Minnesota Books

This is an outstanding read on a President that should not be ranked as low as he is among historians (I would have to rank Buchanan, Pierce and Carter and perhaps Clinton)lower than Harding. Unfortunately most of the rating of Warren G. Harding have to do with the writings of historians who were fans of Wilson and the New Deal under Roosevelt. Harding gets low ratings because of one bad cabinet officer and when you compare it to the things that have happened the last 25 years Harding was not all that bad a President. He took office during a recession and labor riots were going on, Wilson had completely ignored domestic problems and the economy partially because he was an invalid and his wife was the acting the President all of which was hid from the Press. Moreover, when you go back and look at the so-called "Teapot Dome Scandal" and study the facts surrounding it, Albert Fall the Senator who was the Secretary of Interior had good motives for doing what he did. He was trying to hide from the Japanese the drilling and storage of oil for our Navy on the west coast and in Pearl Harbor therefore if one thinks about it, it probably would not have been wise to let public bids out for the development of the oil fields. Everyone knew back then that Japan was going to have to dealt with in the future as they were building a huge Navy. Fall's mistake was accepting a position with Sinclair Oil before he left office the same company he allowed as Secretary of the Interior to have the lease and drilling rights in the oil fields. The other things happening around Harding were of little consequence as compared to politics today. The read was great. Murray did a great job uncovering facts and presenting in my view a very fair balance. I think too much emphasis is put on Woodrow Wilson who in my view was an elitist and not realistic. And then you have Roosevelt. Most of the historians who were taught back then learned under men who were in universities during the Wilson years and who became scholars and teachers under Roosevelt. Therefore their writings in my opinion have to be read carefully and when you see them slant things to the favor of Wilson and Roosevelt, you have to remember that it was the American people who voted for Harding and then Coolidge and Hoover.

I think if you want to know about the Presidents you need to know about Harding and I have read a lot of biographies and this is in the top 10 as far as presentation, scholarly research and historical context.

Don C.

Robert Murray's re-creation of the Harding era, his assessment of Warren Harding, remains the towering work in this field to this time - it first was published some decades gone by. Murray's book is well-written, his judgments are balanced, his thrust is to re-create an administration in its times. Murray can no longer be counted the last word on Harding of course - new Harding material has come to light through the passing of years - but Murray's work remains The Authority - John Dean gives credit to Murray in his brief, contemporary Harding biography.
Murray laid the groundwork which others are building on - it is interesting that Warren Harding's reputation is being recast. Many students of American history are no longer accepting the longstanding, rote judgment that Warren Harding was a presidential failure. Among many things (Murray reviews this, although he did not have the full overview) Harding emerges as the only U.S. president in the 20th Century to led the nation in disarmament, the only president who reduced the military machines. Harding's close, personal involvement in the disarmament effort is documented and acknowledged. Shortly before his death, Harding resolved that if the United States ever again should go to war - if the United States should judge it necessary to draft young men - then - Harding said - there also must be a draft of capital. It is tickling to find John Kennedy's "ask not what your country can do for you..." has an origin with Warren Harding.

Robert K. Murray analyzes the presidency of Warren G. Harding. In this balanced work Murray effectively illustrates that Harding was not the bumbling idiot that he has been made out to be, in fact he was rather intelligient and could have been brilliant if not for his lack of discipline. Murray dispels the myths that Harding was chosen as a candidate in a "smoke filled room" and that he, along with Harry Daughtery, was a member of the "ohio gang". Murray goes into great detail recounting how Harding chose his cabinet, the accomplishments of his administration, his handling of Congress, and his effectiveness as President. Murray discusses the scandals and explores the depth of Harding's knowledge of scandal in his administration. Murray also explores the decline of Harding's reputation and the factors that contributed to this. Overall, Murray views Harding as a man that was more abler than he has been given credit for, but he concedes that Harding had his share of limitations and probably shouldn't have been President. But Murray concludes that the accomplishments of his administration was superior to a great number of other administrations.

