Park University Books

What an unrelentingly gripping series of stories -- life, death, animals, boys, girls, men, women, horses, snakes, water, wind, earth, blood, fire and sky. Mark Spragg's style is a bit like David Hockney doing his photograph collages. He doesn't show you everything, just bits and pieces to make the whole. He lets you put some of the pieces in place. What a style. It's shot through with his own strong character and some compelling scenes of raw Wyoming life. The stories follow an amazing arc that you don't see coming until the last chapter and then you just kind of want to start all over again, and meet the boy that became the man. Beautiful stuff. Look, I'm not really out here trying to sell my book at every corner but the people who told me about Mark Spragg are readers of my book, "Antler Dust." I had three recommendations from "Antler Dust" readers to check out Mark Spragg, mostly because, I believe, of the detailed outdoors action and the fact that my book takes place in a neighboring state, Colorado. I am going to read more Mark Spragg but for others who like him, please also consider Antler Dust.

Mark Spragg writes beautifully, even poetically, of teenage life in a Wyoming family struggling to make ends meet by catering to "dudes" come West for the seasonal fishing and hunting. His collection of stories is varied, but all are tied to the splendor of unshod love for the land and for the horses he rides through a journey that will steal your heart.

These are two feelings I got from reading this memoir. Life in NW Wyoming is not easy. Days are spent with horses and one's life is taken by horses. In fact, if you love horses this is a great book.

One thing that kept creeping into this book is the distance the author had toward his parents, especially his father. Little but dialogue is written about the father, but he comes across as callous and more worried of turning the boy into a real man. The boy, in turn, writes about his concerns about the man he will become. At times that dragged on too much.

Still, it's wonderful prose written in a manly tone. For rugged cowboys and ranchers it's a perfect read.

I'd worry about peope who don't hurt themselves laughing while reading Wapiti School. My goodness, these stories are terrific, sometimes tough and bitter, sometimes perfect poetry. Just wonderful.

The author writes excellent prose with innumerable well turned phrases and descriptions. The subject matter is primarily his adolescence on a Wyoming dude ranch and hunting guide service that his family, Pennsylvania expatriates, operated in the 1960s, some vignettes from his adult life and descriptions of friends and conditions in windswept Wyoming. The chapters are actually a series of essays rather than a progressive narrative with the ones about life and work on and around his father's ranch, where he essentially lived as a hired hand in the bunkhouse with hardened wranglers from about the age of fourteen, being the most interesting.

I enjoyed the book principally due to the excellent writing and colorful recounting of the author's experiences as a real "cowboy" in an era when most of us male baby boomers only experienced the same thing through ubiquitous western TV shows and movies of the 50s and 60s. It was a life in another era when so many of us grew up in boring suburbia. I recommend it for these reasons.

But maybe I missed something because I never came across any explanation for the author's seeming sense of hurt, isolation, melancholy and general unhappiness that begins, for unstated reasons, during his college years.

We live in a life-care community. I shall try to give this book to our health care center activities person, and to anyone I know who is having difficulties with dementia in a loved one, as well as to the active clergy of our acquaintance. The point Hill makes--requesting equal rights for the demented dying as for those who are in full possession of their mental faculties--is one that had never occurred to me before I read this book. I kept thinking (naturally) of my own mother, who for at least six months, and perhaps longer, didn't know anyone, and who seemed not to have anything at all to "get off her chest." Hill's entertaining (yes, it is) story of her wonderfully eccentric and charming parent made it clear that no matter what is happening, the person it's happening to is still somehow the same as in years past, at least enough so that it is cruel to ignore his or her need for expression. Whether there are old wounds to heal or bridges to mend is really secondary. Read this lovely essay and learn!

This is the most moving memoir I have ever read. The intimacy Sheridan Hill shares with her readers and close attention to details is breath taking. I could not put it down. Astonishing and simply beautiful.

This is a must read for the hospice community and the families they serve.

I could not put this book down, so real, taking us to that uncharted territory, the death of our mother. How do we stay present, how do we understand our relationship, how do we face death and find life?
Sheridan Hill tells her story with such detail and honesty. I am no longer afraid of death, for my parents or myself after reading this book.

Refreshing for the heart -- as eternal family values wait til the end of one's life to come to light. I want my siblings to read this. How I wish I had had time with my own mother before her passing!

