Ohio Books

"Defending Donald Harvey" goes beyond the standard true-crime/serial killer genre, by showing us the ethical dilemma of an honest man who is also a shrewd attorney, trying to simultaneously discharge his responsibilities to his client and to his community. It also allows us to glimpse the residual humanity behind Donald Harvey's significant pathology. I highly recommend this book.

Having lived in the Cincinnati area all of my life, I had some recollection of the events surrounding Donald Harvey as the media reported the story. This book is a fascinating insight into a truly psychopathic person. William Whalen, Donald Harveys appointed attorney, tells a very personal story of his involvement in this case, and as importantly, the relationship that developed between him and Harvey. Whalen takes the reader through the decisions he made and gives us insight into the thinking behind them. He also talks about a defense attorney's
responsiblities to his client. I found this book impossible to put down, because it's true for one reason, but also because it's scary to even think that it happened.

I could not stop reading this book which reads like a novel. What a well-written book which gives a concise account of this bizarre person! The book is very well organized and gives enough information but not too much information. Hard to believe this is a true story and what a fascinating story it is. Also gives insight into all that Mr. Whalen went through during the course of this investigation. A quick and haunting read!

From the opening chapter when Donald Harvey communes with the otherworld using a human skull to select his next victim, to the closing passages when he lists his matter-of-fact recommendations on how hospital workers can be prevented from killing patients, the reader is taken on a bizarre, fascinating, literary ride that delves into the twisted yet sometimes touching psyche of a serial killer. The product of a childhood rife with poverty, domestic violence, and incestuous pedophilia, Harvey as an adult hospital orderly kills each of his 59+ patients with a mixture of compassion, disgust, and pity. This book is a true, stranger-than-fiction tale that will have you turning pages in breathless anticipation of the next twist and turn of Harvey's life, killings, and trial.
But it is more than the story of one man's life. The book also resonates with important questions about contemporary American society at large: How does the media affect the outcome of criminal cases? How does a public defender draw the line between protecting society and protecting his client? How safe are our hospitals? How far should a company go to cover up the mistakes of its employees?
A pleasure to read and masterfully paced, "Defending Donald Harvey" is a must-read for aficionados of true crime, legal thrillers, and creative non-fiction.

I highly recommend this remarkable book for 2 reasons. First, it provides a nonjudgemental, candid revelation of the life and mind of a serial killer. Second, it reveals a realistic insight into the criminal justice system and the function of an excellent defense attorney and his successful strategy designed to spare his client the death penalty.

Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation

This is an ambitious and serious work, accessible in style, and packed with information in over four hundred pages. It has three main themes, clearly defined in the introduction.
The first is the love between Adrienne Monnier and Sylvia. The details of this, so we are told, 'were and are still little known' in 1983 when this book was first published. The second is her admiration for, and championship of, James Joyce. The third is her bookshop, Shakespeare and Company, which was a key feature of the literary scene in Paris between the two World Wars.
By far the most detail is provided on her professional relationship with Joyce. Her efforts to get Ulysses published and smuggled into America, her financial and personal efforts to support the author, and the amount of time and energy she invested, are the key theme of the book.
Naturally Sylvia knew all the other familiar literary figures of the time. Hemingway and Pound are frequently mentioned, as is Gertrude Stein.
As intimated in the introduction there is less to be said about more personal relationships. In a way this seems rather a pity. The anecdotal style and recurring references to various incidents along the way give the writing a rather disjointed feel. Inevitably there is also a certain sense of déja vu particularly for anyone familiar with biographies of Hemingway for example.
The strength and the weakness of the book is the amount of text devoted to James Joyce. Joyce attracts great, but not universal, enthusiasm. The man himself seems to have had more arrogance than charm. Depending on the side of this divide which the reader favours this book will firmly hold the attention or will, in places, rather pall.

This is one of the best books that I've ever read about the 'lost generation' of Americans literary refugees in Paris. The writing is excellent, the research exhaustive and thorough with unparalleled access to Ms. Beach's 'surpressed' portions of her autobiography "Shakespeare and Company". It is readily apparent from this book that without Ms. Beach and her unflinching support, there would have been no "Ulysses" (and maybe no James Joyce). But there was so many other authors she supported and nurtured as well, as the quote from Ernest Hemingway cited above illustrates as well. This book is almost a 'must read' for those persons interested in American literature of the mid 20th century.

