California Books

My children love these books I didn't know if they would like them because they don't have alot of pictures. They just can't get enough

waited for a month to receive the book.

This book is fabulous.
One of the reasons I like it is because it talked about fires, earthquake and natural disaster. Another reason is because it was near our city! The last reason I liked it is because they lost their city but still had hope. I learned some exellent facts. I learned the fire burned 28,000 buildings! They had half a millon people there. The earthquake was called "The Great Shake". It was one of the biggest earthquakes ever! I would recommend this book for three reasons. The characters are fun. Jack likes the realistic and Annie likes the magic. The second reason is the excitement and learning wonderful facts.
Earthquake in the Early Morning is a excellent book.

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

I like this book because it is interesting.
It keeps you wondering whats going to happen next.
It is also very funny.
So you might want to read this book.

FADE IN...You network, network and network some more. Just keep smiling as you get S%$@!. The book really is excellent and a must read before taking the leap to LA. As part of the rules, I really shouldn't be letting you know about it. The book will not tell you how to get that luck break, but it will save you some pain along the way. I would also suggest Hollywood 101: The Film Industry for a excellent break down of the various jobs that are need to make a movie. FADE OUT

When I bought this book, I was prepared to read the words of someone who had watched Swimming With Sharks and The Player one too many times. However, this is not a book that teaches you how to be a player. This is a book that teaches you how to get noticed. You can tell that "Anonymous" knows his or her stuff about how to set yourself apart in Hollywood-- by playing by the right rules. There are insightful tips in this book that it would take three years worth of meetings to realize yourself. It is like the Hollywood version of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. Don't leave the east coast without it.

I am a writer and found this book to have helpful information in it for me. It is geared towards the film industry but is a good read with some good information if you are a writer, actor or in the entertainment industry or want to be.

This book not only specifically applies to how one should comport themselves in "the Biz", but has lessons that apply to all industries across the board. A must-read for all who choose to succeed. Buy it! You won't waste your money.

The Hollywood Rules - this book has a special aura about it. It encourages you to understand your talent and how it will most likely be perceived and handled by those in power who can enhance/create your career in movies. It brings Hollywood to your living room for some brief moments, making you believe that you can find the way to whatever you're striving for. And not only that - it shows you the way, providing that you are prepared to work hard, play by the rules, break the rules, and dream on until you make it [...]

I've been fascinated with the 200" Hale telescope on Mt Palomar since I read "The Glass Giant of Palomar" as kid. "The Perfect Machine" meets the highest standard you can apply to a non-fiction book--it reads like a novel. Not only does it correct the many errors and omissions of "The Glass Giant of Palomar," but it weaves interleaving stories in a fscinating and riveting way. There's the story of the glass blank of Pyrex and the difficulties casting it, the extraordinary vision of George Ellery Hale, and even the Surrier Truss design first used on this telescope tube. Then there is the site selection, constuction problems, and most of all a vivid portrait of the personalities involved in the construction of this giant. It is even more mind-boggling to realize that all this happened in the first few decades of the 20th century!

After reading this book I finally made my pilgrammage to Mt. Palomar to view the monster for myself. Knowing the details of the telescope's construction added even more to the sense of awe I felt standing in the visitor's gallery gazing in disbelief at this huge, huge machine, and knowing all the discoveries made with it over the years. It was an incredible experience. No photograph of the Hale telescope does it justice.

This is an extraordinary book.

Not only does Ronald Florence give a vibrant account of the design and construction of the Hale telescope, he manages to make the reader share his fascination for an admirable project and an awe-inspiring science machine. The book is better than well written, it is captivating. Having been closely involved in a major telescope project, I can only state that his account of the production of the "giant eye" rings true. Rarely has a science writer shown so much understanding of the intricate processes, technologies, and human relations underlying a large science project. Still, there are a few disturbing inaccuracies in Florence's story. On a number of occasions, the author wrongly gives credit to the Palomar telescope designers for innovations that had been experimented long before, such as the principle of the support of the primary mirror, actually due to Lassel (Malta, 1861). The account of the in-situ finishing of the primary mirror sounds completely implausible, the metrology of the time (I saw the Hartmann screen on the occasion of a privileged visit in 1995) being of too low resolution to allow any meaningful verification of local refiguring as reported by Florence. The post-1950 period would also have deserved a somewhat broader and fairer account; the Russian 6-m may not have been a success comparable to the Palomar but paved the way for modern mechanical designs, and the advent of entirely new and far-reaching concepts, such as active optics, in the hands of European designers and suppliers is completely ignored. Still, the vision and the endeavour underlying the making of the Palomar telescope emanate from every page; it is a nearly perfect book about a nearly perfect machine.

