North America Books

I recently rode my motorcycle up the Alaska Highway and space was pretty limited. I photocopied pages out of various other books, but brought this one along intact.

It stayed in my tankbag every day, was brought out at every meal, and was pored over in hotel rooms at night. I'm also a writer, and my Adventure Guide to the Alaska Highway became my de facto notebook on the trip -- post-it notes of every color peek out from its pages; notes line the margins.

There are a finite number of places to stop along the Alaska Highway; most guidebooks will give you pretty much all of them. What makes this one different is its tone. The authors obvious enjoy both the road and writing about it. Personal anecdotes are lightly sprinkled into the text, giving the impression that yes, the authors know what they're talking about. I learned little bits of history about the areas I rode through; not so much that it weighed down the book, but just enough to pique my interest and send me scampering to the library once I got back.

Also, the book is laid out very well. The font is easy on the eyes; bold section headers made it easy to find what I was looking for, even while balancing the book on my tankbag after pulling to the side of some gravelly road in the middle of nowhere.

While the Milepost will give you every pullout and scenic view on the highway, this book is great reading about what to do, and what to see on your way. The information is very accurate and intresting. In this book, when you look up a certain place you end up reading on and on.

I took this book with the AAA guidebook on my trip to Alaska, read the AAA intro on the plane there and read only this book for the rest of the trip. We traveled more than 2,000 miles on the Alaska Highway. This book has been a great companion and guide book wherever we go. I even did some more reading on the plane back home because the writing was interesting. It may be partly because Alaska is such an interesting subject; but the book is definitely fun to read.

"...intended for the adventure-minded travelers with special affection for the outdoors and nature. Each Adventure Guide packs in outdoor-oriented activities set in different regions. There's something for nearly everyone." Midwest Book Review

"These useful guides are highly recommended... " Library Journal

Montana offers a wealth of outdoor fun for the active traveler, from skiing and snowmobiling to fly fishing and horseback riding. With stunning scenery and colorful history, the state is one of the most appealing in the US. And the best part: it's rarely crowded!

Join Rowles as she explores big cities and small towns alike, as well as the small wilderness areas and sprawling preserves. Guest ranches are the preferred accommodation here, but the author gives you plenty of other options. And if you're not ready for a ride in the saddle, perhaps some classes are in order - you'll find all the details you need in this hefty, information-packed guidebook.

Reviewed by Alwynne B. Beaudoin, Department of Geography
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada in CAP Newsletter 8(2):16-17, 1985.
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The publication of a new book related to pollen is a welcome event and Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America is certainly a valuable addition to the literature. Although "written primarily for allergists and others in the medical profession and for aerobiologists" (p. ix), the book contains much material hat should also prove useful to Holocene palynologists. The authors point out that "because there is no comprehensive North American flora ... basic botanical data involving species distribution, flowering times, and taxonomy are not readily available" (p. ix). This book represents a commendable attempt to remedy this deficiency by bringing "together a large amount of divergent, yet relevant, information" concerning plants "whose pollen becomes airborne" (p. xi). This is accomplished by emphasizing visual presentation, mainly photographs, photomicrographs, and maps, "thereby allowing the user an opportunity to assimilate rapidly botanical facts on plant morphology, geography, phenology, and palynology" (p. ix).

Following an introduction, the major part of the book is organized into three chapters: Chapter 1 deals with trees and shrubs, Chapter 2 is concerned with grasses and grass-like plants, while Chapter 3 covers weeds and herbs. Many plant families are discussed: Chapter 1 comprises 52 families of trees and shrubs, Chapter 2 deals with 7 families, and Chapter 3 covers 16 families. Generally, within each chapter, the entries are arranged in alphabetical order by family. Some entries also include discussions at the genus level; these are also arranged alphabetically. However, in Chapter 1, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms are arranged separately; in Chapter 2, Poaceae is the first entry, followed by other grass-like plants, while in Chapter 3, Pteridophytes are discussed first, followed by other weeds and herbs.

