Park University Books

This is, by far, the most imaginative and compelling collection of Buckeye football trivia and memorablia around. This has provided endless hours of joy and is the PERFECT gift for any Buckeye fan. The same "vault" series is also available for Michigan and Notre Dame fans --- but why would you ever be caught buying that?!!!!

GO BUCKS!!!!

This is an interesting collection of Buckeye memorabilia that you will see nowhere else but a museum.

I read Saito's book for a course he taught at UCSD in San Diego. I felt that from his book I was given not only a unique and fascinating sociological examination of the interworkings of perhaps the first Asian suburban neighborhood in America, but I was also enlightened to a relatively new notion of 'whiteness' and its effects on the American scene. This book may be read by high school students or academic scholars, the topics of which address some of the most controversial issues in contemporary society.

I came upon the book in an unusual way. I was having dinner with a group of educators and happened to meet the author. Over dinner he talked about some of the issues he came across in his research and I decided to pick up a copy a few days later. I read the book and it surprised me. It was interesting to me because I'm from Hawaii, and the experiences of Asian Americans there, I think, are different, and the text let me experience a major community outside my own. And while I don't see myself as politically driven, I found myself caught up in the alliances/divisions he sees forming in the San Gabriel Valley. As the text examines the theoretical aspects of the politicking in that community, it also presents detailed accounts of actual events that took place during the various stages of grassroots organizing. The depth of the cross-referencing is impressive, but what strikes me most are the insightful, sometimes very personal observations offered to the researcher by participants as events formed --observations that exist almost as sub-themes to the research. He sifts through then traces back lines of political theory through to actual events as residents began to change their community. A worthy read. It has caused me to look at my own community and makes me want to understand more about the forces and processes of change.

Olson's use of sensory description is a powerful tool in his writing, particularly Ghost Camps of the North (an essay in Ruins of the North). Olson takes the reader on a fantastic adventure in each and every one of his essays. Not only does he take the reader to various geographical locations, but he also takes the reader back to the days of the French/ Canadian Voyageurs, and trappers. Ruins of the North contains work that traces the path the voyagers took from Montreal to Grand Portage, and into the far North The careful description of the Hunting Moon rising has a majical quality about it. Olson is a master nature/ wilderness interpreter that has given the canoeist/ camper a wealth of stories to tell. Reading an essay from Ruins of the North just before one retires at night insures a night filled with vivid dreams, and sound sleep. This can best be illistrated by the Essay The Dream Net.

Olson's use of sensory description is a powerful tool in his writing, particularly Ghost Camps of the North (an essay in Ruins of the North). Olson takes the reader on a fantastic adventure in each and every one of his essays. Not only does he take the reader to various geographical locations, but he also takes the reader back to the days of the French/ Canadian Voyageurs, and trappers. Ruins of the North contains work that traces the path the voyagers took from Montreal to Grand Portage, and into the far North The careful description of the Hunting Moon rising has a majical quality about it. Olson is a master nature/ wilderness interpreter that has given the canoeist/ camper a wealth of stories to tell. Reading an essay from Ruins of the North just before one retires at night insures a night filled with vivid dreams, and sound sleep. This can best be illistrated by the Essay The Dream Net.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought it would be just another collection of anecdotes but even if it includes indeed some of those it is a serious (yet not at all boring) and deeply-felt account of the role of zoos in conservation. If you're still in doubt as to whether it makes a difference or not to try and save all those species that are endangered or may soon be, this book will convince you as it has me. As Baba Dioum wisely put it "In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught." And this book has definitely taught me a great deal.

Sailing With Noah: Stories From The World Of Zoos by Jeffrey P. Bonner (President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo) is an expansive and entertaining collection of true stories and informed ideals of what is to come for future generations of zoos and the animals they house. An independent study offering in-depth analysis of modern zoology, Sailing With Noah provides its readers the perspective of a thoroughly experienced and thoughtful zoo-master. Sailing With Noah is very highly recommended reading, ideal for non-specialist general readers with an interest in animals, environmental conservation, global biology, and zoology.

Moore says that his "Mountain Days" at Shenandoah, in every season, "have brought me the park's blessings and enriched my spirit forever." His special eye, facile art and heartfelt words in this precious book evidence his love of the park and bring Mountain Days to us all, spurring us to make our own visit in our own time.

