Nicholson Books

By British tankman Peter Gudgin, this book goes into great detail about the Tiger's design history and use in WWII. Plenty of diagrams, photos and illustrations help make this a useful and interesting read.

The author, himself a signalman at the battle, has supplemented his first-hand experiences with extensive primary source-materials, producing a unique account to set the record straight, enhancing some reputations and correcting others in the process. Rommel's generalship, in particular, is examined in detail with some conclusions reached which may surprise many readers.
Written in highly readable style, with photos, good maps, the usual notes and bibliography; useful appendices with Orders of Battle, and good index. Highly recommended for WWII readers, and essential for students of the North African campaign.
(The numerical rating above is a default setting within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

Thombs, Graves & Mummies is a reference book, but not in the traditional sense. It does not have discoveries divided in alphabetical order but rather in 6 categories: Bones, Graves, Cemeteries, Tombs, Corpses, and Mummies. The Bones category includes information on Lucy, the Turkana Boy, the Neanderthals, and remains from eastern Asia and Australia as well as human sacrifices at Archanes-Anemospilia. Graves looks at mass burials, the "puzzle of Neanderthal burials," the remains of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, as well as other subjects. The Cemeteries section shows remains as they were discovered and also includes a photo of deformed skulls found at the Paracus Peninsula on the south coast of Peru manipulated when children had their heads wrapped to force their skulls to form in a shape aesthetically pleasing to their culture. Battlefield cemeteries are also covered including the Battle of Little Big Horn. Tombs include the Danish Bronze Age log coffin burials and includes an outfit of an Egtved girl that is over 3,000 years old. Tombs of the Persian Gulf and the Qin Terracotta Army are a few of many other tombs described.

My favorite section is on Corpses. From the 5,000 year old Iceman to the victims of Pompeii and the Inka Mountain sacrifices, I find this area of study fascinating. The two subjects I found the most interesting are the Bog Bodies of Britain and Denmark and the tragedy of the Franklin Expedition. The photographs are amazing. The face of one of the Bog bodies looks so serene with even stubble growing on his chin yet he may have died a terrible death. The remains of the Franklin Expedition are so well preserved right down to their eyeballs that they look like they could almost start talking. The Mummies section covers mostly Ancient Egypt (the Valley of the Kings and the family of King Tut). The book is a fascinating overview of some of the greatest discoveries in archeology and will probably prompt the reader to look into more information on certain subjects (as I looked for more books on the Franklin Expedition). The hundreds of revealing photographs, most of which are in full color, make this book an excellent choice for anyone interested in any of the subjects above.

A Traveller's History Of Oxford by Richard Tames (Lecturer for the London Programs of Syracuse University and the American University) is an superbly researched, accessibly written, deftly informative guide to exploring and appreciating one of Britain's most famous and provincial cities. Featuring Oxford's history, museum highlights, recommendations for bicycle, car, train and bus trips, this handy and "user friendly" volume is enhanced with sections devoted to sports, walking tours, a bibliography, glossary, and an index. A Traveller's History Of Oxford is especially recommended for on-site vacationers and is ideal for "armchair travelers" wanting to know more about the history and attractions of this venerable English city.

A wonderful read, full of inciteful and pointed observation, many aspects of human nature commented on and recounted against the backdrop of the author's life experiences. So much of what is said can't be judged as 'new', in the sense that all we experience has been lived through by countless generations before, but what a full life against which to frame the conclusions and observations made. It's not common to judge an autobiography as a 'gripping page turner' but this is one such.

Also an interesting historical document, dealing with key aspects of life at a time when the old empire was crumbling and vital questions were being asked of those in and around 'the establishment'.

Highly recommended.

A month after she announces her pregnancy to her husband, Kaley Cotter returns to Trueheart, Colorado and the Circle C., the ranch her family has held for four generations. Instead of finding sanctuary, however, she finds the ranch in financial peril. Although Kaley has always been a silent partner and sent half of her schoolteacher's salary each month to help financially, it's not enough. Her brother has struggled for years to hold the ranch together, borrowing extensively from the bank and even from their neighbor, Tripp McGraw. Now he's ready to cut their losses so that he might follow his own dream. He's enlisted in the air force, and his letter stating that he's selling out to Tripp is probably sitting in Kaley's mailbox even as she pulls into the ranch. She hasn't the heart to tell her brother of her pregnancy when she announces her divorce; instead, she simply wishes him well as he departs. And when Tripp turns up, she sure isn't going to tell him of her impending motherhood, either; at least, not until it becomes self-evident.