I'm one of the "baby boom" generation, we who once shouted "never trust anyone over twenty-five!" And now we are in our forties, fifties, and sixties, often facing alone the crisis of the death of a parent or loved one. Our culture has ill prepared us for this passage, a society that dwells on youth and so carefully hides away death. I lost both of my parents several years back and only wish I had first read Ms. Hill's book, it would have served as a guide, and reaffirmed as well the rightness of decisions I made for the sake of my mother and father. It is not a book about death, it is a book about living and sharing to the fullest one's final journey with a parent.

I will freely admit I wept repeatedly as I read Ms. Hill's beautifully crafted tome which honors and celebrates her mother's final months. Reading it made me realize that so much of what I experienced was valid, that I was not alone in my feelings and gave me new and hopeful insights into my own life and the spiritual journey of my mother and father.

If you just read these reviews and do not buy the book, please heed her advice from this reviewer. Listen to your parents now, talk with them, share and recall all the moments, good and bad, and fight with all your passion to insure their time of passage is a time that is respectful of their dignity. Though I do hope you purchase this work even though the subject might be the last one on your mind at this moment. For someday it will occupy your life front and center and Ms. Hill is a guide you can turn to and trust.

Right off the bat I want to agree with the Minister in Colorado who stated that this book was more satisfying than "Purpose Driven Life". I too was somewhat disappointed by that book, although I do like it on some things.

But now this book. First, this book is more about LIFE lessons from Joseph than about Joseph's life. The Joseph story is one of my favorites, and I've read Swindoll, Getz, Anderson and others on Joseph's life. But as good as those are, they are soup and potatoes compared to this one--it's real meat!

This book could only be improved by an additional workbook. While there are study guides and questions in each chapter, this book will take you a while to appreciate. Every chapter goes through Joseph's life and teaches some of God's DEEPER truths such as effective prayer, election and free will, God's principle of a good leader, etc. The whole book could be summarized in Romans 8:28. So could Joseph's life.

So, if you want theology as milk soup, "Purpose Driven Life" is pretty good as far as it goes. If you're ready for something a little deeper--and you enjoy the life of Joseph--this book is truly awesome.

Get two copies. Keep one, and give the other to a college graduate heading out into the world. If they follow Joseph's 'road map', they'll never go wrong.

Solid!

ALSO RECOMMENDED: "God, Help Me Pray!" by the same author--not as long (or as expensive), but you won't find a better short work on praying!!

I'm a veteran teacher--21 years. I'm enjoying your book on Joseph. I was a teaching leader in Bible Study Fellowship for 7 years. Your understanding of doctrine is refreshing in a post modern culture. Thanks for spending the time to write the book. I'm giving copies to my children for Christmas.

I gave this book to a college graduate after ordering a copy for myself. When I first saw the title, I thought the book was just about the troubles Joseph had in Egypt. Though it is one of my favorite bible stories, I wasn't sure I wanted to read all about his troubles. Boy was I surprised.

The book is more about Joseph's lessons from life (and how we can use the principles) than his troubles. Because these lessons (or bible principles) are so relevant to us today, and contain nice illustrations, I thought it would make a great graduation gift.

I thought I knew the Joseph story pretty well till I read this book. Doing so made me appreciate how great Joseph really was.

Those who will get the most from the book:

1. Anyone wanting to REALLY get into the Joseph story.
2. Someone wanting 32 neatly divided and outstanding principles to live by. This is the best part!
3. Anyone who wants to teach the Joesph story. (You should not be without this book no matter what!)
4. Parents. Because the chapter 1 is almost an instruction manual itself on what NOT to do as a parent (Jacob).
5. Young people (college) who are graduating (IF they'll read it), because it truly is a handbook for life. Below college might be too young.
6. Anyone who is a leader of others. This is another chapter that's a book by itself. I gave a copy to my son's principle!

I must say that although I liked this book very much (my copy is falling apart), some chapters are deep, especially the discussion of election/free will. But the last chapter "Life in the rear-view mirror" will make you so glad you are a Christian, and the concluding 'Psalm of Joseph' is so realistic one might wish he really had written it.

ALSO RECOMMENDED: "God, Help Me Pray!" by the same author--not as long (or as expensive), but you won't find a better short work on praying!!

"...to be very up-front--I'm impressed! I outlined {for my book} nineteen priniciples that emerged from Jospeh's life...there are others in addition...which is obvious from your book. You are interested in principlizing--and do a good job at it!"

