Wilson Books

Filth and circumstance, liberty and license, Ginsberg, Burroughs, and a fellow named Gabriel Thy included in this collection of odd parables and drawings, scribblings, and anxious prophets. This is not a book for the knee-socked self-righteous nor the thoroughly untracked, but a knuckle-cracking romp through the dry weeds of yesterday's validity, perhaps now mere fodder for the times, the mid-1980s. Remember Throbbing Gristle? And Re/Search? Same sort of pain. A thick collection of first, second, and third offenses.

Anytime you have Burroughs, Ballard, Metzger, and R. A. Wilson together in a collection you know it's just the kind of good, clean fun you mother warned you about. (Not to mention the Rev. Stang!)
There are some great short stories in this collection. There are also a few which aren't great, but if you fancy yourself as more-subversive-than-thou, you simply aren't if you don't have a copy of this.
I've had this book for more than a decade, and it is still read often, and displayed proudly in my most prominent bookshelf.

I received this book as a gift more than a decade ago. (Thank you Jen!) I haven't been the same boy since.
Reading Semiotext(e) USA was, and still is, the most exquisite, voyeuristic look into the uncharted edges of not just the American, but the human experience. This collection of stories and ideas literally lead me to the place I am today. I found refuge in its embrace of that which scares "decent" society, and comforted in it's portrayal of those who are forever below the media's radar. I was shocked by the extremes of thought, and utterly mesmerized by the breadth of ideas.
This book opened more doors than I knew existed, and set me on my search for all that which is not shoved down out throats by McMedia.

I bought this book a few years after it's release in 1989 and it helped to propel my interest in SF from being a pulp escapist distraction (i.e. Star Trek, et al) to seeing SF as a viable and vibrant literary form all it's own, capable of engaging complex social, political and philisophical quandries, both in the context of the present and the future. Tons of great short stories in this book, many of which stick with me to this day. This opened the door to such fabulous items as the Illuninatus! Trilogy, Neuormancer, and Snow Crash to name a few. And if you like the short story SF angle, I highly recommend the Mirrorshades collection edited by Bruce Sterling and Deathbird Stories by Ellison.

And no, the material presented in this anthology is not for the faint of heart. While some of the pieces may not fit the Science Fiction stereotype >aliens, outer space, etc.< all of them test new waters, explore deeper into the recesses of the human mind, and present the varying truths found in unique, raw, and above all, fun (at least imho) formats. Don't misunderstand - it serves up its share of sex and blood and good times. The real depth starts the day, years after you've read it - when something everyday strikes a chord of familiarity, and you recall this or that story, and how weird it was to your senses. Then it has affected your frame of reference. The adjustment is highly recommended. ;-)

I purchased the book for one sermon A DIVINE AND SUPERNATURAL LIGHT

I was amazed about how many of the sermons were right one with where I am at in my life.

Gods word is time less and this is a clear translation of what God has to say to his people.

Edwards is excellent in presenting the gospel. His sermons are quite substantive and always pointing the reader (or hearer in his days) towards God. Should you desire a great book of some of Edward's greatest works, this is the book for you.

John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards are, without question, two of the greatest theologians in the history of the church. Who is Mike DeSario?

Do not get this book if you're pursuing modern or postmodern theology. Do not get this book if you're looking for gimmicks.

If you want to get down to basics ... salvation and sin, heaven and hell ... read this collection.

The original 'fire & brimestone' sermon ... "Sinners in the hands of angry God" is worth the price of the book if you're unfamiliar with Edwards.

You can see the evangelical power of this mighty pastor grow in this chronological collection.

Edwards is a gift to us, well worth rediscovering.

Jonathan Edwards sermons are inspiring, leading to Christ. 18 century religious american genius. Easy to read. Worth to buy. Highly recommend.

This book has been a wonderful resource as I prepare for my first year of teaching. Dr. Wilson is a true professional educator. Her book is full of tips and advice beneficial for new teachers, like myself, and experience educators. I encourage you to read this book, pass it on to your colleagues and enjoy! I am anxiously awaiting Dr. Wilson's second book, which should be released Spring of 2006. Happy reading!