For each family, the entry consists of a description of the main botanical features of the family, a list of the main genera, a discussion of flowering and pollen production, a description of the pollen morphology and a discussion of allergenicity. In addition, most entries are accompanied by photograph(s) of one or more species within the family, usually illustrating the flowers or staminate cones. Some of these are also illustrated in colour plates in a separate section near the beginning of the book. In some cases, the entries include maps showing the distribution of numbers of species within a selected genus. The entries also contain both light-microscope and scanning electron microscope photomicrographs of some representative pollen types. These photographs and photomicrographs in particular are one of the best features of this book. Generally, the images are large and very clear. The photomicrographs obtained by light microscopy are most impressive.

The volume contains two appendices. Appendix 2 consists of notes on the preparation of samples and on photographic techniques and equipment. Appendix 1 comprises 735 maps showing "generalized distributions of important wind-dispersed species indigenous to North America" (p. 177). The authors point out that many of these maps are original contributions. For grasses and grass-like plants, the distributions of introduced species are also mapped. For other plants, introduced species are simply listed, together with their "zone of hardiness", which gives and indication of how far north and/or west the species might flourish. The scale of the maps (c. 1:96,000,000) is such that great detail in the distributions cannot be displayed. Nevertheless, this sections does comprise a valuable compendium of distribution data.

Despite the tremendous scope of this book, I have some doubts about how it might be employed. Near the beginning of the book, there is a four page section containing 136 colour photomicrographs described as a "visual key to major pollen types" (p. 5). The quality of these images is not as good as those throughout the rest of the book; many of these photomicrographs seem rather fuzzy. Although the idea of having pollen types illustrated adjacent to one another for comparison is a good one, many of these images are too small to show morphological features clearly. The book lacks a descriptive key to supplement the photomicrographs and the descriptions in the text. Therefore, it would probably not be very helpful in the laboratory for the identification of pollen types while counting. Hence, initial identification of pollen would still have to be undertaken using other sources, such as pollen keys and/or reference material. However, once the pollen is identified, this book contains a large amount of supplementary information that might be beneficial in the interpretation of pollen assemblages. In particular, for many taxa, details of flowering times and modes of pollination are discussed. This kind of data is often difficult to obtain.

One drawback does arise from the authors' attempt to be thorough and wide-ranging, namely, that little attention can be paid to the subtleties of pollen variation within each taxon. For example, less than two pages is devoted to a discussion of the Pinaceae. No attention is paid to the distinction of pollen of the Pinaceae below genus level. Since pollen from Pinaceae is apparently not a major allergen, this discussion is presumably detailed enough for the book's targeted readers. For other major allergens, the presentation is more detailed. For example, about 14.5 pages is devoted to a discussion of the Asteraceae. From the point of view of the Holocene palynologist, this lack of detailed discussion within some taxa may be a limitation.

As a minor quibble, the book claims to be North American in scope, but most of the maps extend only as far as c. 60°N (about the latitude of Churchill, Manitoba). Does this reflect a lack of suitable information for the Arctic flora?

On the positive side, the production of the book is excellent. It is printed on a high-quality, glossy paper, and therefore the text is easy to read and the black and white photographs and photomicrographs are clear and crisp. In conclusion, I would say that this book would be a good supplement to a palynologist's library, since it does contain useful information and illustrative material which is not so readily available and accessible elsewhere.

Multidata has over one hundred copies if you're looking to buy one. Please visit their website at www.multidata.com or call 800-264-1338 to order.

I am the author of Allergy-Free Gardening, published by Ten Speed Press, and I have read a huge number of books about pollen grains and the plants that produce them. There are many fine books on the subject but by far, Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America, by Dr. Walter H. Lewis, is hands down the best.
The writing here is complex but easily understandable. The material and research in the book are deep and break considerable new ground. Today, as allergies continue to skyrocket, as deaths from asthma grow larger every year, I find it hard to understand how this book has gone out of print!
This may not be a book for the average lay person but for any serious student of allergies, horticulture, and pollen, this is a must read. I'd think that every allergist would want to own a copy of Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America.
The lead author, Dr. Lewis, is considered by his peers in biology to be THE medical botanist. He is after all, also the author of the seminal work, Medical Botany, from Wiley& Sons publishers. But unlike many who write about allergy, Lewis also knows a great deal about plants. He is, among many other things, the Senior Botanist at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.
I can not recommend this wonderful book highly enough.

