooting, screeching, or barking. You have to follow the track numbers in order to identify the owl--a small complaint indeed, concerning a very fine book.

Incidentally, one of the things I learned from this book is that Harry Potter's owl Hedwig is a MALE Snowy Owl.

I've always been intrigued by owls. Jim Burns has as well. His knowledge and expertise are rivaled only by his sincerity and passion. His goal, via this book, is not so much that you come to understand owls...but that you come to appreciate owls. His goal is mightily accomplished.

Mr. Burns has done a wonderful job in putting together this book for use by either a layman or a serious birdwatcher. I had the fortune to meet Jim and his wife Deva and they are fascinating people. Jim came across as very knowledgeable not just about owls, but about North American birds in general. His photography is superb despite the inherent difficulty of photographing owls. And the accompanying narrative is a delight to follow. Kudos to Mr. Burns for succeeding admirably on a challenging topic!

This was a wonderful and engaging read. Not only were you given a clear picture of both Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, but the book cites numerous powerful men and women who were active in the suffrage movement. This book is like a small taste of women's history that leaves you yearning for more. However, I wouldn't overlook this book just because it is not extremely specific, it is very helpful in getting a feel for the suffrage movement as a whole.

This book was an eye opener for me. Every woman should read this book to understand the fight for our right to vote. These women devoted their lives to something they knew they would never even see in their live time! Its a story of courage and strength. It's makes one feel proud to be a woman.

This book is richly woven with details that dive into the true characters of these two beautiful souls. The book gives a truly amazing account of not only Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony, but dives into their lives and characters. The reader obtains a true understanding of these women's motivations, techniques, skills, and contributions, in a brilliant biography with great quotes, accounts, photographs, and special archives directly from the time period of Susan & Elizabeth, relating to their work. Ken Burns & Geoffrey C. Ward have made quite an accomplishment with this extraordinary account.

This book provides insight and history on the struggle that women went through to get the right to vote. It includes all kinds of interesting background and perspectives. It was a real eye opener for me and I'm giving it as a gift to all the young women I know.

This book fills a glaring need in history books. Not many people know more about Susan B. Anthony than she was one the dollar coin. This book corrects that oversight, and then some. Not only does the book give a balanced and well thought out look at Anthony and Stanton, the reader is also introduced to many, many other women who worked so hard for women rights.
I especially liked that the book didn't shy away from some of these women's more controversial stands, such as taking on the black person's cause.
All in all, a very good book.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! The author lived long ago and yet his Christ-centered words ring out beautifully for us modern mortals. I was so moved by his humble approach to God and his deep love and surrender to Christ. A profoundly spiritual and moving experience awaits the reader of this book!

I agree totally with what previous reviewers have said about this book. De Caussade's message is truly profound and life-changing. However a much clearer and simpler exposition of substantially the same message is contained in "The Gift of Oneself" by Fr. Joseph Schryvers - also available on Amazon.

This is an amazing 18th century classic divided into 2 parts and giving the method espoused by de Caussade for attaining great holiness. Written for all no matter how advanced spiritually. The author believes that God hides behind the simplest of daily activities and can be found through total surrender to whatever His will is for the individual. Therefore, self-abandonment is the key to spiritual development An outstanding spiritual tool, revealing new insights with each reading. A must for any serious Catholic. 230pp. PB. Imprimatur.

This book fairly lept at me from the shelf. I wasn't particularly looking for it, but I found it nonetheless. For a former Ayn Rand afficianado & neo-Objectivist, the very title ought to have been anathema. However, it was a greater sense of peace that I was after, and to some extent, this book is helpful at understanding one's true relation to God, particularly in terms of recognizing and submitting to His will.

I had previously attempted Kempis' "The Imitation Of Christ", and found that it was difficult to disassociate from the intended audience of that book (cloistered religious). I'll try to review it in the near future. In any case, my experience with Thomas a Kempis made me a little gun-shy with regard to spiritual primers intended for religious communities. One of the challenges of "Self-abandonment" is the extent of its direct communication between the author (as spiritual director) and the nuns with whom he communicates. Nevertheless, the more generalized introductory sections overcome this difficulty.

I happened to be in the midst of "Self-abandonment" at the time of my grandmother's death. I must say that in retrospect I could not have found a better companion for those days. de Caussade does an excellent job at communicating the spiritual benefits of acceptance, duty, and forgiveness. It ought to be the goal of every Christian to make each day, and each moment of each day a paean to the Lord - seeing His will in all things - even small things and most particularly in painful things is a crucial step toward living a truly Christian life.