I am a recent graduate from Langston-Tulsa University. I was truly blessed to have Dr. Wilson as one of my professors and mentors. Even though I will not see her on a daily basis any more, her book will be with me everyday in my classroom, this is why:

Teaching 201: Traveling Beyond the Basics is a book every educator interested in becoming a true professional should own. From the very beginning of the book, to the very end, each page contains new and helpful insights for dedicated teachers as they journey into professionalism.

For example, Dr. Linda Henshall Wilson offers time-saving tips every teacher can appreciate, she offers convenient short-cuts, and she shares her technological expertise any educator at every level of experience can and will appreciate.

As I begin my teaching career with my first group of second grade students, together our lights will shine brighter all because of Dr. Linda Henshall Wilson's wonderful "Pearls of Wisdom!" Thank you Dr. Wilson for all you continue to do for the teaching profession.

As a former student of Dr. Linda Wilson and a first year teacher, I can say without a doubt that this book not only allows her light to shine for others, but also has renewed my energy for a classroom full of 2nd grade students. Teaching 201 Traveling Beyond the Basics is a map of guidance from the front cover to the last page. It not only offers theories, pearls of wisdom, and ideas, but technology tips that are easy to follow. Step by step instructions are given for lessons that include technology which are simple to reproduce in the classroom. Her personal stories add just the right touch to not only keep us entertained, but also valuable lessons from which we can learn. I’ve always wanted something that combines all I’ve learned in my college courses, and now I have it all in this book. This is a must read for any education student, teacher, or anyone wanting to renew their love for education.
Barbie Underwood
2nd Grade Teacher

This book has been a vital tool in my preparation for the alternative certification process. As a non-education major, I have found this book to be MY teaching manual. Dr. Linda Wilson is without a doubt a remarkable teacher full of insight and knowledge--as demonstrated in this book. Like a mother hen, she carefully nurtures, guides and prepares her chicks for independence arming them with her wisdom and instilling them with confidence to spread their wings and soar to greater heights. This book is their safety net, their sword and their shield. Thank you, Dr. Wilson, for this important tool. This is "required" reading for all educators.

I graduated seven years ago as an English/Education major. Not having taken the necessary tests for licensure, I was reticent to do so after seven years. This book not only helped to remind me of what I learned in my University studies, but also brought me up to date on current teaching practices.
Anyone in education realizes that change is continuous and necessary. I recall many a professor who had beeen there, done that. However, professors who are still there, still doing that are few and far between. Dr. Wilson's active participation in the classroom is evident in this book. Her Technology Excursion Trip's are incredibly helpful as are the strategies for classroom management. Her statement, the small stuff will eat you alive, is both prophetic and meaningful. Those of us who are organization challenged can benefit greatly from her daily housekeeping strategies.
Teaching 201:Traveling Beyond the Basics is a wonderful guidebook to the profession of teaching. Like a road map on any journey, it shows the ups and downs as well as the road-blocks to come. Most importantly, it gives the keys to getting over that mountain, across that raging river, and detours to reaching the final destination we call teaching.

This is the book that started it all for Repairman Jack. If you have started the series somewhere in the middle, or with the last book or two, do yourself a favor and purchase a copy of The Tomb... It's fun to read the very beginning of a classic series entry.

The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson is the first in the Repairman Jack series. Although he's referred to as a repairman, Jack fixes dangerous situations not plumbing. In The Tomb, he is approached by Kasum Bahkti, an arrogant, one-armed Indian, who is an United Nations diplomat. Kasum wants to hire Jack to find the thief who has beaten and robbed the diplomat's mother of a necklace, a sentimental family heirloom. The catch, he has to find the necklace before the diplomat's mother dies from her injuries, which gives Jack very little time. At the same time, Jacks ex-girlfriend Gia, grudgingly contacts him and asks Jack to look into finding her elderly aunt who has been missing, she supposedly disappeared without a trace from her home. Jack sees this situation as a way weave his way back into Gia's and her daughters, Vicky lives. He slowly discovers that the two seemingly unrelated cases do have a common history, one that dates back more than 100 years and involves demonic creatures known as Rakoshi.