The following is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to the books author, Jerry Parks, after finishing the book, which I thankfully purchased after stumbling on to some positive reviews on Amazon:

[I just wanted to write you and thank you for your fine book on the life principles of Joseph. I stumbled on to it on Amazon and thought it sounded interesting, so I bought it. I read it once and my wife and I are now going through it together for a second time. The thing I like about it is that you kept it simple. It's very practical as a life manual using Joseph's life as an example. We read The Purpose Driven Life last year and thought it was good...but it left us wanting. I think the biggest difference for us, and why we like your book so much, is that Purpose seems to be very "me" focused. Ie: What is my place? What should I do? Who am I in Christ? There's nothing inherently wrong with that but I think new believers are the primary beneficiaries of it's narrow focus. Your book however, is full of deep truths on living a healthy, well-balanced, Christian life. Christianity is about service, and I believe you capture that by emphasizing how Joseph found his purpose, his place, his peace... in serving - God and others. We are so blessed in this society, and yet, as you articulate so well, we continually want more. Christians as a whole are not an exception. I was very blessed to read a book that wasn't just empty calories for the soul, but a good, filling, juicy steak!

One criticism I have is that there are a lot of textual errors in the book. I'm sure the computer didn't catch them in spell check. I would like to send you my copy with the textual errors highlighted so you can correct them for your next printing. I believe the book is awesome and don't want to see people distracted by the errors. I compare that to a child suddenly wailing at a critical time in a sermon. It doesn't necessarily diminish the entire value of the sermon, but it can distract from the individual point being made. Also, please let me know when you publish your new book on Romans. I bet it will be great!]

This is the first time I've ever felt compelled to write a review for Amazon, so obviously I think everyone reading it ought to take my advice and buy this inspired book. Better yet, buy three copies: One for you, one for your pastor, and one for someone who you believe God has called to a great purpose.

Must rate this volume as the standard reference on the topic. This current edition supplants Ripley's "Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War." I actually own copies of the original and revised editions. There are a few notable updates, making the second purchase worth the expenditure. While I have found some minor omissions in the listings (particularly discussing some of the poorly documented Confederate gun makers), the authors seem to leave few stones unturned.

Book was not what I expected it to be. I anticipated a thorough study of specific artillery types with color plates and detailed drawings, and with specific histories, usage, success, etc. This is not what I received. It was a hugh disappointment, considering the high price I paid for this book.

A very concise and thorough (almost an encyclopedia) book of the weapons of the civil war.

"Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War" is the definitive reference work for civil war cannon used in the field. Nothing else approaches its structured grouping and organization of the diverse and confused world of American Civil War field guns. However, this is not a book for everyone since it is quite focused on the specifications, manufacturing origins and methods of the tubes themselves, not on the tactical employment, range charts, the batteries, or the projectiles they fired. (Understandably, many readers will be shocked if they don't realize this before purchase--including me!)

It is hard to over emphasize what a fine job the authors have done in bringing order out of chaos. Their encyclopedic inclusion and explanation of all known types solves many riddles. The complexity and nuances will still require considerable study by the reader to reach a full understanding, but at last it is logically and rigorously catalogued.

The chapter list is as follows: 1. Fundamentals. 2. Federal 6-pounder Guns and 3.67" Rifles. 3. Confederate 6-pounder Guns and 3-inch Rifles. 4. Federal 12-pounder Field Howitzers. 5. Confederate 12-pounder Field Howitzers. 6. Federal Napoleon Guns. 7. Confederate Napoleon Guns. 8. Parrott Rifles. 9. 3-inch Ordnance Rifles. 10. False Napoleons and Gettysburg Replicas. 11. The Small Ones. 12. Boat Howitzers. 13. James Smoothbores and Rifles. 14. The Rare Ones. 15. Too Big for the Field. 16. British Rifled Cannon. 17. Carriages. 18. Conclusions.

The chapters are well illustrated with photographs and schematics of the gun tubes. There are also detailed dimensional specification tables, and some estimated production counts of various types. Following the main text is an extensive set of appendices that serve as a catalog of known foundries, inspectors, designations, foundry numbers, weights, and locations of known survivors,

I highly recommend this work to anyone who wants to be able to identify nearly any Civil War field gun he/she comes across. However, I don't recommend it as a detailed work on the employment of Civil War field artillery--that is not the objective or nature of the book.

