White Books

Well illustrated, well written, to the point, meaningful, heartfelt, and helpful regarding one way Americans can remember their Prisoners of War and Missing in Action on Memorial Day and/or Veterans Day (Note: Memorial Day [last Monday in May each year] is for remembering those who have died in military service while fighting for America's freedom; Veterans Day [weekday closest to November 11 each year] is for saying thank you to those who were in military service and fought for that same freedom and are currently living. Prisoners of War or those Missing in Action can be persons in military service who have died or are still living.).America's White Table

This is a beautifully written and illustrated book. I used it in a third grade classroom on Veterans Day. The memory my children walked away with and the pride for their country was priceless. One child asked to borrow the materials I used to display a table. He wanted to set a place for his father at dinner that night. He took a picture and shared it with me before mailing it. I highly recommend this book for a home collection as well as an educational setting.

This is an excellent book to share with children the holidays of Veterans' Day and/or Memorial Day. It illustrates the personal and family involvement very well. An excellent book for teachers!

Excellent book for children AND adults, explaining a touching memorial to our military who have made so many sacrifices for our freedom.

The first time I read this book I almost cried! It is a beautifully written and illustrated book that explains the little known tradition of the POW/MIA table in words that a child can understand. I bought one for my son, and will now purchase another for my God Children.

When I was a young reader, this book and its sequels were one of the first I picked up. I loved the animated series and jumped right into the novels. If you've seen the series you will notice several differences, most notably the gender changes of some of the characters; in the book the main cast is almost exclusively male, and the series balanced things out a bit. The sequels were treated very differently on television, but the original series treats the novel with the care and grace it deserves.

The writing is difficult to review not because of flaws or unusual style, but because of its simplicity. Dann works hard to maintain a perfect clarity throughout, in terms of the well-constructed characters and the simple yet thoroughly engaging plot. It's an easy read and one the kids will truly adore, and is a wonderfully nostalgic read for myself and many others. If you are an adult and unfamiliar with the series though, you may not find the substance you were looking for in this first book, but you will most likely enjoy the next few instalments in the series.

Concisely planned and well thought out.

The animals of Farthing Wood is a short but very amusing novel told from the view of a small group of woodland creatures intent on finding a new home. There arn't many books on in this type of category and I must say I fully enjoyed it. The tale goes of how Farthing wood, home of around two dozen creatures is in danger of being destroyed by man. Distraught, the animal's only way of surviving is by reaching a nature reserve - White Deer Park. Led by Fox (a main character)the group takes an oath to not eat each other and travel through danger after danger on their long journey. There are many sequels stemming from this book and the entire story has been adapted by a cartoon under the same name - one of the best I've seen at that. All in all this book is worth reading. An adventure of a different kind.

Farthing Wood is being destroyed by human development, and the animals decide that they need to move to a safer place, a wildlife sanctuary called White Deer Park.

This is a truly delightful tale about how the creatures band together (friend and foe alike) and their adventures as they travel from their threatened home to a safe place that only one of them (Toad) has ever seen.

Recommended for children and adults both. I wish I'd discovered this story earlier!

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

When I was little I used to watch the T.v series, The Animals Of Farthing Wood, and I loved it!!!!!!! It contributed to my love of animals and when I read this first book I found it even better!
This story of how the Animals OF Farthing Wood find their home being destroyed and have to leave is a remarkable tale of love as they have to learn to trust each other, including sneeky Adder. I love all the charcters, especially Fox, Vixen and extremly funny Weasel. This book made me laugh and cry (especially when the hedgehogs got run over!) and I stayed in my room reading for hours. It is definatly a must-read for anyone who loves animals. If you have kids, then read them this book! I benifited hugely from it! I still have the T.v series on tape, even though I hardly ever watch it I won't let anyone tspe over it!
The next books are just as good as the first, and I thouroughly enjoyed the prequel (The Animals Of Farthing Wood, The Adventure Begins.) The next books are great as we learn about Fox and Vixen's cubs (Bold, Friendly, Charmer and Dreamer). Bold runs away from the animal's new home White Deer Park seeking adventure and Charmer typicly falls in love with Scar Face's son Ranger. (Scar Face is her dad Foxe's arch enemy) It's an ace tale and I hope that Colin Dann writes some more books as I've read most of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!xxx

