Columbia Books

The book is great. There are many stunning photos. The book is worth every penny for just the photos alone. But after you get past all the eye candy there is a lot of interesting information about Owls. For example he shatters a lot of myths about their sight and hearing. The book has 8 chapters plus an introduction explaining Owl addiction: Anatomy of an Owl which has an identification guide; son et lumiere where he talks about the sight and hearing of these birds; Haunts and Hideaways; The Owlish Appetite, Family LIfe; The Next Generation; Predators, Pirates and Pests and Owls and Humans.

I have studied owls for years and this one is the finest book I have read on the subject, Not only are the pictures fantastic but the text is very informative. Buy with confidence that you will enjoy this book.

this was a gift for a friend, that is into birds. He said he loves it.

This is another wonderful book by a real naturalist and consumate photographer. The images are just stunning photographically and from a naturalist's standpoint. Dr Lynch writes in a conversational tone that makes reading a pleasure, it's more like a conversation with him than anything else.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in either nature photography or birds, but especially if you like both.

Chase Hunter

A wonderful book. The large format and abundant photography at first suggest a coffee table book, but Lynch's contribution is much more than that. The writing is intellectually luminous, displaying a good mind and careful researching. Though the author is very up to date on current research in the field, the scholarship is unobtrusive - the text is free of footnotes and citations though these can be found at the end of the book.
The photography is in a league of its own. Lynch is a well-known wildlife photographer, and these photos show just why. The artistry and a technical excellence are breathtaking. For instance, the whiskered screech-owl on p. 16 is composed the way a painter would compose, but the photo still brings out the individual feathers, the half-closed eyes, the long beak hidden behind the whiskers. These birds are so closely observed they show more than I can see with my binoculars in a woodland walk. And add to this the field knowledge: owls are not sparrows or seagulls that one can see anywhere. To capture them on film, the photographer must spend hours in a blind, and travel to places far off the interstate. This book is one that will stay in the mind after it has been read.

Alaska is rarely included in Bigfoot books and Rob does a fine job of cataloging sightings in the Southeast part (Panhandle) of Alaska. He adds some good Northwest Native folklore as well as very good timelines and sighting location maps.

I give high praise to Mr. Alley for a job well done and may he write many more in the future!
This is the way to research and write about Bigfoot/Sasquatch, with facts and without contradictions or second guessing one's self!
Where I'm from, Maine, the French call Bigfoot "Loup Garou," which is french for "werewolf; wild beast."
I highly recommend this book. AAAAA+++++
Ken T. ~~

I've been caught-up in the whole Sasquatch/Cryptozoology phenomenon since Jr. High, and consider myself very well read on the subject; John Green, Rene Dahinden, Loren Coleman, etc. But found this particular book extremely interesting. I was aware of several remote sightings in our 49th state, but didn't realize how frequent the sightings, and the rich prospect of scientific breakthrough. I wouldn't be surprised if the final solving of this mystery occurs in Alaska. I did however expect more reports from British Columbia and Washington State, but past publications, and the numerous Internet websites cover those areas quite well. Stunning eyewitness accounts, and absorbing data. I can't wait for future works on the subject from Mr. Alley.

If you are seriously interested in bigfoot or if you just find the topic intriguing or if you are looking for a good casual read, then you need this book. Its well written and easy to read. It is limited in scope, spatially. The author only considers the raincoast region of NA. Yet, the author has a good geographic knowledge of the area and places everything in that context. For that reason, the author doesn't fall into the "I'll hinge all bets on the Patterson footage" pitfall that so many of these guys can't avoid. All-in-all its a very good book with Coleman's book pulling up second. Plus, you won't have to hide it when the neighbors come over. Let them read a few pages and get drawn in.

Great book, a lot of facts, a lot of information, interesting. A well roundes researcher as well as author. Eric J. Mazzi

I just recently got this guidebook, and let me just say that it blew away all my expectations. Seriously, this is the finest mountain guidebook I've ever seen. Pictures for every mountain, great descriptions, introduction, etc. Bravo. Well worth the money. I had to try hard to keep myself from drooling on the book because it's an x-mas gift to my dad. There are certainly some great peaks to climb in Canada.

