Western Books

This walking tour is excellent. I just returned from Italy where I used it as well as those for Ancient Rome and Venice. It is the poor man's way to see the sights because taking a guided tour with a group is very expensive. The tour is complete in that it provides good explanations of major points of interest as well as interesting background information about the history of the place. ou can go at your own pace. It does not cover museums so you have to supplement this tour with those provided by the museum itself. I found it to be a really good bargin. Note that you have to be prepared to carry a cassette player to hear the tape! Recommended!

My husband and I were given this audio cassette and guide material for our honeymoon in Italy. We had a nice time. I probably would not have bought such a non-traditional tour guide before. But it turned out to be a discrete and fun way to visit the city.

I just got back from my first visit to Rome and Venice. It was fantastic and the Cicerone tours were really different and fun.

Next year we are planning to see France and I hope that you will have something for Paris by then.

I bought this tour because I wanted to make the most of my two days in Florence. It covered exactly what I needed to see. The tape guide has lots of interesting facts and it points out the most important buildings and places. It gave lots of history. Best tour I've ever had.

What a great way to see the city! So easy to listen and look where you are going instead of trying to read a guidebook. In fact I learned things I had not seen in my guide book. If your time is short you can be sure that you will not miss the important sites and with the minimum of effort. The guide will also give you info about where to stop for a snack and find the all important toilet! When I came back the map helped me identify the pictures I took. I recommend it highly.

This was the first, and best, cookbook my mother bought me. I still have my original copy and use it every once in a while. It is the BEST cookbook to use when teaching children how to cook. It's full of useful information for the aspiring cook.

I am 36 years old and I still have this book. My parents got it for me when we went to the Magic Kingdom in the 70's. It is a treasure I will keep always and share with my nieces and nephew. I made the big bad wolfs brownies a lot. I still look at it and use it when I make hard boiled eggs; I can never remember how to make them. I love the memories this book brings to me. I my a true fan of all things Disney. A must have for all fans of the Mouse!!!

Basic recipes with fun Disney characters fill this great cookbook. From Winnie the Pooh French Toast to Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee's Banana Split, this cookbook is great for kids who have 3-4 grade level reading ability. The recipes are great for adults as well.

I received this book as a child. The idea was that mom and I could spend time in the kitchen together. Honestly, over a decade later as a college student, I still have it... And I've been known to pull it out on occasion. ;) It gives kitchen safety tips and shows kitchen utinsels.

There are excellent recipes, in the typical categories you see in cookbooks (appetizers, main dishes, desserts, etc). They all have an appeal to kids. They're not all necessarily things that a parent wouldn't know how to make (like grilled cheese), but the idea is to help kids learn, so that's okay in my book. You didn't really expect a souffle recipe, did you? :)

The Disney theme makes it all the more fun! Some recipes include spaghetti (Lady and the Tramp's, of course!), custard, various cupcakes (for the 7 Dwarves), and more.

I have a lot of great memories of sharing this book with my mom and learning about cooking, and I believe that many other people could make these kinds of memories, too. Check it out!

This is a great cookbook that I had when I was younger. It was so interesting to see what my favorite disney cartoons loved to eat.

It is a shame that Amazon.com has to put on-line the review by Kirkus. I don't know who wrote it--he didn't sign his name--but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a jealous, inferior writer lashing out with his tiny pen.

The shame is this: Wandering Time is a fine book. A great book. One of the best books I have read. Urrea's language has a music all its own. That's as clear as I can say it. He knows the word-music, the secret combination that strings the right sounds together in the right order--turns the language into something better, something sweeter than it is for the rets of us, something delicious.

The Kirkus review sounds an awful lot like what they said about Mozart. In that regard it is appropriate. But in no other way.