This is a great book and is the best book I have ever read. The book is about a group of wildlife from Farthing Wood who,s homes are being destroyed. The animals do nothing about it untill the humans filled in the pond. Then they all meet in Badger,s set to discuss the problem together but nobody has any ideas untill Toad (who has been missing for over a year) returns and tells the animals that on his travels he came across a Nature Reserve called White Deer Park. The animals agree and the next night they leave led by Fox. But the creatures face many dangers and some die. I realy recommened this book. It is a wonderful tale.

In 1957, Murray Leinster's "Med Service" appeared in _Astounding_, launching his popular series about Dr. Calhoun and his Tormal sidekick, Murgatroyd. That same year, James White's story "Sector General" appeared in the British science fiction magazine _New Worlds_, launching another science fictional medical series. I have always enjoyed Leinster's stories, but the stories by James White are far superior.

One reason is the richness of the setting in the Sector General stories. Leinster's stories all take place on scattered planets. Med Service headquarters is in a kind of shadowy background. It is true that one story, Ribbon in the Sky," has a brief scene at headquarters; but it is done so quickly that we never have a chance to visualize the setting.

White takes the opposite tack. He starts by imagining the headquarters in detail. Let us suppose that we have a galaxy teeming with different life forms. Let us also suppose that we even have contact with some extra-galactic races. How will they be treated for medical problems? The answer is Sector General, a mega-sized space station shaped "like a misshapen Christmas tree." White must have had a grand time working out the details of how different races will be classified, how the corridors will be marked, what the plumbing and atmosphere pipes will be like, how the different sections for different planetary environments will be designed, how communications problems will be handled, how medical problems will be diagnosed (not always easy to do!), and what kind of treatments will be given.

White has also carefully worked out the roles of different staff members at the hospital. What do the doctors and nurses of a mutitude of races do? What role does the Monitor corps (something like a military police force) play? What about the psychologist? The administrators? The chaplain? And why are diagnosticians accorded such a high status and yet at the same time looked upon as more than a little bit crazy?

_Hospital Station_ (1962) is the first novel of the Sector General series and consists of the first five stories in the series, all from _New Worlds_. They are: "Medic" (originally "O'Mara's Orphan," 1960), "Sector General" (1957), "Trouble with Emily" (1958), "Visitor at Large" (1959), and "Out-Patient" (1960). The stories chronicle a span of time from when the hot-tempered construction worker O'Mara is saddled with a giant alien baby when the hospital is first being built until the time that young Dr. Conway tries a controversial treatment on a patient that causes everyone on the staff to despise him. (O'Mara, incidently goes on to become the acid-tongued head of Sector General.)

In Murray Leinster's stories, the medical problem is always linked with some kind of planetary skulduggery. Not so with White's tales. Conflicts in the Sector General stories usually involve misunderstandings rather than villainies. White is depicting a background where there is a real brotherhood of races and cultures. In this respect, his stories are perhaps more like those of Hal Clement than those of Leinster. And like Clement, White has a fondness for titles with puns or double meanings. I'm betting that even armed with this knowledge you won't guess exactly where White is going until the final twist of each tale.

A must-read series for all science fiction fans, the Sector General novels have been described as a cross between Star Trek and ER. I began reading these books as a kid and I still love reading them today. They are great examples of what multiculturalism and interracial tolerance are supposed to be! One of my favorite characters is Prilicla the tiny insectoid empath, always having to dodge the huge aliens around her, both physically and emotionally. There are over a dozen books in the series, many of them out of print, but they are worth your time if you can find them all.

