Minnesota Books

This book caused me to feel the whole gammot of emotions--from excitement to disappointment to fear. It drew me in and captured my attention with its unexpected twists and turns. Unlike other books, taboo topics are essential to character development. This is an insightful look into the delicate balance of maintaining multiple relationships throughout the course of life. I couldn't ask for anything more from a book.

Without question, the very best book I ever read. You can not but it down nor can you stop thinking about it. This is a POWERFUL book. You will be moved and your foundation shaken but your life will be richer. This is a must read.

I am a voracious reader and in my late 20's. I have just finished Red Earth White Earth for the second time. The richness and poignancy with which the characters are developed is perfectly juxtaposed with that of Weaver's descriptions of the harsh but deeply beautiful Minnesota farmland. A magnificent story of what is natural in and around all of us.

For many reasons, this is the best book I've ever read. Not only does the story take me through a gamut of emotions, but I love Will Weaver's writing and descriptions. He describes everyday things in ways that sound unique and lyrical. I have read this book several times and enjoy it more each time. Don't miss out on this one!

This has got to be the best value combination for a good, long but intense read - certainly I enjoyed all three stories no end and would recommend to anyone in need of some gentle,and not so gentle, reading relaxation.

The stories are engrossing, the charactors unique and the pages just turn themselves!! Go for it!

I love all the John Sanford Prey Books. They keep you reading and on the edge of your seat, Lucas Davenport is someone I would want on my side.

I'm collecting all the hard backs, and love to get the three in one books.

Excellent purchase, spent days reading about Davenport and crew. You can't co wrong purchasing this collection, genually entertaining and well worth the price.

Major John Sanford fan - so far in the "Prey" series, I would have to say that "Mind Prey" was by far the most suspenseful and enjoyable of the books. John Sanford keeps the pace going throughout the entire book (3-in-1 here). Wish there were more books printed with more than 1 story in it. Excellent bargain.

"Scandinavia Since 1500" is a scholarly history of the area encompassing the modern nations of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, along with what were then outlying possessions such as Iceland. Nordstrom focuses on the major governmental, economic, and social trends from the Reformation to the present day. What is emerges is a nuanced survey of a region with a more complicated history than may be commonly thought.

The biggest single thread in this history is the growth of nationalism and the gradual deconstruction of the Danish and Swedish empires that once dominated the region. The interaction of various portions of the Nordic area with sometimes exploitative central governments in Copenhagen and Stockholm is the context for the development of local governance, economies, and feelings of nationalism. Nordstrom makes a point of keeping his analysis fairly objective and of including lesser known areas such as Iceland and the Faroes in his analysis.

"Scandinavia since 1500" clearly represents extensive research and analysis. The tone of the book is relentlesses academic and extremely dry but will be of value to those looking for more information than may be found in popular histories or the average tourist guide.

Scandinavia, an often overlooked and opaque faction of affluent modern countries that never seem to capture the spotlight like its modish Western European neighbors. There is a lot more to this unheeded part of Europe then the common images held today: Scandinavia has a proud and rich history. In bygone times, Denmark and Sweden were two of the mightiest naval powers in Europe that ferociously contended for supremacy of Northern Europe in the Early Modern Era as well as significantly contributed to the Continent`s great wars of the age. Although quite contrary to the existing welfare states plagued by immigrants today, an abundance of great thinkers, reformers, scholars, inventors, writers, painters, and scientists from the region once contributed to the greater development of European and Western society as a whole.

Bryon Nordstrom, a professor of Scandinavian History at Gustavus Adolphus College, examines all five of these fascinating Scandinavian countries with emphasis on how the interactions between each other and the rest of the European powers have transformed the countries of today. From the beginnings of the first Paleolithic nomads to the modern contemporary states, the bulk of the significant historical events are covered with special attention to an in-depth analysis of the complex times from the 16th Century to present.

Nordstrom accomplishes, quite commendably, the strenuous task of providing readers with the historical highlights over the past five centuries, as well as elaborating and clarifying any ambiguities or misconceptions one might have. Although his delineation of the major events comprising Scandinavian history is much in the diction of a 300 page lecture, this does not hinder the effectual illustration of this intricate subject. As long as you, have any spark of interest or appetite for knowledge of the region, a modest comprehension of the book will likely contribute to a greater and more complete understanding of how these countries were shaped and exist today.

