Washington Books

This book is a great tool to locate outdoor shelters available to the public. This is the new updated version which has the latest pricing info. and great comparison charts between locations. However, I think it could use more maps and directions. Also, the older version of this book gave much better photos to help you understand what really to expect at these locations.

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, How To Rent A Fire Lookout In The Pacific Northwest is the essential reference guide for anyone seeking to spend a weekend in a remote forest ranger lookout tower offering a bird's-eye view of the trees and clouds -- and an impressively memorable view of both sunrise and sunset. Covering a total of sixty-five cabins, guard stations, and fire lookouts available for rent in Oregon and Washington, the sites range from pleasant bungalows just off the road, to 60-foot towers deep in the wilderness. Travelers and vacationers can available themselves of lodging in these scenic, secluded and historic structures offering personal sanctuaries in private places. Information on rental procedures, cost, capacity, and dates of availability for all 65 locations are provided, along with website addresses for each property where available, detailed directions on finding them, tips on local attractions, cabin history, maps, and illustrations of each individual location. The collaborative work of Tish McFadden and Tom Foley, How To Rent A Fire Lookout In The Pacific Northwest is a unique, practical, and ideal planning resource.

How to Rent a Fire Lookout in the Pacific Northwest is a valuable tool for exploring the beautiful backcountry of the Northwest! Authors Tom Foley and Tish Steinfeld have given a great gift to those of us in search of outdoor adventure. As a seeker of Oregon Stories within the landscape, I am enjoying this book immensely. I will include it in preparation of future sauntering and discovery!

Just astounding! I have stayed at three of the lookout featured in the book, and they are every bit as wonderful as the book illustrates. This book is a must for the nature lover. I'm not much of a hiker or skier, so fortunately this book tells you how difficult it is to reach each lookout. And most all the lookouts are a mere $25-$40 a night! My lookout trips have been the best vacations I've ever had. Please, please pick up this book if you plan to be in Oregon for any length of time and love great scenery...

This book is well worth it, for those of you who are sparked by the idea of Hydroplane racing. It has some very in depth info as well as some great photographs. Enjoy

If you are an Unlimited Hydroplane fan you will love this book. Lots of great information, stories and pictures. You won't be disappointed!

To this day, the hydroplanes race on Lake Washington in early August, and the crowds still come, but it is not the same as it was in the glory days of the 50's and 60's. Back in those days, the crowds were enormous, the hydroplane drivers were household names, and the sport captivated the city in a way that no other sport has done, before or since.

During race week, all three local television stations showed hour after hour of qualification runs throughout the week, and all three stations covered the Sunday race from early morning till late afternoon. Children - I was one of them - spent their summers creating their own wooden hydroplanes and racing them through the streets either tied to their bicycles or pulled by hand. And after three popular drivers died on the Potomac River in 1966, it was never the same. Many of us trace the end of our youth, the loss of innocence, to that day.

"Hydroplane Racing in Seattle" brings back images and memories of those years, and of subsequent years all the way up to the mid-1980's. This is not a detailed history, more like a scrapbook, and the narrative is anecdotal rather than strictly chronological. The focus is on the biggest names - Stan Sayres, the auto dealer-sportsman who's Slo-Mo-Shun hydroplanes captured the city's imagination and started the whole hydroplane craze in 1950; builders/designers Ted Jones and Anchor Jenson; drivers Bill Muncey, Ron Musson, Rex Manchester, Mira Slovak, Dean Chenoweth, Don Wilson, and others; and the boats themselves - Slo-Mo-Shun IV, Miss Thriftway, Miss Bardahl, Miss Exide, and many others; and, finally, the accidents, the shattered hulls that caused so much pain and sorrow.

