Park Books

Peg Kehret is a great author and once again has written an intriguing and captivating story. Once I shared it with my kids, they were dying to check it out. Most read it in one night! A great "Can't put it down" book.

My book is about a boy whs name is Spencer and he is 12.Him and his mom had to move because they couldn't pay rent anymore so they left at 3:ooAM in the morning so no one could see them, but Spencer couldn't find his cat but his mom made him leave anyway.Then he went back later that night to get his cat.There was two guys there painting already as he began to call his cats name he went in the garage to see if he could find him.When he found him as soon as he turned around a guy said hey come out or I am calling the cops.He began to run dowm the road and hid behind a bush for a bus,when the first one said no pets allowed he had to wait 2 more hours for the other one.When he got to his aunts where he was staying he fell fast asleep and in the morning he woke up to his mom and aunt screaming at him to take the cat to the pound or find another home for it.So when they left he decided he was going to run away to his dads in San Fransisco.This is a very good book and I would definatly read it again if I had time.

This book was about a boy on a journey to find his dad in Candlestick Park. Early one morning, Spencer and his mom move to their aunt May's hose. Spencer is forced to leave his cat behind but he goes back to the house that night. Aunt May and Spencer's mom makes him find a new home for the cat. Spencer hates that so he runs away from home to find his dad in California. Spencer runs into some trouble along the way to California. Along the way he stays at a park and his cat (Foxy) gets chased by a dog. He also stayed with a guy that did wood carvings. When he came back to see him he had died. He also starts to steal and lie and he feels really bad. This book was a great book I liked it. If you like adventurous books, this is good. I would recommend it to you.

This book is about a boy named Spencer that is 12 years old. He had to move to Seattle with his mom to his Aunts house because his mom wasn't paying the rent.He has a cat that he brings but his aunt doesn't like the cat so Spencer runs away from home to go and find his dad in San Francisco. His dad is a big Giants fan. Spencer finds his dad but Spencer can't live with him because now his dad has a girl friend and there is not enough room for all of them. So Spencers dad buys him an airplane ticket to go home and now Spencer and his mom moved back to there old house because now they have enough money.This is a very good book!

At first I was bothered that Spencer was lying and stealing to run away from his aunt's Seattle area home, where he was living with his mother, so he could search for his father in San Francisco. But once I realized that he was keeping a list of all the things he "borrowed" from people so he could pay them back, I relaxed and found myself getting involved in this bicycle/hitch-hike/bus ride adventure. While it's easy to get the impression that "Searching for Candlestick Park" glamorizes running away, in the end it serves as a warning for how dangerous this can be.

We added this book to our school library at the insistent request of a sixth grader who had read it in another school. After we acquired several copies, it was constantly checked out, including one copy that this same boy read at least two more times!

Another good "on the road" adventure with a happy ending is "Bud, Not Buddy." Enjoy.

This book presents itself as a history of Yellowstone. However, it's also an extended reflection on the park by someone who loves it dearly, someone who has worked for the National Park Service in Yellowstone for years and is very knowledgeable about the park. Schullery writes very well, and the book is a pleasure to read.

The most striking characteristic of this book, in comparison with others, is how remarkably even-handed it is. Schullery takes controversial issues such as fire management, elk shooting, wolf reintroduction, and brucellosis-infected bison and presents them in an even-handed way, sympathetic to both sides. He recognizes that most people go to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon, eat, and go shopping; that's not what he likes to do, but he isn't critical. Yet, somehow, he manages to cock an eyebrow here and there and make you rethink a position that you had previously held quite firmly.

This would be a great book to read before a visit to Yellowstone, or as something to put in your pack while you're there. Highly recommended.

