Nevada Books

At one time, perhaps when few were able to travel, this book would have been a gem. If you enjoy detailed descriptions, incredibly well written, you will enjoy this book. But for me, I will just continue to revere John Muir for the inspirational human he was!

Some say this is Muir's finest work. As the only other Muir book I've read (at this writing) is Travels in Alaska, I cannot comment on this, other than to say that I enjoyed this book a great deal.
From almost any vantage point in California, whether near or on a distant horizon, there are mountains. A fact not lost on Muir, whose sense of wonder and love of life endear him to his readers.
"God's glacial-mills grind slowly, but they have been kept in motion long enough in California to grind sufficient soil for a glorious abundance of life ... In so wild and so beautiful a region [was spent my day], every sight and sound inspiring, leading one far out of himself, yet feeding and building up his individuality."
Muir was the consummate man in nature. Anyone who is indifferent to Muir's writing may simply be indifferent to wonderment itself. I have no doubt that if Muir were placed in a room with the great kings and generals and tycoons and empire builders of history, he would appear singularly as a man among men. Unimpressed with their pomp and bluster over rotting empire, he might soon command more attention than they, and many would be happily listening to Muir in spite of their self importance. Why? He would have the most interesting insights, offered poetically and in a most humble and charming way. ... (in fact Muir was sought out by the great politicians and philosophers of his day).
If you like mountains, if you like California, if you like trees and glacier-fed streams, you will like this book.

As a Birder, I spend a lot of time travelling outdoors.I also have a large collection of Bird and Nature books and spend a great amount of time in them.For pure enjoyment;I found this one of the finest.Muir was as one of America,s greatest partakers in and writers of Nature and Enviroment and was in every way as much a giant as the Sequois and Mountains he wrore about.I read this Classic a short time before I visited Yosemite National Park and having done so,encreased my enjoyment and appreciation immeasurably.
After many years of reading,I have come to the conclusion ,that I tend to like books about people I would liked to have known,or to spend some time with.What an experience it would have been to have known and travelled with Muir. While that is impossible;at least we have his writings and can dream.

muir describes the sierras with detail and love. he is one of the few authors who is content just to be in and describe a landscape. and what a description!. he describes the evolution of glaciaral lakes to the hights of mount ritter and the migrations of deer and native peoples. a great book i recoment it to anyone who loves the outdoors.

The question is not whether Muir is a terrific writer-but how he got that way, and secondarily, why it is important. The Mountains of California was his first book, published in 1894, and was an instant success. This book contains not just some of the best nature writing, but for its vividness, immediacy and vision some of the best writing in English in any genre. Modern Library's edition is quite special with its introduction to Muir by Bill McKibbon and about 50 illustrations, though I wished there were better maps for following the footsteps of Muir's many great narratives among the fabulous natural wonders of the Sierra.

Muir succeeds in his writing in ways that Emerson and Thoreau fall short. Emerson's nature is an internal construct, almost a habit of mind. Thoreau conveys something of the immediacy of Muir in selected writing (and he, like Muir, actually immerses himself in nature itself), but his writings and especially his journals seem chaotic at times and lack a unifying vision.

Muir, on the other hand, always draws the reader forward from one vision to another, each one more fantastic than the previous.

My favorite passages are his descent into the Merced Glacier (in "the Glaciers"), and his description of being on the high slopes during a major windstorm when he climbs a swaying pine to get an even better look. His description of the Giant Sequoia is a work of great subtlety and richness--I seriously doubt you will find a more enchanting description of the two California Species of Sequoia anywhere.

