Virginia Books

Jefferson was a giant, and this book chronicles his extraordinary life through his letters and the letters of others, lovingly assembled and edited by his great-granddaughter. At various points, it is moving and tearful; elsewhere it is joyous and humorous. At all times, Jefferson's seemingly-unlimited talents and brilliance, as well as his qualities as a decent human being and his erudition, shine forth.

The greats of American history come alive through their correspondence and Jefferson's letters to others: Washington, Franklin, Adams, Madison, Monroe, Henry and Hamilton, to name just a few. Also, Lafayette and Bonaparte of France. We witness firsthand the American Revolution, this nation's founding, Jefferson's years in Paris, the French Revolution, and his presidency.

However, perhaps three things stand out most of all: the depth of his love for his family and the meticulous care with which he nurtured each family member; his love for Monticello and his desire to return there and be rid of the burdens of public office; and his relationship with John Adams that, once breached, is finally restored at the end of their lives.

Remarkably, both presidents died on the 4th of July, 1826. To paraphrase the words of Jefferson, two "Argonauts" sailed on, leaving this country forever changed and better because they had passed here. "I steer my bark with Hope in the head, leaving Fear astern," Jefferson wrote to Adams in 1816. From being Secretary of State and Vice President to two terms in the presidency, involving the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Jefferson never lost his love for or his belief in this great country.

He was a farmer; he was a scholar; he was a scientist; he was a diplomat; he was a leader and a politician; he was an accomplished horseman who was faithful to his belief in the need for at least two hours of exercise each day; he was a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; and he loved music, birds and his gardens in Albemarle County, Virginia. And he was an American.

This biography was written by Jefferson's grandaughter to show "the beauties and charms of his domestic character." It is primarily through using his letters, which include over the years, those to his daughters, grandchildren, his sons-in-law, Layfayette, John Adams, Madison, lady friends in France, and others. The circumstances under which these were written are described.

Interesting to me were new insights into why Jefferson continued to serve in politics when he found it repugnant, his observations about the the French Revolution and Napolean, and his great affection and fatherly advice on health, education, and character building found in the letters to his daughters, and some grandchildren. In one instance, he discusses raising chickens. He also describes the pain of losing his wife and child, and a grandchild, to Abigail Adams.

Puts a little more flesh on the events, and on a giant of the 19th century. Good book to read in spirts.

This is not a work of fiction, though Paul Dellinger has had fiction published in various magazines. Paul is a hard nosed newspaper reporter for the Roanoke Times, in Virginia, and has been a nominee for a Pulitzer Prize. He is not one who can be easily fooled and he is a keen observer of facts. This is one book on UFOs that I find both more convincing and more compelling than most in this genre'.

Paul Dellinger's years of reportorial skills allowed him to do a most excellent job detailing the UFO events in this book, events that were eventually aired on the TV Show UNSOLVED Mysteries. Paul is detailed oriented writer as is his partner Danny Gordon. I was one of the speakers at the public gathering in Rural Retreat, and they got the details of what I said with very little error. That alone is hard to do in this day and age of the soundbite. The events detailed in the book happened as outlined. The mystery of what really happened remains like all UFO events thus far-unsolved. Unknown to Danny and Paul, after the talk at the Community College, many lcally prominent citizens contacted me privately and related suspected abduction experiences to me. I did not follow up as at that time I did not give much credibility to abductions. But the book is well done and a good addition to the research library of anyone interested in the subject of UFO's.

This is a genre-busting book: it is a lecture series adapted and expanded into book form, an analysis and response to William James and that leaves James behind, a critique of theism, a positive portrayal of Schleiermacher, an introduction to the thought of von Hügel, and so much more.

There is a lot he covers, but Lash retraces his steps plenty of times to keep your head strait and the argument going.

I am still kind of stunned by it overall and amazed that it is not more well known. I suppose it is a little too extended and extensive for popular consumption, but that is just kind of sad. May be it is a little old and everyone has already read and I'm just getting on the bandwagon, but I doubt it.

Oh well, read the book, it is far better than whatever hesitations you might have to the contrary.

Buy this book!

It is not written in an overly accessible style. When I say--truthfully--that it will enrich your spiritual life, I do not mean that Lash has written a set of meditations on which it would be easy to focus in worship or prayer. I mean that the ideas he elaborates are profoundly important. Drawing on the thought of Karl Rahner, he offers a powerful critique of dualistic spiritualities--he focuses on William James in particular--that equate "experience of God" with a particular range of conscious feelings. He rejects the view that God can be isolated to a narrow district of experience, suggesting instead that Easter happens in the ordinary. The book is a marvelous trip through recent theology, full of useful insights. (Because it isn't especially reader-friendly, it might be worth spending time with the parallel essay in the author's 1986 collection, Theology on the Way to Emmaus.)

