Washington Books

Spenser's _Whirlybirds_ describes the evolution and development of the helicopter. Although Leonardo Da Vinci's notes and several European refinements are discussed, the book primarily concentrates on the efforts of four Americans: Igor Sikorsky, Frank Piasecki, Arthur Young, and Stanley Hiller.

Sikorsky, an immigrant from the Ukraine, is occasionally credited with inventing the helicopter. Although he did not invent the helicopter, he made many refinements. Sikorsky is still the first name in helicopters today.

Piasecki built a small helicopter at a young age. His company eventually became Boeing Vertol.

Young also got started with helicopters early in life. The company that he founded became Bell Helicopters, later Bell Helicopter Textron.

Hiller was unique among the four helicopter pioneers in that he started out in California, not on the east coast. He was somewhat isolated from the centers of early helicopter development. Hiller Aircraft exists today as a manufacturer of light helicopters.

Helicopters proved to be invaluable for the military, and served in wars from Korea onwards. Much of the onward development of these machines depended on continued military support. A number of commercial uses were developed too: crop spraying, aerial surveys and photography, air ambulances, etc.

Although Piasecki and Hiller developed small helicopters for personal use (like an automobile), they proved to be unaffordable for the vast majority of people. Helicopter "airlines" flourished (with Federal subsidies) in the 1960's, but fizzeled out about 10 years later due to high costs and accidents.

_Whirlybirds_ is long (almost 500 pages), but is well-written and easy to read. (It is helpful to have a nodding familiarity with aviation vocabulary such as "roll", "pitch", "yaw", etc.) I recommend this book for anyone interested in helicopters or aviation history.

This is a masterpiece on the four US helicopter pioneers -- Sikorsky, Bell (Arthur Young), Piasecki, and Stanley Hiller. Only faults to the book are (1) that it primarily focuses on the pioneers (hence the title), not the machines, and (2) he has nothing at all good to say about Hughes helicopters. In fact, it's pretty well damning. I think it should've been a little more objective. Also doesn't cover Charlie Kaman, who was also one of the early pioneers and still active today.

Whirlybirds is very well written account of the early history of the helicopter, and its pioneers. Filling a long needed gap in aviation history, this book tells how four men looked into the future of vertical flight, and turned it into a reality. This book is a must have. Jay Hendrickson

Terrific! This is a thoroughly researched body of work. It contains great insights into the development of American medicine, and I highly recommend it to those interested in American and presidential history. Furthermore, its examination of legal, political, and moral issues make it a must-read for those in the medical profession.

Ludwig Deppisch is a medical doctor who has an interest in medical history, and out of that interest he has given us a book that sets out the fascinating story of the doctors who, from the time of the founding of the republic up through the modern era, have served as physicians to the Presidents. This story is doubly fascinating because it not only traces the historical progress of medicine through time but it also reveals how medical practices, sometimes in conjunction with political subterfuge, can impact the presidency itself.

The first part of the book, which covers the practices of the best doctors of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries - the doctors who treated Presidents - exposes the shortcomings of the medical profession in those years, even as medicine itself was becoming more professional. Thomas Jefferson wrote about his friend doctor Benjamin Rush, a greatly influential figure, that the doctor had "done much harm" with the practice of bleeding patients to treat illness. Indeed, calling on the aid of a doctor did not guarantee a cure; just the opposite could be the case. President James Garfield, who lived in a somewhat more advanced medical period, when shot by an assassin had his wound examined by doctors with hands so dirty that, according to the author, the doctors themselves likely caused his fatal infection. Still, a physically tough old President like Andrew Jackson could have a bullet removed from a dueling wound years after the duel and emerge much improved from the surgery.