What I like most about The Tomb was the fact that Jack did not have all the answers. Some conclusions came to him slowly, if at all. The pacing, characters development, and the action were dead-on. F. Paul Wilson writing made it easy to visualize everything that was happening and at times it was hard for me to put the book down. I am definitely a fan of Repairman Jack and of the author.

The Friday House
Xiii

Way back in 1984, I picked up this book and couldn't put it down until it was finished. It's the best horror novel I've ever read. It's one of those books that only a skilled storyteller could write.

Superb!

The horror genre is enriched by this book, which is inventive and original. Though the book is plot, rather than character, driven, it does not suffer for its lack of character development. The reader is kept too busy thinking about the plot to worry unduly about character development. Such is the power of this unusual and compelling horror story.

The plot is relatively simple. The horror reaches out across the world from India to the United States. A heinous defilement and murders by British soldiers in a temple in mid-nineteenth century India unleashes a curse that is to follow the descendants of the leader of the attack. Coupled with that curse is an entourage of creatures of unimaginable horror that have once again risen to do the bidding of one who would avenge past wrongs. With great power, however, comes great responsibility.

Enter Repairman Jack, a man who works to right what once went wrong and who earns his living by his wits and by his ability to defend himself to the death, if necessary. If one has a problem, he will fix it. When he agrees to help a one-armed Indian gentleman, Kusum Bahkti, retrieve a necklace that is a priceless family heirloom, he soon discovers just how priceless it is.

Jack suddenly finds himself thrust into the middle of a series of almost inexplicable events. Besieged by mysterious disappearances, rank odors, unusual substances of Indian origin, he finds that the necklace holds the key to an ancient horror. He then comes up against the most formidable foes he has ever encountered. He must find a way to vanquish some pretty hellish creatures or risk losing those whom he loves.

Highly original and inventive, this is a pretty well written horror story that should keep even the most jaded of readers turning its pages. It is also the book that introduced Repairman Jack, a popular character that would go on to have a series of books revolve around him.

Repairman Jack could be described as a fixer - you got problem and for a fee, he can fix it, or a champion of the oppressed - you can't afford a fee, we'll work something out. To the government he doesn't exist. He has never collected a paycheck and has never paid income tax. He has no credit, no credit cards, no FICO score, has never voted, has no social security card, has never been arrested, has no driver's license or passport (at least in his real name). In short, he works outside the system totally under the radar.

Jack has a fiancee named Gia, who has a nine year old daughter named Vickey. She doesn't approve of what Jack does but Jack has saved both their lives on more than one occasion, so she grudgingly accepts his occupation. Jack is crazy about both of them and Vickey idolizes Jack.

More about Jack

Jack is average in every way - average height, weight, looks, hair and eyes and clothes. Since Jacks works within an underground society he works at blending in, being non descript if you will but that's where all similarities to an average man end.

Jack is tough as nails. When he doesn't have a client he works out and practices martial arts. Jack is deadly in a fight and is afraid of no one. Has Jack beat anyone up? You bet. Has he killed anyone? Only those who deserved it and even then, reluctantly. Jack has friends in low places like the intractable, Abe, proprietor of a sporting goods store that is a front for an armory, both legal and illegal weapons. The more you read him the more you decide that Jack is a very interesting fellow.

The Tomb

Jack can be your worst nightmare but as nightmares go, everything is relative and Jack takes second fiddle in this book!

Jack Meets a lovely but troubled woman named Gia. She has an adolescent daughter named Vicky. Jack grows to love Gia and Vicky. He would lay down his life for either and in this story he almost does.

Vicky's father (who's divorced and not in the book) has the surname Wesphalen and hence Vicky's is Wesphalen. None believe it but the Wesphalen family is living under a curse, precipitated by the murderous acts committed by an unnamed, greedy ancestor over a hundred years ago in India.