Many of the peaks visible from your car as you drive through the rockies have relatively easy routes to their summits,that is - routes that can be done with only hiking equipment.Those that do are likely to be described in Alan Kanes book. Some are not much more than a walk-up others require a fair degree of experience and nerve to accomplish. Route descriptions in guidebooks often make for rather dry reading,but many of these are spiced up by bits of interesting historical,geological,and other info as well as by the authors offbeat sense of humour.

Wow...what can I say, other than this book has had a major impact on my life. From a valley bottom, trail dweller, "Scrambles" has shown me how to reach the heights without having to bother with the burden of carabiners, ropes, etc... If the essence of this guide book could be summed up in one word...that word would be FREEDOM. The Canadian Rockies are not a heavily travelled area (except for the main street of Banff!). With the exception of a few popular peaks, one is unlikely to encounter other people of most of these scrambles. Alan's route descriptions are concise and accurate, which is of great importance, especially under less than ideal conditions. There is a magical world waiting to be discovered in these mountains and "Scrambles" is the perfect passport to many adventures, here in the Canadian Rockies

This book is gold. Alan has made a guidebook, that has everything you need to know about a route, right in front of your eyes. From Elevation gain, approximate round trip time, difficulty, the map needed, route photos for every peak and a completely detailed description of the route. Also he has a colored mini photo album at the beginning of the book that shows some pictures of what you will encounter. He has included over 150 mountains that range from tiny hills that I could take my pet hampster up(jokingly), to glaciated masses of rock that can take a rope and multiple days. This book should be in every climbers pack. I erge you to buy it. It's well worth it.

The author, Alan Kane, does a great job of putting this guide together. This version is much better than the previous edition. Lots more peaks included. For the most part the peaks are all in alberta. Some in the south, others a bit more towards the north. Each hike includes difficulty level and other relevant information.

Alan has climbed every one of the peaks he described. The route descriptions reflect that intimate knowledge that the author has with each route. The details are excellent. Moreover, he really gives you a feel for the climb and from my experience reading the routes made for fewer unwanted surprises on the actual climb.

I'll also say that the book has a nice variety when it comes to difficulty of the scrambles. The concept of scrambling in many ways represents the highest degree of freedom you can have while climbing. This is because you needn't be weighed down by lots of gear (protection, climbing rope, chocks, etc) to do these scrambles. Yet they are more difficult and exciting than a regular walk-up. Kane has all the bases covered here. For a guide to scrambling in the canadian rockies, look no further. However, don't just take my word for it...Alan has a website where you can see some of the routes described in the book. I think it will give you a good idea of what to expect.

IF YOU FEEL SORRY FOR YOUR LOT IN LIFE..READ THIS..ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I EVER READ...

Wow-this book was so fun and sad and interesting to read, all at the same time. Olive's story is piercing and makes one ponder the amazing will to live in the face of such overwhelming odds. A fantastic true adventure story!

A story of a courageous strong woman. Descriptions of the environment (land & conditions) enticing. I found myself being scared right along side of Olive. A real adventure story.

This was a favorite, and it was done with no bad words or violence, other than from nature, I loved it and still wonder what happened to Olive and her second husband after they were married and flew off in the airplane. I watch it everytime it comes on tv. I have taped it and shown it many times to company.

A fresh, uncomplicated tale of the people who adventured north in the past. Action packed, engaging and reveling, this book will remain for ever one of my favorite adventure and romance stories. It shows much about how people may face a foreign environment, difficulties, and above all themselves. All comes out in very simple and clear language, with suits the story and the characters divinely.

I have taken a course with one of the contributors, Valentine Cunningham. His initial overview of "theory", and its flaws, is very helpful.

