Virginia Books

Though I never thought of Vermont's role in the war against the South, except related to their Heavy Artillery, the price was right and I bought it on Amazon. When I finally opened it to read, I found a really good treatment of Grant's Overland Campaign, with excerpts from Vermonter's letters about ferocious combat, horrendous casualties, hot and dusty forced marches and night marches - all that can make you feel some of what it was like to be involved. I recommend this even for Sons of Confederate Veterans like myself! There is little of the usual propaganda about who was justified, and the author's writing is very pleasing.

I did not quite know what to expect from this book considering it was published by a non-academic press and written by a political bureaucrat, but I was pleasantly surprised by its quality. Battered Stars is well written and informative, adding a new fresh perspective to an over-studied portion of the Civil War. I have read over a hundred Civil War books and I have seen many second rate efforts by non-professionals, but Battered Stars is highly recommended. My only wish is that Coffin had used professional footnotes to show exactly where his quotes were coming from, but most sources are nonetheless clear.

A powerful historical account of Vermont's role in the Civil War, The Battered Stars: One State's Civil War Ordeal During Grant's Overland Campaign by American Civil War historian and expert Howard Coffin (himself a sixth generation Vermonter with four ancestors who served with the Vermont regiments in the Overland Campaign) is founded on a wealth of primary sources and archival materials, including wartime letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts. The state of Vermont paid a toll in blood from the strife of the war, and the brutal battles are explored in detail as well as the resolve of those who stayed at home and did their best to keep the wheels turning. A welcome and much appreciated contribution to the growing field of Civil War Studies, The Battered Stars is a powerful, fascinating account highly recommended for civil war buffs, as well as anyone native to Vermont who wants to immerse themselves in the gripping saga of a watershed time of civil war.

Howard Coffin has established himself as the premier authority on Vermont and the Civil War. He has exhaustively researched Vermont's historical records including countless letters and diaries from the actual participants. He allows them to directly share their personal, heroic, sorrowful and inspiring stories and insights. It is difficult today to appreciate the pain and suffering which was brought home to every Vermont family during this Campaign. Mr. Coffin does honor to their memories and has provided a valuable research source for those interested in this period.

In the Preface, the author, Howard Coffin, states "I doubt that any northern states suffered more sever losses during a limited period of time than did Vermont during the Overland Campaign." Page 20 notes "In the great eastern battles of the last spring and early summer of 1864, no northern state, certainly on a per capita basis, would pay a higher price than little Vermont." The Vermont Brigade was unique it that it had been formed entirely of the regiments from a single state.

Coffin provides an excellent narrative of the brigade's combat experiences in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna River and Cold Harbor in the Army of the Potomac's 40 day Overland Campaign. Here, the Vermonters suffered distortional high casualties. For example, in defending the Wilderness crossroads "The killed and wounded of the Vermont Brigade numbered 1200" as they "suffered one-tenth the entire loss of Grant's army in killed and wounded in the Wilderness." Extensive use of soldier's letters and diaries greatly adds to the narratives with family correspondence giving insight into wartime life in small-town Vermont. Most interesting is Chapter Eight's account of the treatment of the wounded in hastily organized field hospitals and later treatment at Fredericksburg and in Vermont.

The narrative of fighting in the trenches at Cold Harbor is most fascinating. The author states "The Confederate victory (Cold Harbor) had been the most one-sided of the war." There were no big attacks but rather "day by day the killing went on while night by night, the works were dug deeper and became more complex." WWI Trench warfare was reminiscent of this campaign and with only a change in army names and location, Cold Harbor would describe a 1917 battle on the Western Front. The text contains a brief but interesting account of Grant's evacuation from Cold Harbor, the crossing of the James River and the initiation of the siege of Petersburg, Virginia.

Finally, the text deals with Vermont's substantial combat losses and the post war Vermont public reaction to the Civil War. The total loss of the state of Vermont in the Overland Campaign approached 3000 men. "Among the fallen were some of the bravest and best."

As prominent Civil War historian James McPherson states on the book's dust jacket, "This is Civil War history at its best."

This book is a must for anyone, including family, caregiver, or friend who knows someone with Alzheimers. The "best friends" approach is a caring, sensitive and thoughful way to work with and care for those with this disease. The authors provide practical examples of dealing with behavior problems, planning activities and most importantly how to be a "friend" to the person with Alzheimers. The authors have done a superb job of providing a creative yet common sense approach to caring for those with this disease.

I read this book as part of training to lead activities in an adult day center. It is thorough, concise and very reader friendly. This is an excellent resource for training programs and for anyone wanting to develop skills in working with persons with Alzheimer's Disease or dementia. This book is a must have.