Finally, I don't know whether to call this book "life changing," as I believe that one must already be at a certain level of acceptance prior to realizing benefits from the approach that de Caussade recommends. Nonetheless, it is a useful and helpful aid to the continuing trauma of living in the world but not of the world.

God's omnipresence is taken for granted by all Christians. But it is so easy to assume this applies merely to the physical and material world. If He is omnipresent in a physical sense, then He must also be present in every circumstance we experience our lives, no matter how small. Thus, we can experience God just by yielding to what life brings. DeCaussade, in this beautiful book (I am in my third reading), has introduced me to this "new" way of experiencing God: I now "see" Him everywhere. This view of God brings great comfort and assurance. I find myself struggling less with life, accepting things that I would once have found distasteful, and discovering many new blessings from God. If you long for a more settled life you will gain much from this book.

This is a good book. It is real. Buy it, read it, believe it.

Dear Ron:
I finally got around to reading PENUCQUEM SPEAKS, and find it totally fascinating, unlike anything else I've ever read. I don't know of anyone who has had the unique experience you have had, of living in two cultures, and therefore being in a position to learn from that. Quite an amazing trajectory, from Vietnam to Blackfeet culture. And your analysis of Whiteman thinking, Whiteman culture, fundamentalism, the difference between Jesus and Paul -- all very interesting to me. You bring us back to what Indian culture cherished, the equality of women, the preservation of nature, everything that "progress" and "civilization" have corrupted.
Thanks so much for letting me have your book.

Howard Zinn

Over the last 200 years Ron West is one of the few whites to get an unfettered inside view of the Native American world. He does not look in from the outside, but was directly taught by widely known and respected healers. He became a part of it. His transition from western civilization to the ancient Oral Tradition Indian world allowed him to acquire a unique knowledge. You discover the outcome in this book, a deep insight into this world from the Native perspective. The attentive reader will find information unavailable to this time because westerners were not allowed this knowledge, forbidden to outsiders. Dr. Karl Schlesier mentions in his foreword the chapter on the Stick Game divination is the best ever written in literature. Why has this happened now? You may find the answer in the very first sentences of the book, in Medicine Man Pat Kennedy's words:" I want the whole world to know". These words invite the reader to see and understand. With much Indian humor and sharp words of truth, westerners should bear in mind this is not only a book to explain the Indian worldview. You're also going to see your own civilization from the Indian eyes. This is sometimes a painful thing, even to the open minded. To those who are deeply rooted in western society and believe ours is the only road to walk, it could be a hazard to read this book.
Be that as it may, let's go on a journey with Strawberry (my favorite chapter) and keep in mind everybody is welcome to become the 23rd generation.

Ron West has written a compelling book that will plunge you into Indian culture told from a very powerful, instightful voice. Hunter Thompson-esque, this great piece of work. From the first draft I had the privilege to review, I was impressed with his unique voice and edgy humor. Ron's important work is a must read.

Ron's work is a true landmark!

The book provides a striking balance between cultural ethnography, personal confessional, and mythic parable all rolled into one. You will be entertained by West's singular humor, frankness, and perspective regarding life at the intersection of two distinct worlds. Its a book that's hard to put down in its unflinching look at life in Indian Country, within the context of modern America.

There is a subtle presence that lives within this book, with powerful truths both concealed and revealed throughout its pages, in layers of meaning and insight waiting to be revealed to the right eyes and ears.

Ron West is also an investigative journalist and legal historian who has chronicled to unparalled depths the true story of Indian-American affairs and the unfortunate deceits of history.

Much wisdom and mirth lies in these pages!

An excellent first book for readers who have their PSA rising. Reading is very helpful for prevention and for those with cancer recurrance.

I am a family nurse practitioner. I found the book to be very clear and comprehensive. If you're male and over 40, this is required reading!

This book could very easily save your life. While it reaffirmed things I know about fiber, insulin, and exercise, it gave me a lot of new information about how to keep from getting prostate cancer (like my father had), and other important information. It also described "insulin resistance", which is something that I have and has baffeled my doctor for well over a year! Dr. Bob, thanks for writing this great book.

This is a serious step in the right direction to minimize the possibility of developing Prostate Cancer. Many volumes have been written on dealing with the disease after detection but nothing notable of taking preventive measures. This should be must reading for every man!

This book is entertainingly and enthusiastically written and gives excellent information on how to eat to avoid prostate cancer or counteract prostate cancer--help slow or stop its growth--once you have it. I was apalled, however, at how Arnot started his chapter on "surgery," describing two groups of couples in which the men had prostate cancer. The one, happy giggling group was composed of couples where the decision was to "watch and wait" regarding the prostate cancer--in other words, not have radiation or surgery for the present. In the other group, the men had had surgery within the previous year and "These men appeared morose, even depressed. Many complained of the need to wear diapers. Months after the operation, many no longer had any sex life at all."