As one long away from the Academy I have listened through the years with a mixture of dread and amusement at the tales of 'politically correct' professors promoting their agendas at the expense of individual freedom of thought and response. In an outstanding review of this present work Peter Berkowitz maintains that the 'Theory' business in the realm of Literature has worked to undermine two basic Western principles, the first that of the faith in Reason. The second is the individual liberty of the reader to explore and find meaning within the text.
The Theorists with the Derrida, Foucalt, Lacan agendas have worked to 'organize ' the reading of Literature into Programmatic messages which we all are to subscribe to.
This present volume is a collection of writings which dissent from this kind of formulaic program. It contains works by many of the best literary critics which we have known from M.H.Abrams to Wayne Booth whose final essay is a call for a more honest and individual way of doing Literary Criticism.
Peter Berkowitz concludes his outstanding review with the following inspirational words.

"Whether university literature departments can become sources for the inspiration and cultivation of the love of literature is of concern on more than narrow educational grounds. To be sure, most students will have at most only a few courses over four short college years to study the literary treasures of the West and beyond. Their literature professors should not be permitted to rob them of this golden opportunity to read and revel in novels, plays, and poetry by force-feeding them instead indigestible abstractions, formulaic denunciations, and pretentious proclamations. But also, paradoxical as it may sound, literature taught for its own sake serves a vital public interest in a liberal democracy. In our busy and distracted age, this may be even more true. Literature transports students to other times and places. It acquaints them with people and immerses them in circumstances remote from their own lives. It brings to life the variety of ways of being human. And it exhibits the common humanity in the glorious variety. In short, the study of literature for its own sake helps prepare citizens for the challenges of freedom."

It seems to me that this anthology is one which most critics of literature would definitely want to have in their library.

This book should not have been necessary. To take this much effort from scholars who could have been doing more productive things seems a waste -- but, if they didn't take the time out to point out the holes in the many reality-denying Theories of the last generation, who would? The demolition job is complete. It's also a lot of fun, if your idea of fun is watching charlatains get skewered. Enjoy it.

A few years ago, I decided to quit my job in computers and to instead become a professor of literature. I thought that this would be a meaningful and important profession. But after finishing my Masters and being exposed to current fashionable literary theory, I was distressed by the essentially meaninglessnes of how I was being taught to read literature! More distressing, I realized that to succeed in this environment I would have to view the world (not just literature) through this distorted lens of Theory. It would then be my job to teach students to see through that same lens. And not only that, I would be pressured to produce papers that only a few would ever attempt to read, and those few would either agree or disagree based upon their particular distorted Theory eyeglasses. I was and am disenchanted, sickened, and have since returned to a profession that at least pays well even if it is rather tedious. At least now I can enjoy literature.

But thanks to this anthology, I can see that my idealist hopes of a meaningful profession in English Literature were not necessarily foolish. I can see that it is the current Theory and its adherents that are the fools. I felt this to be the case at the time, and now I have some evidence to support that feeling. And best of all, I now have references of critics and theorists that actually make sense and have a balanced view of life, reality, and literature.

Theory's Empire is a very important addition to the doorstop-level anthologies dealing with what-in the humanities and soft social sciences-is broadly termed "theory." Subtitled "an anthology of dissent" its editors seek to challenge the conclusions and highlight the shortcomings of a collection of -isms currently practiced within the academy.

The high water mark of Theory is now in the past but this anthology is still very much welcome since there is still life left in the dying dragon and-as in the conclusion of the first book of the Faerie Queene-the young need to be warned to keep a prudent distance lest they be harmed by the beast or the 'dragonettes, his fruitfull seede' that may still linger in some hidden nest within the dragon's womb.

