North America Books

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.

I love Jamie Sams style of writing, and she opened many doors that were closed lifetimes ago.
Other Council Fires Were Here Before Ours: A Classic Native American Creation Story as Retold by a Seneca Elder, Twylah Nitsch, and Her Granddaughter, Jamie Sams

Provides thoughtful insight into a much retold Native American story of previous yugas. Ought to be required reading for the future leaders of our world.

I came to this book due to my interest in Jamie Sams and Twylah Nitsch. For people who have questions about the First through the Fifth Worlds from reading other books by Jamie Sams, this book fills in the blanks. For those who have no knowledge of Sams and Nitsch, this book is so playful and delightfully written that it could be underestimated by the reader.

This book is fascinating from cover to cover. Jamie Sams and her grandmother, Twylah, are master story-tellers. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Native American beliefs! It is the Seneca version of creation and history, our relationship with Mother Earth, and events still to come! Thanks Jamie and Twylah!

As always when reading books by Jamie Samms or hearing the teachings of Twylah Nitsch, we find the gifts that we need too. The Medicine is always pure and healing.

I was eight years old. I read the paperback edition of this book every night, cover to cover. The story of the effervescent Plop and the conquering of his fear of the dark is as enduring now as it was when it was first published over 30 years ago.

This version is abridged and illustrated from the one that saw me safely to dreamland as a child. No matter. The spirit is preserved and the illustrations are wonderful. Great for any kid with any phobia. A magical book.

The CD in English IS abridged. We first discovered Plop on cassette, and it ran 1 hour. This CD runs 20 minutes. It remains a delightful, short bedtime story for my 6 year old who has it memorized, but it IS abridged. I still would love to locate a truly unabridged CD that has the detail of the cassette.

I totally loved this book when i was little and still do now (I'm nearly 21!). I've lost the tape so I'm looking to get another one so I can show my boyfriend how good it is too. i would highly recommend that every child should have a copy of this book.

Originally published in 1968, "The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark" is considered a classic in England. Now reissued with a whole new illustrator, we members of the United States finally get a chance to read this rather adorable tale. Though not a cutesy story in and of itself, illustrator Paul Howard has drawn a book that has perhaps set the standard for adorable barn owl tales everywhere.

Plop (an unfortuanate name, but whatcha gonna do?) is a small barn owl. Plop is also afraid of the dark. Though his parents attempt to inform him that there is nothing to be afraid of, he remains unconvinced. Finally, they tell him to ask various people and animals for information about the dark. From a boy the owl learns that the dark is exciting, with fireworks and such. From an astrologer he learns that the dark is wondrous, allowing us to see the many constellations in the sky. And so forth. In the end, Plop is convinced and is able to safely fly in the sky with his mother and father without fear.

If you'd like to read something to your little one that doesn't contain much in the way of tension or drama, this book's your ticket. Though Plop does partake in various escapades, none of these ever become dangerous. I was particularly interested in a section where he asks a black cat about the night. Considering that a cat would undoubtedly view a baby barn owl as a yummy snack, I was a bit amazed that nothing bad happened between the two. Nothing so much as the cat licking his chops or thinking to himself, "Boy could I go for a little fowl right now". Nuthin'. Which is fine. Illustrator Paul Howard has added pictures drawn with pastel pencils. The result is that Plop is the fuzziest, cutest, cuddliest little fluffball of an owl to ever flutter across the pages of a picture book. In addition to being a useful book for children that are afraid of the dark, it is also a good story for convincing children that owls are nothing, in and of themselves, to be afraid of. Just don't pair this story with Avi's "Poppy". All in all, this is a sweet little story with fuzzy-wuzzy pictures. Cuddly and adorable all at once, it is certain to be a child's favorite as the years go by.

I am now 13 years old, and I still listen to this classic tape when I have nightmares at night. When I was little I used to listen to it every single night. I listened to it so much that I almost broke it. If you are a parent looking for a good childhood book for your child I highly recommend it, from firsthand experience of being a child. Thanks

This book provides lots of good info on what's really going on in the food supply, as well as suggestions on getting good food.
It also made me feel better knowing that there are lots of other people who care about the quality of our food.

"What is for supper?" is a short question with a long history of many answers. "Why is it for supper?" is more recently and less frequently asked. One long answer is The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, a fresh evaluation of how the other half of America eats, that is, the other half of one-percent.