This work abounds with rich and sensuous passages that are descriptions of actual experiences in over a decade of exploring, mostly alone, in the high Sierras. The strength of Muir's writing is based on the depth of his emotional experience of nature-his very personal relationship to the whole and many specific animals, trees and features of the landscape. You would say that it's mystical except for the fact that it's very sensual and very concrete. Muir employs religious language though he never becomes ethereal or abstract as Emerson sometimes does. The reader is always right in the immediate moment of the present listening to Muir's voice. And that suggests another reason why this writing is great. Muir's Scottish heritage (he was born in Dunbar Scotland in 1838) has provided him with a rich, luxurious and slightly exotic vocabulary for describing all the natural wonders that he sees, feels, and hears. It's a voice like no other in American writing.

Of course, the reason it is important is because of what Muir spawned through his vision and experience-he was the true creator of the conservation movement leading to modern environmentalism. I should say that this work is all luxurious description and scientific discussion and rarely becomes didactic or preachy-as modern environmental writers sometimes do. It is not fashionable to think that one person of vision can create so much;but it's hard to conclude otherwise about Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, after reading this work.

This is a very good book which clarifies very well the complex phenomenon of nationalism and in particular national identity. What I find particularly fascinating in Smith's research and style is his quite unique position between what I find a bit too convenient the modernist approach which is too positivistic in my opinion, and on the other hand a nationalist position which is typically too naive.
The item I got was in perfect condition. Very pleased.

The author has spent much of his academic career exploring the roots and issues involved with nationalism and its philosophical core "national identity". While the work is under 200 pages, it is by no means light reading. It is clearly aimed at the colligate level as a foundational text.

The book is intellectually filling, but the author makes you earn it. The sweeping historical references and numerous analogies hit the mark, but require a good deal of background knowledge.

The author correctly goes beyond the standard Western/European view of nationalism and uses the national identity model to include most of the globe, though his theories start to run a little thin the further one gets from the intellectual reach of the West. The work was published in 1991 and its theories proved correct as ethnic and cultural factors fueled conflict throughout the decade from Bosnia to Rwanda.

This book contains many ideas propogated by Anthony Smith in many of his other books (i.e., _State and Nation in the Third World_, _The Ethnic Origin of Nations_, _Nations and Nationalism in a Global Era_) but combines them into one short volume.

Smith first focuses on the ethnic past of nations while also pointing out the differences between ethnic groups and modern nations. He moves through a short history of ethnic groups and nations, asking the important question of whether ancient Egypt, Israel and Greece were ethnic nations before examining the medieval cases of England and France. In all cases he puts emphasis on the importance of the homeland, a concept which can hardly be overemphasized in dealing with national identity.

He then moves to a typology of nationalism, claiming that 'nationalism-in-general is merely a lazy historian's escape'. He examines the oft-neglected cultural aspect of nationalism, one that was at its height in nineteenth-century Europe but which has been replaced in the news today by genocide and ethnic cleansing.

Moving on to the impact of colonialism, imperialism and decolonization on the development of national identity, Smith spends a good amount of time on non-European nations like Egypt, Ethiopia and India. He shows again how difficult it is to generalize about nationalism, especially outside Europe.

Finally, Smith looks to the future, asking the inevitable question of whether nations and national identity are doomed. He argues that any attempt to supersede national identity, e.g. the creation of a European identity around the EU, must inevitably draw in so many aspects of national identity that it is merely another form of national identity. Smith claims that, just as national identity has been with us for quite some time, it will remain for a while as well.

A well-argued and concise book.

First let me give credit where credit is due; Smith is clearly a top-rate scholar and his knowledge of the subject matter is uncontested. That being said, I found this book to be incredibly dry and somewhat biased. Smith writes in an extremely methodical and academic style that makes for some tough reading. And while he doesn't show outright hostility towards his subject, he makes it clear that he sees nationalism as something of a hindrance to "human progress."

Smith painstakingly scrutinizes the origins, characteristics, and consequences of national identity and it's political manifestation, nationalism. He describes the importance of ethnicity, culture, and common myths and symbols to the nationalist state and also discusses the impact that nationalist ideologies have had on regional and world affairs. He compares this phenemenon to other forms of collective identity and comes to the conclusion that national identity exerts a "more potent and durable influence than any other collective identity" and will continue to do so well into the future. He also discusses possible alternatives to nationalism.