The contributions include some classic pieces from prior-generation, distinguished commentators such as René Wellek and M. H. Abrams as well as very recent ones, some written for this volume. There is a little shrillness here and there, but by and large these are not so much 'culture war' attacks as they are substantive criticisms of very real issues, such as Derrida's actual knowledge of modern linguistics or the accuracy of his reading of Saussure. Theory is notorious for its politicization of the academy and it is important to have thoughtful commentators such as Alan Sokal, Russell Jacoby, Todd Gitlin, and Noam Chomsky, whose opposition to aspects of Theory cannot be attributed to their political alignments. Ad hominem smears are common weapons in the Theory arsenal and the editors have sought to immunize themselves against such attacks by including the works of individuals whose credentials, prior associations, and personal body of work cannot be attacked as easily as, e.g., a noticeably conservative, non-academic such as Roger Kimball. The price we pay for this is the absence of pieces by such delicious combatants as Camille Paglia, but given the stakes we pay it.

Since this is an anthology of dissent there is more emphasis on the sins and shortcomings of the dying tyrant than on constructive plans for the future, but there are some such plans here and they are interesting and suggestive. For all the talk of popular culture within "cultural studies" it is often so narrow and formulaic in its approach that one is grateful for a piece like Marjorie Perloff's which discusses, among other things, the robust persistence of interest in traditional writers and traditional methods exhibited in actual popular culture on the internet.

Nearly every essay is clear and accessible and some (Crews's, e.g.) rise to the level of masterpieces. It is too early to predict the ultimate importance of this collection, but the blog buzz is intense at this point. I do not think it is an overstatement to suggest that it should be read by every practitioner within the humanities and every interested observer who has followed the decline of the humanities and wondered-in the face of the constant contradictions, enormities, self-defeating absurdities and, above all, the endless, dull predictabilities-of Theory how such a collection of ideas and attitudes could ever achieve prominence in the face of evidence, logic, and above all, common sense. It is very reassuring to hear Chomsky say, in effect, that he is at a similar loss and to point out that Theory has never successfully proposed a workable alternative to what can be termed, in shorthand, rationality and the scientific method.

I have to say this is the best book written in a while. I admire Jerry Speziale. The author in this book details the sacrifice officers make when going undercover. People seem to forget what the officers give up to make a difference and the risks they take. The sacrifice the families go through when there loved ones are taking a risk with their lives. I admire Jerry and the officers who took the time to make a difference. I definitely recommend this book. It is realistic and it isn't exaggerated.

This is a very compelling book. It is the true story of NYPD undercover officer on "loan" to the DEA. This cop turned author, literally wrote the book on wiretaps. He risked his life to make major drug busts. However, by pursuing the Columbia drug cartels so aggressively, he also risked the lives of many innocent (and some not so innocent)others. He does not hide this fact in his book and he should be applauded for his honesty.

If you, read a "true crime" book only now and again -- buy this book. If you read "true crime" regularly this will be one of your all-time favorites.

Watching THE WIRE changed me and made me more sympathetic in general. I read this book as a result of THE WIRE even though I am not that interested in true crime or drugs. I am still not that interested but I feel that I should know. It's very straightforward and nondepressing despite the overwhelming odds. It's one man's story simply told although the details are sensational. Sheriff Speziale of Passaic, New Jersey was groomed by a real drug dealer from Brazil who also groomed a Brazilian entertainer known as Xuxa - this detail is not mentioned in Without a Badge but this book is written in a very pedestrian manner despite the extraordinary events and people involved. He spent many hours, days, months away from his family life. He was at the forefront of modern surveillance tactics. He is a friend to Bernard Kerik. And he is still making a contribution to fighting crime. Sometimes the antidote to the hopelessness of the fight is as simple as doing your own part and cleaning up your work environment and infecting others with a work ethic.

i dont like reading that much and it usually takes me a couple weeks to read this size book but i read it 3 days because once i started reading it i couldnt put it down. It is simply the best book ever written. You constantly wish you could read faster so you could see what the next page held. It describes in depth the cali drug organization and how they brought it down. I recommend this book to anyone, i guarantee you will absolutely love it.

This by far is one of the best books I have read in a while. I read it cover to cover in one day and I am a fairly slow and detailed reader. I could not put it down. Without A Badge takes you deep into the life of a narcotics investigator with such a zeal for cleaning up the streets that it is personally motivating. I am now reading for the second time. I can't wait until I see this one in the movie theater.

