Johnston Books

The Long Lost Journal of Confederate General James Johnston
Pettigrew is a great read!!!! Read it if you can you will not
be disappointed.It is historical fiction at its best.
Many books in our present culture of self-help and how to
do books need a gimmick to sell. This book features solid
historical research and characters facing the dilemmas of
slavery,war against their fellow countrymen and government.
It needs no gimmick, for the writing is excellent, and the characters true to life.
This is a book that makes you both think and feel.How could
men of honor support slavery? How could the South turn away
from a government that was not committed to ending slavery in the
slave states?
James Johnston Pettigrew was a man of intelligence, honor
and great bravery. This I believe is he kind of journal such
a man would have written. To make Pettigrew come to life and his journal so believeable is a brillant and stunning achievement.
As a person from the north I enjoyed spending time with
Pettigrew, he is a most likeable man. And this is a most likeable
book!!!

Decades ago, Bruce Catton predicted that America's attics gradually would yield little treasures from our Civil War. "The Long Lost Journal of Confederate General James Johnston Pettigrew" is such a treasure and Americans owe Dan Bauer a round of applause for restoring it to view. I commend this book to any American with any interest in the Civil War.

Being a lawyer, Pettigrew was a keen observer and a lucid writer. His comments about life in the Confederacy and of battle are graphic and touching. It's as if he set out in advance to fill the gaps in our knowledge of the period.

Pettigrew was a staunch defender of the Confederacy and slavery. Yet, as a man of faith, he clearly was at war within himself about what slavery meant to blacks whom he saw as talented, tough, artistic and fascinating.

Above all, Pettigrew is a witty, likeable man. When a staff officer closes the journal with the news of Pettigrew's death, it's impossible not to mourn.

I, as a Southern will put my two cents in here as these reviews are all by yankees who lament the slavery issue and wouldn't know a southernor if they saw one and surely will not know the true history from reading all the biased accounts they can get their hands on.

"I wrote a journal that I IMAGINED a highly literate and committed young Cavalier of the South would have kept." (emphasis mine)

Pageonelit.com: What has been your feedback from readers and book reviewers?...

Dan Bauer: Many readers have difficulty believing the journal is FICTION because it is based on so much solid historical research they believe Pettigrew really kept a journal and that I edited it. Typical would be the response of Floyd Phelps who wrote,

"Are you telling me that you spiced up the Journals or that the whole thing is fiction."

When I replied that the journal was historical fiction Phelps wrote, "Thanks Dan. I guess I was hoping for the impossible. you are a very convincing writer."

Pageonelit.com: What was the last book you read?

Dan Bauer: I just finished William Lee Miller's LINCOLN'S VIRTUES An Ethical Biography. My hats off to Mr. Miller what a great book!

Mr. Bauer and the rest of you should know:

On March 2, 1861, the U.S. Senate passed a proposed Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution (which passed the House of Representatives on February 28) that would have prohibited the federal government from ever interfering with slavery in the Southern states. (See U.S. House of Representatives, 106th Congress, 2nd Session, The Constitution of the United States of America: Unratified Amendments, Document No. 106-214, presented by Congressman Henry Hyde (Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Printing Office, January 31, 2000). The proposed amendment read as follows:......

Two days later, in his First Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln promised to support the amendment even though he believed that the Constitution already prohibited the federal government from interfering with Southern slavery. As he stated:

This of course was consistent with one of the opening statements of the First Inaugural, where Lincoln quoted himself as saying: "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so."

That's what Lincoln said his invasion of the Southern states was not about. In an August 22, 1862, letter to New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley he explained to the world what the war was about:

"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union."

Of course, many Americans at the time, North and South, believed that a military invasion of the Southern states would destroy the union by destroying its voluntary nature. To Lincoln, "saving the Union" meant destroying the secession movement and with it the Jeffersonian political tradition of states' rights as a check on the tyrannical proclivities of the central government. His war might have "saved" the union geographically, but it destroyed it philosophically as the country became a consolidated empire as opposed to a constitutional republic of sovereign states.