For those who were there, this will provide an evening of memories; for those who weren't there, it will not mean as much. Why not five stars? Mainly, because it's all black-and-white photography, and that is not quite good enough for such a colorful sport. Also, there is little if anything about some of the sport's more peripheral but colorful characters - Chuck Hickling, Norm Evans, Bob Gilliam, Jim McCormick, and Dallas Sartz come to mind. And also virtually nothing about the media figures who were such an integral part of that era - Bill O'Mara, Rod Belcher, Pat O'Day, Keith Jackson, Charles Herring, Mike Rhodes, and a host of others. Perhaps it was just a case of "space does not allow . . . "

"Hydroplane Racing in Seattle" tells the story of the explosive growth in popularity of Unlimited Hydroplane racing in Seattle during the 1950s and the subsequent changes in the sport. This book is well-written and professionally packaged in terms of photo selection and page layout. The 125 pages are populated with approximately 200 mostly excellent black and white photographs of the boats and the personalities that made them go. You can do the math; the book is rich in photographs, and maybe a little thin in text. The front cover contains a small, tantalizing color photo of the restored "Slo-mo-shun V".

The scope of the book is limited to Seattle-based boats and Seattle races from 1909 through 1984. This corresponds to the piston engine era; one may conclude that the "hair dryer boats" (turbines) are out of favor with the author, but actually he has chosen a good cut-off point.

The story of Stan Sayres and his legendary "Slo-mo-shun" boats is well told in Chapters One and Two. The ongoing controversy over who designed which parts of the "Slo-mo-shun IV" is examined. Not explored are the contributions of other designers and builders such as Rich Hallett and his client Paul Sawyer. Subsequent chapters focus on the heroes of the sport (Bill Muncey, Mira Slovak, Ron Musson, etc.) and the legendary boats (the "Miss Thriftways", the "Miss Bardahls", the "Hawaii Kai III", the "Pay N Paks", etc.)

The fanatical enthusiasm of the Seattle fans is alluded to but not examined in any detail. No mention is made of the kids towing miniature hydroplanes behind their bicycles. Very little mention is made of the sometimes freakish "dream boats" such as the "Miss Skyway", the 24 cylinder "Scooter too" aka "Adios" aka "Miss Moses Lake", "Miss University District", "Shanty II", "Zephyr-Fury", and the first "$ Bill". The remarkable boat building career of Bob Gilliam is also pretty much ignored. Some of the other things that were omitted were the competition between TV stations for audience share (the battle of the long lenses) and the competition between newspapers for reader share. The sometimes bitter rivalry between Seattle and Detroit is given adequate coverage, but it would be nice to have a photo or two of some of the Seattle camp's tormentors like the "Miss Pepsi" or the "Such Crust III". The most glaring error in a mostly error-free book is the assertion that the "Slo-mo-shun V" qualifying flip in 1955 occurred in the first lap; most accounts state that the blowover was on the back straightaway in the third and final qualifying lap. There are many photographs of flips, collisions, and the resulting wreckage. Even Detroit-based boats are included in the photographic record of incidents that make hydroplane racing a truly dangerous motor sport.

I was there for the fiftieth running of the Gold Cup on Lake Washington in 1957. Reading David Williams' book brought back memories of that race. I would recommend "Hydroplane Racing in Seattle" to anyone who thrills to the sights and sounds of Unlimited Hydroplane racing... the roostertails and the outrageous color schemes, a V-12 aircraft engine revving beyond its design limits and that deeper, ominous sound when the driver punches the nitrous oxide button.

Bob Foley

Life in the colony of Virginia in the 1730's and 1740's -- the time that George Washington was growing up -- is described in lively detail with wonderful watercolor illustrations! Food, clothing, work, games, education, news, fashion, medicine and more are all brought to life for young readers.

How wonderful for children to get an idea of what kind of childhood formed the mind of our first American President.

I have several of the "If You Grew Up...." titles in my free-reading area of my sixth grade classroom. The George Washington title is one of the most-often chosen titles--probably because they are curious about our first president. This title also gives a good description of what life was like for the gentry class of Virginia in the 1740s-1760s. Students have been able to use the information to write comparison pieces about GW's life and their own. I highly recommend this title and the others in the series for both the literature and social studies classroom. Weak readers have a high interest in the subject matter; strong readers enjoy a quick read.

Outstanding look backwards in time to discover what it would have been like to grow up with George Washington. The book answers lots of questions; What kind of clothes would you wear?, What about the bathroom?, What did children do to have fun?, What would you learn in school? How did people carry their tabacco around?, Who made the laws for the colony? and many more... Loads of cheery illustrations cover the pages.

Although I don't have all the books in this series ("if you..."), the six that I have are so fun and interesting, that I intend to get them all asap. My three children (3-8), my husband and I LOVE them.