BAD DATE by Trevor Greene is a combination sociological/social work study of the many prostitutes on Vancouver's Low Track who have gone missing since the 90s. Greene's focus is on the life style of the prostitute/victims, most of them drug addicted, and on their families, making it clear that the women are no less human than any of the rest of us. There is also focus on the sick men who physically victimize - to the point of killing - these women who are among the most vulnerable and who due to their addiction and transience are the least likely to be immediately missed. For the sexually conflicted, bullying men who need to satisfy their Madonna/whore lunacies by battering women who have done nothing to them, the prostitute/addict is a gold mine.

Greene's work touches all bases of the subject including law enforcement, politics, disease, in addition to the main areas I've mentioned.
Two items of note: 1. BAD DATE is not true crime. 2. It was published before Vancouver pig farmer, Robert Pickton, was arrested and charged with the murders of some of the missing women, but this doesn't make the book any less interesting.

Trevor Greene has written about what is to me a heartbreaking subject and while doing so has demonstrated his understanding that we are all human beings and that the most troubled of us is as valued as the rest.
Highly recommended.

This information contained in this book my seem to be dated or lacking since it was written just before Robert Pickton was arrested and charged with the murders of several missing women from the Vancouver area (some of whom are mentioned in this very book). Despite that, I think that anyone interested in the subject of these murders or with the plight of poor, drug addicts will find this book to both an illuminating and riveting expose. This book provides a glimpse into the horrific lives of some of the people at the lowest rung of society.

This book will definitely not appeal to everyone. It is, first of all, deeply sad and disturbing for anyone not used to seeing or hearing about people who live their lives on the fringes of society, and who lives are a constant struggle for survival from day to day. Their lives are a constant cycle of getting high and finding the means to stay high. First of all, they get addicted to whatever their drug of choice is. Then they find that they must feed this adiction. Usually whatever income they have is not enough to support the habit or they cannot continue to hold a regular job and they must resort to other means of supporting the habit (like stealing or prostituion). If they don't feed their addiction, they must suffer withdrawal and that for them is a pain like no other. So, they steal or sell their bodies or whatever they must do in order to finance their habit. Prostitutes often are addicted to drugs in order to ease the pain of servicing so many.

Also, not everyone would care to read this book because not everyone is sympathetic to such people. That never ceases to amaze, shock, disturb, or anger me. Often times, I have found that the reaction some people have to the pig farmer murders is more like amusement or indifference. The general concensus among many is that these women were lowlife, drug addicted prostitues who got what they deserved and that society is much better off without them. What is ironic here is that many of these women did not start out their lives this way and that for whatever reason they chose to or were forced to take the wrong path in life. Almost all of them had family and friends who cared for them and loved them deeply. For those victims who did not even have that, I say that they deserve even more sympathy because they never had a chance. No one has the right to make the decision if these victims deserved to live or not.

One part of the book that really shocked and disturbed me was an excerpt taken from the diary of Sarah De Vries (one of the missing women mentioned in the book and linked to the pig farm). By all accounts, Miss De Vries was a lovely, smart young woman who was very much loved by family and friends. Why she would choose to do what she did is a mystery. In this excerpt, she wrote about a close call with a john who had picked her up for a "date" and then taken her out into a desolate, wooded area and tried to kill her. He nearly accomplished this, but she was able to escape. Trevor Greene says in his book that this is like a rite of passage that ALL prositutes go through, and even if they survive the first, there are bound to be many other similar experiences. Sarah survived that one, but she obviously had another that she did not surivive.

Anyone with young children should read this book or a least be aware of the message. Most people think that this would never happen to their kids. I bet most of the parents of these victims thought the same. It is not hard to get mixed up with the "wrong" crowd.