On July 22, 1861, the US Congress issued a "Joint Resolution on the War" that echoed Lincoln's reasons for the invasion of the Southern states:

"Resolved: . . . That this war is not being prosecuted upon our part in any spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor purpose of overthrowing or interfering with the rights or established institutions of those states, but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and all laws made in pursuance thereof and to preserve the Union, with all the dignity, equality and rights of the several states unimpaired; and that as soon as these objects are accomplished the war ought to cease."

By "the established institutions of those states" the Congress was referring to slavery. As with Lincoln, destroying the secession movement took precedence over doing anything about slavery.

On March 2, 1861 - the same day the "first Thirteenth Amendment" passed the U.S. Senate - another constitutional amendment was proposed that would have outlawed secession (See H. Newcomb Morse, "The Foundations and Meaning of Secession," Stetson Law Review, vol. 15, 1986, pp. 419-36). This is very telling, for it proves that Congress believed that secession was in fact constitutional under the Tenth Amendment. It would not have proposed an amendment outlawing secession if the Constitution already prohibited it.

Nor would the Republican Party, which enjoyed a political monopoly after the war, have insisted that the Southern states rewrite their state constitutions to outlaw secession as a condition of being readmitted to the Union. If secession was really unconstitutional there would have been no need to do so.

The book to read is Thomas J. DiLorenzo is the author of the LRC #1 bestseller, "The Real Lincoln": A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War (Forum/Random House, 2002) and professor of economics at Loyola College in Maryland.

Dan's book takes us back to a different time, a different place, and for Northerner, a different perspective. Dan has done extensive research to give an accurate flavor of those times and the feelings of a gentleman of the South. To me, it was interesting to read about the day to day life of a man of the south in that time period and the horors of war - that become more vivid as you grow to know and like Pettigrew. I believe Dan has accurately captured the dilemma of an educated, southern man raised with the tradition of slavery. Am I supporting and fighting for an institution that is inherently wrong? That so many did not see the evils of slavery makes the Civil War even more horrible and the fate of Pettigrew even more sad.

As a reenactor and history buff, I have read quite a number of books, both fiction and nonfiction, on the Civil War, but the "Long Lost Journal of Confederate General James Johnston Pettigrew" stands out among them all.
Not only is it excellently researched; by telling the General's story in diary format, Dan Bauer makes the reader see the events leading to the Civil War and its development in the first three years through Pettigrews eyes, thus creating a feeling of "being there" and painting a vivid picture of life in the mid-19th century, with plausible, life-like characters and fascinating insights into the mindset of a person of that time.
Whether you love historical fiction or fiction in general, don't miss the opportunity to read Dan Bauer's wonderful book!

Utterly crazy to give this Cioran-lite five star reviews.This book is valuable inasmuch as it allows us to see the mind that wrote The Temptation To Exist and The Trouble With Being Born assemble its materials and sharpen its turn of phrase, but that's it. These books might conceivable change the way you think about everything. If this book has that effect, I'd say you were terribly impressionable...

This book is intense. Its intensity will put you under a spell for a while, but it will expire eventually. Your mind will change. The freedom of believeing you are more trapped than before will start to seize your thoughts, then life's gonna burst in your face like a hurricane of wind ending in the landing of a reflective butterfly in the palm of your hand. Sometimes the act of living its just that simple. The uncounsciousness explored, tamed, madness can stay inside.

This exhilarating and euforic book is one of the masterpieces written by Emil Cioran. "On the heights of despair" is for us postmoderns what St. Augustine's Confessions must have signified for the medieval reader. This work is truly an account of the fragmented and disordered European consciouss of between wars: not an abstract one, but a particular and individual conscious that faces the glory of absurdity. Although many people have reviewed this book as Nietzschean, I would say it is rather Schopenhauerian, since its pessimism hadrly leaves any room for Zarathustra's dancing and joyful way of being. Anyways, I think anyone intrested in thinkers such as Camus, Sartre, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Feuerbach, Stiner, Nietzsche, should read this book.

illuminating snippets of illusion-crushing philosophies from an author who culled stinging insights from the depths of insomnia. I thought of the character in The Machinist with a precocious mind and a burning desire to tell it like it is.