Luis writes from his soul; he is a wonderful person and it shows in his work. Kirkus doesn't know what he/she's talking about...Luis is one of the world's greatest writers, and one of my favorite people. I hope he's happy and well. I am, Nicolina

This little book fell off the bookstore shelf in front of me while I was browsing so I knew it was meant for me to buy and read. It was also the first time I felt so inspired to write to the author to say how much his writing moved me. The book tells of his travels around the Western US while trying to find direction in his life but it is really a heart to heart talk with the reader. You will feel like you have an author for a best friend and you will never forget the beauty of how he puts his words together.

This American poet writer delivers songs in sentences and has a singular voice that calls out to you long after the book is lost on the shelf. His words don't just stay with you, but the spirit of a decent man does too. An engaging, funny, reflective, lyrical read.

I knew Luis and the other half of this "troubled marriage" (Kirkus Review) that ended. She left, he fell apart, she fell apart. But that was seven years ago! He's remarried and she has a two year-old by someone else! This is one of the great writers of our time; surely he can find something more interesting to think and write about. P.S. where do you want me to send your dad's records???

This was purchased as a favor to a friend who wanted an add'l copy to send to his mom.

Excellent book - practical spiral binding inside a hard cover, so the book will lay open nicely when you are working from the recipes. Beautiful pictures of the foods and various B&B's along with many tasty recipes that are not too complicated for the average cook. Information on several B&B's is included as well. I have given this out as a gift twice already.

I made the Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle for a Neighborhood Harvest Party, and I won the award for the best dessert brought! People raved about it and said it was awesome -- beautiful and delicious! One of the neighbors decided to purchase the cookbook to give to her daughter who was wanting an outstanding dessert to serve for a party.

There are so many different and wonderful recipes, it's hard to start. But I have to tell you about the Beer Braised and Balsamic Vinegar Lamb with Rosemary White Beans. Give me a break!!! I couldn't even read the recipe without salivating!! (How embarassing!) It is one of the most unusual orchestrations of flavors I've ever experienced!! This is a special dinner, a night when you polish the silver candlesticks, chill some nice wine, and hope for rain, because you won't want anyone disturbing you at this dinner. The only thing I'd add, are a few of your best friends, then enjoy this elegant culinary event!!

This book contains illustrations, descriptions, and 11 specific items of information about 85 different Bed and Breakfast Country Inns in the state of Washington plus their most requested or favorite recipes. I especially liked one simply called "Bubble Bread" which included nuts, brown sugar, butterscotch pudding mix, and cinnamon in the ingredients!! The book lies flat when opened, has a beautiful hard cover,and is attractively printed in two colors. The authors also thoughtfully included tables of oven temperature equivalents, baking pan sizes, liquid and dry measures (including metric conversions), and high altitude adjustment suggestions. A special feature appearing throughout the book is entitled "Carol's Corner" where one of the authors records hints and happenings which developed during the testing of all recipes submitted. Tantalizing titles of some of the recipes are Banana Blueberry Muffins, Northwest Salmon Pie, Santa Cruz Sweet and Sour Zucchini Salad, Apple Breakfast Lasagna, Comeback Hash, and Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle. You'll love the book for yourself and it would make a much-appreciated gift.

This book has done a wonderful job of collecting some of the best places in the Pacific Northwest for couples. It gives comprehensive descriptions, tells you the best rooms to stay in, gives rates (they may be a little out of date now, but still-ballpark), and in general does a good job of showcasing the selected hotels. It made me want to visit every one of them. If you live in the area, or are visiting, and are romantically inclined, or know someone who is, get this book.

"Weekends for Two in the Pacific Northwest" is a perfect resource for couples looking to have some away-time in a special place. From Ashland to Seattle, the beautiful photographs and detailed explainations are very helpful in planning your gettaway. Prices and aspects of dozens of hotels, lodges, B&Bs, etc. are explored and the authors even give personal oppinons, and suggestions on which rooms are more romantic. I would recommend this book to anyone with a heart for romance. It's a favorite in my household!

My husband and I spent a wonderful two days in July 2000 staying in "The Cabin." at the Guest House Cottages on Whidbey Island. We found this romantic spot in this book. There are so many wonderful places in this book, so I will tell you about the place we stayed to give you an idea of the quality of the listings presented in this great resource.

