Richardson Books

Elliot Richardson, who passed away on New Year's Eve 1999 and made brilliant contributions in the fields of government, law and diplomacy, also left us with three books. This volume is his shortest (76 pages) and the only difficult-to-find of the three (The Creative Balance, 1976,is out of print but easily found and Reflections of a Radical Moderate, 1996, is still available in hardback and most recently in paper 2000). The Uses and Limitations of Law originated as a series of three lectures in 1981, the Dorab Tata Memorial Lectures, given by Richardson in Bombay and Delhi, India, and published a year later. Introduced by J.R.D. Tata and with other introductory and concluding remarks by Ambassador N. A. Palkhivala, the book's chapters follow the order of his speeches: (1) Riding the Wave: Stability, Flexibility and Change, (2) The Need for Global Systems, and (3) A Constitution for Economic Development. Richardson's outlook is captured, in part, when he wrote, "The more I have seen of life and government, and of the problems besetting the world, the more I am struck by the importance of the power of imagination." He addresses the challenge that politicians and statesman face in stopping aggression; he even draws similarities between the behavior of nations and small children since "Nations are allowed to be -- indeed expected to be-- touchy, proud, resentful, and mean in a degree that would not be tolerated in an adult."Richardson draws from his vast experience in sub-cabinet, cabinet and ambassador posts to explain the balance of power during the Cold War, the importance of the United Nations, and most importantly, his experiences from 1977-1980 as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large and chief of the delegation to the Law of the Sea Conference. Palkhivala comments on Richardson's impact during the Law of the Sea, saying "that the human race owes a deep debt of gratitude to Ambassador Richardson and I would like to say what I said in my private letter to him when that accord was reached, that in history this accord may well come to be known as the Richardson Convention."In chapter two Richardson illustrates his belief that it is possible for countries to "achieve consensus on complex and divisive issues." In one of his dicussions on the profession of law, Richardson writes how "the history of civilization is the history of myriads of solved conflicts." The third chapter reviews the mechanisms necessary for the necessary international cooperation to allow economic development.While the material covered in these pages is not easy reading, the fact that this is a book of speeches gives the volume a friendly and sincere voice. Like his other books, speeches and articles, this work is important because of his extraordinary track record of accomplishments throughout his 79 years, from his World War II experiences to that evening on October 20, 1973, when he established his primary reputation as the Attorney General who refused to obey President Nixon's orders to fire the Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox.

using "color in art" has given me more efective and practical tools on my aproach on choosing colors in my work as an artist.

South Africa has a remarkable floral diversity but has also been endowed with dedicated scientists in the fields of plant ecology and vegetation science. The book, 'Vegetation of Southern Africa' is dedicated to John Acocks whose seminal work 'The Veld Types of South Africa' formed the basis and inspiration for much of what has followed in the realm of vegetation classification in South Africa for many years. It is a fitting tribute that this book should be dedicated to the memory of John Acocks.

The book is well introduced with a complimentary foreword but more importantly a concise and informative general preface. The preface gives the reader a good idea of the aims, scope and setting of the book which is divided into three parts, forming a logical progression from one part to the next. Part 1 comprises four chapters on landscape evolution, climate, biogeography and vegetation palaeohistory which 'set the scene' and provide the reader with a framework for appreciating present vegetation patterns and processes. The second and principal part of the book consists of 10 chapters which describe the major vegetation units found in southern Africa. The treatment follows the classification of the vegetation into seven biomes and three units at the non-biome-scale. Part 3 of the book includes eight chapters on cross-biome topics such as conservation, fire, alien plant invasions and so on. The editors considered these topics to be of global interest and this approach positions the book well to capture the interest of a global audience rather than restricting its appeal to local enthusiasts.

The palaeohistory of southern Africa is fascinating and the two chapters dealing with the evolution of landscapes and vegetation history transport one back in time to the 'Jurassic Park' that southern Africa once was as the land was moulded and the dynasties of different floras rose and fell. These chapters encourage one to look with new eyes at the complex landscapes that make up southern Africa and to consider the 'unseen' floras which lie buried from our view. The chapter by R.E. Schulze deals with climate in a more contemporary sense and its link to the present flora of the country. It contains valuable information but it is a great disappointment that the climate maps are published in monochrome! Publication of these maps in colour would have greatly enhanced the chapter since maps such as Figure 2.6 (and others) show little definition between the three darkest units -- the colour hues are too close!