This work fits well with the chilling and edifying works of Nietzsche and Dr. Christopher Hyatt.

This is not light reading. This stuff majorly spices up your palette in case you have been lulled to sleep by the "Nicholas Sparks and Oprah" dumbing down milieu and its effects on you. This is the turbo anti-dote to all the fluffy new age lite stuff floating through the air. This man, like Burroughs and others, managed to live a long and fruitful life despite raging against the machine of existence for so many years.

What an accomplishment.

i woke up one day while listining to the radio. they were talking about soul-mates through suffering. i went to the used book store and picked up "on the heights of despair" without knowing anything.
wow the best book I read since, dostoyevksy, kierkegaard, and nietzsche.
One sometimes live in this clutched disposition. one has a problem but can not name it. one might say: God tricked me in this mental prison. Things are twisted here. I stick my tongue out to the cold concrete wall. Want to go downtown to the muesuem and slash those big canvus. Jackson POllack is nothing. visual art is nothing. The words have power. The words can become twisted to the max. And cioran is to the max. We are not living for riches, or fame. We are underground. We are dedicated to the exploation.

If you are only reading one Cioran book. Make it this one. This one is the only book Cioran wrote in his native tongue. Romanian. (others he wrote in French. I find less powerful.)

Let your finger nail sink into this one!

Terry C. Johnston presents a grim historical novel that tells of the stand Maj. Forsyth and fifty army scouts made in 1868 against Chief Roman Nose and his warriors at what became known as The Fight at Beecher's Island. If one can take Johnston's assertion of historical accuracy in the introduction at face value, this is an effective way for entry-level armchair historians to learn more of Indian fights and fighters. All but a few of the characters are based on historical figures. The dialogue is no doubt subject to some artistic license, but the general details are accurate. Johnston does not list a bibliography that would document his reserach. The Cyrus Townsend Brady influence, however, is easily evident. All fine and well until we consider the re-occurring fictional character of the series, Seamus Donegan. Donegan detracts from the otherwise exciting novel by his unlikely ability to be a part of so many significant events of the Indian Wars. His pulp-fiction subplots and general outrageous behavior hamper a smooth narrative. The first part of this novel is action-packed and moves swiftly. The pace tends to drag in the second half, but it reflects the drudgery and suffering of those who survived the multi-day siege. The heroism of the typical army scout, the military integrity of the Buffalo soldiers, and the fierce Native American warriors are all given balanced space in Johnston's tale. Good entry-level reading for beginning history fans. ;-)

Great story, well told.... but what are we going to do now that Terry is gone? Will the series continue?

I found Terry C. Johnston, to be one of the best damn authors I've read in a long time! He has done his research and knows the material as if he was there to witness it himself.

This is the third book in the plainsmen series. Once you pick it up you won't put it down. I highly recommend the whole series to anyone that is wondering about the old Indian war era. He has some fiction but a lot fact that many would be very interested in.

You are still thinking about it your wasting time get the book it starts with Sioux Dawn.

Terry C. Johnston makes history live. I discovered him several years ago while looking for something western to read. Having read many of Loius L'Amour's stories I happened upon T. C. J's trilogy about the life and times of Titus Bass. (Now at least five books.) I then started reading the 'Plainsmen series' of which 'The Stalkers' is book Three. The absolute finest historical fiction I've ever read. His stories are based on carefully researched history. Because he has such a unique story teller's ability bringing the reader 'in', sometimes I think I can smell the black powder and hear the arrows singing overhead. I buy em' as soon as he writes em'.

As aslways Mr. Jonston uses a fictional person to carry his story. Seamus Donegon and fifty top notch army scouts after scouring the Colorado Territory for the mighty Cheyenne. At the junction of the Republican river and the Arikarre on an island the scouts find themselves surrounded by Cheyenne and they are out numbered 20 to 1. The battle lasts nine long days. This is a good book but as one reviewer said "why make this book fictional when the real story is just as fascinating" I agree. If you like good history of the Indian wars without reading 25 different books go to this isbn # 0803251866. The title is: GREAT WESTERN INDIAN FIGHTS.You'll love this book.

