Washington Books

I first heard of the Heritage Foundation while at college when I read a booklet by analyst Dan Mitchell about the flat tax. Intrigued, I started reading about Heritage. When I got my hands on this book, I immediately devoured it. It is an eminently readable history of one the greatest; if not the greatest; conservative think tanks in America.

Edwards starts at the beginning when Ed Feulner and others wanted to found a think tank to get ideas and papers out fast and timely. He follows through the troubled 70s into the triumphent 80s when Reagan became president. HE looks at the ideas Heritage put forth and how it did not hesitate to criticize Reagan if he went wrong. He follows through the Bush administration and into the 90s. This, like Feulner's book about conservative thought is a must read for all conservatives!

Lee Edwards has cranked out another gem on the history of American conservatism. I submit that one could say that he has taken up where the late Russell Kirk left off. In any case, Edwards is to be commended for bringing the history and role of The Heritage Foundation to light. And The Heritage Foundation is to be commended and praised for its significant contribution towards the propagation of conservative values and ensuring a conservative trend in public policy. I dearly hope that Edwards' concluding assessment is accurate, namely that Heritage will continue to play a substantial role in moving mainstream thought back towards the fundamental and enduring principles that are the foundation of American culture, economics, and society. And may God continue to bless Heritage with a steady flow of brilliant public policy experts willing to devote their energies towards advancing conservative values. And may God also bless Heritage with the type of brilliant leadership that it has received from Dr. Ed Feulner. And may the conservative movement continue to be blessed with historians willing to document the life and times of our heroic predecessors.

Lee Edward's "The Power of Ideas: The Heritage Foundation at 25 Years" is the definitive book to read if one wishes to understand the rise of conservative ideas in America. The Heritage Foundation helped, by embodying the principles of Lincoln, Roosevelt (Theodore), Nixon, and Reagan. Their work in shaping United States domestic and foreign policy is impressive. Lee Edward's book will inspire people in making America the place where freedom reigns and the individual and not the government holds the power. I hope the people who read this book have similar thoughts and ideas on how to make America GREAT. I also wish this book will rank next to "Democracy in America" in time.

Very well researched, very readable. I bought the book originally because I was interested in the period, and was glad I did.

This is one of the most well-researched books on the Federal period of our country that has been written. It has become the "bible" of anyone interested in this turbulent period of our nation's history. If you want to know anything about the settlement of the Northwest Territory, this is the book to read. It has a lot of historical detail in it, but it is still a very readable book. I use it for reference all of the time, living is one of the historical towns mentioned in the book

Wiley Sword has written the definitive book on one of the most important chapters of our national history; a chapter that has unaccountably remained obscure and understudied despite its overwhelming importance to the development of the United States. The Indian War of 1790 to 1795 was an important postscript to the Revolution, involving undefeated belligerents and a continuing, undeclared cold war with Britain. It was central to the eventual development of a professional, standing army in the United States, an idea that had previously been anathema to many Americans who preferred the idea of national defense through state militias. It contained the worst single defeat of an American army in the 100 years of war between the United States and the Native tribes, a defeat that dwarfed Custer's much more famous one, and was comparable to the Braddock Massacre of the French and Indian War. And it was the single most important action in the one hundred year history of war between the United States and Native American tribes. It marked the best chance the tribes ever had to gain their objectives, and their eventual lose of that war was a mortal body blow to the tribes, making all their proceeding wars little more than the inevitable death throes of their cause. Finally, it cleared the way for the American settlement of the Northwest Territory; modern Ohio, Indiana, Illinios, Michigan, and Wisconsin - it created the heartland of America.

In the Treaty of Paris of 1783, the British not only gave up their claims to the thirteen colonies, but ceded the vast track of land beyond them that would become known as the Northwest Territory - the homeland of many of the tribes that had been their allies during the war. The treaty made no provisions for or any acknowledgement of their former allies, the tribes that inhabited that land. Americans prepared to expand their nation westward, and settlers began pouring into the Ohio country. The undefeated tribes were determined to protect their homeland from the encroachments of an alien civilization, and began to resist with all possible force. The British, seeing in this an opportunity to maintain their influence and their profitable fur trade, as well as a possibility of regaining some of their lost territory, broke their treaty agreements, and continued to maintain several frontier forts on American territory from which they provisioned the tribes and encouraged their resistance to the Americans. For the next seven years, intrepid American settlers floated down the Ohio River to make a life in Indian country, and determined Natives resisted them ferociously and effectively, until the Washington administration decided that they must move decisively against the tribes to make continued westward expansion of the nation possible.

Sword's book effectively captures all the elements of the war, the drama leading to it, and its aftermath. He examines it not only from the American perspective, but from the point of view of the tribes and the British as well, without injecting value judgments. He chronicles not only the military action, but the often flawed and usually deceitful diplomacy that was carried on, and the goals and strategies of all three of the players involved. His descriptions of the battles are riveting, and he captures a sense of the times and the people involved in the action believably. While his writing here had not yet developed to the full potential of his later books, it is still a cut above the typical fare of scholarly histories, and anyone at all interested in the subject should find reading his book enjoyable, as well as enlightening. I know of no other single book that details this crucial chapter of American history half as well as does Sword's book, and I recommend it highly.