I purchased this book at the telescope gift shop on Mount Palomar back in 1996. I read it in the next few days. It is the fascinating tale of George Hale, a remarkable man who had to battle personal demons (in the form of debilitating mental breakdowns) to build the world's largest telescope--then do it again and again! I can't remember the first one offhand, but the 100-inch Hooker Telescope on Mt. Wilson was next, then the 200-inch Hale telescope on Mt. Palomar. This book talks about all the technical, financal and other difficulties that were overcome to make the giant telescope possible. It explains large earlier telescopes and how the problems encountered in their construction provided lessons for the designers and builders of the Palomar telescope. Anyone interested in the history of technology or astronomy should give this book a look.

I have no trouble pinpointing the splendid-ness of this book. All I have to do is mutate a cliche and say that "the angel is in the details." Florence's full, dramatic account of the various attempts to create the mirror for this enormous telescope -- first by General Electric and then by Corning -- is worth many times the price of admission. What you get is an exciting story of engineering hurdles met, overcome, and sometimes not overcome ... I am not an engineer, but probably should have been one. My father _was_ an engineer and, while reading this book, decided he would probably find it enthralling, and I was right.

Florence is such a careful and masterful writer, that this tale of seemingly-insurmountable obstacles and struggles should appeal to anyone. He makes molten glass come to life. Bravo. One of the better books I've read in the past 5 years - and I read a lot.

Florence's narrative brings alive the fascinating saga of the great Mt. Palomar reflector, in its time the world's largest telescope and a pioneering example of "Big Science." The instrument's gestation period, beginning in 1928 and interrupted by the second World War, was so long that three of the principal figures didn't live to see it dedicated in 1948. Included in this group was the project's founding father, George Ellery Hale, for whom the telescope is named. The author uses Hale's remarkable abilities and seemingly unending physical and mental travails as a unifying theme throughout the book.

A renowned telescope developer and respected solar astronomer, Hale had the establishment clout and scientific connections to launch such a grand project and assemble a team to carry it out. While suffering from a chronic nervous condition that often left him isolated in a darkened room, he was nevertheless able to lead the program through its most critical periods and help rescue it from a multitude of financial and organizational crises.

The immense 200-inch (nearly 17 ft) diameter of the Palomar telescope's main mirror gave it twice the theoretical resolution and four times the light grasp of its Hale-inspired predecessor, the 100-inch reflector on Mt. Wilson. Everything about the 500-ton machine was Brobdingnagian, perhaps best symbolized by the fact that an observer at the prime focus actually sat inside the telescope tube, with plenty of clearance for starlight to stream past him to the mirror some fifty-five feet below.

In the hands of Florence, what might have been a confusing welter of facts becomes a coherent and utterly engrossing suspense story. He seemingly overlooks nothing about the relevant issues of Astronomy, optics, engineering, business, politics and personalities; yet there is no sense of overkill and one always feels eager to begin the next chapter. The dozens of interacting characters are portrayed with enough subtlety, irony and humor to make them seem real and familiar. I have seldom gotten so much pure enjoyment from a book.

I wish Nora Gallagher lived next door to me. I'd like to hear more about her courageous faith. I wanted more about practicing resurrection. She left me hungry. What a great title! Gallagher writes so wonderfully about matters unspeakable, ineffable, silent and deep. She puts words to hidden yearnings. The glimpse into the clerical side of the Ep[iscopal Church was fascinating too, and her critique enlightening. It's so gratifying to read a book about God that is real, touching, and grounded.

In Practicing Resurrection, Nora Gallagher writes movingly and spiritually about the various crises facing her and the world around her. Her book has a lot to say about living in community and finding spiritual direction; unfortunately, the structure of her tale does not contain a similar direction. It is riveting in the middle, but suffers from a muddled, boring beginning and a rambling, uncertain ending. It contains a lot of good thoughts hidden in the midst of irrelevant chatter. Perhaps the problem is more than structure, for Gallagher seems to travel from uncertainty to uncertainty and, though this is a journey, in the end, doesn't change all that much. Maybe she just wanted to write another book.