As I journeyed through the pages of Michelangelo's life, I couldn't put this wonderful book down. The photography is beautiful, and the sidebars give little glimpses of life during the Renaissance and also in present-day Italy. I'm ready to sign on for a tour to Rome with Angela!

"A Journey into Michelangelo's Rome" combines intriguing, enlightening details about Michelangelo's life with historical facts about Rome. It also brings Italian culture and history alive and transported me back to our amazing first visit to Rome and Florence. We were fortunate to travel with the author, Angela K. Nickerson, on that first trip to Italy and I can truly say it was the best travel decision we ever made. Angela's book is accurate, exciting and a great read whether you want to learn more about Michelangelo or Rome, the city where he spent most his life. It's also the perfect book to have before and during a trip to Italy, enhancing every experience. You can read hundreds of travel books on Italy but nothing compares to traveling with this author, seeing Italy through her eyes and benefiting from her years of travel and research.

I recently traveled to Rome and Florence with Angela Nickerson, the author of "A Journey into Michelangelo's Rome". The experience was both tremendously enjoyable as well as deeply educational. Ms. Nickerson has filled her book with passion for art, history and the great beauty of Rome through the lens of Michaelangelo's life and artistic triumphs. While visiting Rome is one of the greatest trips you can take, it can be truly enhanced by taking this book along as companion reading. The photos, sidebars, diagrams and insets all serve to make this book a treasure-trove of fun facts and delights to devour while in one of the world's most beautiful cities. Happy travels and happy reading!

In January 2008 a few friends and I had the good fortune to meet Angela (the author) and some members of her delightful family in Italy at Ostia Antica where we learned of the publication of this fine book. I've been to Rome twice in the past year and Angela's book is acccurate, informative--and best of all--interesting. The author's text, photos, and maps combine to make "A Journey into Michelangelo's Rome" a pleasure to read, to carry as a resource while visiting Rome--and in my case a book of memories and treasures and regrets...regrets only in the sense that this book did not exist prior to my visits to Rome. More than just an exposition of Michelangelo and his work, she captures the historical personalities of the period and brings the "rinascita" to life. Like taking a tidy course in Humanities, reading Angela's book will help anyone to become more learned in a pilgrimage to achieve the worthy status of being called "l'uomo universale."

I've read the first 2 in this collection (Julip & The Seven Ounce Man) and I have to say that Harrison is quickly becoming one of my favorite American authors. His language is witty, but diverse. He can describe the heck out of a patch of woods using concision only guys like Fitzgerald could find, and then go ahead and give you a wildly humorous anecdote about a mistaken bar fight (one of my favorite scenes from The Seven Ounce Man). This will appear all within the same story and--more importantly--the two segments will actually be connected. Some authors make you forget that every word, every sentence, means something. Jim Harrison is not of that school. Every word is an important part of the story.

Harrison is merciless with his subjects. In Julip, he brings to bear all of the violence, fear, promiscuity, hatred, incest, drunkennes, and irresponsibility that permates the lives of these characters. Somehow I come away from the story liking each character (some more than others, mind you) and I don't feel like I was given any kind of direction to. I feel like I ought to have strongly disliked some of them, actually. But Harrison's style is such that it creates these beautiful portaits of such terrible things. I know the content is disturbing, but I love how well everything has been rendered!

The Seven Ounce Man is more overtly concerned with reservation of the North. B.D. is a remarkable character who--again, even though I can't sympathize with his lifestyle--I admire as a character. It's easy to see how his character is misrepresented time and time again, while he goes on to admit (during his stint in 1st person position) that a lot of the time he's just thinking about sex or how to avoid getting beat up. Meanwhile, well-intentioned, but ultimately hyper-empathetic characters like Gretchen are wrongfully attributing descriptions like 'fascinating' to this drifter. I can't help but like him myself, since he seems an honest narrator and overall quite a good person (barring some minor role in contributing to the national statistic of marital infidelity).

Jim Harrison really knows how to create a dynamic character. And by reading the stuff in this book, I am led to believe that he has an intimate knowledge of the landscapes in which his characters move. If I am wrong, he is faking very well.

