Washington Books

First of all, this is more than a review about the book but also about the man Mr. Leeland. This book is the story of Mr. Leeland's son at a very young age, needing a marrow transplant, not only did the students at his school come together and help him out so did the whole community.... FROM THIS: Mr. Leeland has founded the Sparrow Clubs in schools around the country and has raised over $750,000 for "broken sparrows". . .and he believes in kids helping kids.

This book is not only inspirational for those who know cancer, and sickness, but for those of us who never dealt with that issue this book is VERY inspiring . . . and very full of hope and love. Mr.Leeland writes a easy to read, human, full of true feeling and very much full of his insight, and HUGE AMAZING heart. I recommend this book to anyone!!!!! Do yourself a favor, read about GOOD people doing GOOD things....

What do you do when you've just moved to a new school and a new job and your 6-month old baby is diagnosed with leukemia? What do you do when the operation costs $205,000 and the insurance company won't pay for it? This is the story of the Leelands, a Christian family who goes through a nightmare, and of the junior high school and community that reaches out to them to save the life of one small sparrow.

I was reviewing this book while creating a library for our middle school. It caught my attention immediately, as one of my former students has leukemia. As I read it, I began to understand the terrible struggle that my student and his family were going through. And I was touched by the honest description of the Leeland's ups and downs, by the sacrifices made by the kids in Kamiaken Junior High, and by the faith the Leelands showed in a God who sustained them as they went though this tragedy.

I was one of the students that attended Kamiakin Junior High when the Leelands went through their test of faith. This book accurately depicts the real life events that surrounded the events leading to the life saving bone-marrow transplant of Michael Leeland. It is refreshing to hear about a community pulling together and turning a desparate situation into one filled with pure hope and faith. Read this book if you ever feel there is something you can't accomplish in life@

Could it be that, just when you thought there was nothing new under the literary sun, Richard Peabody has quietly invented a new genre? Open Joints on Bridge (one of the more intriguing titles to ever see print) is more and other than a collection of very short stories: It is a "poella." Each story has the evocative and titillating precision of poetry. As with films that are so rich in plot, character, dialogue, and visual splendor that they continue to reward on repeated viewings, this jewel of a book invites itself to be read repeatedly. "Dale was the tall brunette in the man's tweed who drank Myer's rum at whatever poetry reading you happened to attend. Shenendoah's pride. Groomed at Sweet Briar, Hood, or Hollins. The kind of woman who'd laugh knowingly when Natalie Barney's name croped up in conversation, while other women laughed nervously." "But as Jesus' stack of beer cups more and more resenbled a handheld Tower of Pisa, and as the girl seemed to giggle and warm to everything he said, it became clear to both Carlos and me that something had to give." "And with the faint grin displayed from any a dust jacket photo, he walked away..." These stories agitate you to return again and again to puzzle over why a particular handful of words are causing such a delightful disturbance in your mind.

This is an excellent collection of quirky short stories; it has wit, humor and intelligence. Peabody has a great eye for the nuances of family and romantic relationships.

Struggling artists, acid heads, sports fans...this collection of 20 shorts offers something for everyone. Set mostly in Washington, D.C., Peabody's tight prose shows us the city that lies underneath the marble veneer in a humorous and often touching way.

Own this book if you love to take road trips in Oregon. Take it with you everywhere, because there is so much to learn just by looking and reading about a place you never thought about!


This book is such a treasure. You can spend hours looking through it all. Its a wonderful database for places in Oregon you may not be able to read about online. Buy this if you research genealogy in Oregon. Very helpful to identify census localities etc.

McArthur's Oregon Geographic Names is the definitive "all you need to know about Oregon" text. The author spends some 500 or so pages describing towns from Alsea to Zigzag. His details include a mix of pioneer history and native lore. What emerges is a singular and often unknown view of Oregon.

As a student of history, this text provides the "little" details that a larger view of history might neglect to tell. For instance, in discussing the origins of the Willamette river name, McArthur explores the first use of the word in local newspapers, and also calls on linguistic records in order to discover its first use. What the reader discovers here, and it is representative of most of the text, is that McArthur digs deep into the archives by following all available paper trials.

As a student of history, and of Oregon in general, this book is indispensable. I suspect too that it could be used by the "Cliff Clavens" of the world as a way of distributing "little known facts" about Oregon at parties.

Bryan Hiatt, Humanities Department Chemeketa Community College Salem, OR

McArthur's Oregon Geographic Names is the definitive "all you need to know about Oregon" text. The author spends some 500 or so pages describing towns from Alsea to Zigzag. His details include a mix of pioneer history and native lore. What emerges is a singular and often unknown view of Oregon.

