Sheridan Books

Rosborough isn't a name that means anything to those outside the world of wooden boats, but to the initiated he's a legend. I picked up this well-written autobiography opn a whim and read it stright through. It's a fascinating story, well told, by a man who started out as an engineer working for the phone company with a love of sailing who, almost by accident, found himself first a restorer of boats, and then a designer and builder. Entirely self taught, Rosborough built hundreds of boats still admired for their design and quality of construction. Required reading for the wooden boat obsessed and interesting for mere merely curious as well.

Confessions Of A Boatbuilder is the autobiography of Nova Scotia boatbuilder James (Doug) Rosborough, whose nautical design endeavors have included the construction over 150 sea-worthy vessels in the 1940s and 1950s, -- most of them schooners. Of special interest are the personal insights Rosoborugh provides into the professional life of a skilled designer who was able to build seaworthy craft until the wooden boat-building industry petered out as a result of changing economics and the introduction of such boat-building materials as fiberglass and aluminum. Confessions Of A Boatbuilder is a unique and highly recommended contribution to personal, academic, and community library Nautical History collections.

This book is a great look into the world of a man's passion for wooden boats and ships. His obvious love of the traditional world of wooden vessels makes for great reading. Mr. Rosborough is brutally honest throughout, including describing his own less-than-glorious moments. His narrative is fast paced and rivetting. As the third owner of one of his boats, it's also fascinating to read of the first owner, and a little about the vessel, MEGAN D. A must read for those interested in traditional wooden boatbuilding, and those who share a passion for traditional boats.

Vanessa Sheridan has successfully tackled a very challenging topic that effects more of the population than most people realize. Being transgendered or gender variant is challenging enough in a society that has not yet begun to understand, much less accept, this fringe group. Now add to that equation being Christian and you have an appreciation for the difficult subject matter of Sheridan's book.

She does a good job of educating the reader who knows little about the transgender community, but her primary focus is to provide guidance to Christians on how to accept and welcome the gender variant into their faith community. She helps her readers to understand that acceptance versus persecution of transgender Christians is biblically rooted and consistent with the teachings of Jesus. Sheridan finishes her work with several suggestions on how to open a dialogue within the church family to address the needs of the gender variant. I would highly recommend this book to clergy and church administrators along with transgendered Christians who have felt alienated by their religious experiences.

If you or a loved one is transgendered and you have felt in conflict with your Christian faith, help and enlightenment are finally here. Being transgendered and a Christian do not have to be in conflict. As a transgendered Christian, I wish this book had been written years ago. It provides biblically based information to educate those who are transgendered and those who are open to the truth. Churches that are open and affirming to all Christians would do well to include this in their library and to also circulate it amongst both clergy and lay leaders. The book offers many practical ways that Church communities can embrace our little known group.

I read this book because the Christian community is important to me, and I know little about what Vanessa Sheridan calls the gender variant. I've known, worked with, and been friends with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals for more than twenty-five years, but never heard of transgendered people until one appeared in my church within the last five years, and I was embarrassed to have to ask what the term meant. Now it takes on new meaning as the child of a friend comes out as transgendered. So I have embarked on a search for understanding.

Sheridan notes that her book is the first to discuss gender variance within the context of the church, surely an important and overdue milestone. I hope it will help convince some transgendered folk that there is a place for them, at least within some liberal mainline churches. But I felt she was talking to the choir. I doubt she will convince biblical literalists like those she grew up amongst, because they will see the topic and not even read the book. And at times, her tone is angry. I'm not saying she doesn't have a right to be angry. It's just that you don't convince the other side when you sound that angry about the past. You convince people when you provide a program for getting on with it.

And in the last chapter, Sheridan does just that, and does it well, laying out both what transgendered people need from the church, and what the church needs from the gender variant and their special gifts. So, in spite of some flaws, this is an important book both for the gender variant and for the majority, both within the church and in the wider society

We checked this book out first at the library. My three (almost 4) year old would not let us take it back. He absolutely LOVES this book. He knows it verbatum, and it is his favorite book. Because he loves it so much, and we finally had to take it back, I decided to get it for him for his birthday. I also ordered Sheridan Cain's other book. I hope it's as good as this book.

