North America Books

A compelling tale about a little explored area of art: the back door dealings of the players and how it affects artists. Already thoroughly familiar with Dial's, Holley's, and Arnett's tales, this was still a real page turner. Having some professional experience with one of the players that enters the story late, I can vouch that Dietz's description of the "character" is pretty accurate. It's a tough call as to what Arnett may be trying accomplish (it's all pretty gray), but he has helped bring American vernacular art to the forefront of the contemporary art scene. This is one of the best books about art written in the last few years.

What is art?- you really answered this question! Through the many people you probobly interviewed, you probobly learned this too!!! I just absolutly LOVE THIS BOOK AND I RECOMMEND IT TO PEOPLE OF AGES 10 AND UP!!!! You must have worked really, really hard!!! Good Book and Exelent work!!!!

I absolutely loved this book! I think that you must have put a lot of effort, work, and time into this masterpiece. Love the word usage and the story overall. I hope that you write more books.
Great Work!

Highly entertaining peek into the art world -- what is art? How do you find it and create a market for it?

The artists in The Last Folk Hero are charming people whose talent is brought to light by an unlikely character from Atlanta.

Well researched, well written and fun read.

Andrew Dietz brilliantly captures the layers of race relations, exploitation, white liberalism and the dynamics of individual egos. As Lonnie Holly captured in his piece "Mystery of the White in Me" (the artist and a photo of this piece are featured in the book), Dietz's exploration of the line between artist promotion and exploitation demonstrates that nothing is as black and white as it appears.

As a reader that knew little of the history and politics of folk art, it did take me a while to get drawn into the book (I was hampered by the fact that a house guest started reading my first copy and was so drawn in to the story that I let him take it with him), but once I got to the third chapter I could not put it down.

I read The Living Great Lakes at least two or three years ago and subsequently gave my copy to a client relocating from New Jersey to Michigan. I just bought my second copy to re-read and add back to my permanent library. This book is an enormous pleasure trip from beginning to end. The author lives and breathes the Great Lakes. As someone who was born and bred along the lakeshore of West Michigan, I can tell he really "gets" the soul of the dunes and the lakes and how vital, how beautiful, and how important our Great Lakes are in our lives. A huge thumbs up!

As a displaced Michigander, I am often amazed that westerners are almost completely unfamiliar with the Great Lakes. This book would be best enjoyed by those familiar with the region. But even the less familiar will enjoy the gripping adventure found in the many anecdotes offered here. I am on my second read and can't believe how much I had forgotten from my first read. There are stories that will nearly bring you to tears (the near disaster on the day of the Edmund Fitz sinking) and some that will simply amaze. This should be required reading for all school children from this region. Those less fortunate who live elsewhere will still enjoy the enlightening read. And while it certainly encourages protection of the lakes, I didn't find it preachy. It is a very objective book and doesn't dwell too much on the environment.

If there is a better book on the great lakes I haven't found it.

An enthusiastic outdoorsman, Dennis has written a comprehensive book on the Great Lakes from the perspective of personal experience, scientific data and historical background. He describes the area in its early pristine beauty, from the Indian tribes to the first European settlers and the dawning of industrialization that almost destroyed this natural preserve of geology, flora, fauna and indigenous species. With attention to the tales of the past, Dennis writes of the gradual evolution of natural beauty into a vast resource for lumber, farm products, shipping and related industries, including the influx of a population that has grown around opportunity, all imbued with the awesome grandeur of these vast bodies of water.

On a four-week voyage through the Great Lakes, Dennis views the area from the water, as opposed to his many travels along the shorelines, the exhausting, but fulfilling days on board filled with the lore of the sea, new friendships make while sailing and the eccentric individuals met along the way. Couched in contemporary terms, the author speaks of the past with reverence, his love of history enhanced by regional details, tales of shipwrecks and the personal observations of a man with great reverence for the bounty of this immense body of water and those who live on the miles of coastline that make up the Great Lakes. History is tangible in Dennis's work, impossible to ignore as the men navigate from one lake to another, reminded daily of the pitfalls of ignoring nature and the pleasures of communing with the elements.