I have just about all the For Better or For Worse books. I haven't had a bad one yet.

Dealing with death is never easy, but Lynn Johnston manages it with humor and tact. Grandma Marian died, and although sad, it was never morbid. I would recommend this book to someone dealing with loss, as it shows that letting go isn't easy, but it can be done.

I loved it! It was a very realistic, moving series of stripsthat dealt with death in a humane and compassionate as well asbelievable way.

The only negative comment I could make is that I just can't like April. I tried, but like a reader named becca71, I think April is a spoiled brat who is never disciplined and who goes out of her way to rile people. Although I don't approve of Jeremy's bullying tactics, April DID ask for it by singing that cruel song and for making obnoxious comments. I don't like the way poor Liz took the heat everytime bratty April got into something. I don't like the way April hogged the bathroom and impacted on Liz' time to get ready. I think April is a capital brat who has not a clue what "no" means and who is just a spoiled, silly, self-indulged little princess. Becca71 was right.

Lynn Johnston is in a class by herself. She is by far and away the best illustrator and story teller ever to hit the funny pages. She's great! Her courage in portraying homosexuality, death, and adult themed issues, e.g. divorce and business is to be applauded. Her characters are all convincing and believable, and with the exception of obnoxious, spoiled April, truly delightful.

This book is in a class by itself. Nobody in cartoon history has created such delightful (save for April with her fresh mouth) and believable characters. Nobody else has been brave enough to confont issues like breast exams, death of family members and loss of pets as well as homosexuality. It is a brave new look at a superior caliber of comics that is more than just a comic.

HATS OFF TO LYNN JOHNSTON!

Great book for those interested in options. I would also recommend this book for anyone who is interested in investing/trading period. The chapter on making money with money is priceless in and of itself.

George

http://www.thelawyertrader.net

Stu's writing style and exceptional wisdom when it comes to the futures options markets is unparalleled.
Funny, witty, and filled with gobs of invaluable information, I keep this book on my trading desk at all times.

Well, 5 of the 6 reviews prior to mine are all very favorable. Those favorable reviews are what persuaded me to buy the book. For me, the book was absolutely useless. The author takes forever to make his point and usually it's not a very useful point when it's made. The titles of each chapter and subchapter are also useless. Rather than just saying what each chapter is devoted to, he incorporates a phrase which the author apparently finds catchy. Finally, and I know some of you will find this unacceptable, I was not even able to finish the book. Mind you, I have been a very hard core student of the market for well over a year and have read many books, in addition to trading, practice trading, and attending seminars, but I eventually gave up about 2/3 of the way through when I realized (after about 2 months of trying to force myself through the book) that I was wasting my time, which is a greater annoyance than the money wasted on buying the book. Others' opinions obviously differ from mine, but for me, this book was extremely annoying in its presentation, contained very very little on how to actually trade any given strategy (or how to defend it), and, as the other unfavorable reviewer noted, is about 90% trading psychology and 10% how-to. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: knowing what I know now, if I could go back in time, would I have purchased this book? NO. Because this stuff is my life, feel free to email me any questions at headbanger51 at yahoo -- be sure to put something like "Amazon review" or "options book" in your subject line or it will probably get deleted.

gives real trades, real numbers. this is a genuine how to book.

Outstanding book. I have corresponded with Stuart on a few occasions, and have found him to be a very genuine and intelligent guy. I personally enjoyed his writing style, and appreciate the fact that he didn't rub his advanced degrees in the reader's face. Very down-to-earth guy. I guess some readers such as Fletch prefer dry academic tomes instead of well written edutainment, so hey whatever cranks your tractor I guess. If I ever have insomnia I'll borrow one from you Fletch. Me on the other hand, I appreciate the way the concepts were presented. It made the book even more understandable, if for no other reason that his logical, humorous and chatty style kept my short attention span brain fully engaged.

Hats off to SAJ for this excellent book. My options understanding has increased by AT LEAST an order of magnitude.

