Virginia Books

I've used this book over and over to decorate my home at Christmas with Southern style arrangements. Demonstrating these techniques for garden clubs and at libraries, I always found a ready audience for this and it was really easy. I learned it all from this book.
The supplies are easy to gather (pinecones, apples, oranges, holly, greenery, wire, ribbon, etc.). The results are spectacular. Your arrangements will look very professional!
Each page shows four or more drawings showing the steps for attaching the pieces to make a different decoration. It shows various wreaths, table decorations, swags, roping, corner accents for doors, mantel decorations and an herb kissing ball.
If you ever visited Williamsburg at Christmas, you will want to recreate these beautiful arrangements in your home. This website gives you an idea of the variety you can create:
http://www.history.org/christmas/dec_doors.html

I have seen this book at the publisher's and it is outstanding. The photographs are exceptional and the descriptions well composed and pertinent. You have, however, left out the name of the CO-AUTHOR, Mary Miley Theobald. I hope you will correct this as both professionals worked long and hard to assemble the edition.

This is probably the most quoted book on the history of the Shenandoah Valley. It was a landmark publication debunking the myth of self-sufficient farming in the Shenandoah Valley. Commercialism was an important part of Valley life. Modern scholars now realize what an important contribution this book was to the history of western Virginia. I have been trying to obtain a copy of this book for more than a year. If you are a serious student of Virginia history, this book is perhaps one of the most important studies of the Shenandoah Valley ever written. I would even be happy with a xerox copy of the book. rdmartin

This is probably the most quoted book on the history of the Shenandoah Valley. It was a landmark publication debunking the myth of self-sufficient farming in the Shenandoah Valley. Commercialism was an important part of Valley life. Modern scholars now realize what an important contribution this book was to the history of western Virginia. I have been trying to obtain a copy of this book for more than a year. If you are a serious student of Virginia history, this book is perhaps one of the most important studies of the Shenandoah Valley ever written. I would even be happy with a xerox copy of the book. rdmartin

This is a most worthy men-at-arms series; like the book's description says, it shows the much more colorful side to the uniforms of the Confederate Army. One man depicted in the color plates for Volume One that I found particularly interesting was a soldier in the Union Light Infantry, a SC unit based on the British Black Watch (42nd Royal Highlanders).
The plates are pretty much the highlight of this series, and show realistic looking soldiers surrounded by beautiful women and scenery, and baring all their various weapons. The text, nonetheless, reveals numerous interesting details. This is an excellent source on the uniforms and appearances of the soldiers of the Confederacy.

Osprey Publishing has issued Volume 5 of their popular book, The Confederate Army 1861-65. A part of their sprawling Men-at-Arms series (this is book #441 in that series), this one covers the uniforms and arms of troops from Tennessee and North Carolina. Written by Ron Field and lavishly illustrated with Richard Hook's watercolors, this book is a worthy addition to the Osprey family. Retailing for $15.95 here in the USA ($21 in Canada), the book has 48 pages, nearly all of them with period photographs or full color drawings.

The new book focuses on each state's antebellum militia and the hastily organized volunteer regiments that were pressed into Confederate service in the initial stages of the war. Using contemporary newspaper accounts, letters, state and local records, and early photographs, Ron Field presents an extensive array of early war military units, their uniforms and accoutrements, drawing heavily upon primary descriptions. He also takes a cursory, but interesting look at how the transition occurred from locally supplied clothing and equipment (which often varied widely from company to company) to state-issued regulation Confederate uniforms, particularly in North Carolina, where, by the end of the war, the term "ragged Rebel" would be made obsolete from the vast stores of supplies held by the state.



Field starts with Tennessee, looking at the outfitting of the militia and early volunteers in 1861, and examines the role various ladies aid societies played in clothing the soldiers of the Volunteer State. He then discusses the role of the state's Military and Financial Board in taking over the administration and logistics of supplying the troops. Field then shifts his focus to North Carolina, again discussing and characterizing the antebellum militia and contrasting them to how the state later took charge and made its forces appear more uniform in appearance. He also briefly compares winter clothing to summer issue for troops from both states.



The book includes a select bibliography for readers wanting to dive a little deeper into the outfitting of Confederate troops from Tennessee and North Carolina. The index is comprehensive, as is the discussion that accompanies the Richard Hook's illustrations. All in all, The Confederate Army 1861-85 (5) Tennessee and North Carolina (ISBN: 9781846031878) maintains the tradition of excellence we have come to expect from Osprey, and is well worth the modest investment.

This is an easy book to follow. It is not expensive and most of the ingredients are already in the kitchen. Get some for gifts and all your friends.

Excellent source for cooking foods to help the heart rid of plaque. Recipes help keep fat levels down and all are tasty. Easy to prepare and reasonably priced

I highly reccomend this cookbook. We have made 15-20 of the recipes over the years and they are consistently good. This is the first cookbook we go to if we want to make something special.

