Frank Books

Part history lesson, part biography, and part scientific lecture. Yes, it's heavy, and yes, it's likely to be a bit expensive, but in my opinion, it's worth it.

The author, Dr. Frank Shelton, offers a rare perspective on the US atomic testing program - he's watched and taken part in more tests than many historians can name. The writing style can seem a bit dry in places, but given the subject matter, I though it was a wonderful job.

The book is very well organized, lavishly illustrated, and has enough references that it would take years to chase them all down. It's an invaluable research tool, and I'd say a must-read for any serious student of the US atomic testing program.

I've had a serious interest in the history of nuclear weapons for many years now (ever since high school, about 20 years). It's been very exciting to see a lot of previously classified information become available, thanks to the FOIA and the end of the cold war. I've managed to amass a quite substantial collection of historical and current documents about the US nuclear weapons program.

Dr. Shelton's book was first published in 1989, and contains a wealth of information about his own work from the early 1950s to the last atmospheric tests in 1963, along with additional information about the subsequent underground testing up to 1989.

He details each testing event with an excellent summary of the historical context, and goes into substantial detail about each shot, results, and his own thoughts and opinions about the motivations and rationale.

It was a wonderful read, and fills in a lot of gaps that other sources just can't supply; after all, he was there, and has a far better understanding of the whys and wherefores than someone trying to write about events 30 years later. I found his comments on the high-altitude tests to be extremely valuable, especially as little in the way of first-hand accounts is available anywhere else. Sometimes it's too easy for people today to just dismiss a lot of the "goofy-sounding" test programs; the context was very different back then.

The book is beautifully printed, and includes many gorgeous color photographs. It's expensive, but I feel the price is more than justified by the contents and its size.

If you have any serious interest in the history of the US nuclear weapons program, you won't regret this purchase.

Dr. Shelton's book covers the major American tests from 1945 through 1963. The book consists of his reflections on the tests and the people involved in them. Fascinating reading.

"Regarding Wholeness" is written with beautiful simplicity. The richness of its expressive vocabulary makes learning a delight. I recommend this book to anyone who wants life to be more than the struggle to survive and the desire for comfort. If peace is the tranquility of order, Briganti's book is a road map that, if followed, could lead one to the peace that John of the Cross describes as 'transcending all science'.("Transciendo todo de la sciencia")

Barbara Schutze, Ph.D.

Psychologist
La Jolla, California

REGARDING WHOLENESS is brief without being obscure, intense without being dense. It is mind-to-mind resuscitation, offering Big Thoughts, easy-to-read signposts, & uncomplicated examples for getting in touch with who you truly are, what your life really can be like, & how to let your spirit out of the pigeon hole society assigns it.

Frank Briganti's book is all of 172 pages short, & Rebeccasreads recommends it as a lifelong companion to how to live contented wherein your find yourself.

I very happily add Frank Briganti to my list of first quality teachers. His ease in making Carl Jung and William James understandable reminds one of Joseph Campbell being interviewed by Bill Moyers. Fans of Thomas Moore (for self-realization), Thomas Keating (for centering meditation)will find not only an ally and teacher in Briganti, but one who helps to deepen their understanding and indeed their motivation to become more whole. The author gives original contributions on topics crucial to wholeness such as "creating with people," "reinventing love, justice, gratitude," and "final wholeness" (death). This is a winner.

I have found this Reiki book to be a really good reference guide. It is full of lots of handy hints...even things I have not been taught, although I have just completed Reiki 1 and 2. I have stuck post-it-notes throughout the book..it's like a bible for Reiki Practitioners. I would highly recommend this book for beginners or more advanced as it has alot of useful information in it, and it is written well, easy to read.

EXCELLENT book! As a Reiki practicionter...this added book of tools and techniques is a realy benefit.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in using Reiki to it's utmost.
An excellent tool with methods not just for healing but for manifesting, using Reiki on for healing the past and the future, clearing rooms and a huge variety of methods for emotional healing. Of others certainly but these methods can be used for healing oneself, now, in the future and as so many of us need, the past. We can't change the past but with Reiki and several of the methods in the book we can heal it.