Wonderful story in the same vein as "Lonesome Dove". This hero is the strong, silent, hurting type that every woman wants. He's deadly with a gun, says what he means, means what he says; the heroine is part Native American and her spirit can't be broken. Her three kids are typical kids: the boys get into all kinds of mischief; the little girl is so sweet even when the hero snarls at her for small infractions because he hurts too much because she reminds him of his dead daughter. The love scenes are wonderfully written and the final ending scenes are "happy ever after". This book will stay with you long after you've read it.

I haven't read many of Joan Johnston's books, but I loved this one.

Kinyan Holloway was married to an older man when she was 14. Her father a Souix warrior gave her to Holloway for his wife. Now 11 years later her husband is dead is a range accident.

Left with a 300,000 acre ranch to run and 3 children, with no knowledge of how to run a ranch, she has to think about taking a man she doesn't know or a man she doesn't like in marriage.

Colter is recovering from the pursuit of the 3 men who killed his wife and daughter leaving him to die from knife wounds. He has found 2 of the men and after 7 years of searching has decided to give up and buy another ranch and settle down.

Fate brings him into the life of Kinyan at the critical time she has to choose to sell her ranch or marry Ritter Gordon a man her husband hated.

She chooses Colter, with Ritter determined to somehow prevail and get the ranch, there is lots of action. Not to mention the attraction between the newlyweds. Colter has to manage the ranch and learn to feel again not just for Kinyan but her 10 year old twin sons and 5 year old Lizabeth.

The currents between all the members of the family and the battle Colter wages to regain his humanity as well as hold on to the ranch against a determined adversary make this one of the most delightful western adventures I have read.

I am so pleased that I ran across this author. She writes with such clarity and compassion. I truly enjoy her books. This one is an easy read. Colter, our physically and emotionally scarred hero, has spent years tracking down the confederate soldiers who (post war) brutalized his wife and child...and left him to die. Unable to locate the last of them, he heads west to start his life over, such as it is. Kenjin is a young widow with precocious twin boys and a little girl who is trying to save her ranch and they enter into a marriage of mutual need and benefit.
As he teaches her how to run her ranch, he also becomes, against his desire, a surrogate father to these children. The dialogue is so believable and touching that u feel like you are there.
Naturally there are bad guys who try to take over the ranch, kill Colter, etc....and the love that kinjin brings to heal colters heart. This is a simple story with very real emotions and a book that is not very complex to enjoy.

Wyoming Territory, 1875

COLTER'S WIFE is absolutely enjoyable! You won't be disappointed!

Drifter, Benjamin Colter suffered the unimaginably cruel deaths of his wife and daughter and now he found himself in the Wyoming Territory to begin anew.

Kinyan Holloway just found herself a young widow with a sprawling ranch and she had no idea on how to manage it. A marriage of convenience to experienced rancher Benjamin seems to fit everyone's needs. Through trials and tribulations they discover love.

A must read for a western historical romance readers!

The book has been very well reviewed by others. I only wanted to add that this was an outstanding read! It will stay on my bookshelf for reading again in the future. It has all the elements in it that make it a great story. I highly recommend it! You won't be dissapointed! Be sure to set aside some time because you won't want to put it down!

Yale must be more fun than I thought...

I'm at a loss to describe the beauty of this book. It just resonates with my sole.

I remember the excitement of opening my high school graduation gift from Aunt Beatrice. It was this book. My Aunt B assured me that this book was the key to a fulfilling and successful college career. As I begin my junior year, I reflect on my college times thus far and realize that Aunt B was right.

This book definitely helped make the transition from high school to college a smooth one. I was able to participate in all the fun games on campus with working knowledge of the correct rules. In a few cases, I was able to introduce upperclassmen to new games and intervene/referee during controversial moments in play.

In just a few months, my little brother will be graduating from high school and embarking on his college experience. I will be purchasing this vital reference volume for him. How proud he will be to put this book alongside his dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia set. This book is an excellent gift for a new grad, a college kid, or a middle-aged guy needing to brush up on his favorite games. Bottoms Up!!