I agree with the author's conclusions that Harding accomplished a great deal during his short tenure in office. And would have gone on to become a very good President had he lived. Though I also agree that he probably should not have been president, given the fact that he often spoke of his limitations. The author points out that the very qualities that made Harding so attractive was also the qualities that led to his downfall. Harding was a good, kind, sweet and sincere man-but he was loyal to a fault. Harding (like Jimmy Carter who I also feel should have never been president) was too much of a nice guy and his kindness (and naivete') prevented him from seeing the worse in others. Harding gave his trust to individuals that were unworthy of the trust he placed in them. He exercised poor judgement in his choice of friends, or as one author put it, he was not discriminating enough in his choice of friends or collegues. Had Harding exposed Charles Forbes after demanding his resignation, quite possibly Harding would have atleast been credited for having some integrity, but he blundered in his handling of Forbes.

The Harding Memorial Association also blundered by not making the Harding Papers available. In Murray's estimate, had these materials been available, much of the gossipy lies that have been said and written and about Mr. Harding would have been dispelled. But instead, lies and myths continue to be perpetuated and presented as historical fact. Therefore, it is no wonder Harding is held in such low regard. But Harding is not the evil, crook that he has been painted to be.

Harding would have, in due time, overcome the scandals like many other Presidents before and after him have. But due to his untimely death, he had no opportunity and therefore had no voice. But Harding, deserves to be reexamined, and I applaud the author's effort in presenting such a balanced view.

The Harding Era brought to the reader, for the first time, an accurate and fair account of the Warren G. Harding Presidency. Harding had been (and in some respects still is) the most maltreated president in our nation's history. His reputation plummeted soon after his untimely death in office, and misconceptions and lies soon became accepted as fact rather than fiction. Murray's work shows some interesting aspects of Harding's two and a half years in office:

· The myth of a smoke filled room does disservice to Harding, who through effective campaigning and a natural congeniality, was able to secure the 1920 nomination, and it does a disservice to the supposed power brokers, some of whom continued to vote against Harding until the end. Uncertain times and two bull-headed front-runners more than party bosses pulling the strings of a puppet Harding made a dark-horse Harding nomination possible.
· Harding was able to bring governmental spending under control by creating, under the executive branch, the office of the budget. As well, he championed and was able to accomplish the Washington Naval Conference, which set the stage for military size and ability following post World War One. His policies have been shown to be wanting, but in his day were seen as viable to an isolationist nation.
· The Teapot Dome scandal, which has historically been the Achilles heal of the Harding administration, is seen in the light of historical research: it was only in the papers for a brief time and Harding, by transferring control of governmental oil reserves from one cabinet secretary to another was simply following what was thought to be the good advice of his cabinet. He was not involved in the scandal nor could he really be faulted for what was for him an uncomplicated administrative transfer.
· The Harding era ended a recession and set the stage for republican dominance throughout the 1920s. It is shown that both Coolidge and Hoover built on this base. And, no matter how the slogan came about, "Normalcy" became the catchword of the era. Few presidents have been able to define an era as the Harding campaign did.
· Both presidents Coolidge and Hoover have hindered Harding's reputation. Both had served in the Harding cabinet and either could have spoken up for their deceased colleague to counter some of the hearsay that was accepted as fact. Yet Harding was by then a political albatross, and they both stayed silent.


Murray also clearly shows the weakness of Harding as a man and president.