We stayed in the cutest log cabin you have ever seen, pictures at my site. A complimentary continental breakfast was set up for us on arrival. We loved having our own kitchen and a grocery store nearby so we could pick up needed supplies for a picnic at the beach. There was a beautiful pool where you could lay out in the sun. In the winter you would be sipping hot chocolate by one of the beautiful fireplaces in your cabin. The cabins were off the road in the woods and have queen or king-size featherbeds. The floors, walls and ceilings were all wood. They have river-rock fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, skylights and antique furnishings. The one we stayed in had beautiful stained-glass windows. They really went out of their way to make our stay as romantic as possible. Once you have your key, the cabin is all yours. It is your own private getaway. If you are running late they even offer to leave the key out for you when you arrive.

There was a private deck complete with barbecue and two chairs so you could sit and look out over the pond inhabited by African geese. The surroundings were lush and green and we saw lots of the cutest bunnies.

We also visited a lavender field and brought home a little lavender plant. If you do visit these same cottages, don't forget to visit Deception Pass. In fact, plan to stay at least two days, there are plenty of activities, including hiking and sailing.

I can truly say that without this book, we would most likely have never known about this secret hideaway. So, between you and me....don't tell too many people! This is a great place. Only tell your best friends or buy them this book. I also recommend this book as a wedding present.

The pages are filled with pictures of each getaway and the general prices are also listed for your convenience. I believe there is a new book with updated information, but this is the one I have.

~The Rebecca Review

I live in this part of the country, I didn't know there was no much great places to stay here! Thank you! I know lots of places to get away! I just need that special someone! :)

This is a fabulous resource for those who want to get away from it all in the Pacific Northwest. I picked up this book because even though I grew up in the NW, I have always wanted to take a weekend somewhere quiet and romantic in the area. Our trips home these days are filled with relatives and family events, which while wonderful are draining in their own right. OK, well perhaps the stress of an executive job in corporate America, and two small, wonderful, relentless, beautiful, demanding....children makes the idea of a weekend with nothing to do but watch the ocean, read, and relax, something to aspire to, and dream about, and well, something we must do now for our sanity!

The book looks at romantic inns, bed and breakfasts, and small hotels throughout the northwest from the Oregon coast, to British Columbia, both in small towns and out of the way secluded locations to the big cities like Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. The different locations are presented in full color, and organized by region.

I really enjoyed the combination of descriptions and many personal insights. The photography is outstanding, and each location is presented well. However, I would depict this book as being more as a coffee table book than a travel guide. Many travel guides have much more detail to use while on the road. This book is one that can be used to make a choice, while knowing that follow up information will be required to execute your plans.

This is a beautiful book, well written, and one that will hopefully generate the result of a weekend getaway for us in the near future. A great visual and informational treat for anyone interested in visiting this part of the country.

This book has a lot of the fundamentals for selecting, purchasing and prepping several varieties of seafood. The one thing that could have been better is to have pictures of the prepared dishes associated with the recipies.

This book is probably the best cook book I have ever used. It contains detailed descriptions of a vast array of seafood along with copious information on buying and prepping each type. The recipes range from simple to modestly complex. They generally focus on enhancing the flavor of the seafood with a few well selected accent flavors. They are creative and easy to follow.

This is a great reference for cooks at any level of ability. Fundimentals of buying, cutting up, basic techniques, and cooking safety. Easy to follow recipes which are not fussy and don't loose the flavor of the seafood in the sauces, yet can be quite sophisticated. Expanded information, definitions and seafood facts which can enlighten profesional chefs and intertain those who pick-up cookbooks for leasure reading. For example, what constitutes 'white fish',who are the grazers and the predators in the ocean, and how is caviar farmed.

Living in Seattle we wanted to take advantage of all the fresh fish available, but we had no idea how to cook it. Everything we have tried out of this book has been easy and delicious. Most of the recipes give suggestions for side dishes which makes meal planning even easier. Whenever we get fish for dinner this is the cookbook we pull out!

