Henry Books

I used Tiger Math to teach a math lesson to sixth graders. They loved the pictures and the story. This story was a lead into making a line plot. Sixth graders may think they are too cool for picture books, but mine loved the book and activity.

In a format that will surely please elementary school teachers struggling with curriculum frameworks, Tiger Math offers both story and instruction. The tragic tale of a motherless baby Siberian tiger named T.J. will capture reader's sympathy and interest as they read on to discover if will survive. The math part of the book is a natural extension of information. T.J.'s growth and progress is a concern, and is compared to his father's at the same age. Not only are concepts of graphing introduced, but interpreting data in is equally stressed.
Nagda creates a neat transition from picture graphs to bar graphs, and also explains circle graphs and line graphs. Students will learn when to use which type of graph and how to read graphs. Those not interested in the math can simply read the narrative on the right, and ignore the graphs to the left.
The best part of the book is the photos, showing T.J. in a variety of moods. The captions decorating the endpapers are very appropriate and often humorous. The cover photo alone will make the book leap off the shelves, and the tiger striping is very appealing.
An additional page or two on endangered tigers and the habitat and lifestyle of these magnificent creatures would have extended a third use to the book: school reports on animals. The rarity of Siberian tigers is stressed, and a brief note from an environmental point of view could also have been included.

I am a student teacher in a 3rd grade classroom, and I have been using this to teach graphing. The students love it! I have taught three lessons over several days on pictographs, line graphs, and bar graphs. I have introduced each lesson with a few pages from this book. I highly recommend it! The photographs are wonderful, and it is a great example of using math in everyday life.

If you have a little one, work with children, or just love tigers, this is a must!!!! So many math concepts are taught using nonfiction so children can understand the connection easier. The reader follows the tiger from infancy through adulthood using all sorts of graphic organizers to understand things like number of species alive to different types of species, etc. The photos enable the learner to understand the information in an easy manner. And the photos themselves are rich and beautiful.

I learned quite a bit myself about tigers and so will you!

One of the best books I have ever read. Its a childrens book, but hey, "If not, why not??" You will love it I promise.

As an adult I hesitated to purchase this "juvenile" book but the description was enticing. This isn't just a book for juveniles. Rockwood describes a young girl's journey into adulthood in a time period & setting we seldom give any thought. Wonderfully told, this story gives a good sense of the native world view and the terrible destruction wrought on Cherokee society by European diseases. Even though filled with foreboding the story is heartwarming and inspiring.

A wonderful heartbreaking story of native americans in the 16th century. A book that will touch your heart and tear at your soul. It's the untold side of the Europeans coming to settle America. It is about their ruthlessness twards the native Americans. It made me feel horrible about what my ancestors did to the native americans. We choose to ignore this side of history because we knew what we were doing was and is wrong but we did it anyway. In short we are ashamed of what we did which we should be but instead of saying we were sorry we lied and said untrue things about the native Americans already living here when we came. You can't discover something if people are already living there. I for one am ashmed of who I am and what my ancestors did to the native Americans. It is a wonderful story that tells the untold sisde of history which had been chosen to be ignored untill now. I give it five stars!!!!

This is the first book I read, and it started my love affair with books. I was 11 when my mom bought it for me, after reading it 15 time the book finally fell apart. Now I'm looking for a copy to buy for my daughter. Plus, I'd love to read it again.

I love Jane Austen, but like most English novelists she was only writing about a very small slice of English society. The same can be said for most other great English novelists. Fielding's acheivement stands in utter contrast- In Tom Jones we see full blooded characters from across the entire spectrum of English society- in all of their full blooded vanity, goodness, ugliness, courage, cowardice wisdom and foolishness mixed together. This is England before the Victorians spoiled it. And the wonderful story told with such humor, irony and wit. The observations range from dry wit to bawdy burlesque - the product of a man who had lived the fullest possible life and is now determined to share all of it with his reader. This is absolutely one of my favorite books. You will love it too.

How do you write a review on what may be the best novel ever written. Charming and wonderfuly written and still hold up almost 300 years later. Funny, thought provoking as Fielding shines light on morale hypocrisy. I did not want this book to end, can there be a better commentary on a book then that?

1: Fielding is really funny!
2: It takes about 100 pages to really get rolling.
3: He's written a more approachable book that Sam Richardson (Pamela tends to go on a bit... And Clarissa just goes on and on -- great villain though)
4: Henry created one of the great names in literature, Mr. Blifel! Say it a few times and it makes you feel grubby enough that you'll need a shower!
5. Skip the first chapter of each book during your first read, it probably won't be on the test and it's always just Henry's latest blog on his most recent rant.