Buy this book!

I am a psychologist working with adolescent girls. I also have a 12 year old daughter, and I have been in the field of adolescent psychology for the past 20 years. This is one of the best books writen for mothers and daughters. This book breaks the false belief that mothers and daughters must have conflict. Embracing Persephone illustrates the depth and spirituality of the mother daughter relationship while interweaving sound psychological advice through many vibrant examples. Rutter is a very possitive author with hope and faith in the mother duaghter relationship. This book also reveals the strength in girls. One of the most satisfying books to read about possitive deep relationships between mothers and daughters. I have recommended it to many friends and clients.

In a time long ago and far away, the god of the Underworld, Hades, abducted Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demeter. Demeter grieved so deeply that the lush vegetation of Earth died. Hades eventually returned Persephone for six months of every year. During this time, Demeter's joy allows the plants to again grow. Traditionally, this has been the story of why we have winter and summer seasons.

Virginia Beane Rutter has another interpretation of the ancient story. She says "this myth directly invokes your relationship with your adolescent daughter as you brave her exciting but terribly risky passage to becoming a woman." Rutter is psychotherapist and Jungian analyst, with two children of her own. Embracing Persephone is her third book.

In it, she provides a wealth of advice, strategies, and wisdom for coping with the critical adolescent years. Rutter emphasizes throughout that mothers must grow along with their daughters. Mothers dealing with their daughters' issues often find themselves dealing with their own issues as well. She offers lots of encouragement, saying that "being aware of yourself and your daughter does not mean that you will handle every situation perfectly." Her focus is on establishing and keeping an ongoing relationship with daughters.

She says that "to have any influence over your daughter, you must value your relationship more than your need to control her." This can sometimes mean permitting her to do things you'd prefer she'd not do. The key is teaching daughters to accept responsibility for their choices.

Rutter discusses issues such connecting, even when conflicts seem unresolvable, body image, sexual exploration, and drugs and alcohol. Each section includes examples from real teenage girls and their mothers of how they handled some of their expectations and conflicts.

Adolescent girls face monumental challenges. Because of the way in which the world has changed, many of these challenges are different than those experienced by their parents. Embracing Persephone "will help you identify the issues that trigger conflict with your daughter [and] provide you with strategies for keeping your relationship open." It's a book that belongs in every household with a teenage girl.

Very fascinating book that kept my attention from start to finish. John Sergent Wise was born at the perfect time and the son of a future Gov. of Virgina and then Confederate General to see first hand so many amazing events of the time.

He was a VMI cadet who fought at New Market. He met and knew such men as President Jefferson Davis, Gen.Jubal Early,Gen. William Mahone, as well as Robert E. Lee and he gives a lot of detail in his relationships with these great men.

He gives his account of the sentiments and feelings of the people and places during these turbulent times during the Southern war for independence.

Great book and the best I've read since I read Edward Porter Alexanders Fighting For The Confederacy. Highly recommend!

My Great Grandfather John S. Wise died well before I was born. He lives on for me in his autobiographical book The End of an Era. His sense of humor, his foibles come through in his fantastic description and attention to details of the era.

He was son of a Confederate War General and nephew to a famous Union War General.

He chronicles his life from his birth in Brazil when his father was ambassador from the U.S., to his upbringing on the Eastern shore of Virginia (describing his father's election process), then on to living in Richmond when his father was governor. His tells of how he tried to get in on the action when John Brown stormed the armory at Harpers Ferry, (Opening scene of the book Cold Mountain when the governor is told of the invasion) through his schooling, entering V.M.I., leaving to fight in the war and to the surrender at Appomattox.

I was named after his wife Eva Douglas.

First published in 1899, this book has just as much appeal as the many editions published then.

Computers have revolutionized the workplace in many industries. However, healthcare is just beginning to grapple with the many opportunities that integrated computer systems can provide. With the quickening pace of computer innovation, many clinical healthcare workers cannot and do not have the time to sift through all the various aspects of how computers and medicine interact. Essentials of Computers for Nurses provides a strong foundation for busy professionals, researchers, and administrators in health care organizaitons. I found the book fascinating with each individual contributing author having insightful comments valuable information in their area of expertise. The overview of how medical informatics is used throughout the world was particulary helpful where we are and where we are going. The last chapter was especially welcome and has enhanced my view of how computers will impact the every day delivery of healthcare. Overall, Essentials of Computers for Nurses is an excellent book and should be a part of a professional library for not only nurses but also informatics specialists throughout the healthcare industry.