Not the best by Mr. Harrison, but enjoyable. The 7 Ounce Man is especially funny. I liked all of his characters and they even reminded me of a few people I know. Read "The Woman Lit by Fireflies", it's one of my favorites.

read these 3 novellas on plane from New Zealand to Jakarta. Not much business to be had in Indonesia but the book made the trip worthwhile. A new writer for me and I was impressed with the ironic, slightly weary style and with the gentle humour - not taking itself too seriously. Highly recommended.

This collection of novellas by acclaimed poet and novelist Jim Harrison is to savor. He once said, "Art should be a process of discovery, or it's boring." Reading Julip is an engrossing emotional discovery as we share the lives of characters that only this author can create.

Julip, the title piece in this presentation of three stories is about an irrepressible 21-year-old whose name is "the mixture of a flower and a drink." Apt description that. Julip tries to convince her brother to say he is insane so that he might be released from prison. Brother Bobby is there for shooting (not fatally) Julip's three wealthy boyfriends.

In The Seven-Ounce Man another appearance is made by one of Harrison's familiar characters, Brown Dog. Many met Brown Dog, a rapscallion and ex-Bible student who lives in Michigan's Peninsula, in The Woman Lit By Fireflies. This incarnation finds Brown Dog the victim of Native American activists. B.D. enjoys the simple life - he reads Popular Mechanics and likes pork and beans.

The Beige Dolorosa, the title of the third story, is the name that a defrocked academic, Phillip Caulkins, has given to a bird, one bird among the 700 North American varieties he has decided to rename. Caulkins's daughter comes to his rescue and deports him to Arizona, where he becomes interested in ranch life and being a cowboy.

As always, Harrison's prose is entertaining and humorous. He is an original.

- Gail Cooke

This summer 2005 I used this book to kayak the inside passage from Anacordis WA to Glacier Bay, AK. I left Anacordis on 18 June 05 and reached Glacier Bay on 25 Sept O5. This book was my guide the entire way. I tried every recommended campsite, and paddled the recommended route almost entirely, without stopping, for 1400 miles, and 3 1/2 months. So ... perhaps, in a small way, I am qualified to review this book.

The book's recommended route is impecable - perfect all the way from Anacordis to Glacier Bay, with one exception, as follows: Between Petersburg and Juneau AK, the author routes the kayaker along admiralty island to see a bear sanctuary, and then into a blind lagoon where the kayaker is forced to use a land trolley to transport his kayak across a peninsula. This route is a poor selection because 1)The bear sanctuary is impossible for kayakers to see because of beligerant forest service policies requiring advance reservations. No exceptions; 2)The blind lagoon's trolley has the rails disconnected at the north end, requiring the kayaker to CARRY his kayak on his back down a steep, high hill to finish the portage. Instead, kayakers buying this book would do best in ignoring the author's Petersburg to Juneau route, and instead paddle along the mainland shore, where multitudes of iceburgs float, where the second best whale-watching area in north america is, and best of the best, where the Tracy Arm Glacier is, arguable the finest, most impressive and actively calving glacier in all of Alaska. Why the author bypassed the miraculous Tracy Arm to NOT see a bear sanctuary that doesn't permit impromptu kayakers ... we can only guess.

Campsites: The author openly admits that he lost his notes on what his campsites were for much of the trip. Thus, the campsites recommended on the book's maps are anotated in the book with painful phrases paraphrased like "... the topo map shows this to be flat ground, so there maybe SHOULD be a campsite there...." OUCH. Speaking as a traveller who has visited all the author's recommended campsites, the author is right only better than half the time, and when the campsite he recommends turns out to be a swamp ... or indeed IS flat ground but is fronted by jagged rocks impossible to haul a kayak up the beach on ... that means the tired kayaker must continue paddling blindly and exhaustedly, perhaps with light failing and conditions deteriorating, looking for a campsite on his own. Now this wouldn't be so bad, except that for the vast majority of the inside passage, the mountains fall directly into the sea, leaving jagged cliffy coastlines where campsites appear only once every ten miles or so. Campsites are as scarce as hens teeth. So ... a tired kayaker having timed his paddling day to end at the author's recommended campsite ... has only a 50-50 chance of indeed finding shelter there, and will perhaps be forced to continuing paddling on ... and on ... and on.