But it is as the story moves toward the twentieth century, while medical knowledge seems to be progressing, that we see another compelling issue begin to emerge, and that is how political and medical subterfuge can be employed to deceive the citizenry about what is going on in the health of a President. Grover Cleveland had a secret operation, for example, on board a private yacht, to remove a cancerous growth in his mouth. In the event the operation was a success and the public never became aware of what had taken place. Woodrow Wilson, however, had a stroke of such massive proportions that he probably should have left office but he did not. His physician was complicit in keeping Wilson isolated and the public misinformed about his true condition. FDR's health was so badly failing at the end of his third term that he should never have run for a fourth. But we were in the midst of war. His actual medical state was concealed and the reelected President died a short time into his last term. President Eisenhower had a series of serious medical problems which were interpreted to the public through rose tinted glasses. Never the less, Ike was popular, he completed two terms, and what Americans were told about the President's health likely gave them the reassurance most of them were looking for. Finally, it should be noted that JFK deliberately misrepresented his awful health facts to the American people throughout his political career with the audacity of Harry Houdini making an impossible escape. We might admire the audacity, but was it the right thing to do?

The author also raises some related and interesting issues about using psychiatry as a tool both for evaluating the mental fitness of a President and as a mode of treatment. Hindsight suggests it might have been useful to know more about the mental health and psychological makeup of Richard Nixon before he was elected. But would it have been possible, we wonder, to get an objective and non political pre-election evaluation of Nixon's personality? By the same token, Senator Thomas Eagleton was forced off the Democratic ticket as a Vice Presidential candidate in 1972 when it was revealed he had been treated for serious depression. Was this action appropriate? And how would the American people react if they learned that a President was undergoing current psychiatric treatment? These are worthwhile questions to ponder.

All of this leads us to note that there is some useful discussion in this book about the place of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment when it comes to dealing with the ramifications of any severe medical impairment of a President. And while this constitutional amendment was specifically passed to provide guidelines should a crisis occur, we have unfortunately seen, as in the shooting of President Reagan, that when a crisis does occur key officials can still be caught flatfooted in the immediate aftermath as to what to say and do. Moreover, the question of whether a President is medically fit to continue in office places the White House Physician squarely in the cross hairs of decision making. Thus, relevant officials in any new administration need to discuss and understand all of the protocols to be followed and all of the attendant constitutional and medical implications well in advance of any medical emergency. Deception of the public will probably no longer be tolerated as it has been in the past.

Lastly we should note that, like a good novel, this tale contains some rich characters, strong personalities like Dr. Cary Grayson, Wilson's physician, who can color the story and influence the plot. And we see the potential for conflict when there are many doctors involved in treatment, a few of whom may have large egos. Kennedy had a wide range of treating doctors and his titular head physician, Dr. Travell, was shunted aside while the President received secret and controversial treatments from Max Jacobson, the Manhattan doctor known as "Doctor Feelgood" because of the injections he gave the rich and famous, injections that contained amphetamines and steroids.

All in all, it would be fair to sum up that the author has given us a book that is not only rich in scholarship, but one that tells a tale which is fascinating on its own merits. Moreover, this is a book that is a significant resource of information for any doctors or officials who are newly being called to serve in an administration and who might have to grapple with a replay of history sometime in the future. For them it might be essential reading; for the rest of us it is just a darn good read.

G. F. Shirley

This is a well crafted, researched and comprehensive treatise, yet it is an entertaining and fluid "read". I did not expect that the topic could be presented in such an interesting and entertaining manner. The book succeeded in educating me not only in the specifics of the various actors, but in the evolution of the roles and responsibilities of the President's physicians. I had assumed that the provision of medical care to the President had been static over the decades; it was fascinating to learn just how much and how recently it has changed. This book not only deals with presidential physicians, the evolution of presidential medical care (including political overlap), but also provides fascinating insights into presidential history.