· His sexual prowess was less accepted, even to a roaring 1920s, than it might have been later on. Although verified accounts of his exploits are less than the rumors and stories surrounding him, (Murray shows the idea of sex in the oval office closet to be basically another lie turned into fact), Harding was no moral beacon. As the 20th century closed in the United States Harding was remembered as a 1920s Bill Clinton. Harding could have only blamed himself for this.
· Personally he governed by consensus, weakness, and some executive planning. The speeches during his Western and Alaskan tour seem to show a man growing into the office and wanting to exercise more presidential authority. I personally think that had Harding lived he would have weathered the scandals, won re-election, and been remembered better. Yet, his death and his many hidden papers, for many years presumed destroyed, allowed the various Harding myths to emerge. By being a largely ineffective leader of questionable moral character, Harding is to be blamed for a good portion of this as his weak administration and legacy could not counter-act public perception. Most notably in his mistakes was choosing the notorious Albert Fall to be in his cabinet. Fall more that anyone helped destroy Harding's reputation.
· It is clear that Harding neither made the times, nor did the times make Harding. Brought to office by a country tired of war and wanting to be left alone without a League of Nations or similar entanglement (and helped by a number of first time voting women who found a handsome Harding elect able), he brought with him an undistinguished political record and the nostalgia of and for a small town America. Thankfully most political contests have brought forth a higher caliber winner than did the 1920 election.

Murray concludes by stating that Harding probably should not have been president. But that he was president. This second part alone merits Murray's excellent book. Years ago, when beginning a rather short-lived career as a high school history teacher, I visited the Harding Home and grave in Marion, Ohio. The tour of the home was a bit comical and somewhat less than professional, as a rather obese guide meandered us around the house, at times blowing his nose and checking his handkerchief for contents. The Harding grave was closed to the public, but I got in and saw his grave covered by garden hoses and a soda bottle. The tour was a metaphor for the Harding years. It was not enough to strive to be America's "Best Loved President". The administration needed more and could not provide it, and has strived since then to gain respect. Some Harding aficionados have suggested that Harding should not be considered America's worst president, but should be elevated to the row of bottom tier presidents (based on whatever scale is used in rating presidents). Overall this is not saying much, but it does say something. Reading Robert K. Murray's The Harding Era might just convince the reader that this bump up to the bottom is justified.

I had a hard time finding this and so glad I finally did. Its fantastic, simply beautiful. Nerburn is in a league all his own. I keep his books by my bedside.

When I picked-up this book from our best-reader Friend, who gave us a chapter from SIMPLE TRUTHS, I expected it to be equally as simply written! Not simple in the ways of writing or organized! Since his Prologue, entitled "A CANTICLE OF ECHOES, Kent grasped my attention with his first quote from a - Pueblo saying, "We do not own the land. We belong to it. And by our sweat & breath shall she know us, and welcome us upon our return."

Kent begins: "We are children on this land a shadow on the still life of time.." Employing words as far more than commentary to his Pueblo saying. He measures words economically descibing past generations "whose arrival is scribed upon the line of history...(yet not adrift) on winds of story, or float upon the shrouds of myth!" I read in his brevity, layers of past, present & future!

From earlier pages he takes us back to BURIAL, "My home is over there. Now I remember it." - A Tewa song..."I am standing before a northern lake on a windswept point of land as a young Indian boy is lowered into the earth by his friends and family.

"It is a strange and lonely funeral-- they all are in their own way...In the Indians who made their home here-- like my young departed friend-- Something lives that invests this harsh land with spiritual values."

Kent never misses chances to relate the present back to the past history of his Northern Lands, even in his continued quoting of Indian Tribes: As in NATVITY: "What is life?...It is the breath of the buffalo in the winter time..." A Blackfeet death oration. After a gripping mysterious picture of a giant buffalo, Kent is at home with his short Essays based on, BLUE, JANUARY, URN, COPSE, GOOD FRIDAY, OFFERING, WIND. Poignant quotations are adopted from Sioux, Papago, Iroquois, Delaware & Crow Tribes. There are parallels between his essays based on tribal quotes and Haunting Reverence of Christian worship in all Nerburn's books... newly birthed from his majors of Religion and Art!

