Lincoln Books

I have the original 1894 version of this book and have enjoyed it for many years. The perspective of battles is fresh in comparison to the history books of today.There is so much more in this book, the engravings and pictures are wonderful. I would highly recommend even a copy.

This review comes from a reading of the original 1894 edition. Filled with many obscure and forgotten details, this book is a treasure for Civil War historians. Songs, complete with full lyrics, as well as specific orders of battle give this reading a timely presence. Written in the traditional language of the era, the events have a kind of realism that brings you face to face with history. Originally this volume was sold by subscription only @ N.Y. BY KNIGHT AND BROWN. After having this book in my possession for many years it is very exciting to see that it has been reprinted at long last.

The Civil War was the most important conflict the U.S. has ever been involved in, bar none. The military, ethical, and governmental consequences have been enormous. Campfire & Battlefield gives us a unique perspective of this great event.

If,like me,you already have scores of scholarly books on castles, and are looking for a stunning visual reference crammed with oversized, beautiful aerial photos of castles from all over the world, look no further. This is it.

This is a stellar collection of aerial views of castles all over Europe and ranging as far East as Turkey. While showing no author or even photographer credits, the brief text and very short captions merely offer context for the main show--the wonderful oversize two-page spread color plates showing the great variety of castle layouts as well as some later fortifications, including some seacoast defense sites. Arranged in rough geographical order, this is a veritable aerial voyage offering views you simply can't get on your own lacking a private plane or helicopter. I've seen many of these places--but never from these angles. It is great to see a castle book that does not rely on the usual photos, let alone the usual places. There are a host of sites shown here that are new to me and make me want to head off on yet another castle trek. In all, well worth the money---a sheer delight.

A gorgeous collection of European castles from the air, with just a bit of identification on each rather than a description.

Long introduction on castles and history. Included several castle sites that were new to me.

Beautifully photographed, occasionally from a non-traditional vantage. (Example: Segovia is normally shown looking up at the north side, here it's shown as an aerial view from the west side)

No author is listed. I hope they'll do another volume with many more castles. The book makes one want so many more photos, especially of such splendors as Krak Des Chevaliers.

A great book for the child who loves cats.

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

I *love* this book- the story of the grumpy kitty who is momentarily displaced in his little girl's life by a new teddy bear. Teaches sharing and tolerance, and the art is wonderful. I've given copies to most of the new moms I know, plus reserved a copy for myself.

This book will appeal to cat and teddy lovers as well as children. The message of rivalry is simple and plain enough for even young children to understand. It is a delightful book with wonderful art work.

the book was great even the end

The book The Clock by James Lincoln Collier was an excellent book, although there were some not so great parts with good detail. There was a lot of talking and traveling about the late 1800s to the early 1900s that became boring and uninteresting, however Mr. Collier still did a good job with the details. The book took place in Connecticut on a farm. The main character is a girl who is forced to work in the mill because her father buys a lot of junk that puts her family in debt. Her brother is already working in the wood shop and her friend Rob is working in the mill. The mill headmaster is believed to be stealing wool and harassing the men and women working there. The ending will really surprise you if like historical fiction. The girl's friend, Robert, dies while deicing the water wheel, and the girl gets in a lot of trouble because no one is listening to her and her father wants her to stay in the mill.

"Clocks," one of the volumes in the Great Inventions series, is not just about clocks but about keeping time going back to a piece of bone 30,000 years old, found in France, that bears scratch marks that are believed to have indicated the cycles of the moon. In this very informative volume James Lincoln Collier looks at how human beings have attempted to measure time through not only clocks but also calendars. The first chapter provides a lesson in how astronomy, the study of celestial bodies, established the relationship between the regular cycles of the planets, stars, Sun, Moon, and Earth and the measurement of time.

The next chatper is devoted to the start of timekeeping in the Middle East and the early methods used by the Romans, Chinese, and Mayans. Collier then focuses on the great "escapement," a term that refers to the device in a mechanical movement that controls the rotation of the wheels and therefore the motion of the hands on a clock. It was the invention of early devices using this principle that shifted people away from the system of unequal hours (just the idea that this was once the practice in Europe gives you a sense of the breadth and depth of detail in this volume). There are diagrams and a model of the legendary Su Sung Clock escapement mechanism that was powered by water and well as the Wells Clock of 1392.