Trevor Greene must indeed be an kind and compassionate person for having researched this subject and then written a book about it. This is the kind of person who I admire and respect. I read recently that he was badly injured in Iraq while he was serving there. I hope he's well now.

Trevor Greene is an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and was recently seriously injured while on duty in Khandahar.

This book shows the depth of this man as a human being. The murders in Vancouver's downtown eastside were allowed to happen by police and public indifference fed by racism. Captain Greene goes deep into conditions on the east side to help all of us understand this.

That this man would go on to serve in Afghanistan speaks well of the quality of officer that the Canadian Armed Forces are attracting.

Apparently there is an earlier book on the homeless in Tokyo that I am trying to locate.

BAD DATE: THE LOST GIRLS OF VANCOUVER'S LOW TRACK is a riveting, compelling account of the girls and women who were addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, and who had to work the streets of Vancouver's "downtown Eastside," also known as "Low Track" as prostitutes to fund their drug habits. The accounts of the lives of these women are harrowing. Many of these girls tried drugs once and became hooked on them. In particular, the account of Sheila and Julia Egan, two sisters whose mother recounts the story of how they became hooked on drugs to the author, Trevor Greene, should serve as a warning to other parents to supervise their children more closely. The Egan girls became hooked on drugs merely by "hanging out" a little too much with other kids at a nearby strip mall. Sheila Egan has been missing for six or seven years now and may have been murdered by Robert Pickton--it is not known for sure what happened to her, but she is still missing.

The tragedy here is that these women were talented, warm, caring human beings who became enmeshed and entrapped in a horrible life that was so dangerous, that it's no wonder they fell victim to someone who took their lives. Anyone who is in the fields of counseling, specifically school counseling or school psychology, or concerned parents who want to know how to protect their daughters from undesirable outside influences should read this book.

With more than 50 women missing from Vancouver, you'd think there would be a lot of books and writings on this unbelievable story. However, Trevor Greene appears to be the only one with guts to tackle this horrific story.

Reminiscent of the Green River killings, but more prolific, these missing women are out there somewhere. Trevor does a great job of keeping objective as he talks about a tradegy that is beyond most of our understanding.

The Canadian and the Skeena are both prominently featured in a Railway Map Guide for Western Canada recently published by Way of the Rail Publishing company founded by VIA's Vancouver based activity coordinator Chris Hanus.

The full-colour oblique perspective map includes charts of cities and towns, a speed table to determine the speed of a train and an interpretation of railway signals and signs. "In my job as an activity coordinator, I saw first-hand that our rail passenger guests wanted to know the names of the awe-inspiring peaks, canyons, water falls, and other scenic highlights along the route," explains Chris.

The map guide has received rave reviews and Chris is already working on future publications, including a scenic railway guidebook which would include the entire VIA network. The Railway Map Guide for Western Canada is available through Amazon.com and on board the Canadian.

The Canadian and the Skeena are both prominently featured in a Railway Map Guide for Western Canada recently published by Way of the Rail Publishing company founded by VIA's Vancouver based activity coordinator Chris Hanus.

The full-colour oblique perspective map includes charts of cities and towns, a speed table to determine the speed of a train and an interpretation of railway signals and signs. "In my job as an activity coordinator, I saw first-hand that our rail passenger guests wanted to know the names of the awe-inspiring peaks, canyons, water falls, and other scenic highlights along the route," explains Chris.

The map guide has received rave reviews and Chris is already working on future publications, including a scenic railway guidebook which would include the entire VIA network. The Railway Map Guide for Western Canada is available through Amazon.com and on board the Canadian.

The Canadian and the Skeena are both prominently featured in a Railway Map Guide for Western Canada recently published by Way of the Rail Publishing company founded by VIA's Vancouver based activity coordinator Chris Hanus.

The full-colour oblique perspective map includes charts of cities and towns, a speed table to determine the speed of a train and an interpretation of railway signals and signs. "In my job as an activity coordinator, I saw first-hand that our rail passenger guests wanted to know the names of the awe-inspiring peaks, canyons, water falls, and other scenic highlights along the route," explains Chris.