Hullihen Moore shares his co-passions for nature and box photography in a compelling journey through Shenandoah Park. Moore's patience for "just the right moment" is obvious.Incredible detail invites the viewer to touch a droplet of water or listen for the crunch of fallen autumn leaves.Other photographs present an ethereal quality which offers amoment of hallowed beauty. Do not skim the pages of this book---savor each delicious creation

This book provides very helpful and practical information on the art and science of strabismus management. Written by well-known ophthalmologist, it covers all major topics in this field in a concise format. I found it is particularly beneficial to learn the opinions through the comment among authors and contributions by Dr. Parks and Dr. von Noorden. It is a joyful learning experience to read this book.

Great book on strabismus. To the point .Practical .Up to date. Specially interesting the different points of view on every important subject made by authorities in the field.

This book shows the history of Mount Rainier National Park, from Sunset to Paradise. The photos are great and the paragraphs are informative and don't run on. The book also goes into the history of the 14,411 foot Stratovolcano, and how 5,600 years ago, the peak was at 16,500 feet, but a major eruption caused a massive collapse and created the peak we know, love and cherish today.

The Sleeping Giant... The Mountain...Mount Rainier...

Years ago I hiked at Mt. Rainier, took pictures in its flower meadows, and slid in its summer snow. I thought someday I'd climb its glaciers to the summit, 14, 410 feet. That never happened. But this book brings back all the old impressions and delights-and adds to them. Lots of photos (280!). Lot of information, most of it new to me. Richard P. Kratz, M.D. Clinical Professor, Ophthalmology Univ. California, Irvine

Similar in format though somewhat more academic in tone and interest than the popular and appealing Seven Seasons of Buffy, Undead TV is a rewarding and worthwhile addition to the shelves of the dedicated Buffy fan. Yes, these are academic essays, but they are also for the most part provocative and perceptive, too. Though the book's subtitle does not mention the Angel series, everybody's favorite Vampire gets his share of critical analysis as well. The eight essays here (whose titles reflect the well-nigh irresistible love of punning and colons that academic prose and Buffy studies in particular seem to arouse in writers) include "The Changing Face of Teen Television, or Why We All Love Buffy" by Mary Celeste Kearney; "I Know What You Did Last Summer: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Crossover Teen Stardom" by Susan Murray; "Vampire Hunters: The Scheduling and Reception of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel in the United Kingdom" by Annette Hill and Ian Calcutt; Amelie Hastie's "The Epistemological Stakes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Television Criticism and Marketing Demands"; Cynthia Fuchs' "`Did Anyone Ever Explain to You What "Secret Identity" Means?' Race and Displacement in Buffy and Dark Angel"; "At Stake: Angel's Body, Fantasy Masculinity and Queer Desire in Teen Television" by Allison McCracken; Jason Middleton's "Buffy as Femme Fatale: The Cult Heroine and the Male Spectator"; and "Buffy and the `New Girl Order': Defining Feminism and Femininity" by Elana Levine. Editors Levine and Parks' fine Introduction (which deserves a more descriptive title in keeping with its companion pieces) sets the tone and makes insightful points about the nature of TV and the self-awareness of the Buffy series. The ultimate test of the good academic essay is whether it deserves re-reading, and most of these eight pieces pass with flying colors.

I'd like to preface my review with a comment about the changing nature of academic writing about television. Until very recently -- probably the 1990s, certainly no earlier than the 1980s -- virtually all academic writing about television concerned the medium rather than individual series and shows. To the extent that individual shows were written about, academics seemed more concerned about their reception and their audiences rather than the narrative and thematic content. One might see essay after essay on the fandom of STAR TREK, but no analyses of the actual content of the show. Some exceptions to this could be found in the 1980s, but it was only in the 1990s that those involved in TV Studies began writing about the actual content of the shows. I suspect that TWIN PEAKS was the turning point. It was the first series that brought a new level of intelligence to television, instilling cinematic qualities to a previously "lowest common denominator" medium. The nineties saw an increasing number of shows that assumed that its viewers were more intelligent, that assumed that TV could transcend its "idiot box" characterization. I believe that the kind of textual analysis of TV that is so common today resulted from the increasingly intelligent series that emerged in the nineties.