Being a history professor, Nordstrom's writing is rather straightforward. He delivers his message clear and straight to the point with no frills and with little personal bias in his writing which is rare for his profession these days. It becomes evident he has strong appreciation for his subject and an thorough, almost encyclopedic knowledge of the region.

The events that have transpired in the timeframe which the book is centered around (1500 to present) are presented in an adequate introduction which outlines the fundamentals of the region but also further elaborates on scholarly details. If you aren't already familiar with the basics of the Kalmar Union, the Hanseatic League, and the Nordic countries' involvement in the Thirty Years' War, Nordstrom provides a thorough overview. He also breaks down the perplexing Dano-Swedish wars during the 17th and 18th centuries which number around eight and were sparked by a multitude of reasons. Professor Nordstrom organizes the past five hundred years into three sections; Early Modern (1500-1800), Nineteenth Century, and the Twentieth Century. Special emphasis is placed on each country's political, economic, and social progressions. While all five modern day Norden countries are covered, a majority of the book deals with countries with a paramount role in the region's progression, which is mostly Sweden and Denmark.

Although "Scandinavia Since 1500" is not without it's low points: the economic evolutions of Norden during 19th and 20th centuries do certainly drag down the pace a bit, and a recurrent stress on peripheral topics such as "women's rights" and environmentalism are quite common. However, his purpose of creating a straightforward history of Scandinavia for the past 500 years is accomplished exceptionally well and worthy of five stars for a meritable effort of meticulous research and a diverse encompassment of little known details. With no other book of it's kind available today geared especially towards Americans, "Scandinavia Since 1500" makes a compelling read for any student of history, and especially Scandinavian-Americans, who hope to gain a familiarization with a part of the world that holds a rich and considerable history well worth a thorough examination.

Having been born and lived in Denmark till age fourteen, I was taught history in a most subjective fashion.
Many years later when visiting Stockholm I saw an enormous monument celebrating a battle in which Sweden defeated Denmark. I was aware of the battle, but obviously no monuments to it existed in Denmark.
Years later I stood on the battlements of Kungelv castle watching the Gotaelv running below. The loss of Bohus county to Sweden was but a minor footnote to Danish history, but obviously very important to Sweden as it controlled access to the Western oceans.
Professor Nordstrom's book has succeeded in putting events such as these in a subjective form and is a must for anyone seriously interested in the history of Scandinavia.
PHT
Branford, Connecticut

My Scandinavian history professor recommended this book to me. What he didn't tell me is that he was mentioned in the preface of the book (the author obviously used my professor's book for a reference). Anyway, the book does a great job detailing the economic, political, and cultural situations in Scandinavia dating from 1500 to the present. If I were a professor teaching this kind of history, I would definitely require this as a text because of it's comprehensiveness and how relatively short it is. It's a good book for those interested in Scandinavian studies.

A wonderful book that combines a little trivia, a little history, and a little understanding into a culture that is widely ignored yet offers some amazing flavors in the culinary experience. If you are going to purchase this book, buy it with the Scandinavian Baking companion, as the two go well together and will assist amazingly in the creation of your own smorgasbord! I have used the recipes as additions to traditional American favorites for the Christmas holiday season and have gotten rave reviews (from children AND adults!). If you are bold enough to try some interesting combinations (oranges and garlic, anyone?), you won't be disappointed.

My favorites were the Swedish Meatballs and Finnish Egg Cheese. Have yet to try them all but have not found one that I didn't like.

After I was first married, I purchased the HP version of Scandinavian Cooking. Wore the cookbook out from almost daily use. Am so glad Scandinavian Cooking was reprinted, because all the recipes are keepers. Every cook should have a copy, especially if they are married to someone from Scandinavian descent.

It has a great look to it and the recipes look wonderful. It has Danish Kringle and I'm in the process of making that. I look forward to trying many more of the recipes soon. I'm going to order 2 more copies for my mother and friend.

This is a great series. The characters are complex, their interactions and dialogue realistic within the context of a police procedural. Jake Hines' police work and his life with Trudy are an excellent combination. And, best of all, the author has not felt it necessary to stuff her story full of extraneous material in order to produce a 300-page book when a 200-page book does the job.

What happens when a small-town police force runs up against a series of bizarre events? Science will out, if they understand their police procedures. In Seventh-Inning Stretch, you have two deaths that occur under gruesome and unimaginable circumstances. Finding out what brought it all on will leave you intrigued.