Combine history, scholarship, and a survey of nature and ecological issues and you have an uncommon history of Yellowstone that examines the political and cultural influences on the park's development and management over the decades. SEARCHING FOR YELLOWSTONE: ECOLOGY AND WONDER IN THE LAST WILDERNESS offers up chapters packed with true stories of environmental encounters and wonders. Readers with affection for Yellowstone will find these early encounters riveting.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a review of Yellowstone history from a system-wide and ecological perspective. It is well written and provides a great deal of factual information. It presents well thought out conclusions. It is balanced; not overly slanted toward the National Park Service, but not overly critical. The book is extremely well researched. The stories of historical characters and events add much to the book. The universe of Yellowstone experts hold several differing views on the proper wildlife numbers that should be allowed in Yellowstone. Schullery fits into the group that favors using historical stocking as a baseline. Those inclined to an agronomy baseline will question some of the conclusions drawn. One of the other reviewers called this book an "easy pre-read." I disagree; it is not difficult to read, but it does deserve study.

I read this book in a week and was quite impressed with the breadth of history covered in 260 something pages, not counting notes. I was glad to see that this historical account began with an "anthropological" perspective by recounting the known presence of Native American tribes prior to the EuroAmerican "discovery" of the place and the manner in which they were extricated from the ecosystem. I was also impressed with the historical information relating the misuse, management practices and policies that affected the life of the park once it was established and what changes have been implemented in recent years. The notes following the text were very helpful in leading me to other books and records that I would like to examine. A fine book that I purchased after reading the library copy!

`Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in knowing the "Yellowstone story" at a deeper level than the interpretive signs or tourist pamphlets. This would be excellent (and easy) "pre-reading" for anyone contemplating a first trip to Yellowstone....but it is also a fascinating and sometimes surprising eye-opener for someone (like me) who was somewhat familiar with Yellowstone already. From the perspective only a former Yellowstone employee and prolific writer/researcher could bring, Schullery persuasively argues-not unlike the "new western historians" in their iconoclastic reassessment of the American west and its history)-that Yellowstone is not so much a place as a process...a process of how we as Americans define a national park. Schullery's measured tour through this process provides a sobering reminder to inveterate tree-huggers like me that a national park is not a wilderness area, as much as I might like it to be in terms of "hands off" preservation. Schullery's approach is matter-of-fact, methodically researched (I actually enjoyed reading the copious "notes" section separately after having finished the book) and myth-busting at times (e.g. that surprisingly, the total number of developed acres in Yellowstone has actually decreased during the last 40 years rather than increased). He doesn't even spare himself, needling enthusiastic fly-fishers like himself with the sad-but-true fact that if we treated the ungulates of Yellowstone the same way fishermen do a Yellowstone trout (which was probably introduced in the first place rather than native), we would be cited for abusing the wildlife. A very readable and important book.

At one time, publishing firms battled with top dollars to obtain the latest horror manuscript from best-selling author Braxton DeFoe. Several of his novels have been turned into popular movies. However, Braxton seems weary and unable to produce any more as the fast lanes of Southern California have taken its toll. Heeding his wife?s advice that they all need a change in venue, Braxton and his spouse Piper flee decadent Los Angeles for the idyllic North Carolina mountains.

Braxton hates the rural locale even after a warm welcome to Crooked Creek from their neighbors Mary Beth and Ren Wyatt, who is the local Storyteller. Ren turns into a catalyst of sorts as Braxton sees him as a rival in storytelling and for the affections of his wife. No one yet realizes the evil or is it jealousy that is now taking over Braxton?s every thought and action.

The STORYTELLERS is a powerful drama that keeps the reader in a perpetual state of bewilderment between supernatural possession and insanity. The psychological or parapsychological tale works because the characters seem authentic, which turn their activities and interrelationships into quite a plot. Fans of psychological horror need to provide plenty of time to finish Julie Anne Parks? one-sitting novel because they will want to keep reading in order to decide whether Braxton is a lunatic or in need of an exorcist.

Harriet Klausner

I particularly enjoyed Parks' skillful evocation of the Blue Ridge Mountain milieu, and the sense of contact -- through the storyteller's tales and the events of the book alike -- with both human and elemental forces from times past.