This book is wonderful for cooks that use seafood comes from the California coast. The recipes do not take require the resume of a rocket-scientist and yet the finished courses look, taste and smell like fine cuisine from a highly rated restaurant.

Great recipes for every day or special entertaining occasions.

Bought this to accompany my Sunset Western Gardening. It covers most everything really well, and I was able to identify two plant problems within a couple of days after I bought it. The only thing it doesn't address well is dealing with some common landscaping issues, so you really need a third reference to cover it all.

It is very informative. I'm new to gardening, so this will be a great help to me.

This is a must-have book for any gardener or anyone who has the luxury of a gardener, second only to the Sunset Western Garden Book. It is superb at describing and illustrating problems and instructs you on what can be done, if anything. For example, it told us that the sudsy-looking substance on plants was relatively harmless and there is nothing much we can do about it. That put our minds at ease so we can move on to tackle other, more pressing problems. Sunset rules when it comes to their gardening books and their magazine!

I searched a long long time for a decent, yet reasonably priced problem solving book for plants/gardens. This book had the answers I was looking for; it really is three books in one. There is a section for basic plant maintanence and prevention, problems by plant types (blueberry, apples, roses, exc.), a flow sheet that shows what symptoms will manifest if (leaves, roots, bark, exc.) are being attacked by an invader, and an in depth section on damaging and beneficial creatures (with color photos). This book gives you everything you need to get started and problem solve your plant or garden. A solid book, and a good investment.

This is the best book I've seen on identifying problems in your garden. Clear color pictures make identifying diseases, weeds, insects and other pests easy and it tells you the most benign way to rid your garden of the problem. Insects good for the garden are shown as well, so you know what to kill and what to keep. Several chapters cover how to prevent problems from occuring in the first place. A heavy emphasis on evironmental gardening.

This magnificient book contains some of the most impressive photographs of the West I've ever come across. Macduff Everton does with color what that great photographer,Ansel Adams did with Black and White in his majestic photographs of the West.
If one has ever doubted that Photography was an art,the work of these two photographers alone,should dispel that attitude.
I visited Mono Lake in the early morning,during the day and in the evening;and as much as I was impressed with its scenery,I never imagined the splendor that Everton has captured in these wonderful photographs.
When you look at one of these photographs,like the one on page 63 you have to be impressed with the light,shadows,clouds,forms,color,composition and all that has been captured in this photograph. Just think,this is a one-of--a-moment scene;that will change in a few short moments ,and this exact image will be lost forever,if not captured at the time.
This book will be looked at over and over again,and bring back many of the secens I enjoyed in these wonderful areas.Though,try as I did at the time,I only saw a glimmer of the splendor Everton has captured in this book. It takes skill,dedication ,patience and experience to "see" and capture these scenes in the way Everton does to share with us.
The book has top-notch paper,color rendition,printing and paper.However,this book has one weakness. The inside hinges are vere fragile and subject to breaking with minimal usage. I have already had to make repairs to my copy.

The Western Horizon honors the expansive beauty of U.S. topography west of the 100th meridian & east of the Pacific. Mary Heebner provides lightning commentary and subtle sketches complimenting her husband, photographer Macduff Everton, as he captures sites in inimitable ways. Together, they lift a creative curtain... and what a chronicle of our planet's passage they present!

Spectacular photographs are framed with informative prose-poetry re: geologic history and human wear. Many of the images are highlighted by magically addictive, cloud reflected light ... others are pure, simple zen. You gaze & graze on Earth's lines as they reach skyward. Time is everywhere. Many thanks to Abrams for yet another choice coffee table reference. Hopefully, Heebner & Everton will have an opportunity to soon grant us some more cardinal horizons. I'd rate The Western Horizon at no less than a full box of gold stars - it's a perfect book either to share or to savor alone.

This book deserves more than five stars for the unmatched color panoramas of the most picturesque horizons in the western United States.