The book is fun to read with kids. It shows the development of the catterpillar through to the butterfly stage but makes it into a fun story.

What book tells you the life of a caterpillar? The Crunching Munching Caterpillar does. Sheridan Cain, the author, did a very great job writing this book. And Jack Tickle, the illustrator, did an awesome job making those pictures. It looks like Jack painted those beautiful pictures. It's a great book.

This book is for 3rd graders. But, I think it should be for lower grades too. You can even read it to a younger sibling. Also, even if you can't read, the pictures tell the story all by itself. It can even be a cartoon!

Some of the characters in the story are Sparrow, Bumblebee, and Butterfly. As you know they all have wings. But, Caterpillar doesn't. Sparrow and Bumblebee tell him that he can't fly because he's too big. But then one day something happens to him after his long winter sleep.

The setting is in a blackberry bush. It's supplied with many delicious leaves. Caterpillar crunches and munches his way through the bush. That's why it's called The Crunching Munching Caterpillar. There are also many blackberries in the bush too.

I recommend this book for young children. I even liked it too, and I'm in 4th grade! It has wonderful illustrations. It's easy to read so younger kids can read it also. You don't even have to read it you can just look at the pictures instead. It's one of the best books ever for younger children.

I enjoyed this book for a few reasons: 1) it is a concise (although not comprehensive) summary of the known facts of the assassination/investigation, 2) it is adept at weaving the events and moods of the day into the historical tapestry, 3) it is the first book I've encountered to look at Jim Garrison the man and his motivations in an objective manner. I've followed most of the conspiracy theories and anti-conspiracy theories pretty closely, and find it rare to encounter a study like this one, that doesn't add confusion for every point it clarifies.

While there is a lot of additional material worthy of reading and research, this book is a good objective overview of the assassination in in's historical context, and of the only prosecution of anyone anywhere for the crime of the century.

James DiEugenio is to be commended for a fine book on the Garrison case that still holds up well, all these years later. DiEugenio, along with Lisa Pease, is also responsible for the outstanding "Probe" journal and website, as well as the excellent "The Assassinations" book from 2003. Get this!
Vince Palamara

Destiny Betrayed is the true telling of the Garrison case in which it was heavily attacked by the Media and Govt. Jim Deugino tells the whole story clearly and to the point about what really happend to Garrison's prosecution of Clay Shaw for conspiracy of assassinating JFK. although Garrison made some mistakes, which cost some crediblity on the case. never the less its a damn fine book to read to show that Garrison was on the right track.

I loved this book. It provides a fascinating look into the world of commercial New England fishermen.

As one with little experience with, but a fair amount of interest in, the sea and its denizens I found this book an engaging and enlightening introduction to the sea and the world of the fisherman, both commercial and recreational. The author hits the salient high points of many aspects of fishing: economic, biologic, philosophic and historic. I read the book while vacationing on Block Island, the scene of much of the book's action, which added to the flavor of the book. I encourage you to partake of both the book and the island.

I purchased this book on the strength of a recommendation from a review in the Block Island, R.I. local paper (much of the book involves settings in the Block Island locale). As one with minimal experience with fishing and the sea, but a modest interest in both, I found the book provides a well-paced intro to all aspects of the world of the fisherman, both commercial and recreational. The author leavens the book with a number of human-interest stories, and his limited excursions into non-fishing matters (politics for example) are stimulating.

Photos chosen for book were quite appropriate and only made me want to see more. There were a few facts that I was unaware of when reading this book, like John Lloyd Wright's connection to the area and Dr. Scholl. This sparked my curiousity to want to know more. I guess the only problem with this type of book is the limited amount of data that you can give because it's basically a picture book so I hope the author will expand on her knowledge of the area. I do appreciate her willingness to share many of her personal photos and others as well so that readers are given a chance to see views aside from those printed in other history books and magazines.

This book is filled with interesting facts and photos about the area - a fun read!