This past semester, my seminary (Christian Theological Seminary) was honoured to host Virginia and Wayne Bell as they led a conference on Spirituality and Aging. As we approach a time in which the issues of aging will take increasing prominence, as the baby-boomers reach a collectively-older age than any generation in history has reached, the issues surrounding health care for the elderly are of primary importance, and part of that health is mental (which includes spiritual) health. The Bells have spent much time investigating and helping in the area of Alzheimer's, a disease that affects mind, body and spirit. Virginia Bell, together with a colleague, David Troxel, collaborated on two books (one of which is the the subject of this review) presenting an innovative way for care of those with Alzheimer's: `The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care'.

Virginia Bell, MSW, is currently Program Consultant with the Lexington/Bluegrass Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She is a graduate of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky, and has lectured widely at national and international conference. Her co-author, David Troxel, works with the Santa Barbara chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

`"The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care" reflects a growing optimism in the field of Alzheimer's care that much can be done to improve the lives of people with the disease and to transform caregiving from a terrible burden to care that is manageable. This book represents the development of the first comprehensive model of care, which is easy to understand and learn.'

At the start of the book, Bell and Troxel describe the various experiences of those with Alzheimer's. By looking at the depression, confusion, and detachment that those with Alzheimer's experience, the caregiver gains a greater understanding and compassion for those suffering. Perhaps the most important key insight comes from a nurse and teacher, Rebecca, who began to experience symptoms of Alzheimer's at age 59.

`I dislike social workers, nurses and friends who do not treat me as a real person.'

Despite her slowly declining cognitive abilities, she is still able to sense that people are regarding her differently, as a patient, as an object, as a 'third person' rather than a real person.

Persons with Alzheimer's experience loss, sadness, confusion, isolation and loneliness, fear, frustration, anxiety, paranoia, anger, and embarrassment. The Best Friends model takes all of these into account as a normal part of everyone's life.

The second chapter gives a basic overview of Alzheimer's, giving symptoms, diagnosis, services, caregiving issues, and research news. The Best Friends model requires no specialised medical or scientific knowledge -- an appendix is included in the book for those who wish to pursue those topics in more detail.

The following chapters develop the aspects of care along the Best Friends model. This requires first assessing the strengths and abilities of the person receiving care (and this may require a daily update). An understanding of what persons with Alzheimer's may require is included as an `Alzheimer's Disease Bill of Rights'. These are important, and often overlooked, so I shall reprint them here:

Every person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder deserves the following rights:

- To be informed of one's diagnosis
- To have appropriate, ongoing medical care
- To be productive in work and play for as long as possible
- To be treated like an adult, not like a child
- To have expressed feelings taken seriously
- To be free from psychotropic medications, if possible
- To live in a safe, structured, and predictable environment
- To enjoy meaningful activities that fill each day
- To be outdoors on a regular basis
- To have physical contact, including hugging, caressing, and hand-holding
- To be with individuals who know one's life story, including cultural and religious traditions
- To be cared for by individuals who are well trained in dementia care

A key point to being a Best Friend is that the caregiver becomes a memory aid to the person -- friends know each others' histories. Being reminded of past accomplishments, family connections, personal beliefs and traditions helps tremendously. It gets them involved in their own lives again.

Friends do many things: they share history, they do things together, they communicate, they build self-esteem, they laugh often, they work at the relationship, and they are equals. These carry over as key concepts in the Best Friends model. Bell and Troxel go into some detail about how to handle situations for the full-time caregiver, the volunteer, and for those who visit persons with Alzheimer's in care. Specific situations and general principles are presented in a clear, intelligible manner with great application potential.

An important part of the process of understanding and dealing with those with Alzheimer's is to understand oneself. Thus, there is a section on Being One's Own Best Friend. How do we react and respond? Do we give ourselves enough care? How can we care for others if we do not care for ourselves? How do we respect the needs and desires of those we care for while recognising and respecting our own needs? These are important questions, and Bell and Troxel address it by illustrating the relationship between Rebecca and Jo, her Best Friend.

`Because any of us can be touched by Alzheimer's disease, can have bad things happen to us, our friends, or our families, the ultimate message the authors wish to convey is this: We should treat everyone important to us as we would our own Best Friend.'

Seeing the Helping Hands Adult Day Care program, which is the fruit of the philosophy of this work, was a life changing event for me. The caring and love shown by the staff of Helping Hands are living testiment to the dedication of workers to improve the quality of life for clients affected by the devastation of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias. If all facilities, both assisted living and nursing homes, truly invested in this approach, life would indeed be different for the persons affected by this disease and their caregivers. A definite must for those struggling with the problems of caregiving those with Alzheimer's disease.

Simple yet profound new way of caring about people with Alzheimer's. Easy to read with practical use.

This book was much more detailed than I expected. It covers the entire Mountain State from top to bottom and east to west.It is well researched the author definatly spent time at each location. He also covers obscure locations as well as popular destinations. Anyone intending to use the campgrounds of West Virginia should have this book.. Well worth the price.

My husband and I picked this book up on a fluke. It was the best thing to happen to us on our trip. The book provided excellent suggestions and descriptions of rustic campsites. It was excellent. I would definitely recommend it if you don't have a clue as to where you're going but you know what you want.....to be away from RVs, portable radios, etc!