This one has been around for some time now and it is not the worse for wear. For those interested in our literature and literary Paris during the 1920s and 1930s, then this is one of those "must reads" (I truely hate that term, but know of no better to describe the improtance of this work at this time). The author's research is absolutely miticulous and fills in many gaps in the story of this remarkable woman. Do be warned though. Many of the names of people mentioned here are rather obscure (at this day and time) for those not immersed in the literary world. This can make the work a bit difficult to follow at times. That being said, this is a wonderful work to read to cause many of these names to become less obscure than they are now...one more of the many reasons to read this work! The book covers some of the intimate details of Beach's relationship with friends and lovers that she so well side steps in her own account of this time. Recommend this one highly. Actually, you probably should purchase this one as it is one that is a good book for reference and one you will probably want to reread.

This is quite a spectacular book, a privileged look into the most famous English language bookstore in Paris, Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare & Company. Not only is it delightful to read the history of how Sylvia's modest dream became such a huge success, but it is also fascinating to read about Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce when they were young. The language is rich and fulfilling, the photos insightful, and in the end, I really felt as if I had been part of it all, sitting in Sylvia's bookstore, hearing the rustle of pages as the day passed away.

This is one of those books where you care about the characters. Their past and future becomes important and that the characters are real people make this book all the more fasinating. A book one does want to end. But end it does with style.

Great book. Great trilogy. Recommend to anyone, male or female, young (14 and up) or old. I read the trilogy many years ago. While homeschooling, I had one of my sons read all three books and write a book report on each one. He was in the 9th grade at the time. At first, he rebelled against the setting the books were written in, preferring a more modern or sci-fi theme, but soon became engrossed in the details of the lifestyle of these early Americans. Especially the fact that they were totally self-sufficient. He was amazed. The details in these stories are accurate and believable. I read where Mr. Richter took stories told to him by people old enough to remember the actual events or those who heard the stories passed down from their grandparents, and wove them into a remarkable epic that is cohesive and believable. I recently purchased this trilogy for my mother-in-law as a birthday gift.

All of the books in Conrad Richter's trilogy are superb. I am a descendant of people just like these, at the same time of Richter's story, and I spent much of my childhood there in Ohio living a way of life that is nearly gone. The past of my people became so rich, real, and alive through the writing.

All of the Trilogy Books are wonderful, I loved all three of them and you will find yourself wanting to read each book over and over again. " The Fields" gives a person a different perspective on life and grows not to take the way we have things now not for granted as much. "The Fields" really shows us how it was in the past in settler times.

Though not as historically interesting as the first of the trilogy it certainly merited its award.

Richter loses no time establishing THE FIELDS as a direct and strong descendant of THE TREES. With no time wasting, he recreates the forest and Sayward's battle against the "big butts," those mammoth trees blocking out the sun.

Her relationship with her man, Portius Wheeler the lawyer, seems at first to strengthen: seven kids in all, and a childhood tragedy once again accepted. We readers wonder how she can stay so strong, so calm. But she does. And so does her brood.

But Portius weakens and succombs. Sayward takes the blame, but again shows the inner strength to go on. The ending of book two carries on the development of their little community, and also shows the intensity of her love for her family.

Don't miss it.

by Larry Rochelle, author of DUST DEVILS, GHOSTLY EMBERS and ARROW.

Bob Dolgan was a proverbial utility infielder for the sports pages of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer - feature writer, columnist, beat reporter and the editor of several fan-orientated sections - and even had an infamous tiff back-in-the-day with legendary radio sports-talker Pete Franklin.

But it was his last assignments with the struggling daily newspaper - pieces on the rich history of Cleveland sports - that became solid highlights in Dolgan's five-decade-plus career. And this May 2003 release is a jog down memory lane through profiles on 101 athletes.

There are the famous - Jesse Owens, Mark Price - one's whose cup of coffee got cold before their uniforms got dirty and the outright surly, like slugger Albert Belle.

Not just for fans of northeast Ohio sports, Dolgan's biographical sketches can be appreciated by any individual who enjoys excellent sports writing, with a historical twist.

This lively, pithy account of Indians, Browns, Cavs and other local athletes ALMOST makes the heartache of being a Cleveland sports fan worthwhile. Author and Plain Dealer scribe Bob Dolgan has been a staple of the local sports diet for almost as long as the Tribe has gone without World Series rings. It takes a wise soul and a strong heart to give us new perspective on The Fumble, Red Right 88, 20-Cent Beer Night and what, 83 years later, thankfully remains the only death from an injury sustained in a Major League Baseball game. May Dolgan perservere long enough to pen a second edition about dozens of future Cleveland championships!