The map guide has received rave reviews and Chris is already working on future publications, including a scenic railway guidebook which would include the entire VIA network. The Railway Map Guide for Western Canada is available through Amazon.com and on board the Canadian.

This award-winning guide features a visually striking topographic rendition of the western mountains, via the integration of GIS, 3D visualisation and graphic design software. The main side depicts the passenger railway lines between British Columbia and Alberta and the reverse focuses on northern BC between Prince Rupert and Prince George, with two pannels devoted to mileage charts along the rail lines. The 32 x 19" map is sold in a sturdy hardcopy foldout format measuring 9.5 x 4', easily handled by the map-unfolding challenged.

Cartographically, the most intriguing component is the terrain representation which uses the free 'GTOPO30' elevation data (1 km resolution) and features a hillshaded oblique perspective combined with hypsometric tints, in natural greens through yellows to browns. The illumination is from the east, and the perspective resembles Tanaka's orthographic relief method, described using GIS software by Kennelly and Kimerling (2002). This approach pits enhanced visual appeal against some topographic concealment in steep terrain compared to conventional hillshading (see website).

The website gives further information on the map guide's construction involving the combination of Arc/Info, World Construction Set and Photoshop software, with final layout in Adobe Illustrator. Minor criticisms concern the ancillary information: the neatline is divided in a seemingly redundant one-inch grid numbered 1-19 vertically, and A-Z then A1-E1 horizontally (since it is 32" wide). The lack of a scale bar is perhaps justifiable given the mileage charts on one side, and the guide's function as a topological perspective.

It is a fine cartographic work, with sales already in the thousands, and this where railways are used more for freight than public transportation! Main roads and ferries are included to enable this attractive guide as a road map of western Canada for both tourists and trainspotters.

An activities coordinator for VIA Rail's flagship train, the Canadian, Hanus provides a topographical rendering of the western Canadian countryside with names of the scenic highlights. The hardcover map folds out to 36 x 20 inches, and includes railway museums and tourist lines, as well as ideal photo locations.

Belmonte's book should be require reading for all Anthropology students as well as those interested in Naples life, before graduating college. As an ethnography, Belmonte writes an excellent detail account of life in poor Naples. He makes you "see" Naples through the eyes of the people in his book and not by those glossy travel brochures.

I have this book in a socialsience method class, and for that i am realy glad! This book is writen with such understanding, and such respect. He could have choosen an easy way and just written what he saw and assume about all he doesn't see or know. Like about the family he get's to know, he even mentions it himself, that he could have just assumed that all familys in Naples in this area and in other poor areas, are the same, and that the family structure and habits and behaviours are the same, but he doesn't, he tells you all he sees, and all he gets to know, and he tells you what he doesn't know, he uses other peoples work and what they have found to compleet his own. I undrestand why we have it on the book list!! cause it is so valid, he has done an amazing job. Also this book is so well writen that it's almost like a novel, i sometimes caught myself in forgetting that this has happend, its none fiction. This book is really worth a read! it's worth both your time and money... and the thoughts you might sit with after wards! Kudos To You MR. Belmonte, this is one WELL writen book, with insight, understading and truth.

Belmontes field study of Urban poor of Naples Italy makes great reading. Belmonte writes as a chemist would, capturing the kind of graphic detail that puts you right at the head of a Neapolitan famly's table at Sunday dinner. Watch that knife! Belmonte's Naples is filled with unforgettable people in an unforgettable place.

Thomas Belmonte brings the reader into the book. He doesn't simply write a sob story about those in Naples, yet he writes about the bare-truth and amazingly highlights the implications for the poverty. A must read for anyone who needs an understanding of unfair world systems.

Thomas was my cousin. He was always an amazing person to be around. He died a few years ago from a disease called AIDS. He was a very brave man. He was not a man dying with AIDS, he was a man living with AIDS. Throughout his lifetime, Tommy was a very devoted man. He was a caring generous person. He is greatly missed.