Back when I was a youngster growing up in Columbus, Ohio my parents would often find relief from the heat by taking my family on monthly camping trips into West Virginia. I remember the shady trees and cool springs that were a second home to me, my two sisters and young brother.

Now that I have my own family complete with three young children ages 9,7 and 4 it is most important to me that they come to appreciate and respect the outdoors- especially W.V., where I spent so much time as a youth.

Of course, I remember the old campsites that I long ago visited; but my wife and I decided to explore more of the camping scene in W.V. While in a local bookstore, I came upon this camping guide of West Virginia by Johnny Molloy. This little treasure has been a great guide in our quest to search out new sites to visit.

This book is directly responsible for trips to Tomlinson Run (in the panhandle), Kanawah State Forest (near Charleston) and Bishop Knob (in the beautiful Monongahela National Forest). My wife and I hope to eventually visit all the camp sites in Mr. Molloy's book.

When I mention to the kids that we are going on a camping trip, I can't quite help but notice the thoughts of coming adventures and fun in their eyes and smiles. It reminds me of my brother and sisters some 25 years ago. Thanks to Mr. Molloy for his great stuff.

Danny Walker Columbus, OH

Best in Tent Camping: West Virginia

I just got back from the best trip! After sweltering most of the summer I decided to head for the cool mountains of West Virginia. A roommate in college was from there and suggested I go camping in the Mountain State. I found Johnny Molloy's book and away I went. I started in the south end of the state at Bluestone State Park. The lake was refreshing and the nights were much cooler than at home. After this I headed really high and went to Spruce Knob Lake, at 4,000 feet the highest campground in the entire guidebook. Oh, the weather was spectacular! I fished the lake and went hiking in the nearby Seneca Creek Backcountry. The trip to Upper Seneca Falls was idyllic. I tell you what -- I'm gonna try to get up there when the leaves turn, because West Virginia is the unsung outdoor jewel of the East. (make up name and place, someone from the South

Louise Johnson, Richmond, VA

I was anxiously awaiting the publication of this book for my May trip to WV. I picked a campground based on this guide, and once again I was not disappointed! The site was the best one I've camped at yet--very private, beautiful, peaceful, quiet--just as described in the book. The guide rates the campgrounds based on beauty, security, spaciousness, and quiet--four very important factors to me. It also describes campground costs, facilities, area attractions, and gives directions. I like knowing what the site will be like--fire ring or fire grate, picnic table, graded tent pad, etc. All of this information contributes to a great camping experience without unpleasant surprises.

This is the second great camping trip I've had thanks to Johnny Molloy. I also bought his guide to camping in the Smoky Mountains and was rewarded with another memorable vacation there. I will continue to use these guides to plan my camping trips, and I can't wait to see what the next published guide will be!

This book was accurate, thoroughly researched, and suprisingly well written. It helps one gain an entire new perspective on early race relations in the United States. Even the most seasoned historian will likely walk away in awe after reading Hashaw's fabulous work.

Dont expect the story to be entirely about Africans however. In order to help us understand their history, Hashaw takes us through much of what was going on in Europe before and after the "twenty-odd" landed at Jamestown.

This is a wonderful rendering of the history of English piracy, the slave trade, and the religious and political events in Europe and Africa that led to the beginning of African lives in the US. It is a gripping story, told as an unfolding play. VERY enlightening about early American history.

The book was excellent!

This book is excellent for 1) putting the arrival of Africans at Jamestown in context both in European (English, Spanish and Portuguese) politics of the time, and 2) giving in great detail the political, social and economic situation of the Angolan kingdom whence these Africans originated. The activities of the Spanish ambassador to the court of King James is enjoyable diplomatic intrigue; the relation of James to Africa is convincing and should be part of literary studies of Ben Jonson's work. I was amazed to learn that many of the enslaved Africans had Christian backgrounds of several generations, and familiarity with European languages and customs, resulting from Portuguese colonization and missionary activities for more than a century prior. Hashaw does himself credit in showing the similarities and differences in the political and military activities and alliances of these African and European rulers and aristocracies. In addition, he shows in great detail the identities, activities and onward movements of these Africans and their descendents (who are normally anonymous figures in standard histories), and gives credible evidence on the origin of the Melungeon families of Appalachia, and insight into the contributions of Africans to cattle herding and to agricultural success in the Americas. A real page-turner -- a riveting and enlightening account that makes fresh some once-stale facts from your obligatory American history class.

The real story of what went on before and during seventeenth-century Jamestown (along with correlated events in England, Angola, and Spain) is found in Tim Hashaw's definitive book, THE BIRTH OF BLACK AMERICA: THE FIRST AFRICANS AND THE PURSUIT OF FREEDOM AT JAMESTOWN.

Using his extraordinary gifts as a researcher, combined with a curiosity as wide as it is deep, Hashaw probed every primary source he could find to try to understand and explain the many gaps and suspected falsehoods embedded in what has passed to date as the history of the early Virginia colony of Jamestown.