Theo Logos

It has been a while since I read it, so this will be short, but I can tell you that I loved this work. In fact, I read it twice.

Seale takes you through the origins and changes in the house and the property, which is interesting enough to me. But he also takes you, with great detail, through the families and events that occupied and occurred in the President's House. You get a real sense of what life was like there, and how history was made. It is a very interesting story both from a historical house perspective, and a human perspective. I only wish I had bought the leather bound edition.

William Seale has put together an excellent historical perspective of the history of the White House, including it's construction, reconstruction, and many renovations. The book also recounts the evolution of Washington, D.C. relative to it's relationship with the White House and it's occupants.

Along with describing the physical structure and it's many evolutions, Seale has managed to include a significant amount of history relative to the occupants of the White House, including their personal and political lives. This provides the reader with a good feel for life in the White House. Additionally, most will learn a significant amount about presidents who we simply know by name but not much else.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to those most interested in american history. Although it includes two volumes, the book is such an interesting read that it is hard to put it down.

Often, history is written in broad sweep narratives that can be static and boring to the reader. Although William Seale wrote more than 1,000 pages on the history of the White House, you can be assured that there is nothing static or boring about these volumes. He displays an understanding of the fact that history is about the human drama of real people facing real predicaments, and it's poignance is found in how they react to those predicaments.

Whereas a history book will tell you that the British burned the White House in 1814, Seale tells us what was happening on the DAY the British marched into town. The hundred sentry guards who were supposed to defend the White House were gone, and they could easily have taken on the battalion of 150 British soldiers who marched in the mud down Pennsylvania Avenue, walked around the White House like tourists, ate Dolley Madison's dinner, and then torched the White House with precision. Then there is the even more dramatic moment when Lincoln looked out across the Potomac into Virginia to see the flags of the Confederacy flying, knowing that soon the capital would be surrounded if Maryland seceded from the Union.

The book is a perfect match of comedy and drama with stories ranging from the infestation of rats in the basement to a presidential love story that rivals "The American President," and in places describes a house that you would never imagine to be destined as the symbol of the most powerful nation on earth.

This book was required for my high school english class. It demonstrates in a useful and challenging manner the errors we daily make when speaking and writing, and how to correct them. An almost perfect tool for anyone who needs to write/speak clearly, concisely, and accurately.

This is a great grammar reference. I have many others but if I could have only one this would be it. I wish I'd had it in school, it has served me well since 1973.

This is a fabulous text, sorrowfully out of print. It's written in an approachable and entertaining style, and covers a broad range of grammar and usage issues.

It is, without question, the forerunner of the very successful "...for Dummies" series, instructing the reader painlessly and effortlessly. This small paperback was the grammar textbook of choice in Southwestern Ontario during grades twelve and thirteen, and I still use it as my default reference. Together with Strunk & White and a good solid dictionary, it's the cornerstone of the essential desk reference set.

Compiled by Jim Fredrickson, Railroad Shutterbug: Jim Fredrickson's Northern Pacific is a black-and-white historical photography showcase of the exceptional images of steam-era railroads captured on film in the mid-1900's. Each photograph stands opposite a detailed one-page presentation of background information. Railroad Shutterbug is a lavish, informative, visually oriented, highly recommended celebration railroad buffs and a welcome addition to personal and academic Railroading History collections.

Coming from a few generations of Northern Pacific and Milwaukee Railroad workers, this was a great chance for me to get a detailed view into my family heritage. Being a photographer myself, I have an appreciation for the quality of Jim's images as well as the composition of each frame.

When I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. Each great photo is followed by another spectacular one. If you are a resident or frequent visitor to the Northwest, you will recognize many historical landmarks which are shown in their prime and operational context.

The characteristics of each engine and the detailed history of the railroad men who drove them, or the specific historical moments is simply wonderful to read and learn.

I eagerly anticipate the next book by Mr. Fredrickson.

Jim Fredrickson's book Railroad Shutterbug is not just a tremendous collection of beautiful black and white, and a few color, photos of Pacific Northwest railroading, but a collection of historical anecdotes as well.

Each photo is accompanied by a caption which goes two steps beyond. They describe the "why" and "what-fors." For example, they may describe why certain locomotives were used in this part of the country, and, the historical reasons for having so many depots and their original function (not just a point for passengers to come and go). The descriptions go beyond the normal "photo review" most commonly found in similar books, which give simple description, but don't explain "why." The book is beautifully printed on glossy paper, and the horizontal format increases the snapshot viewpoint. The large-format camera prints show incredible detail. I certainly hope this is not the last book from Mr. Fredrickson.

This is the best free camping guide I have ever seen of its kind. The driving directions were precise and easy to follow. We never once found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. It was surprising to discover that the author had done all of the work for us. No reservations were needed, and we camped free all over the state of Washington, just as the book described. We recommend this book for even the most inexperienced campers, and anyone who cares to enjoy the spectacular beauty of the Pacific Northwest free of charge. It also is a great gift to give to friends who like to fish, hike and camp in the middle of nature, instead of a Wal-Mart parking lot.