You could visit these sites for twenty years and not see actual scenes as luscious as these. Whether you know the West or think you would like to, I suggest that you start with this remarkable book. This is the West as you've never seen it . . . but could. The wonderful photography is nicely complemented by the essays that provide geological and historical perspectives on the scenes portrayed here.

The photography is all done in 148 or 150 degree large format color panoramas. This perspective approximates what the human eyes can see, including peripheral vision. As a result, these images give you a remarkable sense of being present that is almost impossible to obtain in a book.

The reproduction quality is amazingly good, and the lighting and tones vary wonderfully from one outstanding photograph to the next. Almost all are displayed over an entire wide panorama-sized page, and many extend over parts of two such pages.

The feeling is so ethereal that it evokes the same sense of natural wonder that looking at paintings by the Hudson River School creates. There are in fact some parallels, as a few scenes include tiny people or animals in the foreground.

The book is divided into sections showing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Cascade range, the Pacific Northwest, and California. Although I have traveled extensively in the West for over 40 years, more than half of these scenes were new to me. I can see that I have many wonderful trips ahead of me to visit these locales, now that I know how gorgeous they are.

Here is a list of the sites:

Sand Hills, Nebraska

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Montana Prairie

Breaks of the Missouri

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park, Montana

Lemhi Pass, Montana

Mores Creek, Idaho

Aspen, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Grand Staircase -- Escalante National Monument, Utah

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Monument Valley Tribal Park, Arizona/Utah

Wupatki National National Monument, Arizona

Mount St. Helens

Crater Lake, Oregon

Mount Shasta, California

Oregon Coast

Big Sur, California

Santa Catalina, California

Yosemite, California

Mono Lake, California

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Death Valley, California

The text connects these boundless images to "a West of unlimited horizons" and the work of Turner in developing his frontier theory of the role of the West in stimulating American imagination and initiative. Even today, the book argues that the "unconstrained Western horizon" is important to our sense of taking on the new challenges of modern society.

Everyone who sees these photographs will agree that it would be horrible if these sights were ever to be spoiled. We are fortunate that government policy began to preserve these lands beginning in the 19th century. With today's challenges of pollution and visitors, perhaps even more will have to be done.

Reading and looking at this book is a spiritual journey, not unlike a peaceful meditation. If your spirit is troubled at all, I suggest this book as a balm that you can always use to ease your discomfort.

Live with beauty!

Wow. What a wonderful book that amazes me, everytime I open the cover. Everton seems to have complete control over the dynamics range in all of his photographs. Dark clouds yield to lighter, fluffy clouds, down to a light horizon, and a rich, dark lower 1/3 of these exposures. Add to this control his use of a tool that has limitations, at Noblex 150 panoramic camera.

Everton also captures locations that have already been widely photographed before, but with his own signature. He adds a new face to Calf Creek Falls in Utah. A must have book for your table.