The author chose to avoid in his book any imaginary dialogue, fictional characters, or fictitious events. But despite these rigid self-imposed standards, he has produced an absorbing and exhaustive chronicle, singularized by being based on TRUTH. Of all writings meant to commemorate the four-hundreth anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Hashaw's book is likely to remain THE primary reference of all time. Small wonder he has received any number of professional honors for investigative journalism.

Preceding the MAYFLOWER by seventeen years, Jamestown was founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company of London, a private enterprise supported financially and controlled by a group of wealthy venture capitalists. Authorized by King James, this company was initially given CARTE BLANCHE to monopolize virtually all of North America. A primary motivation was to build an empire in America to serve as a bulwark against further Spanish expansion, but the shareholders also hoped to find in the Chesapeake area a river route to the South Seas, along with vast treasure, such as the CONQUISTADORS had confiscated in Mexico and Peru.

Jamestown became the first "successful" English settlement in the New World. At the same time it was also the birthplace of English-speaking America. A far less publicized event took place in late August, 1619, however, when roughly twenty, branded, shackled, and half-dead Angolans were exchanged for grain, and dumped off at Jamestown by an alleged "Dutch" man-of-war to become the first unwitting African co-founders of America.

In articles and history books these newcomers are most commonly referred to as "the twenty and odd," a quaint phrase found in an original document written by Captain John Smith, who recorded their arrival. But in most versions there is a major omission. The qualifying noun at the end of the initial phrase was a single word identifying them only by "hue." (But there had already been some precedence for racism by skin color. In 1602, and even in 1580, Queen Elizabeth I had issued a proclamation for the exportation from England of "Negars and Blackamoors.")

In the spring of 1619 the Spanish slaver, SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, set sail from Africa's west coast, crammed with a human cargo of 350 Angolan prisoners of war, captured during the heinous Portuguese campaign against the Ndongo people begun a year earlier. Bound for the slave distribution center at Vera Cruz, Mexico, when the ship reached the Gulf of Mexico it was savagely attacked and all but destroyed by two English men-of-war acting in concert - the WHITE LION and the TREASURER.

But when the smoke died down, the privateers did not find the gold and silver they anticipated. Instead, on the smoldering BAUTISTA they found an unspeakably pitiful assemblage of terrified prisoners, jam-packed into the hold like so many animals. Because of size limitations, only 60 of the most healthy-appearing men, women, and children were transferred to the two waiting ships destined for Jamestown.

The first to arrive at Jamestown was the WHITE LION, but since it was protected by a Dutch "marque," and had sailed from the Dutch port of Vlissingen, it was considered "legitimate" and had no difficulty in trading its "twenty and odd." (In those days "letters of marque" distinguished an authorized privateer from a pirate, even though the distinctions between a privately owned corsair and one commissioned by a government were often blurred. Individuals whose own countries outlawed piracy sometimes sought protective marques from other countries.)

Tim Hashaw discovered - after a 400-year-old mystery - that the "anonymous Dutch ship" (as it is still called in most historical records) was actually the WHITE LION. He also discovered that this ship was English, and owned and commanded by a Calvanist minister from Cornwall, England.

When the TREASURER arrived four days later, however, it was a different story. While poised at Point Comfort, awaiting the go-ahead to advance to Jamestown's port, Captain Elfrith received an urgent message from an informant that the TREASURER was suspected of piracy and about to be apprehended.

Earlier, Lord Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick, had obtained a protective Italian marque for the TREASURER by bribing Italy's Duke of Savoy. But the marque had since expired, and in light of the major peace treaty of 1604 between England and Spain, piracy was a treasonous act. Only a year before, in fact, King James, at the urging of the smarmy Count Gondomar (Spanish Ambassador for the English Court) had ordered the public beheading of Sir Walter Raleign for this very offense. Realizing how desperate the situation was, Elfrith took time enough only to trade six more prisoners before hightailing it to Bermuda.

To a few powerful members of the Virginia Company, Jamestown was secretly always regarded as a perfect haven for piracy. Deep waters surrounded the Island, and there was excellent visibility up and down the James River. It was also far enough inland to minimize any potential contact with enemy ships. Yet, the water immediately adjacent to land was deep enough to allow the colonists to drop anchor, or make a quick getaway if necessary. Moreover, pirate ships could easily sail in and out of the Chesapeake area without undue notice.

The piracy plot had already been tested early in 1619, when the TREASURER docked uneventfully at Jamestown with its plunder. At that time it was still under the protection of an Italian marque. But because of the later crisis at Point Comfort, involving an unauthorized pirate ship BELONGING TO THE VIRGINIA COMPANY(!)that also contained human cargo, the conspiracy to make Jamestown a piracy stronghold had unexpectedly surfaced. Later this unfolding scandal would be the major reason why King James - who passionately despised piracy - withdrew the Virgina Company's charter in 1624. His decision, however, simultaneously opened the door to the founding of additional colonies that became, during the American Revolution, the framework of a new nation.

