Virginia Books

Italy in not as renowned as other countries, such as France, for its pastry making. Nor can a good collection of Italian pastry recipes be found. This is quite unfortunate, as Italian bakeries are home to many different kinds of wonderful pastries.

This cookbook offers absolutely the best Italian pastry recipes available. Each recipe is authentic and delicious. The author has done her best to simplify the art of pastry making, so good results are likely with each recipe.

I recommend this cookbook to any pastry lover. It is a treasure chest of hidden treasures.

The best Italian Desserts book I have come across in 50 years. Very authentic

This is the best pastry book I have ever come across. It is now in second printing and can be obtained from the author. Great Great book and reasonably priced.

The recipes in this book are as close to the Italian desserts made in Italy as any other book. The taste of the finished product is superb and it is so easy to read and prepare the recipes. Some of the recipes are to die for. The book is out of print but I understand you can contact the author to get one at vdefendorf@yahoo.com

This is a charming book that adds to the wealth of knowledge the author has about sheep herding and Border Collies. Anyone who loves McCaig's books will want to read this one.

This small book was purchased as a gift for a young lady who wants a dog. She thoroughly enjoyed Donald McCaig's wonderful prose. Any "dog person" will appreciate this delightful story.

Donald McCaig is a fine writer, especially when he writes about those four-legged creatures he knows and loves so well. A wonderful book to have and to give.

You will treasure this little book, keeping it close at hand to read and reread these wonderful stories.

The fifth grade teachers at my school have used this book for a "read aloud" for several years. It has adventure, sympathetic characters, and action. The kids love it and the historical context helps them understand the challenges the Jamestown settlers faced as well as the havoc that they wrecked on the Native American population. It has been a great way to launch our unit on colonial America.

This hard-to-put down book tells the story of Rob, an English orphan, who is kidnapped and sold as an indentured servant to a cruel Tobacco farmer in colonial Virginia. The story is so well-paced and action-packed you don't even realize you're learning quite a bit about American history as you tear through the pages. An excellent choice for summer reading!

This hard-to-put down book tells the story of Rob, an English orphan, who is kidnapped and sold as an indentured servant to a cruel Tobacco farmer in colonial Virginia. The story is so well-paced and action-packed you don't even realize you're learning quite a bit about American history as you tear through the pages. An excellent choice for summer reading!

Virginia Bound is a great story! It grabs you quickly and makes you care about the characters. It's got suspense and adventure and hard hard decisions for the main character to make. Rob's choice ends up making this a book with an important moral, but rather than the book lecturing or seeming saccharine, it shows Rob's dilemma and his decision as part of his growing up-- just the kind of thing that makes kids feel grown up themselves.

This book is also amazing in the way it depicts the history-- not one bit boring, the author brings the time and place alive with amazing details she's gleaned from the best research on Virginia. Who knew that to grow tobacco people had to hoe dirt up over their leg until it reached their knee, jerk their foot out of the pile, and put the plant in that hole? Any kid who reads this book will know a whole lot more about hard labor, hard times, and the complicated history of the beginnings of our country than most adults do...and they won't even realize they're being taught.

One last note...don't think this is just for boys-- there's a strong female character to match Rob, and girls will enjoy her skill, courage, and intelligence.

Well put together historical representation of the plantations and the homes of the early settlers of the Virginia Colonies. It is so important to see and appreciate that which still exists of our heritage in the early Virginia settlements. Something we all should be very proud of is the way these beautiful homes have been restored and protected.

I bought this book for my boss who designs houses. He and I were happily satisfied with the extrordinary details of the homes in this book. You will love the architecture, interiors, country settings, furnishing, and colors of these homes. All seem to have been meticulously cared for and lived in. You will be transported back in time as you turn the pages and wish you could visit and stay a while in these homes.

I don't think there are any floorplans, but the book is awesome for the pictures of each house inside & out.

This book transported me back to my home state of Virginia (my Florida driver's license is only 14 months old) in an almost visceral way. I recommend it not only to Virginians but to anybody who wants to travel through a doorway into a more genteel place and time.

Filled with lavish full-color photographs and satisfying historical descriptions, this is the kind of coffee-table sized book that you want to curl up with and linger over.

The exteriors of the homes, photographed to reveal telling architectural detail, are also shown in their natural surroundings. You see the Virginia rivers that flow beyond the front lawns; the lavish beds of tiger lilies in full bloom; the grazing horses in pasture; the paper-white dogwoods blossoms at their peak in spring; the shade-dappled pea-gravel paths hemmed in by generations-old boxwoods that you can fairly smell. One estate in particular - Westover - reminded me of many childhood visits to family friends who lived in a very similar faux plantation house named Wilton on the banks of the James River in the Varina district of Henrico County.