Author's commentary and background research is superb. Many times I found myself teaching the locals about their own area by reading them this guidebook's commentary. The book is very readable and fun, yet is highly educational. The author's anecdotes had me rolling on my tent floor in laughter many times. Exceptions: The author comments that one can expect to see one to five bears a day along the inside passage. This is not so. I paddled 3 1/2 months, and only saw 6 bears, all of them black, none of them browns. Bears, and signs of bears, were few. Land wildlife is actually very rare along the entire inside passage ... but marine wildlife abounds. Only three places in 1400 miles did I see a deer, for example.

Overall, this book earns its 5 stars. But note the exceptions above to correct the book's few quirks. Hats off to the author on doing such a good job guiding us through such a demanding, lengthy, and thrilling journey.

Mr. Miller has a wealth of knowledge in kayaking, the passage, and the environment. He shares this with humor and historic accuracy. I particularly enjoyed his observations of human interaction. However, it would be a much more digestable read if I didn't have to use the dictionary every ten minutes to discover the meaning of the obscure language he uses throughout the book. Although I clearly understand the gist, the audience (me)... would be more interested in a text that had a manageable rhythm. Perhaps he is trying to prove he is a literate, intellectual outdoor person. I will use this book to help plan my own month long trip in the inside passage.

Miller's book is filled with delights on every page. I picked it up because I'm heading up The Passage by ferry for the first time and I thought a kayaker's perspective could be interesting. I was not disappointed! Every page is an entertainment. From the trials of flood and ebb tides to the ever-present danger from bears to the capsulated history about almost every one of the 3,000 islands along the way. I felt I was present.

This is not just about paddling, which is detailed to the max, but about economics; and the climate; and the sheer brutality as well as the compassion of the men and women who braved it;

As I go on my comfortable armchair cruise, I will now know not only what is in front of me but what transpired at this spot 100 years ago, 500 years ago and even how the surface of the earth came to this spectacular visage.

How the eminent naturalist, John Muir got his come-up-ence from an elderly chief; how the first settlers crossed the land bridge into the new continent; how the more recent "discoverers" overcame hardship and missed opportunities to enter into a struggle between nations that, although currently without bloodshed, is still continuing.

I received much more than I was expecting from "Kayaking...". I received a wealth of background which will make my coming trip a true "delight".

Full of history, regional politics, and local knowledge, this book is not just for kayakers. Anyone planning or dreaming of an Inside Passage voyage will enjoy this read. And yes, it has the maps,references, and all the hard-to-find details for actually doing this trip.

I bought this CD last Halloween, and I just ordered one as a gift. I read the Library Jouranl review. WOW! has this reviewer ever read the book?? The "acting is over the top??" The BOOK is over the top! This recording nailed Washington Irving's beautiful words and brought the whole flavour of the book to life. The acting is great! Lincoln Clark is THE definative Ichabod Crane. The narration draws you in, and the music score deserves a CD of its own. This will surely be a Halloween tradition in my family. Library Journal - dust off the book and read it again. You will see that this production by the incredible Colonial Radio Theatre hits the nail on the head. It is a masterpiece!

This is excellent...5 stars...It does not get any better than this! How is that for a simple review? Well, I love audio dramas, and have been listening to them almost exclusively now for over a decade. I also love the writing of Washington Irving..So I feel the need to let the world know that finally someone has done my boy Washington Irving justice with his superb "legend of Sleepy Hollow". Colonial Radio hit the ball out of the park when they recorded this gem. The acting is FANTASTIC! They all captured the essence of these wonderfully absurd characters...I loved Icabod, as I loved Brom Bones. The narration too was a joy to behold (as he let Washington's prose speak for itself, though it was certainly performed with flair and pinache, just as one would perform a one man show...no dull audio book drone here). The Musical score was inspired (Three cheers for Mr. Gage), and the surprise musical number was a joy. I used to read this classic every October, now I make it a point of catching this chestnut while it is airing on XM radio, or I just pop in my CD. Great job Colonial, this truly is as good as it gets!