While his descriptions are certainly not wrong, I think the nationalism that Smith describes is an extreme one. As someone who considers himself a nationalist, I certainly don't believe I am part of a "chosen people" and I don't look back to any "golden age." As with any ideology or movement, there are varying degrees of nationalism and Smith really only describes a "fundamentalist" version. Those caveats aside, this is a solid, scholarly work that serves as a valuable introduction to nationalism and natioanl identity.

I liked. Smith writes not only definitions on traditional concepts (like nationalism) but also introduces an interesting analysis about ethnonationalism. I do not agree in some coments (like his concept of "lateral ethnic communities"), but it is still a good book. Roberto Remes

Jade with her sister and brother are searching for their father in Nevada. Jade a victim of TB is planning to settle near the claim of her father's and paint. She meets Roark Montgomery who is searching for her father to arrest him for a murder and crippling his father. Jade must conquer her inferiority complex and Roark must learn to forgive. Can they overcome their problems and have a future together? This is book's outline is too much like Desert Rose. By Ruth Thompson author of "Natchez Above The River" and The Bluegrass Dream

Natchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early Settlers

The other reviewers have said as much as I could say about how great this book is, but just a warning--if you already read or have Desert Rose by the same author, Nevada Jade is the same basic story, with different names. It isn't an exact copy; Desert Rose has been expanded and a some details changed, but for the most part the story is the same. Nevada Jade is still worth buying, though, just because Linda Chaikin is such a great author and tells a wonderful story.

This book is so good! I couldn't put it down! I recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian romances.

Wow! I really enjoyed this one of Linda Chaikin's first novels. It took me awhile to find it and purchase it but I think it was well worth the wait. This book is about a young woman named Jade travelling with her sister, Holly and brother, Shaun to Nevada in 1860 searching for their father, Thomas O'Neil. Jade O'Neil has had a long bout with sickness (tubercluosis) but is determined to settle in at their father's claim and make a living by the portraits she paints. Roark Montgomery is also looking for Thomas O'Neil but to bring him to justice for killing a man and crippling his father who was a well-respected surgeon. Jade and Roark meet as they both search for Thomas and Jade finds herself drawn to the lawman who has come to arrest her father. She also feels depressed about her long illness and was already hurt in her last courtship. She learns that the Lord has good plans for her despite her illness and that she is precious in His sight. Roark must struggle with the feelings of revenge and forgive the man who has shot and crippled his beloved father. A great story on love, forgiveness, romance and discovering one's worth to the Lord. I will read this one again and again.

This is a really excellent book by Linda Chaikin! It's about a young woman named Jade who is weak from almost a lifelong illness known as Tuberculosis and her battles with feelings of unworthiness. Nevada Jade is a very enthralling book about compassion and learning to trust God with ALL the details, including the ones that we pretend don't exist.

This book is a hoot! Maybe it won't be classified a great literature, but it is vastly enjoyable-- a fun read. In these times of stress, angst, anxiety, etc., emotions seemingly caused by the conditions of life these days, what is more valuable to any of us than to have our spirits lifted by a chuckle or outloud laugh? OSTRICH entertains and amuses while slipping in some astute observations about humans and their foibles. Almost as important here are the animals who the author seems to understand as kindred, not too different from the rest of us. If one can read this and not be charmed by all the characters, two-legged, four-legged, and one even feathered; that person must be beyond hope. Try it, you'll like it.

A great comedy with a classic and predictable storyline. However, what makes the difference is that Thomas, in my mind, elevates the human and animal characters to the same level and as a result it is extremely entertaining to follow how animal logic manages and prevails over human ambition towards sorting things out.

Didn't think a book on this topic could tell such a great story. Funny, interesting, and an author with a talent for drawing up characters and developng them brilliantly.