The 'Hospital Station' of the title is Sector Twelve General Hospital, a multi-species, multi-enviroment hive that hangs "like a misshappen christmas tree" far out on the Galactic Rim. Originally a series of short stories the first, Medic, is a sort of prologue set during the Hospital Station's construction. In it a surly construction worker named O'Mara finds himself treating the Hospital's very first patient. 'Sector General' introduces Dr. Conway, a young, idealistic and rather naive junior physician who has a lot to learn about how the Galactic Federation and the Hospital really function. In 'The Trouble With Emily' Conway is assigned to assist a visiting VIP, Dr. Arretapec, a "levitating ball of goo" with advanced psi powers who refuses to tell Conway exactly what he is trying to accomplish with their 'patient' a perfectly healthy brontosaurian being - nicknamed Emily. In 'Visitor At Large' Conway is in charge of a pediatrics ward and has an assistant of his own; a frail, spiderlike, empathic sensitive called Prilicla. In another ward an exotic being, capable of changing form at will, is dying of an undiagnosed, untreatable condition. The usual rule against visitors is relaxed to allow the entity's child to make a farewell visit to its parent. Unfortunately the welcoming committee of strange looking aliens, including Conway and Prilicla, frightens the youngster into headlong flight. A terrified, immature being, capable of assuming any shape, lost in the multiple levels of Sector General, unable to communicate and worst of all - getting hungry... In 'Out Patient' Conway is promoted to Senior Physician and presented with a new patient; a being of unknown race that is apparently being eaten alive by some kind of cancerous growth.

Just imagine how a first class space hospital must be, hundreds of different ambiental conditions, aliens and sickness.
The doctors must be creative, intelligent and corageous, to treat unknow species in conditions were nothing is what it seems, tear your patient into pieces to safe its life, try to run trough corridors of chlorine, high gravity , water, to safe a life, or try to convince your simbiotic assistant that your are doing the best treatment, when he can easily crush you.


Be prepared for the most inmersive sci fi novel you have read.

The earlier volumes of the series were collections of stories written for magazines, but as the publishing world altered over time, the emphasis changed to full-length novels. A new reader can begin at any point, since White is careful to fill in the background, often via an explanation delivered to a new trainee, visitor, or Monitor Corps pilot. This book is part of the omnibus edition _Beginning Operations_.

"Medic" - One of the earliest entries in the series in terms of internal chronology; *the* earliest is the first story in the collection _Sector General_, describing how the hospital came to be founded, while this story relates how O'Mara, a member of the hospital's original construction crew, wound up looking after the hospital's first patient. In later years, O'Mara sealed the file on this story, but couldn't completely hush it up no matter how hard he tried. :) If you're curious about how O'Mara evolved into the gruff personality we know best, read _Mind Changer_.

"Sector General" - Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name, which is in the omnibus edition _Alien Emergencies_. Conway makes his first appearance as the viewpoint character, a position he occupied until the conclusion of _Star Healer_. He's only been at Sector General for 2 months, and as an ardent pacifist deeply resents the Monitor Corps, when in an emergency he gets his first dose of an Educator tape, and the resulting problems land him his first real meeting with Chief Psychologist O'Mara. Then his first ship rescue assignment confronts him with a fear-maddened entity, who (having killed Carmody, the gentle Padre of the psychology department) brings Conway face-to-face with a kill-or-be-killed situation. (See _The Genocidal Healer_ for further discussion of Carmody's role in the psychology department.)

"Trouble with Emily" - Dr. Arratepec, distinguished member of a newly discovered telepathic species, has convinced its people and the Galactic Federation government to give all assistance to a classified project involving a brontosaur-like creature that its human handlers have nicknamed Emily. (Yes, it's a very bad pun.) Emily's species is facing extinction on a planet without intelligent life, although Emily itself is healthy. What is Arratepec up to, and how can Conway assist when Arratepec won't confide in him? (Incidentally, the I-have-no-time-for-women attitude disappeared rapidly when Conway met nurse, later Pathologist, Murchison.)

