Virginia Books

Computers have revolutionized the workplace in many industries. However, healthcare is just beginning to grapple with the many opportunities that integrated computer systems can provide. With the quickening pace of computer innovation, many clinical healthcare workers cannot and do not have the time to sift through all the various aspects of how computers and medicine interact. Essentials of Computers for Nurses provides a strong foundation for busy professionals, researchers, and administrators in health care organizaitons. I found the book fascinating with each individual contributing author having insightful comments valuable information in their area of expertise. The overview of how medical informatics is used throughout the world was particulary helpful where we are and where we are going. The last chapter was especially welcome and has enhanced my view of how computers will impact the every day delivery of healthcare. Overall, Essentials of Computers for Nurses is an excellent book and should be a part of a professional library for not only nurses but also informatics specialists throughout the healthcare industry.

The third and latest edition of Saba and McCormick's text is almost completely unrecognisable to those familiar with the second edition, published only five years previously, and perhaps rightly so. This reflects, at least in part, the advances within nursing informatics over that time, one aspect of which is the increasing difficulty of any one or two individuals being able to cover, with the necessary degree of detail and expertise, all of the field. If any two people could cover the whole of the field, it is probably the editors of this volume, but they have adopted a sensible and pragmatic approach and brought in additional contributors to provide address many of the specialist subsets within the domain that is nursing informatics.

With over 500 pages, and 46 contributing authors, the contents page reads like a veritable who's who of nursing informatics, or at least, of US interpretations of nursing informatics. The book does, however, as befits the international involvement of the editors, draw on expertise from around the world, and includes contributions from all parts of the world, particularly in addressing the international perspectives.

The book is divided into 11 sections, and begins with an overview of the development of nurses' use of computers and of nursing informatics. It then covers informatics theory, practice, administrative, research and educational applications, as well as some of the international perspectives and emerging areas such as consumer health informatics.

I would recommend this book to all who have an interest in nursing informatics. It provides a valuable introduction to the field as a whole, and to specific applications, and good references to further reading.

This is a great book about a part of the civil war. I have met Dr. Barron. He really researched this material and has another book about the East TN area and hiking called Presence Lingers.

Dr. Earle P. Barron, Jr. is a retired Presbyterian minister who has turned to local history with Ewell's March Home: The Civil War and Early Times in and around Greenwich, Virginia (1999, vii + 131 pp., $12.00 softcover). He writes in the preface, "October 14, 1863, the day of the Battles of Auburn and Bristoe, is the primary time period. General Richard S. Ewell, who grew up two miles from Greenwich on what is now Lonesome Road, is the principal person of interest." The book can be ordered by contacting Dr. Earle P. Barron, Jr. at 1300 Lester Harris Road, Johnson City, TN 37601 or by calling 423-434-2414.

This read gave me a feeling for what it was really like in Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Lots of first hand diary entries and interesting 'real life' stories. A great little book.

"Wisdom is greater than strength" she says. Virginia A. Terry has written a compelling book filled with lessons well learned. The very first poem "Youth" captured my attention and the rest followed suit with as much or even more enthusiasm. When you buy a book that leaves you thinking about every aspect of your own life, then, it is money well spent. My favorite poems amongst many others are most definitely "NYC Mass Transit", "Hunt and Trap", "The Eagle", "The Party", "Just Because", "In awe", "Sweet Memories", "Be still and Know", "The tongue" and "Son kissed Complexion".

Her writing style is without a doubt very unique, she mixes and matches words that create a very easy to understand and at the same time seductive pattern. For example she uses phrases like "Your rich double chocolate chip smile" now, how tasty is that? Can you picture it in your mind's eyes? Sure you can! She then continues with other phrases like "The joyous sound of your laughter has been burned to my heart like music to a CD..." Ah! Don't we all know? And there are so many more.

Much more inspiring and touching is every single one of the short stories in the book. Some will upset you, others will make you cry but at the end, there's so much to be learned because each and every one of them is inspiring and leads you to remember that, there's a time for everything and that everything happens for a reason. Hindsight is 20/20 they say. All our trials and tribulations attest to this very wise saying.

Stories like "Lost in Seoul", "Saved in Beijing" are a true attestation of God being in control, that He makes all things beautiful in His time and that His time is always the best time. These wonderfully touching stories from the writer's own life experiences are no match for fiction. "Swim or Sink", "Turning Point", "Almost a Statistic", "Snow Storm" --and I can go on and on--will leave you in awe of not only Virginia's story telling skills but also the strength of the human spirit. She has accumulated wisdom over the years from going through some of the most heart-wrenching situations.

I will recommend this book to both men and women, young or old. Virginia's book is a living testimony for everyone who still has breath in them. Thank you for sharing your life,wisdom and your amazing love for God with the world.

Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (12/07)

Virginia A. Terry was born and raised in New York's Harlem. She is the mother of seven children and the grandmother of thirty two. She began her writing career helping friends and associates write important letters and documents. In 1980, she began to write poetry and the rest is history. Virginia has also received an award for excellent service for her work with disabled adults and young men and women.