Jane Austen liked the book, although she seems to have preferred Richardson -- I suspect Sam wrote the first Chick lit while Henry wrote guy noir, so 'of course' Jane would prefer Sam's stuff -- or does she! (add scary Shadow type laugh here...).

You see, before Jane A (except, maybe, for Daniel Defoe [of Moll Flanders fame]), most novels (well, English novels, anyway) used the exchange of letters as the method of progressing the story. The entire novel would be in the form of letters and journals by the varioius protagonists (Bram Stoker used this in Dracula). Fielding utterly drops this conceit and sticks with straight narrative. And he seems to have been completely aware of how extreme this was for his time. Ms Austen made the same decision. So, you see, she may indeed have been more intrigued by the 'bad boy,' Henry Fielding, than we have believed. But let's let the English majors sort all this out. OK?

Oh, one last thing: If you want a bit more blood and thunder in your literature you might try one by Mrs. Ann Radcliffe (I liked The Mysteries of Udolpho); and if you REALLY want some truly serious goth try The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis. The Monk also has the advantage of being a frequently banned book and it's always good to support whatever "they" don't like, aye?

Although Tom Jones is one of the first English novels, it remains my all time favorite, which is saying a lot since I majored in English and have read too many pieces of fiction to count.It is the only novel I have read more than 2 times. The plot is quite inventive, the characters vivid and the romp through 18th Century England engaging. The style of writing may take awhile to get used to for a modern reader, but perserverence will pay off. Enjoy!!

This book was written by a union soldier from a Michigan unit, as the subtitle indicates. He wrote this as a "Defense of Major Henry Wirz." Unlike many of the books written about incarceration in southern POW camps, this soldier was rather positive in terms of the treatment he received by Confederate soldiers during his inprisonment at Belle Isle and Andersonville. He had several personal interviews with Major Wirz, the Commandant of Andersonville prison, petitioning for better conditions for his fellow prisoners. He claims that the Major was as gracious to his requests as the limited supplies of the Confederacy would allow, considering the Union blockade of all supplies including medical. He also includes some information in what appears to be transcripts and letters relevant to Major Wirtz's trial that led to his hanging, which are quite revealing in terms of Secretary of War Stanton's, vendetta against Jefferson Davis and other prominant leaders of the defeated South.

James Madison Page was my husband's great grandfather and we own a copy of the original edition. Mr. Page went on to be a Montana pioneer and surveyor. The book was very controversial when it was published, but to his dying day Mr. page stood by what he had written. It is quite a contrast to the generally accepted view of Andersonville Prison. Possibly, the prison conditions were not uniform at all times or in all places of the prison. The rather antiquated, but clear, prose alone is reason to read the book and get a taste of the past.

Lt. James Madison Page was captured by Confederate forces in 1863 and eventually was shipped to Andersonville Prison. There he observed Major Henry Wirz firsthand as well as life in this famous Confederate prison for Union prisoners of war. After the war, Major Wirz was tried by military tribunal, found guilty of "war crimes" and hanged. Forty years later, in 1908, Page wrote his memoir to tell "the true story of Andersonville," which was quite different from the popular view, namely, that Wirz and those in his command were deliberately cruel to their captives. Page explains how the prison was designed to hold, at most, 10,000 prisoners at any one time, and then only temporarily while awaiting prisoner exchange. When the exchange was stopped, the prison population quickly swelled to 30,000 prisoners, overwhelming the South's ability to feed, clothe and house the Andersonville prisoners. Although the North advanced many self-serving reasons for stopping the exchange, the real truth was later admitted by Ulysses S Grant in his memoirs, i.e., that the Union POWs were expendable, and that exchanging them for Rebel soldiers would prolong the war by reinforcing the Confederate army. This was a legitimate and understandable strategy of war, one that undoubtedly brought the war to a faster close. In 1865, however, it would have been political suicide to tell the truth to grieving families, that their sons and husbands and fathers were not exchanged because they were considered expendable. The story as Page saw it, was that Wirz was made a scapegoat to appease the wrath of the Northern people over the Andersonville dead (13,000 POWs died out of 45,000 prisoners due to disease and diet).