The interiors of the houses are revealed in full clarity. Entire rooms are photographed, as well as details of construction and furnishing: chair rails, paneling, china settings, chandeliers, secret doorways, period furniture, fabrics and paintings on the wall. You feel as if you would like to sit in that bay window and savor the view to the outside; relax in that chair by that fire; explore that winding spiral staircase all the way to the top; play a hand of cards at that card table with the silk-inlaid top; drink brandy out of that crystal goblet; sleep in that four-poster bed under that bedspread; run your hand over that polished bannister railing.

The accompanying essays convey the history of each house, its architectural uniqueness, and the chain of ownership into the present day. Long enough to be informationally satisfying but brief enough to retain reader interest (no mean feat!), the prose serves to cre! ate a bridge into a past that has nonetheless been kept intriguingly alive by the stewardship of the current owners of these houses and grounds. The 27 homes profiled, built during the historical periods of English Colonial (1690-1720), Colonial (1720-90), Federal (1790-1830) and Antebellum (1830-60) are scattered through Virginia's Tidewater, Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountain areas.

Breck Montague, owner of the English Colonial estate Toddsbury in Tidewater Virginia's Gloucester County, says that "When I turn down the lane on my way home, I turn my car radio off and roll down my window. I smell the humus of the forest, and I feel the peace and tranquility of the place." Indeed, that feeling of place and quietness permeates this entire 215-page book, and time spent with this sumptuous volume is practically guaranteed to lower your blood pressure.

Because Toddsbury and the other homes in Virginia Country are in private hands and not on public tour, this book will prove especially useful to historians, designers, architects, landscapers, and antique and art lovers. Virginia Country is well suited for either library or private collections.

AUTHOR INFORMATION: Articles by Betsy Wells Edwards have appeared in lifestyle, business and equestrain publications. She lives with her husband and son on a 19th century farm in Goochland County, Virginia. Taylor Dabney's work has appeared in numerous publications and exhibits. He has been a recipient of the Virginia Commission for the Arts Photography Fellowship and was named in 1987 to the top-five list of new photographers at Photography Magazine's annual awards convention.

Wonderfully photographed, just the right amount of text, good cross section of houses around the state.

Comprehensive coverage of the state for visitors and Virginia residents alike. The rolling hills of horse country, Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge Mountains and numerous wineries are among the state's offerings. Here's a guide to the national and state parks, the cities, towns and villages. Accommodations and places to eat, along with historical sites and attractions.

As a native Virginian, I don't know why it took me so long to discover this book. It's a great reference to have for both residents and visitors. I spent the first two hours just looking up points of interest and trivia about the Old Dominion. Virginia has so many historical sites that touring the state is like taking a class on the formation of America. A tourist can visit Revolutionary War Sites, Civil War Battlefields, scenic old towns, and the beautifully restored great houses, like Mount Vernon in Alexandria , Monticello in Charlottesville, Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg and, of course, the James River Plantations. Williamsburg is a must see for everyone.

This book's Introduction gives a little background of Virginia and some general history. The handbook is then divided into the five regional areas of the state. They are the Northern, Central, Coastal Plain, Southwest and the Shenandoah Valley. Within these divisions information is given on the counties and major cities. In each place, the historic sites, annual events, shopping places, museums, hotel accommodations, recreation areas, dining and local transportation are all listed and given detailed descriptions.

I think that the best way to truly critique a guide book is to read about an area that you know pretty well and see how the authors handled that region. All of the major sites were mentioned in my area and the accommodations and things to do were all covered. I checked out the restaurants listed and there were eight mentioned. I would have left out two. One major restaurant was not included. Other than that minor point, the authors gave a pretty accurate description of my area. This book is very concise and I believe it to be a very helpful guide to traveling in the great state of Virginia..

"Recommended for visitors who want to research a trip ahead of time and take the book along for repeated reference. Covers the parks, scenic highways and historic attractions of the state, including tips on everything from shopping and dining to hotels and entertainment. An excellent destination guide." The Bookwatch

This guidebook does a good job of presenting its information in a concise, meaningful way. You can easily flip through its well-marked sections and feel as if you are taking a trip all over Virginia! I like that each section (History, Shopping) starts with a quick intro, telling you the overall feel of that area. It's not afraid to tell you that one city is more known for its nightlife while another is known for its shopping malls. The beginning of the book includes an overall look at Virginian history, major cities, climate, major roadways and wildlife - great information for newcomers to have!

this holiday i decided to make the recipe for monkey (pull apart) cake from this cookbook. it's been a hit everywhere! (so far i've made 4 cakes for 4 different functions).

the best thing, is that it's super easy to make. i don't cook, so i appreciate easy to understand recipes.

that's the good thing about all of these recipes. they're simple and straight forward. with all the recipes i've tasted from the JWC cookbook, i haven't been disapointed yet. yum!