Note: The companion work for the heavy artillery is "The Big Guns. Civil War Siege, Seacoast, and Naval Cannon" by Edwin Olmstead, Wayne E. Stark, and Spencer C. Tucker. It follows the same format and style, but its availability is limited.

A comprehensive source of information on the field guns used by both sides of the american civil war. Provides each weapon's history and statistics. Extremely informative.

No civil war library should be without it.

An excellent companion to other book The Big Guns by Omstead and Wayne E. Stark and Spencer C. Tucker which covers the big guns of the conflict.

My boyfriend and I went and paddled the Wilderness Waterway through the Everglades National Park in February 2008 using this guidebook, a compass and the appropriate nautical charts. We had never been to Florida before, nor had we ever undertaken such a long canoe trip. The experience was exhilarating. Route finding through the mangrove forest was very challenging, but by stopping, rereading Johnny Malloy's route descriptions as we progressed, and trusting the compass, we never did make a wrong turn. Without this guide, I'm not sure that would have been true.

I was disappointed to be advised by people we met along the paddle that the "Nightmare Route" would not be passable after the most recent hurricanes of 2005 because of fallen trees and the fact that the ranger service does not maintain the route. After reading this guide, which was published in 2000, I had been totally sold on the idea of paddling the "Quintessential Everglades Route." I don't know if it is actually not passable, but we decided not to take the chance. Anyone interested should pursue more updated information. The North Harney River Route, however, was passable and satisfied some of that desire to paddle the route less taken.

If you don't know what no-see-ums are, investigate protecting yourself from them before you go. Yikes!

This book was extremely helpful to plan a trip in the everglades and then was also helpful when changes were necessary last minute due to weather. It is an invaluable tool for anyone interested. It's informative, well written and yet "small and light" enough to take when space and weight are factors. Highly recommended to all.

We used this book to plan a trip to the glades. The info inside and maps helped a lot. WE still needed a good chart but the maps made it easier to nav. The info on camp sites and routes were pretty accurate.

I found this book extremely helpful; even having paddled the 'Glades twice already. This book will allow me to take "The road less travelled," on this, my third trip thru the 'Glades. I would highly recommend this to anyone planning to paddle the Wilderness Waterway, or parts thereof.

As an experienced Everglades paddler who has logged over 400 miles in the Everglades backcountry, I can't say enough about this book. Johnny Molloy has provided a level of detail that is truly extraordinary, and his descriptions of the trails and campsites are dead on the money. The maps alone make this book worth having. This book should find a permanent place of your list of indispensable equipment for planning and conducting an Everglades backcountry expedition.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, almost 450 miles long, connects Shennandoah National Park in Virginia with Great Smoky Mountains National Park astride the North Carolina - Tennessee border. In between it traverses some of the most beautiful mountain areas in North Carolina and Virginia. Although it provides splendid views from the road itself and from its many roadside overlooks, it is much more than a scenic drive. It is a ribbon of land administered by the National Park Service, at several places broadening into wider mini-parks. All of those parks as well as various other spots along the parkway's route have hiking trails that give visitors a closer look at the many natural wonders there. This book, as a comprehensive guide to those trails, is the one most indispensable guide to getting beyond your car and the overlooks in this remarkable National Park Service land. All of its official trails are rated in this book as to difficulty, from very easy to quite strenuous. Thus there are ample hikes for whatever level of wilderness adventure you're up for. Each hike is described in details, with points of interest described in the order you'll encounter them, with mileages to each from the trailhead. Some hikes described herein also get beyond the parkway's own lands, into National Forest lands that border the parkway in many places, as well as occasional adjacent commercial attractions such as Grandfather Mountain. Any visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway should be quite rewarding, and this book is one of the best resources for making it even more so, showing that you'll never be very far from places to park and take a walk for a more intimate view. And you definitely should sample at least some of the shorter and easier walks, if not the longer or more challenging ones, depending on what you're up to. This parkway is a natural treasure well-worth exploring, and this book may well be the quickest way to learn that there is so much more there than meets a casual eye.

for a day trip, a weekend trip, or a long vacation. We have hiked and camped in several of the places mentioned. I have lived in NC all of my life and did not realize there was such enriching trails and escapades off the parkway. I wish I had known about this book while attending WCU! Take it with you, it is very worthwhile.