At one time, publishing firms battled with top dollars to obtain the latest horror manuscript from best-selling author Braxton DeFoe. Several of his novels have been turned into popular movies. However, Braxton seems weary and unable to produce any more as the fast lanes of Southern California have taken its toll. Heeding his wife?s advice that they all need a change in venue, Braxton and his spouse Piper flee decadent Los Angeles for the idyllic North Carolina mountains.

Braxton hates the rural locale even after a warm welcome to Crooked Creek from their neighbors Mary Beth and Ren Wyatt, who is the local Storyteller. Ren turns into a catalyst of sorts as Braxton sees him as a rival in storytelling and for the affections of his wife. No one yet realizes the evil or is it jealousy that is now taking over Braxton?s every thought and action.

The STORYTELLERS is a powerful drama that keeps the reader in a perpetual state of bewilderment between supernatural possession and insanity. The psychological or parapsychological tale works because the characters seem authentic, which turn their activities and interrelationships into quite a plot. Fans of psychological horror need to provide plenty of time to finish Julie Anne Parks? one-sitting novel because they will want to keep reading in order to decide whether Braxton is a lunatic or in need of an exorcist.

Harriet Klausner

Storytellers is a suspense filled, fast-paced book that is hard to put down. Every reader can identify with Piper, the main character, who is torn between the way things are supposed to be and the way they really are. It's crisp yet brooding, almost poetic at times, while still raising goose bumps. I didn't want it to be over, even though the climax (totally unexpected) was very satisfying. All in all a completely entertaining book, and I'll be watching for more novels from this author.

Julie Anne Parks shows flashes of brilliance with STORYTELLERS--with characters developing layers of intriguing sub-text. The plot is expertly paced, driving toward a riveting conclusion. I couldn't help liking this book. Why not five stars, then? Let me explain.

Julie Anne Parks loves the English language--that much is clear. She can turn a pretty phrase with the best of them. Unfortunately, this first-time novelist gets a little too wrapped up in "pretty." I found myself wishing she would skip the too-clever similes and get on with the story. I wanted to know more about her characters...particularly Ren (the male protagonist) and Keysa (his Tlingit Indian shaman mother.) I wanted to care about Braxton, the antagonist (who takes on the spirit of a spectre from Indian folklore) a little more than I did. While we saw glimpses of humanity in his character, I wanted to feel that the evil force controlling Braxton was the proverbial "bad guy," and not Braxton himself.

All in all, this is an enjoyable read. Time with Julie Parks' STORYTELLERS is time well spent. I'm looking forward to future novels as this writer matures in her craft.

Nishantha Gunawardena is a journalistic photographer from Sri Lanka whose previous photographs have been directed toward reportage of events such as floods, poverty, disasters and man's ability to cope. In this grand yet quiet book he continues his ability of reportage, this time directing our attention to the endangered wilderness grandeur of this country.

Gunawardena's images in rich color capture leaves/ twigs/ branches/ trees/ forests at dawn, noon, sunset and night in an effort to bring the viewers' appreciation to the majesty of nature unfettered by human touch. His photographs range from astute close-up shots of flowers or petals to vistas of fields, mountain ranges, and skies. The quality of the photography is magnificent and the book's reproduction is excellent.

But nature books abound on the shelves of our bookstores, so why is this volume so different? The answer is in Gunawardena's eloquent comments on his three year journey that resulted in the treasures of nature captured in this volume. His writing encourages the response of awe in the reader, a response that hopefully will eventually be manifested in our more cautious care for the great American wilderness, a place that simply must be protected from the greed of resource exploitation. Highly recommended viewing and reading and contemplation. Grady Harp, March 06

"The vastness of the United States seems endless and the variety of ecosystems incredible. Deserts, rain forests, grasslands, wetlands, coasts, glacier-clad mountains, and temperate woodlands each brim with its own distinctive character. The spirit of the land caresses and engulfs the one seeking solitude in it. It is possible to hear the essence of the terrain resounding and relating its story in tranquility." ~Nishantha Gunawardena

Traces of Eden is a beautiful introspective work displaying natural wonders and soul-nourishing landscapes. Like a photographic meditation, each page presents images to inspire a love of nature.