In this sequel to her bestseller Things Seen and Unseen (1998), Nora Gallagher continues to explore what a life of Christian faith marked by authenticity and integrity might look like in our contemporary world. She compares her journey of faith to the swimming lessons she took as a child: "The life of faith [is] amorphous, ephemeral, a glimpse, a moment. Trusting it [is] like my early swimming lessons learning to float." In particular, her brother Kit's diagnosis of bladder cancer, a prognosis for a "zero percent" chance of recovery, the horrors of surgery and chemotherapy, and eventual death all forced her to ask life-altering questions about God's call upon her own life.

The themes of vocation and call loom large in Practicing Resurrection. Through her many involvements at Trinity Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara, Gallagher began to wonder what might God have for her. To what could she devote her passion and considerable skills? Where did her joy and gladness intersect with the world's needs, as Buechner once put it? Sensing a possible call to the priesthood, her church formed a "discernment committee" of four saints. They met once a month for three hours across the year, plying Gallagher with questions, telling their own stories about vocation, reading the Scriptures, praying, and, perhaps most important of all, "honoring listening." What voices should she listen to? Which ones should she tune out? What about her husband's deep ambivalence? Was the priesthood any more sacred than her identity as a writer that she had nurtured for over thirty years? After negotiating the labyrinth of the Episcopal bureaucracy and its application process, Gallagher was "exiled" to a very different parish with a very different priest for a year as a ministry-study student. At first she felt like she and the priest were on a "bad blind date," but across the year she gained a deep appreciation for her mentor's faithfulness.

While Gallagher was trying to discern how she might hear God's call, Trinity Episcopal grappled with how as a church they might extend a call. Their interim pastor had informed the vestry that he was gay. Should that impact whether they called him as their regular priest? How did they guard issues of confidentiality once the vestry knew but the congregation did not? How to tell the congregation? What about feelings of distrust and betrayal? Should the church wrap the different but related matter of gay marriages in with the possible call of the pastor? How might the denominational officials respond, if at all?

You'll have to read this fine memoir to learn about Gallagher's call to church and the church's call to their pastor. In the end she likens herself to a friend who was listening to an unctuous priest ask, "what do you really want for Christmas this year?" Her friend responded, "What I wanted to do was to stand up and call out, 'I would like to really believe in the resurrection.'" Her remark reminded me of the words of the eminent church historian Jaroslav Pelikan, who near the end of his life said, "If Jesus rose from the dead, nothing else matters. If Jesus did not raise from the dead, nothing else matters." In practicing resurrection we thus inaugurate a tiny bit of God's eschatological future into our lives today.

Gallagher's fans, and their numbers are considerable, will want to note the release of her first novel, Changing Light, in early 2007.

I bought this book totally on the recommendations of all the previous Amazon reviewers. Nora G. is a very gifted and insightful author. I love the way that she is master weaver with her insights and honesty.

I am at the other end of her theological spectrum and disagree with all most all of her conclusions and positions. I find it amazing that in her spiritual "Christian" journey she rarely refers to scripture. So many of her insights bring clarity to the scripture and other points they disagree.

I will not keep this book and have no people I know interested in reading the copy I just read and will send it to anyone free" no postage fees.

tim@twright.co.uk

Nora Gallagher tells a wonderful story about the everyday as well as the "big" events of life. Through a year of searching for answers and asking the needed questions, she goes beyond the usual metaphors to look at how to deal with the death of her brother, how to reconnect to her husband and most significantly, how to make an decision about which road to take next in her life. Readers - don't be put off by the religious words and subtext of this powerful book! It is not a book about going to church, but rather about the value of people, prayer, introspection, respect and bravery in all our lives. Relish its beautiful language and poetic flow. It is well worth your time to live in the world created by Ms. Gallagher!

Robert Irwin has lived his life as both a solitary creator and unrelenting seeker to the same consummate degree that only Dante Alighieri, Agnes Martin, Meister Eckhart, Lao Tsu, and a handful of others have sought. If you haven't heard of him, you should read this anyway. Remember, it even took Bach two centuries to get his proper due. Regardless, this book changed a lot for me. I am forever grateful.

Weschler's prose is Irwin's lighting. His book good as this biography junkie has ever read, and he does it in only 203 pages. As I write this, you can buy this book used for the price of a Domino's pizza - that's all i'm saying.