He refers to religion in MEMORY of TREES, "I see men but they look like trees, walking." Again in Solitudes: "The holy silence is God's voice." Golden treasures wait being discovered! Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood "Barbara377" (Fayetteville, GA United States)

I loved this book; it is about nature, spirituality and seeing things in a new way. The author helps one to see and feel what he is.....I have used many of his books as gifts...they are a forever treasure.

I found this book by accident. I liked the title and I love nature writing. But this isn't nature writing like anything I have ever read. This is some of the most beautiful poetry and storytelling I have ever read. It is the most spiritual nature writing I have ever read. This book took me to a place like prayer. Kent Nerburn is a genius.

This book (which I have not read in entirerty) is probably the first history book written about the Ojibway. Most importantly and interestingly, the author was half Ojibway and half French and was intimate with many of the Ojibway elders he interviews. The authors biography is worthwhile in its own right. I cannot recommend a better book to gain a first hand perspective on colonial Ojibway customs, politics, culture, and the like. While the author (though Indian himself) does deplore Indian's lack of civilization, that really only adds to the book by revealing western society's rascist attitudes to the Indians. The author has been educated and christianized and his rascism is in respect to these institutions. In most other regards he has great respect for his Ojibway family.

I found this book to be most facinating, and helped me to gain some knowledge of how my ancestors lived. Four generations of my relatives were born into the L'Anse Band of Chippewa and Lac Vieux Desert Band of Indians, but I had no history of how they lived. This book helped me have some insight on their lives and their parents lives. I have given each of my children a copy of this book so that they too can have some knowledge of what their native american relatives lives were like. A most interesting read!!

During the 1850s, William Whipple Warren, an Ojibway "Half BReed," a member of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature and frequent correspondent for the "Minnesota Democrat" (a newspaper out of Saint Paul), spoke to all the elders, story tellers and medicine men of the Ojibway Nation and wrote a book. Unfortunately, he died of tuberculosis before finishing it, a fact that has many historians cursing their rotten luck. But what he achieved was priceless. His book tells the story of the Ojibway Nation's migrations, their battles against other tribes (like the Dakota, the Fox, and the Mundua), and how they first came to know the white man. FOr those who, like myself, went to public schools which portrayed the Indians as peaceful children of nature, this book explodes like a nuclear warhead on all misconceptions. Pre-Columbian America was a very brutal and VERY bloody place. Warren details the Ojibway's torure of captives, their vigilante approach to justice, and their vicious blood feuds against other tribes. THis book is NOT for the squeamish. Parts of it make Herbert Asbury's "THe Gangs of New York" look, well, kind of like a kid's game. Do NOT read this book if you posess a weak stomache. But it also proves that the history of the AMerican Indian is far too complex to fit with anyone's politically motivated attempts to push it into a box. I, for one, am deeply disapointed that Mr. Warren died before coming even close to completing his projected 7 volumes of work on the Ojibway Nation. There is much in this book already, though, to fascinate the reader and fill several film scripts. Therefore, this is a book that I recommend strongly for anyone with a strong stomache. William Warren, I salute you!

An excellent book covering the history of the Ojibwas primarily in the Northern Wisconsin/Minnesota area. William Warren did a fine job of badgering the tribal elders till he received the information he sought. Written in the 1880's, Warren writes of the different clans and their interactions, the introduction to the white men they liked (French) and hated (British), and the constant warring with other tribes (mostly Sioux) over prime hunting lands which took the lives of many. According to Warren, "Ojibwa" means "to roast until puckered", needless to say, he's not talking about dinner. If just one book on the Ojibwas is in your plans, this should be the one. I myself would prefer to read a book written by someone who actually talked to these tribal elders over 100 years ago, not someone who attempts to do so nowadays, generations (and clouded memories) later.

This is a really different kind of memoir. It's personal, yet gripping as a novel would be (part of it is memior, part is fiction). It's also thoughtful and analytical without falling into the trapof being dry or over-intellectualized. I learned as much about myself as I did about the author. The blurb on the back cover is right - once I started it, I couldn't put it down.