I love the room clearing technique and the Reiki fountain. But there are so many here, you can have a great time with new ways of healing.

Frank McNitt's biography of Richard Wetherhill, the pioneer explorer of the Anasazi culture of the Four Corners Region of the southwest has been in print since 1957. Not a bad record for a trade book, that is to say not a textbook. McNitt's eastern based publishing family owned the Brentwood Newspaper in suburban Los Angeles. Frank, sent out as publisher, vacationed with his family in New Mexico and was ever after attracted to the Southwest. On subsequent trips he heard of Richard Wetherill, the Quaker rancher from Mancos,CO whose family property was below Mesa Verde. As a Quaker, son of a former Indian Agent, Wetherill's honest relationship with the local Utes permited him to range the nearby Mesa Verde canyons unmolested. Here he and his brothers made the first significant explorations of the mostly unknown Anazasi ruins there. Sponsored by the Babo Soap heirs he would eventually discover or explore every significant Anasazi site in four states. He homesteaded at Chaco Canyon,the grandest Anasazi of them all. To finance his commitment to exploration he became one the most successful promotors of Navajo crafts, igniting a national decorative fad before WWI. His goods hung in the Waldorf Astoria Bar, a young Joseph Campbell saw Wetherill's Anazazi collections at The American Museum of Natural History, the St. Louis World's Fair featured his basketmaker culture artifacts. Independent, individualistic and highly humanistic in his relationships, Wetherill,by his very nature threatened those less talented or secure. His archeology was demeaned by professionals. He was subverted by agents of the Dawes Severalty Act,a law binding native Americans to enforced assimilation and dependency. Wetherhill's business enterprises among the Navajo gave lie to the need for the Dawes Act. Assassinated from ambush in what McNitt concludes was a political manipulation, Wetherill was dead by 1910. McNitt's investigative talents lead him through years of research and oral history depositions with living contemporary's of Wetherill. McNitt moved to New Mexico to be closer to his research, supporting himself as a publisher at Farmington and breifly as an employee of The University of New Mexico Press. He wore out a Land Rover driving the unpaved reservation roads of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah to track down facts about Wetherill. McNitt's awe at what he found is disclosed in balanced journalistic terms which build, chapter-upon-chapter into the stuff of legend without a scintilla of sentimentality to mar the art.

Very interesting and complete. Makes you want to visit and keep exploring. Well written. Holds you interest.

To the archaeologists Richard Wetherill is a villain -- an uneducated cowboy who plundered the ruins of the pre-historic civilization of the Southwestern Indians. Author McNitt takes the opposite tact, portraying Wetherill as an upright honest man whose accomplishments, the first scientific examinations of the great ruins at Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon, far outweigh his faults. Adding to the enigma of Wetherill is the matter of his death -- murdered in cold blood by a Navajo Indian debtor according to this author, the loser in a gunfight caused by his own cattle rustling according to others. Wetherill inspired strong passions in both life and death.

This is a fine biography. The first few chapters may be hard slogging as the book goes through Wetherill's early life, but the chapters of Wetherill's life and work at Chaco Canyon leading up to his death in 1910 are fascinating. The author follows up the shooting of Wetherill with a full description of the trial of his killer and the aftermath of his death. This is a Western tale worthy of an epic movie and one has to wonder why it has not attracted Hollywood's attention.

McNitt makes a persuasive case that Wetherill's reputation was the victim of ambitious Eastern academics, jealous of his discoveries, and government Indian agents, jealous of his influence among the Navajo. I was impressed at how little dated were his descriptions of the ancient civilizations of the Anasazi, although the book was written in 1957.

Was Wetherill a hero or a villain? The controversy about his character makes for a fascinating read.

Smallchief

It's a nice book. Not quite like seeing them in person, but hey, what can you do.