A large part of what makes baseball so attractive is that it imitates life. Ear-splitting roars are reserved for stupendous comebacks and tide-turning home runs. Most games proceed, fans like to observe, like Sunday school outings.
Author Bob Dolgan adds another dimension to the game's popularity, as well as well-honed peeks at luster figures of other sports. What he endearingly captures in its quick-reading pages is the person behind the celebrity.
HSGG is a potpourri of 101 short stories on often fascinating, at least talented or simply memorable athletes, mainly ball-and-glovers who wore the wool and spandex of the Cleveland Indians from 1971 to 2001. Some of the headliners reflect the nearly invincible Cleveland Browns of the Paul Brown coaching days while a few found stature clinging to the edges of the sports world covering many venues and situational endeavors.
Warts and all, there is the first big-time Indians free agent, hurler Wayne Garland who, after pocketing a guaranteed ten year, $2.3 million contract, saw his arm go the rotator cuff surgical route even before pitching his first game for his new team. Garland and his wife unwisely spent a large portion of their cash take on a toney mansion in glittery Pepper Pike. So rapidly did they spend their bounty that Wayne eventually had to pump gas to make ends meet.
Sam Rutigliano, who alternately soared and stumbled as coach of the Browns, had as a favorite descriptive of a loss that "eight hundred million Chinese couldn't care less."
Jimmy Piersall, named as among the 100 best Indians of all time, ran backwards around the basepaths once after belting a homer just to bring laughs to the game and wake up the crowd.
Pat Seerey, roly-poly outfielder who played several decades ago when Tribe fortunes dipped near their lowest, seemed to smack a home run or strike out every other time at bat. An atrocious fielder, fans were galvanized by his all-or-nothing swings at any pitch that cut the heart of the plate.
Chief groundskeeper Emil Bossard often did as much from the sidelines to encourage a Cleveland wind as its players on the field. For example, he was a past master at flashing signals from the scoreboard that tipped off home batters as to the kind of pitch coming up next...and seldom was Emil reluctant to slant the third-base line toward foul territory when the opposition boasted astute bunting skills.
Reporter Dolgan, covering all sports for the Cleveland Plain Dealer over the past half century , winning awards along the way, now specializes in writing features soaked in nostalgia. It is seldom enough for him to hang his stories on startling statistics. He pokes about for the argument with the wife that may have preceded and influenced the big game upcoming or be-bops about for the funny happenstance that perhaps triggered a vital play.
With Dolgan, scamps and good guys rank right up there with heroes just as they do for fans in real life sitting on the edge of their seats in a crucial game or leaning back contentedly munching their second hotdog in a "Sunday school" affair and this perhaps is the beauty of the book.
Dolgan's machinations make for a delightful trip down memory lane, a chapter revisited of sports memorabilia a la the Cleveland scene bustling with the gusto and flavor of a bygone past. If you'd like a healthy taste of this time, dig into Dolgan's slice of it.