It is hard to believe that there was a time when you could have passed Jack or Jackie on the street and not known them. This book has made them into "real people". I really enjoyed reading it.

To borrow from the movie HELP!, "Here's how they was before they was." Unguarded and completely charming photos of newlyweds, before international fame overtook them and they perfected their public faces. As one who has read extensively about the Kennedys, I am always happy to find books that can still show me something I haven't seen before. This book does that, and I enjoyed it and recommend it.

Camelot At Dawn: Jacqueline & John Kennedy In Georgetown, May 1954 is the collaborative work of photographer Orlando Suero and author Anne Garside. As his first major photography assignment, Suero spent five days with the Kennedys in May of 1954. He enjoyed their full cooperation and the intimate access that produced more than twenty photo sessions as Suero documented a typical week in the young couple's life including Jack at his Senate office, Jackie attending classes at Georgetown, and the couple playing touch football in the park. Camelot At Dawn is a "must" for all of those whose lives and imaginations where touched by one of America's most idealized couples before tragedy would shattered both their personal lives and those all too brief days of an American "Camelot" for the rest of us.

As someone who grew up in the Kennedy era, these images had a profound effect on me. They are images that shortly after they were made, could never have been made again. Can you imagine seeing Jack and Jackie Kennedy strolling alone down the streets of Georgetown (in DC), her wearing shorts and him wearing sneakers and a plain t-shirt? Or playing football in a public park with absolutely NO gawkers hanging around? The great impact of these pictures comes from their innocence and irony, because of what came after and what we now know. If you remember the Kennedy era, you might stare at some of the images in this book for many minutes in wonder, about the people in the picture, about yourself, and about how we were then and are now. I gave this book to my brother-in-law--a recognized expert on the Kennedy assination--and he said he almost cried. It's that good.

Can the Kennedys ever have a bad photograph taken of them? It is appears not, as this book illustrates. CAMELOT AT DAWN is kind of an artsy photojournalism feast for the eyes, and although at first glance the text will seem to have general information that we all know about, it too is a treat.

Orlando Suero had his first big assignment taking pictures of Jacqueline Kennedy for McCall's magazine for an article. It would turn out that most of his shots would not be used because the press felt that the Kennedys had been overexposed in the media due to their wedding--so it is only now in this book that most of the pictures taken for that assignment have been published.
Suero says that JFK manages to sneek himself into most pictures, and so the final result became as much as about him as Jackie...but we also see the Bobby Kennedys as well as the former President Trumans.

Some of these pictures have been published in other books, so not all of them are seen here for the first time, but seeing them within the context that they were shot makes the photos that have been seen before all the more interesting. However, it is only a few--most of these are just being seen for the first time.

As for the text, some of it is "well duh" text because it is known by everybody:"Jackie was a silver-and-Sevres kind of girl, whereas Jack was a milkshake-and-hamburger kind of guy." (I am not cutting on Anne Garside's writing--because the book is actually quite good, I am just trying to point out that some of the information that she writes everyone knows in their sleep...as that is how famous Jack and Jackie have become.) Now don't take this sentence of Garside's alone--you have to read the whole book before you dare judge her writing, and in my estimation she has succeded in the overall scheme in making two well known sujects seem like new again. How does she do this?
For example, there is information about the renting of Dent Place--where these photographs are taken as well the Kennedys first home--which is interesting because we get to see excerpts from Jackie's letters to the Childs (the people who the Kennedys were renting the house from.)
Also information about Evelyn Lincoln's calender is given as to what the Kennedy's were doing the week the photos were taken, as well as little details spread out throughout the text that make the book an interesting read.

I believe that this is a standout book published on the Kennedys. It is informative and orginal in text, and the pictures easily give Lowe, Avedon, and Shaw a run for their money. You can and will enjoy this book if you give it a chance--don't get stuck on the information about the JFKs that we all know or the pictures that we have all seen--read the entire book and appreciate the entire book!