As a student of history, this text provides the "little" details that a larger view of history might neglect to tell. For instance, in discussing the origins of the Willamette river name, McArthur explores the first use of the word in local newspapers, and also calls on linguistic records in order to discover its first use. What the reader discovers here, and it is representative of most of the text, is that McArthur digs deep into the archives by following all available paper trials.

As a student of history, and of Oregon in general, this book is indispensable. I suspect too that it could be used by the "Cliff Clavens" of the world as a way of distributing "little known facts" about Oregon at parties.

Bryan Hiatt, Humanities Department, Chemeketa Community College, Salem OR

I like how this couple presents their information. The book is full of useful data. I have purchased this in preparation for our journey to Alaska, British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories. It does a superb job of helping you understand what to look for, where to look for it, how much things cost relative to other areas. Excellent job.

Having lived in the Pacific NW for many years I know lots of places for camping and RVing. I found this book accurate and very resourcefull. With rising fuel prices, we are all looking for closer to home places to "get away" and this book is a required resource to help find them, and determine their suitability. The only criticism I have is the way its organized. A little hard to find individual places since it is organized based on tour routes.

I bough thtis with the MOON bok, and am using both of them , this one is helpful with trip ideas, and the best of the large campgrounds, a very usefull book.

As the other reviewers have stated, it is an insightful book depicting the day-to-day existence of civilians suddenly thrust into the role of unlikely heroes and now called Sailors. That makes it unique from other military type books. Fahey enlisted in 1942 as did most of his shipmates aboard the USS Montpelier, not 1945 as the book news editorial review mis-stated. Secondly, the USS Montpelier was a Light Cruiser, not a Heavy Cruiser as one reviewer indicated. It was capable of traveling at speeds in excess of 30 knots which is why it served as the Admiral's flagship. Light Cruisers had nearly the fire power of Heavy Cruiser and nearly the speed of a destroyer which made it a highly versatile ship. It is likely that no other ship anywhere in Naval history has ever been in as much "action" as the Montpelier. Some called it the luckiest ship in the US Navy. If Fahey and his mates had not survived, this book would not exist and I would never have been born. In an ironic note, USS Montpelier was sold to the Japanese as scrap steel many years after the war. Currently there still is a USS Montpelier in the US Navy. The new vessel, which proudly bears this name, is a submarine.

This book realy tells it how it was for sailors of the U.S. Navy during WWII in the Pacific theatre. Fahey kept a diary of his daily experiences on board a heavy cruiser. All the little mundane details of life are revealed, which is what distinguishes this book from the "formal" history books. No student of history should miss this book.

This is a fascinating book. Written by a young man who joined the navy in 1942 and served through 1945 out in the Pacific aboard the light cruiser "Montpielier" Fahey is neither a career sailor, or a writer. But he accomplishes an amazing thing; that is transporting the reader to the author's time and place, and making you feel as if you are there, day by day. It's delightfully simple and fresh.

For anyone who is interested in WW2 naval history, this is a highly recommended companion to all the more formal works concerned with the great events and famous people involved. It really rounds out your perspective of what it was really like.

It also makes you appreciate the sacrifices made by this generation of Americans who left the safety of home to fight against evil in far away places.

This is a great activity guide to Seattle from the point of view not only of a Dad, but of the Dad and his daughter [now five] and with a range of activities for tiny through teenage kids. It's not only for whole families, but for Dads and Mothers alone with a child or children on an excursion. It's enticing and reassuring at the same time -- so that, for example, a grandmother [myself] can imagine exploring new places with her grandchildren in a spirit of confidence. There are many helpful hints and asides along the way. And there are a few places most long-time residents probably have never heard of. Certainly even those with no children at home will find it helpful when out-of-town guests with kids come to stay. The Guide also includes some pedagogical suggestions, such as the one on preparing your little one(s) for an hour or two at an art museum. Buy, read and reap the rewards. I'd be glad if Hobson would start scouting out some other Pacific Northwest cities. Vancouver B.C., Mr. Hobson?

Every parent knows that before one can call a vacation "successful," the kids have to be happy about it. Before heading out of town, what's the first thing a wise parent does? She calls her good friend who either A) lives in the city she's visiting, or B) vacationed there last year. We all need a little advice on where to eat, what to do for fun, what to avoid. The problem is, we don't always have a friend handy in our chosen destination. Well now we all have a friend in Seattle, and his name is Tom.