The Virginia Hostess is a fabulous guide for anyone! Whether you are an experienced chef or a novice, this cookbook is more than the average collection of recipes. It features themed chapters with beautiful historic sketches from Virginia. Each chapter has complete menus for different occasions, including showers, children's parties, formal dinners, picnics, holiday occasions and more! An educational and comprehensive wine selection section is included. I highly recommend this beautiful and resourceful cookbook and entertaining guide!

The menus ideas are terrific! I enjoyed all the recipes and was glad to have a cookbook that covers most any occasion. The layout is superb and makes a great bridal or hostess gift. This book has really made my life a lot simpler when I am called to entertain. I own a lot of cookbooks but this one is well worn and used often.

I've owned this book for a couple of years now, and have reallyused it alot! It has great recipes in it, but in addition, it hasmenu and entertaining suggestions, a list of Virginia wineries, and even ideas for kids' parties. (Who knew how to make face paint?) I also like the fact that it comes from a community service organization, so I know part of my purchase price went to a good cause.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for something with great pictures and a brief narrative. The photos were good in that they weren't all taken in the summer, as in most books of this type. It was nice to see these historic homes in the spring bloom, fall colors and winter white-scape. Of course the summer shots were also beautiful. A good book for your own or for a gift.

Gleason really excelled in books of this kind, he really knew how to capture these old grand buildings. This book is first rate and it covers all of the well known homes as well as some that may not be so familiar. All of his books of this genre are consistantly top notch. The colors are vibrant and just pop off the page. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the grandeur of the Old South, it's just amazing how many of these houses survived the Civil War, with battles often within earshot of the veranda.

Beautiful photos, good text, but awkward size (doesn't fit on book shelf)

In my opinion this coffee table book is the one by which all others should be judged. Gleason is one fine professional photographer who needs to expand into yet more regions on this same subject of old plantation homes

WOW
In the last 3 yrs I have: ended a 22 year marriage, then lost 2 jobs... This wonderful book has given me much solice, comfort, personal insights and loving encouragement. It's also very readable. I highly recommend it and hope Virginia will have at least one more loving sequel !
One of my favorite's is:
OPEN DOORS
Creator God, how pleased we are by open doors. As we stand outside they paint a picture of invitation, welcome, and warmth. Yet how fearful we are of open doors when we stand inside. They make us vulnerable, allowing the unknown to enter and the precious to leave. Help us see you, God, standing in all doorways, as both host and guard. Then we can go out in glad confidence and come in to untroubled rest. ~ Amen.
- An encouraged person in Minnesota.

This is a book that I use in worship liturgies and pastoral care notes -- AND it is wonderful gift for homebound folks.

Thank you, Virginia.

The prayers in this book are incredibly eloquent and thought-provoking. My favorite is "thank you for things bent," for which a song was composed. Any thinking Christian will love the guidance and support of these prayers. Great gift for any event.

Virginia has a great depth of spirituality. This volume, her first, covers a portion of it. I am looking forward to having this book for many years, and know it will speak to me for a long time.

Written with sensitivity to the quilt and the quiltmaker, exploring not only what inspired the art form but the necessity of the art form. A real sense of understanding both the textile and history of the textile emerges as one explores the lives of the women who quilted for both pleasure and need. This is a must have book for the person who wants to understand history and art form and the production of textile and how it relates to the finished product, as well as the importance the quilt played in the the lives of the women who made them. A valuabe addition to any libary.

This book provides a wonderful history of quilting and quiltmakers and is also inspirational for quilt design ideas. It is well-written and engaging, making a quilt documentation project very interesting to others. I highly recommend this book and it makes a perfect gift for any quilters.

This is a marvelous book. Readers in other states will come away from it with new or changed views of West Virginia and its history. Author Fawn Valentine recognizes quilts as historic documents and is most persuasive in explaining and using material culture methodology to prove this. Yes, West Virginia quilters live primarily in rural areas, and many needed quilts as warm bedcovers. However, they also produced elegant silk quilts as examples of fine, decorative needlework.

As a quilt researcher in the adjacent state of Ohio I am fascinated by the similarities and differences between quilts in our two states, and Valentine's convincing explanations for them. Most of the quilts documented by the West Virginia Heritage Quilt Search-even the oldest ones-were found near the places where they were made. The reason, she explains, is that West Virginians didn't move around much; they love place and family. They also had a strong desire to maintain traditional skills, which are "family ways."

Some quilt patterns were found only in discrete regions of West Virginia. Others (crazy quilts, for instance) continued to be made much later than was true in other states. Through extensive interviews with quiltmakers, the WVHQS learned of quilt pattern names and quilt-related language not found elsewhere. Through their oral interviews they also learned of a system of "barter economy" West Virginia quiltmakers used.