Lord Rich was a complicated,contradictory, and controversial "gentleman," at once a swashbuckling and greedy privateer by temperament and deed, a poweful dedicated political leader of the Puritan movement, and a major investor and voice in the Virginia Company. It was he who initiated the piracy plot when he met in 1616 with co-conspirators, Samuel Argall and John Rolfe, who were also prominent members of the Company.

Rich had paved the way for the risky scheme by persuading the Virginia Company to name Argall and Rolfe Jamestown's top administrators. The plan was for these men to attend to the colony's business, while surreptitiously overseeing piracy activities (from which they would personally prosper) and making sure that they would not be caught. But by yielding to Rich's wishes and appointing two traitorous members to such powerful roles, the Virgina Company had - albeit unknowingly - also aided and abetted treason.

In the early decades of Jamestown, before some of its worst problems had been solved, and tobacco had become a profitable export, the colony was a living hell. The settlers were beset in turn by drought, fierce winters, dread diseases, starving, polluted water, attacks on Indians, Indian attacks on them, conniving, conspirarcy, in-fighting, corruption, hanging and near-hanging, insect swarms - and during "The Starving Time," even cannibalism! Throw into the mix that some members of the Virginia Company were actively promoting piracy, and a more realistic picture of America's ignominious past emerges.

What of major importance should be distilled from the incredible amount of factual information in this book?

ANGOLA

1. Ndongo was one of several sophisticated Iron Age Angola states.

2. It was a kingdom of settled farmers, craftsmen, and cattle-herders.

3. Long before the founding of Jamestown, Angola had embraced Christianity.

4. Angola had a written history transcribed by its own European-educated scholars.

5. Angola traded actively with Europe.

THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS

1. For several glorious decades they were equal members of the community, working side-by-side with their English counterparts.

2. Many were indentured servants who labored for their freedom for a set period of time, just as did the English.

3. They socialized, owned land, cattle, and other properties, used particular and useful skills, actively traded, lived in decent homes.

4. They intermarried freely with each other, with Europeans, and with local Indians.

5. They had all legal rights.

From Hashaw's book we see how, using the fallacy of race as a way to mask unmitigated greed, a determined Virginia gradually outlawed all civil liberties of these pioneer Americans, and converted them into chattel slaves.

There are lessons to be learned from this...

I can't believe I found it! This was one of my favorite books from when I was in kindergarten. I remember it well. I'm buying it for my 6-year-old daughter tonight.

"Way out west in Cactus County there was a horse named Calico. She wasn't very pretty...but she was very smart. She was the smartest fastest horse in all of Cactus County." She could run like "greased lightning", and she could smell like a bloodhound. "Her nose was so keen she could track a bee through a blizzard." She was owned by a cowboy named Hank, and "...she would go to the end of the trail for Hank. They had a language all their own and understood each other perfectly." Life was good and happy for everyone who lived in Cactus County, no locks, no fences, and no sheriff or jail. But across the Cactus River were the Badlands where the villains of this story lived. And the meanest, sneakiest, absolutely worst bad man of them all was Stewy Stinker. He was so mean, "he would hold up Santa Claus on Christmas Eve if he had a chance." So sit back and get comfortable and see what happened when Stewy Stinker and his nasty gang came to town..... First published in 1941, Calico The Wonder Horse is as fresh and entertaining today, as it was over fifty years ago. This is an old fashioned, action packed, rootin' tootin' western that has it all...cattle rustling, hold-ups, a stampede and kidnapping, a wild and thrilling stagecoach chase, and through it all, Calico comes to the rescue, outsmarts the bad guys and saves the day. Virginia Lee Burton's clever, witty text is dramatic, engaging and full of wild west colloquialisms that will have both kids and adults laughing and cheering at all the fun. Her marvelous comic strip illustrations are expressive and full of detail and beg to be pored over and explored. Put it all together and you have the makings of a timeless classic to share with friends, family and future generations. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Calico The Wonder Horse is a masterpiece and a MUST for every home library.

The illustrations of this Wild West comedy saga are just as good as the lively and creative prose. Easy to read in one sitting as a great "before bed" story. The adventure and humor will keep even those with short attention spans listening intently. The ending is perfect!

My 2 1/2 year old daughter and I love this book! Best of all, and unlike many of our other favorites, the hero (Calico) is female whose merit is based on her intellect and problem-solving skills. I really like that subliminal message. I'll admit that at first I was a little put off by the artsy "comic book" format, but it grows on you, and I appreciate it more each time I read it. This book and Mike Mulligan are must-have Burton books.

I am a big fan of Virginia Lee Burton and Calico the Wonder Horse is another example of her great illustrations and story lines. The story is action packed; you laugh, you cry, and you want the good guy to win and live happily ever after. What is interesting about this book is that the color of the pages correspond with the action of the story. It is an all around good read for you and your child.