Tom Hobson's book, "A Parent's Guide to Seattle," is frank and humourous, and packed with information not every friend has at his fingertips. You'll find tips on restaurants, funky stores and educational opportunities, as well as maps, historical facts and ticket prices. It's a full-service guide obviously written by a true fan of Seattle, and someone who treasures it's unique offerings.

Whether you're visiting Seattle for the first time, are a new Seattle-area resident, or a native looking for some diversions, you'll enjoy Tom Hobson's book. And we can all use another friend.

A REVIEW FROM A MOTHER OF 4 CHILDREN (ages 4 months to 13 years) - - - That should add credibility!

What a fun book!!! Definitely a "must have" for visiting families and a wonderful opportunity for Seattle residents to re-visit their beautiful city through the eyes of a child.

Unlike other guide books, A Parent's Guide to Seattle is not just a directory listing of all the places to go and things to see in Seattle. Mr. Hobson has hand-selected his favorite Seattle destinations and his thorough descriptions will arm busy parents with enough fun facts and background information to make the most of every visit.

It is obvious that Mr. Hobson's selections are based on real-life experiences with children and an ear to his own "inner child". The result is a book filled with recommendations that will appeal to both children and parents alike.

So little information is available about artist Paul Horiuchi that this book by Barbara Johns is a real treasure. I particularly enjoyed the biographical material and look forward to visiting the museum in LaConner, WA. so that I can see the Horiuchi collages displayed there.

Book came on time as ordered; no problem. The even better news is that it confirmed that a painting I bought at an auction 20 years ago, really is a signed Horiuchi watercolor!

A captivating account of Paul Horiuchi's life and art. This gifted and devoted talent was a shining star in the golden era of Northwest modern art, merging Oriental and Occidental components to create rich and unique forms. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the art of America's Pacific Northwest.

I got my items in about three days and it was just what I was expecting

I am a graduate teaching assistant at Old Dominion University and we use this book extensively as a reference for muscles and blood vessels. The drawings are very accurate and the text is easy to read and flows well from a dissector's viewpoint. In addition, there are simplified "road-map" type sketches to aid in understanding the branching patterns of the major blood vessels. This "catlas" has proven to be quite indispensable for our purposes.

An excellent companion guide for laboratory exercises. The sketches and drawings were able to add much more detail than many other manuals which had photos. I found it invaluable.

Dr. Scranton is an excellent author. Playing Hurt is well written and captivating.

He brings you behind the scenes of the NFL, and describes the entire process of an athlete's life in well written detail. Medical knowledge is helpful, but not reqired. You can reference the medical terminology on the internet if need be.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about sports medicine, or even the casual NFL fan (like me).

The descriptions of some injuries may be difficult to those without a background in common athletic injuries (eg. buckethandle cartilage tear). But, this is a great insight into one team physician's experiences in the NFL. I would agree with one review that said he focuses on his drinking, but having limited exposure to the world of sports medicine, as a collegiate student trainer, this is very much a part of the atmosphere. He discusses the bonding of a medical staff in a bar setting, that hazy arena where information on potential players is shared and war stories abound.

I would whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone that is even the slightest bit interested in the world of sports medicine.

The title of the book caught my eye. I see all these players getting hurt on Sundays. What is really happening? As I read the book I found it was something different. The medical aspect servers more as a backdrop into how the NFL works. Stranton talks about what really happens at the combines, what is draft day like, how do game days go, etc.

On the down side the book drags in a few places. He talks too much about all the drinking he does. Also, the book focuses almost exclusively on the Seahawks. On the up side he does not pull his punches. He is not afraid to say so owner or coach is a jerk.

Fun quick read.

I bought this book for my five-year-old grandson and had to read it first. It was very well written and a great story of a great man. Well worth the read.

Like most six-year-olds, my son loves peanut butter. He is also interested in historical figures. Therefore this book--though it's intended for older children--was a perfect fit. My son liked hearing about Carver's travels, the way he overcame obstacles, and how, under pressure, Carver found various uses of peanuts. The story of this great man teaches the importance of determination, grace under pressure, industriousness, patience, and creativity. It inspired my son--and me as well!

A goober is the old name for peanuts and A POCKETFUL OF GOOBERS is a biography about George Washington Carver, the scientist who made peanuts famous. To be completely honest, I didn't know much about Carver and therefore found this children's book entertaining, educational, and informative. For instance, I learned that Carver was a gifted artist as well as a scientist and that later in life he became good friends with Henry Ford. The biography is written in a simple style that elementary students will find easy to read and Carver's life is so interesting they should find the book interesting.