This is an intimately written and insightful work. Anyone interested in women, film, or issues surrounding lesbianism will enjoy the work. Beautifully formatted.

In "Home Movies..." Citron uses an interplay of fact and fiction to guide the reader on a journey of secrets. We are never quite sure of who is speaking and yet always sure it is the author's voice we hear. Citron has crafted her written words with the same sense of artistry evident in her films. This book is powerful and artfully written. It is as much about understanding the well-buried and fragmented narratives we each conceal as it is about the story of Citron's individual exploration of her own stories. Communicated through simple language inflected with subtle nuances, the truths among these pages explore the juncture of life and art. Interacting with this text is quite an experience.

This is a really different kind of memoir. It's personal, yet gripping as a novel would be (part of it is memoir, part is fiction). It's also thoughtful and analytical without falling into the trap of being dry or over-intellectualized. I learned as much about myself as I did about the author. The blurb on the back cover is right - once I started it, I couldn't put it down.

What else can I say, for the first time in over 4 months I can finally breath and smile in the mornings. I thought our case was to tough for this technique, so far we had been implementing something very similar and we had seen some minor changes of attitude, so we made the some adjustments to adopt this plan and WOW wat a change, our Foster child, soon to be adopted changed from one day to another, it is liek something clicked on him. He woke up in the morning without complaining and got ready for school. WE DID NOT HAVE TO REPEAT OURSELVES, not once. Every parent, foster parent, adult should read this book.

I was skeptical at first. The day before I bought this book, I cried for 2 hours after my daughter left the house to go with her father. My boyfriend asked me for about the 5th time, have you looked to see if there are any books written that would help you with this discipline problem you are having with your daughter? So, I went to the bookstore and bought Larry's book on Smart Discipline. The Smart Discipline process worked for me because it helped me to know what the rules are in my home. Sound too simple? I am a single mother, whose 10 year old daughter spends 1/2 time with her father each week. He is the disciplinarian, I was not. I was so glad to see my daughter when she would arrive back with me, that I had no control over her behavior. She is not one of those easy children to raise. She has a definite mind of her own and seems to thrive on stepping over the line and then watching the fireworks. There were countless mornings where I would go to work feeling guilty for how the early morning had gone trying to get her ready for school. Then there were the evenings with homework! I started Smart Discipline with my daughter about four weeks ago. She didn't like it at first and tried all of the behaviors Larry said she would, to try to get me to stop. It is not easy to hold fast when you are used to giving in all of the time, but it pays off. Last week she had no X's! And, she was proud of it. She suggested that maybe we didn't need to do the chart anymore. Ha! I told her I thought we did. She seems more at ease, knowing where the line is consistently. And, I know I am more relaxed. Now I won't tell you it will be a piece of cake. It is not. But, I will tell you that reading Larry's book, saved me and my daughter from endless days of fighting over silly stuff like whether or not she was going to take a shower or brush her teeth. With the problems I was having now, my thoughts about what she was going to be like at 15 were not good. Now I see a better future for us. If you feel like your child is out of control, and want to do something about it, read this book.

Every parent needs this book. Not only will it assist you in creating the family atmosphere you want and need, but it will make your relationship with your child better. My daughter is 8 and we've seen obvious improvement in only two weeks. Thanks Dr. Koenig!

Not that I disagree with the author. As far as discipline concerned, this book offered wonderful method for behavior modification that I would gladly apply.

However, this book doesn't cover psychology of children (which is exactly my intention of buying the title) nor give you understanding of their behavior.

If you are looking for simple and ready-to-use method of disciplining your children, this book is for you. But if you are looking for deeper parents-children relationship, you need to find elsewhere.