For a short time I worked at a Florida lab helping to compile the USDA list of introduced arthropods. It was then I learned about a lot of obscure creature that had invaded the US in ballast, on plants, in clothing, and on wood, rock, sand, and just about any commodity or personal effect. The invasion has not stopped, but it is often not even known to be going on by the general public, except in some high profile invasions such as the Asian tiger mosquito!

John Leland, in his "Aliens in the Backyard: Plant and Animal Imports into America" presents us with many (but certainly not all) of these imported organisms, from starlings to Russian thistle and from dogs (first brought in by Native Americans) to anthrax. Some of these introductions changed history as they destroyed or interfered with crops, or were of medical importance. Smallpox, unknown in America, was used to kill Native Americans long before anyone heard of a virus by transferring contaminated blankets to the intended victims. Both diseases and destroyers of crops had their effects on armies and the outcomes of wars, as well as the physical and economic health of the hemisphere.

Despite a few irritating typos, I found the book to be basically accurate and I learned a few things as well, such as the fact that all species of human lice were already present in the New World when Columbus landed. Typhus may have been here as well.

This is one of those eye-opening books that should be read by everyone, especially if you are concerned with security. We don't need terrorists (although they can help things along) to cause major impacts on society. Nature and our own mobility can do it as efficiently or even better! We should also keep in mind that we, who evolved on the plains of Africa, are aliens to the New World as well! Indeed, John Leland drives this point home several times in this book!

We've all heard tales of the dreaded zebra mussel, rampant purple loosestrife, or prolific European starling, but if you think exotic species are the exception, even a quick browse of Leland's entertaining compendium of aliens will set you straight. You can't step into your backyard without treading on interlopers, like the favored Kentucky bluegrass.

From the hallucinogenic properties of hemp, morning glory, datura and more; to attempts to cultivate the silkworm; to rats, cockroaches and disease, Leland's essays offer an entertaining history of facts, rumors and squabbles on an exhaustive number of alien species. Whether purposely (often to rid the place of some other unwanted interloper) or accidentally introduced, aliens have long thrived in their new home and many have come to be considered natives.

A professor of English at the Virginia Military Institute, Leland ("Porcher's Creek: Lives Between the Tides") writes with wit and a certain wicked relish, and his research is dizzyingly thorough. But the sheer width and breadth of information is overwhelming. This is a book to keep, to dip into again and again a chapter or even a few pages at a time, so as to have some hope of retention.

With chapter titles like "Out of Africa," "Cowboys: And Their Alien Habits," "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time," and "Bioterror: Older than You Think," Leland makes an appreciative and entertaining case for the melting pot.

John Leland (Professor of English at the Virginia Military Institute) does a great job of pointing out which plants and animals are, and which plants and animals are not, native to America. He writes well with style, grace and wit, and he gives a lot of interesting information about how various animals and plants came to be incorporated into the America landscape and enterprise.

From apples to kudzu he details which aliens have been a boon and which have been a sorry bust. In the case of kudzu (Pueraria lobata, which I saw for the first time in a Louisiana swamp a week before hurricane Katrina hit), "It Seemed a Good Idea at the Time" (title of one of his chapters). That was before people realized that kudzu completely blankets "whatever it grows on in a smothering welter of leaves and vines" strangling trees and other vegetation to death. (p. 161)

Also not a good idea was the introduction of carp into America's waters. Leland opines that "Most fishermen and environmentalist regard its widespread introduction...as a disaster...," although there are some, including the Carp Angler Group, who have a different opinion. Similarly, people differ about whether it was a good idea to bring the starling (one of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's works) to America since it is now considered "a dirty, noisy, gregarious, and aggressive" bird that has displaced native species. Perhaps the worst of the "it seemed like a good idea at the time" species is the gypsy moth, brought to America as a possible silk worm. Leland goes into some detail about "well-intentioned dreamers of silken fortunes" in the chapter, "A Sow's Ear from a Silk Purse."

But these deliberately introduced species are relatively benign in the public eye compared to those that have freeloaded their way into our land and have more or less taken over in ways that we cannot control. The German cockroach, the Norway or brown rat, and the tumbleweed (surprisingly not native to the land of the cowboy but from Russia (with love)--oh, you deluded Sons of the Pioneers!) are three that Leland zeroes in on. He also has a few words to say about the American cockroach (probably not American--also called the palmetto bug) and the Oriental cockroach. Here in southern California we have all three, the German, the American and the Oriental. The German is the ever so prolific one that lives indoors in apartment houses and restaurants the world over, while the larger American and Oriental tend to live outdoors. I sometimes find one of the latter in my house dried up and dead in a corner or in a drawer, having wandered in and found nothing to eat and no moisture.