This book is a must for any college student or just someone looking to have a good drinking game experience. The simple synonyms alone for getting sick and being drunk are a reason alone to buy this book, not to mention the 50 or so games which by any standards are down right fun and "entertaining". I suggest that anyone looking for some really good drinking games buy this book, its sure to make a dull night on campus turn into a wet, beer soaked one real quick!!!

This is the greatest book ever written!!!

This is a good textbook for a graduate level student but if you're not familiar with Econometrics it might be a little hard to catch up.

After trying many books as a PhD student at Harvard, this
is one of the books I have finally settled on as the best for
understanding the first year graduate-level fundamentals
in econometrics. Just at the right level - keeps econometrics
understandable without trivializing it or filling up needless
pages.

The bread and butter of econometrics are the statistical tools of regression and time series analysis. This is the fourth edition of a highly respected and widely used text on econometric methods.
The authors cover regression, correlation and least squares in Chapter 1, starting with the simplest linear regression involving a single regressor variable. This allows for an easy introduction to the basic concepts that provide the foundation for what is to come. Chapter 2 introduces the idea of using time as regressor variable. This is a natural lead-in to the more sophisticated time series models of later chapters. It presents important econometric concepts such as elasticity. It also provides some probability theory and time series theory.

Multiple linear regression is then introduced in Chapter 3 along with the important concepts of partial correlation, the Gauss-Markov theorem and variable selection criteria. Also, parameter restrictions are considered in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 includes diagnostic checking of models and the trick of introducing dummy variables into the model to handle dichotomous and categorical variables.

The material becomes more difficult and there is an increase in the mathematical sophistication in Chapter 5. More realistic econometric models enter the discussion and the techniques of maximum likelihood, generalized least squares and Lagrange Multipliers are needed. Instrumental variables are introduced to handle such problems as the error in variables model. The technique of two stage least squares is also introduced here. Basic time series ideas and theory were introduced in Chapter 2 but first really get exploited in Chapter 6 where the concepts of heteroscadasticity and autocorrelation are introduced. Formal univariate time domain analysis of time series including the ARIMA models and trending methods are covered in Chapter 7. More complications and advanced theory are in Chapter 8.

In Chapter 9, the subject of simultaneous equations is introduced. Generalized Method of Moment methods are presented in Chapter 10 as a reasonable and simple estimation approach that is valid in large samples.

Freedman, Navidi, Peters among others have pointed out that the estimators of standard error for parameters in many of the standard econometric methods depend on asymptotic theory and often are very poor for practical problem sizes. They have shown that bootstrap methods can provide much better estimates. It is therefore nice to see that these authors recognize the importance of these resampling methods They devote a full chapter to them. Chapter 11 "A Smorgasbord of Computationally Intensive Methods" covers such resampling techniques as permutation tests, the bootstrap ("nonparametric")and the parametric bootstrap and other computer-intensive methods such as nonparametric density estimation and regression.

Other problems that are unique to econometrics are covered in Chapters 12 and 13. Also included are appendices on matrix algebra and basic statistics along with useful statistical tables. The book also includes a diskette with data examples in ASCII files.

A classic text , everything is derived using elementary calculus and the subject is practically developed from scratch . A greater emphasis on matrix notation and the inclusion of topics like survival analysis would be a plus though

Given my relatively weak background in econometrics and statistics, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to understand my graduate econometrics class. However, ever since I started reading from this book, I have managed to follow what my teacher is saying. The steps on how the equations are derived are explained, but without making it too easy for the reader. This textbook is a great help. No wonder this has been around for some time. Nevertheless, I was hoping that there's an answer key for the problems.

Can an SUV be green? If you think so, if you think size and level of consumption are extraneous to the idea of sustainability, then this book is for you. You will learn all manner of ingenious ways to build and condition cavernous low-density dwellings. And in the end you will have a monstrous, comfortable perversion of the very values you putatively hold so dear.

Anyone who is interested in or is looking to build green should read this book.
It's very well organized, the detailed information is understandable and easy to read. The visual aids are priceless.
Great chapter summeries and end of book recap.