A large part of what makes baseball so attractive is that it imitates life. Ear-splitting roars are reserved for stupendous comebacks and tide-turning home runs. Most games proceed, fans like to observe, like Sunday school outings.
Author Bob Dolgan adds another dimension to the game's popularity, as well as well-honed peeks at luster figures of other sports. What he endearingly captures in its quick-reading pages is the person behind the celebrity.
HSGG is a potpourri of 101 short stories on often fascinating, at least talented or simply memorable athletes, mainly ball-and-glovers who wore the wool and spandex of the Cleveland Indians from 1971 to 2001. Some of the headliners reflect the nearly invincible Cleveland Browns of the Paul Brown coaching days while a few found stature clinging to the edges of the sports world covering many venues and situational endeavors.
Warts and all, there is the first big-time Indians free agent, hurler Wayne Garland who, after pocketing a guaranteed ten year, $2.3 million contract, saw his arm go the rotator cuff surgical route even before pitching his first game for his new team. Garland and his wife unwisely spent a large portion of their cash take on a toney mansion in glittery Pepper Pike. So rapidly did they spend their bounty that Wayne eventually had to pump gas to make ends meet.
Sam Rutigliano, who alternately soared and stumbled as coach of the Browns, had as a favorite descriptive of a loss that "eight hundred million Chinese couldn't care less."
Jimmy Piersall, named as among the 100 best Indians of all time, ran backwards around the basepaths once after belting a homer just to bring laughs to the game and wake up the crowd.
Pat Seerey, roly-poly outfielder who played several decades ago when Tribe fortunes dipped near their lowest, seemed to smack a home run or strike out every other time at bat. An atrocious fielder, fans were galvanized by his all-or-nothing swings at any pitch that cut the heart of the plate.
Chief groundskeeper Emil Bossard often did as much from the sidelines to encourage a Cleveland win as its players on the field. For example, he was a past master at flashing signals from the scoreboard that tipped off home batters as to the kind of pitch coming up next...and seldom was Emil reluctant to slant the third-base line toward foul territory when the opposition boasted astute bunting skills.
Reporter Dolgan, covering all sports for the Cleveland Plain Dealer over the past half century, winning awards along the way, now specializes in writing features soaked in nostalgia. It is seldom enough for him to hang his stories on startling statistics. He pokes about for the argument with the wife that may have preceded and influenced the big game upcoming or be-bops about for the funny happenstance that perhaps triggered a vital play.
With Dolgan, scamps and good guys rank right up there with heroes just as they do for fans in real life sitting on the edge of their seats in a crucial game or leaning back contentedly munching their second hotdog in a "Sunday school" affair and this perhaps is the beauty of the book.
Dolgan's machinations make for a delightful trip down memory lane, a chapter revisited of sports memorabilia a la the Cleveland scene bustling with the gusto and flavor of a bygone past. If you'd like a healthy taste of this time, dig into Dolgan's slice of it.

Bob Dolgan's Heroes, Scamps and Good Guys is as much a history of Cleveland over the past six decades as it is a cornucopia of the city's sports memories. The award-winning Plain Dealer sportswriter draws on his long association with the Cleveland sports scene to treat readers to a broad assortment of the best, brightest and most bizarre athletes who have both thrilled and thwarted Forest City sports fans in his lifetime. Dolgan's biographical glimpses into the athletic feats and later lives of some 101 participants in Cleveland's rich sports history range from Dutch Levsen, the last major league pitcher to hurl two complete-game wins in a doubleheader, to Jim Thome, Albert Belle and Mike Hargrove. Along the way Dolgan also introduces such collegiate legends from the Greater Cleveland area as Harrison Dillard and a sprinkling of high school wunderkinds including St. Ignatius's Dave Demko and Benedictine center Mike Medich, a giant in his time at 6'5" who tallied 59 points against West High School one night at the tail end of 1945 to set a new Ohio state scoring record. A deft interviewer, Dolgan is equally at home talking with former Indians infielder Kevin Rhomberg, owner of a raft of weird superstitions that have no doubt daunted many another sportswriter over the years, Boxing Hall of Famer Joey Maxim, "one of only two Clevelanders to win world ring titles," and Barbara Turcotte, the queenly wife of Cleveland harness racing king, Mel Turcotte. Heroes, Scamps and Good Guys, though steeped in the triumphant moments enjoyed by the Browns, Indians, Barons and Cavaliers, is likewise a trove of the heartaches and last-second disappointments that have left Clevelanders without a championship in any major league sport for nearly forty years.

David Nemec

What a wonderful book! I am a great fan of Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories, and this book, Joe Boy, reminded me of them in many ways. It was a heartwarming book, and very funny to boot.

I read in another review of Joe Boy that it was like sitting down to dinner with the author as he told tales of his childhood, and that is a perfect description! It felt like Kirby was right there, spinning stories and reminiscing about his poor-in-money but rich-in-love childhood. Anyone who grew up during those years, especially if they lived in the country, will be delighted by this charming book, since it will bring back memories. But younger people will also appreciate it, because it is a glimpse into the past of an America that can never be recaptured.

I loved every word, and recommend it highly.

The Good Old Days, very funny

This book will be enjoyed by anyone that lived in small town America during the 30's, 40's, 50's, and the early 60's. It lets your mind wonder back in time when life was much simpler. Those were the days when children made up their own entertainment, which like Joe Boy ended up being a lot of adventures. I will definitely put Joe Boy on my shopping list for gifts to buy for anyone growing up during this time period

JoBoy was an interesting, entertaining book. Very well written.
I laughed out loud in so many places! I strongly recommend it.
It will bring you several hours of great entertainment.