"Facets, Phases and Transformation" is full of the author's life experiences, insights and observations. It is not just a collection of beautiful poems. Virginia has filled this volume with some of her most outstanding poetry and sprinkled in a collection of her very intriguing short stories.

The author begins with twenty original poems she wrote back in 1980. She has kept them filed away till now, resurrecting them for this book. "Friendship" and "Children" were just two of Virginia's original poems that were personal favorites of mine. The span of time that the author's poetry covers is as vast as the poetry itself. Revelations of her near-death experiences will sadden you while her poetry from the past will make you laugh.

With inspirational poems such as "Take Heed" and "Just Because" or stories for the faithful ("Bold in the Lord"), the author exemplifies the power of faith. With a strong religious tendency, the book contains some very valuable life lessons that we all need to think about. Not in the form of preaching but rather in stories told and lessons learned.

Virginia Terry has a book that will appeal to both young and old. No matter what age, men and women, boys and girls; there's a poem or story that you will all enjoy. The poetry is moving and inspiring, with stories that are colorful and interesting. The book is of quality print and content and well worth the money. I enjoyed "Facets, Phases and Transformation" very much and give it a well-deserved A.

This is one of the most-overlooked treasures of the vast literature on the campaign and battle of Gettysburg. It details the march of the Army of Northern Virginia (with special emphasis
on Richard Ewell's Second Corps) into southern Pennsylvania. The details of the invasion and the interactions with the people
of Pennsylvania are endlessly fascinating. The book ends with the Second Corps marching to the sound of the guns at Gettysburg on 1 July 1863, so it is not an account of the battle itself.
It is an unparalleled work setting the stage, however. Buy and
read and ENJOY THIS BOOK!

For the American Civil War buff....this is THE book which details Lee's movements with his Army of Northern Virginia from the Rappahannock area to Gettysburg. The accounts of cavalry engagements at Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, Virginia are absolute with accompanying maps being the best yet. Little has been written about Lee's movement to gather the needed "rations" Commissary General Northrop could not provide. This book details last Lee's invasion of the North - which ultimately led to Gettysburg. This book is a MUST read to enlighten the reader in Lee's Northern invasion.

'Patrick (Knowlton) did nothing to deserve the outrageous treatment he received at the hands of the OIC (Office of Independent Counsel) and its FBI agents. He did nothing to deserve being yanked into this FBI debacle, having his life turned upside down, and having to endure this fight for his reputation. Patrick's only `crime' was reporting to the authorities what he had seen at Fort Marcy Park, consistent with his understanding of his duties as a good citizen.' (From the preface of 'Failure of the Public Trust, FBI Cover-up.com')

What Knowlton saw at about 4:30 pm, July 20, 1993, were all the cars that were in Fort Marcy's parking lot at the time, and none of them matched the photographs of White House Deputy Counsel Vincent W. Foster's car that were shown to him later by FBI agents. Meanwhile, Foster was lying dead in the back of the park. That simple fact is the genesis of this remarkable legal document, now available to the public as a book.

You will not learn in these 511 pages who murdered Vincent Foster or why, nor will you find a trace of any partisan swipes at the Clintons. You WILL see revealed in painstaking detail how the cover-up was carried out by the police, the FBI, and by our other major organs of power, not the least of which have been the news media. The greatest achievement of this book is the complete reconstruction of the evening of July 20, using in a very transparent fashion every available public document. Their method may be contrasted, as the authors point out, with Kenneth Starr, three-quarters of whose references are to supporting work by associates, work that is still kept secret. Following the drawings, the cast of characters, and the time line, as you read the book you can imagine yourself at Fort Marcy Park watching people come and go. You will get to see how, as the evening progressed, dried blood around a neck wound turned into wet blood from a mouth and head wound and how all the photographs taken of the original scene disappeared. You will also learn how utterly absurd is the story of the investigating officers that they visited the morgue before two White House officials got there and miraculously found two sets of keys in Foster's pants pocket, keys that they had somehow missed when they went through his pockets in the park. Apart from the patent absurdity of the story on its face, it cannot be reconciled with the time of connected events. And you will see solid evidence for the authors' claim that this is, above all, an FBI cover-up. They show that, contrary to the assertions of some leading White House critics, the FBI was heavily involved in the sham investigation from the beginning. Furthermore, the same FBI agents were key 'investigators' for both Robert Fiske and Kenneth Starr, thus making a farce of these prosecutors' putative 'independence.'

With this prodigious work John Clarke, Patrick Knowlton, and Hugh Turley have moved to the head of the line of those exposing corruption in America's major institutions. Every concerned citizen ought to read it.

Vincent Foster was murdered. That day on July 20, 1993, two men got out of a vehicle. There were a few other men there also. What did those men want so bad that day? That man kept on insisting that he didn't have it. Have what? What was so important that those men had to kill a man? To this day, I still would like to know what they were looking for. I think about it almost daily, wondering what the reason. That man that got shot that day, did not have a chance. It was obvious, he was set-up.

This is a extremely valuable and complete book on my new hobby.
The pictures of the art glass are perfect for help and the information on the Fenton family is very interesting. The book has helped identify Fenton glass perfectly.