This was a great purchase! My parents just bought a lakehouse in of these communities so for their anniversary I got them this book. The best part is that for many historic sites/homes it says if they are still standing today. My Dad, Mom, and I brought the book to the lake and walked around looking at houses featured in the book along the lake- it was great! They loved it!

This is an excellent account of Sheridan's part in the Civil War. It is well written and totally thorough,naming regiments, officers, accounts of each battle, etc. Top Drawer!!

These are his own words set in one paperback novel. Gives you a perspective on the war from a leadership position. However, it doesn't have the maps and pictures that the original volumes sported.

Great personal recollections of a man who lead the troops fearlessly in the war.

The two-volume memoirs of General Philip Sheridan have been condensed in this edition to one paperback volume, thus making more accessible. Let me state up front that I'm giving this product four stars because of the edition. There is an introduction by Jeffry Wert, and that appears to be the extent of the work done in preparation for this volume's release. There are numerous spelling and mechanical errors (I'm not sure if these were Sheridan's or just the result of careless editing), and they are frequent enough to get really annoying really fast. ''m not talking about pre-standardized type spelling errors, or awkward, run-on nineteenth century sentences. No, these are just careless mistakes.

That having been said, this is a great volume of memoirs from one of the Civil War's most accomplished generals. I do not say great general, because whether or not he was great is still a topic of much controversy. There is no denying that Sheridan got things done, and that he won several important victories, but there is room for debate in the matter in which he accomplished things, and his treatment of subordinates in doing so.

Predictably, Sheridan paints a pretty rosy picture of himself in his memoirs. Still, to be fair to the man, he DID do an awful lot for the Union cause, and I don't think that his vainglory can be entirely chalked up to shameless self promotion. The fact is that he was a very key factor in several victories, and to take his part away from the narrative would be to distort the entire picture of what happened. "Little Phil" was almost always present and often in the fray during his decisive engagements. On the other hand, I noticed him dressing-down his role in some conflicts, whereas contemporary accounts praise his part to no end.

The great thing about memoirs is that we hear things straight from the mouths of those who took part in them, and are able to judge for ourselves to what extent their testimony is reliable. For me, at least, I will always feel that Sheridan's memoirs hold a certain bias, but I will nevertheless continue to hold this volume of personal narrative as valuable. (Note: this volume covers only to the point of Sheridan returning from Europe. There's nothing on the little Bighorn or later military activities here).

Capably written by experienced seaman and navigator Dag Pike, Reed's Sextant Simplified is an accessibly practical and authoritative guide to using a navigational device that has served seamen and airmen across generations and down through the centuries. Practical tips, a straightforward tutorial to reading and taking sights, making adjustments and correcting for errors, advice on handling and caring for the instrument, and more fill the pages of this solid resource which is especially recommended for beginners -- and has much to offer even the more experienced seafarer!

There are a number of books that give on advice on what to look at with a sextant. Pike does mention appropriate targets for navigation, such as the Sun, the Moon, Venus, and Polaris, as well as coastal landmarks (with known heights). But the main focus of the book is on how to use the sextant: how to take sights, how to read the sextant, what errors one will encounter and what adjustments one can make to mitigate them, and how to care for the sextant.

The sextant, of course, is employed to measure angles between objects, especially the angular distance of heavenly bodies above the horizon. A single sighting of Polaris, together with a copy of the Nautical Almanac, can give one the latitude outright. Of course, that only works at night (with Polaris not covered by a cloud), and one has to be at least a couple of degrees into the Northern hemisphere to see Polaris. And a sighting of the Sun as it goes through high noon (once again, this works only if the Sun is visible then) also gives one the latitude directly, using that Nautical Almanac. Used in conjunction with an accurate timepiece, it also gives the longitude.

While Pike does not give advice on what to do with the information you get to, say, plot your position on a chart, he does give advice on how to deal with the problems of taking sights on a moving boat. This is by no means an easy task!

This is a fine book, but I wish to comment on the following topic: is a sextant still that useful an instrument in ocean navigation?

Can one navigate without a sextant? Of course: all one needs is a working GPS system. Of course, if one's GPS isn't working, it's not a bad idea to have a sextant as a backup.