"The White House: An Illustrated History" was published in cooperation with the White House Historical Association and includes an introduction by the current First Lady, Laura Bush. No wonder this is a first rate look at the most famous building in America. Catherine O. Grace not only looks at the history of the building but also behind the scenes at what it takes to run a mansion with 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 12 chimneys. Regardless of whether you are old enough to remember Jackie Kennedy taking television viewers on a tour of the White House or learned most of what you know about the Executive Mansion from watching "The West Wing," you will find this a fascinating look at the home that is also an office, a museum, and a ceremonial stage.

Grace interviewed current staff members, such as the chief usher and president's photographer, and throughout the book these people are profiled in Faces & Voices sections. The book is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1, Rooms with a View: Building the President's House, looks at the history of the building century by century, including a cutaway of the White House and a look at the Visitor Center located near the mansion. Chapter 2, "Working at the White House," looks at key parts of the White House such as the West Wing, Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Residence. Chapter 3, Celebrating at the White House, covers everything from state dinners and rose garden ceremonies to celebrating the arts and various holiday traditions. Chapter 4, A White House Tour, Room by Room, looks at what you actually get to see when you visit the WHite House, starting with the library and ending up in the state dining room, with the China Room, East Room, and others in between. Chapter 5, Living at the White House, looks at the family quarters, famous White House pets like Millie and Socks, and what various first families have done there.

By the end of the first chapter I knew this was a great look at the White House. I like the history aspects more than the decorating, but even the latter gets pretty interesting (the paintings in the Red Room include Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Dolley Madison). The back of the book has an Epilogue: A White House Album, which looks at what each president from George Washington to George W. Bush has done about the White House. There is also a Selected Bibliography, Internet sites where readers can go For More Information, and Other Media about the White House. You also learn where to write (or fax) the president (or first lady). If you are looking for something specific the Index at the end will be of help as well, but the Table of Contents will certainly get you in the ballpark.

There are over 200 photographs and other illustrations showing both the people and the events that mark the history of the White House. You will find a painting of First Lady Abigail Adams watching a servant hang laundry in the East Room, a photograph of the White House when it was gutted during the Truman administration, and a diagram of some of the trees planted by presidents and first ladies. There are several shots of the model White House built by the Zweifels on a scale of one inch to one foot, a photograph of President Eisenhower cooking burgers, and Amy Carter carving a jack-o-lantern with her friends in the China Room (on a white sheet to protect the concert). There are also five special double pages that open up for a close up look at the amazing building through a 19th-century painting of Washington, D.C. or a shot of the Oval Office.

This is a great book for children and adults alike. It is filled with fascinating details and beautiful illustrations about our nation's most important residence. The book artfully covers the long history of the White House and offers behind-the-scenes insights into how it lives, breathes, and operates today. I particularly appreciate the Epilogue, which features vignettes about the influence of each President (and First Lady) and gives readers a real sense of the house's evolution. Also enjoyable are the interviews with White House staff, such as the director of student correspondence and the pastry chef. After reading Catherine Grace's delightful volume, I can appreciate John Adams' benediction, now carved in the State Dining Room mantlepiece: "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."

I wanted this book because I have read about the different rooms in the White House, but I couldn't visualize where they were in relation to each other. I'm very pleased with the book, in that regard.

This book had a cutaway, so you could see the interior rooms from the outside perspective. If I ever get to visit the White House, I want to study it well before I get there. This even shows you where the tour starts and the route it takes through the White House rooms.

I got this book as a gift; it looked at me from a corner for about six weeks. I finally gave in and picked it up...what a ride!
Read this book and be transported. The writer lures you into a fantastical tale, into a world that is truly beleiavable;Characters so carefully drawn you can smell them. I will be reading more of Maryse Conde.

Outstanding novel. One of the most original, riveting, well written books I have read in a long time. Had a little bit of everything in it.

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I'm on my second reading of this book, and I agree with all the positive statements written in the editorial reviews above.

The book is "Excellent"!!