If you're an artist, you need this book. Even if you don't like Irwin's work (or never heard of him.) Remarkably, this biography of the most minimal of minimal artists contains no abstruse language, no mysteriously self-important pronouncements, nor even a single reference to any French esthetic theorist. Not only is this written in clean, straightforward prose; you can hardly put it down. It also raises critical, fascinating questions about the nature of art, and of the way we see. I've recommended this book to several people. It's never what they expect. They've always thanked me.

*

I am fascinated by the creative process. I am fascinated by physical manifestations born from the spark of an idea. I am fascinated by the complex psychology, rigorous philosophy and simple backbone evinced by those devotees of method. And I am blown-away by Robert Irwin.

My first contact with Robert Irwin's work came in graduate school when a few friends and I drove from Philadelphia to Manhattan to visit the Dia Center for the Arts. There on an upper floor I encountered a truly shocking, yet subduing, experience. Irwin had taken over the entire level and divided into rooms demarcated with translucent scrim. I walked slowly, from space to space, enclosed but not, silent in presence yet bursting with internal applause, and in awe. I marveled at the solidity of light that slid through the Dia's industrial steel windows, tracing its way across two layers of the thin white fabric and gently landing on the concrete floor. My eyes were tickled by the subtlety of color emanating from the vertical fluorescent lights wrapped in gels. There must have been thirty others there at the same time, meandering like ghosts whitened by one, two, three layers of scrim, yet the space was absolutely quiet. This was the first time that I truly understood the word ?perception.? It came in a space filled with exacted simplicity.

Since then I have tried to follow Irwin's work, both past and present, only to find that it is rarely photographed, as the medium cannot do the work justice. However, Lawrence Weschler's biography on the artist is a tremendous piece of writing that will give you much more appreciation for Irwin than any catalog ever could. Weschler spent years interviewing the artist, tracking down collaborators and researching the works. He exhibits an amazing understanding of Irwin's intentions and adds much needed commentary to keep the story straight while tracing the complex and highly personal evolution of the man and his art. From descriptions of Irwin's self-imposed eight month exile in Ibiza, to his two year long rigorous exercise (and again, exile) to create what amounted to twenty lines, Weschler gives us an in depth look at the zen-like disposition of the artist in his search for the perceptual (and hence, not conceptual). Irwin's diligence and rigor will stupefy even those most devoted to their process, and discussion of his material experimentation will act to spur imaginations. Robert Irwin supplies the majority of storytelling, however, and lets the reader in on often humorous tales of the art world from the point of view of a very personable and highly influential artist.

In short, I highly recommend that anyone devoted to design, be it fine art or architecture, read this book. I also recommend that you travel to San Diego to see the first major exhibition of Irwin?s work since 1993, "Robert Irwin: Primaries and Secondaries" at the MCASD through February 23rd.

Note: The installation at the Dia Center was reviewed thoroughly, with an included history of the artist?s work, in an article entitled "Robert Irwin?s Doors of Perception" by Carol Diehl in Art in America magazine, December, 1999, findarticles.com

This is simply the best book about art I have ever read. Like other reviewers, I can say that this book permanently altered the way I see the world (and art). Irwin did it and he still does it.

I picked up this book in 1984 because it was on a reading list for an Art History class I was taking at Oberlin College. I stayed up all night in the library that night. I couldn't put it down. My mind has never been the same.

I still often think of it,tell stories from it and give it as a gift. I always say "skip the first chapter-it gets much better." If I remember right, the book begins with a description of Irwin's perfectionism when cleaning the engine of his car. I figure that will bore my friends.

I tell my students about Irwin's many years attempt to make the perfect line, to his wife's chagrin and his painting the back side of his paintings because it matters to him. They like the story of the riots that occured in South America due to the disorientation of his discs-concave and convex-the viewers couldn't tell where the wall started and the disc stopped. I have given the book as a graduation present.

I thought about this book at the mechanic the other day. My engine is very, very dirty.

I will never forget,forgetting. Great book.

A well put view into the world of the serpent. It lays it out so even us laymans can understand it.

Though it is an old book (1997) it is still a really really good book, which I think is a MUST for everyone keeping snakes. Some things like the taxonomy and "rearfanged-anatimy" is outdated, but still there is a LOT of really good basic info on snakes to get in this book.