Designed as a "drive awhile - stop awhile" recreational road, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited unit in the National Park Service. It has 17 million visitors a year as compared to 10 million a year for the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. But the Parkway is more than a beautiful drive; it is also a good base from which to hike. Adkins describes all the ways that we can get out of the car as we explore the Parkway. From a leg-stretcher to a view of Glassmine Falls Trail to the eighteen miles of the Shut-In Trail, Adkins gives a contextual introduction to the hike as well as step-by-step directions. He rates each hike from an easy leg-stretcher to strenuous.

My only objection to the rating is that the author considers too many hikes as strenuous. For example, Adkins labels the Snooks Nose Trail, eight miles round trip and described as "not well-maintained and hard to locate" as strenuous. The two-and-a-half mile round trip hike up to Mt. Pisgah, on a clear, well-marked trail, is also rated as "strenuous". Hikers will have to decide what strenuous means to them. Ratings aside, the book is necessary to anyone looking for a variety of hikes in the area. The appendices are also a wealth of information. He lists every feature on the Parkway along with its mileage, all the inns and campgrounds as well as a roadside bloom calendar

My wife and I have just come home from a 3 week trip along the entire parkway. We started the trip with Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway, but ended up buying Walking the Blue Ridge at one of the visitor centers. While Hiking was ok, we found Walking the Blue Ridge to be the better of the two. It was very easy to use, easy to find information, and full of wonderful tidbits. The way the mileage data was set up in a vertical way made it very easy to use while we were hiking the trails, simple to always know where we were. In the Hiking book we had to wade through a lot paragraphs just to match up the descriptions with where we actually were on the trail. Also, it was obvious that the author of Walking the Blue Ridge had actually walked every one of the trails he was writing about. It was also nice knowing that it gave descriptions of every one of the trails along the parkway, even if it was just a short pathway; the other book neglected some that we found to be truly delightful. In addition, its smaller weight and size made it much easier to carry while on the hikes.
All in all, we were happy to have found Walking the Blue Ridge and will be using it often.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, almost 450 miles long, connects Shennandoah National Park in Virginia with Great Smoky Mountains National Park astride the North Carolina - Tennessee border. In between it traverses some of the most beautiful mountain areas in North Carolina and Virginia. Although it provides splendid views from the road itself and from its many roadside overlooks, it is much more than a scenic drive. It is a ribbon of land administered by the National Park Service, at several places broadening into wider mini-parks. All of those parks as well as various other spots along the parkway's route have hiking trails that give visitors a closer look at the many natural wonders there. This book, as a comprehensive guide to those trails, is the one most indispensable guide to getting beyond your car and the overlooks in this remarkable National Park Service land. All of its official trails are rated in this book as to difficulty, from very easy to quite strenuous. Thus there are ample hikes for whatever level of wilderness adventure you're up for. Each hike is described in details, with points of interest described in the order you'll encounter them, with mileages to each from the trailhead. Some hikes described herein also get beyond the parkway's own lands, into National Forest lands that border the parkway in many places, as well as occasional adjacent commercial attractions such as Grandfather Mountain. Any visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway should be quite rewarding, and this book is one of the best resources for making it even more so, showing that you'll never be very far from places to park and take a walk for a more intimate view. And you definitely should sample at least some of the shorter and easier walks, if not the longer or more challenging ones, depending on what you're up to. This parkway is a natural treasure well-worth exploring, and this book may well be the quickest way to learn that there is so much more there than meets a casual eye.

A highly detailed account that is part of a published series from the Florida University System. It has terrific detail and the writing style is enjoyable. Chock full of photos! Gives a perspective on the park that tells the positive and negative impacts on Florida of these attractions. I liked that it also gives a perspective on development of other water attractions in Florida and the people. I never knew that Ricou Browning, who played the underwater role in "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," had so many other accomplishments and played a large role in the Florida springs attractions. I really enjoyed this book and I believe it is a real bargain for the price. Recently, I visited the park and if you get to Florida I can recommend Weeki Wachee Springs for a great fun-filled day!

I ordered this book by mistake thinking I put it on my wish list, and am sooo glad I got it!! It is a wonderful book not only about the mermaids of Weeki Wachee, but also a history of Florida and the Roadside shows. It brings one back to a simpler, more wonderful era. Very moving and nostalgic. Now I must make a trip to Weeki Wachee. Great book for mermaid lovers.