Page tells how many Northern myths about Andersonville simply aren't true, e.g., that the Confederate guards would get a 30 day furlough as a reward for shooting a prisoner, or that the reason the prisoner exchange between North and South was stopped was because of the North's protest against the South's refusal to exchange black Union POWs -- the truth was that blacks were a miniscule number of Union POWs and the exchange was stopped before there were any black POWs.

Page describes the trial and the accusations against Wirz, and refutes them convincingly. The trial, as described by Page who was there, was a sham. The prosecution could call any witnesses it wanted, but the defense could only call witnesses approved in advance by the prosecution! The prosecution's key witness was a perjurer who claimed to be former Union POW "Felix de la Baume," but was actually a deserter from the 7th NY infantry named Felix Oeser who was paid off for his false testimony with a job in the Dept of the Interior. Oeser had never even been to Andersonville.

James Madison Page's book closely jives with Confederate sources, like the memoir of Confederate guards and officers, who say the same things. Page ends his narrative with "I am just as committed to the preservation of the Union today as I was in 1861, but after forty years we can at least afford to tell the truth." This book wasn't popular in 1908 nor will it be popular in 2001 with those who don't want to hear it.

I gave this book a 5-star rating only because I have to take into account the writer's opinion at the time. I agree that the trial of Henry Wirz was deplorable, however, the writer's account of his stay at Andersonville is questionable. Perhaps he was one of the "chosen few" that did receive special treatment. This I am assured of based on his writings alone. I liked this book because it gave a different perspective of life as a POW in the Civil War. I would highly recommend you read the book but would also recommend you read "Sarah Morgan: The Civil War Diary of a Southern Woman", along with "Mary Chestnutt". There are quite a few discrepancies as to how the Northern prisoners were treated. After reading this book and those mentioned, it leaves us to draw our own conclusions as to fact or fiction.

My introduction to Morton's travel writings was through this book, "A Traveller in Italy"; by now I've read at least a dozen. As in all his many travel books, Morton charmingly mixes a deep appreciation and knowledge of the art, culture and the history of a place with his own keen observations of the contemporary countryside and the people. Morton's stories and observations are as engaging as the landscape and people he writes about. Don't sentences such as "The rain descends with the enthusiasm of someone breaking bad news." make you feel that you are there?

Henry Vollam Morton was born on 26 July 1892 near Manchester. He began his career on the Birmingham Express at 17, and became assistant editor after only two years. A year later he came to London to edit a magazine. After World War I he found his vocation as a descriptive travel writer. His success in reporting the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb led to him being given the chance to write a series of vignettes about London life for the Daily Express. These later appeared in book form in the 1920s [as "The Heart of London" and "The Spell of London"]. He died in South Africa in 1979, aged 86. Many have called him the best travel writer ever, and I concur. Most of his books are titled "In Search of ...", "In the Steps of ..." or "A Stranger in ...", "A Traveller in ..."". But even the armchair traveler doesn't feel a stranger after delving into Morton's charm.

These are NOT guidebooks, with lists of things to cover with only 2 days in Rome, etc.; you will find no information on opening times, entrance fees, etc. But you will find a wealth of information and a sense of "being there". Morton's books are perfect for pre-trip planning and dreaming, to get a sense of the place; perfect for post-trip nostalgia, to relive the sights and sounds and aromas and people; perfect for the armchair traveler, who can't get there but would still like to experience a locale, not just read about it.

His books have recently been reprinted, in handsome paper editions, this one with an introduction by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison [author of "Italian Days"]. I highly recommend "A Traveller in Italy" - actually, I highly recommend any of Morton's books you can get your hands on.

Others to look for, to read, and to love: "A Traveller in Italy"; "A Traveller in Rome"; "A Traveller in Southern Italy"; "In Search of England"; "In Search of Ireland"; "In Search of Scotland"; "In Search of Wales"; "In Search of the Holy Land"; "A Stranger in Spain"; "In the Steps of St. Paul"; "In the Steps of the Master".

The book was just as described and arrived within the time it was expected. It's wonderful to have access to hard-to-find books through Amazon and its reliable sources.

In Italy, I have often cast a pitying eye on the uninspired faces of people in large tour groups. You have, no doubt, seen them yourself, as they mindlessly follow a leader who is holding some ridiculous object aloft on a stick and frequently supplying dubious anecdotal information selected to entertain rather than enlighten. Anyone in such a group with an earnest zeal to know more about the scenic, historical, architectural, and artistic miracle that the world calls Italy would do well to obtain a copy of one of Morton's books on Italy. But bring along a copy of a traditional guide as well, since Morton's books will not direct you to the best hotels, restaurants, and places to shop; rather, they tend to be journals of his travel experiences into which he incorporates his extensive research of the places he visits.