I have yet to find one book covering so many topics and give so much information in a easy-to-understand language.

It is also quite easy to read, though english is not your native language.

The book is made up of 3 parts, which again is divided in chapters.

Part one is "Lifestyle"
Some topics covered here is Classification, General biology, Feeding, Venomous snakes, Reproduction etc.

Part 2 is Diversity.
Here the different families like elapids, viperids, colubrids etc are covered.

Part 3 is Synthesis.
Here Greene write s about evolution and biogeography as well as a historic chaåter where he discuss snakes in the past, present and future.

Furthermore there are 16 "special Topics" in the book. These are a few pages coverings topics like "Deadly colubrids and famous herpetologists "The coral snake mimicry problem" etc.

I, for one, would love to see an updated version of this fantastic book, since much has happend since '97.

This was my first "serious" snakebook and i have read it several times. Sometimes i still take it down from the shelf nd read my favorite chapters.

I highly recommend this for people who wants to know a little more than cage temperatures and humidity ;)

Snakes: The Evolution Of Mystery In Nature, is one of the best books on snakes I have ever owned. It is a classic right up there with Ditmars, Klauffeld, and Conant. The illustrations are flawless, and include many rarely seen species. The text is extremely well edited, with virtually no typos or spell-check misuse of words. Factually, the book is spot on, with no misidentified species, no incorrect references, and no gaffes. All of the information presented is up to date, and based on state-of-the-art research.

The author relates his personal experiences to introduce each chapter, evoking at-the-scene imagery, and lyrically conveying his point of view. The chapters are packed with information, conveying many new and fascinating tidbits of information about well know and lesser know serpents. Additionally, the chapters have special topics, which go into detail concerning specific aspects of snakes, such as the rattlesnake's rattle, mimicry of coral snakes by harmless species, and the ability of some snakes to swallow proportionately huge food items, and how these specializations may have evolved. Both the introductory essays and the special topics are illuminated by appropriate photos.

If you like snakes, reptiles, are fascinated by nature, or simply interested in evolutionary theory, this is a book you must have.

Professor Greene does a beautiful job revealing the complexities of ophidian natural history. The text is, unlike most scientific works, engaging and a joy to read. The book is further improved by the addition of personal anecdotes that shed light on both snakes and the rewards of being a herpetologist with a particular fascination in snakes. Each chapter has a section devoted to a special topic that discusses some puzzling or interesting facet of snake evolution and natural history. Professor Greene's particular interest in venomnous snakes is evident at times but certainly not overwhelming. This is truly a text for both amateur and professional alike. A great read; it will never collect dust.

I am an amateur reptile enthusiast, with a special passion for snakes, and picked up this book hoping to use it as a sort-of reference and something to flip through when I was bored. Instead, I read it cover-to-cover. One of the most rewarding and interesting books that I have ever read, I recomend it to anyone with a passion for these beautiful creatures.

Very easy to read in layman's terms. As the mother of a four year old with PDD, I would suggest this book as a great book to start off with if your child was diagnosed with autism or pdd. It touches on a lot of areas ABA, schooling etc. without getting to technical. It also has statements and examples made by adults with autism/pdd which I found very interesting.

Targeting Autism is an excellent book for those new to Autism. Families and teachers should especially appreciate the analysis and overview of the various educational interventions, from one-on-one methods, to group programs used in many preschool and school situations. The book lists many available resources and spotlights inspiring new advances in research creating an overall atmosphere of hope and possibility for the prospects of more universally effective treatments and eventual cure of this devastating developmental disorder.

Since the symptoms and manifestations of Autistic Spectrum Disorders vary in incidence and severity, those who read this book should not be unduly encouraged or discouraged by the often times conflicting reports of success and/or failure of the various treatments and interventions discussed, but rather use the information given to further investigate the possibilities of each treatment or intervention on an individual or case by case basis.

Why it should be so hard to find a book that thoughtfully discusses the myriad of autism treatments, I don't know. As a parent of a child diagnosed last year at age three, I appreciate this book.

Thank you Shirley Cohen for writing it. Thank you Amazon, for making it so easy to find.