This is a great book for the summer, a quick and funny read. Perfect for the beach, gym or a weekend getaway. I loved it! I started it and found I couldn't put it down. The true stories of this man's youth is an example of how so many Americans lived during the 1930's and 40's. It's amazing he survived. Really funny tales and quality descriptions make it seem like you are sitting across the table from this guy over dinner.

I hope there will be a part two!

Telling stories is one of the most powerful ways to teach values and open doors to new possiblities. With Floyd Kirby's rich and varied collection of childhood tales in "JOE BOY", everyone is sure to find at least a few stories that strike a special heartwarming memory from their past......stories one will treasure and want to share. A perfect gift for yourself or a loved one.

I am currently a student enrolled in the ECOT High School and I when I discovered this book I was excited to read it. I quickly bought myself a copy and couldn't put it down!! I think that more ECOT students need to read this book--it will really open your eyes and show you just how much work went into starting this school. ECOT has been wonderful for me because of my medical situation and I think this book made me appreciate it even more. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!!! Please read this book--it is definitely worth it!!

This is a great 'behind the scenes' look at one man's struggle to establish the nation's first public e-school. Sadly enough, many of the struggles the author faced stem from resistance posed by the educational establishment and its drive for self-preservation. While one might glibly assume a profit motive, the book reveals to us how the author's personal experiences drove him to beat the odds and make ECOT a reality. Rather than a money-making scheme, ECOT emerges as a labor of love.

One wonderful feature that maintained my interest was the student case history featured at the beginning of each chapter. These testimonials from successful ECOT graduates paint a wide and varied portrait of today's American students and the challenges they face. From school violence to teen pregnancy, lack of motivation, family illness and the demands of work, we get a firsthand account of the issues these students face and how the availability of publicly funded home e-schooling allowed them to cross the educational finish line.

Being one of the students featured in the book, I was thrilled when I first found out about the book. Upon reading it, I finally realizd how moch sweat and back breaking work went into ECOT. It truely has revolutionized the way that anyone will go to school. I enjoyed the time that I spent there, and can't wait until the day that it appears around the world.

I thought from the get-go, the book was mainly about Mr. Lager's approach to starting a school of this caliber, and I was right. From an idea to reality, this book really details what really went into making ECOT anything but an idea on a drawing board. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the future of schooling as we know it for one reason. It's here, alive and well and ready to go.

Bill Lager has truly changed the way I think about education. No more finger pointing, he has taken responsibility that the traditional education system can't - or won't. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in alternative forms of education for K-12 and for those who don't believe that online education can work. Lager has proven it can, and will - for a long time to come.

This was a great book; I really enjoyed reading it. More than anything, I loved reading the stories about the students whom were apart of the first e-classroom. This book proves a very important lesson; if you work hard and believe fully in what you are working at, anything is possible.

As a middle school Reading teacher I found Letters Home to be a
great tool in my classroom. We used it during Veteran's Day to
help show our students an appreciation and respect for those who
have served. They truly enjoyed reading the letters and trying to get a feel for the emotions that the soliders and families were having. Thank you for this wonderful collection and for keeping the spirit and memory of those who served alive. An added benefit was being a resident of Columbus, OH and being able to take my students on a trip to the wall of letters to experience it for themselves!

This book is a wonderful compilation of letters that will touch your heart. It gives you great insight into the way these men and women felt, what they went through, and what they gave to us all. I have always respected them, but I do more than ever after this glimpse into their reality.

This collection of letters from Ohio veterans is wonderfully chosen, well-presented, and sure to touch the heart of anybody whose life has been touched by military service.

Having read the book compiled by Dan Meeks it gave me the perfect insight into what goes through our troops minds and the feelings they must have for their loved ones.

I passed the book on to my father who was part of the D Day Landings who was also very moved by many of the stories and said it brought back amazing memories of his time in the trenches.

Well done Dan

Heartfelt and heartwarming. This book carries you through time and space and gives you a glimpse into the hearts and minds of Soldiers and their families. It is a tapestry of humanity. A look back at the lives and wartimes of this Century.

A fantastic addition for the Historian in your family. Great gift idea! A VERY good read.

This is an outstanding resource book for OSU Buckeye football fans. It offers detailed accounts of each season, including scores, stories, and much more.