This is the first, the original, the most seminal, and the best Chinese cookbook ever written. Period, end of story. Irene Kuo is hailed, but in fact her cookbook, in my opinion, is inferior to this one; useful, but secondary. The only missing key and central recipe is Salt Roast Chicken, the best recipe for which is to be found in the Classic Chinese Cookbook by Mai Leung.

Though we own twenty other Chinese cookbooks, we still think this is one of the best.

I have the '72 edition as well, bought new then, and turned to it again just last night. I agree with mbrown's description of the recipes by category and don't wish to be redundent. What charmed me and Chinese shopkeepers was being able to point to the Chinese characters of various ingredients in the glossary. They were then able to quickly find just what I needed. The recipes are organized, easy to follow, and consistently tasty. I love Chinese cuisine and would be lost without it.

I have the old version of this text, which was published in 72. I was browsing through cook books at the store and noticed that I had seen all the recipes before and then I realized it was the same book, only a newer cover. This has been my bible of chinese cooking. The book is very thorough and easy to understand. It has all the well known chinese recipes and a description of cooking techniques, such as the proper ways to carve and present meat. All recipes are categorized by their main ingredient (pork, chicken, beef, seafood, ect. . ) with a chapter on deserts. My only qualm with this book is it doesn't provide the chinese name for many recipes. This might be because they have been generalize for a western audience and the chinese names no longer apply, but I'd like to think that they are authentic originals from traditional dishes. If you only own one chinese cooking book, this is the one to have. Maybe that is why the title is "THE Chinese Cook Book".

This is an outstanding book. It far outstrips every other Chinese cookbook, including some very good ones by Irene Kuo, Ellen Schrecker, and others. I've been cooking out of it for 20 years. Every recipe I've tried (and I've tried most of them) turns out extraordinary food. Don't bother with the other books. Get this one, if you can find it! The publisher who let this go out of print should be strung up by his thumbs. The world deserves better! A billion stars!

Woolf use of words is just full and rich,english as english should be.

Woolf is not typically known as a writer of short stories -- "sketches" as she called them. However, the short fiction that she wrote provides a wonderful introduction to her narrative style. The early "Mark on the Wall," "Kew Gardens," and "An Unwritten Novel" give to the reader a sense of how Woolf's technique works within a smaller package than the usual assigned Woolf reading. Her feminist (apologies to VW since she considered the word dead once women were able to earn a living) leanings come through in "A Society" and "Moments of Being: 'Slater's Pins have no Points'." Woolf's early sketches are where she formed her interior monologue style, within which one thing leads to another as the work progresses. These short fiction works should be required reading for anyone delving into Woolf. Possibly those who read these sketches before they dive into the novels would understand a bit better of what Woolf's fiction is made. Excellent.

I'm not the kind of person that uses the concept/word "genius" that often, but Virginia Woolf's talent to create Orchestral Manouvers in the Mind and Heart, weaving beautiful webs of ideas, feelings, emotions, thoughts and perceptions turned her texts into something to behold in a mixture of awe and joy. Each of her short stories is like an exquisite scent for the mind to process and delight at but never be able to define. This lady's words make her texts more real than reality itself. This is TALENT at its highest. This lady was - is -, obviously, a genius.

This book is great if you have read all of her novels or have yet to pick up one. It can introduce you to Woolf's style or if you already know what a wonderful writer she is, it will continue to entertain you. These short stories also let you see how she developed some of her novels as well as her style throughout her life. She was unbelievably dedicated to her writing, and this book makes her efforts clear.

My favorite story in this collection is "The Lady in the Lookinglass." This story contains a powerful image: the yearning to completely comprehend another person. Such longing, as the narrator distinguishes, is not desire for "dinners and visits and polite conversations," nor "things she talked about at dinner," but something deeper, "her profounder state of being that one wanted to catch and turn to words."

On one hand, Isabella represents a synecdoche. If the narrator understands her deeply enough, he could "know everything there was to be known about Isabella," but also life, and perhaps all persons as well.

On the other hand, perhaps Isabella objectifies the inability of one person to scale walls of privacy and anonymity another erects to protect herself from intimacy.

Our sympathy straddles that wall, perhaps lying first with Isabella who veils herself, then with the narrator who longs to know her. We aren't shown why Isabella has become the trembling convolvulus. But no one's face should reflect "masklike indifference." The phrase is not congruous -- the need to mask is anything but indifferent. And can't we concede tragedy to anyone who, after 50-60 years, remains a person for whom another can claim, "The comparison showed how very little, after all these years, one knew about her; for it is impossible that any woman of flesh and blood of fifty-five or sixty should be really a wreath or a tendril"? This is a heartbreaking image.

This book is very portable (slim and easy to carry). While it includes day hikes in the first section, the second section is great if you are planning to hike (and camp) for more than one day. Not only does it include trail descriptions, mileage, it also offers advice on how many miles to do per day, etc. I did find one "error" during the Hazel Mountain day hike section (the mileage in the text doesn't match the mileage in the description) but that's not major. Overall, GREAT BOOK!

