North America Books

SO many times you pick up a novel expecting to be entertained, but for that entertainment to last you also have to believe in the story and want to keep reading. Sherwood's work is not only entertaining, but not once did I skip ahead with a longing sigh for reality (a big achievement!) The plot is engaging, the characters sympathetic and real (no obviously trumped up stereotypes in this!) and the ending is very satisfying in a way that is both unexpected and relieving, as well as brutally realistic. (key words: realistic realistic realistic) His attention to character and environment is truly exceptional. I am impatiently awaiting his next literary endevor!

What an outstanding novel! It was thoroughly enjoyable. The western setting is authentic and you quickly feel like you are a part of the community. Similar to other reviewers - I was sorry when I finished it. I am looking forward to Steve's next novel!

I just finished Steve Sherwood's novel Hardwater and I'm very disappointed...that it's over! I couldn't put the book down. Mr. Sherwood has created such compelling characters that I feel like they are a part of my real life. I am a suspense and mystery novel buff, but Hardwater is the most emotionally involving novel I've read in a long time. Get this book, then get settled into your favorite chair, because you won't be getting up for a while! The setting, politics, relationships between characters is a joy to behold. When is Mr. Sherwood's next novel coming our way?

Hardwater is a hidden gem of a suspense novel set in the contemporary American West. The story opens on a gruesome crime scene, and a journalist intent on sniffing out the identity of a serial killer with a knack for verse.

Underneath this murder mystery is an issues novel about the contemporary American West, where native tribes and white farmers battle over water rights, and failed uranium mines sit abandoned in the landscape, to be approached with Geiger Counter in hand.

But more than the mystery or the provocative issues, what makes Hardwater such an enjoyable read is its fantastic setting. Hardwater is a world of granite monoliths, tribal customs, and wide open spaces. Fans of Tony Hillerman and John Nichols will eagerly devour this worthy winner of the 2003 George Garrett Prize.

If you're looking for a fine, fast suspense, Hardwater is a book you won't want to miss. Outstanding characters, fast paced plot, interesting setting--this novel has it all. Not to be missed.

This was a charming book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Living in the area it is nice to read about some of the history of the area.

It gives a nice feel for the way the locals lived along the Klamath River. Also, a good view of the Indians lives. I only wish the women had gone back. I came away feeling sad that they left the area when they did.

Great book about a great place. Lots of change in a short amount of time.

From early in the 20th to the birth of the 21st Century, little changed along the banks of the Klamath in 95 years. The path these women followed remains little altered from when they traveled tho now covered in asphalt, it is still a remote and rough territory for the uninitiated. They stepped off a ship in Humboldt Bay and then walked off the map into the unknown. Surrounded by wilderness, the Marble Mountains and the Trinity Alps, as spectacular and rugged peaks today as they were then. Great Grandchildren of some of those who taught these adventerous ladies the skills to survive in this wild country still live on the same piece of ground. This is the canvas Mary and Mabel painted a wonderful picture of the world they found here. Let them show you the neighborhood and see if you could follow those footsteps down the trail.

Since the world was created at Katimin, the Klamath River has been home to the salmon runs that fed the eagles and fattened bears and filled the smokehouses of the people. The river is the life-blood that flows thru the canyon veins, like a puzzle, each piece necessary to make it complete. A blood transfusion 150 miles away only slowing foreclosure on farmland in another state, no crops must die. Now less water flows downstream and is murky colored and too warm for the salmon to survive in but the life of a potato was saved! A river with no fish is a watershed dying, when the life of the river dies will life along that river follow? These hardy women managed to live without fries, but a river without salmon would be both unbelieveable and inconceivable to them.

Mary and Mabel wandered into my part of northern california to be schoolteachers. From their story you can see how they knew nothing of what the territory was like, how the people were, or any local customs. They seemed to have a vague sense that it was a 'wild' land. They fit in amazingly well in a land where killing another person meant you had to pay that persons family $100 and law was either non-existant or uneffective. They seem to throughly enjoy themselves and set to learn the culture around them and teach what they can. Surprises are around every corner, from rattlesnakes to mountain lions to injun devils. Surprises such as their trusted friend telling them he couldn't go into one town because he had to 'pay $500 last time.'
A great story that is easy to read and gives a glimpse of the hidden corner of northern california where the hupa, yurok and karuk indians reside.