The comprehensive chapters cover: Lake Michigan, from land and water; the Straights of Mackinac; Lake Superior, canoeing, the early voyagers, surviving storms; Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and the wilderness; St. Claire River; Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal and the Hudson River. Each chapter addresses relevant information but is complemented by stories, for example, the "White City" constructed in Jackson Park for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, the disappearance of an entire fishing village on the shores of lake Michigan, victim of "walking dunes", Sault Ste. Marie and the rapids of the St. Mary's and The Soo Locks. His eye on an ever-changing environment, Dennis paints a fascinating portrait of nature's bounty in the Great Lakes, past and present, ever vigilant for the dangers of pollution, overuse and the avarice of industrialization: "Bracketed by mysteries, adrift, alone, despairing of our ignorance, we turn to the physical because there, at least, we can know a thing for certain." This is out legacy and the key to the future of a national treasure. Luan Gaines/ 2006.

I really enjoyed this book because it covers a wide range of topics from sailing to environmentalism to North American history to geology.

As a lifelong citizen of the Great Lakes in Rochester, NY and Chicago, IL, I was surprised at how much I didn't already know -- and that the book taught me.

Purchased the book because I'm considering a retirement along Lake Ontario and am an avid sailor. The book is centered around the relocation of a Ferro cement schooner from Michigan through the lakes to Lake Ontario, onward down the Hudson and around New England. Along the journey, are many mini stories added for each lake taken from a combination of personal adventures, history and many interesting collection of facts coveraging a wide range of subjects from geology, their early exploration, later exploitation and related environmental problems. My only mild dissapointment is there was not more on Lake Ontario. The trip ends in along the coast of Maine where I was raised. It's a delightful book.

Once you get used to the format of the Audubon Field Guides, they are very easy to use. I especially like the the thumb tab approach to locating an entry. Like all the Audubon series, this guide is compact, well-written, precise, comprehensive, informative, brilliant color plates, with a tough outer cover that stands up to rugged trail use. Highly recommended.

As with all the Audubon Field Guides, so too with this one. The color plates are the best in the "field" of all the field guides; these photos are indispensible for any one who needs to identify any of the more than 650 species of western wildflowers.

The durable leatherette cover, as well as the heavy duty (turtleback) book binding, make this a book that can easily withstand much wear and tear.

The descriptive information is good; where the text starts to show deficiencies is in the Range, Habitat, and Comments sections of each species. The information tends to be vague and merely glosses over critical facts that should be included. I can only assume that it's the usual story of the editors not having the space to include more relevant information.

The index is cross referenced to the color plates; this is a big plus when out in the field attempting to do identifications. As far as a good tool to increase one's knowledge of the natural world, this field guide is helpful and deserves a place in any naturalist's library.

The Cloud Reckoner

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

This book is excellent. It's photos of flowers and leaves are close up and clear. The introduction is filled with information on flower and leaf parts with diagrams. The information, description, and where each flower can be found is very detailed.

This book is great for those who like to know what they're looking at when they're out on a hike away from home. Since it covers the entire western U.S., it won't have every single flower you come across, but it can often help you get at least to the right family. I have a book that covers every single plant that I could come across right around where I live, but when I go more than a couple hours from home, this is a fun book to have. Great pictures, and great info on each plant in the back.

As in all the National Audubon Society Field Guides the book is great. National Audubon Society Field Guides are my favorite of all the guide books. The color photos are clear and close up for easy identification of the plant. Descriptions are in-depth for information and assistance in identification. I highly recommend this book.

read the book back in 70's. still remember vividly many charecters(all immensely lovable),especilly Flap& H-Bomb.been trying to get a copy eversince...a must-read for everyone .

Would recommend this book as a positive have to read. Next to The Cowboy and the Cossack, there hasn't been any books available for some fantastic reading and belly laughs to go along with the events that unfold (no hints to give away the story, just read no matter what your preference for reading is. Just wish I could find the movie that was made with Anthony Quinn, remember it and one fantastic piece of art, period. This book is definitly worth the price, I have two, honest, and would not part with either, as One is a first print, Untouchable.

My older sister was a librarian when this book came out. Think I was [quite young] when I first read it (what can I say, I was precocious!). I was always the type of kid who rooted for the horses and Indians before even thinking about the cowboys. This book made a *huge* impression on me.

For a white-bread Army brat, it was hard to imagine the life on the Paiute reservation, but the author's words were able to give me a very good, if not very wanted, understanding of just how rough it was - the amenities that we take for granted they didn't even have as an option, like electricity and TVs, and even more importantly, basic medical care.

Flapping Eagle's "don't tick me off" attitude and his dealings with Snowflake, Mike, and especially H-Bomb, made me love him from the get-go. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind and stick up for what he thought was right.

