Iowa Books

This book was very dear to my heart as both my parents were of Norwegian descent and grew up close to where the author did in Western North Dakota. It's a wonderful portrait of what life was like in the rural Great Plains in the early part of the 20th century and a thought-provoking contrast to our lives today. And I never did get Mom's recipe for Glorified Rice so I was glad to find not one but several ingredient lists for this nostalgic dish!

Let's just put it this way, I read the whole book in one sitting. In fact, I couldn't put the book down. The author wrote short histories and included recipes to go along with the family history. Of course along the way, she told some mighty funny stories, especially about how one of her sisters managed to set the out house on fire. Really funny. I haven't laughed so hard while reading a book in sometime. A definite buy --- even if I haven't tried her recipes. Most recipes are common to Scandinavian cooking and Scandinavian American cooking.

This book is just spectacular. There is just a vast range of topics in this book. There are chapters on chemical immobilization, medical termnology, effects of stress, and numerous chapters on restraint procedures by Order/Family and in some cases individual species. Each restraint procedure has detailed pictures. The only problem I have with this book is the pictures are black and white, other than that fact the pictures are very clear and informative. If you work in any wildlife facility, or plan to, I highly recomend buying this book. Also would come in handy for any biologist or zoologist who plans to do in the field studies because of the indepth chapters on chemical restraint/immobilization.

An excellent information source for the novice or expert animal handler. I use this book extensively for handling of my animals, non of which are exotics. Fowler describes each technique clearly, in terms everyone can understand. This book will be a valued addition to any library whether you're a farmer, zookeeper or dog owner.

There is no doubt that this is one of the most thoroughly-researched and extensive biographies you will find on Hawthorne - a man who is surprisingly deeper than many might imagine. Miller is able to take the reader through Hawthorne's youth, through his political appointments, and into his literature. He delves into Hawthorne's relationship with his family, particularly his mother's side and gives deliciously in-depth discussions on the literature in particular. However, the book is heavily convoluted and hard to navigate, oftentimes back-tracking on itself or flashing forward; I got a little dizzy here and there. There are a few digressions that seem to lack direct relevance to the main story Miller is trying to tell. But, admittedly, if you are looking for a deep yet broad study of Hawthorne's works, this is it. Miller gives the story of the stories, from conception to publication to reaction. The discussion on "The Scarlet Letter" in particular is, appropriately, a very long one.

Thoroughly researched, engagingly written biography. This book is a must for all who love Hawthorne's stories and novels! At 527 pages it may seem a little daunting, but I couldn't put it down! Thank you Edwin Haviland Miller.

Salt Lantern by William Towner Morgan is an in-debth study of a man and his relationship with the home he was born and raised in. The story he weaves includes his personal recollections, other family members' recollections, as well as a chronological history of the structures his ancestors lived in over the centuries.

Salt Lantern is also a personal history of the various branches of Morgan's families--in England, Ireland, early America, and into the Twentieth Century. It appears he was born after the sudden death of his father, he was raised in a household of women, and he grew up not really understanding his place in the family.

Morgan seems to become the Salt Lantern, an artifact that has signifigant meaning within the family, but is not really understood. Morgan explores his own birth, life, and relationships through the structures he studies and describes.

This is a study of history, architecture, family relationships, and personal memoir. A good read.

SALT LANTERN: TRACES OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY is a salty journey with author, Bill Morgan, as he traces his life and records his family history. Beginning with his great-grandmother's salt-filled chimney lantern, Morgan captures his ancestral family history through his study of family homes, landforms, letters, and family artifacts.

Morgan travels back through time by visiting ancestral homes in England, Ireland, Scotland; then he moves to Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota searching for buildings and landscapes, letters and historical documents that help him tell his story.

Satl Lantern is also about Morgan himself. As a child gowing up in Pipestone, Minnesota, with a single mother, surrounded by older siblings and cousins, (his father died before he was born), Morgan uses the environment he grew up in to find his own sense of place and purpose within his immediate family and his ancestral family.

Morgan adds fresh memories written by his brothers and sister, as well as journals and other family documents to create a comprehensive American famiy history.

For anyone interested in family history, architecture, or just a good read, this book is a pearl. Photos throughout help to tell Morgan's story. Esspecially interesting is the story and photo of the Salt Lantern House that inspired Morgan to pursue this project. Morgan tells us he now has the family heirloom in his possession.