Jake Hines has recently become chief of detectives in Rutherford, Minnesota, and he's finding it hard to supervise rather than taking charge. In the process, he bends everyone a little out of shape and begins to back off . . . just a little.

As the book opens, things are looking up. There's been a temporary lull in serious crimes. So he directs everyone to work on cold cases. He even has time to hear about a series of Murphy and other con games being run by grifters in the small town and its environs. New offices are being constructed and the new furniture is being delivered.

At home, he's settling into the old farmhouse that Trudy Hansen and he have bought together. His only complaint is that her long hours of DNA training on Saturdays leave them with too little time together. He's slightly concerned about how to get the roof fixed, insulation put in and rewiring done . . . but that's what credit cards are for, isn't it? Trudy's not so sure.

Then, everything turns topsy-turvy when a body is found stuffed into a trash bin behind the Lotus Blossom restaurant downtown. But no one saw or heard anything. And what's that stuffed into the stiff's mouth?

Nothing turns out to be what it seems in this exciting story, but with careful research and thinking everything is pretty well sorted out.

I would have rated this book higher, but the modus operandi of the murder was exceedingly gruesome and disgusting. The story would have worked better for me with a more tasteful demise. If you have delicate tastes in your crime fiction, this book may not appeal to you.

After you finish this fine police procedural, think about where you may be assuming that things are one way . . . when they are actually quite different. How can you test your assumptions before you act on them?

What can I say? I just really love this series. I found Jake quite by accident on a bargain table and took a chance. This was really serendipity. I promptly bought all that were written and have kept up ever since. I am eagerly awaiting # 8 as I have gotten involved with these characters. MEMLINE

Jake Hines is a captain and the chief of Detectives in the Rutherford Police Department who loves his job only slightly less than he loves his significant other, Trudy Hanson. They live in a farmhouse that needs a lot of work but Jake isn't worried about such trivial thing since he finally has what he always wanted since being a foster child: a place to call home.

A group of grifters consisting of two men, two women and a child descend upon the citizens and merchants of Rutherford, conning them out of their hard-earned money. When two bodies are found in a home garbage can, the police believe that the two male drifters are involved in the crime. Jake and his teams try to solve a double homicide with very little evidence and no leads.

This is the fifth Jake Hines police procedural and it is definitely the best in the series. The police, a tight knit group, are truly baffled by the strange turns in the case and their collective and individual bewilderment humanizes the force. This allows the readers to empathize with and appreciate the hard, often unrewarding work cops do. The hero is a rarity as an person totally happy in his personal and professional life. Elizabeth Ginn continues to deliver an ingenious mystery.

Harriet Klausner

Where else can you find a picture of a 20 foot mosquito? As long as Minnesotans can fry up a limit of bluegills as the sun sets late on a hot summer day, we should feel secure in our abilty to defeat the Saracens.

Small Town Minnesota A To Z by Minnesota native Tony Andersen is an engaging and nostalgic look at a wide variety of small-town communities in Minnesota from Argyle to Zumbro Falls. Most of these distinctive Minnesota communities have fewer than 1,000 people. Full-color photographs and an engaging text written with wry humor and replete with candid, anecdotal stories of conversations and adventures with small-town folk make Small Town Minnesota A To Z an engaging and refreshing tribute to an outstanding Midwestern state, as well as a less crowded, less hyper, and less pressure-intense way of life.

The photos and stories are amazing. I wish I could write somthing that would do this book justice, but I guess that's why Bill Holm wrote the forward. His words describe perfectly the beauty of this book.

What a unique book! At times the writing flows just like poetry, ...."A forest thick with pine and poplar was interrupted only by the ribbon of road and clearings of shimmering lakes..." and other times it feels like a talking about fish stories with a friend in a local cafe..."My trusty rod and reel were packed in the trunk, just in case." If you've never been to Minnesota, or don't have a concept of what 'Small Town Minnesota Nice' really is, then pick up this book. And if you've ever visited a small town in Minnesota, or anywhere, read this book to feel welcomed back again! I truly couldn't put it down from Argyle to Zumbro Falls!

I've bought de book Space and Place, by Yi-Fu Tuan. I live in Brazil and the book got here in the best shape, carefully raped, and earlyer tha promissed.