Over the top writing! I thought "page turner" only referred to novels but Christopher Calderhead's style had me riveted for hours at a time, unable to put down the book. As a calligrapher the subject matter was near and dear to my heart and to hear the process described in words of the scribes themselves was moving. Calderhead's attention to detail, minute observations of the scribes at work and his skill as an interviewer make for an interesting and compelling read.

I bought this book expecting to find at least general interesting facts and maybe an inside look at the illustrations in case that I never get to see the real thing and was surprised by the well told and interesting story behind the project, the author creates an atmosphere of closeness and inside access to something very important and treasured.

Elegant presentation. Beautifully printed book. Makes you want to run out ASAP to see the creation in the flesh!

This book covers all the 'W's and the 'H'. This is a remarkable book to The Saint John's bible series/collection. You learn all the behind the scenes events as Calderhead spends years interviewing the crew and the Bible's sponsors/investors. Hundreds of colored photographs accompany the book allowing you to get a better feel for the construction of the Bible and its illuminations. One of the best!

Edith and John Rylander's Journeying Earthward is a sharply observed and deeply felt meditation on the small slice of Minnesota earth on Big Swan Lake which they and their children have "borrowed" for the past four decades. Particularly compelling are the chapters on animals in their various incarnations: as pets; as stock; as "critters, varmints, vermin, pests"; and as beasts. As with so much else in this book, the insights are the products of many slow seasons of observation and rumination. Having just revisited Willa Cather's Midwestern classic "My Antonia," I was in the mood to take in this untrendy, far from the coasts, adventure down through all its personal byways and excursions into things historical and geologic. If you are tired of Double Latte from paper cups, take a deep drink of the real thing from this handhewn bowl. Recommended to all lovers of the earth and its many and various bioregions.

Edith and John Rylander have chronicled their 38 year marriage, life and family adventure from surburban California to the north woods of Minn. in a most interesting, readable fashion. They have done what so many of us just talked about in the 60's, and made it work for them. They describe in a very entertaining manner the mucky, or yucky aspects of farm life, as well as those special uplifting moments. I especially enjoyed the animal raising, and home building chapters. Take a vicarious journey with them. It's worth the trip.

A combination of memoir, Least-Heat-Moonesque deep history, and manifesto, Journeying Earthward celebrates what is possible in nonfiction as it explores the life choices of its author-protagonists, John and Edith Rylander. The lucky reader gets to enjoy their journey with them; the luckiest readers might be inspired to begin more self-aware life journeys themselves.

In 1965, John and Edith Rylander left a "good life" in California for the challenges of an old cabin on a bit of land in the Minnesota woods.

To read Journeying Earthward is to share with them the challenges they faced, to be part of an an intelligent and animated conversation about the way human beings should live. The Rylanders note that the nation still has "no land ethic," and show us, step by step, how we might choose to improve our lives by considered choices.

These folks aren't professors sitting in some ivory tower issue pronouncements about how the rest of us ought to run the world. They started with little background, little money, and literally dug their way to a life-- not a "lifestyle"-- which allows them to integrate their work and pleasure the way humans are meant to do. They write the way they talk with visitors in their underground living room, comfortably, with excitement and love for the subject. Sometimes one or the other dashes off on a tangent, but the topic is always relevant-- pretty much the way a good conversation arranges itself. What a refreshing change from so much environmental reading!
Don't expect to find a neatly-numbered list of actions to take to make your life more environmentally friendly; this is no "50 easy ways to save the planet in 15 minutes without breaking a sweat." Read to be encouraged to think about your own situation, to consider your own choices, and how you might make changes in your life to make it more satisfying as well as more earth friendly.

For several months now, Mira James has been trailer-sitting for her friend Sunny in Battle Lake, Minnesota. And while her days have been occupied by working in the town library, Mira has also had to solve a few mysteries -- murder among them -- since her arrival in the spring. (See "May Day" and "June Bug.") She's gotten to know more than a few of the local characters and has even landed an extra gig as a reporter for the weekly Battle Lake Recall.