Kusum Bhakti, an East Indian priest of a tiny sect that worships the bloodthirsty deity Kali and his sister Kolobati are descendants of the victims of the atrocities perpetrated by this elder Wesphalen. They have come to New York City to carry out their vendetta and wipe out the rest of the Westphalen line. Kusum has brought with him the Rakoshi, vicious, flesh eating monsters, to accomplish this horrible undertaking.

Rakoshi are huge (over eight feet tall) hideous, malodorous, perversions of the humanity created eons ago.

Coincidently, Kusum hires Jack to locate the thief that mugged his aged grandmother and stole a necklace which is a family heirloom. Jacks thinks lightning just might strike twice so he dresses up like an old lady and sure enough our perp. attacks him. Jack quickly turns the tables and after a couple broken bones convinces the perp. to relinquish his ill gotten gains. Funny thing, the perp. claims the victim was young.

In fact, the aged grandmother is Kolobati, Kusum's younger sister and both of them are almost 150 years old. They maintain their young appearance because of the necklaces they wear (the family heirlooms) and of course when the mugger took the necklace, Kolobati began to age immediately.

When Jack returns with the necklace, Kusum is ecstatic and Jack walks away a few thousand richer and now has to visit Gia and Vicky. Gia called while Jack was on the Mugger case and needed to see him.

Gia Westphalen, who is a freelance commercial artist, had broken off her relationship with Jack after accidentally discovering his real occupation but decided to call Jack anyway, when one of Vicky's two aunts disappeared.

She's decided Jacks line of work, which she abhors and is the reason she broke with Jack, might be helpful to locate the Aunt. Unfortunately the aunt is long gone and the other aunt is next and Jack and Gia get dragged into a battle with Kusum and supernatural creatures, the Rakoshi to save the last remaining Wesphalen - Vicky

Conclusion

Not for the faint of heart, this story gets quite scary as our hero Jack must confront the apparently insane, murderous Kusum and his nest of monsters in order to save Vicky.

Wilson does introduce some homey, risible moments into the story, through Jack and a couple friends of his. For instance, Julio owns a bar which sometimes substitutes for Jacks office. Julio's Bar (Julio's) has dozens of dead potted ferns located around the bar because he thinks it will keep the yuppies away. Abe owns a pawnshop which is also Jacks armory. While Jack is somewhat upbeat, Abe is kind dour and pessimistic, always predicting a financial or a social catastrophe and he always seems to have a spot of ketchup or mustard on his shirt. Wilson uses moments of levity to lighten the overall darkness of the story.

The Tomb is an excellent fast paced read that I personally have read four times. Wilson's writing is very reader friendly and fast moving, though he does digress occasionally. The novel is fast paced and seems to cover a lot of ground in just over 400 pages. Wilson seems to be a natural storyteller. In this and other novels I have read by him, he draws you in and makes you terrified for our hero and his loved ones. For horror fans this is essential reading!!!!

This novel has ultimately been listed as one of six books that form the Adversary Cycle. I don't think it started out that way but it ended up that way. It and "The Touch" are self contained reads that can be taken that way with no further reading; however they should be read sometime before reading the final book of the series "Nightworld".

I loved the title of this book and bought it for that reason. I was not familiar with previous work from this author.

Cheerful but not annoying, encouraging but not shallow, the author manages to help divorced women (her primary focus) see divorce as an opportunity to move forward, changing their lives and their futures in positive ways.

Without thinking about it, we always label divorce as a negative: it is. But if we are open to learning, growing, maturing, and becoming a better person, divorce gives us that opportunity --- whether we want it or not.

This is a well-written book from an author who clearly understands the thoughts, feelings, and struggles of divorced women. Very well done.

Dr. David & Lisa Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Authors of 8 books, including Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

Thnak God for this book. I have been divorced for almost a year. My ex was a cheater and I could not put up with this behavior anymore. I missed my old life style though. I have to start from scatch. I was a housewife with a BA degree. So now, I am looking for a job. Most of my friends and family were through my ex's family and any other friends that were married have seemed to have forgotten me.
This book gave me the blue print to move on and forward. This is the best book for any women trying to start fresh. Good luck to you!