Nishantha Gunawaredena's poetic prose throughout make this as much an emotional journey as a visual experience. He sets up camp outdoors in order to capture a perfect picture of the moon, the glossy reflection like sprinkles of stardust across the North Shore of Lake Superior. He lives in Minnesota, but traveled across America to capture the rest of the pictures.

Lavender mountains from Wyoming seem to be awakening in a sunrise and gorgeous watery landscapes contrast with old growth forests.

After waiting for hours in the snow, a perfect moment is captured at Crater Lake Oregon. The colors in many of the pictures make them seem more like artwork than winding blue rivers from an aerial view. Sea green glaciers almost look like angular emerald green waves. I had to look at the picture for a few minutes to figure out what I was seeing.

The use of lighting adds a shimmering glow to many of the photographs. They contrast in warm and cool tones with mist-drenched valleys on one page and horses running in dry pastures a few pages later. One picture of a duck with water beading across its feathers is truly spectacular.

Nishantha Gunawardena has created a world of beauty to inspire awe and a sense of nostalgia for areas of America we have visited or wish to visit. His writing enhances the artistic experience and leaves you with a warm glow of appreciation.

~The Rebecca Review

Humanity has disrupted the very elements of nature which it seeks to preserve, yet the vastness of the U.S. and its ecosystems abide, as TRACES OF NATURE: THE LAST OF THE AMERICAN WILDERNESS seeks to capture forever under its book cover. Gorgeous color photos of American parks and wild areas accompany Gunawardena's own evocative prose based on his personal travels to these regions. From Alaska impressions to California' Mojave Desert and the vanishing Everglades, each lovely and often quite dramatic full-page color representation is faced with a blend of personal observation, photographic insight and natural history reflection. A gorgeous presentation; especially recommended for gift-giving.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Considering our natural land is retreating, the photos take us to a landscape some dream to discover. From cover to cover we are able to dive into the last of the North American wilderness and camp out in our favorite retreats. The colors in the photos are vibrant and illuminating. Mr. Gunawardena's hard work paid off in delivering a true work of art. What a beautiful tribute!

"We are but one thread within it. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the sons of the Earth...Whatever he does to the web he does to himself." Chief Seattle

This quote opens this book of photography, and the sentiment is woven throughout the photos and text.

This is a visually beautiful book, and that's what first drew me to it. When I looked at the pictures, particularly the luminous and lush landscapes, I felt Icould step right into the photo, that I was actually there. But when I took the time to read the text accompanying the photos, I truly understood why the author undertook a three-year journey to document the "few remaining traces of a once lush Eden" in our 50 United States.

His is a deep and heartfelt need to accurately portray to those of us who aren't paying attention just what it is that we are in danger of losing in our never-ending preoccupation with our self-gratifying, self-indulgent lifestyles, our "frivolous desires."

We are neglecting the land, which asks so little from us, yet is so necessary to our very survival. What will it take for our environmental apathy to end? What will it take to finally get our attention, and show us just how utterly dependent we truly are on the health of the land and all of the Earth?

Unfortunately, it seems to me that our short-term avarice trumps any thought to the long-term consequences of our actions and decisions, and it will take major economic and environmental impacts before the majority of people will sit up and take notice. And by then it just might be too late.

Armchair Interviews: A spectacular photo book with a very strong ecological message everyone needs to hear.

If "The Doors Of Perception" was the most important work on psychedelics because of its influence, this then is by far the greatest because of its impeccable research, its far-ranging implications and its clear, lucid and compelling putting together of the evidence for the remarkable therapeutic and consciousness-illuminating value of LSD and other psychedelics (principally peyote). They don't, however, proselitize, and this is much to their credit. In fact, they go to some lengths to inform the reader that an active pro-drugs "for the sake of drugs" mindset is fraught with peril, and do so in a way that is both impartial and learned.