Book was recommended by a former Mermaid from Weeki Wachee - it's a great book, well done - wonderful pictures and history from the area.

I grew up in a small town just a few miles from the Springs in the 40's and 50's and Weeki Wachee was our old 'swimming hole' where the men of the town would go clean out the 'grass' every summer so we could all swim and play even tho the water was ice cold and we would shiver and shake but refuse to get out and warm up. I remember a lot of the things happening that are included in the book and knew some of the 'mermaids' since I went to school with them and our P.E. teacher was also a mermaid. I spent many summers trying to learn how to eat a banana and drink a grapette under water(I never did accomplish this). This book brings back lots of memories and I think anyone who can 'remember when' would enjoy it and also anyone wanting to see a slice of 'old Florida' would also enjoy this book. I took my grandchildren back to the Springs last summer where we saw the mermaid show twice and once again swam in the icy water. They tried to be mermaids for weeks after and were enchanted with the 'mermaid' idea just as I was back in my day.

Lu Vickers has captured the history and essence of a very special Florida attraction in this book. This book offers a glimpse into a fascinating place during a very interesting time in Florida's tourist history, where the unusual was the draw. It has obviously been written with great care and attention to detail, and is a beautiful homage to the legacy of Newt Perry's vision & creation. We are very lucky to still have this historical and unique attraction~ perhaps this book will help to further encourage locals and tourists alike to take a trip and visit this special Florida icon. Doing so will help to make the experience of watching such graceful and talented performers available for future generations.
~Marina~MeduSirena~

Great graphics, tremendous research, a treasure trove for "data miners" from all spectrums of science - ecology, climatology, sociology, forestry, geology, etc. Once you read this book you will understand the Adirondacks far better than most life-long residents of the region.

Geologically, the Adirondacks owe more to the Canadian Shield from which it arises as it passes under the St. Lawrence River. This remarkable coffee table book contains some of the most majestic and intimately beautiful photographs of the East's greatest wilderness. Far from simply showing the natural landscape, this volume delves into the Adirondack Park's culture, history and economics. The book also explores through photographs and narrative, the complex mixture of people and wilderness and it's fragile coexistence. This is a grand mixture of prose and photography that will please anyone, fan of the Adirondack Mountains or one about to be.

Because a good picture can be worth a thousand words, or quite possibly ten thousand, as demonstrated by the detailed, high quality graphics packing every page of Jenkins' book, his "Adirondack Atlas" (which is ever so much more than an "atlas") truly can be said to contain volumes of fascinating, up-to-date, accurate and pertinent information on our incomparable six-million acre "forever wild" forest park. Indeed, this one model reference book captures in its 267 pages an amount of information equivalent to that found in a small library of the best available books on Adirondack history, politics, geography, geology, ecology and natural history, and then adds considerable information and highly readable interpretation that can be found in no other published work. It is a miracle of a book, the work of a stunning and accomplished intellect.

Very informative book - a wealth of current knowledge. A pleasure to pick up in spare moments to read a bit and expand my knowledge of this great park. Have shared with friends already.

Jerry Jenkins and Andy Keal do a great job covering the entire spectrum of the Adirondack Park, which I find helpful when doing research for my books, "New York State's Mountain Heritage: Adirondack Attic" volumes 1-3. Their compilation of material is astounding and historic in itself, a marvel of Adirondack publishing. It tires me to think of the countless hours of research that went into writing this book. This is a must-read for those who love New York State's Adirondack Mountains.

This is an outstanding resource book for OSU Buckeye football fans. It offers detailed accounts of each season, including scores, stories, and much more.

However, there is one important shortcoming with this book. After watching the HBO special about the OSU-Michigan rivalry, it is clear that this book leaves out several important details about OSU football, usually details that tend to portray OSU in a somewhat negative light.

For example, absent from this book is the fact that one year during the 10 year war, in the midst of an OSU blowout, Hayes ordered his team to go for a 2 point conversion after a touchdown, and when asked by the media why he had gone for two, Hayes replied "Because I couldn't go for 3!" Michigan then used that as motivation as they took revenge upon OSU the following season when they won the rivalry game. This entertaining and important story is absent from the book, perhaps because it portrays OSU in a negative light. However, I prefer to read an objective account of what happened, and I like to hear both the good and the bad. This book offers much of the "good," but doesn't say much about the "bad" things that have happened in OSU football.