This picture is biased, black-and-white, unrealistic and I beleive cruel to people who are trying to decide what to do about prostate cancer. Surgery IS the gold standard treatment for younger men with cancer detected early--men who might die prematurely and very painfully if they did not have surgery, which has a better than 90 percent chance of curing them. And certainly men like Bob Dole, General Schwarzkopf and thousands of others who had surgery are not morose and feeling as if their lives are over--in fact they probably feel a lot better than the 30 percent of those who watch and wait and after ten years have cancer spreading throughout their bodies.

People have to make their choices as best they can, and both watchful waiting and surgery can be appropriate. Arnot's description painting surgery as totally black was neither good journalism nor good medicine, and as the wife of a 59-year-old-man who will probably have surgery, I did not appreciate the depiction. Less than 8 percent (some say 2 pwercent) of men wear diapers after recovery from surgery and all who have surgery are certainly NOT MOROSE compare to all who wait being giddy and happy. For the fifty to thirty percent who cannot have natural erections, there are several good alternatives that will make the penis errect--and the nerves that cost erections DO NOT hinder sensation or orgasm in anyone--men may not get errect but they can feel and have orgasms! Many people take the lemons of this experience and the surgery and make lemonade, glad to be alive and have a chance at a cure. Making a blanket and untrue statement that suggest surgery leads to moroseness is neither helpful, accurate or true. The next edition of this otherwise very good book should correct that.

This is an excellent book for beginning quilters. One can learn how to make a beautiful quilt that will last a lifetime in a short amount of time. Eleanor Burns is very good at explaining the quilt process.

The book came in a reasonable amount of time. It looks like new.I am very happy with this product as well as the vendor.

A quilt pattern that has been an enigma to some and a complicated mess of little squares to others is now as simple as cutting and sewing strips together! Thanks to Eleanor Burns' methods, the quilts actually can come together in one day. Her "system" is also adaptable to bargello quilts, and any number of other designs. Ms. Burns also provides her simple and fast method for applique using fusible interfacing. The Waterlily Quilt design has been one of my favorites since I first saw it, but I knew I'd never have the talent for the piecework or the applique. Eleanor has again placed a complex design within my reach. This book is great for beginning and experienced quilters of all ages and tastes. Definitely worth adding to your bookshelf.

I wanted an easy, dynamic quilt for a wall hanging, and had been looking at other trip around the world patterns. It seemed as if I was going to have to cut out lots and lots of little squares. But then I happened upon this quilt book, ordered it, and strip quilted the top in a day!
I am looking forward to making another larger one with different color combinations. I am pretty much a novice, but this book is clear and precise.

Exactly what I was looking for. Really enjoyed full color pictures and and instructions.

This is just what I needed to read. There are so many examples from real women's lives - it's so nice to know you're not alone in these feelings! I say it's a must-read for every woman!

Relief of Imperfection ~ What a great title! Just the title alone makes you want to read the book. Then reading Joan's delightfully written collection of her own poignant examples and the shared experiences of others ~ you are inspired to embrace those words as your own prayerful mantra !!
Patty Parker ~ Comstock Records, Ltd.

Joan C. Webb's book helps readers find relief in "being human" instead of drowning in the stress of trying to be and do everything perfectly. The topics cover areas that we don't even readily admit to being perfectionistic about- like emotions, spirituality, relationships and dreams. The detailed chart comparing and contrasting excellence vs. perfectionism is extremely insightful. I appreciated the real-life stories, the Scriptural examples and the quotes from other authors illustrating how to move toward freedom from our stronghold of having to do it all just right. Readers will feel their shoulders relax in God's love and truth throughout this book.

Joan's words are inspirational. I constantly find myself trying to be good at everything. Being a wife, mother, friend, daughter, homemaker, church member, and woman in this century are utterly exhausting. TV and magazines tend to push us into a world that is truly un-real. Yet, I find that I am trying daily to be "better" based upon the commercials and articles I see & read. Well I'm worn out! Permission to be who God created me to be. Permission to find out who I am, and permission to stop, breath, and live without the pressure we put on ourselves is what I have found in this book. I hope you can read this book and have some weight lifted off your shoulders. Let the easy to do relief guides help you enjoy life more and who you are.