"Visitor at Large" - Marks the first appearance of Prilicla as Conway's brand-new assistant. The visitor in question is a giant amoeba, who (as the youngest offspring of Sector General's most troublesome patient) is being allowed a deathbed visit. The patient has nothing organically wrong with it, but is quietly dissolving into water, apparently due to some psychological problem that the doctors simply can't treat. Then the hospital rapidly acquires a second problem, as the young visitor panics at the sight of all the aliens and takes flight into the depths of the hospital.

"Outpatient" - Marked by Conway's promotion to Senior Physician and subsequent assumption of one or two permanent Educator tapes. (Diagnosticians aren't the only physicians to permanently carry tapes; they're distinguished by the *quantity* of permanent alter egos they carry.) The outpatient case is the sole survivor of an alien ambulance ship, of a previously unknown species (seen later in the series as the Ians). Conway's inexplicable course of treatment, which he refuses to justify until the end of the story, lands him in serious hot water in this one.

Incidentally, when O'Mara remarks that despite Conway's promotion, he wouldn't trust him with his appendix, the fact emerges that O'Mara's appendix was saved by the surgeon who took it out, and now (pickled) serves as a hospital chess trophy. :)

IRRELEVANT NOTE: The old Ballantine DelRey paperback edition's cover art consisted of a view of Emily during the more successful phase of Arratepec's experiments, with Conway as a small figure in the foreground.

This thoroughly researched and well-written book held special meaning for me, one of the last generation from the segregated South who entered a movie theater through the "colored" entrance and sat in the balcony, and who spent four years at Duke U. during the early '70's. The presence of the Klan in my small North Carolina town was always known but hidden, and this book provided insight into why poor whites find membership in the Klan and its philosophies so attractive and how the white elite was secretly complicit in its support of the Klan. This book introduced me to Hayti, the section of Durham where low-income African-Americans live. Despite my four years at Duke, I'd never heard of this neighborhood, and the story of Hayti resident Ann Atwater's activism to improve conditions for poor blacks and whites in Durham is amazing. Duke U. is a very insular campus, and town-gown relations between the school and Durham have historically been tense. I'm very glad that this book exists for incoming freshmen to read; to spend four years on a campus and have no knowledge of the town surrounding the campus (as I did not have) is shameful.
A very valuable insight in this book is the author's understanding of the strange dynamics of class, which exists throughout the South but is seldom mentioned. Blaming African-Americans for their economic woes, and receiving secret support from the white elite, has historically distracted poor whites from the reality that it is this white elite, with its power and money, that keeps poor whites economically down-trodden.
Although I was in Durham slightly later than the years during which the events of the book take place, I had some familiarity with many of the key players (Howard Fuller, Floyd McKissick, Asa Spaulding), and the book exhaustively discusses the roles of everyone involved in this tumultuous time in Durham. It reads like riveting fiction, and the evolution of the relationship between C.P. Ellis and Ann Atwater is a wonderful story.

Thank you for providing such great service. You followed through on your end of the deal perfectly.

As someone who works for parity in this society, I look for materials that show clearly that poor white people have more in common with blacks and other ethnic/racial peoples than they do with the power structure that oppresses us all. This book clearly and beautifully illustrates that point.

It has always mystified me that more poor "white" men, in particularly, fail to see this. Every young white man who blames blacks for his inability to get a decent job, the meagerness of his life, or whatever, should read this book. Every petty racist should read the story of C.P. Ellis and Ann Atwater and learn something about the real problems, not the cheap shot racist answers that many of us come to too readily in this society.

I've purchased five copies for myself and friends. A great book to give that relative, co-worker or acquaintance who persists in making racist comments and blaming blacks for the problems in this society.

This book has been out of print for some time, but thankfully the University of North Carolina Press has resurrected it. Duke University's incoming Freshman class has been assigned to read this book as their compulsory summer reading assignment. The Class of 2011 will then discuss this book during Freshman Orientation Week. The selection of this book as the summer reading assignment is timely with the upheavals in Durham and at Duke during the so called "Duke Lacrosse Scandal."