Ostrich was a charming book. VJ and Ev, best friends with totally opposite views and energy levels, are such delightful characters. They play off one another in a way that lets the reader get to know them thoroughly. Sabine and Magda, husband and wife, interact in a truely remarkable and heart-warming way, giving and taking, balancing stubbornness with love. Their three daughters, especially Rosa, are well-drawn and vital characters. And the Colonel, he's a very funny piece of work. Put these interesting characters, and their relationships, into a mix of animals including donkeys, poodles, sheep, and a hair-raising baby ostrich and you'll find as much delight as I did. Michael Thomas has a winner here.

Because I'm usually not the the type of person that reads light-hearted books, I didn't know quite what to expect when I picked up "Ostrich." The book didn't let me down.

Mike Thomas does a good job of showing the reader the world through his characters' eyes, thus making even the repugnant personalaties in the book quite endearing. When I started the book, I wasn't sure that I would be able to read it through to the end, but by about a quarter of the way into it, I found myself hoping for the next chapter in order to find out how the characters would fare. In the meantime, interspersed throughout the book are nuggets of wisdom on topics that range from love to animal husbandry.

This is the kind of book that makes you want to dog-ear the pages containing these nuggets of wisdom, because you'll want to find them at a later time. If you're looking for an uplifting read, I don't think you can really go wrong with "Ostrich."

We went to some locations near Reno, NV. We tried 5 of them and 4 were accurate, 1 site was built on. The way the directions were given were precise and led us to some fabulous finds that locals don't even know. This is a book I would definitely recommand to other rockhounds.

Good resources for finding specific spots directions are really vague but considering where this is at not bad. Would have liked to had color pictures. But overall a good buy.

Excellent book! The directions are easy to follow and you find everything the author says you will. I visited 6 sites so far and am looking forward to visiting all of them.

This is a great guide . I have visited 10 of the sites so far . The directions are great - everything is right where they say it will be . I have found some really great rocks thanks to this guide. If you live in Nevada and like rockhounding don't pass this one up.

Kappele has a nice feel for including the information a reader wants. I visited the seven McDermitt sites this summer and I felt like I was in good hands. The maps aren't to scale, but they guide you in pretty well. We also used a BLM map and the Delorme Guide (for Oregon) to feel more secure, plus we used GPS quite a bit, so pinpoint GPS readings would help. McDermitt is an overwhelming place to search.

I had less luck at the trilobite locale near Beatty. I got skunked, but I didn't spend enough time there to really give it a proper test.

The cost of the book would be prohibitive with color pictures; this is a low-cost guide book. A few more pictures would be good, tho. I like the writer's tone; he feels friendly and is probably someone who would be fun to go out and collect with.

Like many major mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada has a unique flora, and I've found this to be a useful guide in learning about it. It has good descriptions of the plants, but the photos are often not the best--at least in the volume I have--but they're still good enough to work with. Perhaps the plates were just getting old. It is, however, reasonably complete, and compact enough to be portable. It contains a great deal of useful information, such as species lists, some basic ecology of the sierras, and as I said, the species descriptions. Overall, it's a good book for the already fairly competent amateur, but if you're a beginner, you should probably look elsewhere since this book presumes too much previous knowledge.

This book is valuable because it's complete and compact enough to carry in a backpack. Unfortunately, it has enough drawbacks that I wish someone else would write a better book to compete with it.
One example of its problems is when I tried to use it to identify a daisy. The index showed no listing for daisy, so I looked through the Aster family section the hard way, and eventually found the genus Erigeron (which turned out to be indexed under "wild daisy"). Unlike most genera, the book only provides a key for this genus, and omits the usual species description that includes things like plant height that I rely on to confirm the guesses that I make from the key.
I've found an unusually large number of anomalies where I suspect the book is simply wrong. For instance, it says Lupinus adsurgens leaflets are 2-5 mm long, whereas Jepsen says they're 20-50 mm long (I suspect Jepsen is right).
Experienced botanists will find this book to be a worthwhile supplement to Jepsen. Amateurs should look elsewhere, and probably settle for something that only tries to cover the most interesting flowers.