The overarching chapter presented on the phytogeogeography of southern Africa is an essential prerequisite to the contents of the following chapters. It gives the reader a clear perspective of the floral diversity by broadly analysing the phytogeography in terms of ecological, historical and phylogenetic factors, while focusing more specifically on patterns and correlates of species-level endemism. The analysis of the 'age' of different endemic species following Cronk's scheme, however superficial, is to my knowledge the first time this classification has been applied to southern African endemic taxa. This greatly assists in providing and evolutionary time-frame for the extant subcontinental flora.

Part 2 of the book starts with a chapter categorizing the biomes of the African subcontinent. It could be argued that this chapter should have been included in the introductory Part 1. Nevertheless it serves the purpose well of providing a foundation for the descriptive chapters on the different biomes and biome-scale units recognized. A large research effort was undertaken from the mid-1970's to the late 1980's and the immense amount of knowledge gained during this period is highlighted in the chapters presented here. The specific intention of achieving some uniformity of treatment of the biomes is useful for comparative purposes. The approach has, however, also been adequately flexible to allow for the special aspects of each biome to be exposed, e.g. the lichen fields of the desert of the intriguing reproductive biology of some plants in the fynbos and succulent karoo. The approach has thus been thorough and comprehensive and a valuable aspect of all the chapters in this section has been the identification of gaps in existing knowledge. There are numerous recommendations for future research to answer pressing questions. One gains a sense of urgency that these questions need answering soon to foster sustainable utilization of southern Africa's vegetation resources, from the grasslands of the interior to the kelp beds on the continental shelf and from the desert to alpine ecosystems of the high mountains.

In the third part of the book eight chapters are presented with topical ecological themes. They range from the theory of species diversity to the impacts of abiotic factors such as fire and the impacts of human utilization and alien biota on the natural vegetation. The introductory preamble to the section once again gives a helpful summary of the contents of the following chapters that highlight many intriguing facets which may be seen as being linked in the colourful fabric of vegetation on southern African landscapes. It is appropriate that the book should end with a chapter on conservation and South Africa can be justifiably proud of work accomplished in this arena. However, as we draw closer to the end of the millenium we need to take stock of the natural resources in southern Africa. 'Vegetation of Southern Africa' is well timed as it provides a good critique of the state of affairs and will serve as a valuable benchmark publication for future work.

To conclude some general points require mention. The layout of the book in three sections is applaudable and assists the reader in the use of the book. The volume is well indexed and the short glossary is also useful, particularly for readers not familiar with many colloquial southern African terms. There are nevertheless some disappointing aspects. In a book on the vegetation of such a colourful country it is regrettable that there are no colour reproductions of photographs of plant communities, plant species and maps! It is clear that many of the black-and-white reproductions were produced from colour diapositives. Although this is not a 'coffee-table book' I am convinced that some colour would have greatly enhanced its appeal and value; for instance the impact of Figure 22.8 is completely lost due to the lack of colour. There is also a good deal of inconsistency in the layout of captions resulting in a waste of space. In some instances the captions are crammed into single columns whereas in others they are liberally spread across the width of the page. The small point but bold font used for the captions is also not appropriate. These unsuitable editorial points do not detract from an otherwise outstanding publication.

I am giving this 5 stars because it is an outstanding source of information about Violet Richardson Ward both her personal life history and a basic background as to her role in founding Soroptimist. It is a difficult book to obtain and I bought it used through Amazon.com's private zshop sellers. Violet was an amazing woman for many more reasons than just that of founding Soroptimist. In fact, Soroptimist is not one of the most interesting, innovating, or courageous things she achieved in her life!! For example, her true love was physical education. She was a strong willed young woman who ended up teaching physical education in public schools at a time when most teachers were male, especially P.E. teachers!