One further example, Hayes' career notoriously ended when he punched a Clemson player following an interception in a bowl game. This book covers the story, but really goes easy on OSU and Hayes, and fails to capture the type of shock and scandal that ensued following that incident. It may be a dark chapter in OSU history, but it was an important moment, and this book doesn't delve into the details, but rather defends Hayes as having acted "in an obvious fit of frustration" (paraphrasing). This was a disservice, as this was an excellent opportunity to present both sides of the story, from Hayes' supporters and his critics. Instead, the book glosses over much of the info, says that Hayes left, later spoke at a graduation, and leaves it at that. Hayes' impact on the school merited a more detailed explanation of what had happened, and the incidents that led up to Hayes' resignation. The lack of information, and the lack of objectivity detracted the book.

The book also does not go into much detail regarding the 10 year war, and the relationship between Hayes and Schembechler. I would have liked to see some more coverage in that area, as there were many terrific stories from that era.

Having said all of this, I would still recommend this book as a strong source of OSU football history. I would only caution that the book does not always tell the full story, and therefore should not be referred to as a "complete" history of OSU football.

A great book filled with everything and everyone of Ohio State Football lore. I recommend Highly.

In the great state of Ohio, football is a year-round fixation. Especially for fanatics of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who measure each season's success with the ghosts of its legendary past. When not anticipating the current team's fortunes, they're busy mining for factual nuggets reaffirming the program's glory years.

Buckeye enthusiasts have struck gold with the latter. THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA is an informational jackpot, a whopping 683 pages of pure pigskin bliss, chronicling the entire history of one of sports most storied traditions. Either a lifelong follower or an Ohio State alumnus could architect such a massive undertaking; fortunately, it fell into the able hands of Jack Park, who is both, in addition to his duties as a commentator and columnist. With over four-hundred college football games to his credit--including nearly every OSU home contest since the late-1940's--he is simply the foremost authority on Buckeye football.

Unlike most proverbial encyclopedias with the A to Z format, this one is chronologically recorded, from their humble beginnings in 1890 through the modern-day mania of the 2000 campaign. Amazingly, not one season or game slips through the cracks; each one is vividly recalled with various accounts and statistics.

What really distinguishes the book from the typical almanac, though, is Park's inclusion of the many colorful anecdotes scattered throughout. Within the gray-shaded blocks lie some wonderful tales involving famous and little-known individuals whose passion and spirit have helped to shape the Buckeyes' saga as much as the many great coaches and All-American players. If the myriad of information isn't enough, the appendix offers twenty-four more pages of records and statistics, while the feast concludes with an alphabetical listing of every letterwinner in their illustrious 111-year history.

Bringing the sea of words and numbers to life are the visuals, beautifully arranged with scads of archived photos, newspaper headlines, game programs, and ticket stubs. Rather than clutter the path, they perfectly enhance its charm, balancing the formality of a textbook with the casualness of a scrapbook.

Park's warm but direct approach works effectively. Although his own experiences with OSU date more than a half-century, his reports on each season prior are equally as fresh and seamless, as though he were actually there. These recollections also subtly echo the sentiments of true Buckeye loyalists while still remaining neutral, a deft touch for a work of this type. That personal flair ensures that it's not just compiled by some factory or computer; it makes the whole experience less like a rigid research and more similar to a batch of stories told by a friendly old neighbor.

An essential bible for Buckeye nuts, THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA should be required reading for even the remote sports fan curious to gain insight into the history of a major collegiate athletic program, and in Ohio State University's, one of the nation's proudest.

My husband Lance went to Ohio State and wathches football and follows his alma mater, of course. I bought one of these books for him and for his dad. Wow...I finally bought a gift they both like, which meant a lot to me.

He likes different parts about the book, especially reviewing the years from when he attended OSU up through the most recent football campaigns. His father most enjoyed reading the section on Paul Brown, whose success at Ohio State was just part of a great coaching career.

They both liked the abundant photos throughout the book. My husband gets into sports stats, and this book was full of information on the teams and the individual players and coaches.

They both liked reading about Woody Hayes, Ohio State's legendary coach. My husband, who was a journalist at OSU, said he was able to interview Woody twice and the famous coach was extremely cordial both times. Of course, my husband said he never had to interview Woody after an Ohio State defeat.

So thank you for helping me make this holiday season successful and memorable.