I thought this book was the most comprehensive of its kind. The two weeks I spent in the park were enhanced by the knowledge and experience of the author. I recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of exploring Shenandoah!!!

I like the format of this hiking book the best. A very easy to read and follow guide with just the right amount of side discussions. Maps are nicely done without too much detail and the book is narrow enough to fit in a pocket. I wish all hiking guides would use this format. The selected hikes are well thoughtout and cover all regions of the Park.

I barely have time to hike, much less shift through a thick, overdone guidebook. Molloy's guide is the perfect size. It saves me time, accurately detailing specific hikes to lesser known destinations with exact directions to the trailhead and good maps. It's all I ever need to explore Shenandoah National Park.

Molloy obviouly spent a lot of time at Shenandoah because all the hikes he picked were winners (at least all those I have gone on so far!). This book tells me just what I want to know: the hike, distance, difficulty, and hiking time. Even better, it gives me a running commentary about what I am going to see on the hike, so I don't miss anything. And it fits right in my pack! I really like the directions to get me to the trailhead. I can pack up and be on the trail in a jiffy. So if you are looking for just the right information (in our era of information overload) Molloy's book is for you.

Sid Hite expertly weaves comedy, romance, and Americana in this novel. It is a book that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. The characters are truly colorful, and Hite's command of the English language is unique. Check it out!

Dither farm is truely a work of art. The simple folk in this book are both laid-back and witty. It's no wonder with names like Flea Jenfries. Such a lavishly discripitve book has never been written. I storgly reccomend this book, I assure you it will become quite well thumbed.

Hi, my name is Meredith and I am one of hopefully many people to read Dither Farm. I found this book to have a very easy to read context and an exciting plot. I recommened it to my friend and she is going to read it very soon. Please read Dither Farm, I think its sure to please anyone!

This book is simply wonderful. It's funny and entertaining. I really loved it. Anybody and everybody would love it too. Go read it now!!

I really like this book and if you read it I am sure you will like it as well or maybe even better. I liked the adventures Matilda and Archibald had. I really liked the part where Archibald does the chicken dance. If you read this book I hope you like it.

Ed Cline's romantic epic of the American Revolution continues its grand style, dramatic plotting, and intellectual suspense in Sparrowhawk Book Four: Empire. The fourth novel in a six-book series devoted to the founding of the United States, Book Four: Empire portrays American planters Jack Frake and Hugh Kenrick as men allied in spirit and philosophy who disagree over the means to their political ends: chiefly freedom from English tyranny. Set in 1760s Virginia, Book Four begins with George the Third's Royal Proclamation of 1763 that established a vast Indian territory between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River and forbade any use of those lands to colonials. The storyline progresses through the debates over the Stamp Act in Parliament and in the Virginia House of Burgesses and the adoption of the Virginia Resolves of 1765 that sparked the fire of revolution.

Sparrowhawk is an expertly researched work of fiction. Cline recreates the period vividly down to the relevant details in pre-revolutionary history and culture. Hugh Kenrick constructs the first system of indoor plumbing in Caxton. Communications via ship are maddeningly slow, with many months required between the passage of an act in England and the arrival of legislative documents in the colonies. The Virginia House of Burgesses in Williamsburg is populated with contemporary figures: John Robinson, George Washington, Richard Bland, Edmund Pendleton, Peyton Randolph, and Patrick Henry. Hugh becomes acquainted with young Thomas Jefferson, a law student at the College of William and Mary.

The storyline in Book Four: Empire follows the deepening conflict between England and the American colonies established in Sparrowhawk Book Three: Caxton. Upon victory in the French and Indian War, King George and Parliament set out to increase Crown control and exploitation of the colonies through settlement restrictions, higher taxation, and the denial of English constitutional rights to Americans. New Crown policies reverse the Act of Settlement that encouraged the patenting of lands upon which taxes and other levies had already been paid by the colonists to England. These new policies confiscate property from its lawful owners. England already benefited greatly in its regulation of colonial trade, exchange of currency, and collection of tariffs. The newly proposed Stamp Act imposes an unjustified additional burden on the colonials by requiring the purchase of special stamps for almost all documents. To tighten the colonials' chains, Parliament rejects any suggestion that Americans be allowed Parliamentary representation as British subjects in adherence to British constitutional law.

At the center of the Sparrowhawk epic is the story of two heroic men, Jack Frake and Hugh Kenrick, who recognize that any compromise with tyranny will destroy American liberty. Self-assured and confident in their moral convictions, Jack and Hugh part ways only over the strategies necessary to rebuff English authority and preserve American freedoms.

The personal and political issues at stake are enormous and the threat of death and other destruction very real. A challenge to Crown power is no less than "an invitation to tragedy," in the words of one burgess. Both opponents and proponents of the Virginia Resolves foresee the inevitable reaction of the king and Parliament: a punitive military response to subdue the disobedient Americans and to permanently destroy any hope of American political independence.