Sandor Ellix Katz, author also of Wild Fermentations, examines our food choices, challenging us as would a moral philosopher, and inspiring us as might a romantic poet. But unlike poetry and philosophy, his texts are thoroughly researched and extensively footnoted. Scholarly without being stuffy, he ponders the social, political, ethical and environmental consequences of the foods we choose to eat, of the foods we choose not to eat, and of even our very acts of choosing. Food for thought about food.

Each chapter offers a wholesome essay that can be read independently of the others. Though inexpensive for a book of nearly 400 pages, its binding is especially durable. If separated physically from the whole, the leaves of each chapter stay bound together. This reviewer speaks from experience, having extracted entire chapters in this manner to distribute among friends.

Such portability is an appealing feature precisely because the topics are so diverse that few readers could possibly find the entire book relevant to their lives. Chapters such as these: Seed saving as political statement. Seeking and drinking raw cow's milk as acts of civil disobedience. The corporate takeover of natural foods, and the USDA makeover of organic foods. Whole food as healer, and processed food as killer. Medicinal herbs, including marijuana, as not just alternatives to pharmaceuticals, but their very basis. Pure and free water as birthright, now imperiled by pollution and privatization. Gardening as a means of reclaiming Eden. Vegetarianism as an act of compassion in contrast to carnivorous cruelty.

Vegetarians will be especially sensitive to and maybe even appreciative of the author's discussion of vegetarianism. Katz, a lapsed vegetarian, weighs the significance of life as a vegetarian among omnivores. The reasons for his own vegetarian apostasy are especially edifying. The chapter "Vegetarian Ethics and Humane Meat" begins almost with a confession: "I love meat. The smell of it cooking can fill me with desire.... At the same time, everything I see, hear, or read about standard commercial factory farming and slaughtering fills me with disgust." Whether filled with desire or with disgust, the author writes with humility and clarity. And charity. He continues: "I hold great respect for the ideals that people seek to put into practice through vegetarianism."

Katz acknowledges that vegetarians will brand "humane meat" a contradiction of adjective with noun, yet he nobly and duly presents the gist of vegetarian ethics and effectively distills into a few pages what we'd expect from an entire book.

This emerging moral vocabulary is one whose etymologies can be attributed to vegetarian evangelists and animal liberationists. Their shouts of protest and their cries of lamentation have been heard. Many meat eaters grown uneasy with their own complicity now seek the lesser of several evils. Michael Pollan, the eloquent author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, too deserves credit for expanding this lexicon.

Pollan, however, is less forthright about his own omnivorism than is Katz. Instead, Pollan applies his considerable intelligence merely to rationalize and bolster his considerable decadence. For Pollan, meat's taste trumps its waste. Rather than renounce meat as a superfluity, he chooses to denounce its cruelty. So thanks to Pollan and to his readers whom he has rallied to the cause, many herds of open-pasture cows and many flocks of free-range hens are now being spared the horrors of the feedlot and the factory farm. But that is small comfort to the cows and the hens still prodded on their death march to the slaughterhouse.

Pollan hunted a feral pig to write about it. Katz slaughtered a farm-raised pig to eat it. For Katz, writing is an afterthought to eating, as when he describes in necessary detail the physical difficulties of slaughtering a pig or a chicken. And Katz's book, in contrast to Pollan's, is one of few about food in which narrative use of the first person is welcomed and warranted. This is because Katz's life experiences and his resulting perspectives both are so very unique.

For instance, Katz expresses disillusionment with the pharmaceutical industry, yet he admits to his dependence upon their pills and potions for treatment of his AIDS. He even chronicles the long struggle of his unsuccessful attempt to survive and function without those pills and potions. Such candor about being poz is rare, and a testament to the author's integrity. Let's hope that Katz copes well with AIDS, and that he lives a long and healthy life, long enough to complete his third book, and fourth and fifth and sixth.

