Virginia Books

for my personal favorite of the Sigrid Harald mystery series by Margaret Maron.

Maron makes some quantum leaps with this book...unravels the ongoing tension between MacKinnon and Anne Harald, giving Sigrid some insight, at last, into the career of her father, a detective in the same NYC division that she is now with.

She also perfects telling her tale from several points of view, the most interesting of which is Detective Sergeant Jarvis Vaughn, an interesting potential future partner for Harald.

Lastly, the dual mysteries and deaths in the novel, hit close to home, as someone is killing cops and police dept. civilians. Who the killer is, kept me guessing until it was revealed in the last chapter.

Oscar Nauman plays only a bit part here, and Maron also fades out Tillie, to some extent. The danger to Harald's life, as the murderer is revealed is well drawn and the action scene is memorable.

Past Imperfect showcases all Maron's skills and successfully fills in several gaps in Harald's life. Truly a fine novel, that will hopefully be available in a reprinted version in the near future.

I don't understand why several of the BEST books in the Sigrid Harald series are out of print. For my money, this series is even better than the Deborah Knott series, though I like them both enormously.

To make matters worse, because Sigrid's character changes so dramatically (but believably) during the series, it's imperative that the books be read in order. And "Past Imperfect" includes some critical developments in Sigrid's life.

I regret that I gave away the copy I'd bought used, as my sister is now eager to read it. Given the difficulty in finding copies, and the prices for the used copies, it appears I'm not the only one who wants this book back in print. If you come across a copy - grab it and read it.

I heard about the book and read it with great interest,and passed it on to my son,who was age 19 at the time. We both enjoyed it,and moved on to other interests. The next year, my son traveled by auto to Alaska(from Virginia) and upon his return,he said to me,"Dad, this is a beautiful country,but you can't see it very well from a car. Why don't we go on a bicycle adventure from Richmond to Toronto like that father and son did in "Pedaling Northward" . At the time I was 48 and son was 20, and we were targeting the following summer. I looked him in the eye,and said, "Sounds like a good idea to me." We did it in 12 days inclusive, and 10 days of cycling. We followed the same course as the author until Elmira,NY at which point we headed northwest toward Buffalo and Niagara. We stopped along the way to talk with people Lind had met ,and learned from his mistakes. We were luckier with the weather...it was cool and dry. I recommend the book as a guide for any father and son who want to enjoy the beauty of this country, the power of bonding, and who want to create a memory that will last a lifetime.

This book made me wish my knees were not so creaky. In this time of point-to-point travel (skipping everything in between) it is wonderful to be on the land with this father and son as they make their way north. Their adventures and misadventures have the immediacy of real-life experience. I recommend it to arm chair travellers and bike-seat travellers alike! It is suitable for young adult readers as well as adults. My children loved the audio version!

I read this book while doing research on my Great-Great Grandfather, who fought in the War and was a member of the 11th Virginia Infantry, Company B. The author of this book being of Company C, 11th Virginia, I was able to trace somewhat the actions of my Great-Great Grandfather during the war. A compelling book from the perspective of the young men of the South who bravely fought to defend their invaded homeland. It only pains me that the truth written in this antiquted volume has been all but forgotten in todays "history" lessons.

In this book, Captain William H. Morgan, (a member of "The Immortal 600"), relates personal experience "in camp, in bivouac, on the march, on picket, on the skirmish line, on the battlefield, and in prison" -- and also gives a history not only of his own company, but of the Eleventh Regiment, Kemper's Brigade, and Pickett's Division. Captain Morgan's writing is delightful and a valuable addition to the story of the war. He tells his story in a direct, pleasant, graphic way which conveys his thoughts, opinions, and the facts very distinctly -- and holds the interest of his readers in a very engaging way. A complete index adds to its value.

Phoebe Clappsaddle for Sheriff is every bit as fun as Chrismer/Roeder's first book, Phoebe Clappsaddle and the Tumble Weed Gang. It is great to see a strong female character with a touch of fimininity. Chrismer's Texas voice puts a spark to the text, and Roeder's delightful illustrations add the fireworks!

Chrismer has done it again! Phoebe Clappsaddle is one heck of a cowgirl, and being sheriff is a real spur in the Tumbleweed's butts. This is a must read for all kids (and their parents). Virginia Roeder brings Phoebe to life with her adorable illustrations, imbedded with clever humor. I said it once, and I'll say it again. I love Phoebe!