From the beginning where you meet the main characters, to the drunken attempts to ride a drunken H-Bomb while avoiding his big teeth, to the train that was hijacked, the equipment that goes over a cliff, the court proceedings, and the final scenes in Phoenix, the book pulls you into the story and real life takes a back seat until you turn the last page.

I am a voracious reader and this story affected me to the point that even now, 30+ years later, the book is still in the top 10 of my favorite all-time books. Read it. You won't regret it.

This is one of my favorite books of all time; the story just draws you in, and keeps you there. I know this book is out of print, but get a copy of it any way you can.

I first read this book in high school and I fell in love with it! It's been over 20 years, and I still chuckle when I think about Flap, Eleven, H-Bomb and all the other unforgettable characters and their many wild and crazy adventures. I've since married into a Native American family, and I realize that many of the problems that the author pointed out with humor back then still exist is some degree today. Crude language not withstanding, I think that this is a great book and should be a must read for anyone with a social concience.

First off, a correction: Hal Webster and Frank Beebe put this book together initially in the 60's or 70's, in an earlier edition which is still largely the same. Since, chapters have been added about Harris' Hawks (which are an exception to the rules about non-social raptors,) to update veterinary aspects, etc. Joe Rotondo's name has no place in the credits for this book.

Though aspects of the legal system do not apply in countries other than the U.S., NAF&HH remains the single most comprehensive book written on modern falconry, and perhaps the second most comprehensive ever written on the subject. I'm a professional writer, author, and have been flying raptors for well over 30 years (nearly 40, now) and I have been unable to begin to put together a book on the subject, for fear that I'll miss one of the many facets that go into each decision made about the hawk while interacting with it. The sheer sum of all the information that comes into play at one time is daunting. Yet Hal and Frank managed to present that information to us in analog order, and produce a book which has guided many thousands of falconers to success over the past 4 decades.

If you could have only one book on raptors, this would have to be that book.

This book is a must have for falconers, especially those falconry apprentices seeking knowledge to pass state exams. Not only an excellent reference book but an enjoyable wealth of falconry background. Learn about the different kinds of birds of prey of the falconry world, obtaining, training and care of these magnificent birds.

The most comprehensive book printed on Falconry in North America. Now in it's 8th edition.

This is a book chock-full of great material. Overall organization of the content needs some tweeking as it is a bit scattered. Anyone wanting to get details on hawks and falconry will find the information they need somewhere in these pages. The authors clearly have a wealth of knowledge to share; it could be shared better. This book is in serious need of a competent editor. Nearly every page contains examples of the editor's silly habit of using capital letters to emphasize words. For example, "...the haggard Prairie is VERY difficult to train." Often this anachromism is employed several times per page and makes reading difficult. It is both annoying and so unneccesary.
Grammatical and spelling errors abound as well.

This is a must-have for anyone thinking of starting falconry or becoming an apprentice falconer. It is a primary reference book for practicing falconers. Most people will need to have read this book thoroughly as well as other reference material before being able to pass their state exam. We found the California Hawking Club Apprentice Study Guide as well as information from local Fish and Game Dept (in addition to this book) to be very helpful in passing the state exam. This book is used on a regular basis for us as practicing falconers.

I have read all the books in this series and they were all wonderful. The Gears havw given us an in depth history of the early peoples of this land. I am waiting impatiently for the sequel to the last book.

I am from Alabama and when I saw the book was based on the life of the Native Americans living in Alabama and at Moundville I just had to read it.And again W. Michael and Kathleen Geardid a wonderful job with the historical novel bringing the people at Moundville back to life.I enjoyed the book so very much I could not put it down.I was so impressed with the book that I referred it to my Chickasaw friends in OK.Bless you in your endeavors in creating such great books.

I have read all the First American books and would have to say that this is one of the best. I'm a little pissed that the publisher is waiting sooo long for the other half of the book to come out. (leaves you at the climax of the story) But I'll be waiting to purchase it when it hits the shelf.

The stories of the Native Americans of pre-history, as researched and then brought to life by the Gears, is an astounding and compelling tale.

In their stories of these people, we learn that they were most likely not too much different from people of our own times -- warts and all! They lived and loved; and were prone to jealousies and prejudices; fears and phobias; not unlike "modern" humans.

The characters are well developed, and the scenarios put the reader into the stories.

An excellent addition to their "First Peoples" series, and a great read!

As with the prior "people of the" books, this story provides a rich description of the culture of the time. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is interested in native american cultures and history. I can't want for the second half of this story.