I make no bones about it. I am an Legend of Sleepy Hollow fanatic. I have loved the story ever since growing up in that wonderful region along the Tappan Zee. Every Autumn, I look forward to reliving what WAshington Irving so lovingly captured. This production is simply a wonder to behold. It captures the flavor and feel of what Mr. Irving with our doubt meant to present. I was stunned to discover (to their credit) that this production remained very faithful to the book (something rarely done in this Hip Hop age). This is a great CD and I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy the acting and very powerful music score. Get a copy, you will be glad you did.

After listening to a friend's copy of Colonial Radio Theatre's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" I decided to purchase some for myself and to give as gifts for next Halloween. Of all the audio or movie productions I know of, this is by far the only one most like Washington Irving's book.
What fascinates me is that Irving's sumptuous and colorful writing style has been lovingly captured by the actors. Even his wonderfully descriptive--not to mention extensive--narration is performed with ease, gently drawing the listener into the spirit-filled world of Sleepy Hollow.
I applaud the producers who, employing excellent production values, have chosen to maintain the integrity of the original book.

I was managing editor for this project. The story is interesting and the suspense is well handled. It is well written. In my opinion, J L Peters is a rising star in the literary world. This is what we came up with for the book jacket:

When a young reporter sat down to interview Industrial Tycoon Danny Dowd he didn't know what to expect. He had known Danny for years and had enjoyed his confidence and trust. He had no idea how this interview would turn out. It certainly couldn't hurt his career as a writer.
The wealthy bachelor took out an old package of lemon flavored cigarettes,lit one, as he had done every Valentine's Day for the past eighteen years. He took several puffs and then snuffed the cigarette out in the ashtray.
"That's the last of them," he said, "you can't get them any more, not since early 1975."
He leaned back, suggested that the reporter set up the chessboard and he would tell him the story behind the cigarettes. He said the conversation would be taped and the reporter would get the tape at the end of the session. There would be no questions allowed.
This is how we are introduced to the story of Danny Dowd, a tale of joy and sadness, of love, tomfoolery and tragedy. It is built around the lives of two young people who meet in college and immediately fall in love.
The path they follow is not easy. They are constantly confronted with problems that challenge their love for each other. This is a story of gripping suspense that involves sex, fraternity and sorority life, a life-threatening disease
and a struggle with families that disapprove of the relationship.
This is a hard book to put down, based on a true account. You'll be torn between chuckles, tears and memories as you follow this fascinating tale.
Enjoy,
W. Olchesky

I laughed, I cried, then I laughed at myself for crying. This is a well-told and interesting story. It's nothing less than AWESOME!

I felt 30 years younger, like I was back in college in 1974!

I was managing editor for this project. The story is interesting and the suspense is well handled. It is well written. In my opinion, J L Peters is a rising star in the literary world. This is what we came up with for the book jacket:

When a young reporter sat down to interview Industrial Tycoon Danny Dowd he didn't know what to expect. He had known Danny for years and had enjoyed his confidence and trust. He had no idea how this interview would turn out. It certainly couldn't hurt his career as a writer.
The wealthy bachelor took out an old package of lemon flavored cigarettes,lit one, as he had done every Valentine's Day for the past eighteen years. He took several puffs and then snuffed the cigarette out in the ashtray.
"That's the last of them," he said, "you can't get them any more, not since early 1975."
He leaned back, suggested that the reporter set up the chessboard and he would tell him the story behind the cigarettes. He said the conversation would be taped and the reporter would get the tape at the end of the session. There would be no questions allowed.
This is how we are introduced to the story of Danny Dowd, a tale of joy and sadness, of love, tomfoolery and tragedy. It is built around the lives of two young people who meet in college and immediately fall in love.
The path they follow is not easy. They are constantly confronted with problems that challenge their love for each other. This is a story of gripping suspense that involves sex, fraternity and sorority life, a life-threatening disease
and a struggle with families that disapprove of the relationship.
This is a hard book to put down, based on a true account. You'll be torn between chuckles, tears and memories as you follow this fascinating tale.
Enjoy,
W. Olchesky