- Mark Mathew Braunstein [[ the reviewer is the author of Sprout Garden and of Radical Vegetarianism ]]

I loved reading this book and feeling like a radical because of my food choices! Sandor Ellix Katz writes well and has great stories relating to food. This is a great book for those interested in healthy fermented foods and local, seasonal eating.

in a time when spinach could be deadly, and cloned animals might be ground into that next Big Sandwich,
there is an underground revolution happening, and it's happening all over the world. folks are making possibly-unnoticed-but-radical choices about food. they choose not to let corporations and government dictate what and how they must eat, because when food choices are taken out of the hands of the people, the people lose.
in this textbook for the revolution, Sandor Ellix Katz examines the intricately interwoven web that is our food supply. from water and land rights to bake sales, "free trade," and free food, he shows the damage done when big government (big brother) and big business make our food choices for us. the book uncovers a whole lot of the story that they would prefer we not know, and shows how tied together it all is ~ history, ecology, economy, ethics, civil rights, big vs. small, corporate vs. community, seed laws and plant prohibitions, down to even the most basic right of putting in your mouth something you feel like eating, and maybe sharing it with a friend. the picture seems mighty bleak. but that's where the revolution comes in; people everywhere continue to join around the table ~ the very basis of culture itself ~ not to let the powers-that-be separate them from their food supply. for survival, for nutrition, for connection, for charity, for protest ~ for pleasure (!), folks are keeping food traditions alive, or exploring them for the first time. they're holding onto age-old agricultural practices (like seed saving), and creating new solutions to food waste (like dumpster diving and road-kill salvage!). but Katz doesn't stop there; each section (as well as including extensive resources for further study and connection) extends a personable and encouraging, do-it-yourself helping hand to guide the reader to take steps to becoming a revolutionary herself. because choosing to be aware about food at all has become an act of rebellion.
The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved is concentrated, intelligent research as well as compelling, passionate storytelling. it is manifesto, cultural catalyst and cookbook, promising a place for each of us at the revolutionary table.
a fan of Katz as soon as i opened Wild Fermentation, i highly recommend this book. if you are interested in food politics at all, or even just love to eat good food, this is a must-read textbook and reference tool for our time.

Katz has a charming style of writing - frank, yet humble and highly readable. His book "The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved" is a well-documented compilation of the issues we face with regard to our food, and an account of those individuals and groups who are making positive steps toward curbing an erosion of culture and nutrition. If you only read one book about food and activism, this should be the one - I wish I could afford to give a copy to everyone I know.

Along with "Wild Fermentation" Katz's books are both inspiring non-manifestos, and practical guides to revolutionary living. Katz has quickly become one of my favorite authors and persons.

My grandmother loved River Rising and said it was the "best book".

I am not Cherokee, or even Native American, but I have always felt an affinity with the Cherokee especially. The characters in your book came alive for me and I went on the Trail of Tears just as they did. I felt their sorrow and grief, their joys and triumphs, and felt as if I knew each one. A superbly written book!

I finished reading River Rising just the other day & must let you know how much I enjoyed it. I thank Mr. Stewart for writing this wonderful fiction. Although aware of the tragedy of the "Trail of Tears" I had very little knowledge, if any, of behind the scenes maneuverings, conspiracies, etc., prior to the roundup, during the forced trip and finally the settling in new territory. Fiction can show a human side to suffering where non-fiction only gives facts. I resented each interruption during my reading...as I neared the end I wanted to slow down knowing once I read the last page that was the end of this take as written here...From the heart, all I can say is "Wa-do".

I have to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed reading "River Rising". Your thorough research was very evident throughout the book. I am proud to own a copy. It is very good reading.

All of the above and more. I found it to be educational and moving. Don't let the number of pages scare you. Large easy to read print. If you like historical fiction, romance, humor, adventure, surprises and just a plain good story this is a must read book. For me, an eye opening account of the truth of the white man's encroachment into a culture, a people and a land. We can't change the past but we can be changed by it. Read and learn.

After reading some of the other reviews, I found that I did not agree with some of the opinions told. Now, I'm not going to be talking about how much I hated the book. Rumored To Exist was a very interesting read. However, I didn't see this book as surreal or as a book show weighing the inner workings of a psycho mind. This book seemed to be more absurd than surreal. It was a very dark absurdity, but not what I would say to be showing insanity. But, it was definitely experimental. The first 20 or so pages really made me think of Ulysses by James Joyce. However, the rest of the book (after the first 20 or so pages) lost its similarity to James Joyce. Per out the rest of the boat I spot it a lot of influences by John Barth. Now, I'm not sure if the writer intentionally or knowingly wrote that a fiction in the style of John Barth, but it's it was still done very well. One really good thing that the writer did was make the narrator very involved in the plot. In most upsurge of novels, from what I have seen, the riders tend to make the main character more of an observer than anything else. This writer didn't take that easy route. And finally, about the annotations and footnotes. The footnotes to route the bug added to the absurdity of it all kept any potential monotony from happening. At times it seemed that the writer was trying too hard with the footnotes. Sometimes the footnotes to away from the store in. Personally, I failed that the footnotes should have been pressed more so as to outdo the great story. But, the footnotes fell short in that respect. All and all, the book was very good.