Can one navigate with a sextant but without the Nautical Almanac (or an equivalent, such as Bennett's less precise "Celestial Navigator")? Well, yes. A simple program such as "Pocket Stars" will fit on one's PDA and can be used to do the calculations. Of course, that won't help much if your PDA runs out of power.

Can one navigate lacking both GPS and a sextant? That's not so easy. Captain Bligh had to do that when he was denied a sextant after he and some of his men were evicted from the Bounty by the mutineers. And he did a terrific job of it with an improvised but rough angle-measuring device. Even without such equipment, one can use "dead reckoning," which means estimating "course made good," hopefully with the aid of a compass. And you can also get some very useful information by taking sun sights at sunrise or sunset (no sextant is needed for these, but the variation errors due to the atmosphere can be rather significant).

I think this puts the utility of a sextant in perspective. It can be used to determine one's latitude to well within a mile, and it is really useful if your GPS is not available.

This book provides a thorough review of sextant features, components, and construction. It also offers detailed information on the care and calibration of these instruments. What is lacking is any information on the use of a sextant for navigation. Reed's does describe techniques for sighting and give some tips for costal navigation, but it assumes the reader has a fair ammount of familiarity with celestial navigation. This is a great book to borrow, but beginners should spend your money elsewhere.

This should help improve your sail handling. This explains how and why you should care about your sails trim without a lot of math or overly complex explainations. This has made the cut for my short list of books to carry on my boat. This is both a good winter read and something that you can review from time to time while waiting out the occational summer shower.

Clearly explains the theoretical and practical aspects of trim. Very enlightening. We sail faster now having read this book!! Well worth the cost and effort.

jn

This book does a decent job at describing the aerodynamics and hydrodynamics of a keelboat. Admittedly, it's a tough topic to teach from a book. The difference between books on sail trim and theory really comes down to the graphics used to help in explanation. This is where this book falls short. Having said that, though, a new sailor will learn and benefit from reading Hahne's book.

Very well written story of his sailing adventure around the world. Extremely enjoyable. My only beef is that he doesn't have maps printed in the book so you can see the areas he discusses. I read the book with "Always a distant anchorage by Hal Roth" which does have maps, and I would recommend reading both books together, as they cover a similar route in different styles.

Dom Degnon is a charming writer and accomplished world sailor. This book is the story of his seven-year circumnavigation in a 41' sailboat. Although Degnon and his various crews have their troubles with weather, officials, and other things, this was a happy and easy cruise. It should be encouraging to those contemplating a similar voyage. Things have gotten even easier now that finding where you are in the ocean is easy due to GPS. Even though I am a weekend sailor on Lake Ontario I found the book to be entertaining and educational.

I have one qualm that I cannot help voicing. The first sentence of the book goes as follows: "Listen! If you are reading this to find out the secret of successfully sailing around the world, here it is: Pack your bag and go." (Also see author statement on this page.) I almost put the book down in disgust after reading this sentence. The last thing we need out there is more poorly prepared and under-funded wanna-be world sailors. Degnon has a superbly well-prepared boat and the funds to allow him to cruise for seven years. How can the rest of us living on paychecks just pack our bags and go?

Degnon never explains how he was able to fund his adventure, but never seems short of cash in seven years. Unless you inherit a fortune or win the lottery I don't see how you can survive floating around for seven years without a regular job--and maintaining a world cruising boat ain't cheap. As a writer once said (I forget who, alas) "More boats have been destroyed by lack of funds then have ever been by storms and groundings." Herb Payson in his books has some interesting ideas about how to make money while cruising--but Degnon never touches on this issue. I suspect because he had some limitless source of funds that he doesn't want to reveal.

Dom Degnon does an excellent job of captivating his reader by authoring a book covering a seven and a half year voyage around the world. The reading is not difficult to follow for even the non sailor. This book focuses more on the people and the locations visited, local stories, and relationships developed with other cultures than the specifics of how to accomplish his feat. Although, there is plenty of that thrown in for those of you hard core sailors.