"A Traveller in Italy" is not about ALL of Italy. It covers Lombardy (Milan, the lake district, etc.), Emilia-Romagna (Bologna, Rimini, Ravenna, etc.), Veneto (Venice, Padua, Verona), and Tuscany (requires no introduction). (Morton also wrote "A Traveller in Southern Italy," but, alas, the two books together do not cover the entire country.) "A Traveller in Italy," like "A Traveller in Southern Italy" and "A Traveller in Rome" (but unlike his ethereal and out-of-print "Fountains of Rome") follows Morton's peregrinations and glows with his rich narrative of historical background, personal experiences, and musings. If you are an "off the beaten track" sort, you will particularly enjoy this book, since Morton is at his best when, say, locating the villa of Pliny the Elder, with its peculiar spring, in a remote corner of Lake Como, or discovering that an elixir, the recipe of which dates back to the time of Herodotus, is still being sold in Venice (at least in 1964, when the book was published).

What must be experienced first-hand in this book is that Morton was such an eminently likable fellow. This, along with his lively curiosity, his sense of humor, his well-researched and fascinating historical narratives, and his brilliant command of the English language make the book so highly readable. But there's no need to wait for a trip to northern Italy to read this book - I frequently pull it off the shelf and read it for pure pleasure.

Words fail me, as indeed they do not fail Mr. Morton, in describing the immense beauty of this book. Morton portrays his experiences in Italy in a fashion which evokes the wonder that perhaps is lost in our generation which tends to overlook the beauty he feels viscerally and intellectually as he moves through this most beautiful country. The personal observations are excellent literature in their own right. I especially was awed by his remembrances of Umbria. His deeply felt observations on the life of St. Francis are simly beautiful. Going to Lombardy, his depiction of the fall of Mussolini is extraordinary drama. He never fails to give you his own feelings and emotions on a subject that moves him. In reading this most inspiring work, I am reminded of the adage "...the shudder of awe is man's greatest emotion." Read this book. You will not forget it.

This book is absolutely awesome. It gives you the complete story plus a number of very insightful essays about the story. I've learned more from this one publication about The Turn of the Screw than I have from the cumulation of all my other sources combined.

One of the most seductive of all ghost stories, Turn of the Screw is a sophisticated and subtle literary exercise in which the author creates a dense, suggestive, and highly ambiguous story, its suspense and horror generated primarily by what the author does NOT say and does not describe. Compelled to fill in the blanks from his/her own store of personal fears, the reader ultimately conjures up a more horrifying set of images and circumstances than anything an author could impose from without.

Written in 1898, this is superficially the tale of a governess who accepts the job of teaching two beautiful, young children whose uncle-guardian wants nothing to do with them. On a symbolic level, however, it is a study of the mores and prejudices of the times and, ultimately, of the nature of Evil. The governess fears that ghosts of the former governess Miss Jessel and her lover, valet Peter Quint, have corrupted the souls of little Flora and Miles and have won them to the side of Evil. The children deny any knowledge of ghosts, and, in fact, only the governess actually sees them. Were it not for the fact that the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose, can identify them from the governess's descriptions, one might be tempted to think that the governess is hallucinating.

Though the governess is certainly neurotic and repressed, this novel was published ten years before Freud, suggesting that the story should be taken at face value, as a suspenseful but enigmatic Victorian version of a Faustian struggle for the souls of these children, yet numerous other interpretations find their ardent supporters as well. Assembling an assortment of scholarly, critical essays on this ambiguous novel, editor Peter Beidler provides a variety of other interpretations, ranging from psychosexual to feminist and materialist. The authors of each of these interpretations find ample material in James's ambiguities to support their own interpretations, since James himself never provided any explanations. The editor's fascinating collection of interpretations of James's most elusive novel make this is a fine resource for serious students. Mary Whipple

I have to admit that this story really confused me upon first reading but all the critical and historical sources in the text enhance my understanding and raise some very interesting points.