It is interesting to note that Durham held on to Jim Crow laws and was very slow to integrate public schools compared with some high profile Southern cities. When forced to comply with court-ordered integration, the school district took the unusual step of pairing a long-time black activist and a ranking member of the Ku Klux Klan to lead a committee whose purpose it was to deal with the issues surrounding integration. It seems like this would be a disaster, but surprisingly it was far from it.

I should note that this is not some dry recitation of the past. The story reads much more like a novel. I couldn't put in down and found myself quite moved by the story.

This is a truly poignant book that demonstrates how much we have in common with people of other races, creeds or colors and how, by finding common ground, we can move ahead in our society. There are lessons here for us in the new millennium.

For those interested in an excellent book dealing with similar issues, I recommend Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story

An extraordinary book, not for its writing or ideas, but for the *very idea of it!* How could this have happened, and how could the book tell the story like this??? As a feminist I'm challenging the assumptions of white males who think they are in touch with African Americans, or with feminism. As a white Woman, I feel for the experiences of Black Women, and am sickened by the way white males mostly just don't get it. This is such a strange book you will be blinking hard for sometime afterward.

I just finished reading Binge Thinking. It was more
than I expected--it was actually fun to read! As a
college student, I binged on all of the thinking
binges they talked about. I wish someone gave me this
book when I was in college. As a teacher, I highly
recommend Binge Thinking for anyone going into college
or already in college. It's the only book I've read
that talks about what really goes on in and OUT of the
classroom!

I graduated from college this past summer. After reading Binge Thinking, I found that the stories told in the book are true to the real college experience. I wish I had the opportunity to read Binge Thinking prior to or during my four years, and I know Binge Thinking would have been a helpful tool for my parents as well. This book provides a better way of looking at tough times in college and reassures students that their feelings are not out of the ordinary. Also, I wish I had DB to help me through college, he is so smart!

I found Binge Thinking to be especially poignant since I am a recent college graduate. For me, it was easy to relate to several of the characters and their predicaments because I faced many of the same issues during my college years.
The best thing about the book is that it can, and should, be read by several different groups of people. It can not only be enjoyed by future and current college students but it is also a good informational tool for parents to gain exposure to some of the things their child may be experiencing while away at school. I would also recommend Binge Thinking to all college graduates, like myself, as I found it to be helpful in understanding some of the thoughts and feelings that I experienced in college.
This book can ease some of the anxieties that we face before, during, and after college.

This book has brought clarity and understanding to a complex topic. The chronic over thinking of not only college students but of virtually all modern day individuals is so universal that it is often considered "normal". Dr.'s Borges and White have created a language and thought process for people to identify and talk about the very nature of over thinking and why it can cause so much harm to your mental well being. As products of such modern affluence and choice we often take for granted that our minds have evolved to handle all the complexity and choice that we do have. That couldn't be further from the truth! What we need is a language and thought process to help us talk about our abundance of choice and that is what Dr.'s Borges and White have done.

Anyone who is interested in their mental well being and for a better understanding of the very world we live in should buy this book immediately. They will then understand just why they have been afflicted with those most "normal" thoughts of inadaquecy and unhappiness that every one of us walks through life with.

I wish that Dr.'s White and Borges would have written this book ten years ago. Four years of undergraduate work and three years working with college admissions has taught me that the obsticals identified in "Binge Thinking" are universal symptoms of the real college hangover.

If you haven't experienced the sinario's in this book, then chances are someone you know has or will. The good doctors have hit the nail on the head and vocalized many of the fears, experiences, and trails that I ran into as a wide eyed freshman. A couple while sitting in Dr. White's classes. (ha)

Most of the situations are unavoidable, but after reading "Binge Thinking," one has a better chance dealing with anxieties and obsticals as they appear.

"Binge Thinking" is a tool that any prospective student, parent or individual should carry in thier arrsenel when entering collegate life. The language and lessons are accessible to audiences of all ages. So much so, that I'm ordering a copy for my brother and cousin who just graduated high school!

Happy Reading.