I attended school in Schleswig Iowa so I was cativated from the beginning of the book. I thought the book was well researched and it would be enjoyable reading for anyone with roots in the community. Every community has its culture and I felt that Mr. Grill did an excellant job of depicting the essence of life in this Iowa farm town.

Schleswig is 100 years old this year. It is a town located in Crawford County, Iowa, and anyone familiar with the town should read this book. It traces the history of the town for the past 100 years, and the history of the area for millions of years before the town came into existance.

This has been the best book i have read all year. It teaches so much about getting your pilots liscense . You also learn about how to fly. My main concern when i fly is the landing i didn't learn much about landing but this was a great book.

Kershner's Student Pilot Syllabus provides a roadmap for both the instructor and the student pilot. While it is designed, and best used, in conjunction with Kershner's beginning text, the syllabus is an excellent guide for focusing the student in all primary training contexts. The outline and presentation provides a cogent sequence for the student pilot to follow; insuring that valuable ground and flight time will be used to its optimum advantage. This is a valuable resource for the beginning student pilot.

Herb Plambeck does it again! This facinating tale of one man's date with destiny is filled with more plot twists than the Watergate scandal. From the explosive first chapter to the climactic duel with the rabid mountain goat, the book is impossible to put down.

Herb Plambeck sprang from the soil of Iowa in the early 1900's and has spent his life reporting on and improving the way of Midwestern agriculture. By dint of energy, intelligence, and devotion to his roots he became a pioneering farm broadcaster, reporter, and prime mover in programs and events that year after year continue to join farm families all over the world in improving farm practices. Although he never obtained a high-school or college degree, he was able to serve as a war correspondent in WWII and Vietnam and later in Washington as public affairs assistant to two secretaries of agriculture. There is probably not a farmer or small-town midwesterner of the twentieth century who does not recognize the name Herb Plambeck from having heard his farm reports during his years on WHO radio in Des Moines and reading his articles in Wallaces Farmer magazine. This well-illustrated and detail-filled memoir will bring to mind many more names and events most of us have long forgotten and will remind us just how important the farmer is in this world. Would that we could all lead the useful and adventure-filled life of Mr. Plambeck, and then recount it so warmly and enthusiastically.

Being an enthusiastic amateur treasure hunter myself, in years past, I diligently read each and every volume of Mr. Terry's exhaustively researched works. Although I found some the information erroneous or far from exact - for instance many locations cited as "ghost towns" are FAR from being one - there are so many intriguing stories of legends, factual evidence & stories of past recoveries that any true TH'r will be enthralled. Treasure hunting is supposedly America's fastest growing hobby: it's uniquely enjoyable for the adventure, historical aspects & healthy outdoor recreation. And when you really find something decent...Boy Howdy!! Not as easy as it sounds, though. To be a professional TH'r, one has to have patience, applying oneself with the perseverance of a detective: because that's what it takes to be successful. Exhaustive research is the key: going where people gathered long ago (old picnic grounds & abandoned schoolyards, for instance) will be beneficial for coin shooters who are after more than modern coins....for me, finding modern coins was a complete waste of time & energy. Going for the gold? Go where it is KNOWN to be & be creative: the better your equipment - i.e. a decent detector which finds gold & common sense makes this a most fascinating hobby. For some, it's a life's career. Good luck!!

Found this to be a very interesting paperback book for anyone dreaming of treasure hunting/finds. But, I wish it was updated. I'm sure there are more interesting things about Florida. Not all of Fla. treasure finds are in the sea as this book notes. Worth reading.Open anywhere and begin reading.

I thought this book would be like a invite to fairy land. but i was very disapointed. dont botherbuying this book.

This is a serious art book about the Victorian passion for fairy art. It includes information about fairy plays, musicals and most importantly the prominent painters of the day. I found the paintings very beautiful and the writing by Jeremy Maas first-rate. You won't find any pictures from the popular C.M. Barker here but you will find many from lesser known artists like John Anster Fitzgerald, Joseph Noel Paton and Richard Doyle.

This prequel to The Day the Music Died isn't quite as good as the first book, but it's still very, very good. As usual, Gorman creates a fantastic, vivid cast of characters, each with their own particular quirks that place them just left of center, and sets them all down in a compelling murder mystery. The period detail seems to capture the 50s without being heavy-handed. Let's hope there are many more Sam McCain novels to come in the future.

This is a fun book, with a novel story line, great humor and a credible small-town mess of characters. The fun is in the reading, not in detecting. The author is not absolutely surefooted about his time period of 1957, but who cares? Good reading with a gin and tonic in hand.