But now it's July, it's ungodly hot, and it's time for Wenonga Days. This year the townsfolk are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the installation of the Chief Wenonga statue that stands twenty-three feet tall and guards the shoreline of Battle Lake. Having a dismal past where intimate relationships are concerned, Mira has secretly projected her affections instead onto the Chief, whom she sees as the ultimate in Tall, Dark, Handsome, and Safe. He's the most stable man in her life.

And so it follows that Mira takes it personally when the fiberglass statue is stolen just before the holiday. Who could have done such an unthinkable thing, and how did they do it? Though Mira's attention is mildly diverted by real-life encounters with Johnny Leeson, the sexiest gardener she's ever met, she makes it her goal to find out just what's going on in Battle Lake. Does any guilt lie with that visiting professor who's campaigning for the rights of native peoples? What about Brando Erikkson, whose company originally made the Chief? And how is squirrelly business owner Les Pastner involved in the conspiracy? Was it part of his scalp that was found at the base of the statue?

Mira James is a quirky, likeable, and realistic protagonist / heroine. Her turns of phrase and sense of humor (especially when directed at herself) are laugh-out-loudable. Who knew that life in rural Minnesota could be so intriguing and so funny? Habitual mystery readers must leap into this series with both feet.

Although I am from Minnesota, you don't have to be to enjoy this series. I just finished Knee High by the Fourth of July and am anxious to start August Moon. It's going to be a long wait for me for September Morn (I think that's the title for the fifth book) but I will try to be patient. Keep 'em coming, Ms Lourey!

Seriously, I simply love Jess Lourey's Minnesota based series. She combines great wit with plots and sub-plots that never fail to challenge the reader. What a delight!

If you are in the market for a good laugh, at and with a local flare, Jess Lourey's "Knee High by the Fourth of July," the third installment of her 12-book Murder by Month series and follow up to "May Day" and "June Bug," may be the perfect end of summer book.

"The good news is that I'm proud of Knee High," she said. "It's fun, long on humor, romance, and red herrings."

Lourey's quirky humor plays throughout the book in her prose and dialogue, but more in her diversions on the normalcy and oddity of Battle Lake and Otter Tail County.

Lourey acknowledges her appreciation for the people and the area.

"I've been remiss in my earlier novels in not thanking the people of Battle Lake, who are good sports about the fun-poking and murder-creating I do in their beautiful town," she said.

Like the Mask of Bewildered Anger, which Lourey's protagonist sleuth Mira James describes as, "the official expression of rural Minnesotans confronted by liberal progressives."

Much like the faces of her many town characters who, in the midst of planning the celebration of Wenonga days, find the Chief himself has gone missing, a blow to Mira James, who suffers quite an obsession with the Chief.

Mira's second biggest crush, the organic gardening god and dead ringer for Brad Pitt--Johnny Leeson--has also disappeared. Her luck with men is running out, and a killer might be moving in. With something of her own to hide, Mira hopes she can avoid the police long enough to track down the object of her mega-crush--but is Mira trailing a statue-thief, a kidnapper, or a murderer?

The many characters running under Mira James' magnifying glass of suspicion range from the kooky to loony, so much so, a reader living in the area could easily mistake one of the characters for themselves.

While Lourey's book could be misconstrued, upon first glance, to appeal to women only, her humor transcends both genders and makes for a delightful romp through our own neighborhoods. But come looking for laughs. One thing about Lourey's humor, she demands the reader already have the sense to spot it or at the very least, have a clue.