Tripp sold his best cutter, a horse he began gentling when it was only an hour old, to finance the purchase of Circle C. It's a fair offer; he pays what the ranch is worth minus the forty thousand his neighbor borrowed in a last ditch effort to turn a profit. When he knocks at the door, however, he is shocked to find Kaley, the girl he loved deeply nine years ago. Even when he asked her to marry him back then, Tripp never understood what a pretty girl would want with an uneducated cowboy with a sliced up face. His own mother had proven the fickleness of pretty women when it came to ranching. Anyway, something that good was to too good to last and when Kaley postponed their wedding a second time, he'd seen the handwriting on the wall. So while she was in Europe, he sent the letter that ended their engagement. Two months later she met Richard, who she agreed to marry ten months later. Only now she's back and he holds a balloon note for forty thousand dollars.

Filled with the struggles faced by ordinary people, TRUE HEART makes the ordinary extraordinary. Author Peggy Nicholson's storytelling abilities result in a beautiful tale about second chances and the power of love. Kaley's resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity coupled with Tripp's closely guarded, deep emotions result in delightful, memorable characters. The struggles of ranchers in the face of challenges from weather, the economy and day-to-day struggle to preserve their way of life likewise come alive with this author's pen, lending TRUE HEART a strong background. Very highly recommended.

I love tulips, so when I heard about this book I had to read it and I am glad that I did! The book focuses on the tulip craze in Holland, which took place between 1637-39. Tulips started out in China and Tibet they migrate to Turkey where they are cultivated during the "Golden Age" of the Ottoman Empire by Sullieman the Great at his Topkopi palace. From Turkey, they make their way aboard a ship to Holland.

Carolus Clusius became the first botanist in the west to do an in depth study of the tulip. As professor of botany in Leiden, he greatly succeeds in his efforts to have the bulbs and seeds cultivated by friends of his. The tulips rare beauty takes Europe by storm; women put them in their cleavage in place of wearing necklaces. As the market increases for tulips all manner of people start to breed them as a `cash crop' and trading in them brokers similar to selling stocks. People from all occupations are selling their trade tools like weavers looms to raise money to breed tulip bulbs. All of this activity causes a feverish market to spark a significant increase in tulip prices. The market really spurs the first futures market, which really trades in promissory notes and not tulip bulbs since they have a definitive growing season and people want to trade in them all year round. These promissory notes allow the euphoria to get out of hand. The market matures to the point to where one growers holdings sells for enough money to support a family of four for over one half of their lifetime. People finally come to their economic senses, money supply and bulbs dry up, and after 2 years of the tulip market being driven at a feverish pitch, it finally goes bust. Of course this causes financial ruin for allot of people. The market stabilizes and Holland becomes the premier growing area for Tulips in the world today.

This is a good book to learn about tulips during this time in history. It is an enjoyable easy read.

Reese has developed a new male scent, Irresistible, which is suppose to be pheromonal solution to attracting women. Unfortunately it doesn't work. Graduate student Nicola may have discovered the secret to sexual attraction, he needs her research. He needs her! A truly contemporary story of intrigue, comedy, and always love.

What a great read. This book truly let's you into the psyche of Baker. Reads sort of like a bio in many ways. Definetly a must read for Baker fans.

This is a Volume 1 of the classic two-volume work that provides the most comprehensive and authoritative study published of the badges, insignia, uniforms and accoutrements of Germany's air force - Luftwaffe - during the era of the Third Reich. There is also full coverage of the development of the organizations that preceded the Luftwaffe: Deutsches Luftsports-Verband (DLV), Segelflugabteilung, Reichsluftaufsicht, Flieger-HJ (Luftsportscharen), Regiment "Hermann Göring", SA-Regiment Feldherrnhalle and the Legion Condor etc. The book is based on the scrupulous research of the Luftwaffe dress regulations, explaining and describing the ranks and appointments in the various arms of the Luftwaffe, badges of rank and appointment as displayed on shoulder-straps and collar patches, Waffenfarbe, collar and cuff rank braiding, rank chevrons, trade and specialist badges; qualification badges, aiguillettes, gorgets and many-many more. The uniforms on which these items of insignia were worn is also described and illustrated, including steel helmets, cloth head-dress, trousers, breeches and footwear, gloves, belts and buckles, tunics, coats, greatcoats etc. Superb extremely unpublished photos and exhausting line drawings. A must buy.