Long before DaVinci Code, Turn of the Screw was generating all sorts of controversy. Are the ghosts genuine or a product of neurosis? Who sees them? Just what is going on with the young master, and is he actually perpetrating all the terror? Then there are readers who dislike James's style. For me, these and other questions enhance my enjoyment of this essentially timeless story. James's elegant language merely adds another layer to the deliciously creepy atmosphere. The Turn of the Screw is fun to read and enjoy as a ghost story, pure and simple. For double the fun, check out the DVD. Just don't watch it alone!

Dr. Ben Wofford is truly great author. This story keeps you on the edge of your seat with this book. Everyone needs a copy of his book on their shelf.
Everyone should get the opportunity to meet Dr. Wofford. he is truly an amazing man. I have had the pleasure of working with him.

This is a wonderful book, It is a book you would read over and over again. I give it 5 stars
Everyone should own a copy of his books. Also everyone should have the opportunity to meet Dr. Ben Wofford, he is truly one of a kind. I am lucky to have had the opportunity to have worked with him.

If you like Mark Twain, you will love this book! Of course, I am a bit biased since I am Ben Wofford's son.

A World War II veteran, Ben Wofford grew up during the Great Depression. He served in the Navy and was able to earn his way through Medical School. He practiced medicine for forty years as a family practitioner. His avocations include farming, flying, and sailing. He sounds like my dad.

Set in 1933 in the rural outreaches of Catawba County, North Carolina, Wofford's Uncle Henry's Ghost is a whimsical narrative of country life through the eyes of a boy growing up on a farm. There's been a murder, or what looks like a murder. A school house has been burned down. Close by is an old roadhouse called "The Moon Palace," and some say it is haunted. Certainly there are stories about a cache of money being hidden in the old place:

"It was commonly believed that Sheriff Canter-. That was his name, Canter. It was commonly believed that Sheriff Canter was getting rich off the Moon Palace, paid by the owners to look the other way. That may or may not have been so, but when it came time to read his will, there wasn't much left for his widow and she had to take in boarders to make ends meet. Some people maintain that he got rich all right, but lost it all in the Stock Market."

Uncle Henry's Ghost is a tale that makes the reader feel like they are sitting on their grandfather's knee. Wofford's background as a general practitioner gives him a special compassion for what medicine represented back in the first half of the Nineteenth Century...when there was a standard system of ethics in all things. Growing up during those times meant that one understood what the rules were...and how everyone helped out their neighbor without the necessity of a lot of money changing hands. For us as readers it represents a simpler time...a time of family, church, and working hard.

Wofford spins a fairly lively yard, even as he shows us what life was like before the advent of computers, video games, and plastic food. We need more of these types of tales to show us the way during the present state of confusion in our world. Wofford gives us a nice, safe place to hide...a place where a boy can still take his dog out for a swim and stick frogs in his teacher's desk. An excellent tale from a man who was probably one heck of a doctor. Thanks.

Shelley Glodowsky
Reviewer

Anthony Bailey's somewhat misleadingly titled Vermeer not-quite-biography is meticulously researched, lovingly detailed, and suffused with a powerful affection and appreciation for both Vermeer's painting and Dutch history. It is only ever less than fascinating when dealing with the old master himself.

So little is known of Vermeer as to leave his biographers only slightly better off than those of Shakespeare, imagining that this document indicated this mood, this painting signifies that political opinion...such supposition is not terribly interesting to the lay reader.

But in his detailed recreation of 17th century Delft and his lush and delicate descriptions of the major canvases, Bailey makes up for the limitations of his subject. This period of Dutch history is so rich it seems almost a shame to spend so much of the text on a figure about whom so little is known, and Bailey recounts it beautifully.

An excellent book, then, unless one really wants a biography of Vermeer.

Anthony Bailey is the ideal author to write about Vermeer: like his subject's paintings his prose is quiet, calm, introspective, and serene. He illuminates Vermeer and his work, but as in the paintings discussed the light is gentle, and golden, never harsh - like a good poet, Bailey leaves plenty of room for the reader to reflect on his/her reality as he describes his subject.

It's wonderful to think of Vermeer painting his silence-drenched, calm and mysterious images amid the noise and tumult of his house filled with eleven children. Perhaps his paintings were a world of perfect order and quiet that he could retreat to when his messy and noisy surroundings became overwhelming. I also liked Bailey's point that perhaps Vermeer painted so few images because almost all of his best work had sunlight streaming through a window, and the Dutch climate doesn't offer too many sunny days to paint from!