BUT, I found the book to be poorly edited when it comes to flow, natural progressions and generally, *readability* (and, perhaps, there was no editor per se). It is a difficult book to read not because of complex prose or language, but because the author jumps from one antedote to another in repeating what seems like just about every story she collected about Violet's life which were relayed to author by either Violet before her death and/or by other people such as her family and friends. The most entertaining and easiest chapter to read is one taken from the journal of one of Violet's friends. The journal recorded the events of a crazy road trip a single, unmarried Violet and several of her single and/or married girlfriends (one of which who kept the journal). The woman traveled to Oregon from California and back in Violet's Ford traveling through mountains and on backroads, and as one might imagine, breaking down quite often while having fun and getting into mischief all along the way!

My fellow Soroptimist from around the world will find this to be an excellent book from an historical perspective. Avid readers of historical biographies or biographies about women will be sadly disappointed. It would be an interesting project for SIA or a local SI club to take on the revision and republication of this book.

There are several black and white pictures of Violet as an older woman in the last 15 years of her life and she is a beautiful, strong looking woman. However, there are no pictures of her as a child, young woman, or as an adult until she is basically an elderly woman. I imagine she was a strikingly beautiful young woman too and the absence of pictures from her life before 70 is definitely disappointing because Violet had such a full and colorful life!

The German compact care took the American automotive marketplace by storm and for almost two decades took increasing marketplace shares from the American automotive companies including GM, Ford and Chrysler who were slow to realize the demand for simple, fuel-efficient cars. VW's (affectionately referred to as Beetles by their owners and the general public) had as one of the main selling points the continuity of their basic design from year to year. Yet there were subtle changes in their make-up. James Richardson's "VW Beetle: Specifications Guide 1949-1967" is a comprehensive and informative guide to VW paint and trim colors, covers all the 6-volt cars, model-year by model-year specifications changes, details of Beetle export and cars built outside of Germany, explanations of vehicle codes, Beetle history, Beetle production details, documentation of Beetle-based conversions, and a full listing of factory-fitted optional equipment. Very nicely enhanced with the inclusion of more than 350 full-color photographs, a bibliography, and an index, the "VW Beetle: Specifications Guide 1949-1967" is a core addition to professional and academic library Automotive History reference collections and informative reading for the legions of VW Beetle fans and enthusiasts!

I'm the author of the workbook, Leader's Guide and book version of Walking Together. I just wanted to explain that the student workbook comes with empty blanks where answers are supposed to go. The answers are in the Leader's Guide, which is also offered on Amazon. The workbooks were designed to be taught in a group setting. So please note that without the Leader's Guide you will not have the answers to this Student Workbook. The book is a stand-alone book version.

Thanks!
Wyman Richardson

First of all, few people know anymore that E.H. Richardson is the father of all military and police dogs. He was the first person to realize that the great skills and abilities of dogs could be channeled into a reliable partner in battle and in protecting property. He wrote the first books on how to train a patrol or guard dog. He was a modest man (to judge by his writing) and a true innovator.

An Airedale fancier absolutely must have this book. It tells the true history of the breed as a working dog, which is so far from our Airedales today. Richardson's Airedales were substantial, heavily boned creatures who were expected to use their brains and were incredibly smart.

I'd also have to recommend another book, Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs, which has a chapter called An Army of Two. That chapter gives the latest information in the training of a military dog by telling the story of an American Special Forces officer in Iraq. Reading both books gives you the classic history and the up to date account. I recommend both books.

I found out about "The Way of an Eagle" through the International Golf Association awards (it was a finalist for book of the year), or I never would have heard of it. Not only does it have highly personal, high revealing interviews with top golfers like Tom Lehman, Paul Azinger, Betsy King, and about 40 others, it includes VERY helpful golfing tips from each touring professional. Includes interviews with Senior and Women's tour golfers as well. Interesting introduction by Byron Nelson, of all people. If you've got a golfer in your family who has ANY religious faith, he or she'd love this book. Good-looking photographs, too. Nice father's day gift.

From Angus: You would enjoy reading We Keep a Light; I found this remarkable woman's (Evelyn Richardson) struggles against the elements truly fascinating. The ingenuity and aplomb with which this family faced adversity is beautifully communicated. Throughout the book she relates the isolation and weatherly exposure of (off Halifax, Nova Scotia) Outer Island (Bon Portage) to the safety and comfort of close-in Emerald (Stoddart) island. She spent summers on our island where her grandfather was the light keeper. She relates this with such writing skill it clearly imparts a sense of her humor and healthy perspective for life. I found the book inspiring.