They're at their best, however, in their extraordinary recounting of the psychedelic experiences they conducted themselves as guides. There are so many instances where the subject, usually a person with a very intense psychological or emotional problem, arrived at a life-changing breakthrough, that it lingers long in the mind.

But the book is most of all a primer for their very lucid theory of the psychedelic experience and its various stages or levels. It is, in fact, so well thought out and explained, that this reviewer wonders why it had so little impact on the great body of psychedelic research, even after all these years. To me, it is the only theory that makes any sense and it's also the only one that could be used in a therapeutic setting so that the chances of errors or mistakes in guidance be effectively minimized.

this book is an excellent primer to understanding the many incarnations of psychedelic experience.
the information is put forward in a very professional way.
benefits of LSD and other drugs in therapy are thoroughly weighed against potential detriment. This is a serious book, that confronts the question of where the real value lies in the psychedelic experience, and whether it exceeds the risks.

the concept of levels of psychedelic experience, is a good introduction to the works of Stanislav Grof and Transpersonal Psychiatry!

Very well written. Masters and Houston provide a description of what I would call their skeptically optimistic approach to psychedelic therapy.

They advance a theory on possible levels of the psychedelic expererience. Also, there is *a lot* of helpful advice to 'trip sitters'. If you are going to trip sit I reccommend reading this and looking at erowid.org.

Brand new re-issue of the classic 1966 work.

If "The Doors Of Perception" was the most important work on psychedelics because of its influence, this then is by far the greatest because of its impeccable research, its far-ranging implications and its clear, lucid and compelling putting together of the evidence for the remarkable therapeutic and consciousness-illuminating value of LSD and other psychedelics (principally peyote). They don't, however, proselitize, and this is much to their credit. In fact, they go to some lengths to inform the reader that an active pro-drugs "for the sake of drugs" mindset is fraught with peril, and do so in a way that is both impartial and learned.

They're at their best, however, in their extraordinary recounting of the psychedelic experiences they conducted themselves as guides. There are so many instances where the subject, usually a person with a very intense psychological or emotional problem, arrived at a life-changing breakthrough, that it lingers long in the mind.

But the book is most of all a primer for their very lucid theory of the psychedelic experience and its various stages or levels. It is, in fact, so well thought out and explained, that this reviewer wonders why it had so little impact on the great body of psychedelic research, even after all these years. To me, it is the only theory that makes any sense and it's also the only one that could be used in a therapeutic setting so that the chances of errors or mistakes in guidance be effectively minimized.

Huston and Masters give a well detailed and extremely fair minded account of the psychedelic experience, primarily via LSD sessions that were recorded by observers who were trained in psychology. The book covers the myriad aspects of "the trip" from perceptions of the human body to the deep religious experience.

The book is somewhat more scholarly than the works of someone like Timothy Leary but this is what is needed if this movement is to ever regain its legitimacy in the eyes of the general public. While it does not condone the illegal use of the drugs, it decries their suppression and the utter halt of legitimate research into these fascinating and important substances. Read it with an open mind, but remember that the drugs are illegal and therefore also potentially dangerous. That aside, the book will almost certainly spark your curiousity.

Actually, it's probably vice-versa, I think my two sons came to bagels as a result of enjoying this book so much. It's a very charming story, and really wonderful illustrations (We have a few other Grace Lin titles as well). Some of the writing can be a little awkward for reading aloud (especially when you're exhaustedly trying to get your kids to go to sleep), but even still it has brought my family a lot of smiles (and a well-worn catch-phrase heard frequently around our house).

a delightfully simple book with a multi-cultural theme (korea and the usa)...about a little boy in korea wishing for a bagel (which he had never seen nor tasted) and how his community helped to create one and to share in its eating! very well-illustrated and written to be read over and over again.

Bagels. Yum. You know, for years I thought I disliked the tasty carbo-loaded concoctions simply because the only ones I'd ever eaten were of the gawdawful frozen variety. Maybe I would've come to bagels a little sooner in life had I had access to a book like "Where On Earth Is My Bagel?". Taking an essentially ridiculous idea (bagels are the stuff of visions and portent-laden dreams) the book is a nice little tale of a boy and his mini-quest for a good old-fashioned schmear.