The book opened with a bit more 15th and 16th century Dutch history than I would have cared for, but hold tight, once he switches his focus to Vermeer's paintings the book takes flight, and you will never look at the paintings in the same way again. The black and white reproductions don't do the paintings justice however - I'd recommend having a book of color reproductions of the paintings (there are only 37 known Vermeers!) next to you as Bailey gently helps you see these familiar images in wonderfully new ways.

Anthony Baily's biography of the elusive Vermeer is really a study of the Netherlands, or more specifically, the town of Delft, in the mid-seventeenth-century. I suppose there is no other way to write a biography of a man of whom so little is known, and Baily's efforts are resoundingly successful. His descriptions of city scenes, cultural events, churches, houses, markets, etc., are rendered with astonishing skill and verve. His thumbnail history sketches are always lively and never seem rushed. There are surely more detailed studies of Vermeer's work, but Baily is far more interested in placing the artist in his context than he is in producing the definitive read of the master's painting. And while readers interested in all of Dutch culture in the Golden Age might find Simon Schama's "Embarrassment of Riches" a more detailed and global work, I think Baily is by far the superior writer, and the reader comes away with a full and stimulating picture of Vermeer's world.

I'm certainly no expert on the non-fiction genre and definitely no expert on art history but I do know a well-researched and enjoyable piece of work when I come across it. I came in the backdoor on this one having become fascinated by Vermeer after reading Tracy Chevalier's Girl With A Pearl Earring. I followed that one up with Susan Vreeland's Girl In Hyacinth Blue and then came across Anthony Bailey's book. What a wonderful way to continue my journey into this author's own portrait of this master painter and what a surprise to find that it contains black and white and some color pictures of Vermeer's paintings as well.

While very little is known about Vermeer's life, through the genius of Bailey, you come away from this book feeling you know the man. What we do know is that he lived in the mid 17th century, was a Reformed Protestant until he married the Catholic Catharina Bolnes and fathered 11 children as well as 35 masterpieces. At a time when painters were in abundance in Delft and industry was striving, the picture of Vermeer is still that of a struggling artist trying to feed and clothe a large family. It is a wonder, Bailey points out, that amidst all the noise and commotion that must have gone on in his house and the financial problems that must have weighed heavily on his shoulders, that he was still able to paint such masterpieces that put the beholder at ease merely by their stillness. Vermeer was never an "all-inclusive artist" notes Bailey and none of his paintings incorporate a single flower. He favored the use of the "local colours" of yellow, white and blue. Bailey also notes that he was "fond of rendering the effects of sunlight and sometimes succeeded to the point of complete illusion."

The author mentions the trademarks found in Vermeer's paintings -- the white wine jug, the map on the wall, the bowl of fruit on a carpeted table, finials in the form of a lion's head at the back of the chair and, my personal favorite, the black and white floor tiles that helped the artist establish perspective. He also explains Vermeer's possible use of the camera obscura to focus his view. There were so many interesting things presented by the author, one of which was the different way Vermeer signed his name. Bailey shows five different signatures all playing around with the V and M in Vermeer's name. Another thing I found engrossing was how Vermeer put things into his paintings and then painted them out. We can only see this now because of modern X-ray and infrared equipment.

I could go on and on about all I learned after reading this book but some of the more interesting parts occur after Vermeer's death and have to do with Hitler's possession of some of these masterpieces as well as Van Meegeren's forgeries of Vermeer's works in the 1900's. Of the 35 known Vermeer works, one painting, The Concert, is still missing, having been stolen in 1990.

I culminated my fascination of Vermeer with a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art this week to see the Delft/Vermeer exhibit. Having just read Bailey's book, I felt quite knowledgeable not only concerning Vermeer but all things Delft in general. Upon exiting the exhibit, I walked directly into the gift shop where Anthony Bailey's book was not only on sale but being purchased by all those around me. So not only do I congratulate this author on a work well done, but also on the best timing possible for publication that one could imagine.

I'll end this review with my favorite lines from the book -- those that sum up Vermeer's life in the eyes of Anthony Bailey. "He remains in some respects, the missing man in some of his own paintings: the person who has just left the room, or who is expected at any moment. He is impatient to be found, to be seen, but while he waits, he paints stillness."

Anthony Bailey has made Johannes Vermeer come alive for me with interesting stories, things that might have been and a wonderfully descriptive Delft region by which Vermeer was obviously inspired. To me he is no longer lost, but found on the pages written by Bailey.

A great book about a great man......very informative.......I met the man so therefore I am extremely impressed....