I WORK WITH AUTSTIC KIDS SO I READ THIS BOOK TO UPDATE MYSELF.IT WAS GREAT IIT PROVIDE GREAT EXAMPLES FORM OTHER BOOKS. AND IT GAVE EVIDANCE THAT SOME OF THE CURES MIGHT WORK FORM SOME. ALSO IT PROVIDE GOOD INFO ON ASPEGERS YNDROME MOST OF THE BOOKS JUST GIVE IT A PPAARGPAPH.

First off, she defines autism in layman's terms and with first person testimonials.

Secondly, she provides a life cycle view of autism, so that you have SOME idea of what the future might hold for your child.

Third, she describes how families cope with autism, that some become driven, others fall apart, others adopt a "Holland" approach.

Then she discusses treatments, including a solid analysis of educational approaches such as Lovaas (leans positive), mainstreaming, TEACH, DAP, etc... and non-traditional approaches, such as AIT, FC, etc...

And she talks about recovery too, the controversy that very term raises. She closes this chapter with a quote that could have come straight out of my own heart: "A parent asked, What if my child remains autistic? What will we do? The best you can - with your love, your skills, and all the resources you can marshal - to help him achieve as independent and joyful a life as possible for him."

Perhaps I love this book because so much of what she writes does articulate what I have felt as I've gone over the different options for my son's interventions.

But also, her testimonials from a wide range of sources really help to illuminate autism as well.

And finally, her book is very REASONED in tone.

The only thing missing is a chapter that summarizes her thoughts about what she thinks parents should do. I mean really, most parents are reading these books for ADVICE! Even if parents eventually do something else, its always nice to have a plan laid out that you can either agree with or react against and develop your own. You won't find an action plan here, but the information provided should help you in making one of your own.

This is a well written and well illustrated guide for someone new to visiting Joshua Tree National Park. The dozen or so routes we did in this book were all challenging and enjoyable. There are thousands of routes in the Park, but this is a swell introduction for the traditional climber. At this price I don't see why any climber visiting the park wouldn't have a copy. The photographs and maps are the best I have seen in any book.

First of all, this book is written by some really nice people. This book is void of the elitism that usally comes with a guide book to an area like this. My wife and I have been to J-tree many times but this was our first year with this book. It truely enhanced our time there. The full color pictures are great, and they took all the pictures from such logical places that if you are following a road or trail and find yourself needing direction, you look up and see exactly what is in the picture for the climb you are looking for. My wife and I found ourself laughing on one climb when we were looking off in the distance for a rock formation and spotted the tree 6' in front of us that was also about 6' in front of the camera lense in the picture! And there are climbs that real people can do! I notice in other guide books the only highly rated climbs are 5.12 and up! Get this book, you won't be dissapointed. I only wish I could meet the authers and tell them of my appreciation.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, less is more. This book is a classic example of producing a user friendly rock climbing guide to one of the premier cragging areas, by limiting the scope to climbs that most people who go to Joshua Tree actually enjoy. As the title stipulates there are no 5.12 sphincter squeesers here, just interesting traditional climbs (no bolts for the sport freaks).

Each climb is photographed in color with a graphic overlay clearly showing the route. Most of these routes are short, single pitch climbs that encompass a wide variety of problems with the emphasis on classic crack climbs. Approach info and the maximum protection requirement is noted along with a very abreviated strategy for the climb. Information on lodging and camping along with dining options are covered pretty well, though the surrounding areas offer a lot more variety than the book indicates.

If you're a beginner/intermediate climber and aspire to climb in JT, this is the guide to get.

This book is the best non comprehensive climbing guide book I have ever seen. The highlights are:

- Full color photos of the routes
- Both approach photos as well as close up route photos, making it easy to find the rock and specific route
- Full park map with relative camping and route locations listed
- Very good beta on each and every route (includes sun/shade, rack suggestions, etc), usually about a page per route not including another page for photos.

So basically if you're interested in the 5.5 to 5.9 trad routes in Joshua Tree you'll love this book, simple as that.

Wow! Great book, color detailed photos of routes, sun/shade orientation for all routes & basically all the info that one needs to have a memorable trip in Joshua Tree. Also great to have a book that has a focus on climbs under 5.10. All in all this is the most informative climbing book I have ever purchased. Would have been happy paying twice the price I paid for it.

Milford-Haven is my new favorite place, and it's filled with my new best friends!

As assistant director of the Mathews Memorial Library, I have made sure the Milford-Haven novels have been entered into our collection and they are now circulating. Patrons have enjoyed reading this series and we look forward to Mara Purl's next installment!