However, there is one important shortcoming with this book. After watching the HBO special about the OSU-Michigan rivalry, it is clear that this book leaves out several important details about OSU football, usually details that tend to portray OSU in a somewhat negative light.

For example, absent from this book is the fact that one year during the 10 year war, in the midst of an OSU blowout, Hayes ordered his team to go for a 2 point conversion after a touchdown, and when asked by the media why he had gone for two, Hayes replied "Because I couldn't go for 3!" Michigan then used that as motivation as they took revenge upon OSU the following season when they won the rivalry game. This entertaining and important story is absent from the book, perhaps because it portrays OSU in a negative light. However, I prefer to read an objective account of what happened, and I like to hear both the good and the bad. This book offers much of the "good," but doesn't say much about the "bad" things that have happened in OSU football.

One further example, Hayes' career notoriously ended when he punched a Clemson player following an interception in a bowl game. This book covers the story, but really goes easy on OSU and Hayes, and fails to capture the type of shock and scandal that ensued following that incident. It may be a dark chapter in OSU history, but it was an important moment, and this book doesn't delve into the details, but rather defends Hayes as having acted "in an obvious fit of frustration" (paraphrasing). This was a disservice, as this was an excellent opportunity to present both sides of the story, from Hayes' supporters and his critics. Instead, the book glosses over much of the info, says that Hayes left, later spoke at a graduation, and leaves it at that. Hayes' impact on the school merited a more detailed explanation of what had happened, and the incidents that led up to Hayes' resignation. The lack of information, and the lack of objectivity detracted the book.

The book also does not go into much detail regarding the 10 year war, and the relationship between Hayes and Schembechler. I would have liked to see some more coverage in that area, as there were many terrific stories from that era.

Having said all of this, I would still recommend this book as a strong source of OSU football history. I would only caution that the book does not always tell the full story, and therefore should not be referred to as a "complete" history of OSU football.

A great book filled with everything and everyone of Ohio State Football lore. I recommend Highly.

In the great state of Ohio, football is a year-round fixation. Especially for fanatics of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who measure each season's success with the ghosts of its legendary past. When not anticipating the current team's fortunes, they're busy mining for factual nuggets reaffirming the program's glory years.

Buckeye enthusiasts have struck gold with the latter. THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA is an informational jackpot, a whopping 683 pages of pure pigskin bliss, chronicling the entire history of one of sports most storied traditions. Either a lifelong follower or an Ohio State alumnus could architect such a massive undertaking; fortunately, it fell into the able hands of Jack Park, who is both, in addition to his duties as a commentator and columnist. With over four-hundred college football games to his credit--including nearly every OSU home contest since the late-1940's--he is simply the foremost authority on Buckeye football.

Unlike most proverbial encyclopedias with the A to Z format, this one is chronologically recorded, from their humble beginnings in 1890 through the modern-day mania of the 2000 campaign. Amazingly, not one season or game slips through the cracks; each one is vividly recalled with various accounts and statistics.

What really distinguishes the book from the typical almanac, though, is Park's inclusion of the many colorful anecdotes scattered throughout. Within the gray-shaded blocks lie some wonderful tales involving famous and little-known individuals whose passion and spirit have helped to shape the Buckeyes' saga as much as the many great coaches and All-American players. If the myriad of information isn't enough, the appendix offers twenty-four more pages of records and statistics, while the feast concludes with an alphabetical listing of every letterwinner in their illustrious 111-year history.

Bringing the sea of words and numbers to life are the visuals, beautifully arranged with scads of archived photos, newspaper headlines, game programs, and ticket stubs. Rather than clutter the path, they perfectly enhance its charm, balancing the formality of a textbook with the casualness of a scrapbook.

Park's warm but direct approach works effectively. Although his own experiences with OSU date more than a half-century, his reports on each season prior are equally as fresh and seamless, as though he were actually there. These recollections also subtly echo the sentiments of true Buckeye loyalists while still remaining neutral, a deft touch for a work of this type. That personal flair ensures that it's not just compiled by some factory or computer; it makes the whole experience less like a rigid research and more similar to a batch of stories told by a friendly old neighbor.

An essential bible for Buckeye nuts, THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA should be required reading for even the remote sports fan curious to gain insight into the history of a major collegiate athletic program, and in Ohio State University's, one of the nation's proudest.