This was my first introduction to Kent Nerburn and I was fascinated by this fellow Minnesotan who calls himself a guerilla theologian. Unlike some of Nerburn's work, this is a direct narrative. Yet it touches on profound issues for those of us who grew up in the 'Fifties and came of age in the 'Sixties. The paradox is that one must leave home to find Home, and this can only be found within the depths of one's soul. Nerburn's account of his California quest makes this point in a good story well told.

A great read -- one of those one sitting books.

Nerburn lives in Minnesota but in mid-life gets a hankering to re-explore the west coast he remembers from his college years.

Some similarities to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".

Makes me want to read some of the other things he's written.

Kent Nerburn's latest book is not only a road trip but a mind trip. It was a genuine pleasure to join Kent on his trek of re-discovery, and such are his descriptive and narrative talents, that the reader feels like a traveling companion -- as if Kent were telling you the story while you rode along in his car, or hoofed a trail beside him. His insights into American culture, human nature, and spirituality are keen and rewarding. This is a well-crafted book by an author who knows readers.

I read this book twice. It is either very confused or very brilliant. On the second reading I decided it was brilliant. This is a very penetrating analysis of some very big issues about what it means to be an American. Very poetic, too. Elusive and hard to categorize. Kind of travel, kind of cultural criticism. Weird religious overtones. This is a good writer, maybe a great one.

I just heard this author read in Ashland, Oregon. I did not know of him but his intelligence intrigued me so I bought the book. I think anyone who has ever relocated or contemplated a change in life should read this book. It is not only a wonderful read but a very profound examination of home and place. I will definitely recommend it to my most discriminating friends.

I will keep it sweet nd short-YOU WILL LOVE THE BOOK. There is a requirement-You have to have a open mind and understand Wolf Moondance is real. REAL spiritual and Creative. She has gifted us with words from her family, not a natin or a fad or an movememt, from her heart and from her vision! GOOD WORK. I love Wolf Medicine also! Carry Strong Heart

I have always been looking. Spirit Medicine and the whole works of Wolf Moondance helped me home! I know my spirit and it is a great joy. You will like this book if you want to change your lif and apply good native teaching of NOW, it is not bill it is meat and truth! Oloe

I just recieved Wolf Moondance's books for my birthday. I want to say that I have NOT been disappointed by Rainbow Medicine and Spirit Medicine. After finishing both I was left with a sense of a deeper understanding for Wolf Moondance's vision. I also visited her web site. I have to say that there are differing concepts in her book and website, but I understand how this vision could be complicated and have more parts than what was in the book. Fortunately, both the book and the website make perfect sense and left me with a feeling of hope and understanding for my future. If you find things in the book that you don't understand, try going to the website and writing Wolf Moondance for clarification. This author's books are rich, and probably contain only a portion of the whole teaching. What you will find in her books is pure magical writing from a personal vision. Maybe if you are looking to "fix" your problems and haven't already addressed your issues you will miss the true meaning of the words in the book. Lots of people are angry and are looking for a way for someone or something to fix their problems. I am sorry for the last person that wrote a review on this book. The person sounds angry and confused. Wolf Moondance's books are not confusing or disappointing. They are a tool, one of many that you should use on your quest for a happy life. Don't let angry people influence you on buying the books. Take it from me, they are rewarding and consistently great.

I have read it and done the exersizes in the book and you feel worked over first and then you work on it and the doors staryt to open and the spirit changes and you grow. I know from reading all the books wolf has written that you will grow when you study Spirit Medicine. You have to know and want to know your spirit to find your spirit. No witch craft her. It is clear and clean that Wolf Moondance works from her vision, which is Native American. I know cause I am Native-Blackfoot. Thanks Wolf Like the work. Ronda Hunting Bear- Montana.

I think as we humans look we are also full of fear. We always listen to each other and not the true spirit. I have learned from my full blood granny that we have to listen to our spirit and not people. As an author Wolf Moondance shows she listens to the spirit. We as humans want some one to show us the way and give us the answers. We have to be open to your spirit and hear the voice of our vision. In the spirit Medicine book I had to work to get passed my human ways but after reading one chapter I relized I had found a true teacher. I could not get away with my old ways but was open to the spirit. YOU will love it after you get to the real spirit self, Great Book...Grand Teacher!