Other chapters are devoted to the impact of springs and pendulums of creating new types of clocks, the decision to work out the problems in the Julian calendar (which was fractionally longer than the actual solar year), and how time was important to the question of navigation. The final chapters look at how clocks became inexpensive enough for everybody to have one so that by the end of World War II it was possible for everyone to know what time it was all the time, and the current state of time telling which is now all about atomic time for an atomic world.

What makes this an excellent book is that Collier consistently explains how and why things developed when it came to clocks, calendars, and other timekeeping devices and practices. I am one of the least mechanically inclined people on the face of the earth and do not even own a wristwatch, and I found this book fascinating. Collier takes the trouble of explaining how the devices worked in terms that even I can understand. The book is illustrated with historic prints as well as contemporary photographs and diagrams touching on the keeping of time. Other titles in the Great Inventions series look at "The Cotton Gin," "Gunpowder and Weaponry," "The Printing Pres," and "Vaccines."

I am studying Interior Design...and this book is great! It is easy to read and very helpful!

I own about 25 books on interior design and home decoration. This is certainly in my top three, and probably the most oft consulted of them all. Each chapter covers one of the basic colours, from green and blue through to pinks and neutrals. But after this sparse description it is hard to convey the beauty and depth of this book. When I say cover a colour, I mean really explore it. It's cool version, warm version, soft, light, borderline with its neighbouring colour on the colour wheel.

And the way that each colour is covered is unique. Very minimal (but useful) text, and instead full page pictures of utterly inspiring interiors featuring the colour tone/intensity on each and every page. It uses excellent photographs from a wide and rich range of interior design. All true to life from real (moderna and historical) homes - and usually illustrating a good marriage between a particular colour/shade and the style it most compliments. Going through it, one soon becomes aware of one's taste. The pictures are so good - so evocative of the theme of that particular colour - that one has a simple emotional response of things like "love", "comforting", "not me", "does nothing for me", "joyful", etc. Using this book and trusting my visceral response to the delightful, subtle shades on each page, I virtually decorated my whole house.

A very sophisticated book on colour, that speaks to us in the most simple of ways - through the eye to the heart.

This book has many traditional rooms, but because it is not new, the "contemporary" rooms tend to look a little dated now. Funny how the old days look better than the recent past. What set it apart for me was the text, which discusses the history of color in decoration and is extremely interesting without being long, and the information on pigment reactions in making ones own paint. She includes several pages of different pigments mixed together in the back, as well as a discussion of different wall painting mediums. As a painter making my own lime wash, this book, while not a complete reference, gave a few invaluable details that made my project a success, and I really only bought it to see the photos of rooms in different colors.

This book contains spectacular photography through-out: both photos that highlight the artistry of finished works and the close-up, clear, work-in-progress photos that highlight techniques for successful projects. Accompanying text is very readable, and contains a wealth of information about pebble mosaics. I bought the book for the photographs, but was also fascinated by the information about the people and communities that came together to create stunning mosaics to enhance public spaces in their towns.

Good overview of pebble mosaics with very helpful information on materials and techniques. The book also has good examples of works by professional mosaicists in the field of pebblework.

Maggy Howarth's COMPLETE PEBBLE MOSAIC HANDBOOK provides a review of pebble mosaics which can be used in gardens, patios and public places. Artists, landscapers, and any with a special interest in the design qualities of these mosaics will find this a beautiful collection which not only provides step-by-step insights, but includes a survey of traditional works by contemporary pebble mosaic artists.

We picked this book up from the library. The only time I don't have to read it to my 18-month old again and again is if her daddy is in the room when I finish. Then she scoots off my lap and runs to give him a great big hug! Kudos to "Dad Mine" for reminding my daughter that her dad is pretty great.