In the great state of Ohio, football is a year-round fixation. Especially for fanatics of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who measure each season's success with the ghosts of its legendary past. When not anticipating the current team's fortunes, they're busy mining for factual nuggets reaffirming the program's glory years.

Buckeye enthusiasts have struck gold with the latter. THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA is an informational jackpot, a whopping 683 pages of pure pigskin bliss, chronicling the entire history of one of sports most storied traditions. Either a lifelong follower or an Ohio State alumnus could architect such a massive undertaking; fortunately, it fell into the able hands of Jack Park, who is both, in addition to his duties as a commentator and columnist. With over four-hundred college football games to his credit--including nearly every OSU home contest since the late-1940's--he is simply the foremost authority on Buckeye football.

Unlike most proverbial encyclopedias with the A to Z format, this one is chronologically recorded, from their humble beginnings in 1890 through the modern-day mania of the 2000 campaign. Amazingly, not one season or game slips through the cracks; each one is vividly recalled with various accounts and statistics.

What really distinguishes the book from the typical almanac, though, is Park's inclusion of the many colorful anecdotes scattered throughout. Within the gray-shaded blocks lie some wonderful tales involving famous and little-known individuals whose passion and spirit have helped to shape the Buckeyes' saga as much as the many great coaches and All-American players. If the myriad of information isn't enough, the appendix offers twenty-four more pages of records and statistics, while the feast concludes with an alphabetical listing of every letterwinner in their illustrious 111-year history.

Bringing the sea of words and numbers to life are the visuals, beautifully arranged with scads of archived photos, newspaper headlines, game programs, and ticket stubs. Rather than clutter the path, they perfectly enhance its charm, balancing the formality of a textbook with the casualness of a scrapbook.

Park's warm but direct approach works effectively. Although his own experiences with OSU date more than a half-century, his reports on each season prior are equally as fresh and seamless, as though he were actually there. These recollections also subtly echo the sentiments of true Buckeye loyalists while still remaining neutral, a deft touch for a work of this type. That personal flair ensures that it's not just compiled by some factory or computer; it makes the whole experience less like a rigid research and more similar to a batch of stories told by a friendly old neighbor.

An essential bible for Buckeye nuts, THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA should be required reading for even the remote sports fan curious to gain insight into the history of a major collegiate athletic program, and in Ohio State University's, one of the nation's proudest.

My husband Lance went to Ohio State and wathches football and follows his alma mater, of course. I bought one of these books for him and for his dad. Wow...I finally bought a gift they both like, which meant a lot to me.

He likes different parts about the book, especially reviewing the years from when he attended OSU up through the most recent football campaigns. His father most enjoyed reading the section on Paul Brown, whose success at Ohio State was just part of a great coaching career.

They both liked the abundant photos throughout the book. My husband gets into sports stats, and this book was full of information on the teams and the individual players and coaches.

They both liked reading about Woody Hayes, Ohio State's legendary coach. My husband, who was a journalist at OSU, said he was able to interview Woody twice and the famous coach was extremely cordial both times. Of course, my husband said he never had to interview Woody after an Ohio State defeat.

So thank you for helping me make this holiday season successful and memorable.

Any one who has a personal copy of Walden with heavy underlining and pages falling away from the binding will read the words of David Kline with respect. This is a man so completely at one with his physical world, so at peace with his chosen lifestyle, and so appreciative of his environment that he makes Thoreau seem under-developed. While Kline, an Amish farmer who lives an economic life far out-of-step with his contemporary American culture, writes little about his religious philosophy, he is man at peace with himself and his God and he is able to convey that without talking directly about his theology. He expresses appreciation for his heritage of the family farm which has become his, and for his early teacher who taught him to see the wonders of the natural life which was found on that farm and in that area of Ohio. The life of a farmer is one of seasonal cycles which dictates the work, and the habits of the creatures of the wild. The book is roughly cyclical in scope, but has no straightforward time line. Kline writes as though engaging in easy conversation, reminiscing about berry-picking and manure-spreading, bird-watching and gardening. His life is an out-of-doors life, but he does not complain about the weather! Bad weather seems to be a time to read, and he cites authors from Kathleen Norris to A. Leopold, evidence that he is as much at home with the written word as with the topography of his farm Kline's little book makes me want to know more about him, to know how he relates to the strange and stressed humans with whom he shares this land. The book is as much spirtitual as scientific in content, bringing a sense of peace in a too-busy world. One waits for another from this delightful author.