The collaborative effort of Scalo in collaboration with the Corcoran Gallery (Washington, D.C.), London/Wales is a photography collection 72 early 1950's tritone images taken by the famous and "museum-worthy" photographer Robert Frank. An informed and informative text is minimally present in this collection, which is primarily dedicated to showcasing the powerful still images of urban life and the people who lived in 1950s London, England and Careau, Wales. A superbly presented and enthralling compilation, London/Wales memorably illustrates the very essence of London and Wales and is a strongly recommended addition to professional, academic, and community library History of Photography collections.

Robert Frank's previously unpublished photographs of London and Wales from the early 1950s are a revelation. With insightful text from curator Philip Brookman, this book is a must-buy for casual fans and scholars alike. Having recently seen the exhibition of this work at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, I must say viewing the photographs first hand was a wonderful experience. Yes, the prints are often too gray and dark, the negatives poorly exposed, and some images slightly out of focus, but through this work we can see an evolving photographic style that reached perfection a few years later in the seminal book, "The Americans." And witnessing that transformation is what made the exhibit, and this book, so memorable and priceless.

This book is for Sinatra fans. It has a wealth of information on the singers friends, life, and has everything the man has done in this entertainment world. The only problem I have is with the reviews about his music. The writer gives too much criticism about the cds and I dont think there is more then a few that the author like as a complete album. I enjoy Sinatra and have mostly everything the guy has recorded (Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Colombia, Captial, Reprise) and I know he has a few crappy songs out there. This guy just disects everything and it gets annoying to read after a few albums.

As I read on, I have a problem with Chris Ingham. His book is probably the ultimate Sinatra book with all this information. It seems though that after the 60's, Ingham has nothing good to say about Sinatra. I got mad reading the book because I can not find any good words about Sinatra after the 60's

I certainly agree with the reviewer, C. Hanlon "frankie-machine." I've
followed Mr. Sinatra's stellar career since 1949 and this little book
gives the reader tremendous insight into the greatest singer/entertainer
of the twentieth century! The music section will provide the collector
with a checklist of 99% of Sinatra's commercially released studio
recordings. The author, Chris Ingham, has done a very good job of
providing us a glimpse of 'Ol Blue Eyes and his tremendous body of work!
The songs, the films, the style! It's all here! Buy this little gem!

The Rough Guide to Frank Sinatra is a small book that manages to be over 400 pages long, and is packed with loads of information on Frank Sinatra. Each album and film is reviewed, and from a fresh and interesting perspective, by British writer, Chris Ingham. And that's not even a third of the book! There are also all sorts of great pictures, interesting chapters, tidbits of info, and I highly recommend this book to both novice and expert Sinatra lovers!! It is a fun, informative read, small enough to take with you everywhere you go, yet bursting with info!

This engaging, illustrated memoir tells the story of the author's aunt, Katherine deb. Parsons, and the Atlantic salmon camp she and her relatives built from scratch along the banks of the Upsalquitch River in Nova Scotia. This story dispels the myth that women "don't get" the sport and art of fly fishing. The author, a medical doctor, collected several articles he had written for a fishing club newsletter, and these presented together form a fine narrative about camp life, the ecological issues facing the Atlantic salmon, the excitment of fishing on the fly, and the story of one amazingly independent and pioneering lady fisher.

Salmon Camp: The Boland Brook Story is the fascinating true story of a small family fishing camp, never operated as a club or commercial venture. In the 1930s, a young woman named Katharine Parsons acquired a stretch of land with a mile and a quarter of Atlantic salmon river running through it, constructed Boland Brook Camp, an oversaw it for years until her nephew inherited it after her passing in 1993. Her nephew recounts a detailed and flavorful history of the camp, the people who fished there, the experience of angling on the Upsalquitch River, and more, illustrated with black-and-white and color photographs. A wonderful fishing memoir sure to appeal to enthusiasts of the sport.