In the great state of Ohio, football is a year-round fixation. Especially for fanatics of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who measure each season's success with the ghosts of its legendary past. When not anticipating the current team's fortunes, they're busy mining for factual nuggets reaffirming the program's glory years.

Buckeye enthusiasts have struck gold with the latter. THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA is an informational jackpot, a whopping 683 pages of pure pigskin bliss, chronicling the entire history of one of sports most storied traditions. Either a lifelong follower or an Ohio State alumnus could architect such a massive undertaking; fortunately, it fell into the able hands of Jack Park, who is both, in addition to his duties as a commentator and columnist. With over four-hundred college football games to his credit--including nearly every OSU home contest since the late-1940's--he is simply the foremost authority on Buckeye football.

Unlike most proverbial encyclopedias with the A to Z format, this one is chronologically recorded, from their humble beginnings in 1890 through the modern-day mania of the 2000 campaign. Amazingly, not one season or game slips through the cracks; each one is vividly recalled with various accounts and statistics.

What really distinguishes the book from the typical almanac, though, is Park's inclusion of the many colorful anecdotes scattered throughout. Within the gray-shaded blocks lie some wonderful tales involving famous and little-known individuals whose passion and spirit have helped to shape the Buckeyes' saga as much as the many great coaches and All-American players. If the myriad of information isn't enough, the appendix offers twenty-four more pages of records and statistics, while the feast concludes with an alphabetical listing of every letterwinner in their illustrious 111-year history.

Bringing the sea of words and numbers to life are the visuals, beautifully arranged with scads of archived photos, newspaper headlines, game programs, and ticket stubs. Rather than clutter the path, they perfectly enhance its charm, balancing the formality of a textbook with the casualness of a scrapbook.

Park's warm but direct approach works effectively. Although his own experiences with OSU date more than a half-century, his reports on each season prior are equally as fresh and seamless, as though he were actually there. These recollections also subtly echo the sentiments of true Buckeye loyalists while still remaining neutral, a deft touch for a work of this type. That personal flair ensures that it's not just compiled by some factory or computer; it makes the whole experience less like a rigid research and more similar to a batch of stories told by a friendly old neighbor.

An essential bible for Buckeye nuts, THE OFFICIAL OHIO STATE FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA should be required reading for even the remote sports fan curious to gain insight into the history of a major collegiate athletic program, and in Ohio State University's, one of the nation's proudest.

I am a biologist that has been working in the Galapagos as a Naturalist leading tours there for the last 6 years. Michael Jackson's book is the "Bible" for the beginning naturalist and certainly more than adequate for the casual "ecotourist". Jackson covers all major aspects of the history, geology, ecology, and biology of the islands. In the "biology" section, he gives a clear, concise, but thorough group-by-group treatment of all major taxa including plants, reptiles, land and sea birds, mammals, and a brief section covering marine life. While there are other guidebooks available, none come close to the accuracy, clarity of presentation, and logical format of this book. Of particular usefulness are the many photos, tables, and graphs which provide a visual representation of many of the topics discussed and a synthesis of large amounts of data.

My wife and I bought Jackson's book in preparation for a trip to the Galapagos. The book served us well; when we arrived at the islands we felt that we were almost on a first-name basis with all the fantastic creatures and plants that make the Galapagos such a fascinating place. The book is considerably more than just a field guide; it includes information on the islands' history, their environmental and ecological setting, and the conservation efforts being made to preserve this truly unique place. And, as the title indicates, the book provides a lot of natural history, not just a brief summary of bare facts about each animal or plant. Not only is it a fine guide, it is a most enjoyable read.

Every naturalist guide in the Galapagos has this book. They also sell this book at the Charles Darwin Center in Santa Cruz, and it is a must read. It explains how the islands came about and what makes them so unique. I highly recommend this book!

I just recently returned from the Galapagos Islands, and the book that guided me throughout my journey was this book by M.H. Jackson. Very easy to find the animal you are looking, and also helps to discover more creatures to look for. Helped explain things further from what the guides had said. Also helped me in answering many people's questions about different creatures. A Great book! A must for all travelers to the galapagos in search of unique wildlife.

I would imagine that most visitors to the Galapaos are not naturalists. For those without a strong background in natural sciences, I would highly recommend this book. The book is easy and fun to read, detailed without being tedious. The photos are amazing and the author's passion for the islands is evident. If you only have time to read one book, this is one I would advise a Galapagos visitor to read in advance of their trip.