I have received The Wilderness War by Allan W. Eckert in good condition. While I have not had time to read it yet, I know that I shall enjoy it as much as the other books I have read by this author. He is careful and thorough in his research for each of his books, and his writing style is such that you hate to put the book down until it is finished. If you enjoy true history of the settlement of the great lakes region, Mohawk River region, and the Ohio River valley; of the struggles between the white men and native Indians for control of these lands, you will enjoy the series of books penned by Mr. Eckert.

For over 200 years the Iroquois were a force to be reckoned with. They constituted one leg of a three legged stool which balanced French and English interests on the North American Continent. This was a most profitable position for the Iroquois and they knew it: In this position they were the gate keepers between the English and French trading establishments and all other non Iroquois, native North Americans. With a home in upstate New York they waged war and demanded tribute as far North as Hudson's Bay, as far South as Georgia and the Carolinas and as far West as the Western Great Lakes and Minnesota. Because of this dominance in the economic and political interests in the eastern half of the US and Canada they provided a buffer zone between Indian and White, between French and English interests. Simply stated, they had to be dealt with.

Wilderness Empire is the story of the Iroquois during the apex of their influence and power, the French and Indian War. Struggling to maintain the status quo and their preeminent position, this Confederation of six tribes fails in its attempt to balance its competing interests, splitting along French and English lines of allegiance. Resulting in an Iroquois Civil War, the Confederation is ultimately destroyed.

This is a quite detailed, yet smooth flowing, description of the destruction of the Iroquois Confederation during the French and Indian War and it comes complete with an all star cast of characters: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, King George, Montcalm, William Johnson, Pontiac, George Crogan, George Clinton, Wolfe, Charles Langlade and Bougainville, just to name a few. Fought all across the East Central US and Canada, this war stretch from Detroit and the Michigan Peninsula to Albany, Niagara, the Mohawk Valley, New York, Montreal and Lake Champlain, the sweep of the story line, the savagery of the battles, the intrigue and betrayals will leave you stunned.

Second in his Winning of America Series, this page turner may be Eckert's best.

This is one of the weaker books in Eckert's series, but it was still a good read. I'd recommend it for any Eckert fan, or any other American-History fan. You should definately read the other books in the series!!!

The best book I have ever read on the French and Indian War. It is utterly amazing how Eckert makes characters from the past come so alive. You really get the feeling that you not only learned about events that happened in the past, but that you get to know the people who experienced them.

Wow! What a book! For anyone interested in studying the French and Indian War period, this is a must read. Although it's not a "textbook" account it's still a lot of fun. I would read this book alongside Francis Parkman's "Montcalm and Wolfe" and Anderson's "Crucible of War". Probably Mr. Eckert's best work. It's really great for younger children or anyone who has forgotten about good old-fashioned American folklore. Fantastic!

This book was fabulous! It told the story of Cassie, a pretty girl who was brought up by the Native Americans. She is brought back to her home where she finds one man longing to marry her. She feels affection for this man but yearns for another.

I read this book in an entire day....it was that good. I could not put it down. Reading the back cover you wouldn't expect such danger within the book but it's there...real and frightening. Cassie is an extraordinary character....bright and intense. She is caucasion in blood only. Her spirit is Native through and through. She comes to love both worlds and both men. The ending is exciting. I didn't want the book to end.

I read this book and passed it around the whole of girls dorms for my friends to read. Absolutely everyone loved it and i've been looking for another book by Vivian ever since. It was absolutely wonderful and was my favourite book ever!

"Cassie" was an excellent novel! The characters seemed to be so real, and I felt like I could relate to Cassie. She was strong, and she proved to her Indian rival she wasn't a sissy. This was just a GREAT book! I would recommend it to anyone!

Cassie is the best book i have ever read! I have read about three times the amount a person my age should read (13) but countless people will agree with me. I have viewed so many different types and kinds of heroism, but in this breathtakingly real book, Cassie has mastered them all! She has courage, stability, two families, and she knows what the realy world is.

Yes she does become a traitor. But woudn't you do the same thing for the people who you live with? I know i would. She has learned to love the ways of the white man but still no one could forget the freedom of riding bareback on a galloping mustang with the wind in you face and a whole lifetime to enjoy it.

And she is brave once again when she has to choose between to men for the honest sake of love. I am a definite fan of Vivian schurfranz and hope one day to get around to write her a positive, verry long letter on how she inspired me.

If you love people who fight for what them believe in and they don't give up even when the going gets rough.... well, here is a book for you.

Thank you vivian it was truly an honor.