Scratching the Woodchuck, Nature on an Amish Farm by David Kline sits on my credenza at work. I reach for it when I need an antidote for institutionalized schizophrenia.

Scratching the Woodchuck is a collection of about 60 short essays. They are organized into four catagories: The Farmstead, The Fields, The Woods, Creeks and Sky and The Community. The essays are rich in adjectives and read at a slow and leisurely pace.

For example:

"I was startled the other day to see a meadow vole (one of those fat little short-tailed mice that abound in meadows and fields) come charging out of the grass-covered ditch and dash across the road as fast as its stumpy legs could carry it. Before the sprinting vole had reached the safety of the opposite ditch, it was followed by two more of its kin. These, however, instead of racing across the road, made large half-circles and then ran back into the same ditch twenty feet down the road.

I stopped and watched the spot where the meadow voles had emerged. Soon a small pointed nose poked through the grasses and two obsidian eyes glared at me--a weasel. No wonder the voles were scared silly. Of all their enemies, nothing alarms the mouse family as much as the weasel, because there is no place to hide from the long, slender killer." Page 42.

Plusses:

*The essays are short. You can pick up the book and regain sanity in about 2.76 minutes.

*The essays are consistently high quality writing. There is none of the unevenness that results when a book is banged out in a hurry.

Minuses:

*The book does not come back quickly when loaned out. "Oh, I was going to bring it back today but my wife started reading it." kind of thing.

*Ultimately, you finish the book and you want more.

Scratching the Woodchuck is a good book to pick up if you feel like the pea-in-a-whistle. Mr. Kline's prose will slow your heart rate and reduce your blood pressure. Mr. Kline assures us that life only appears to be fragmented. The patient observer can find the connections.

Scratching the Woodchuck is probably *not* a good choice if your preference for escapism-liturature tends toward verb-packed, staccato writing (like Tom Clancy). You will find Scratching the Woodchuck maddeningly slow and boring.

Reading Kline's book makes one want to immediately ditch city life. This talented writer takes a look at nature in simple, basic terms, bringing it close to everyone who has ever watched a spider in a web, or looked at tracks in fresh snow. His unpretentious approach is precisely the way that nature should be viewed. . . with knowledge, joy and kinship with the out of doors. (Review by Judy Wade, author of Seasonal Guide to the Natural Year; Southern California and Baja, published by Fulcrum and also available through Amazon.)

Scratching the Woodchuck is quite simply the best piece of natural history writing I have read in decades. David Kline is a keen observer, a competent naturalist, and an eloquent writer. We need more books like this in our all too technology-based, human-centered society.

This book takes the reader back to humanity's roots, and to our essential relationships with other species that inhabit this planet with us. Something beautiful and important is found here that has been lost to many of us for a long, long time.

This story was a wonderful, lighthearted portrayal of nature on Kline's farm. The stories were short and a quick read. I found myself reading one story, every night before bed. I was not looking forward to the end of what became a daily companion. Kline is able to paint with words. He excels at describing life's simple, natural pleasures. This book could be compared to a more recent Sand County Almanac, but I didn't find that book as interesting. A good read!

WOW - this book is so believable, the characters are so well-developed, and the mystery so, well, mysterious, I simply couldn't put this book down until I had finished it! IMO, this sets a new standard for Christian fiction, particularly in the realm of crime/mystery fiction. I had not heard of Teresa Slack before I discovered the 'Jenna's Creek' series, but now I'm impatiently waiting for the next book to come so I can read it.

The first book is Streams of Mercy, Book 2 is Redemption's Song, and Book 3 is Evidence of Grace.

I sincerely hope Teresa Slack continues to write more and more books!

Theresa Slack is a marvelous writer.
If you have NOT read this yet, you are really missing out!
WONDERFUL!!!!!

In our busy lives sometimes the characters in fiction books are the ones we think about more than our clients. To unwind and watch characters in a story until you start wondering "What will they do?" and calm yourself with the thought of your evening reading "I'll find out tonight" is always a good sign of a good book.

I really enjoyed this faith based mystery. It kept me intrigued from start to finish. The characters became so alive. I look forward to the rest of the series!!!

This book is a must-have. It kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Teresa used good, wholesome characters. I felt like I was related to her heroine. If you haven't read this Christian mystery yet, you'd better get it. It's superb.