This is a seminal text which offers insight into how we are awakened as children to the complex world which exists around, how we navigate, read and atribute meaning to the abstract spaces and places within which we exist. It opens a door to the genetic knowledge which is embedded in everything which exists around and how through our senses even the preception of time and space can be warped by experience.

"The aspects of things that are
most important for us are hidden
because of their simplicity and
familiarity"
L. Wittgenstein


As a thesis [here I stand] it is a delight, fundamental and engaging. It illuminates a wide and fertile field critical to an understanding how we are rooted to place and space.

There are books you read, then there are those which - live with you - you keep them close and consult them often.

In "Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience," Tuan provides a descriptive account of the concepts "space" and "place," drawing on the work of phenomenologists, anthropologists, psychologists, geographers, and others. He grounds his analysis in a structuralist framework, using anthropological research to illustrate how our experiences of space and place can "transcend cultural particularities" (Tuan 1977, p. 5). Tuan provides an original and intriguing discussion of a wide range of topics, such as the relationship between space and place, on the one hand, and myths, architecture, time, religion, and cognition, on the other. I would highly recommend this work to anyone interested in human geography, cultural geography, urban geography, urban studies, and to anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the importance of space and place for our lives.

This book was one of several books I studied to better understand the role of place in architecture and interior design. It helped me understand the importance of working with clients to understand the meanings they infer from the environment around them. In the book, Tuan highlights the importance of meaning and an insider's view. He describes place as humanized space. The contrast of open space with enclosed, comforting areas enhances both. As a person's emotional bond to a space increases, so do familiarity, comfort, and the sense of insideness. Without personal control over space, this emotional bond is slow to develop. To create place, Tuan suggests that memorable architecture should strenghen our memories, enhance the self, and provide layers of meaning to a space.

Fantastic book, love the descriptions, often humorous, and I marvel at the time Donald must have taken to research all these names! A great read!

I have throughly read and enjoyed the first edition of this book. I look forward to reading the new version with all of its' additions. I have lived in St. Paul since 1964.

I've enjoyed this book because it's given me a lot of interesting history regarding the area where I live. St Paul is an interesting place to live with a lot of history and this book does a great job describing it. I recommend the book.

As I lived in St. Paul for over 20 years, I found the book very interesting and informative. I first read about familar streets and then found myself reading the book front to back. The pictures also really helped bring the story of each street to life. Every city should do all it can to promote it's history; the street names and stories behind them is a great place to start.

I've been using this method with my wife and my patients for over ten years. It is an excellent tool for improving communication, and thereby, conflict resolution, emotional intimacy, and a host of other issues that couples face in the day to day business of living together for the long term. I highly recommend it.

After centuries of research, Dr Miller has finally cracked the code that enables couples to enhance their relationship with the most natural tool: communication!

This is not just another how to book, it is a valid process of learning listening skills.

Communication begins with listening. This book could begin with the last chapter as an introduction to the listening skills laid out in the other chapters.

Do this book as a couple. Learn by practicing the skills that are presented here. You will not regret the personal growth found in practicing these skills nor will you regret the investment in this workbook.

An excellent book, an excellent process.

This book gives a theoretical and visual framework for learning talking, listening, and conflict resolution skills. The concepts have been widely researched and the format is one of the most effective that I have found. The book contains exercises to help the reader apply the material. The section on communication styles makes it easy to identify negative patterns and gives alternatives for the reader to use. The book is widely used in communication skill training for couples and the concepts apply to coworkers as well!

I gave it to a friend for Christmas because she is from Minnesota. She really enjoyed all the trivia about her home state.

Awesome!!! Don't visit the loo without it! Bathroom jokes aside, it's overflowing with great facts and humor and the writing is superb (lots of great, undiscovered talent here). If you haven't visited Minnesota yet, you will want to after reading these excellent essays. And if you are a Minnesotan, you will chuckle and nod your head and maybe even say "wow, I didn't know that" about a tidbit or two.

Uff Da! You betcha this book is fun, interesting and educational!
Worthy of reading beyond the bathroom, Plunges into Minnesota provides an eclectic and entertaining tour of the North Star State. Great for native Minnesotans, transplanted Minnesotans and those who just want to know more about life in the Frozen (and not so frozen)land of 10,000 lakes.

Worth every penny!
I really enjoyed reading about important events and people in Minnesota history.
Very well written and not boring facts one after another.
Lots of variety with even a crossword puzzle.
I especially enjoyed the history of the large department store Daytons.