An introduced species that is perhaps an even bigger pest here in the southland is the Argentine ant, which Leland unaccountably does not mention. I recommend he take a study on it. There's enough material there to write a book and then some. Once the Argentine ant (small and black with only an occasional tiny bite) sets up shop inside the walls or under an establishment such as an apartment building or a college dormitory, it is there to stay.

What Leland does so very well in this book, and what makes it superior to some other books I have read, is integrate the alien species into the historical and cultural experience of the American people. In his chapter, "Out of Africa," he details "How Slavery Transformed the American Landscape and Diet." I had to laugh when I read that watermelon is not native to America but comes from Africa, as do peanuts and Bermuda grass, sesame seed and of course the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) also known as the black-eyed pea. I had to laugh because I recalled Randy Newman's satirical song encouraging Africans to come to America in the early days of the republic for "the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake"!

Naturally, it is not in any way surprising that many of our foods come from other lands since most of the world's cuisines have found a home in American. Rice is not native, although the so-called "wild rice" is. Wheat comes from the Middle East as most people know, while potatoes are native to the Andes in South American.

In the chapter "Cowboys and Their Alien Habits" Leland recalls the familiar story of how the horse was once native to America but had gone extinct here before Columbian times, and then was accidentally reintroduced by the Spanish explorers after which it revolutionized the Plains Indians' way of life. (p. 92) Also alien are the cowboy's cattle, including the Texas longhorn; and if we go back far enough even the "Indians," the so-called native Americans are not native. Sad to say many of the true natives, like the giant sloth and the cave bear and the great mammoth went extinct coincidental with the arrival of the first humans from across the Bering Strait.

The only problem I have with this book and others like it, is that there is never enough. The way plants and animals have moved around the world and the way they have changed the lives of people is a continual source of fascination. Leland's fine book adds to the reader's pleasure while not sating it.

This beautiful book takes you on a guided tour of the geographical exploration of America. And it does that by showing and explaining over 300 of the maps explorers created while discovering North America. Many of these maps are richly detailed and visually stunning. The seven-page map catalog in the back of the book "sums up" these maps by providing the page on which the map appears, map name, map author, and source. Some of these are in vaults and not available for public viewing.

Hayes is a solid researcher and you can trust his work. That scored big points with me, because I've recently come across several books that present themselves as factual--when in reality they are poorly-researched and full of misinformation.

Unlike some authors, Hayes honors his contract with the reader.

Hayes combines his solid research with a writing style that brings the subject to life, warts and all. The journey he takes you on starts in 1000 AD and continues to the present day. With Hayes as your guide, you follow the explorers as they discover North America and its wonders. These include the wide prairies, complicated coastal waterways, expansive rivers, and many mountains that make North America such a geographical treasure trove.

Hayes does a good job of arranging the maps by area and era. For example, he looks at the West and starts with maps from the earliest years of exploration and then proceeds to the most recent maps. Through Hayes' narrative, you see history unfold as though you are there watching the explorers themselves. We see their human side, which is sometimes self-defeating. Hayes uses a combination of objective observation and witty commentary to provide a tour that is both informative and entertaining.

The maps in this book reflect the knowledge and the ignorance of the times in which they were drawn. For example, the obsession with a "Northwest Passage" across the continent--a short trade route to China--caused many mapmakers to draw in waterways that weren't there. Other mapmakers would then copy and propagate the mythological features.

I found myself reading this book with my tabletop globe at my side. As Hayes discussed the various islands, bays, rivers, and other features, I wanted to know where each one was and how it fit into the overall map. I also found myself frequently comparing the explorers' maps to the globe and chuckling as Hayes revealed how this or that map differed from reality--and why.

Because I have an interest in geography, I would have been satisfied with just the maps and some brief explanatory text. And I think even someone not especially interested in geography would have found such a book worth sitting down with for an afternoon if that's all it contained, because these maps are just so intriguing. But, there's more. Far more.