Karen Kahn Wilson's book "Transformational Divorce" is a must read for any woman going through the process of divorce and for those already divorced. It's enjoyable to read and the exercises start you on the road to transforming your life. Karen celebrates the woman inside all of us that CAN emerge to create a wonderful post-divorce life. This book is truly a gift!

This book transcends the divorce genre. Karen Kahn Wilson, in lucid, easy-to-read prose, speaks to all of us who want to learn from past relationships and move simultaneously towards increased independence and healthier connections with others. Although I have no plans to divorce, this book inspired--and empowered--me to take greater control of my life.

Transformational Divorce is truly a gift for those going through this devastating experience. Rather than concentrating on the usual get-out-and-meet-people advice so common in divorce books, Karen's book shows readers how to create a happy, productive life without falling into the "quick fix" solutions that fail to provide the depth needed for lasting change. Reading this book is like speaking to a compassionate friend who's been there and knows how to not only survive but thrive. A definite must-have for anyone going through the divorce process.

My mom was born and raised in Northport and I bought the book for her. We spent many summers in Northport and Leland, staying in the old cabins of my mom's family and hiking up and down the bluffs. My cousins and I have very fond memories of Leelanau county and this book brought it all back to me and especially to my mom. It's a wonderful book.

This is an absolutely wonderful book about Leelanau County history, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and northern Michigan tourism of days gone by. It's a must have if you vacation up north and would make a very memorable gift for those who visit that area. I highly recommend it. I wish a book like this existed for the entire west side of Michigan.

The sand I tracked onto the floor of my father's Buick Roadmaster wasn't from Leelanau, but the images of Michigan's beaches, summer homes and lake culture make this beautiful book much more than a history of someplace you may not have been. Vintage Views of Leelanau County will connect with anyone who remembers when family vacations were taken with the car windows rolled down and eyes peeled for Burma Shave signs. Hey! After swimming let's go get some ice cream!

This superb collection of views from Leelanau County is a delight for anyone who has spent summers in northern Michigan. It's rich with hundreds of beautifully reproduced real photo postcards, supplemented with maps, early tourist ads, and an informative text constructed from Byron's and Wilson's research and excerpts from travel literature.

"Vintage Views" is a must for Leelanau County lovers and postcard collectors alike. You'll spend many enjoyable hours with this book, traveling from the comfort of your favorite chair.

Everything about VINTAGE VIEWS OF LEELANAU COUNTY is a spectacular journey. Anyone with a nostalgic bone in their body must view this book? For me, it "conjured" up so many memories of vacations to resorts where being with family and enjoying the area was the "why" you were on the trip.

One more of my top books for the value on my list. I am still learning about guns form these books.

This book is an eye opener for sure! Okay it is a coffee table book rather than a serious reference work, but hey, you cannot deny the shear luminous beauty of the photography and the well thought out layout and design. There is good info to be had as well, this book is a 'faster' reference than Madis' work and leaves you hungry for more. Well done Mr Wilson, I will be buying more of your work!

the next best thing to owning a winchester rifle itself.

excellent in every respect and well recommended.

Just the pictures in this huge volume are enough to make it worth thumbing through, but the written information is tremendous and the author manages to cover all connections to Winchesters' Fathers, including John M Browning, my personal hero (other than my Father, Uncle, Grandfather and all other veterans of WWII and Korea). Probably not all the information on Winchester firearms and ammo history but all that I can absorb and still have a social life.

Beautiful to look at. Not heavy in the way of company or technical history, but what a great coffee table book. Costly - if you can find it - but wow!

This is a great book and it covers the same material published much earlier in the book Two Survived by Guy Pearce Jones. I recommend both of these books highly.

J. Revell Carr has written an outstanding and disturbing book that deserves a much wider readership than it will probably get. It centres on the fate of a group of survivors from a merchant vessel sunk by one of the Kriegsmarine's most notorious raiders, who found themselves in a disastrous survival situation, with the nearest practical landfall 2,700 miles away.