Yum Yung, who has lived all his life in Korea, awakes from a mid-afternoon nap one day to declare with very little doubt in his mind, "I want a bagel!". This being rural Korea, New York bagels are (to say the least) a teensy bit scarce. This fact does not deter Yum Yung in the slightest, however. Without further ado he finds himself a pigeon and ties a note to its leg that amounts to a one-bagel order form. The pigeon takes off but no bagel returns to Yum Yung. He asks everyone he knows if they happened to get it by mistake. Sadly, the man working the wheat field hasn't. The fisherman working the salty sea hasn't. Even the woman tending the beehives hasn't. Yet to Yum Yung's delight, the pigeon returns with a bagel recipe (the note explains that bagels older than a day are not exactly edible) and the boy is able to get wheat, salt, and honey from the three people he bugged just the morning before. At the end of the story Yum Yung and his friends create an enormous bagel and sit down to a one-food-only feast of sorts.

The first two pages of the book show the Atlantic Ocean with New York and its tantalizing bagels on one page and Yum Yung, hands pressed dramatically to his chest, on the other. As another reviewer of this book pointed out, this shot is a bit askew, with Korea ending up where Spain could be. My only other grief with the book was that it did not include the recipe that Yum Yung received from New York. Books of this nature are especially good at getting you to crave the items they write of. How hard would it have been to include instructions for making your own? Not everyone lives in New York, after all.

Otherwise, the story's rather sweet. I give a lot of credit to the book for having such a bizarre premise. The pictures will not blow you away and the writing is somewhat pat, but this is a nice little tale that follows the rule of three and has a satisfying and delicious conclusion. A fine little tale for those kids already in love with bagels' chewy ways.

This is the story of Yum Yung in Korea. One day, for some unknown reason, he decides he would like a New York bagel. He send a pigeon with a message to New York to order one bagel to go. When the bagel does not show up right away, Yum Yung decides that he must search for it.

Yum Yung encounters a farmer, a fisherman, a beekeeper, and a baker while searching, but to no avail until suddenly everything comes together and the whole cast gets the chance to enjoy a fresh-baked bagel.

A truly fun story told in just the right way for young readers (repetitive language, etc.). After reading the book, go back to the start and you will notice that while Yum Tung is dreaming of his bagel, all the settings of the story are visible from his hilltop.

The only downside in the book is in the opening illustration that seems to place Korea in the vicinity of France or Spain (East and a little south of New York). Considering the obvious care in the rest of the illustrations I found this rather unusual. But this should not detract from this story of a young boy who has a dream and sets out to make it a reality.

This book contains all of the perfect elements that make a good children's book. It has imajination as the impossible happens. It has repition as the same conversation happens as the main character meets new people. Children just love this as they can predict what is going to happen and can follow along easier. It ends by using parts gleaned from the rest of the story binding it together beautifully. The wonderful solid structure of an absolutely perfect children's book. Beautiful

Sam's insight to the era of the Bronx shows the underlying warmth and respect he has for his family. I could not put the book down; reading well into the night; hours passing quickly. We can all relate, Jewish or non- Jew. They were tough times, not necessarily blessed with opportunities; and especially so for a bright woman with what could have been an even brighter future had she been born in more contemporary times. Thank you for sharing your Mom's life with us. You did it in a beautiful and literary way.
I gained insight into Fannie's family; folks I have known, loved, respected and whose friendship I have cherished for almost 50 years.
Thank you, Sam. Great job.

