Washington Books

Hansa: The True Story Of An Asian Elephant Baby is a remarkable picturebook for young readers about a baby elephant born in the Woodland Park Zoo. Children will learn that Hansa was 235 pounds when born and by her first birthday had gained almost 800 pounds! Filled cover to cover with true facts about elephants and splendid color photographs from the Woodland Park Zoo, Hansa is very highly recommended for young people who want to learn more about this wondrous, exotic animal species.

Even though this book is really written for older children, my 17-month-old son loves it too! We don't read the words to him, but he loves to look at the pictures and make elephant sounds. As he gets older, I'm sure he'll appreciate the information more, and my husband and I find it very interesting too.

The book is very well written and the pictures are great. I highly recommend it for all ages, especially if you have an elephant fan of your own at home!

A compact, illustrated guide, thousands of entries, cross-indexed for easy reference. Written with the layman in mind.

I have just received my Harvard Brief Dictionary of Music and am thrilled. As an adult without formal musical training who is singing in a college choir, this book will be invaluable. It not only explains musical terms and other basics of the machanics of music, but it also covers such topics as music theory, musical works, etc. The entries are comprehensive, but short and understandable to a person without musical training. And it is small enough so that I can carry it with me to rehearsals!

another collectors item for africa lovers and people,still phots of a africa who was unspoilt of tourist in those days

The collaborative effort of Isolde Brielmaier (Visiting Professor of Art at Vassar College) and Ed Marquand (Director of the Hector Acebes Archive), Hector Acebes: Portraits In Africa, 1948-1953 showcases the photography of Acebes taken in Africa in 1948, 1949, and 1953. These black and white photographic images have justifiably been acclaimed as some of the most beautiful photographs of Africans ever taken. The images, however, were hidden away in Acebes' photography studio in Bogota, Columbia, and it was not until 2003 (when Acebes was 82 years old) that he had his first art gallery exhibition. With the publication of Hector Acebes: Portraits In Africa, 1948-1953, (which is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Photography Studies collections) full justice has now been accomplished with respect to bringing a lasting access to Acebes's photographic artistry to the general public.

This book made me think of Julian Simon's book "The Ultimate Resource" because they both build the argument that ordinary people determine the fate of nations. That is they build the successful societies, the very few free and prosperous nations that have shown the way for others to follow. In the early days of growing economies the drive and motivation of all citizens works for the common good. Climate and natural resources are secondary to the genius of the people who will always find a way if given the chance "to make it happen." That is why Julian Simon calls them "the ultimate resource." The stories of such individuals make up the basis of this very enlightening book by Lodge and Roosevelt.

The brief biographies of these uncommon commoners shows how the brilliance of American freedom found expression in its ordinary citizens. The authors avoid the failings of the academics who seek to rewrite history to accomodate current agendas--the latter deliberately manipulate history in order to manipulate the future course of their country. Too many current books paint the pioneers of America with their anti-American brush. But in these stories, Lodge and Roosevelt strip away all that modern re-write and clearly reveal the great opportunities and upward mobility that was available to all and that served the nation so well. Each story is full of new information about the lives and times of the characters and demonstrates the past strength of our cultural and religious beliefs.

There is a growing theory that the lesson of history--the explanation why some societies Rose and others stagnated, is simply a question of whether the bulk of the ordinary people had economic freedom. Only in free and open societies can all the people strive to contribute to the nation's success. And that massive and combined effort is what brought success. This theory has been summarized and dubbed "The Radzewicz Rule" in my recent book COMMON GENIUS: Guts, Grit, and Common Sense: How Ordinary People Create Prosperous Societies and How Intellectuals Make Them Collapse That book like the biographical stories by Lodge and Roosevelt recognizes that the famous and powerful characters of history often did more harm than good, and that the overwhelming forward progress was driven by the genius of common people.

This is definitely a book to read and re-read. It is a refreshing look back to the times when we had heroes--people who acted based on strong principles rather than expediency. It is to be noted that all those selected did good things--such individuals, fiercely independent and self-reliant, built the nation. (They never looked on themselves as "victims" of asked for a hand-out.) Such people do not ever cause a nation to decline, stagnate, or Fall. Today there is a new elite that have usurped the role of ordinary people, and that may be our downfall, but in this fine volume you can relive the exploits of those who helped create our great "city on a hill." Bill Greene

I learned so many possible things that TR has done for us and his country. In my opinion, TR was a hero. He established U.S. leadership in the world as no other president had before. He was truly amazing.

The guide was a great reference for our recent vacation. We used it successfully to locate interesting sites as well as lodging and food by area. I recommend it to anyone as a guide to pick out how to spend limited vacation time.

[...] One of my computer-side companions has been Hidden Pacific NW and now Hidden Washington. I've seen a lot of the state and know Eric Lucas knows Washington, so his book is a great reference when needed. What I really like is his "hidden" finds at different places. If you want a book that portrays a true picture of what you might find in Washington and is easy to use, Lucas's book fits the bill. I would recommend it for all visitors and newcomers to the state.

I'd never fully appreciated the photographic talents of Bob and Ira Spring until I saw this complilation. Selected from a lifetime of work, these pictures are evidence of the combination of thetalent and dedication of the Spring family. The printing quality of the photos is far superior to any of their previous books. The text is skillfully entertaining, recounting the story behind each picture. I highly recommend this book!

Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of reading Ira Spring's light hearted memoir, AN ICE AXE, A CAMERA, and A JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER will recall that he and his brother spent many years concentrating their photo work on the American mountains and the men and women who climb them. Let others tend to farflung Kathmandu and the INTO THIN ICE phantasmagoria of Everest and its legends. For the Spring boys, America was more than enough, and boasts some of the more beautiful ranges, peaks and vistas. The quality of the photos varies from page to page but in general, Globe Pequot does a remarkable job in treading the fine line between "vintage" and "contemporary."

The Spring Brothers never pretended to be working in a fine art context, they are no Ansel Adams, but they were good photojournalists and in their own way, good naturalists too. One day a grateful nation will honor them with a two-sided medal. In the meantime, I advise all who read this message to grab your jar of peanut butter in one hand, this book in the other, and keep your rope in your teeth while you sail through the gleaming images of the North Cascades and other Western "peaks of God."

This book tells the story of the founding and exhibits of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. This book does not replace visits to the Museum. It is an excellent reference book to have in combination with visits to the Museum. The Holocaust Museum is one of the finest Museums in Washington, DC.

The history told at the Museum is powerful in so many ways. My hope is that humanity can learn from history not to keep repeating the many horrific mistakes that were made during the period of Hitler and Stalin. We must always remember that most of the terrible crimes during this period were sanctioned, promoted and authorized by National Governments. The Governments of nations can and do become evil, corrupt and murderous. We the people of the world must be forever vigilant against vesting too much power in the hands of too few people. Concentrated power almost always becomes corrupt.

We must learn from history how to prevent the concentrations of power in too few people. These concentrations of power can sooner or later lead to evil. Even power that is initially built on good intentions will good bad eventually. That is the nature of the human condition that we must fear that charismatic leaders will concentrate power in ways that are unhealthy and deadly. We should find ways to avoid electing charismatic leaders as these types of leaders are just too dangerous. The Holocaust happened just seconds ago in terms of the lifespan of our planet, and something like it will happen again unless we learn the lessons taught to us by history.

Having recently visited The Holocaust Museum, I felt compelled to own this book as a tangible memory. The book captures the essence of the holocaust experience with outstanding images and words, often understated, that continue to evoke the emotions felt in the museum.

This is really a fine book and in many ways better than other books that I have read by this author.

My wife enjoyed this book as well.

I recommend it strongly as it is will appeal to all people even though the setting is about a elderly Jewish gentlemen and a black lady who is trying to help him

I read this book several years ago and enjoyed it. It came into my possession again recently and it was like meeting an old friend again. The story of Sam Horowitz and Mrs. Washington is touching and heartwarming. To sumarise this book and tell the story of Sam Horowitz, an American Jew who is mugged and slashed by black 'savages' and then has a stroke while having his face stitched, sounds so depressing, but then one meets Sam, and Mrs. Washington, his black nurse, and Mona, his typically Jewish daughter, and finds the lovely Jewish wit of Sam and the strength of Mrs. Washington. Mr. Denker, thank you for the enjoyment you have given me, not just by introducing me to Sam, but for also introducing me to Harry Spencer (in a later novel) - two of the most lifelike characters I have ever met.

Ann McLaughlin's House On Q Street tells of a family which moves to Washington in 1942 when war is preoccupying the country. A ten-year-old's coming of age in this time of conflict is recounted in a moving story of change both personal and political.

Ann McLaughlin's novel The House on Q Street captures the spirit of togetherness and the stress of the WW II homefront perfectly. As you read this book, you are growing up alongside Joey Lindsten the 10 year old narrator as she encounters the joys and frustrations of moving from childhood into adolescence during a time of tremendous personal and societal upheaval. Her loving family is fractured as her father is consumed with work on a top secret project and distracted by an extramarital affair. How Joey, her sister Madeline, and their mother cope is portrayed with realism and compassion against a background filled with urgency and evocative detail. The news, the music, the victory gardens,scrap drives and rationing are all there. You really come to care and admire the characters, their courage and determination to fulfill their responsibilities and perhaps find a little love in these very uncertain times. There is a sense of selflessness and sacrifice for the common good that is a refreshing reminder of how it once was and could be again. This is a wonderful book, and it is definitely the best I have read this year.

This is perhaps the best book of it's genre on accessing the federal government. Far too many of these books focus on the "how" to access the federal government. This book focuses almost entirely on the "why". A majority of us do not realize the subtle reasons we all wish we could hack into the federal government, the needs to control the monetary flow of the richest nation in the world, a need that we all share as a human beings. This book helps us explore our relationships with and perceptions of wealth. We learn to accept who we are in the scheme of cash-flow thus allowing us to be comfortable with ourselves as we plow a cement truck through the walls of the federal reserve. Other related titles are "How to Commit Suicide Fast", "If You Thought the Government Was Watching You Now...", "Getting in Touch With Your Lust for Power, Wealth and Corruption", "The Whitehouse's Favorite Lapdance" and "Spiking the Punch at the State of the Union Address".

With this guide, you can get the text of presidential news conferences and proclamations, follow sales of dairy products, study the CIA's assessment of Ethiopia, research breast cancer, download images of earth taken from Space, investigate Department of Justice crime statistics, and more.
The guide is divided into easy-to-use sections such as Defense, Foreigh Affairs, Energy, and the Environment, then the various sites listed with access information and helpful comments.
There is a wealth of information available FREE from the U.S. government, and this work is a handy and very useful tool for accessing it.

(The numerical rating above is an ineradicable default setting within the format of the site. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)