Yes, I've already said Hayes also explained other things. But, he didn't throw in a few "human interest" tidbits about the explorers. He told the story behind the story. The stories of the political machinations that drove many of these explorations would have made an interesting book in its own right. So, now the reader gets this great set of geography lessons while also enjoying the kinds of plot twists you might expect from a good novel. Great stuff!

Get this book for your tabletop, if you want something visually impressive for your visitors. Read this book, if you want a great read that leaves you with an impressive knowledge of the exploration of North America.

Derek Hayes' new book, "America Discovered: A Historical Atlas of North American Exploration," should appeal to the members of a number of literary categories, both ordinary and scholarly. First, for those who simply enjoy beautiful coffee-table books, this is one you can be proud to display as the artwork and colorful maps meet the highest standard. Second, if you are an American history buff, this book will enthrall you with its vivid recollections of early continental exploration and later discoveries and settlement across the Western frontier. Third, if you love maps or are into cartography, either as an avocation or as a profession, you will appreciate the numerous historical maps included in the work. Fortunately, I am a member of all three groups, so I especially appreciated Hayes' contribution to my personal library.

The author is a trained geographer and map researcher. He attended the University of Hull and the University of British Columbia and has spent many years traveling the world collecting and researching historical maps. This is the fifth historical atlas that Hayes has written and designed. I want to make a special point of "written and designed." There are many American history texts which cover the same period and topics which Hayes does in this book. But how many of them are "designed" to be aesthetically pleasing as well as meeting the highest levels of scholarship. I have some insight into that matter since I taught American history for a number of years. There are not very many books about American history that are both beautifully designed, worth spending time just to contemplate the illustrations, and still exhibit a text worth reading for its own sake.

The features and structure of "America Discovered: A Historical Atlas of North American Exploration" can be briefly stated. There are two hundred and eighty maps included in the book, covering a period of time from the fifteenth century to the twentieth century. This means that the reader can view maps created by cartographers at the "initial discovery" of America by European adventurers, based on the knowledge of the time, and follow the progression of map creation and design as more and more knowledge is gained about the American continent. It is interesting to note, for instance, that many of the early maps depict the present state of California as an island rather than attached to the American mainland (I didn't know that!). And for those who like geographic trivia, let it be known that this major inaccuracy about California continued even into the nineteenth century. Besides the many maps, there are a number of illustrations displaying persons and events of significance to American history. At the end of the book the author provides a map catalog with some facts about each map, a selected bibliography so readers can continue on with other resources, and a comprehensive index of topics. Lastly, the book is printed on acid-free paper which means it will virtually last forever.

Most of my book reviews are nine-hundred to a thousand words in length. This one is not. Why not? Simply because I can find nothing negative at all to say about this superb piece of writing and craftmanship. (Maybe there is a typo somewhere in the text, but if so, I couldn't spot it.) I highly recommend this book to everyone, regardless of whether or not you fit into one of the categories I named in the first paragraph. If you are a true bibliophile, like I am, you will appreciate this addition to your personal library. But a warning or two might be prudent. Older children and teenagers may find the maps in this book so captivating that the book might suffer the damage of overuse. In that case, it might be advisable to purchase two copies: one to use and one to cherish. Moreover, if you decide to purchase one as a gift for a relative or friend, be aware. Once you actually see the quality of this publication, you won't want to part with it. In that case, it might be advisable to purchase two copies: one as a gift and one for you to cherish. I think at this point, I've said enough. Any more said would merely be redundant.

The early settlers, investors, missionaries, traders, and other explorers of the North American continent had rough hand-drawn maps or no maps at all to guide them. As a result many of them made their own maps as they traveled. The tremendous variety of these hand-drawn maps makes this collection of maps and historical information fascinating reading.

The book is loosely organized along historical lines although maps with a similar theme are placed together. For example, some of the chapters, and therefore map collections, include "Seeking Furs and Lost Souls, Finding the Mississippi, West from Carolina, Ascending the Missouri, Crossing the Mountains, Russian Alaska, The Emigrant Trails, and The Great Western Surveys.