The third and latest edition of Saba and McCormick's text is almost completely unrecognisable to those familiar with the second edition, published only five years previously, and perhaps rightly so. This reflects, at least in part, the advances within nursing informatics over that time, one aspect of which is the increasing difficulty of any one or two individuals being able to cover, with the necessary degree of detail and expertise, all of the field. If any two people could cover the whole of the field, it is probably the editors of this volume, but they have adopted a sensible and pragmatic approach and brought in additional contributors to provide address many of the specialist subsets within the domain that is nursing informatics.

With over 500 pages, and 46 contributing authors, the contents page reads like a veritable who's who of nursing informatics, or at least, of US interpretations of nursing informatics. The book does, however, as befits the international involvement of the editors, draw on expertise from around the world, and includes contributions from all parts of the world, particularly in addressing the international perspectives.

The book is divided into 11 sections, and begins with an overview of the development of nurses' use of computers and of nursing informatics. It then covers informatics theory, practice, administrative, research and educational applications, as well as some of the international perspectives and emerging areas such as consumer health informatics.

I would recommend this book to all who have an interest in nursing informatics. It provides a valuable introduction to the field as a whole, and to specific applications, and good references to further reading.

This is a great book about a part of the civil war. I have met Dr. Barron. He really researched this material and has another book about the East TN area and hiking called Presence Lingers.

Dr. Earle P. Barron, Jr. is a retired Presbyterian minister who has turned to local history with Ewell's March Home: The Civil War and Early Times in and around Greenwich, Virginia (1999, vii + 131 pp., $12.00 softcover). He writes in the preface, "October 14, 1863, the day of the Battles of Auburn and Bristoe, is the primary time period. General Richard S. Ewell, who grew up two miles from Greenwich on what is now Lonesome Road, is the principal person of interest." The book can be ordered by contacting Dr. Earle P. Barron, Jr. at 1300 Lester Harris Road, Johnson City, TN 37601 or by calling 423-434-2414.

This read gave me a feeling for what it was really like in Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Lots of first hand diary entries and interesting 'real life' stories. A great little book.

"Wisdom is greater than strength" she says. Virginia A. Terry has written a compelling book filled with lessons well learned. The very first poem "Youth" captured my attention and the rest followed suit with as much or even more enthusiasm. When you buy a book that leaves you thinking about every aspect of your own life, then, it is money well spent. My favorite poems amongst many others are most definitely "NYC Mass Transit", "Hunt and Trap", "The Eagle", "The Party", "Just Because", "In awe", "Sweet Memories", "Be still and Know", "The tongue" and "Son kissed Complexion".

Her writing style is without a doubt very unique, she mixes and matches words that create a very easy to understand and at the same time seductive pattern. For example she uses phrases like "Your rich double chocolate chip smile" now, how tasty is that? Can you picture it in your mind's eyes? Sure you can! She then continues with other phrases like "The joyous sound of your laughter has been burned to my heart like music to a CD..." Ah! Don't we all know? And there are so many more.

Much more inspiring and touching is every single one of the short stories in the book. Some will upset you, others will make you cry but at the end, there's so much to be learned because each and every one of them is inspiring and leads you to remember that, there's a time for everything and that everything happens for a reason. Hindsight is 20/20 they say. All our trials and tribulations attest to this very wise saying.

Stories like "Lost in Seoul", "Saved in Beijing" are a true attestation of God being in control, that He makes all things beautiful in His time and that His time is always the best time. These wonderfully touching stories from the writer's own life experiences are no match for fiction. "Swim or Sink", "Turning Point", "Almost a Statistic", "Snow Storm" --and I can go on and on--will leave you in awe of not only Virginia's story telling skills but also the strength of the human spirit. She has accumulated wisdom over the years from going through some of the most heart-wrenching situations.

I will recommend this book to both men and women, young or old. Virginia's book is a living testimony for everyone who still has breath in them. Thank you for sharing your life,wisdom and your amazing love for God with the world.

Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (12/07)

Virginia A. Terry was born and raised in New York's Harlem. She is the mother of seven children and the grandmother of thirty two. She began her writing career helping friends and associates write important letters and documents. In 1980, she began to write poetry and the rest is history. Virginia has also received an award for excellent service for her work with disabled adults and young men and women.

"Facets, Phases and Transformation" is full of the author's life experiences, insights and observations. It is not just a collection of beautiful poems. Virginia has filled this volume with some of her most outstanding poetry and sprinkled in a collection of her very intriguing short stories.