I noticed that the writing on the front flap of the book jacket claimed that the images are large format panographs. After taking a close look at the first few images on pages 1-10, I came to the conclusion that these are panographs taken in 135 format not the medium format of the 120 or 220 types. Everton's notes of camera and film on page 7 confirmed my assessment. It is interesting that he departed from the usual practice of his peers by choosing the colour negative film Fuji NHG II rather than its sibling, the transparency film, Fuji Velvia 50. Though it does not have the punchy colours and high contrast of Velvia, NHG II gives softer colours in highlights and more shadow details. With negative films, mastery in controlling exposure is only half of the accomplishment, mastery in making prints is essential for bringing the final image to the masses. Everton said he developed his prints in a rental lab. If so, his craft is well done. The contrast control of each image is good with no lost of colour saturation and shadow details, even for heavily overcast landscape such as the one on Lemhi Pass (p56). About half of the images was taken at a time when a storm was approaching. Some even have a clearly visible rain curtain (p33,49,62). The panograph of the Great Sand Dune Monument (p62) is a real visual treat. The land and sky were connected by a rain pillar over the sand dune on the right, illuminated by the emerging light. The highlighted strip of the desert floor formed the visual anchor for the reader, guiding my eyes to start the journey from the lower left-hand side of the image then wander into the distant storm-covered horizon. The smoothness of the dunes form a visual contrast to the roughness of the storm clouds above. It is rare to see a rainstorm in a sandy desert let alone under such magical lighting. Capturing fleeing moments like this calls for great patience and skill on the photographer's part. The panograph of Lower Geyser Basin is my second favourite (p49). The steam pillar jetted out of the geyser is the force within the deep earth whereas the heaven is owned by the menacing storm dumping torrents of rain from above. I couldn't stop asking if this image was taken on Planet Earth or near Mount Doom of Middle Earth in Tokkien's fantasy. My other favourite is the panograph of the Lower Calf Creek Falls (p72). Here stillness and transquility was interrupted by the gushing waterfall. The branches of the two trees at the foreground formed a perfect arch that frames the waterfall. This is a stage built by Nature where we are invited to sit in front and be immersed in the sound of moving waters.
The map next to Everton's preface showed not only the places where the images were taken but confirmed the warning that American wilderness is an endangered specie. The rest of the writings is simply an eloquent elaboration of this urgent issue. This book is another quality publication from Abrams Inc. I give it four out of five stars.

That Thinley Norbu Rinpoche has an idiosyncratic way of using English, that much will be agreed on by both his admirers and detractors. Some of my close friends (for what it's worth, long-time Buddhist practitioners like myself) find him hard to read, I know. However, in recent years I have come to appreciate especially this book very much.
His "Magic Dance" is delightfully poetic in style but here, in "White Sail," Rinpoche is almost stridently attempting to introduce we Westerners to that point of view which is the authentic Middle Way. Particularly he is steering us away from the extremes of both eternalism and nihilism, the latter most especially. Given that to understand the philosophical position of Buddhism fully one has to be a fully enlightened buddha, then those who aspire to follow the Buddhist path really should not take exception to being schooled in what that is and is not.
Some may stress that Buddhism transcends all points of view. This may be true but there is a path to be followed to attain that transcendence and for that journey a guide is required. Such a guide is Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, who does not fail to communicate the authentic (yes, again I say authentic) Buddhadharma.
Thankyou, Rinpoche, for this inspiring and instructive book.

Thinley Norbu's heart energy is expressed stainlessly in White Sail.. It is pure, direct essence of DzogChen. Read it every day forever; it will always be fresh.

While I'm not much of an intellectual I do take the study of Tibetan texts pretty seriously. What I especially like about this book is that Thinley Norbu Rinpoche has taken some of the most basic and at the same time most profound teachings of the Vajrayana and made them especially accessible to everyone. He begins the book's preface with a small quotation of Patrul Rinpoche;

"Those who intend to benefit others through holy teachings
Do not use elaborate terms and poetry.
The pure path is shown with the simple words of the laity.
That is the sublime method of the Bodhisattvas."

The book absolutely remains true to these words of advice. It can be picked up and read a bit at a time over days, months or years, as each chapter covers a different topic. It can be read sequentially or randomly and enjoyed. In some ways it reminds me a bit of the classic, "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" in that it is a book to be read again and again at intervals in ones life and I think it will remain fresh with each reading.

On a personal note, my copy lives in a zip-lock bag in my rucksack. I like having it around me to pick up and read a few lines whenever I have a free moment. It is like breathing fresh air and clarity.

Like Trungpa Rinpoche's Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, White Sail's purpose seems to be the establishment of a clear and direct view from which those new to Buddhist practice can approach and gainfully engage Dharma. Pointing out typical obstacles and pitfalls, and appropriate paths, is a challenging tasks. Thinley Norbu Rinpoche succeeds admirably at defunking and debunking certain misunderstandings that have wound themselves around (for example) the use of Buddhist philosophy and deity practice. White Sail clarifies. Potent reading.