I bought this book and its companion (Mom Mine) for my toddler (23 months) as a gift when we brought our newborn home from the hospital last month. I wanted these books to help her understand that our feelings for her haven't changed with the new addition to our family. She loves these books and asks us to read them to her several times a day. The pictures are so cute, and since she can be quick to turn the pages, there's not a lot of reading involved. She understands the message of the books, too. She smiles and leans in for a hug when we finish each one. I would highly recommend these books if you have a toddler and are getting ready to have a new baby. These books have only helped strengthen the bond we already had with our firstborn.

This would be good for a Father's Day gift or similar. I think I can recite the whole thing, since my 16 month old daughter makes me read it 100 times a day. "Dad Day, Dad Night, Dad Black, Dad White, Dad Country, Dad Town, Dad Up, Dad Down, Dad Big, Dad Small, Dad Mine, Best of All!" OK, I am probably missing a dad or two, but you get the picture!

The illustrations are very pretty, and the child shown at the end could be a boy or a girl, so my daughter of course thinks it's a picture of her! Nice book overall.

This book is a good introduction to the complex history of humans and plants. Indeed, this is such an essential relationship, extending from basic foodstuffs and clothing to biofuels, narcotics and medicines, that one could argue this relationship has defined us as a species. The author reveals many plants that I'd never heard of as being candidates for either further research or potential as new snakeoils for a society willing to believe nature hides the next "magic bullet" against what ails us. The fascination of people with sex, immortality, intoxication and beauty will continue to compel mankind to seek succor and solace in the chlorophyll kingdom. The marriage can never be broken, to be sure, but a lack of understanding of what plants can realy deliver will often result in people's disillusionment with the initial promise of paradise. Little wonder that Genesis used a fruit as the symbol of man's hopes and dashed dreams.

"Dangerous Garden" is an EXCELLENT book on the history of plants and how humans interact with plants, a topic that I stumbled onto only about a couple of years ago. The book is broken up into eight chapters that cover about 200 pages. There are lots of pictures and color plates, so each chapter is almost a stand-alone section that is just the right length to be read over an afternoon or spread out over a couple of nights at bedtime.

Each chapter covers a category of use or effect that humans have tried to get out of plants. The chapters are:
- The Great Afflictions, covering plants thought to affect diseases such as bubonic plague, malaria and leprosy.
- The Vital Organs, covering plants thought to affect vital organs such as the heart, stomach, etc.
- The Flight from Pain, or the search for pain-relievers, with an extensive section on opium.
- Chasing Venus, which is kind of self-explanatory.
- The Killing Plants, very self-explanatory.
- The Seven Ages of Man, meaning plants that are supposed to prolong life, maintain a youthful appearance, or otherwise slow the passage of time.
- The Mind, or plants that affect the mind and have been both revered and demonized because of it, including marijuana, cocaine, tobacco and qat.
- The Mysteries of the Gods, which covers plants used in religious and shamanic ceremonies, such as peyote.

The book is definitely not a lightweight and people looking for serious information will find a lot of worth. Plants are referred to both by their common name and their scientific names and the index covers both types of terms as well. The Bibliography includes books from 1516 to the 1990s, and the Author's Acknowledgments on the last page list a number of good websites as well.

Stuart discusses the historical uses of various plants and how some plants have gone from being cure-alls in the past to being either banned or sold in the grocery-store spice aisle now. He spends a lot of time on the concept of Janus plants, which are "two-faced" plants, meaning they can both harm and heal, and he also discusses fads in medicine, including a long period of time in the middle ages where if a plant had a visible effect it was thought to be better than one that didn't have a visible effect, so plants that made people sweaty, feverish, nauseous, sleepy, etc. were prescribed in amounts that are horrifying by today's standards.

Some authors talk down to readers, but this author absolutely does not and will jump from discussion of which 19th-century herbal contained which plant to discussion of the exact chemical names of the active alkaloids in a plant, if they are unknown than which other known alkaloids do they resemble, and what current research is being done and current uses and/or speculation.