I read Mara Purl's What The Heart Knows at one sitting, and there appears to be no end to her talent. Her verbal imagery is very effective, and she draws her readers into the story easily. Good work!

I loved Mara Purl's "What The Heart Knows"! It was engrossing and terrific! How long do we have to wait for book two?

I have just read "What The Heart Knows" with great enjoyment. All Mara Purl's characters are vivid and each one is memorable. Although there are a lot of them, there's no confusing them. She has excellent control of each one and scatters her hints and clues which I look forward to having explained/ expanded upon as the series continues. This writer is well on her way to giving Danielle Steel a run for her money!

'Above Los Angeles', another in Robert Cameron's birds eye views of major cities is, to me, surprisingly superior to his similar volume on his hometown of San Francisco. Since I much prefer SF to LA, I expected LA to be far less photogenic, but it comes of rather well overall. This may be due to the fact that so many of the LA landscapes familiar to us from TV mentions, but unseen for most of us, leaves us facinated to finally see, for example, Venice Beach close-up or the Hollywood Bowl, or Century City.

This is still not quite as good as the similar volume for Chicago ore even less good than the volume on London, or even as good as a competitor's work on Boston, but it is good, nonetheless, if only because it confirms my notion that LA is a sprawl with no center. The 'downtown' pic looks like a non-descript snap of outer Queens and not similar to Manhatten's financial district or midtown, to which it is comparable in function. Even the shorelines look more interesting than the similar scenes from the SF book.

An excellent souvenoir!

This book is a must have for all those who love L.A. natural and urban landscapes, but can't be there all the time to enjoy that. As the city has gigantic proportions, of course that not everything can be covered in the book, but at least what I consider to be the most attractive spots in the area is there. The paper is high-quality and the photographs are crystal-clear and well produced. Worth the money.

I just love these books by Cameron, he is just the most amazing talent. This book really captures L.A. and this is a city that begs to be photographed from the air because of all the wonderful buildings hidden behind huge fences and lush landscape. This is without question one of his best books, it really is a joy to look through. I have the older edition, but have seen the newer book and it only adds a few new pictures of buildings built since the book was first published in the early 90's; such as the Getty. I was expecting more new pictures, since the publisher makes big deal about it being revised, I even thought I might buy it if it was that different, but there are like five new pictures out of about 160 original and like I said before they where not even taken by Cameron. These pictures are well done, but are not by Cameron himself, he is alas over 90 and retired. Either printing is a five star book I assure you. I highly recommend all of his books they are all wonderful in their own way, but this truly is one of his best works.

Los Angeles is a wonderful city so full of interesting things. This book has it all. All the areas are greatly photographed and look clear. LA's smog problem seems to be subsiding as the photos show clear days (most of them) and LA is only getting better. Every part of the city is showned. If you like photos from the air, you'll like this book. Also, the Library tower is shown (this is the first building to get blown up in the movie "Independence Day") in several photos. The older printings of this book didn't have them in it. I highly recommend this book.

Robert Cameron presents a place and its' character in this "above" book (as well as in the other ones). Some people fly over the Los Angeles area, gagging and shaking their heads. Mammoth highways, concrete, smog, track housing, and monster burbs. These qualities do exist. But Cameron's photos also allow you to see the different personalities and idiosyncrasies of the many communities that make up what we call Los Angeles, from the Southbay beaches to the hills. (Where LA begins and ends we're not always sure). The area of Los Angeles (like other places) is different from other major metropolitan American areas for a variety of reasons. For one, most of the topography is flat, and it's a coastal desert paved with transplants with ambition and liking for the sun. These pictures allow the City of Angels to be more intriguing and have more of its' personality exude itself, as the reader gets a closer look at it through these pictures.

Mental pictures.

Yes, there are those who state Los Angeles County is an area with few landmarks. First you've got have a good disposition to this place, and second you've got to get close. Cameron's shots provide plenty of pockets of beauty and character, and plenty of quintessential "LA" landmarks. One must close enough to observe and experience them. "Above Los Angeles" lets us. Photos that highlight the interesting and beautiful icons of this city's architecture and natural character.

Another book for LA-philes and those interested in its' history and growth is: "LA Lost & Found: An Architectural History of Los Angeles (California Architecture and Architects, No 21)." by Sam Hall Kaplan, and Julius Shulman (Photographer).