A great book that covers everything. A good checklist of things to consider. The graphics provide highlights from different viewpoints -- green design, construction, would I do this? Lots of photos and drawings. A good book to have on the shelf for reference.

This book does a good job at setting up a working definition of "green building" as a decision making process that occurs at each point in the design of a building, with an emphasis on residential construction. The book has a lot of pictures and pop-up bubble sidebars that make each page seem more like a design school presentation poster (that's a good thing). It presents a lot of basic information and principles about each part of a building, from foundations, insulation, windows, framing, flashing, natural building, etc. and how they come together as a "green building system."
If you are an architect or drafter who is looking for a book with technical details and explanations about specific construction methods or materials notes do not buy this book. If you would like to learn about green building science principles as to how they relate with each division in a building then buy this book.

Too many contractors operate on a "if it ain't broken don't fix it" and "I have been successfully doing things (the old way) for 25 years." It is difficult to get the average contractor to think and act green. Johnston & Gibson lay out and walk through the key ideas . . . in plain English with lots of excellent photographs. Every architect, county planning department, planning inspectors and utility district should have this close at hand. This provides the average person what realtors and homes for sale newspaper features don't know and don't get.

Because there is so much hyperbole, many do not know what to accept, reject, believe or move forward with. How do you speak intelligently with an architect for schools, homes, churches and business and clearly communicate what makes up a functional, sustainable, energy conserving and site appropriate structure?

Planning and Design is a whole system, not a one shot effort. This includes siting, aspect, elevation, lighting, landscaping, plumbing, materials, construction techniques, heating and cooling, interior and exterior finishes, decking, roofs and attics and basements. "Form follows function," taught in design schools, but too often ignored, permeates every thought. Collective wisdom reaches back to the Anasazi in the Southwest. This explains why you insulate under a foundation, how fly ash makes concrete stronger and takes care of an otherwise waste product requiring less Portland cement for walls and floors. Advanced framing techniques or use of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), alternatives to wood steel studs reduce waste and cost and increases thermal efficiency. Tubular sunpipes are shown illuminating interior space (a much superior alternative to leaky skylights).

Whether you are thinking of new construction or a retrofit, this is a key guide. As we enter "Peak Everything: Waking Up to the Century of Declines (Heinberg, 2007)," this is a guide to quality, high expectations and cost effectiveness with emphasis on sustainability and durability. When I look at a building, these are the critical thinking thoughts and questions in my head. This should be close at hand in every home construction and hardware supply store. Superbly written, well laid out, easy to find information.

Suzy's autobiography is well-written, engaging, and very readable. She records her struggle with depression and its treatment as a young person. I found it easy to identify with her experience of depression. I recommend this book for anyone currently engaged in the struggle -- it will offer insight, give assurance that they are not alone, and encourage the hope that if Suzy got through so can they.

Two Women - One Journey of Recovery - Two Perspectives.

From both the patient and her carer there is now rare and unusual insight into mental illness - with both books documenting the journey of recovery. Emotive, yet practical, these books should be read by all affected by mental illness and working within its profession.
Professor Angus Mackay, Scotland.
Claire Letham, Psychiatric Nurse, Scotland

The Naked Bird Watcher by Suzy Johnston, ISBN 0954809203
To Walk on Eggshells by Jean Johnston, ISBN 0954809211

I liked this book. I learnt a lot and it helped me understand my son's problems. It is the first book that has given me the hope that things will improve.

A damn good read! It had me laughing and it had me in tears. It is certainly not a service-user's normal account of depression. It is graphic, informative and gives a clear message of hope. As a support worker I have learned a great deal from reading this while I found it a very readable tale. It was written by an accomplished and talented author.

Suzy's book, "The Naked Bird Watcher", is an autobiographical account of her struggle with bipolar disorder. It is very well-written and speaks to bipolar and non-bipolar folk alike. What I liked best about the book is that Suzy documents what worked for her and what didn't, something that is important for all mentally ill folks to pay attention to and to work on in our own lives. Suzy's positive approach and hopeful message make this book a must-read.

The new 2004 Cairn edition is revised and contains a great deal of new information about Suzy's recent work in the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy fields.