This is a very special and personal history of a unique Salmon Fishing Camp covering 65 years of kinship with a determined, courageous, and exceptional woman who, against all odds, built a remarkable Canadian summer retreat which she generously shared with family and close friends. This fascinating book reveals much about life at the isolated camp and fishing on the beautifil Upsalquitch River. It paints a vivid picture of comittment and comaraderie between Miss Parsons, her guests. and the devoted staff in a most affectionate and conversational manner. I recommend this book to anyone who responds to the magic
of Salmon Fishing. Joan Gilbert

As a teacher I am always on the look out for new children's books to use in my classroom. After reading this story I knew I had to have it for my classroom library. It is a wonderful, fun and imaginative story that had every child in my class mesmerized when read to them. I even had a few children who were skeptical about the whole "Santa" thing but after listening to this story they couldn't wait to leave cookies out for Santa or Sam. I will definitely share this story with my classes year after year. When I have my own family this story will become a family tradition. It is a timeless story that can be shared from generation to generation sitting by a cozy fireplace from year to year. A definite must have for any personal or school library.

This is a darling story about Santa & his brother Sam. It explains how Santa is able to be in so many places at once. The authors' read this story at a local bookstore. My son & his second grade classmates loved this book. When Santa visited their classroom later that year, the kids ran & got the book to show Santa. The children really believed this story was written by & about Santa and his brother. I was also very impressed with the authors' reading of the story. Apparently, they are both educators. Their experience with children is apparent in the writing of the story as well as their reading of it.

This is a delightful little book for kids who believe in Santa - but may be just a little curious or uncertain about how all the miraculous things he does take place. It is the only book I have seen that acknowledges that kids just might have question or doubts, at the same time as they tenaciously hold on to the wonder of it all. What I like best about it, though, is the way it both looks and reads like the kind of old-fashioned narrative a parent might create, right on the spot, one event spilling into the next (this happened and then that and then that) as he or she sits in a cozy time with her child. There is a lot of text printed in a very attractive, just the right size, easy to read font, that a second grader can read, on his own, and feel like he is really reading a book. The look of it somehow conveys the quality of a soothing spun-as-we-go along narrative, The pictures too are clear and uncomplicated - drawn for the kids and not to wow the adult. My son loved reading it first to me, and then, asked "Can I read it by myself, tomorrow?" The authors have a terrific website that tell you more about the story.

Do you know anyone who has ever ordered anything through the mail? Well, how about a bride. Jacob, Anna and Caleb's father, lost his wife and was left to raise his two children alone. He decided that he should find another mother for his children. Sarah responed to his advertisment and sent him correspondence in order to introduce herself to Jacob and his family. She described herself as being plain and tall. In this by Sarah Plain and tall the reader learns how people get to know eachother. I enjoyed this book because it described how Jacob was able to get along without his wife, yet he still wanted more for his children. I think it is an important lesson to put family frist.

Do you know anyone who has ever ordered anything through the mail? Well, how about a bride. Jacob, Anna and Caleb's father, lost his wife and was left to raise his two children alone. He decided that he should find another mother for his children. Sarah responed to his advertisment and sent him correspondence in order to introduce herself to Jacob and his family. She described herself as being plain and tall. In this by Sarah Plain and tall the reader learns how people get to know eachother. I enjoyed this book because it described how Jacob was able to get along without his wife, yet he still wanted more for his children. I think it is an important lesson to put family frist.

Do you know anyone who has ever ordered anything through the mail? Well, how about a bride. Jacob, Anna and Caleb's father, lost his wife and was left to raise his two children alone. He decided that he should find another mother for his children. Sarah responed to his advertisment and sent him correspondence in order to introduce herself to Jacob and his family. She described herself as being plain and tall. In this by Sarah Plain and tall the reader learns how people get to know eachother. I enjoyed this book because it described how Jacob was able to get along without his wife, yet he still wanted more for his children. I think it is an important lesson to put family frist.

Although the project was supposed to last only a few months, Asahi shimbun were absolutely deluged with responses and they eventually printed 1,000 out of 4,000 letters received. Not only does the book give the reader a personal glimpse of what it was like to be a foot soldier, housewife, high school teacher, etc.,it is also organized in a way that details the events of the war from the first settlements in Manchuria to the occupation and even how people feel about their role today. It's a great way to get the full chronology of events as well as all the personal depictions.