Many thanks to Nancy Arbuthnot and Cathy Abramson for their marvelous book Wild Washington, a great combination of art and poetry and a creative collaboration of two intellectual minds. Through Nancy¡¦s lovely poems and Cathy¡¦s beautiful illustrations, I journeyed through Washington neighborhoods filled with amazing wildlife sculptures. I was amused when reading the poem entitled Vietnamese Ox as the authors may not realize that one still exists here in California (I was born in the year of the Ox-º). I definitely recommend this collection to all!

Wild Washington is a wonderful guidebook and keepsake. Cathy Abramson has rendered some excellent illustrations of animal sculptures that are found in Washington, DC, and Nancy Arbuthnot's poems will delight every reader. The book provides photographs of DC's animal sculptures, the artists and their locations, along with some insightful information that makes a tour of Washington one to remember. Great for everyone who lives near or plans to visit our Nation's Capitol, this book would be of special interest to families with children. Wild Washington is a must have!

This book is a wonderful treat for both kids and their parents. The kids will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and text. Any who live or visit Washington can use the map for a treasure-hunt adventure, where they search for the animal monuments. Parents will be thrilled to read and explaln the poems to their children. Buy it!!!!

This is probably the best book about Willem De Kooning on the market. Along with a multitude of color plates David Sylvester offers historical, technical, and philisophical insights about Willem De Kooning and his life works. The large format makes viewing the artists works very enjoyable. The reading is not overly complicated as it paints a full portrait of the artist, his accomlishments, his techniques, and also offers an approach to understanding the significance of his work. A must have for any De Kooning, or Abstract Expressionist enthusiast.

This book is undoubtedly the best recent publication on De Kooning. Very complete, it encompasses the entire career of the artist with beautiful reproductions and a text partly written by one of the most sensible art critics of our time, the late David Sylvester (whose other writings on American Art I strongly recommend too). It was a catalogue for an exhibition held at the National Gallery in Washington in 1994, which, to this date remains a reference.

One of the New York action painters, abstract expressionist Willem de Kooning was born in Holland almost a century ago. He began as a portrait and figure painter, later becoming "an artist who makes ambiguity an hypothesis on which to build."

This gloriously beautiful retrospective of his work was published in conjunction with the first major exhibition devoted exclusively to his paintings at the National Gallery of Art. With 80 color and 50 black and white plates, exhibit curator Prather, art historian Sylvester, and art history professor Shiff offer commentary on 84 of de Koonings's paintings which span five decades of his career.

Beginning in the 1930s with the earliest series of paintings of men and women to the 1980s when the artist's style became more abstract, this superb volume is testimony to de Koonings' life and oeuvre.

A contemporary of Rothko, Kline, and Pollock, Willem de Kooning's works are sometimes taken as metaphors, dynamic with shapes and colors splayed across the canvas. He is one of the most influential artists of our generation. This splendid catalogue is apt tribute.

Steve,
Thank you so much for all your time and passion regarding the Pacific NW wine industry. It has just been in the last year that my husband and I have really begun to catch an excitement for the wine industry. We are in our 40's and nearing retirement from long-term governement-related employment. We both have taken an interest in becoming somehow involved in the wine industry in the NW in the next 5-7 yrs. and are in the research and dream phase of developing the a unique wine business in the future. We have been toying with the idea of opening a wine bar and tasting room/wine shop that would feature Washington/Oregon family owned wineries, with appetizers (cheese, meats, nuts, olives, etc) and wine supplies. We want to do something unique, are open to location and we are enjoying the research phase. We wish we would of thought of what you have done. We take the Washington book everywhere, take notes and try to establish contacts and gain knowledge along the way. Your book has been invaluable and we await with eager anticipation the Oregon version.
Thanks for all you efforts, time and energy you have put in. I do hope that you have enjoyed the process!

Great wine country information. - and wonderful "stacation" ideas, especially if you live in the Washington area. It was nice to see our favorite vineyards listed, plus lots of helpful information about each!
Don't miss this book if you are a wine enthusiast like we are.