This is an amazing account, by two very adventurous women, of their time spent in an extremely remote area of this country. Even with the speed of modern automobile travel, the tiny communities along the Klamath River, in Humboldt & Siskiyou Counties of northern California, are still remote. Mary & Mabel's sense of adventure, humor, tolerance & joy radiate from this book. It's been 20 years since I lived near the Company Ranch, in Orleans, and read this story. I'm looking forward to owning my own copy and re-reading it. Another reader recommended a wonderful book of similar format. It's exact title is "Tisha: the story of a young teacher in the Alaskan wilderness". It is available through Amazon. I lent my copy several years ago; it's time to buy another copy and re-read it, too. These books are very difficult to find in bookstores. Thank you, Amazon.

If you are over 60 and did not self-educate on slavery,you need to read this book. Believe me, slavery was a barely mentioned topic in elementary school through college. I know this is true for Blacks in the South and probably is true for other races as well.

This book is a must read for those non-academics who want to have a better understanding of slavery in America and the Americas. The sexual exploitation and psychological impact of slavery is generally known. This book, however, allows one to get the full picture of slavery from a global, economic and political perspective. There is nothing better for a painful subject like this than finding a reliable (well documented) and easy to read source by a respected author.

A great gift for your friends, no matter what race!

In under 350 pages, David Brion Davis presents a wealth of information for those exploring the history of slavery for the first time or for readers seeking additional information to supplement past books and articles.

Unfortunately, it reads like a choppy college lecture, with the flow of material marred oftentimes by the circular exploration of material. A topic may be introduced, then discussed in depth later and then reintroduced for concluding remarks many pages later.

Davis utilizes numerous resources from contemporary historians and it is appreciated that he introduces the author and the work to the reader while quoting from the material.

Inhuman Bondage is an important work in the growing number of books covering the sordid past that has been "conveniently" ignored or flippantly tossed aside in past historical writings.

By coming to terms with the past and acknowledging the damage it has done is the only way the words from Davis and others will truly have full meaning.

This book contributes to recent studies on slavery in Brazil and the French west indies, a wide study ot Slavery in the new world, explainings its origins, terrors, history and final liberations and conflicts. One wonders however how much the subjects needs a companion on Slavery in the Old World, and why there is no discussion of how pre-European enslavement of Africans by Arabs led to the formation of slave empires in Zanzibar and west africa that fueled the European slave trade. Imainge if these scholars dared to prick the bubble and reveal the fact that Slavery did not originate among Europeans and tha tin fact a study must be done on the rise and fall of slavery in the old world.

Seth J. Frantzman

This is an altogether splendid book. It is skillfully written such that it is difficult to put down; the notes are voluminous, the maps helpful, the range of information brought together and organized successfully impressive, the opinions of the author clearly expressed, and acknowledgement and credit to other historians generous. Despite this, one does wonder for whom the book was written, surely not the hypothetical general reader. Much more information than the lawyerly standard of what everyone knows is frequently called for. To give just one example, on pp. 265-66, a free black is shown worrying about the effects on him of the Fugitive Slave Law. One drops immediately to how Anthony Burns was hauled through the streets of Boston on his way to Virginia. Is one to infer that Burns was a free black erroneously seized or an escaped slave? And although Davis details how important the religious motivation was in abolitionist thought, nowhere was there any explanation of how this Biblically based thinking, which at this time was largely literal, coped with or was able to get around the clear Biblical acceptance of slavery. And one could wish, particularly in view of their extent and comprehension of various aspects of the subject, that the citations in the notes had been compiled into a bibliography. Nevertheless, I would recommend to anyone who is at all interested in slavery, the Civil War, racism, and a host of associated topics, that they do themselves a favour and read Inhuman Bondage.

Readers of "Inhuman Bondage" have the privilege of entering the mind of one of the greatest living scholars of American slavery. In what truly may be his opus, Dr. David Brion Davis writes not simply a book, but composes a symphony. Like all great composers, Davis blends seemingly disparate notes into beautiful harmony.

Wide-ranging, even sprawling in coverage, Davis tells the epic story of the inhuman bondage of human enslavement. Laying the foundation with a captivating and accurate portrayal of the history and philosophy of ancient slavery, the author then moves into the modern era of slavery, first in the "New World" then in America more specifically.

"Inhuman Bondage" masterfully weaves together these larger socio-political realities with the very specific psychological realities of groups (such as the Amistad) and individuals. The clear message resonates: even inhuman treatment cannot dehumanize the human soul. In their rebellion (sometimes overt, other times, by necessity, covert and even internal), enslaved African Americans displayed their full humanity.