When I purchased this book, I was wholly unprepared. This book takes your conception of reality, twists it, bends it, and takes you for a very strange and very interesting ride. It's a fast and furious black comedy unsuitable for those with no appreciation for the absurd.

This book is a complex and recursively spiraling journey through the mind of the author, refracted through the shattered lens of postmodern society.
Plus it comes in handy bite-sized chunks!
The best of Konrath's books, "Rumored to Exist" is easy to pick up and read thanks to the engaging over-the-top depravity and general sensory overload of the sci-fi tinged text. And despite the fact that the "chapters," if you will, can often be less than a page long, this is a difficult book to set down, since anything can, and often does, happen, including the strangest things that you're likely to ever read.

An alcoholic hit bottom and remembering the past August 27, 2003
This book is a new concept compared to Konrath's usual "fiction," in that it's a short series of seemingly related bookettes, almost like a long stream of consciousness that you can buy for cheap and read in one pass. I read this during the New York blackout, but I was in Chicago, and it hit the spot because it immersed me in another world, of a Navy dropout at the end of his rope, drinking mouthwash for alcohol and trying to think back as to what went wrong. It's like a good short story, but long enough that you feel like you got your money worth. You'll get more detail and depth about female sheep anatomy than you would in vet school. I also like how he tied it into his book Summer Rain, but also described another side of the demented Konrath world. This is great stuff and well worth the price. PS Jon, congrads on your recent win before the MA supreme court!

This is certainly the most bizarre book that I have read since _Catch-22_. Back then I was somewhere in Germany sitting in the driver's hatch of a main battle tank, hypnotized by the enchanting text. Now I'm sitting in the Republic of Djibouti somewhat dazed as if reading _Rumored_to_Exist_ had caused an ethereal brick to be slammed into the back of my psyche.

The twisted adventures of John Conner take unimaginable paths. Most readers would find it difficult to separate this fantasy reality from the hallucinogen-induced ramblings of an autistic author. I took all the facts presented at face value and was cursed with the feeling of anti-euphoria that aroused in me a personal feeling of complete freedom as the bottom dropped out of every roller coaster ride in this novel.

I was genuinely pleased that each of the 272 pages in this beast contained a new idea, a fresh scent, an alien aura. I could identify with John and found myself intimately acquainted with each of his friends in his convoluted life.

Before I picked it up, nothing like this book had ever entered my hands.

My life is better for reading it, but life for my colleagues has just taken a drastic turn for the worse.

This book is really exciting to read. I have been trying to find a book on Soviet weapons for a while and came across this book. I must say I was amazed of the amount of content and detail included in this book. The book lists different strategic missiles from the very first ICBM to the latest model that was produced in the Soviet Union. The authors even lists different missile bases and production sites i.e. (closed cities) and warhead depositories, and the nuclear fuel cycle . Even though the Cold War is over I'm wondering if some of the material should still be classified.

This book goes through the early history of the production of missiles, naval fleets, information of strategic aviation sites and production facilites and locations. This book has a section on nuclear tests which lists nuclear explosions. It also describes the decision making process of the strategic nuclear forces in the event of a nuclear war. The chapter that was interesting was the "Strategic Defense" chapter which includes missile and space defense forces, antisatellite and space surveillance the Soviet version of the United States SDI program was interesting. Toward the end of this book includes the present state of Russian strategic forces.

I would recommend this book to anyone that's interested in soviet military thinking and the history of Soviet/Russian weapons systems. A great reference.

Pavel Podvig's Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces was initially available only in Russian, however when it was finally updated and released in English we received the absolute most authoritative and detailed report on the subject available in the civilian sector.

Podvig's effort is to be highly commended, as he has compiled an impressive amount of research, much of it relating to the technical side, though good write-ups and historical overviews are included. From R&D to production and finally deployment, every Soviet/Russian ICBM, SLBM and Strategic Bomber system is discussed in extensive technical detail, including such well researched and hard to find details such as Circular Error Probability of all Russian strategic systems.