Viktor Schreckengost is a truly amazing man! This book shows his wide range of design and artistic talents and accomplishments, and talks about his philosophy, which was so important in all of his work. The author has talked with Viktor, and includes Viktor's comments on some of his own work. There are many photos of his work in the book, including his famous Jazz Bowls, paintings, sculpture, toy pedal cars, and much more. This book is a wonderful tribute to Viktor as part of the celebration of his 100th birthday!

Fine artist, sculptor, and ceramicist Viktor Schreckengost has had an enormous impact of popular culture through his Limoges dinnerware designs, his work as a graphic artist, theater and costume designer, as well as his industrial designs which ranged from Murray bicycles, pedal cars, planes and boats, to Steelcraft toy buses and trucks, commercial printing presses, the first riding lawn mower, General Electric lighting fixtures and appliances, the Sear's Beverly Hills lawn chair, and that classic icon of American childhood -- the little red wagon. Profusely illustrated in full color and enhanced with the addition of an Index and Image Catalogue, and with expert commentary by former museum curator Henry Adams, "Viktor Schreckengost: American Da Vinci" is a superbly presented and informative introduction to the life, work, and artistry of a remarkably talent who dedicated himself to the esthetic improvement of American popular culture. Highly recommended for personal, professional, and academic library American Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The book is an excellent read for any fan of Viktor's. It includes many of his pieces that have not been seen before, including dinnerware, theater designs, and toys. It has wonderful pictures of all of Viktor's various artworks. The new text greatly expands upon the different mediums he worked in and how he was influencial to American design.

Fantastic, relavent, engrossing.

Important and balanced information and first-hand accounts.

Henry Hampton and Steve Fayer have collected a small sampling of civil rights oral history that has yet to be duplicated in a modern book on the era. They have included all of the key figures involved in the movement, Dr. King and Malcolm X, along with Stokely Carmichael, John Lewis and Andrew Young. What they have also done is give readers the non-famous persons perspective on the various events surrounding the movement. This has been invaluable to me in my research and a truly enjoyable read. It should be a must read for everyone!

VOICES OF FREEDOM: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT FROM THE 1950S THROUGH THE 1980s shows readers the steps that were taken to achieve equal rights for African Americans and all American citizens. All of the important actors, activists, politicians, and average individuals who attempted and succeeded to change a society that had been blinded for hundreds years, are mentioned and heard who helped many American citizens to gain the respect they rightfully deserved as citizens and human beings of the United States of America, and not ambiguous written clauses of the US Constitution referring to property.

Henry Hampton and Steven Fayer along with Sarah Flynn compile a host of significant people of the civil rights era of the 1950s to 1980s. With their testimonials and eyewitness accounts they share their collective memories of the past to clarify misconceptions and misinterpretations that involved the activism that existed to spearhead the civil rights movement. They also revealed the disjointedness and lack of effort to keep the momentum going and the bureaucratic ramblings hat slowed and deadlocked the movement during the late 1960s. Key figures and activists are mentioned, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and his many cohorts who led the way toward a peaceful and non-violent movement as did the Black Panthers who were portrayed as militants, and who's history has been misconstrued with controversy. Indeed, both movements shared a common goal, which was to achieve freedom and equality.

The book begins with one of the major incidents that jump started the civil rights movement in the 1950s, the Emmett Till incidence in 1955. Other monumental events proceed, such as the discussion and explanation of Brown v. Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-56, the Little Rock Crisis, the March on Washington in 1963 and a list of other significant events. The book ends with issue of Affirmative Action that occurred in Atlanta from 1973-1980. Thoughts come to mind while reading about these events -- some things change, and some things never stop being an issue.

The Civil Rights Movement has not gone away. Every decade in American history has had a movement led by average citizens who wanted to make a change. But books such as VOICES OF FREEDOM helps readers identify the movers and shakers of American society who helped bring the truth of freedom and democracy, which are embedded in the Declaration of Independence as well as the Constitution of the United States, as a reality. Possibly now may be a good time to revisit these voices of freedom.

Starting with the murder of Emmett Till and ending with the political activism in the 80s, this book gives a moving overview of the civil rights movement. Each of the 31 chapters first gives a short summary of the events and then redraws the situation with eye-witness accounts. Many activists like Coretta Scott King, Harry Belafonte and members of the Black Panther Party, to name a few, give intriguing details. This moving book is easy to read and especially recommended for young people who need first hand information about the movement. Really recommended!