This is a moving tribute. The author makes the effort to know and understand his mother after she has died, in part because he senses he has been unfair to her while she lived. Freedman writes with understanding and sympathy of a woman who according to her son reached the peak of her emotional life at seventeen in a love forbidden her by her mother. Freedman tells of how his mother had to sacrifice her own wellbeing and desire for an education in order to help support her very poor family. He blames his grandmother for some of the dissatisfaction in his mother's life. At the same time he praises his grandmother for being the strong and ethical member of the family who cared about what was happening to her relatives in Europe during the Holocaust.
Freedman blames himself for his behavior as college student and teacher in refusing to acknowledge his mother's presence in the class. He does however indicate that there were many times in their life when he tried to do his best for her. For instance he tells of a story where he bought his mother a special kind of plant , and how disheartened he was when after a few weeks it wilted. His mother comforted him in this.
It would be nice to think that she knows of his devotion to him and looking down from Heaven is filled with pride and happiness for her son's devotion to her in telling her story.

My mother grew up in the Bronx not all that far (in time and place) from Freedman's mother Eleanor, so I found this book both nostalgic and deeply touching. Even if I didn't know first-hand about shopping at Alexander's, going to Loew's Paradise, and commuting to City College, I would find this book engrossing.

By tracing his mother's teenage and early adult years and the shifting relationships with family and friends, he shows how her decisions and attitudes influenced who she became--and why she kept her earlier life a mystery from those closest to her. Insightful, with a powerful yet very personal ending. Highly recommended.

I found Freedman's account of his mother to be melacholy and moving. All our parents remain a mystery to us when they live, more so when they die. Freedman's rejection of his mother in life and embrace is death is deeply touching.

I could not put this book down....it's fantastic! The author, whose mother died when he was a college student, pieces together her pre-motherhood life to create a wonderful story of a complex young woman...a woman who, to paraphrase his words, peaked at a young age and spent the rest of her life trying to capture that success. I appreciate the emotional and literary efforts Mr Freedman put into this book...it was a joy to read and gave me lots of food for thought. Highly recommend!

Anyone who may ever encounter a dog should read this book. Everyone should. Janine Adams brings up issues often ignored by many first-time dog owners, and reminds long-time dog owners that there are many ways to handle dogs and their problems, some more effective than others, and some more radical than others. Ms. Adams' writing is refreshingly clear and open, and she touches on just about all the issues from housebreaking and puppyhood to letting go in the end, and everything in-between. This is an easy-to-read book that can serve as simple reference for everyone. You can read it straight through, or in a few sittings, or you can refer to a chapter at a time as you see fit. You should read this book. Your dog will thank you. Everyone should read this book, it's really that good!

This book is great. It told me everything that I was doing wrong when I was training my min pin. It did'nt even hhousebreak yet because of this book. I got it trained in a day!

This is a profound, one-and-done reference for a new dog person, whether he or she is rescuing an adult, adopting a puppy or dogsitting for a friend. Without qualification, I think it should replace a book with monks as a primary reference tool. Experienced dog guardians will also enjoy this as a refresher or for a new way of looking at conventional training methods.

The author draws on her own experience with 2 poodles ... as well, as the training & trouble solving methods of other trainers ... this approach alone makes the book rather unusual and refreshing ... too many writers believe that theirs is the best or only way ...

Contains sound sensible advice, adopts gentle training methods ... with interesting chapters on dog nutrition and medication/inoculations that take an alternative (holistic?) approach ... worth considering ...

Oh ... and don't let the number `25' fool you ... the author covers almost all the issues commonly faced by dog owners everywhere ...

This book is very clearly written, well organinsed and makes for easy reading ... useful for all dog owners ... very good for first time dog owners ...

Janine Adams talent is that she can make her books relevant to everyman. This book isn't for trainers, or for breeders, or people with pedigreed dogs - but for the ordinary dog lover. Anyone who wants a dog to share their life should pick up this book and read it cover to cover. If you already have a dog - what are you waiting for?? Get this book - it's a great Christmas gift!

So glad this type of book, filled with very helpful information and insight, has been published. Can't wait until Craig writes a book for each state and then tackles Europe. Sent an autographed copy to a good friend, a double amputee who truly appreciates the author's ability to advise most accurately.

"Congratulations to Andy Jehn and Craig Kennedy for having the foresight and creativity to publish a much needed resource for the State of Colorado. This publication will draw attention to the programs that already exist to make the Rockies accessible and inspire others to focus on breaking down barriers for the disabled. Thank you."