The book is a heavy volume containing nearly 700 pages, none of it filler, so you can imagine the sheer amount of information in this volume for anyone interested in attaining a deeper understanding of the subject. Given the price, it really is a no-brainer. Furthermore Pavel Podvig maintains a frequently updated and detailed web site which continually adds newer information, essentially making this a "living research" project on the subject. You can locate his site here:

Seems Amazon edits out any links in reviews, so to try again Podvig's site can be found at russianforces.org

Once again, for the incredibly low price this book is offered at, you have nothing to lose, and a wealth of knowledge to gain.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Mr. Podvig, aside from being someone who has been won over by his dedication and research to the subject at hand.

This book is interesting in some ways but heavily focused on facilities and process rather than the history of development of some of the critical technologies. A good reference but a bit disappointing.

For most readers interested in Soviet missile development I would recommend Zaloga's The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces. Covers some of the early debates on missile development and strategy, with special emphasis on competition between the design bureaus.

Note that both of these books only focuses on Strategic missiles, as their titles certainly acknowledge, so there is little detail on short and intermediate range missiles except for the earliest missiles such as the SS-3 and SS-4. If you are looking for Scud information you won't find it here unless you are looking for the submarine launched version.

Mr. Podvig's book, "Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces," is an excellent unclassified look into the world of Russian/Soviet nuclear weapons. The book covers weapon systems, facilities and nuclear tests since the dawn of their nuclear age. The diagrams and tables are clear and concise.

This book was very helpful in allowing an individual to quickly memorize (or 'compare and contrast') different missile ranges and warhead yields. Very useful if briefing American missile combat crews on potential nuclear threats, or if writing 'peace-nik' papers on the evils of nuclear weapons. Honestly, I don't care what your bent is - if you want to know about nukes, this book needs to be added to your library.

Nuclear forces, like other branches of the military, are divided into two categories: Tactical and strategic. Strategic division of the nuclear forces covers the armaments that have a wider scope of effect. These are the forces that have kept the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) balance between the superpowers so far. Strategic nuclear forces have air, land and submarine launch capability of nuclear warheads targeted for intercontinental targets.
This book covers every aspect of the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces from the very beginnings up to post-Soviet restructuring. It covers detailed development phases of strategic bombers, land-based launch platforms and the submarine leg of the nuclear triad. There are detailed data on the organization of the nuclear command, early warning systems and launch protocols. There are also detailed data on the Soviet/Russian nuclear complex and their products. At the end of the book, there is a long list of the nuclear tests undertaken by Russia.
All in all, this book should be read and kept as a reference by all those who want to have a well-balanced look at the Russian Nuclear Strategic Command's capabilities and importance. Readers of this book will appreciate why the latest efforts by the United States for a missile defense system will be highly counter-productive.

im glad i got this book i have a better understanding of the cards.
it is worth the money you put out for this book.
you will enjoy reading it and learning from it.

This is a great add-on to the Sacred Cards. This workbook helps you also in understand the meaning of each card and how to take this knowledge and put into practice. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Native American Practices.

Jamie Sams is an excellent teacher for people of all ages and all colors. This book takes your soul on a hand-held journey through the many aspects we all encounter in life that challenge our growth. Full of the wisdom of the ages, Sacred Path opens awareness of archetypes that only the author's deep understanding of human nature can help us discover in ourselves. A beautiful journey of self exploration in a wounded world.

This book allows the seeker to move forward in exploring the Shamanic Traditions more completely.

What a wonderful way to start a day: Picking a Scared Path card and then reading that specific chapter in this fine book! Clear, easy to read, it is an excellent tool for walking the Native American spiritual path, or any spiritual path for that matter. It may be out of print, but get a copy -- no matter what condition. A rare and wonderful book.

Ms. Boas has put together an exceptional book on the Society of Six Painters. It is generously illustrated with carefully chosen examples, most in full color. Close ups, with full bleeds, lead each chapter and will take your breath away. In addition, the book contains many black and white images of the artists working and hanging out.

I'd say roughly half of the book is on Selden Gile and why not? He was likely the most prolific and arguably the best of the group. Ms. Boas describes how the group got together and how they were influenced by European artists, a few California painters as well as Bellows and others. One gets some idea of the personality (even drinking habits!) of each of "the six" as well as their camaraderie, working methods, palettes and materials. On page 97, there is a reprint of the group's manifesto (primarily Clapp's handiwork). It may be the best description of "what makes a painting good" that I have ever come across. In addition, the book is littered with quotes and excerpts from letters. One thing I particularly enjoyed were the many quotes by Diebenkorn and Thiebaud describing the Society's work. I highly recommend this book.