For a brilliantly written, in-depth, comprehensive, captivating narrative of new world slavery, look no further than "Inhuman Bondage."

Reviewer: Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction.

I highly recommend this book by a unique man who accomplished an amazing feat with his feet.

George Meegan writes about his walk through Latin America and north, a walk during which he had almost no financial support. He gives the reader an insight into the remote rural communities he traveled through and the hospitality of people he met along the way. George's adventures on the road, visited and cheered on by his young wife and small children visiting from their home in Japan, and his determination to walk through a gamut of different types of weather and walking conditions to his goal in Canada, make for great reading!

Too bad it is out of print. I read this years ago and it still haunts my memory as clear as yesterday. Not only is the journey remarkable, but the author is very down to earth and likeable. This is a story of setting a goal and sticking to it to the end.

Mr. Meegans feat, (and feet) is/are simply unreal. Next time your kid wants a ride somewhere local. Hand him or her this book. I particularly liked his entries for what he experienced in Honduras. After experiencing what sounds like a complete mental breakdwon in a church basement in Tegucigalpa, he gets up in the morning and starts walking again. Keep on truckin Meegan! You rule, sir.

I really enjoyed this book. I can relate with the author about many of the personal experiences that he came across in his long journey. George Meegan must be a very deep person in his method of handling the situations that he encountered. On his trip of 7 years, he managed to get married,and father children without totally breaking his mileage countings, however, this is not the main plot of the book. He brought out the warmth of these little known and studied peoples of Latin America and showed the world that these people are really generous and kind, other than what the media makes them out to be. I can relate with one particular experience he had in Mexico that struck me deeply. Anyway, I recommend this book to anyone that may enjoy an adventure of the human spirit. It makes for good reading.

We just visited Mata Ortiz, and it is great to be able to connect all the faces and stories with the beautiful objects these humble artists create.

This is a great book for all that are curious about Mata Ortiz pottery and the people who make it. If you want to start collecting, it's a great book to have for a reference source. All artists mentioned in this book are of high caliber, as good, some even better than the Native American potters of the Southwest. At this time, these wares are also less expensive and affordable to most people. Hopefully they will be a good investment for the future.

Susan Moesch

A wonderful collection of photographs combined with dialoge about this remote village in Mexico. It describes the journey to get there, then details the lives of the talented people who live there. The photogtaphy is outstanding. A must for any person collecting or thinking of collecting pottery from this village.

"The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz" is a treasure trove of information about the treasures that are the Mata Ortiz people and pottery. It is well laid-out, well written, and well...wonderful!! The only thing that would make my copy better are autographs by Juan Quezada himself and every other potter in the book.

Unfortunately for whatever reason, Juan's son Alvaro is not featured in the book. He is indeed an exceptional artist.

I was able to meet Alvaro and Juan Quezada in Nov 2006 in their family gallery in Mata Ortiz and found them and their entire family to be humble friendly and genuinely thrilled that people love their wonderful creations.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit Mata Ortiz, "The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz" will inspire you to go. If you have, it will make you pine for it and it's people.

Almost 40 years ago Juan Quesada from the village of Mata Ortiz in Chihuahua singlehandedly revived Casa Grande style pottery. This book is a beautifully illustrated account of his success, along with the other artists of the village who learned from him. Becoming familiar with these artists should lay to rest the notion held by many Americans that Mexican imports are second class. These paper-thin pots are as beautiful as any you will ever see. This book has color photographs of many of the potters from Mata Ortiz as well as pictures of their pots. There is information on how the pots are made-- they are all built by hand from native materials, painted with brushes made from the artists' children's hair and fired over cow dung.

The book has a lot of interesting details-- for instance, when the Pope visited Mexico a few years ago, he was given three of these magnificent pots. Another fascinating tidbit is that one of every seven citizens of this village makes these pots. They have gone from doing manual labor to creating works of art.

Owning this book is the next best thing to owning a Mata Ortiz pot.

my kids loved it when the BBC series came out years ago. the concept is good, the story, excuse me, novel. But the execution could be revised somewhat, maybe extended and needs to be less author-driven and the theme as a whole could be taken further. It is a book of its day. but it's still a good read in this time of hit-and-run writing.

When I started reading this book, I thought: "Oh great, a boring story about some girl who's sick in bed. Fun." But, as I got into the book it became incredibly interesting. I started to feel I was Marianne, even though I'm a boy. When she met Mark in her dream as the boy she drew, because her tutor Mrs Chesterfield told her about him, I really felt for him. This book is really and truly gripping, an amazing read. When it ended, I was really sad because I wanted it to go on forever and follow the rest of the adventures and Marianne and Mark.