This is not a conventional "Dharma Book." Rinpoche's style is poetic, digressive, recursive. His refrains arise again and again in new keys and contexts, giving a texture some readers may find confusing or off-putting. I find it refreshing and precise. Also, Rinpoche does not seem interested in making compromises with anyone's incapacities. If goop is your game (that is, if you want someone to comfort you in a bedroll of boloney), this text is not for you. My only complaint is that it isn't 300 pages longer and that much broader in scope.

I earnestly hope this book finds a wide and receptive audience among English-language readers for many decades in the future. In one lifetime or another, I would love to meet the author and offer him my deepest gratitude for this teaching.

Homage to the herukas and dakinis, all true teachers, and the Wrathful Guru Takhyung Barwa!

A very profound book, which is exceedingly well written. I was astonished at the superb and erudite use of the English language as well as the amazing explanations. You will not find a better guide to enlightenment. I strongly recommend buying this book.

I REALLY ENJOYED THE BOOK I WISH YOUR BOOK ABOUT STRIKING THUNDER WOULD COME OUT SOONER THAN YEAR 2000 !

The story of White Wolf leading the wagon train to Oregon touches every emotion. Susan Edwards weaves a beautiful story in a book that is hard to put down once begun.

"WHITE WOLF", my favorite of Susan Edwards popular White series, pulled at my heart strings. Susan has a great flare for bringing her characters vividly alive so you feel a part of the story. The rugged Oregon trail had you sweating and your feet hurting as you walk behind the wagons. Yet, the picturesque landscape catches your breath. Jessie, my favorite character, had me chuckling at her antics as she imitated a boy. This character gave a twist to a romance out of the ordinary. I highly recommend Ms. Edward's "White Series", a reading experience you'll thoroughly enjoy.

Jessica and her three brothers, James, Jordon, and Jeremy are headed for a new life in Oregon. Only the new wagon master, White Wolf, has a rule against single women in his wagon train. A twist of fate sends Jessica along with her brothers anyway, dressed as a boy. White Wolf is walking two roads in life, not knowing which one he belongs too. He had been sent back east to a white man's school as a child, where he was beaten for minor transgressions. I wished Ms. Edwards wrote more about his time at the school. Due to a betrayal of a woman heading for Oregon, White Wolf will not tolerate single women on the train. The character's in the story were very interesting and you meet many people for her future books. One of my favorite characters is Jordon's wife, Coralie, I was impressed with the way Ms. Edwards brought around her change without making it too drastic. Jessica has a firy temper, but fortunatly it does not lead her to jump to too many conclusion. In all I found this a very interesting novel though I wished to learn more about White Wolf's past while reading it. Still, this was a wonderfully, sweet book.

Tomboy Jessie Jones is furious with her three brothers. They had all been planning to go West for a long time, and then all of a sudden, they break the news to her that she can't go! That they're willing to split up the family because a half-breed Indian wagon master doesn't allow single women in his wagon train. But when she confronts White Wolf, she's mistaken for a boy, and finds out, that if she lies, that she can go after all!

Wolf knows that the youngest Jones boy is a trouble maker without a doubt. So he gives Jessie the most tiring tasks so he'll be too exhausted to get into mischief. But when he finds out he's really a she, he get even. And all the while, the two of them are falling in love. But before they can have a life together they need to figure out what Wolf's duty is to his tribe.

This was the best book in the whole series. I loved Jessie. She was the strongest heroine without being too stubborn and pushy. And Wolf was your star wounded hero. Gruff and stubborn on the outside, but a heart of gold on the inside. This book was so well written. The secondary characters, who was everyone in the wagon train, were excellent editions to this story, and the relationship between Jessie and the youngest brother Jeremy, was so sweet. I almost couldn't wait for his story, White Dove, who ends up being Wolf's youngest sister. James, the oldest, has his own story too, White Nights. You can't help but love the Jones'. Also, when they get together with White Wind and Golden Eagle, Wolf's parents, and the rest of the family, you know it's got to be wonderful.