Pennsylvania Books

I have never been so affected by a book than this. I had to heal myself after reading it. Years after, I write this review while battling the gruesome images described in this account of violence. Chapter after chapter I was tempted to put it down, away, bury it, whatever as it is truly difficult to stomach. Yet in the end, the hope of humanity is triumphantly related in this harrowing book. A master piece of journalism.

This is a fascinating, well-written book; you don't have to know anything about archaeolgy to appreciate it - and I don't even live in Philadelphia!

This book is a wealth of information for any genealogist trying to date a photo taken in Pennsylvania from the years 1839-1900. The information is concise and to the point and literally within minutes I was able to date 2 photographs based on the photographers name stamp to the year 1890. Ries and Ruby have done an excellent job researching photographers from the 18th and 19th century who worked in the state of Pennsylvania. I have previously purchased "Dating Old Photographs 1840-1929" and "Uncovering Your Ancestry through Family Photographs" and this book blows the previous two out of the water!!

Musicologist Ken Kreitner's book on town bands and music in Wayne Co., PA was obviously a labor of love. His connection to the area and to music in general is apparent throughout. While this closeness to the subject might be cause for academic concern in some writers, this is not the case here. The author's methodology is thoroughly transparent and ample evidence is provided for all his claims. But this book is not only for the musicologist. Kreitner's style is that of the local historian who finally finds someone interested in what he has discovered about the town. He speaks to the reader in first and second person frequently and often provides his opinion when historical data are not sufficient. In other words, he tells a fascinating story about small-town Pennsylvania, the people, the industry, and the culture. He then discusses the place of the bands and some of their more colorful individuals in this context. This book is not only a valuable addition to the meager scholarship on the subject, but a thoroughly enjoyable read from cover to cover.

This is a well-presented historic overview of an institution that served the communities in southwestern PA. The author provides a perspective on the progressive nature (for its time) of the hospital's philosophy toward mental health care and treatment during the period of the hospital's existence. A rich photo history provides a look into mental health institutions during the time of this particular hospital's operation. It is a tribute to the patients and caring staff that this book on Dixmont, named for the visionary and advocate of Mental Health Reform, Dorothea Dix, is not forgotten for its place in the history of Mental Health care.

This book was worth the read and I recommend visiting the author's web site. The characterization of Don Juan in this story is convincing and realistic. He had a code that he refused to violate, which makes him better than most men. He never seduced a woman who didn't want it.

In Doomsayers: Anglo-American Prophecy In The Age Of Revolution, Susan Juster (Associate Professor of History at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor), provides a perceptive and informative survey of the apocalyptic prophets of the 1790's and early 1800's. Visionaries (or perhaps simply deluded individuals), used the era's budding proliferation of newspapers, corresponding societies, penny pamphlets, voluntary associations and more to spread their predictions and prophecies. The foretellings of several hundred men and women in Britain and North America are deftly reviewed to give a general impression of how doomsayers' stories were formed, challenged, tested, and often ultimately discarded. Presenting the struggle between would-be prophets and their critics as part of a larger shift in societal norms in the age, Doomsayers is a thought-provoking, meticulously researched, accessibly presented and highly recommended account of an historically influential social and cultural phenomena.

Great! It came so fast and in such great condition.

I originally picked this book up at the College library, and I was so impressed with Epstein's work on this little volume that I immediately purchased it. As a student of Art History, I spend a lot of time combing through online as well as library archived journals for well-researched data on obscure symbolism. This book provided an excellent jumping-off point for branching out into alternate interpretation of medieval Jewish manuscripts.

The theme of the book is subversion, and Epstein demonstrates that for many of the common Christian symbols (such as the lion, the unicorn, and the medieval hunt)there were subtly opposing occurences in Jewish art. Epstein also ventures into less commonly known symbols, such as the elephant and the hare. Each chapter is devoted to a different symbol, its Christian meanings, and then an in-depth explaination of its Jewish re-interpretation. The cases are painstakingly researched and Epstein's bibliography is in and of itself a valuable research source.

Although each chapter of this book could potentially be its own entire thesis, as a whole it makes a wonderful short introduction to the study of medieval Jewish iconography.

This is a very nice book with great pictures and old print ads. It also provides considerable written information on the history and progress of the company and glass making.

I learned a great deal about Carnival glass and my ability to identify specific pieces was greatly enhanced because of this book. Highly recommended, especially for the beginner to Carnival glass.