This book provides an excellent history of Fenton. The photography and guides are very helpful for identification purposes.

Explanations of the Fenton evolution in glass making provide insight into glass making. Excellent for the novice or seasoned veteran. Nicely done!

Fabulous book for scholars of film, French literature, the novel and British literature. This is a gem - lovely analyses. Why can't any academics write this clearly and fondly about text any more?

This book has stood the test of time and deserves attention. A valuable resource for the serious student of film.

Claudia Wild's book is an indispensable guide to all of the best birding sites within a 200 mile radius of Washington, DC. It is a "must buy" for birders of all skill levels if you visit or live in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. She also covers Delaware, Cape May, NJ, and parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Her directions are easy to follow and her writing style will make you want to read about favorite birding areas again and again. Most important, this book will make it easy to find target birding species (in the appropriate season). This book is a solid 5 stars !!!

Claudia Wilds has done a wonderful job of presenting lots places, including little nooks and crannies to find birds in the greater D.C. area. Directions to locations are detailed and generally accurate, with lots of helpful information.

Well written, and easy to understand. A wonderful guide for exploring the world of birds.

General Jones is well noted within the pages of this well written text. A must for any serious Civil War buff and historian. Scott has none a fine job

Scott C. Patchan's, "Forgotten Fury: The Battle of Piedmont", covers one of the most least-known but bloody fields of conflict during all the Civil War in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. And, the author does so in a highly-readable and definitive way.

Piedmont occurred while Grant was pounding Lee's army at Cold Harbor in June of 1864 and also followed soon upon the heels of Franz Sigel's much-publicized defeat at nearby New Market that May. Thus, this small but terrible engagement has suffered an undeserved obscurity until now--though it's ferocity and strategic importance should have prevented such a fate.

Piedmont was the key engagement in Union General David Hunter's thrust into the Upper Shenandoah Valley in early 1864. It had its inception in Grant's overall strategy of multiple, coordinated attacks in Virginia in an effort to tie-down Lee's Confederates and destroy them in the field that year. Though rarely graced with more than a few lines or a paragraph in most histories of the Overland Campaign, Hunter's efforts were vital to Grant's strategy. The Shenandoah Valley was Virginia's and Robert E. Lee's most vital source of supply--the "bread-basket" region of the "Old Dominion" State.

Without its crops, grains, livestock and recruits rolling eastwardly toward Richmond along the connecting Virginia Central Railroad, Lee could not keep his army alive for very long near the Confederate capital. Grant knew this and was determined to see the Valley in Union hands and it's supplies out of Lee's.

Many Yankee armies had tried to gain control of the Valley during the war, but all had failed to-date. Hunter's effort would be the most serious yet, and the rolling, picturesque fields at little Piedmont, Virginia would be where either success or failure would begin.

The battle itself resulted when Confederate General "Grumble" Jones' scratch force of Valley troops attempted to stop Hunter north of the crucial Virginia Central Railroad near Waynesboro. The battle started well enough for the Rebels who fought desperately to keep back Hunter's bluecoats. Casualties were extremely high for numbers engaged, and there was much hand-to-hand action. After see-sawing back and forth for sometime, Hunter's forces were finally able to exploit a weakness in the Southern battleline to turn the tide. The result--a Confederate defeat and retreat which opened the way toward Staunton and Gordonsville and the vital Virginia Central Railroad.

Mr. Patchan's narrative of how Hunter embarked upon his campaign and met and defeated the Confederates at Piedmont is expertly chronicled with a great deal of original, primary-source research as a base. The battle itself is a riveting and detailed story, laced profusely with accounts from soldiers on both sides who who remembered it as one of "the most destructive open-field fights of the war."

The battle had its own share of controversies as well, but the author does not shy away in the least from addressing each one with convincing arguments supported by abundant and creditable sources. Many time-honored assumptions about Confederate leadership at the battle are clearly rectified, and the engagement itself is shown for the first time to be what it was--one of the nastiest small encounters of the war in that region.

Any Civil War buff who enjoys good battle narrative will not be disappointed here; one "feels" oneself in the heat of the conflict reading this text. For those interested in the Civil War in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley or Grant's Overland Campaign against Richmond, this book is an absolute "must" read.

Theodore C. Mahr, former Natl Park Historian, reviewer and author of "The Battle of Cedar Creek: Showdown in the Shenandoah, October 1--30, 1864."

For anyone who is interested in comparative aesthetics, this book is an eye-opener. Showing and illustrating esthetic connections between typefaces and various designed objects, from architecture to clothing, the author points out developments and correlations in multiple areas of twentieth-century design. Typography is not an art in itself but part of a larger visual universe.

I was attracted first to the cover, which is exceptionally stylish and elegant. Then I was intrigued by the subtitle, The Unity of Typography, Architecture, & the Design Arts. This seemed to me to imply that the book would be of interest, not only to specialists in each of those fields, but to anyone interested in the aesthetics of one's surroundings. The content lived up to expectations, melding fashion, furnishings, architecture, and graphic design in an original but approachable, beautifully organized whole. I recommend it highly.