Joan Webb provides women with a door to freedom in her profound book The Relief of Imperfection. In her book, Webb recognizes that most Christian women try to make everything perfect around them in the hopes of pleasing God. Too often, this desire leads them to a self destructive pattern of perfectionism. The Relief of Imperfection gives real, tangible and attainable steps to set women free from this cycle.

Each section provides a relief guide that aids the reader as they begin to let go of unhealthy expectations. In one chapter, Joan has a chart that shows the difference between doing things in life with excellence verses perfection. This chart is one that should be put up on the mirror of every woman who believes she needs to be perfect to please God, her family, her co-workers, and her friends.

The Relief of Imperfection will help set women free from the bondage that comes from trying to be perfect.

I was born in San Francisco and know the beauty of this city. I recently visited my cousin who lives in Italy. She was teasing me that she wanted to come home with me to San Francisco so I did the next best thing and purchased this book for her. I understand from her emails that she treasures it and hopes to come here one day

San Francisco is one of the most stunning cities in the world and if you look inside this book it's not hard to see why. Morton Beebe brings it to life in this beautifully presented colourful book. Not only are there beautiful photos and pictures, but essays and interesting reading material and information about this gorgeous Northern Californian city.
If you have been fortunate enough to travel to San Fran and enjoyed it, then you'll love this book, - and if you haven't yet been, then this might be just the inspiration you are looking for to convince you to travel there. This book is well worth it's price and makes either a great gift or a nice treat for yourself. I really loved reading through this book.

Absolutely gorgeous pictures, great for San Francisco lovers. New edition has several new pictures and essays. It serves as a great gift if you are visiting someone and want to show off the city you live in

Bring together an elegant top-quality publishing company, a gifted photographer, superb essayists and you have all the makings for a good book. Let the subject be San Francisco, though, and you have a great book.

This is the 3rd edition of this best seller with 218 full color images by Morton Beebe as well as essays by Herb Caen, Tom Cole, Barnaby Conrad, Herbert Gold, John Hart, Allen Pastron, Miguel Pendás, and Kevin Starr. Together, they provide an intimate portrayal of the City by the Bay. This stunning collection of photographs captures the contrasts, the energy, and the vitality of San Francisco. As do the essays.

Tom Cole takes us back to the beginning and provides an historical review of the raucous town that suddenly grew up overnight in its feverish bid for gold. Barnaby Conrad leads us into the night with anecdotes witty, clever, and sensuous from an eclectic mix including, to name just a few, Graham Green, Frank Sinatra, and Eva Gabor.

"Bahnaby tells me you haf a vooden leg, vitch vun iz it?"
"Eva, I never thought I'd have to tell a Gabor what a man's leg feels like."
"Vell, dahling, ve vass never in zee lumber business!"

In a final essay, Allen Pastron walks us through much of the city beneath our feet. Here, we discover the world's finest anchorage being dug up and, therein, its archaeological heritage. Penned a "worm's-eye-view," the essay provides some wonderful insights into what was once the bawdy Barbary Coast - particularly, the story of the discovery of the buried ship General Harrison.

Rudyard Kipling opined San Francisco was "a mad city inhabited by perfectly insane people." So it lives on! Multi-faceted lifestyles unfold with each page, the images capturing the curious joie de vivre that reigns over The City. Other pictures highlight the unmistakable landmarks: the skyline with its Pyramid Building, the Golden Gate, and my favorite, the Palace of Fine Arts in the gentle light of dusk below a full moon glowing. The photos speak volumes in this book. Each offers a glimpse as to why the city Herbert Gold called "America's last great metropolitan village" has won the most coveted travel destination award in the world - now ten years in a row - the Condé Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards.

San Francisco, City by the Bay, was first published in 1985. This edition features ninety new images and three new essays. The publisher, Abrams, boasts that Beebe's book is their longest running best seller. Not surprisingly. It is said that San Francisco is a city full of people that want to be here. Morton Beebe, a 3rd generation San Franciscan, reminds us of why this is so.

Beebe's images have truly captured the many diverse flavors and charms that make San Francisco the unique city that it is. Combined with the entertaining and informative essays, the beatifully printed images in this book bring a reader as close as one can come to walking through the streets of San Francisco itself. I throughly enjoyed this book.

This book moved me more than any other book. I felt beside myself right after reading. I could not put the book down, I read it at every break at work and during lunch, and was tempted to during driving but abstained, I stayed up late into the night with it in my hand. It was a moving book, I felt like a needed to change myself in some way after reading it but I did not know how. I have told everyone I could have about it since I put it down, I may read it again.

I can only say that this author's talent is beyond description... Well done and unforgettable.