This is the 1st flora I grab when I'm hiking in the Sierras and I've used them all extensively. I've used it to successfully ID several hundred plants. It requires and average amount of technical skill to use, nothing that a serious amateur could easily master. The flora seems very complete for any plant you find over 4,000 foot elevation--it won't help as much if you're in the foothills. An amateur may want to supplement with a Sierran plant book with photos since the line drawings in this book are simple and only illustrate a single representative genus (every genus is illustrated).

I found this book to be a great help identifying plants in the field. Most can be identified without magnification. Plants are identified using dichotomous keys.

I also use The Jepson Manual, Higher Plants of California and the old Munz's. But both are heavy and difficult to use in the field for many of the genera though I did use them when I got home to check my identifications. The second great feature of this book is that the plants are specific to the area that I was traveling through. I didn't have to separate out plants that only live in the desert or at the coast. Eliminating that many choices made the effort much easier.

I recommend the book heartily, understanding the plants and animals around us greatly enhances the experience of enjoying nature.

Many of the plants that I found can be seen at californiagardens.com

This book is great. It is a concise reference on an interesting flora. The botanical keys are easy enough for amateurs to use and for professionals to key plants from memory. The size and weight make it easy to include in a backpack or field press, although I would like a hardback for my reference shelf. This book is valuable to anyone interested in natural history of the region.

Starr Bright. She's a twin. She's a stripper. She's an exotic dancer. She's a grifter. And she is a full blown serial killer in this deep dark novel. Starr Bright a/k/a Sharon is now aging for a future on the jiggle circuit and her exhaustive search for someone who can take care of her leads her to building rage and eventual violence to sooth her feelings of hurt and disappointment she blames on a series of hapless lowlife paramours. Starr begins a journey to take her out of the seedy empty Vegas life to the sanctity of her twin sister Lily and Lily's family in New York while leaving Vegas in the grip of her bloody wake. Lily, the "good" side of Starr's mirror welcomes her sister with open arms but has no idea what Starr has in store for those she believes set her on the road to ruin. Nor does Lily full understand what her own personality could reveal. This book is one of my very favorites, each word has been chosen soley for its effect on the reader and the story ebbs and flows as naturally as the tide. I tore through it the first time. It left such an impression on me I have picked it up a second time, this time to read much more slowly so I can enjoy each detail.

In this, her seventh psycho-thriller, Rosamond Smith (none other than Joyce Carol Oates) takes us on a cross-country ride within the head of a dangerous woman always on the verge of boiling over with hate and fury. As opposed to her is her twin, a well-to-do suburban housewife whose life seems to be perfect. When both their worlds collide, the violent horror will be inavoidable, changing life for both... forever. A must both for JCO fans and admirers of the New American Gothic.

In her late thirties, Sharon Donnor's career as a Vegas exotic dancer seems to be coming to an end. However, her other life as Starr Bright appears to be rising in proportion. Each night Starr Bright seeks a person who loves and cares for her. Invariably, the lowlifes she chooses fail her, forcing her to kill them. The city panics as she leaves on her victims a satanic star painted in the dead person's blood.

When the heat picks up, Sharon returns to her family home in New York. There her twin sister takes her into the heart of her own family, not knowing what festers underneath the surface of her sister. Starr Bright quickly resurfaces as she begins a campaign of vengeance to destroy those who hurt her over two decades ago.

STARR BRIGHT WILL BE WITH YOU SOON is a well-written thriller that adds nothing new to the long history of good and evil twins. The story line appears eerie and psychologically spooky while the twins are interesting mirror images of one another. However, except for the fact Rosamund Smith turns out to be a pseudonym of Joyce Carol Oates, this book feels like deja vu. This is not necessarily bad, it has just been done before and by the same author.