La commemoration du bi-centenaire de la vente de la Louisane a pris fin, celle de l'expédition transcontinentale du Corps of Discovery (1804-1806) bat son plein, comme on peut facilement l'imaginer. Après la monumentale publication de la Nebraska University Press, édition « definitive » de l'intégralité des journaux de Meriwether Lewis et William Clark (sept volumes de la plume des deux capitaines, quatre volumes constitués des journaux parallèles de Gass, Floyd, Ordway, Whitehouse, plus l'herbarium et un atlas...treize volumes donc depuis 1983, le tout coordonné par Gary E. Moulton...), voici Lewis and Clark Trail Maps, A Cartographic Reconstruction. En trois tomes grand format, Martin Plamondon II met splendidement à profit ses doubles compétences de spécialiste de l'expédition et de cartographe chevronné. Ce qui nous vaut un travail exceptionnel, tant au niveau de son utilité scientifique et historique (et ce sur une multitude de plans...) qu'en ce qui concerne sa capacité à ré-alimenter le rêve. Les amateurs savent ce rêve là, qui semble devoir vous quitter un jour pour revenir un autre, parfois bien plus tard, toujours en un coin du vieux Missouri, quelque part entre la rivière Dubois (Wood River depuis longtemps) et les white cliffs au delà de la Roche Jaune, ou plus loin , dans les montagnes ou en vue du grand océan. En trois volumes donc, c'est l'intégralité du périple qui est cartographiée, jour après jour, à raison d'environ quatre centimètre pour un mile.Chaque campement, chaque particularité topologique référenciée dans les journaux, chaque rencontre...tout est là. Plamondon a effectué ici ce que Clark n'avait finalement pu réaliser : une véritable reconstruction géographique de l'expédition. Au delà de son rigoureux argument historico-géographique, l'ouvrage présente sur chaque page l'état actuel des lieux, en regard de ce que voyaient et expérimentaient les membres de l'expédition : le Missouri a bougé, son cours n'a cessé de changer ( déjà Lewis et Clark ne le reconnaissaient parfois plus entre le voyage aller et le voyage retours...), il est parfois noyé sous les retenues d'eau ( Fort Peck, pour n'en citer qu'une...). Bref, le pays a changé. On le savait, pour sûr. Là, on peut le voir maintenant, on peut le voir avant, surtout avant. Comme on l'imaginait, mais en fait comme on ne l'avait jamais vu. A suivre et resuivre, les Moulton d'un côté, ces trois atlas de l'autre. Bon rêve.

With this volume, Martin Plamondon has created a wonderful resource, fulfilling a dream of William Clark. Once you see this volume, you will wonder how you ever got along without it as a companion when reading the journals. The feature of showing dual footprints of riverbeds now and then is fascinating and the list of identified campsites is truly useful for following progress of the Corps of Discovery. Martin's love of, and dedication to this "little" project of his shows clearly throughout the volume. I can't wait for volumes 2 and 3 to complete the trail.

What an immense and high quality work! I never saw a comparable one. There are the maps, and in the maps quotations of the diaries of the explorers. You can exactly follow the route in word and maps. And underled the reconstructed maps you can see side for side a modern map, who allows to find your way today. The size of the maps is perfect, also the clear print. Everyone, who is interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition needs this books (vol I and II edited) and for a fruitful scientific work it is simply a must.
I can only say: Excellent and congratulations.

Everyone with any interest in Lewis and Clark shoul own this book, and the companion Volume 2.

I find it so much more interesting to read "The Journals of Lewis and Clark" (Moulton Edition) or Stephen Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" with these books at my side. To be able to pore over them and see where the Corps of Discovery was is great fun.

Last year I taught a class on Explorers for 6th to 8th graders and we ended the year with five weeks of Lewis and Clark. They were fascinated by these maps and spent lots of time with them.

This book is a must read for children to get a proper perspective of history. Public school textbooks will not reflect our Christian roots. Parents should read the regular version. My 9 year old granddaughter says this is her favorite book.

Great and educational book. My son loved it and he does not care to read. This is a must for all out there.

This is a good book for Christian homeschooling moms. I bought it for my daughter, who is homeschooling her children.

Like the adult book of the same title, The Light and the Glory for Children examines evidence for America's Christian roots. The authors reveal a past that is not at all smooth. The challenges of settling this land and building a new nation are shown in their harsh reality. Equally, the faith that strengthened the people for these challenges is presented as inspiration for tomorrow's citizens and leaders. Review questions in the back of the book helped my children explore their own values and beliefs about their country. There could be no better way to raise responsible citizens than to have them investigate our Christian heritage through this book.