In a fluent and well-written narrative, he provides a wealth of convincing detail while never losing sight of the wider picture. In addition to telling the survivors' compelling story, he also provides a fascinating insight into the tactics and practicalities of raider warfare, and particularly, the career and complex personality of the raider's commanding officer, Hellmuth von Ruckteschell.

One of the great strengths of this book is the author's style, which will no doubt remind some readers of Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney's classic book `Battleship'. For those unfamiliar with this work, beyond a compelling story, this means a careful use of sources and an even-handed style that is never hectoring or partisan, that does not seek heroes or villains, and aims squarely at finding the truth.

Yes, there are a few minor errors - the name of the old battleship Schlesien is misspelt, for example - but these are quite incidental to the story and in no way undermine the book.

In short, this is a book that you will find difficult to put down and thoroughly deserves the highest possible recommendation.

All Brave Sailors by J. Revell Carr is the amazing story of the sinking of the British freighter Anglo-Saxon by a German raider, and the seventy day voyage of the ship's seven survivors in a small boat. Carr also tells the story of the German raider, its captain and crew. Although the entire book is extremely well written and very interesting, it is the time spent in the small jolly boat that really captures the reader's attention and imagination. How the two sole survivors were able to hold on, how they found land is a remarkable tale. This book also very ably highlights the contributions made by the men of the Merchant Marines during World War II. These men were every bit of the heroes that the men who actually fought in combat were and it is about time a book singing their praises was written. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII.

An excellent tale, not only of the survival story of seven men from the Anglo-Saxon, but also of the biographical sketches of all of the characters in this tale and their association with the historical events of the time. Revell Carr has used his knowledge of the sea and his ability to ferret out interesting detail through hours of research and interviews to produce a story that is not only worth telling, but was very enjoyable to read. Highly recommended.

The remarkable tale of those lucky few that survived the sinking of the English merchant ship, the Anglo Saxon by a German raider is a compelling story. But author J. Revell Carr does not leave it at that. He also tells the story of the German raider who sunk it, most especially it's notorious captain. In relating the extraordinary life and character of Hellmuth von Ruckteschell, Carr has not drawn a stick figure villain, but has presented a fully realized and complex figure. This is the mark of top-notch storytelling and history.
Obviously the more inspiring story is that of those who survived on the Atlantic Ocean aboard the jolly boat for two months. Their struggles with hunger, exposure, thirst; injury and madness are the stuff of legend. That anyone could have survived on so small a boat from the mid Atlantic to the shore of the Bahamas is awe-inspiring.
Carr wisely lets their story speak for itself. While filled with admiration for those plucky few who survived (and those who didn't as well) he does not embellish. He doesn't need to.
Among the many attributes of this book -- perhaps most notably that it's a cracking good read -- is that it gives recognition to the merchant seamen who so bravely and at such extraordinary risk served the allied cause during both world wars (my father among them). Merchant seaman suffered the highest proportionate losses of any service group during World War II.
"All Brave Sailors" is the story of war and the terrible cost it extracts from ordinary people. Not just those who perish, but those who they leave behind. We also see the costs extracted from those who survive.
I would have liked more pictures and a few maps, but these are mere quibbles. This is a book worthy of the story it endeavors to tell and is highly recommended.