Still, though a few individual shows attracted the attention of TV scholars -- TWIN PEAKS, ALLY MCBEAL, THE X-FILES -- none of them produced anything even remotely resembling the reaction to BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. Though other series have also inspired scholars (LOST and especially BATTLESTAR GALACTICA are two recent examples), none compare to BUFFY. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there were more pages written on BUFFY and ANGEL than the next 3 or 4 series combined. Why this fascination about the adventures of a blonde California cheerleader who suddenly discovers that she is The Chosen One, the one girl in the world to fight the vampires and demons and powers of darkness? Joss Whedon has said of watching his creation, "Bring your own subtext." More than any series that I can think of (with the possible exception of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, which interestingly is Joss Whedon's favorite television series), BUFFY and its spin off ANGEL is a show that demands the exploration of subtexts. BUFFY is not about any one or two or even three things. In any given episode or arc, multiple themes coexist. Contrast this with, say LOST, a show I dearly love, but which almost resists subtexts. BUFFY is, therefore, a treasure trove of themes and narratives that can be teased and brought to the surface. Although on the surface it is pure popular entertainment, beneath the surface it is one of the densest, richest shows in television history.

Although BUFFY has inspired a surprising number of academic essays, books, and anthologies, this is easily one of the best that I have read. Even the essays that I found least helpful were written on a very high level. The book is broken roughly into two parts. The first part engages in something more akin to old school TV writing, in that the "text" of BUFFY is passed over in favor of media criticism. For instance, there are articles about Sarah Michelle Gellar and the nature of crossover stardom and various issues arising in Great Britain from the scheduling of BUFFY and ANGEL on broadcast and cable channels. The second part deals with analyses of BUFFY from the standpoint of gender studies. I generally don't care for gender studies analyses of TV shows. I'm interested in BUFFY and in what BUFFY has to say about gender, but far less interested in a metanarrative that is imposed upon the show. I'm especially uninterested in Queer Studies, which I think is an academic fad that will soon pass, much like Derrida (and for the record, unlike Foucault -- and I am aware of the irony of thinking that Foucault is someone whose work has deep merit and will not fade away as Derrida is in the process of doing, given that Foucault is one of the inspirations for practitioners of Queer Theory). Yet, even the essay from that standpoint was several cuts above most that I've read.

My major complaint with the collection is that very few essays really delve into the show itself. There is little of the in depth textual analysis that represents the best of TV Studies of the past twenty years. I am currently rewatching all of BUFFY and ANGEL and I find that almost nothing in this collection has helped me understand the show in greater depth. The essays are more self-referential than BUFFY-referential. They take you into themselves instead of into BUFFY. Still, I nonetheless enjoyed every essay in the collection.

One last comment. This book apparently took years to see the light of day. I believe it is the same collection that I saw advertised around the end of BUFFY's seven year run edited by Lisa Parks (one of the co-editors of the current collection) and to be published by Duke University Press. I even added the book to my shopping cart. The book then disappeared from my shopping cart. Then a couple of years later this collection was published by Duke. Many of the essays refer BUFFY as something that had only recently ended. So, for some reason, this collection seems to have taken about five years to see the light of day. I can only add that I'm glad that it did.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple is an amazingly important work of architecture, completed in 1908 and in need of funding to complete a full restoration. This unparalleled account of the development of the art and architecture of Unity Temple only helps to increase awareness of this essential piece of our cultural heritage. If you have ever visited this building, you know how incredibly beautiful it is. If you love architecture and Wright in particular, you must own this book.

Unity Temple is a National Treasure and it is treated as such by Mr. Siry. His research is unrivlaed in Wright circles and his writing is clear and concise. All aspects of the design and execution are included and discussed in a complete manner.

One only wishes that there were more, large color photographs to parallel the excellent writing. Would there be a second eiition with them? If one is really interested in the subject and not just the images, this is the book for you.

Here's an exploration of the University's two centuries of struggle to achieve state university status; from its initial agricultural college status to its Civil War struggles, its evolution into a tuition-free people's college, and its movement into university status. But The University Of Maryland At College Park: A History isn't just about school politics: within its pages are profiles of student and faculty culture over the decades, social and political atmospheres affecting the college's focus and growth, and how the modern university status is changing the school. A pick for not just University grads and fans; but for any reader of higher education history and politics.

Although I have no particular knowledge or interest in the University of Maryland at College Park, this history is so well written that I still found it an interesting read that was hard to put down until I had finished it. The author goes through the history of the college from its founding as the Maryland Agricultural College through the Civil War, the Great Depression, and the riots of the 1970's to today. An intimate portrait of the college as well as a trip through the history of this part of Maryland it contains many period photographs that add to the charm of the book. "The University of Maryland at College Park, a History, is highly recommended to anyone interested either in the college or the history of Maryland in general.