This book is great for young deaf and hard of hearing children in schools, especially in mainstream settings. It has a child-friendly drawing for almost any word you can think of (I have always been able to find what I'm looking for). It also shows the ASL sign, as well as some SEE signs, for each word and uses each word in one or two sentences. It will be helpful for children and adults, hearing and deaf, who are learning sign language, learning to read, and/or who need help learning word-concept relations.

I got this book because in the process of teaching our hearing daughter sign language we came upon some words our little starter book didn't cover (starter book was 'Sign With Your Baby' by Joseph Garcia). This book, in conjunction with the American Sign Language Browser Web Site, helped our 14-month-old learn 50+ signs so far. It's a great, comprehensive, and friendly book.

Like the previous reviewer, I too am a descendant (grandchild) of the Spanish immigrants of the Simpson, Harrison, West Virginia area. This book was well-written and very informative.
Any descendants of the Spanish zinc workers want to form an e-mail group, and possibly a reunion? Contact me at ctjedda@yahoo.com

I have to admit, the reason I loved this book is because my grandparents came from Spain and actually lived and worked in this this very same town that Mr. Gonzalez described. In fact, they were probably neighbors. This book allowed me to get a glimpse into what life was like for my grandparents in the early 1900s.

The story is fairly well written and probably would appeal to people simply interested in the history of various minorities in the US.

For those interested in life in early Virginia, especially those that had ancestors there, this is a "must read" book. It offers a fascinating and highly detailed picture of life in those times, and offers some comparison to how it differed from life in New England at that time.

Genealogists studying ancestors mentioned in the book will be disappointed in the lack of genealogical source notes; it is, after all, a social history and not a work on genealogy. However, most of the genealogical information is sourced in the authors' notes which are archived at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond.

Everyone who is interested in what life was like for residents of Colonial Virginia will gain a lot of insight on their homes, economics, social strata, and relationship with their servants. For those of us who actually descended from the people who are cited in the book, this is a revelation of how our ancestors fit into the community.

We have three rabits and I gain a lot of knowledge regarding rabbits with this book. It is easy to read and has many information.

A lot of good information and some good photos. I have yet to find one definitive house rabbit guide, but this covers a lot of the basics: history, deciding if rabbit is right pet, adopting a rabbit, setting up living space and health. There is also a great section on rabbit behavior and behavior problems.

Worth buying before or after bringing a rabbit into your home!

As a marriage & family therapist and school counselor, I highly recommend this book to clients and parents of students. The book describes a step-by-step process that gives struggling parents the practical skills they need to stop the confusion and chaos and move towards creating a happy, loving family. The techniques, while direct and simple, prove powerful and effective. I believe parents who begin using the principles and strategies described in this book will see immediate results.

As a parent of three children (5 -7 -9)and a former teacher, I found this book to be very helpful and comprehensive. One basic premise of the book is that the marriage relationship is critical to a happy family. The authors also realize that most people have some of their own problems or isues to deal with and/or do not have extensive parenting education. Many chapters come with easy-to-do exercises that allow parents to do their homework, so to speak, on some of their own values and how they want to handle things in their own home. You will get more out of the book if you read it simultaneously with your partner, do the exercises, and discuss each chapter. The layout of each chapter has a nice consistent format: Summary of the key points, the actual information, with expansion through anecdoes, tips, and traps. I especially liked the traps: all of the things that could cause you to fail. Attention is also given to single parenting, divorce, special problems, and relationships with adult children. My favorite chapter: 'Parents are in charge' *Stick togethr *Make rules *Define consequences *Stay in charge If you like the no-nonsense format of the above ideas, you will love this book!

It is very useful book for any collectors, carvers and other people who love netsuke! There are a lot of images, the perfect quality!

Raymond Bushell was part of the occupying US military after World War Two, and he found two loves of his life, netsuke, where he became a leading collector and writer on the art form, and his wife, who helped organize this exhibit and wonderful book. The color photography is superb and the text contains important scholarly insights.

The book features more than 820 netsuke, with accompanying text that gives a complete overview of changing tastes in netsuke collecting and carving throughout its history and into the present day. Each netsuke has a detailed description that places the subject in the context of Japanese life and history, and gives important information about the carver or technique. An enormous variety of netsuke subjects are described: famous battles and samurai, kabuki and noh actors and plays, scandalous stories, animals and imaginary creatures, Buddhist sages, and Shinto rituals.

This is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the art form, or in the culture and history of Japan.