This is an excellent guide, reference, and resource book for anyone in the midwest who's interested in natural landscaping or planning landscapes to support wildlife. Everything about the book is aimed at being both practical and comprehensive. The book is spiral-bound for ease of use; this suggests cheapness, but the excellent color photos and illustrations belies this impression. The first half of the book fills the role of a guidebook. Its 64 pages address the benefits and principles of landscaping for wildlife; habitat components; and how to landscape small and medium yards, farms (e.g., windbreaks), and wood lots. This is followed by a long and useful list (119 entries) of litarature cited. The list is a great resource for locating additional material. Sixteen Appendixes comprise the second half (56 pages) of the book, and form a mini-reference library that would alone have been worth the price of the book. The most useful appendix provides a tabulation of plants for use in landscaping. It specifies plant type (16 categories), wildlife value (10 categories), landscape uses (29 categories), number of wildlife species documented as using the plant, plant characteristics (12 categories), and other information about growth requirements and plant size. Furthermore, the tables are divided into eight groups of plant types such as conifers; butterfly, bee, and moth plants; nut and acorn plants; and winter plants. As if this weren't enough, four appendixes contain designs for various simple construction projects, four contain additional wildlife information, and the rest contain a collection of other useful topics. In summary, if you live in the midwest, and have any interest in natural landscaping on any scale, or any interest in the needs and preferences of our flying and furry friends with any number of legs, this book is a must-have. The quality is excellent, the contents are comprehensive and practical, it's easy to use, and the price is right.

A friend asked recently about the subject of "trees which are attractive to birds." I hadn't
used this book for a while, my garden is getting mature, but was prompted to open it again
because I recalled it has so many lists of plants arranged from every perspective
one can think of (everything from "Best butterfly nectar sources in Minnesota"
to "Midwestern mammals which use snags.") I love these lists. There
may not be a plethora of photos here, but armed with one of these lists and any good
horticulture reference, one can find a plant for any midwestern landscape need, and
bring wildlife into the garden to boot. Despite the 1987publication date, this book is timely
and up to the minute. If anything, it was ahead of it's time; gardeners and landscapers
are just now catching up to the information contained in this book.

I too was at a total loss until someone recommended this book to me. The little identification signs in the nurseries are often inaccurate with the little they do say, and they're coming from such a different ("if you want to prevent the birds from eating your berries, cover the entire tree in garish mesh") perspective, for the most part, that I never felt I was getting anywhere.

The only faults with this title all have to do with too much information. The many appendices might have been better integrated with one another. There are times when the plant tables involve an awful lot of flipping back and forth, and could have been more cleanly organized. Finally, the sheer number of species of plant involved make it impossible to do what many garden books do; often you're looking at a description like "TS" (tall shrub) and wondering what shape it is, how dense, and so on. I went to the web and used the latin names to find descriptions of everything.

You'll need to go from this book to other sources to be sure of the appearance of things, and consulting with the average nursery or landscaper will still be necessary to discover things like when to prune. But this is the place to start, without question, for anyone in the midwest.

Before finding this book, I was stumbling and haphazardly identifying and assembling the plants and trees I wanted to accomplish my goals of drawing wildlife to my property, providing for them and returning the land I have removed from from nature by building in a development (my lot is 5 acres).

This book will be ragged before I am done AND I will most probably have to buy a second copy.

The farmer on the cover of this book is my Uncle John. He died in March 2007 at the age of 91 -- still a bachelor farmer. Every time I run across this book in a bookstore I pick it up and think fondly about him and all my farming relatives. The photograph captures him in a typical stance and also captures his personality.

"Life on the Farm" is a wonderful book that capures life on the farm like no other. Dean Riggott brings you on the farm and into the lives of the farmer. "Life on the Farm" is a must have for everyone, from a person who grew up on a farm and has left, to an urban dweller that has no idea what life on the farm truly is.

An amazing book! As a former resident of Minnesota, really loved reading through Riggott's book. The pictures and accompanying text give you a great feeling for the land and the people who live there. The photos are all fantastic, evoking a sense of time and place. It is great addition to my collection of coffee table books.

Dean really has a good grasp of what farming means in this mostly rural state. The photos are crisp and informative, and I don't have to wonder if anything is missing in his picture of rural Minnesota. I can't wait until his next book!