Compiled by wine and culinary experts Virginia and Robert Hoffman, Cooking With Wine showcase 172 wine-based recipes drawn from 86 winery chefs. Of special value for kitchen cook connoisseurs is the pairing of various wine with diverse foods. After an informative essay on "Cooking with Wine Can Be Good for Your Health" and an informative introduction to "The Varietal Wines of North America", the recipes are organized into Appetizers & Light Foods; Soups; Pastas & Grains; Meats; Seafood; Poultry; and Desserts. From Vegetable Bean Soup with Pistou (with a Chardonnay); Vin Zin Pasta Sauce with Sausage (with a Zinfandel); and Herbed Lamb (with a Pinot Noir); to Sea Scallop Surprise (with Champagne); Rosemary Roast Chicken (with a Chenin Blanc); and Spiced Brandy Apple Cake (with a Moscato Canelli), Cooking With Wine is informed, informative, and enthusiastically recommended. Another indispensable Virginia and Robert Hoffman companion title is The California Wine Country Herbs & Spices Cookbook (096-2992771, $12.95) with 188 recipes contributed by 72 chefs, winemakers, and wineries.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I have read all of the previous 13 books in the series and I loved them all. "The Brides of Montclair" series is probably one of my most favorite of all time. The history and heritage in each of the books is brought to life in the mind of the reader. It has really been neat reading each book and following the Montrose and Cameron families as they continue to grow. I would definitly recommend this book to anyone, but it really helps if you have read all of the other books because they are refered to quite often. I anxiously await another book in this series.

Courageous bride is the story of the next generation of Montroses, Luc and his adopted sister Nikki, and their roles in WWII. Nikki goes to France searching for her natural mother and stays in Europe to enter service in the WRENS. Quite by accident, she meets a Scottish Montrose cousin, and events unfold that keep the two meeting each other at Garnet's English home at different times throughout the war. Luc, who follows in his father's footsteps to become a fighter pilot, also finds love in Garnet's home, as have so many young people before him. But before any of these young people can fulfill their happiness, the war must come to an end. What will happen to Luc, who is reported missing in action, and to Nikki, who has been chosen to fulfill a dangerous assignment on the front in France? Peart has again woven a story of young people searching for fulfillment of God's plan for their lives, and has successfully found a fitting way to remove the matriarch Garnet Cameron Montrose Devlin from the series. Once again, my only criticism is that Peart needs to put a detailed family tree in each book, as the cousins, half-cousins, in-laws, and other members of the Camerson/Montrose families continue to grow and get more confusing in each book.

The photos in this book are gorgeous. Frequently the verbiage in bridge books makes for pretty dry reading, but I found the words in this book to be as enjoyable as the photos & just the right length.

There seems to be no shortage of books about covered bridges these days. This one distinguishes itself by the quality of the descriptions of the bridges and Bill Miller's outstanding photography. It is in a class by itself! Judged by the photography alone it would appear to be at home on the "coffee table". However, to classify it as such would do the book a disservice. The quality of the text makes it much more worthy.

Ohio bridges are the centerpieces based on their numbers, although the other two states are done justice as well. Miriam Wood is the matriarch of Ohio covered bridges and has published an earlier more historically detailed book on this subject. David Simmons is author of several scholarly publications on historic bridges and is editor of Timeline, the spectacular color publication of the Ohio Historical Society. If you have just one book on the covered bridges of this region (or perhaps any region), this should be the one.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, some 1.4 billion people live in farm families that are largely self-provisioning in terms of seeds. In recent years, the skill and knowledge applied to the management and improvement of farmer-varieties has become more fully appreciated. Farmers have been found to employ taxonomic systems, encourage introgression, use selection and breeding techniques, multiply seeds, field test, record data, and name their varieties. It was not so long ago that these farmer-varieties were referred to, in scientific literature, as "primitive" or even "Stone-Age" varieties. They are still referred to by the rather disembodied term, "landraces."

The concerted collection of these materials for conservation and use in modern plant breeding preceeded by some decades any efforts to conserve or use the knowledge farmers had about their materials. Virginia Nazarea's book is at once a warm and loving tribute to farmer-innovators, and a practical guide to the study of "indigenous" knowledge of farming systems and farmer-managed biodiversity. She connects plants to people in ways readers will find difficult to forget, and shows that the existence of diversity in crops is linked with the health and diversity of human cultures. In a sense, they have co-evolved with each other.

Nazarea's field research focused on how people farm sweet potatoes in Bukidnon, Phillipines. In the course of this research she was able to collect 89 sweet potato varieties. Her book offers a detailed account of these varieties and their management. One particularly interesting table provides a compendium of indigenous cultural management beliefs and practices, and comments on each by a plant pathologist, entomologist, agronomist, plant breeder and plant physiologist. The result is fascinating and revealing. In response to the observation that Holy water is mixed with some cuttings so God will watch over and protect the crop, the plant pathologist replies, "purely fanatic," while the plant breeder comments that "water will be good for the cuttings."