Overall, this book is incredibly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone.

I really liked this book. What I couldnt understand was what was wrong with Marianne? I indeed did find it a little scary but more eerie when reading at night. I loved reading it from front to back and I have read it again the same old plot not getting old.

I absolutely loved this original tale that beautifully captures the world of a sick young girl. Marianne is ten when she develops an illness that confines her to bed for several months. She passes time by drawing a house on paper, and dreams feverishly of the same house while asleep. Her adventures in the house with a boy named Marc become more frightening as her illness worsens. In the dreams, Catherine Storr touches on the dream-like fears of the children while in real life they deal with more substantial fears, such as illness and lonliness. Sometimes Marianne's fears turn into nightmares, which I found frightening but still appropriate for children. This is not the case for the movie, Paperhouse, which was way too much for pre-teens. All in all, I'd say that this is a book that crosses all age bounderies and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a simple but facinating story.

And a bit odd too. Parts of the story that are supposed to be scary just end up being mearly curious. I mean I would not be scared by a boulder with an eye. Nor would I constantly eat sausages, like Marianne and Mark do. And they are particulary fond of the word "beastly". Every second sentence contains this word.

I won't go into detail about the story as the other reviews provide enough info but I will say that the book differs from the film (Paperhouse, in which Marianne becomes Anna Madden) greatly. It doesn't feel as menacing nor does Marianne have the same kind of cockiness and early-adulthood intelligence she has in the film. Instead, she's a year younger and seems more childlike. The story of Marianne's absent dad and having him appear in her dreams as a madman is not here either. The evil forces take the form of monolithical stones with eyes. And the stones chase Marianne and Mark?!

Very weird indeed, I'm not quite sure how the physics of that works tho. It's probably all subtextual. But I can't figure it out. The ending is also completely different from the film too.

I wish this book was darker and had a bit more evil in it. The boulders with eyes just don't do it for me. It didn't feel threatening at all. Althogether this a bit of a disappointment. It's not fully engaging or mysterious and seems too tame. I can't figure out what audience Catherine Storr was writing for but it seems a little unmagical for kids and a too tame for adults. Maybe it was different back in 1958 tho.

I loved this book! Marsha Scarborough's journey to the heart of Native American spiritual healing is so human, so vivid, so damn funny, I felt I was with her every step of the way. I loved the reality of it all. Marsha seems such a clear-eyed and practical person. Her encounters with the mystical realm thus seem all the more believable as we share in her own struggle to see beyond the surface, into the deeper nature of things. Through it all, she keeps her own fine sense of the absurd - of how ludircous it is to be offering a cake to the spirit of your dead mother in your own back yard, hoping the neighbors aren't watching! To go from there to the scortching desert ritual dance of the final chapters is such an amazing journey. What a gift that she has shared that journey with us.

I am compelled to write my first review as this book is truly a MUST READ!
Marsha Scarbrough writes in a tone that flows easily as we travel on a journey of Deep Insight and Discovery that leads to Healing. As we travel on the journey along with her, we learn about family, friendship, betrayal, acceptance, joy, and self-realization that all lead to Healing. We learn about the profound revelations and the freeing power of Love & Acceptance as the author takes us with her on this sacred healing journey. Bravo!

I devoured this book, I couldn't put it down. It was so powerful and wise, I stopped a lot to deeply reflect on the content to evaluate my own life. It was so humble and refreshing. You must read this book.

Medicine Dance is so engaging and funny that I couldn't put it down. I hope Marsha Scarbrough is working on a sequel.

Medicine Dance grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until I finished the book. It's full of life lessons and laugh-out-loud humor. A great gift for your best friends - and yourself.

Looking for an inexpensive educational item? Look no further. Kumon workbooks are excellent.

My Son is 2.5 yrs old and loved this book. He finished it in less than a months time. Yes, they weren't very challenging mazes, but kept the attention of my child for 10 minutes everyday. He liked it so much that everyday he would ask for it himself. I only wish they came in spiral bound or something like similar, so that I need not hold the book for him while he is working.

This is a great product, but geared to younger children as their first introduction to mazes. My 4 yr old son breezed through this book in one sitting. He may not have gotten them all perfect, but it wasn't much of a challenge at 4.