I was shocked at how the footsoldiers were treated by the officers and was surprised to read tales of killing superiors in battle, much like "fragging" occurrences in the Vietnam war. Throughout the book there are gut-wrenching stories of combat, but there is also an underlying thread of humanity; officers finding ways to keep their soldiers alive, a vacationing zero pilot who convinces a group of admiring boys not to join the military, a young soldier who secretly puts some of the bones and ashes of other soldiers into the empty boxes so the families have something to pray to.

I sat down to read the first chapter at 6 pm but I couldn't put it down. I finished it at 2 am. My best friend teaches high school history and I'm going to copy off a few of the best stories for him to use in class. This is a must read... for anyone.

This book does a great service in helping us see the Japanese in WW2 as more than mindless fanatics.It is an compilation of letters written to the editors of one of Japans largest newspapers, the Asahi ("Morning Sun")Shimbun during the 50th anniversary commemorations of the end of World War 2.The stories are primarily from military participants or family members of military personnel and most are very frank and gut wrenching. I got the sense that many of the ex military men were trying to come to grips as to why they were fighting- and the answers are not what this American reader has come to expect. I have always thought that the Japanese were brain washed sub-human fanatics when it came to fighting, but many of the stories reveal compassion,caring and a full awareness of the situation they were in. They speak of heartless, cruel and inhuman superior officers who thought nothing of leading entire battalions to death in their quest for glory, but they also realize that these officers were just the products of a military system where cruel treatment of recruits was a tool to instill blind obedience to superior officers. I still don't think that this is a good excuse for the many atrocities that were committed by Japanese forces during the war, but it goes alot farther in helping me to understand how such atrocities,e.g., Rape of Nanking, Bataan death march, arose. The letters from family members are particularly poignant as they recall fathers, brothers, uncles and sons who were never seen again.I was very moved by several letters from family members who had childhood memories of the deceased soldiers that really drove the point home that war is such a terrible waste(hate to sound like a cliche). The Japanese lost more than 2 million people during the war, and it would be hard not to find a family that didn't face tragedy. I gave this book to several friends who said it completely opened up their minds about what they thought about the Japanese during World War 2.While we all agree that Japan was not right for its war of aggression and the pain and suffering it caused to millions of Asians, Americans, British,Dutch and Australians, we can now hear for the first time the voices of the Japanese participants and learn that they too cried and suffered and felt deep guilt for what they did.

The first shocking chapters of this book give us a picture of a military culture whose sadistic norms were so out of control that it's almost incomprehensible. Sometimes I wonder if the allies did Japanese soldiers a favor by killing them so they could escape an army with an absolutely sick sense of discipline. One soldier wonders how many trainees committed suicide to escape punishment: just for breaking a firepin on a rifle! On Japan's surrender, an army nurse recalls soldiers turning on and beating officers who were screaming, "Forgive me, forgive me". Another soldier remembers suffering trainees whispering, "Bullets come from behind in a battlefield". I grew up hearing Korean stories about Japanese abuse that I never thought to be true until now.

It's certainly not surprising that such an army of the walking dead would commit atrocities as a norm rather than as an exception. One story recalls using prisoners as targets for new recruits who were so scared that their bayonets were shaking. He recounts how they drew a red circle around the prisoners' heart, not as a target, but as the one place you were NOT allowed to stab so the prisoners would suffer as long as possible. Many of the tales of wartime heroism are simply acts of decency in defiance of unspeakably cruel punishment.

Was such ferocious sadism unique to Japan, or does this teach us about other great cultures as well? Many admire the samurai, the Zulu, the Spartans and other great warriors reknown for superhuman conduct. Perhaps this sadism is the cost of such greatness - the natural reaction of humans being held to an inhuman standard?

Nevertheless, as the war drags on and unrealistic notions of superiority fade, the stories inevitably become more human and share much more in common with the horrible sufferings of all people from war. It was a war where both the innocent and guilty suffered from the fanaticism of the strong.

The editors reveal that they did not publish articles that were simply long nationalistic rants. Interestingly enough, this coincides with the fact that almost no articles were written by or defended those who perpertrated this plague of barbarism. It may very well be that the anti-war bias of the editors has robbed us of a look into the psychology that gives birth to atrocity.