There are also numerous little facts sprinkled here and there throughout the book which the author clearly can't spend much time on because of space but which are equally fascinating in themselves, such as:
- (pg 188) Morning glory has LSD-like components that have been much studied and have variable effects in mice, rabbits and humans, with some people feeling little effect and other getting a full "trip", although often an unpleasant one.
- (pgs 7-8) Rhubarb was once thought to be an aphrodisiac by the Romans and a cure for a form of malaria by medieval herbalists; until the mid-1500s it was only available to Europe as imported dried roots.
- (pgs 69-70) There was once a great hospital atop Soutra Hill in Scotland, south of Edinburgh, its first charter dated from 1108 (!) and it reached its epogee in 1462 and was finally closed in the 1500s, razed by the late 1800s and its drains, cesspits and middens began to be excavated in the 1980s.

I could go on for pages more, but I will digress. In short, if you like history and if you like plants, you'll probably like this book.

I absolutely loved this book! Not only was it interesting and compelling reading but the book was full of incredibly obscure but very enlightening information about the usage history of the plants covered. Mr. Stuart also gave (in the majority of instances) the specific botanical names of the plants and other related species which is rare in non-scientific "History of Plants" books. The selection of illustrations was absolutely superb.

The only negative that I have about this book is that Mr. Stuart frequently listed vague references to scientific "studies" that proved his points about certain plants but there was no information, footnoted or otherwise, to definitively identitify these "studies". He also had a few scattered references to plants mentioned in unspecified publications. Who did these studies and who printed these stories? In a book of this nature, I expect to have facts and sources laid out a bit more thoroughly.

I still gave this book FIVE STARS because it was so much fun to read. I have lots of other books with which to cross reference and confirm some of the more vague references so I wasn't particularly distressed by the oversight although, in my view, if you are going to thoroughly research and document some things, then you should thoroughly research and document everything.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is a fascinating book of letters to Abe Lincoln by people from all walks of life. Some are terribly moving as the one by the widow of a veteran asking for a referral. Some are eye openers filled with hate that are comical until one pauses to think of the consequences. There are even mundane letters such as the one from ex-president Buchanan asking for a set of his history books to be returned. In reading this book one can often be transposed to a different era, a different mindset, and a different century. This is the grist mill of history. I am so saddened that this book is out of print. Thank goodness I ordered my copy from Amazon.com about 1.5 years ago. If you can possibly get this volume somewhere grab it. Well worth your perusal.

I found "Dear Mr. Lincoln" to be facinating because it contains correspondence Lincoln received from the famous to the unknown; from the educated to the illiterate; from wealthy white men, to poor ex-slaves and women. It also includes letters from children, and many other people during Lincoln's era. Much of this material is funny, some sad, but always interesting. "Dear Mr. Lincoln" is a definite buy for serious Lincoln fans.

From the distant cousin who, based upon Abe's knowing him so well, "wulda thot I culd a gaht a job!" to the ministers who sought to pray to the political leaders who sought to have their advice taken to heart, this is a wonderful view of Civil War America. The letters are of course the focal point of the book. But it is what they say in their totality rather than individually that impresses. Lincoln heard from all facets of his nation. (And this was before e-mail and telephones!) He heard little of approval and much of dis-approval from critique to hatred. A great mass of mothers seeking draft exemptions, fathers wanting postmasters' jobs, and preachers seeking to show him the light bombarded the Presidential desk. Some were poignant. A few were even wise. All, in total, were America. Equally fascinating is the first portion of the book which is a thumbnail but thorough history of the Presidential "staff" which eventually grew to three people in number! A great book!

This book provides excellent practical guides on how to design welded structures, torsion boxes, sheaves, columns, beams, etc. Example calculations are given with plenty of illustrations and diagrams. It is a fantastic design tool for any Mechanical Engineer in the field of structural design.

I have not come across any book which covers in detail weldments.All aspects of weld related loading and stresses are covered.

This book covers the design of welded "things" other that buildings and structures. The emphasis is on machine tools, and the replacement of castings with lighter, stronger, cheaper arc welded fabrications. There are plenty of design rules, guides and graphs usable without calculus by designers, draftsmen, and mechanics - you do not have to be P.H.D. to use this clear, well written text.