The author begins with twenty original poems she wrote back in 1980. She has kept them filed away till now, resurrecting them for this book. "Friendship" and "Children" were just two of Virginia's original poems that were personal favorites of mine. The span of time that the author's poetry covers is as vast as the poetry itself. Revelations of her near-death experiences will sadden you while her poetry from the past will make you laugh.

With inspirational poems such as "Take Heed" and "Just Because" or stories for the faithful ("Bold in the Lord"), the author exemplifies the power of faith. With a strong religious tendency, the book contains some very valuable life lessons that we all need to think about. Not in the form of preaching but rather in stories told and lessons learned.

Virginia Terry has a book that will appeal to both young and old. No matter what age, men and women, boys and girls; there's a poem or story that you will all enjoy. The poetry is moving and inspiring, with stories that are colorful and interesting. The book is of quality print and content and well worth the money. I enjoyed "Facets, Phases and Transformation" very much and give it a well-deserved A.

This is one of the most-overlooked treasures of the vast literature on the campaign and battle of Gettysburg. It details the march of the Army of Northern Virginia (with special emphasis
on Richard Ewell's Second Corps) into southern Pennsylvania. The details of the invasion and the interactions with the people
of Pennsylvania are endlessly fascinating. The book ends with the Second Corps marching to the sound of the guns at Gettysburg on 1 July 1863, so it is not an account of the battle itself.
It is an unparalleled work setting the stage, however. Buy and
read and ENJOY THIS BOOK!

For the American Civil War buff....this is THE book which details Lee's movements with his Army of Northern Virginia from the Rappahannock area to Gettysburg. The accounts of cavalry engagements at Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, Virginia are absolute with accompanying maps being the best yet. Little has been written about Lee's movement to gather the needed "rations" Commissary General Northrop could not provide. This book details last Lee's invasion of the North - which ultimately led to Gettysburg. This book is a MUST read to enlighten the reader in Lee's Northern invasion.

'Patrick (Knowlton) did nothing to deserve the outrageous treatment he received at the hands of the OIC (Office of Independent Counsel) and its FBI agents. He did nothing to deserve being yanked into this FBI debacle, having his life turned upside down, and having to endure this fight for his reputation. Patrick's only `crime' was reporting to the authorities what he had seen at Fort Marcy Park, consistent with his understanding of his duties as a good citizen.' (From the preface of 'Failure of the Public Trust, FBI Cover-up.com')

What Knowlton saw at about 4:30 pm, July 20, 1993, were all the cars that were in Fort Marcy's parking lot at the time, and none of them matched the photographs of White House Deputy Counsel Vincent W. Foster's car that were shown to him later by FBI agents. Meanwhile, Foster was lying dead in the back of the park. That simple fact is the genesis of this remarkable legal document, now available to the public as a book.

You will not learn in these 511 pages who murdered Vincent Foster or why, nor will you find a trace of any partisan swipes at the Clintons. You WILL see revealed in painstaking detail how the cover-up was carried out by the police, the FBI, and by our other major organs of power, not the least of which have been the news media. The greatest achievement of this book is the complete reconstruction of the evening of July 20, using in a very transparent fashion every available public document. Their method may be contrasted, as the authors point out, with Kenneth Starr, three-quarters of whose references are to supporting work by associates, work that is still kept secret. Following the drawings, the cast of characters, and the time line, as you read the book you can imagine yourself at Fort Marcy Park watching people come and go. You will get to see how, as the evening progressed, dried blood around a neck wound turned into wet blood from a mouth and head wound and how all the photographs taken of the original scene disappeared. You will also learn how utterly absurd is the story of the investigating officers that they visited the morgue before two White House officials got there and miraculously found two sets of keys in Foster's pants pocket, keys that they had somehow missed when they went through his pockets in the park. Apart from the patent absurdity of the story on its face, it cannot be reconciled with the time of connected events. And you will see solid evidence for the authors' claim that this is, above all, an FBI cover-up. They show that, contrary to the assertions of some leading White House critics, the FBI was heavily involved in the sham investigation from the beginning. Furthermore, the same FBI agents were key 'investigators' for both Robert Fiske and Kenneth Starr, thus making a farce of these prosecutors' putative 'independence.'

With this prodigious work John Clarke, Patrick Knowlton, and Hugh Turley have moved to the head of the line of those exposing corruption in America's major institutions. Every concerned citizen ought to read it.

Vincent Foster was murdered. That day on July 20, 1993, two men got out of a vehicle. There were a few other men there also. What did those men want so bad that day? That man kept on insisting that he didn't have it. Have what? What was so important that those men had to kill a man? To this day, I still would like to know what they were looking for. I think about it almost daily, wondering what the reason. That man that got shot that day, did not have a chance. It was obvious, he was set-up.