I have just finished reading "The Shrine.." for the second time. The first time, I cried, my mouth fell agape with shock and I felt pinned by some kind of unexpressable anger. The tears and emotional upheaval were absent upon the second reading (I had recently finish Bret Easton Ellis' "Glamorama"-a gory, macabre tale that surpassed "Shrine's most heinous moments), but that does not mean I was not again affected. L'Heureux may not wow with his language, but he does give us terrific character insight. No character ran full-circle here. Instead, the evolution was constant, as situational changes spark change in humanity. And we do see people in all their hideous, sensitive, symphathetic and confused forms. A stirring read.

John l`heureux one of my faverite authors has once again created another spellbinding novel. A harrowing horrifying novel dealing with the darker side of love and it`s tragic effect on young people. This novel is beyond words its simply a must read for any John L`Heureux Fan.

I usually don't read fiction of this sort, but was overwhelmed when I was finished. In what I found to be a relatively short novel, L'Heureux manages to lead us through these three peoples lives, showing us not the hardships of what a loving, caring family goes through, but what can happen when that love becomes misguided and hateful. Yet, for all the traumatic experiences these people experience, they are the ones who are most just in their absolution, not those who live happily ever after. The atrocity of the actions and feelings the main characters inflict and endure make the outcome that much stronger. What could easily have been another Danielle Steele heartwarmer had the storyline been a bit tamer has become one of the greatest testaments to the power of love, and the destructive power that love carries with it.

Dr. Stanley Burns, author of "Sleeping Beauty" and I produced "Death In America, A Chronological History Of Illness and Death" which is based on Sleeping Beauty and includes many of the images from the book. The Burns Archive, which houses the collected images, is the single largest privately held collection of photographs in the world. With more than 500,000 images, the collection specializes in post-mortum and medical photograhy (ref: Ken Burns "Civil War" - no family relation). Death In America has been airing nationally on public television since 1998 and can be seen at www.deathinamerica.com. The type post-mortum photography chronicled in Sleeping Beauty was very expensive and nearly always a great sacrifice on the part of the family. If, as an example, you were a farmer in 1850 making a few dollars each month, one photograph could easily cost you several months pay. It is virtually impossible for us today to understand the pre-photographic mind. Until the invention of photography the average family had no way to hold a keepsake of their loved one. This one image was so precious an object that they were worn as jewelry and in later years even sent to relatives as post cards. One of the most important aspects of "Sleeping Beauty" is Dr. Burns' historical chronology which describes each image, tells the story behind the image and gives the reader a real sense of the social and cultural influences of the time. Examples include physicians keeping grave-robbers on retainer for over 250 years, the Bayer Company inventing Heroin, the development of the germ-theory of disease and the editor of the Ladies Home Journal creating the "Living Room". Death In America has to date been seen by approximately 45 million viewers. In September of 2000, PBS will begin running a new program on death by Bill Moyers. Many stations will run Death In America as a companion piece. If anyone wishes to contact the producers of our program they can respond to our e-mail at Blackmirror@msn.com.

I was interested to find "Sleeping Beauty" after reading about it on the webpage of the PBS documentary "Death In America," which was based on this book. Unfortunately, I discovered it was out of print, but managed to borrow a copy through an interlibrary loan. I found it to be utterly fascinating. Some of the photos were beautifully done, resembling quietly sleeping children, while others were quite disturbing as the subjects were very obviously deceased. Particularly shocking were a pair of photos, one of a little boy lying on a bed with his toy ball, staring sadly at the camera, and another of the same boy after death. It is a sad reminder of the fact that the infant mortality rate during this time was so high, and often these were the only portraits the family might have of a child. It is incredible to think that a family might treasure such mementos, but I think of the now fairly commonplace practice of photographing miscarried or stillborn babies, and understand to an extent the need to have "proof" that this person existed.

Just amazing. Grabbed a copy of this pretty cheap, I mean as cheap as they get, and I believe I like his second one better, but I just had to have it. You can find most of the photos as reference in other volumes and articles, but if you can grab a copy without a bank loan, DO IT!

This may be the only monograph on 19th century post-mortem photography in America. The reproductions are beautifully done and the introductory text summarizes the use and importance of this unique genre. The author calls attention to the universality of death and how issues of death were addressed more openly than they are today. This is a must for photography-lovers, especially for thost who are interested in portraiture.

Selection of postmortem photographs from the "Burns Archive," which contains over 500,000 vintage prints including the world's largest collection of early medical photographs. Printed in two very limited editions - fascinating collection. Extensively illustrated with photgraphs and accompanied by a chronological essay on death in America, and a bibliography. Provocative and unsettling.