I loved the kumon books.i run a preschool and use the book at my school. each page is full of color and that gets the kids more interested in completing the pages

I bought this book after having the "My First Book of Tracing" as a natural progression. My daughter absolutely loves it; we work on it almost every night.

this book could easily inspire a life of crime--how else to afford the gorgeous contemporary jewelry? or acquire the museum quality antique and archeological collections?

as a knitter, embroiderer and beader, i am always looking for inspiration for my pieces. i may stoop to outright plagarism when it comes to the works in this incredible book. though i will say that i can only dream of having the level of skill the pieces display. the craftmanship, the artistry, are humbling when one considers the tools the artists had--and the reservation conditions under which too much of the art was created.

the text is wonderfully informative, if you can force yourself to read it, instead of allowing yourself to be mesmerized by the photos.

follow the advice of the professional review--buy this book immediately.

My brother-in-law has the exact same title book,his book has over 600 pages! I ordered the book thinking that I would get a similar copy at a great price. I did not realize that I was purchasing an condensed version. The information in the book, although somewhat sparse is good. Thank you.

A few years back I signed up for a class in silversmithing which soon became addictive. In addition to that interest, I have always been interested in primitive art such as that of the American Indians, the cave drawings, Australian Aboriginal art or spiritual drawings. These forms of spirituality and art or of art are very powerful. I have chosen to concentrate my silversmithing designs toward the designs I see from these primitive peoples. The book, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment has proven to be very helpful toward that aim. In addition to that, it's just plain good reading.

This book is a must-have for anyone serious about studying Native American cultures. It is a fun read, while still being absolutely crammed with information. It's clear the author put in a lot of time and work to master her subject. Not to mention, the artwork featured in the book is beautiful. I love to breeze through it when I've had a hard day, just to feel my spirits lift looking at such amazing works of art. You will learn so much and enjoy the journey enormously.

This gorgeous book is indeed indispensable, especially if "read" visually. Unfortunately, quite a few of the tribal attributions for historic objects (information given to the author by museums) are wrong. Given the scope of this project, Dubin had little choice but to take often out-dated info at face value rather than do her own research. However, readers should keep this caveat in mind when using this work as a reference.

The Sociey for American Archaeology chose this book for its Public Audience Book Award. It is a fine choice.

This beautiful book has many things to recommend it: the importance of the subject, the beauty of the artwork and the photography, the quality of the contributors and the masterful presentation by its author, Dr. Bradley T. Lepper.

Ohio is loaded with treasure for archaeologists. Not one but four ancient Ohio sites are likely to receive World Heritage status from UNESCO in the next few years. These include Fort Ancient, the Newark Earthworks, the Serpent Mound and the earthworks at the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe. Just this winter the U.S.Department of the Interior has released a list of fourteen sites it will present to UNESCO for consideration - including all of these. And of course Ohio has even more amazing ancient places and stories to offer.

Such treasures call for stunning images, and there are many here. There are also fascinating contributions by more than twenty of the world's authorities on ancient Ohio. It is hard to imagine a better team to teach this subject. But this is more than a coffee-table book and is not an anthology of independent articles. Bradley Lepper leads us through the story from the ice age to the era of early contact between American Indians and Europeans. He writes wonderfully and is the master of both science and story telling.

Ohio Archeology is a must read, with beatiful photos and illustrations, for those wishing to learn the most up-to-date information on the Native Americans of the Woodland Period. Learn how archeologists decipher the mysteries surrounding the amazing earthen monuments of these early Ohioans.

As a long time citizen of Ohio and long time fan of Archaeology, I should have had a much higher awareness of just how much incredible history there is to be had right here in my home state. While I always had a vague notion that people have lived here in Ohio for thousands of years before the first European settlers arrived ... I never encountered any material that seemed to do a very good job of shedding light on this period of the state's history. Well, Mr. Lepper's book does a FANTASTIC job of bringing this part of our state's history the attention it deserves. Great text, diagrams and photos.

Ohio Archaeology is a splendid overview of Ohio's native American cultures and sites. Beautifully illustrated and photographed (including photo's of assembled artifacts) it deserves a place in any collection of materials on the subject.

One of the best acquisitions I've made this year.

Dr. Lepper has written the book I have been waiting for. As a new resident of Ohio, I have been working to understand my new home better, and this book answers many of the questions I have about the earliest residents of this area. I am still reading it so cannot comment on its entirety but it features gorgeous color photographs, helpful maps, and a text accessible to the lay (as in non-professional archaeologist) reader. This book may also answer one of the questions I brought with me from my former home in New Mexico: Where are the builders of the mounds now, and why have so few of their works been preserved? Reading lists and references will help me extend my understanding.