Most intriguing is Valentine's discovery of different quilting style, aesthetics, and designs associated with the quiltmakers' ethnic backgrounds: German-American, British, Scotch-Irish and Welsh. She presents this information early in the book, preparing the reader to recognize and identify the ethnicity of quiltmakers whose work is included later.

A series of appendices, including a summary of data and an extremely important timeline are helpful, as are the state maps included with almost every quilt, clearly identifying the counties where the quilts were made. As we discovered in the Ohio Quilt Research Project, Ohio is also a county-conscious state, so I felt right at home in West Virginia!

West Virginia quilts documents quilts from the 40's and older, and the lives of those who created them. I picked up a copy of this book at the library and was quite fascinated by the beautiful quilts and the history surrounding them (a young 23 year old married a 79 year old and had several children, can you imagine?). The pictures are interesting and the stories fascinating. I particularly appreciated the absence of modern quilts as I'm not a fan of modern art style and the overuse of batiks. This is a wonderful book for fans of quilting and those who love quilt history.

I first met Jim Clark at Cacapon Institute's RiverFest '95. I invited him to do his natural history slide show, Highland Overture. I heard he was good, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect the impact his show had on me. When the lights came back on, I found myself among others wiping away tears. Jim's slide show, set to music, brought me back to my childhood when I took the time to experience the beauty of the more detailed, subtle intricacies of nature, from the box turtle's eye, the wings of a butterfly, to the magnificent view from atop a West Virginia mountain. His book continues to do nothing less than that, and better yet, I can pick up the book and view Jim's images whenever I want!

Naturalist and native West Virginian, Jim captures the natural history of our area in a way that will touch your heart. Unlike photographer, Arnot Hyde, who in his book depicts West Virginia as cities and buildings, Jim's book portrays what to me is the essence of the state - its vistas, streams, plants, animals and insects.

Jim begins his book in the spring and gently walks you through the seasons. His writing style is descriptive and captivating. It's full of fascinating history and pours nicely from Jim's heart. In his introduction we learn about the encounters and hardships of early settlers, and the devastation wreaked on these mountains by the invention of the Shay steam locomotive. As we move through the text we learn bison and elk graced our forests. And we learn about species that continue to abound in special places throughout these hills. As autumn unfolds from the colors on the pages, Jim teaches us about geological formations and the premier heights from which to appreciate these colors throughout the Highlands. Finally we find ourselves in winter. We feel its beauty and we learn what bothers Jim when he thinks about the future of West Virginia and the hopes he sees rising from the work of groups like Cacapon Institute.

Jim closes by stating that "the mountains instilled in me a tremendous strength to endure whatever obstacles were placed in my path, and they forged in my heart a passion for life". I don't think there is a person who has experienced the trails, meadows, and mountaintops of this state who hasn't been touched by their experience here in some profound way. Jim captures this state in its grandness, beauty and wonderment and his writings will help you appreciate that each of us plays a part in protecting this beautiful land. His book belongs on the coffee table of every person who's ever marveled at a West Virginia sunset, appreciated a falling leaf, squinted at a drop of water on a spider web, or felt the joy of a clean river.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my father, sight unseen, based on the description here at amazon.com. After he opened this gift, I had a chance to see it. I could not have been more pleased. The photography is amazing. It truly depicts the beauty of West Virginia. I liked the book so much that I have now ordered a copy for myself, which will be on display in my home in Washington, D.C.

"West Virginia: The Allegheny Highlands" is an absolutely resplendent volume. Nature photographer and biologist Jim Clark masterfully captures the colors, features, and animal life in the wildest and most remote region in the Appalachian Mountains. Clark takes us through four seasons in the Alleghenies. His 100 full-color pictures are as winningly composed as they are iridescently rendered. Clark is one of those rare photographers who can truly give you a sense of grandeur in his work. In "New River Bridge, Fayette County," he doesn't just capture the forminable span of the bridge. He includes the giant (yet tiny!) boulders in the river below, so that you can get an almost stunning sense of the reach and height of this engineering marvel. But Clark is just as adept with smaller scenes. Witness "Maple Leaves in a Stream" and the almost paint-like "Reflections, Branch of the Potomac River, Grant County." And Clark's prose is nearly as penetrating as his photographs. Of a winterstorm, he writes: "The first thing I notice about the snowstorm is how still it is. Nothing is moving; the only sound I hear is the wind whispering through the trees." Don't miss this rich and captivating work.

If you have any interest in photography, natural history or West Virginia then this book is a welcome addition to you library. Jim has a unique ability to capture in words and images the experience of actually being in the Allegheny Highlands. I know because after I read the book it inspired me to go there.

The images are very well done from an artistic perspective. The words in Jim's own hand make the book an experience to enjoy again and again.