You get the standard maps (which are excellent) and contact information for about 200 wineries but you also get the author's lively prose that helps you get to know the winemakers before you arrive. I decided to ask each winery to sign their page in Mr. Roberts's book! So many wineries, so little time! Rumor has it that a volume on Oregon's wineries is in the works! Note: I am no relation to the author. Roberts is a common name in these parts!

I got my copy my first year in college from a classmate who did not need it. It is the one book from my college days I still use regularly. In fact a co-worker saw it today a wondered where he could get one.

I am now ordering my third copy of this book since was originally publish in 1964. Each copy is used until the pages turn yellow and it falls apart. I wish it would be published in in hardback with quality paper.

It seems only fitting that Amazon misspell one of the authors of a spelling book's names, Ruth Gleeson Gallagher. I have never had a problem using words. I just can't spell them. Before my first word processor, "Words Most Often Misspelled and Mispronounced" was my only spell checker. I wouldn't have put up with computers for the last 14 years if it hadn't been for spell checking. I still haven't found a spell checker as good as this book. If you are like me, "spelling impaired," you need this book. It doesn't waste space on definitions or the words you already know how to spell. I can't remember the last time I couldn't find the word I needed in it. Who can say that about ANY spell checker? Please someone convert this book into a spell checker, NOW! This book will even tell you how to correctly spell the authors' names.

The Suquamish Native American leader Chief Seattle gave his immortal speech in 1854 during treaty negotiations with the American government which was intent on forcing the Native people of Washington's Puget Sound onto reservations. Highly recommended for Native American studies reference and reading list collections, The World Of Chief Seattle: How Can One Sell The Air? puts Chief Seattle's life into the context of his time and provides the reader with a brief history of the region and its many tribes, with particular emphasis on the Suquamish. Included under Warren Jefferson's ably editorship is the complete text of Chief Seattle's speech, enhanced with rare, vintage photographs of village life.

This book is very informative and research that went into the book shows that the author truly cared to show in the best possible light the lifestyle of Suquamish's most famous Chief. Chief Seattle has been quoted and misquoted so much over the years, that this book is a breath of fresh air. A great way to learn about Suquamish and a glimpse into history. I feel that this book is something that all ages will enjoy reading.

THE WORLD OF CHIEF SEATTLE is an awesome effort, quietly informative, eloquent as the wind. We read about The Land around the Puget Sound & its climate. How The Suquamish People, isolated by mountains & vast stretches of ocean, developed lifestyles unlike any encountered by explorers.

About Potlatch, Canoes, Food, Houses & Clothing. About Intertribal Warfare & Indian Boarding Schools, & about the The Point Elliott Treaty & Reservation Life.

A just homage to the ways of our ancestors & a profound little book, one that will touch the heart & soul of any who read it - about a fine way of life inexorably altered by strangers from afar.

A must for anyone interested in living with the land, & learning how to treat all our relations with respect.

We had several family members who were trying to decide whether to undergo genetic testing. We were intimidated by the complexity of the subject. This book was a life-saver! It explained things in clear, simple language and raised questions that we hadn't even thought of. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's not just for people who are religious, but for anyone who is trying to figure out what to do about genetic testing.

One of the few book on genetic testing presented in every day language for the average non-scientific reader. This book deals with the most asked questions and fears of those trying to cope with new opportunities to know our genetic future The limitations as well as advantages and detrimental efects of testing are clearly presented. A must read for persons considering testing. Presents moral, ethical and scientific viewpoints.The secular problems of insurance discrimation are also raised and counsel offered.

This is a really useful book for those who are considering genetic testing or those just interested in it and wanting to learn more about our genes and our choices. It looks at the real choices that people face, using a question-and-answer format. It also provides actual cases to help readers figure out what could be the best thing to do in difficult situations in which decisions about genetics cannot be avoided. I can see why noted reviewers call it the best comprehensive book in print on ethics, genetics, and the Christian faith.