Hazou Gallery, Elie (art dealer) San Diego, CA
This has been a great reference book for me. I own three artists in this remarkable group, The Society of Six. In addition to all the information in this valuable book, the price was great.

I give this book 10 stars! Nancy Boas did a superb job cataloguing the history of this unique & historical California art movement. As one of America's foremost buyers of the Society of Six paintings, I can say this is a "must buy" book. www.LawrenceBeebe.com

While many books and much attention has been given to the Impressionists, little mention has been offered to the Society
of Six - California Colorists. The beautiful illustrations and enlightening text provide a case history for the needed aware-
ness of these talented and innovative artists. Nancy Boas has
obviously done a tremendous amount of research resulting in a
spectacular and much needed work on our California art history.
A perusal of this title will be richly rewarded.

Nancy Boas has done the American art scene a great service by producing a beautifully illustrated and printed book about six rugged individualists who did much to build a California school of painting in the early 20th Century. While they are often referred to as impressionists, their paintings are generally far more adventuresome, ambitious and challenging to the viewer than the relatively tame and accessible impressionist school. Whether they had any direct influence from the Fauvists or the Blaureider colorists, they have more in common with those post-impressionist Europeans. Ultimately, it doesn't matter much how they arrived at their approach to color and painting, it was the California landscape and climate that determined their subjects and color they used to interpret them.
Boas' handsome book does particular justice to the work of Selden Gile, who was the most aggressive and and insistent in his use of primary colors.
This is a terrific and important addition to any artbook collection.

Mr. Virtue's book is well-researched and well-documented look at the early days of the Mexican League. There is a lot of historical data that I've never seen before, as well as interviews or quotes from players who played in the league, especially during its classic 1937-1946 period.

I thoroughly enjoyed John Virtue's recent book, "South of the Color Barrier". The insights into how Jorge Pasquel, and his role in the Mexican League, played a vital role in the integration of baseball was eye-opening and insightful.

Virtue has written a great baseball book, that has been thoroughly researched, and offers a fresh perspective on Negro League players and the obstacles that they faced. In addition, it captures the personality of a charasmatic man (Pasquel) who died much too young and has been otherwise ignored by baseball historians.

Bravo! Mr. Virtue.

Sam Zygner
Co-Chair, South Florida Chapter (SABR)

"South of the Color Barrier" is a wonderful book that shows the great influence of Jorge Pasquel in achieving racial integration in the United States, starting with Baseball. It is a book full of very interesting facts uncovered through a thorough and careful research by the author.

To me, as the daughter of the last Negro Leagues player brought to Mexico by Mr. Pasquel, this book has been a journey of discovery. "South of the Color Barrier" helps us to understand the entire picture about the hard times these players had to endure in the United States versus the many opportunities they found in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. It would be great if we could have another Jorge Pasquel in Mexico to boost baseball again.

Congratulations to John Virtue for such a work well done!

For the history buffs on Baseball's past a definite addition to your library. Jorge Pasquel's story concerns the last major threat on Major League Baseball. Like the others - Players League and Federal League it was a failure also. Unlike a prior book this tome paints a broader picture and more complete story of the life of Jorge Pasquel. For most American we did not know about him and his contributions to Mexico. A very good and plausable theory how Jorge Pasquel helped breakdown the color barrier in organized Baseball. A very good and easy read. Except for two minor errors Mr. Virtue has a very good well researched book. Some very good historical pictures also included.

Virtue has woven the facts and faces of historical figures from Mexican and American baseball of the 1930s and 1940s into dynamite read. In the process, he's uncovered a character that few people know about -- Mexican multimillionaire businessman Jorge Pasquel. Described as a Mexican George Steinbrenner, Pasquel raided the US Negro Leagues to strengthen the Mexican League.

"A man's man," Pasquel is compelling to watch. His drive to create a Mexican team that could bring about a real World Series, coincidentally brought light on racial inequalities in the US. Virtue puts us in the shoes of these great African-American players, who at one time couldn't get served in a dingy Texas diner, but across the boarder were treated liked gods. Willie Wells exclaims: "Here in Mexico I am a man. I can go as far in baseball as I am capable of going. I can live where I please."

Virtue has put Wells back on the field - along with other future members of the Hall of Fame like Monte Irvin, Roy Campanella, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Ray Dandridge, Cool Papa Bell, Leon Day, Hilton Smith, Willard Brown and Cuba's Martín Dihigo -- and we get to be in the bleachers. Enjoy!