Kay M. Capps Cross's A BLACK & WHITE GARDEN tells how to use a black and white background and variations on themes to make an outstanding quilt. From quilts that are placemat-size to full-size quilts with foundation piecing, A BLACK & WHITE GARDEN pairs patterns with full-page color photos of quilt examples.

This book has great visuals and is full of information. Nice patterns and lots of techniques, great fabric selection tips and materials lists. Detailed cutting and sewing instructions. Overall a great book!
Thanks

The patterns in this book are so charming and give off such energy that they need to be made again and again. The directions are clear, the photographs are great, it is hard to know which quilt to make first! I love it!

There is such delightful energy in this book, in the reading of it, and in the process of creating from it. I find this book to be the perfect mix of directions (how tos) and lots of creative jump off points (why nots)... It's like having a very special secret garden all of your own that the author helps you discover.

I have a large black & white fabric stash and this book had some great ideas on using my fabrics. I really like the directions and instructions; easy to understand and follow.

"Black Women in White America" has truly opened my eyes to a lot of the hardships of the African American woman.

"Black Women in White America" is outstanding. Naturally the book provides some remarkable documents about slavery, but there is so much more covered in this fabulous book. The experiences of African - American women seeking to get (and give) an education, the experiences of African-American women as mere sex objects (and their stories of being objectified by men of all races), the crusade against lynching ... I was floored by the variety and amount of sources contained in this book. It is quite comprehensive in its breadth and scope.

As a historian and teacher, this is a marvelous resource. As a student and American, it is a moving true-life story that is regretfully often untold. Highly recommended reading.

Prior to ordering Ms. Davis' book, I had always held her in great esteem, due to the courage, intelligence, and sensitivity, which she portrayed during the civil rights movement. As a late blooming "flower child," I was too timid to be a part of the movement, yet it did not prevent me from watching from the sidelines, agonizing and suffering along with my brothers and sisters. No matter their race, color, or origins; no matter which side of the battle they were on; there was a great deal of suffering and inhumanity existing during those turbulent times. After reading a poem she wrote (from an anthology) regarding the demands placed on Aretha Franklin (as a star), I really connected with her message. Therefore, I ordered her book. Due to a great deal of "drama" currently occurring around me, I have not had an opportunity to read her writings. But in my heart, I know that she has put forth a lesson from which I can learn.

Compelling enough to keep me from ever thinking that I have it rough. As black women, we've endured sorrow and acheived greatness...all of which is found in this text. Black Women... gives an excellent account of the early history of African women in America.

This book does an excellent job of documenting the lives of African American women from slavery to the 20th century. It gives a portrayal of their strong abilities to move forward, their religious faith, and their degree of hope and self-pride in the meantime. I sincerely recommend this book to everyone in hopes that it will serve as a guide in their present lives.

This item should be in every reporter's computer. The briefs here are amazingly helpful. You will find yourself using this program quite often and thinking, wow, that's perfect!

This is a great program to make you a better writer. When I went to install the program, though, I had an error message about it being a 16 bit program, so if you get that message, just click "Ignore," and it should work fine. But I didn't know that until I went to Microsoft and did a search. So in the day it took me to figure it out, I was pretty upset, because the software is not cheap. I called their 1-800 number and they were very helpful. They actually answer the phone right away. What a concept, no voice mail, no hitting numbers!

I also got the Medically Briefed program and it's good, too. I can check in my CAT software dictionary for three, four of however many strokes it takes me to do words, and if I can get many long words down to one or two strokes, then the software paid for itself. Now there's no fear when you hear those long medical words. Plus now my CAT software (Eclipse) gives me suggestions for briefs on the fly as I'm writing realtime. Pretty cool stuff. I love all these toys.

This CD is absolutely brilliant. I orignally was going to buy the book but love, love, love the CD. It has changed the way I write. Words I used to struggle with have been resolved by one quick search.

I have the book also, but because I had to carry a lot of things, I needed something portable. This is great. Tons of one-strokers. This is a must have for anybody going into court reporting or captioning.