This wonderful camping book has given me great pleasure. While camping out I have found great places to camp and cheap. The spiral note book made it handy to keep the campground I was searching for easy to find. The pages were easy to keep at the right place at the time I needed. Not that it was hard to find the campgrounds. It was just very handy and made my traveling a lot easier. The hikes were breath taking. The quotes and jokes are an enjoyment to read on the trip!! Thank you for this wonderful camping book.
I am looking forward to the Oregon camping book, so I can give it to my kids?? And maybe enjoy some camping trips along with them. Thank you for this wonderful camping book.
Erna Berghuys(Washington)

What an original way to inform the world about our beautiful scenery here in WA state! I love Ray's Guide! It is very informative. Hey ther Ray hows Mexico?? Miss ya =)

Love
Laura

I recently took this book with me to read on a trip to South Africa. The book is outstanding in every way. I will recommend this book to every reader that I know. Washington was one of the great men of U.S. and world history. The book does a great job of bringing George Washington to life for the reader.

This book was well written.. and it is very easy to read... even for kids. George Washington was a man of character. He is a great example to follow. This book will help you understand why he did what he did... why he refused to be King George... why he got involved in the revolutionary war. And after reading this book, you will gain a tremendous love and respect for the founding father of our country. And you will understand why they called him "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

The authors have gone to great effort to include and document quotations from original documents including personal communications. In a very readable style, they cover Washington's life, the historical events taking place during his life and his role in them. I found it to be enjoyable reading as well as an excellent research source.

I thought the book was great because I learned a lot about the struggles that the older generation went through. It opened my eyes to a history that I never knew before. The stories were well written and I enjoyed the photos and historical essay. I highly recommend this book.

A must-read, must-have for anyone interested in effective presentation of oral histories. Awesome for library research and as a personal coffee table book. I couldn't put it down.

Very moving, intimate personal portraits of the lives of 71 Chinese Americans who talk about the very harsh era before World War II, when discrimination and poverty were prevalent. A few of the photo portraits and stories are memorable, quite touching. Immensely readable throughout.

The interest of this book goes beyond architecture or urban planning; it places the emergence of a modern city in the context of the wider power relationships of the time (imperial and otherwise). The illustrations and maps are very helpful. A superb resource for not just for those interested in Istanbul, but for anyone trying to understand cultural change in modern Turkey and the Middle East.

Zeynep Celik does an excellent job in summarizing the Ottoman politics in the 19th century and relating the social and economic structure of the empire to Istanbul's architecture and urban planning. The book consists of seven chapters, which include her clear analysis of the regularization of the urban fabric, transportation and some grand schemes proposed by the european architects and planners. She makes references to other european cities, and makes good comparisons for what certain things did/ did not work for the replanning of Istanbul. The book is very easy to read, comprehensive and very illustrative. The maps, diagrams and photographs are very revealing. Great work!

During the 19th Century the imperialist powers of Europe redeveloped their capitals on a grand scale. The Remaking of Istanbul details the attempts of the later Ottoman sultans to apply Western planning principles to their ancient capital in a similar fashion. Celik provides a historical survey describing the disintegration of the regularized Byzantine street network under the Ottomans, and also explains how the placement of mosques, bathes and other public spaces prior to 1800 presented problems in revitalization plans. Transportation issues are given their own chapter, where the inequity of tram service in the old city compared to the new suburbs and Ottoman attempts to regulate ferry service are discussed in detail. Perhaps the most intriguing element of the book is the section devoted to grand schemes which never came to fruition; the scope of the plans, which involve fantastic bridges, expansive squares and broad boulevards, will surprise readers who know modern Istanbul. An architectural historian by training, Celik includes a chapter on architectural pluralism detailing the myriad of styles that appeared in Istanbul during the period and the controversy they caused. The political and economic situation of the Ottoman Empire during the period is repeatedly touched on, and the disparities in wealth and influence between the city's Muslim and Christian populations and the crippling effects of Ottoman concessions to Western concerns are addressed at length. More than just an architectural history or a planning survey, The Remaking of Istanbul tells the story of how the Ottomans, in their rush to modernize their capital along Western lines, would find themselves strangled by the pursestrings of the European nations they had commissioned to carry out the work for them.

Unrivaled militarily as he is, an American cowboy has got bogged down in the quagmires again and again.
Seemingly, cowboy has had troubles fighting in the Orient, and then, what could be the reason, I wonded.

I think the author suggests that with 'hard power' of Amrican military strength, closely combined with 'soft power' of Oriental mentalism, an American cowboy could lead and rule this world again in 21st century also, through his spiritual rise of morality based on Christian love.

When I read this novel last week, I felt it is so sincere and eclectic approach to the piled-up karma of America in the Oriental sense of meaning. I thought this book is largely based on the real experiences of author, including a sad love affair, and various first-hand experiences with a famous Korean psychic concerning the coming future of the USA now at war on terrorism.