Hugh Kenrick is a man of tremendous intellect and practical achievement who believes in the power of reason. Reason alone, he believes, can persuade the English of the morality and justice of American independence united in alliance with England. Hugh's speeches in the Virginia House of Burgesses speed the Resolves along to passage despite heavy resistance, aiding Hugh's conviction that men who know reason will act in accordance with it.

In contrast, Jack Frake is just as settled in his conviction that many men do not respond to reasoned principles but act inconsistently and often blindly according to whim, fear, or the irrational desire for advantage and power over others. Though on different roads to their destination, Jack and Hugh recognize the same spirit and soul in one another. For Jack, Hugh is "a self that would never submit to malign authority; a self that was sensitive to the machinations of others, a self trained in the brittle, lacerating society of the aristocracy to be on guard against sly encroachments; a self that was proof against corruption, sloth, and violence; a self that recognized and cherished itself, and so was proud; a self that quietly gloried in its own unobstructed and unconquered existence. A self very much like his own."

Throughout his grand epic, Ed Cline helps readers grasp the vital connection between philosophical ideas and the personal choices and events that arise from them, especially in the birth of the independent new nation and moral political system based on individual rights. American novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand stated that art can be uniquely inspirational in showing us life as it might be and ought to be. Sparrowhawk portrays principled, heroic individuals living consistently and courageously by moral absolutes, men as they really were and might be again.

Sparrowhawk, Book IV: Empire is a joy. This is a thinking person's book. One of the themes of the book is that those who focus on reality, do the hard work to develop a model of that reality, and act on the results of that thinking - even in the face of opposition - will gain glorious rewards.

None of the Sparrowhawk series are easy, mind-disengaged reads. The historical detail is so rich, the philosophy is so deep, and the characterizations are so intricate, that they demand focus. But the effort yields its own glorious reward.

Book IV in the Sparrowhawk series details the politics behind the passage of the Stamp Act in England and the heroic stance of Patrick Henry and his allies in the Virginia House of Burgesses in lighting the flame of resistance to the Stamp Act.

The book makes one realize what a close-run thing it was that the beginnings of the resistance to British rule happened at all. The forces for compromise and acquiescence to encroaching British tyranny against the American colonies were strong, and it took heroic thought melded with action to move Americans to have the courage to resist.

This book makes more clear than any of the series the link between the ideas of the philosophers of the Enlightenment - like Locke and Sydney - and the actions of the American Revolution. The exploration of the intellectual trends in 18th century Britain and Europe is another benefit of reading this book.

Like the first two books in the Sparrowhawk series, this book makes clear the personal emotional benefits of thinking and acting consistently, too. Romantic fiction gives us heroes to emulate, and the Sparrowhawk series is romantic fiction at its best.

I just hope we don't have to wait as long for Book V: Revolution and Book VI: War as we did this one. Edward Cline's web page (www.edwardcline.com) says that Book V is complete and that Book VI will probably be done in early 2005. We just hope that the publisher gets them to market as soon as possible.

This book is another 'chapter' in the Cline series on the ideas and people behind the American Revolution. The series is excellent and the characters are not only truely inspiring, but bring to light the serious lack of principled people that currently lead our nation.

Here's my highest recommendation as a person who loves great literature and as an amateur historian who has been fascinated by the American Revolution and its intellectual antecedents for more than 30 years.

If I have a complaint it's that I would like to have seen the entire series published as a single volume so I could devour it all at once.

Cline has obviously spent an enormous amount of time researching the background for these books. It shows in a thousand little touches and details that give the era life and character for the reader. Some may argue that there is too much background, that it tends to obscure the story. I do not agree. There is neither more nor less background than is necessary to provide the proper context. These are historical novels, after all.

But far more impressive than the detail is Cline's deep understanding of the revolutionary mind. Finally, here is the historical truth of the American Revolution. Religious "freedom" and self-sacrifice are relegated to their proper place as near-nonentities on the list of historical causes and personal motivations. Here is a world peopled by giants of an intellectual and moral stature seldom seen today, who do not sacrifice values but risk everything to keep them. Here men do not oppose England in order to prostrate themselves at the alter of a jealous Christian God. They fight to live as free men, opposing all forms of tyranny.

Cline has a literary style that perfectly frames this story set in the world-shaping era of the Enlightenment. He builds his stage and writes his actors large and heroic as they ought and deserve to be written. The books are full of profoundly perceptive and beautifully poetic writing. The emphasis is on intellectual drama not physical action as befits one of the great intellectual conflicts in world history.

Thank you Edward Cline. Sparrowhawk is a classic in the making.

While the Sparrowhawk series introduces fictional characters, in this book they interact with historical people amid historical events. The result is the best history lesson around - a compelling story that not only makes history come alive but allows the reader to get a unique perspective of the founding fathers. If this were used in schools, many more students would have an interest in history. This particular book is my favorite in the series so far.