Harriet Klausner 3/6/99

Starr Bright... is one of Joyce Carol Oates' shorter novels. This prolific writer, who penned this thriller under the name of Rosamund Smith, has once again succeeded in keeping the reader in constant suspense, even though we know who the killer is from page one. It is the killer's fate - as opposed to those of her victims - that we are so anxious to learn about. I recently attended a reading and book signing by JCO which was held at Robert Morris College in Chicago. She also spent considerable time in a question and answer session with RMC honors English students who read two of her novels for their class. She is a very fragile looking individual who intrigues everyone with her command of the story, the characters and the direction each piece of work takes. An extremely prolific writer, she has written poetry, plays and critical articles for numerous publications - in addition to over 60 novels and her work as a professor at Princeton University. She did not elaborate about the pseudonym she has frequently used - only that she wishes she had chosen another name. Because Starr Bright... is a shorter work, one does wonder if she has relegated certain efforts to Rosamund to distance them from Joyce Carol Oates. While I was thoroughly engrossed by Starr Bright - and it does utilize one of JCO's favorite underlying themes of twins - I felt I needed more at the end. We are fairly certain of the killer's fate, but what of her twin sister? The far-reaching effects of the murders to her family and community would, no doubt, be devastating. Perhaps it is fodder for another novel or perhaps tying up loose ends into neat little conclusions is not in the JCO style. Also, Oates does not hold back in the gruesome details of each attack - not necessarily a criticism, just a point of fact. Oates has just completed another novel (she writes constantly) and this one is a 1400 page opus titled Blonde, inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe. She says she was moved to write it when she saw a photo of the pretty, fresh-looking and former Norma Jean - before the blonde hair, sexy clothing and voluptuous attitude she had perfected toward the camera. Seems like an interesting turn for JCO and her fans.

The book was riveting; I couldn't put it down. I couldn't help wondering, though, how "Starr Bright" never met ONE decent man her whole life? She was with dozens, maybe a hundred men, and never once met a good one?

Since I purchased the book in 1995, it is my ultimate guide to the best sierra hikes. I now have #72 planned for next August, the "Buena Vista Loop" at 28 miles and 4 days. Each one that I've completed has my notes scrawled on the pages. I simply photocopy the hike to take on the trail, and then write the notes in the book later. Combined with a topo map of the area, it's the best guide to the best sierra trips.

A sierra hike is sometimes a big event, and the hikes in this book do not disappoint, from the short to the long trails. Everything is laid out very clear and simple, ultra clear and concise without an extraneous word and never lacking the important description.

I only wish I could complete all 100.

I'm sure the authors loved these hikes, but I didn't see that in the hike descriptions. I liked the book, but the books by the Whitehalls were better.

Excellent book with an easy to follow layout. Mostly geared towards moderate to "difficult" hikes with overnight backpacks, or longer dayhikes, the most common. Lists 100 hikes and, in general, they spend 2 pages per hike, with directions to the trail head, max elevation, elevation gain, etc. They also give a sketched map and a photo for each.

This book is geared more towards the serious hiker/BPer, not the 2 mile family dayhike type.

I have done about 15 of the listed hikes and have found the info accurate.

One note: Some of the kiosks they list to get wilderness permits are no longer in operation. To be safe, plan on getting wilderness permits at the ranger station.

I've used this book extensively over the past 3 years and have hiked over 20 of the routes described here. It is excellently laid out (it uses highways to organize the treks) and features an excellent and varied selection of short and long trips. I own most of the guides to the Sierra and this is the one I use most regularly.

The book is also very durable - mine has fallen in rivers, gotten scrunched against rocks, been boiled and frozen and is still perfectly serviceable.

For anyone who is trying to get their head around the central Sierra and identify some good trips - this is the ideal book.

This book is great for those in the Reno/Tahoe area with dogs. The author has done her research and made it easy for the rest of us. Some information was out of date, but overall you can find good places to take your pet.