Most important, the field research was a test of methodology. This is where the book shines. Nazarea offers a well-conceived, practical, step-by-step guide to researchers who wish to examine the interaction between traditional farmers and their crops. Though Nazarea is an anthropologist by training, this guide, interestingly and uniquely, will be equally valuable to social scientists, ethnobiologists, and agricultural scientists (particularly plant collectors and breeders). Nazarea is clearly sensitive both to the local needs and feelings of farmers as well as to aspirations and needs of researchers. The result is highly useful. In one light volume, the researcher has a complete and rigourous methodology laid out, from the types of questions to ask, to how to ask them and to whom. With slight modification to suit particular circumstances, most researchers may need little else to undertake work in this particular field.

Nazarea's "big" thesis is that "preserving local knowledge pertaining to traditional varieties of crops is complementary, and in many respects indispensable, to the maintenance of the genetic diversity of these crops." Some may argue that she falls a little short in proving its indispensability. Nevertheless, she is on solid ground, genetically and socially, when she demonstrates the importance of on-farm management and what she calls "memory banking" of indigenous knowledge. Equally, she is convincing in arguing that ex situ (genebank) and in situ (on-farm) conservation and management of genetic resources are complementary strategies. Nazarea's contribution is to the latter, both by providing a methodology for research, and an engaging, delightfully-written case study of its application. This is a book without peers in its field.

Literature on indigenous knowledge tends to be long on trendiness and idealism, but short on solid method and results. Nazarea's book is a refreshing corrective by offering a distinct operational program. Nazarea lays out a program for conserving cultural knowledge, step-by-step, with practical examples from one who has been in the trenches. The staggering loss of biodiversity is not just a biological loss, but a loss of human and cultural proportions. Nazarea makes the critical link between nature and culture: when plants go extinct, so does cultural memory. Not only does the world lose an inventory of plant materials, but it also losses a storehouse of knowledge for growing and using plnats. The implication is that attempts to store genetic materials in seed banks is a sterile and half-hearted exercise, because the loss of the cultural, adaptive knowledte has grave consequences for the future of the human species. Nazarea goes to the people at the margins for answers, and in the process, she turns science on its head, proclaiming that "diversity is actually the natural state of things." In that regard Nazarea's work is destined to become an anthropological classic, pointing the direction for the discipline for the next century. Nazarea breaks new ground in decision-making theory by showing the pitfalls of microeconomic models that assume farmers make either-or choices when selecting a course to follow. Instead, farmers use multiple criteria in making cropping decisions in order to spread out the risk against uncertainties of the growing season. This is a sophisticated decision-making process that defies the neat formulations of formalized economic models. In the end, Nazarea documents that women are the best safeguards of indigenous knowledtge through comaraderie and sharing. An experimental in situ conservation program run by the male hierarchy collapsed, but spouses and female relatives took up the work to maintain the plots. If Nazaarea's book is a defense of fuzziness, as she puts it, then less-defined, less-formalized structures of women may also be the best hope for preserving indigenous knowledge.

In the 1800s, a girl named Virginia wrote a letter to the "New York Sun" asking a very important question --- is there really a Santa Claus? This book is the story of that letter and the text of the complete letter and response.

Cyndy Szekeres lends her amazing talent for illustrations to the story of this letter. Virginia is a cute little kitten in a world of anthropomorphized kittens. Each page contains a portion of the letter or response, along with illustrations that tell a story all their own --- the story of Virginia's Christmas. Thus, this book works on two levels.

I have read this book as a child and as an adult read it to my children. This is truly a piece to read at Christmas time every year.

This realistic fiction book not only shows what kids go through during divorce, but also how to deal with it. Little Casey is definitely going through a hard time. Her mom and Dad are trying their hardest to get her through it. The nice illustrations by Deborah Bargo contribute to the setting and plot where she fakes the chicken pox for her dad to come back, hiding under a shade tree, or just staying with Elmer Elephant, her stuffed animal, to keep her comapany. The way the story was told could be a personal memoir or just to prove a point, but basically it was a normal book...told in sentences. I have read this story over and over again because my parents divorced when I was a very young age. If any childs parents get divorced, this book will help them through it, and be read over and over again!

This realistic fiction book not only shows what kids go through during divorce, but also how to deal with it. Little Casey is definitely going through a hard time. Her mom and Dad are trying their hardest to get her through it. The nice illustrations by Deborah Bargo contribute to the setting and plot where she fakes the chicken pox for her dad to come back, hiding under a shade tree, or just staying with Elmer Elephant, her stuffed animal, to keep her comapany. The way the story was told could be a personal memoir or just to prove a point, but basically it was a normal book...told in sentences. I have read this story over and over again because my parents divorced when I was a very young age. If any childs parents get divorced, this book will help them through it, and be read over and over again!