Robert Wilson and Stanley Marcus have created a highly informative as well as a thoroughly entertaining book in which they briefly discuss 81 different examples of "great" contributions to the development of American culture. Here are the first five: Tom Paine's "Common Sense" which helped to establish and then nourish a patriotic fervor without which the War for Independence probably could not have been won.; Charles Kettering's invention of the automobile self-starter which eliminated the need for a hand crank which had broken many arms; barbed wire ("the devil's hatband") which protected property as well as livestock and thus helped to tame the frontier; Alexander Joy Cartwright's design of the baseball diamond (in 1846) for a variation of the English game of "rounders," a design which established the same infield configuration wherever the game is played; and Harry S Truman's commitment to the Berlin Airlift during the Cold War ("We stay in Berlin, period."). Other subjects include the Coca-Cola formula, Coney Island, the Duke Ellington orchestra, the G.I. Bill of Rights, N.C. Wyeth's illustrations for Stevenson's Treasure Island, the New Yorker magazine, the Pony Express, tabasco sauce, the Underground Railway, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. All of the illustrations are superb. Several of the brief commentaries were written by various contributors such as Allen Barra (Black Baseball), David McCullough (The Brooklyn Bridge), Kevin Baker (FDR's Fireside Chats), and David Douglas Duncan (LIFE Magazine). This volume's size and appearance may suggest that it is just another "coffee table book." In fact, what editors Wilson, Marcus, and various contributors share attracts and rewards the attention of those, especially young people, who have little (if any) understanding of why each of the 81 subjects is so important to the society in which they now live. Ours continues to be an abundant and diverse culture. Hopefully it will continue to produce other American "greats" to join those which Wilson, Marcus, and their distinguished associates so brilliantly celebrate.

This beautiful book occupies a place of prominence in my living room. The collected essays cover a wide variety of interesting topics that represent all aspects of American life and history. The photography is exceptional. I'm looking forward to "American Greats" part II.

There is just too much from the Nation which we take for granted, and this book reminds up of just a tiny percentage of some of the innovations which helped shape our society.

Sure, when we see the Brooklyn Bridge, we marvel at its timeless beauty. We probably don't give barbed wire a second thought, though. Those old enough to recall FDR tell of the inspiration of his Fireside Chats, and the rest of us can compare (through this work) them to the Gettysburg Address. But this work takes us so much farther. The courage of Mohawk Steel Workers walking across the sky, the Tuskeegee Airmen bringing back every bomber they escorted and the inscrutable creativity of Navajo Code Talkers are all admirably chronicled.

Everyone, from fans of the Vette to those who prefer the Smithsonian; afficionadoes of Duke Ellington vs. Sun Records (or both) will find something here to contemplate and treasure.

This is an extraordinary compilation of the innovations, idiosyncracies, and icons of which this country should be proud. The editors exhibited incredible creativity and sense of adventure in choosing the "Great" items. I can't think of any book that comes close to giving Americans and others a terrific and positive view of this country's uniqueness.

American Greats is absolutely fanastic. The reader learns about historical figures in American history in a really fun way. This book is a must for every elementary, middle and high school.

we have all seen the finished products of any artist but knowing what goes through their mind is fascinating at times. It shows us the human side of the artist which makes him more complete as a person - very nicely done

This is a useful book for anyone who is intersested in Richard Avedon's work "In The American West" and should be considered as a companion volume to Avedon's book. It gives a lot of background, both to individual images and to the "In the West" project as a whole: how subjects were found, how the images were photographed, a sense of the time and effort involved, Avedon's method of work, some comments on particular subjects that particularly struck the crew. My only real complaint about the book is that could have contained more information and would have been more interesting as a result. For example, almost no precise technical information is given. Even so, it does help one to understand Avedon's "In the West project", which I consider a significant piece of work.

After seeing the show at the Amon Carter in Ft. Worth, and listening to an incredible talk given by a most knowlegable man there, I ordered three copies of the book. What appears at first to be simple shots of working people, becomes an insightful slice of peoples lives in the American west.

I think this book is amazing. The stories really gives you a deeper understanding of why Richard Avendon picked his subjects. Laura Wilson does a great job documenting the step by step shoots of Richard subjects "In the American West". I really felt after reading the stories and looking at the pictures again, it meant so much more. These pictures showed the truth and some of the people in the photos agreed that "It's how I feel".

I recommended this book to anyone, who is looking to find a sence of meaning to their craft as a artist. This book makes to think about yourself, and what you can do to give depth to your work.

I wish other art book would explain the process of their work. Then more people would enjoy what they see instead of brush it to the side.

The book is a gem. Not only sheds a bit of light into Avedon's technique and working methods, but also brings to life the often sad stories behind the powerful images. Highly recommended. Now, if they would only re-issue the original monograph..