I'm still in school working toward my goal of becoming a reporter. This CD-Rom has made a huge positive impact on my practice habits. And we all know, better practice results in passed test. I can quickly find the correct and sometime better strokes for words, briefs, and phrases right at my fingertips. No flipping through books to find the ANS/Z. I love this program. This is one of the best investments I have made into my future in Court Reporting. Well on my way to great success. Get this CD-Rom or at least the book, you won't be disapointed at all. Some refer to the book as the Court Reporter's Bible, trust me IT IS!!!! Thank you Amazon for providing this CD-Rom. I haven't been able to find it anywhere else. Happy Writing to all Reporters and Reporters in training.

I got this book for my b-day and I read it right away! This is a wonderful book about three teenagers who are swept back in history to the Civil War. Then they must learn to live like the people back then and each has there own part in the war. This book also teaches allot of facts about the Civil War that I never knew. I recommend it to anyone who loves to read and learn facts:)

Ms. Blair tells an action-filled story filled with humor and suspense. I reccomend this book to any and all readers interested in Civil War reenactment or time-travel. The characters are believable and honest, the true indication of a worth-while read.

This is a great book. I love it!!!!!!! The characters are really believable and funny. This author is much better than R. L. Stine.

The characters have depth and are really funny. I have read it at least three times before. If you like time travel, adventure, and all-out fun, this is the book for you.

This story is chock full of humor, action, and suspense. I suggest you read this book for the above reasons. I guarantee you will LOVE this book (guarantee void as of March 1997)

Written in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, Ed Abbey, and Everett Reuss, Rea artfully describes mind-blowing scenery across the entire Colorado Plateau experienced while rafting, backpacking, hiking and touring. Mixing natural history with insightful philosophical reflections, Rea draws the reader ever deep into the scenery and transformative character of the Plateau. Written with passion and skill, Rea's book is a must read for enthusiasts of the Colorado Plateau, naturalists, historians, and everyone interested in preserving what little remains of the wild.

By Kyle Gardner, author of Medicine Rock Reflections

Paul Rea's book, Canyon Interludes, offers the reader more than merely environmental reflection. In the tradition of Edward Abbey, Rea offers the reader integrated moments of personal reflection while traveling into some of the most undiscovered country left in America, the canyons and rivers of Southeastern Utah, the four corners region, and the desiduous Southwest.

Set deep in such amazing landscapes as these, Rea offers the reader incredibly detailed depictions of nature intertwined with very real physical tribulations - and accompanying emotional ponderings - while hiking and kayaking in the vast and remote spaces that few have bothered (or dared) to travel. This is a visceral piece that anyone who has experienced the sparcely harsh, yet awe-inspiring high desert would appreciate. Like Abbey, this author provides the reader with introspective moments to find themselves as well.

The author's delight in the areas he travels is palpable. Paul Rea's passion for rock, river, plants and birds unfolds as he strides through a canyon or paddles a stretch of quiet river. His prose awakens the senses and creates a strong desire to experience these places for oneself.
This is not a book to be speed-read. Each sentence packs so much color, description and nuance that the reader wants to read slowly and savor each line.
The enthusiasm the author feels comes through "loud and strong." In addition, he invites readers to understand that some of these wonders will not be accessible to our heirs if we do not carefully set aside/preserve these environs. His concern for the environment is balanced by a sense of fair play-trying to find solutions that work for everyone.
If you are passionate about the "great outdoors," this is a book for you!

Reading Rea's book is truly like being in the red rock country. His adventurous stories are alive with colorful sensory detail and suffused with his love for the natural world, with all its challenges, grit and glory. Rea writes with a naturalist's keen eye, weaving in history and philosophy, and concern for the threat our species poses to the wild.

I generally am a reader of fiction rather than nature books. After a friend recommended this book to me, I found to my surprise that it was enchanting. The poetic descriptions, which are both sensual and spiritual, lovingly render the incredible beauty found in this part of the world. This motivated me to plan a glorious trip to the red rock country to see it for myself.