These are high quality copies of the original maps and a treasure to anyone interested in history. It includes many well-written historical accounts of the explorers and other travelers to augment the maps. While it is an excellent choice for a library addition, America Discovered: A Historical Atlas of North American Exploration is a joy to read and belongs on the shelf of everyone interested in the history of the North America.

J. Wilson Bowman has done an exemplenary job of providing a comprehensive resource for students, parents, counselors, and educational advisors. As a mentor for an At-Risk youth group in the San Francisco Bay Area, I will definitely recommend that all of our students and parents purchase and read J. Wilson Bowman's reference guide. I just wish that I had such an outstanding guide when I was in high school!!

It is the most complete resource on Historically Black Colleges. Anyone thinking of going to college should review this book, particularly African Americans. After working in many urban school districts, I found that most High School Students want information on all of the options available to them. To Parents, Educators and Counselors who want to provide a full picture of the eduactional landscape, America's Black and Tribal Colleges provides great detail.

This is an excellent resource book to have,because nowhere else can you find the information compiled the way that it is in this particular book. The author has obviously done his homework. There are colleges in this book that many people, myself in- cluded, did not even know existed. With so many people looking to get a quality education without having to own a bank to pay for the tuition, this is definitely a place to start!!

American Lazarus is the story of how African American and Native American writers forged new tools to re-create their identities. In spite of slavery and subjugation, men like Samson Occom, John Marrant, Richard Allen, and Prince Hall endeavored to raise their people from civic death. This book is powerful. It is beautifully written; it sheds new light on traditions of resistance in American letters; and it shows that the theme of Lazarus (the biblical story where Jesus raises his friend from the dead) was an overarching conception for peoples of color just as the Exodus story was. Incredible history; amazing literary analysis. American Lazarus is a triumph.

With AMERICAN LAZARUS, Brooks recovers, or might I say, revives either long-forgotten or oft-misunderstood religious writings by eighteenth-century African Americans and Native Americans. And the story she tells through their works is as relevant in the 21st century as it was during theirs: God takes sides, and God's side is with the poor, the enslaved, the colonized. And these writers, like Brooks, ask: which side are you on? AMERICAN LAZARUS shows us the debt we owe to these innovative ancestors of color--politically, culturally, spiritually. And for that, we are indebted to Brooks as well.

My minister mentioned this book in a recent sermon. As a Christian living in the 21st Century, I realize that there is so much that I can take for granted. The trials and tribulations and triumphs that people like Samson Occom and John Marrant went through were inspiring to say the least. I had no idea that one of America's first hymnals was compiled by a Native American, nor did I discover until reading this book how much American Christianity is so entwined in Black and Indian struggles. I learned so much from this book. I'm not a reader of literature, but now I want to find out more about these people. I can say that it's made me a better Christian. I'm so grateful to these American saints. Thank you, Joanna Brooks, for opening my eyes.

Do yourself a favor - and buy this bargain volumne of classic photographic images collected by the Getty Center from the archives of over 1,000 publications.

Subtitled: "1,000 Remarkable Years of Incident and Achievement", this concise encyclopedia of human culture in North America captures the pleasures, passions, fads and follies of our collective past with short captions and vivid images. An easy and delightful conversation starter.

What a stunning book! And what an incredible bargain for the price! This book attempts to provide a visual history of the America (or, that part that comprises the present United States) for the past one thousand years. The bulk of the book is photographs, but there are a large number of prehistoric and prephotographic drawings. While this book could never replace a text history of the continent and nation, it provides a stunning supplement. Very few major events are omitted, and a large number of the photographs are notable for their brilliance. Most are unfamiliar photographs. They are not the stock photos that seem to get passed on from collection to collection. The famous Dorothea Lange photography of an "Okie" is an exception rather than a rule. No matter what period in American history, this collection never fails to delight and fascinate and educate.

I had only a couple of quibbles. One is that the sports photography, which was considerable, focused almost exclusively on boxing, track, and baseball. As a result, many of the most dominant athletic figures are omitted. This would not be a problem except so many lesser figures were included. A second is that towards the end of the book, the photographs become surprisingly mundane. For instance, there are several pages where PEOPLE magazine type publicity photos of people like Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan are simply place four to a page. Surely there were more interesting photos than these. Most of the book is stunning; it isn't clear why the late 20th century should suddenly become so flat and uninventive.