This book was great to have as I'm not that familiar with the Tahoe area. I only got to do three hikes listed in the book but they were amazing and I probably wouldn't have known where to go w/o this book.

The only thing really missing from this book is a MAP! Otherwise well worth the money.

A Bark in the Park is a delightful book. Sherril Steele-Carlin covers everything you want to or need to know to walk with your dog in the Reno-Tahoe area, and provides good advice on walking with your dog anywhere. She begins by listing, among other useful items, some tips on physical conditioning, warns of a few hazards you may encounter, covers leash laws, and lists the contents of a first aid kit you should carry.

Detailed descriptions include directions, a brief history of each park, and "Bonus" items, such as a visitor center, historic sites, or an off-leash area for dogs to enjoy. This is a wonderfully comprehensive guide to almost 100 places to hike with your dog.

I love to walk and hike with my dog, Maggie, and I'm always looking for new places to walk her in Reno and Lake Tahoe. This book has been such a great inspiration -- I've found some new trails and rediscovered some old favorites as a result of picking up this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves to hike with their dog and is looking for some new trails, along with some old favorites they might have forgotten.

Well there are not many Basque grammars available owing, I assume, mainly to Basque's relative obscurity. In this grammar, however, Alan King has managed to organize the grammar well for those who are just beginning to study the language (i.e. a properly ascending difficulty level), yet also includes a good amount of information for those who want it, from cultural notes to the differences between the different Basque dialects.

The book includes a written conversation in almost every chapter, which is followed by new vocabulary. Next comes a number of grammar points with practice (answers to the questions are found in the back of the book). There are also review chapters which allow the student to review the grammar and vocabulary from previous chapters.

Finally, there is a reference section at the back of the book, which contains anything from an elementary reading section to an explanation of the semi-complicated Basque verb system (it also includes a pronunciation guideline, rules for sentence structure, small dictionary for important words used in the book)

Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it helpful for my purposes. It reminded me structurally of Wheelock's Latin. My only complaint would be that I would have liked to have more examples of some of the more complicated grammar points. This, however, is to be expected given that this grammar is only intended as an introduction.

This book is an excellent refence book if one wants to use it in this manner. I have this book and have enjoyed it. The only problem I have is that there isn't any tapes that come with it so that a person can hear what the language sounds like. However, the author has remedied this with a slightly less expensive language learning set called "Colloquial Basque" that contains tapes so you can hear the Basque language spoken. This set happens to cost much less. If you want to find it here, just look up the title and you will be able to see the price for it here at amazon.com

This coursebook is by the same author as Colloquial Basque, but content overlap is minimised and the style of the two books differs somewhat. The present book is a much heftier work, but is also a much drier read. Although I've given it four stars, I would recommend it only for more serious students, who have few alternatives anyway. Colloquial Basque, which comes with tapes and a generally more modern style, would be more suitable for most other people.

The best feature of The Basque Language: A Practical Introduction is the grammar section at the end of the book. This provides a handy summary of all the grammatical points which appear in the book, and includes a general explanation of their use. The book also includes a selection of readings, with various passages about the Basque Country and related topics (some of them by King himself), excerpts from a play and several novels, and a selection of both traditional and more modern songs.

The units themselves mostly consist of a short dialogue followed by grammatical notes and exercises. Unfortunately the grammar sections and exercises are all mixed in together, and there are no fun headings ("Saying what you mean", "Doing things with words") such as appear in Colloquial Basque. Apart from making the chapters less interesting, this can also make it more difficult to find things in preceding chapters. Explanation of the grammar is also often poor or lacking altogether, although thorough explanation is provided at the back of the book.

Serious students of Basque will find this book to be an invaluable reference. Many people, however, will find Colloquial Basque to be a more practical introduction to the language.

There are no other Basque language textbooks to speak of, so this one is necessarily the best, because it is a competent attempt. If you're a serious learner, this book will put you a good ways towards achieving your goal.