Amanda Boxtel is the paraplegic Co-founder and Director of Special Projects for Challenge Aspen, an all-seasons non-profit adaptive recreation provider for Aspen Mountain and the surrounding area. Formed in 1995, it has become one of the premier adaptive outfits in the country for people with disabilities.

"Written from the heart, Craig Kennedy and Andrea Jehn have managed to paint a vivid picture of adaptive programs at Colorado Ski Resorts. Descriptions are filled with specifics and "how to" tips that will get you where you need to go. It's more than just the usual maps, websites, phone numbers and lists. Their words make you want to become part of the ambiance, the experience and the fun of winter recreation. This book is a must have for anyone with special needs!"

Johanna Hall, after many years of working with and running the ski school at Vail Mountain in Colorado, has moved to Steamboat to take over as manager of the Steamboat Ski & Snowboard School. She has been an avid outdoor enthusiast and skier her entire life.

"As our communities begin to make accommodation for those who can benefit from program and facility adaptation and expansion, it becomes increasingly important to publish this vital information to those who would benefit from it. Information contained in Access Anything: Colorado has been carefully researched and validated by the authors in such a way to be presented in a realistic and practical fashion. There is thoroughness to the material, which is of value to most anyone of any level of disability. No literature can be the end all resource form any single person with a disability. This resource guide does present information in a way the reader can make an appropriate distinction as to whether or not any given subject resource within the contents would merit further exploration. This is an excellent effort to make information of value known to persons who would benefit from consideration for accommodation."

Sam Andrews has been a Craig Hospital employee as director of Therapeutic Recreation and Volunteer Services for many years, specializing in spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. Craig Hospital is one of the leading spinal chord and brain injury rehabilitation centers in the country.

"Craig and Andy have really done their "away from" homework in creating this bible for the wheelchair traveler. Thanks you for this great guide."

Steve Ackerman is a long-time resident of Colorado, a National spokesman for Freedom Ryder Handcycles, and owner of a medical supply company for people with disabilities.

Great graphics, tremendous research, a treasure trove for "data miners" from all spectrums of science - ecology, climatology, sociology, forestry, geology, etc. Once you read this book you will understand the Adirondacks far better than most life-long residents of the region.

Geologically, the Adirondacks owe more to the Canadian Shield from which it arises as it passes under the St. Lawrence River. This remarkable coffee table book contains some of the most majestic and intimately beautiful photographs of the East's greatest wilderness. Far from simply showing the natural landscape, this volume delves into the Adirondack Park's culture, history and economics. The book also explores through photographs and narrative, the complex mixture of people and wilderness and it's fragile coexistence. This is a grand mixture of prose and photography that will please anyone, fan of the Adirondack Mountains or one about to be.

Because a good picture can be worth a thousand words, or quite possibly ten thousand, as demonstrated by the detailed, high quality graphics packing every page of Jenkins' book, his "Adirondack Atlas" (which is ever so much more than an "atlas") truly can be said to contain volumes of fascinating, up-to-date, accurate and pertinent information on our incomparable six-million acre "forever wild" forest park. Indeed, this one model reference book captures in its 267 pages an amount of information equivalent to that found in a small library of the best available books on Adirondack history, politics, geography, geology, ecology and natural history, and then adds considerable information and highly readable interpretation that can be found in no other published work. It is a miracle of a book, the work of a stunning and accomplished intellect.

Very informative book - a wealth of current knowledge. A pleasure to pick up in spare moments to read a bit and expand my knowledge of this great park. Have shared with friends already.

Jerry Jenkins and Andy Keal do a great job covering the entire spectrum of the Adirondack Park, which I find helpful when doing research for my books, "New York State's Mountain Heritage: Adirondack Attic" volumes 1-3. Their compilation of material is astounding and historic in itself, a marvel of Adirondack publishing. It tires me to think of the countless hours of research that went into writing this book. This is a must-read for those who love New York State's Adirondack Mountains.