Nonetheless, this book is a delight. It makes a great history book, art book, photography book, bathroom book, bedside book, or even coffee table book (though in diminutive form).

Another Konemann bargain (how do they manage to produce such lovely books at the price?) with 832 pages, many of them with more than one photo, all the main events in the Nation's history instantly available with a picture and caption (and index). History in the broadest sense too, plenty of people and events from the everyday world. As the text is mostly captions don't expect any great historical insight though.

I think this would be an ideal book for children, rather than a textbook with a few photos why not start with lots of photos to inspire their curiosity about an event or personality and then let them read about it in other books.

This is a book about a 15 year old soldier in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. His name is Private John Griffin Allen. After barely surviving the Battle of Gettysburg, being taken a prisoner of war, switching sides, taking a steamboat up the Missouri River, working at Fort Rice, and being attacked by Native Americans, "Griff," faces death, diverts his prejudices, and learns the meaning of heroism.

This story is about Private John Griffith Allen, a young Confederate soldier who is unable to read or write and likes to be called Griff. Griff has two friends named Wiley and Wallace. He gives Wiley a small bell. Later he gets his money taken from him and gets captured by Yankees. He sees Wiley and they take the oath of allegiance making them Yankees. They go on a steamboat to Montana. He makes friends with a little girl named Alma. With all the tradegies occurring, like his friends dying, he finally is a heroe. I think this is a wonderfully written book.

This story is about Private John Griffith Allen, a young Confederate soldier who is unable to read or write and likes to be called Griff. Griff has two friends named Wiley and Wallace. He gives Wiley a small bell. Later he gets his money taken from him and gets captured by Yankees. He sees Wiley and they take the oath of allegiance making them Yankees. They go on a steamboat to Montana. He makes friends with a little girl named Alma. With all the tradegys occurring, like his friends dying, he finally is a heroe.

Real life stories matched with stunning photography and mouth watering recipes makes me want take a few months off and live this book just the way Peter did it. I've ordered a few of these books as they make terrific presents even for the non-fishermen amongst us.

The book is both graphically and verbally exciting as the author conveys the art of fishing and experiencing life on the water. One gets the feel of fish as well as the taste, with the recipes as part of the adventure. Many of the locations are part of my dreams as a fisherman to experience, and many of the experiences, especially in salt water mirror my own excitement. The photos are spectacular. Coupled with the design of the book, the writing places you in the adventure with real people experiences, visually giving the sense of the water, the fish, the aesthetic of nature. The same tone of the excitement of fishing off Montauk, or Montana continues throughout the book, allowing envy on the reader's part to sharing the adventure.

Treat yourself or someone you know who likes to relax and thumb through a fine fly-flishing book. Since this comes from a big publisher, our little anti-catalog didn't get sent a review copy. But when we did get our hands on the book we were awe-struck. It rivals some of the $50-60 books out there this holiday season, but with a much smaller price tag. The book begins with the birth of a fisherman on his home waters in the famed New York area-Catskills, Adirondacks, Delaware-and travels the country from the west to midwest and southeast to Montauk. Each fly-fisher will find waters he's fished and his dream waters described in pictorial photos and entertaining editorial prose.

The author, Peter Kaminsky, grew up in New Jersey, graduated from Princeton University in the early 1970s, and moved to New York, where he promptly became a cabbie. He left hackwork, went to graduate school and began writing for National Lampoon. Then, he discovered fishing: "Fishing was the greatest thing I ever did and it took over my life".

Between television projects largely in the comedy field, he has worked with Jerry Seinfeld, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, and John Candy. Kaminsky currently contributes to the New York Times and outdoor magazines such as Outdoor Life and Sports Afield, writing about his fishing experiences. He also likes to write about food and you'll find many tantalizing recipes scattered throughout the book.

The publisher has been perfecting their art of quality gift books for decades. They publish the traditional home building, cooking, and gardening books to books for the Natural History Association and Smithsonian. They've also done highly-illustrated children's tales; photo books from puppies to grandmothers; and the life's work of musical greats, John Lennon and Sinatra. It is apparent that they pride themselves on creating masterpiece books on a wide variety of subject matter. They don't disappoint us now. Make sure to take a peek underneath the dust-jacket. I have seen very few with a book cover imprint as beautiful.