North America Books

If you buy this book because the title might indicate it is an overall look at the banjo, its playing, its musics, and its place in society, that is not what this book is or pretends to be.

This is a history of the physical development of the banjo and its construction and manufacture during the 19th Century. There are some small references to the different musics the instrument was used for, but not many. There is elaborate and detailed discussion of the main lines of construction of the banjos during this period. The authors also write well and thoroughly about the business dynamics of the chief producers
of the banjo during the 19th Century.

While this book is obviously the work of two of leading banjo collectors in the world and of interest to banjoists and instrument makers of all kinds, it is an important picture of America social and economic history as well. Someone interested in the rise and development of capitalist industry, fetishism of "the finer things in life" by the middle class, and how culture wars were waged in the 19th Century would profit from reading this book.

For the artistically inclined there are a number of beautiful plates of 19th Century Banjos as works of art. It is clear that the authors priviledge the decoration and physical beauty of the instruments as much as they do the instruments "playability."

This work is great in itself. I found it very readable and believe someone who did not know much about banjos would also find this readable.

If you are interested in the social and cultural history of the instrument to the present day, what you need is
That Half-Barbaric Twang: The Banjo in American Popular Culture Culture by Karen Linn.

If you are interested in the African origin of the instrument, its development from African playing styles, as well as the roots of contemporary "frailing" and clawhammer and much else about the musical tradition of the banjo, especially as used in traditional folk music try African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia: A Study of Folk Traditions by Cecelia Conway. Both books are available here on Amazon

At last, another important book has emerged to stand with the few other necessary references on early American 5-string banjos.

Unlike the two fine Tsumura books which are primarily photographic essays of considerable magnitude, Gura and Bollman's treatise combines a highly readable and informed history with a remarkable collection of rare antique photographs and ephemera plus 4 lengthy sections of recent photographs of exquisite instruments and banjo related objects. Any one of these three aspects would be sufficient reason to own the book.

The frequently startling and personal photographs impart a very human feeling as we progress through the story of the evolution of the banjo in American culture. Amazingly, they represent just a minor fraction of Jim Bollman's immense collection.

Special praise is due Peter Szego for his magnificent photographs of the wonderful early banjos from his own collection.

I find it hard to remain objective as I turn the pages and imagine what it must have been like to pose for one of those Dageurreotypes, rudely dressed, banjo in hand, daring the photographer to capture my soul. And again, when I turn to that favorite Boucher or Fairbanks banjo and long to feel and play it.

Well done, gentlemen, and thank you!

If one were to collect instruments, art and ephemera to organize and document an exhibition about the banjo, a good place to start would be to review Gura's and Bollman's "America's Instrument: The Banjo in the Nineteenth Century." This impressive book actually seems like a comprehensive companion to a museum's exhibition which could have the same name, and I could envision such a treatise being a museum gift shop's best-seller.

James Bollman is recognized as one of our Nation's foremost banjo collectors, and his outstanding assortment of Victorian-era banjos and related paraphernalia is one of the finest in the world. He was very pivotal as a project consultant to the fine exhibition that took place in 1984 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology called "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory," curated by Robert Lloyd Webb. That exhibit's catalogue had some wonderful information, photographs and illustrations. After seeing it, I was personally inspired to research and write an article about "Banjos at the Smithsonian Institution" which subsequently appeared in Bluegrass Unlimited magazine (Vol. 27, No. 5, November, 1992).

Philip Gura, historian and Professor of English and American Studies at the University of North Carolina, is an expert in the history and culture of America's music industry. I found Gura's 2003 charming book, "C.F. Martin and His Guitars 1976-1873," to be well-researched, thoughtfully written, beautifully illustrated, and professionally executed.

In "America's Instrument: The Banjo in the Nineteenth Century," Gura and Bollman begin by documenting the banjo's evolution from the plantation to the stage. An interesting overview of the minstrel tradition and early performers is given. The authors show how the popularity of banjos increased, largely due to effective marketing. As the banjo made its way from the minstrel stage to Victorian parlors and concert halls, the physical development of the instrument was also affected. Part III of the book addresses "selling the banjo to all America," focusing on the efforts of Philadelphia's S.S. Stewart. It's interesting that Stewart's adoption of the "cause" of the banjo (nothing short of everything about it) set him apart from other makers. The book's fourth part, "manufacturing the real thing," delves into how the Boston banjo makers (Fairbanks, Cole) began to challenge Stewart's preeminence in the mid-1880s and eventually design and build the acknowledged standards of the banjo world.

Ragtime is given cursory treatment in this book. Another direction that banjo music took was into classical music, and the book could have devoted something to that incarnation of the instrument. I found it curious that this book makes no mention of Alfred A. Farland, "the progressive banjoist," who caused quite a stir in the banjo world in the mid-1890s when he played concertos, Beethoven sonatas, and even Rossini's "William Tell Overture" on the instrument. He was also known as the "Scientific Banjoist of Pittsburgh, Pa."

It also becomes quite apparent that the major banjo makers in the late 19th Century were located mainly in the urban north, and the great majority of major makers are discussed. However, this book should have at least acknowledged J.B. Schall, from Chicago, who built a large number of banjos about 1870-1907. Of a list of manufacturers of "classic" banjos in Akira Tsumura's "Banjos: The Tsumura Collection," most are addressed. Rettberg & Lange (New York 1897-1929) aren't mentioned, and only very brief mention is made of Weymann & Son (who made banjos in Philadelphia from 1864-1935) and Charles Bobzin (who operated in Detroit from 1892-1915).

While this book is beautifully laid out with over 250 illustrations, some of the very special banjos featured in the MIT exhibition, at the Smithsonian Institution, and in private collections such as Akira Tsumura's or David Vachon's, might have further enhanced Gura and Bollman's book. Some of the instruments are credited as from the collection of Peter Szego or Philip Gura, and the other uncredited photographs are apparently from the extensive collection of James Bollman. While the many full page color illustrations are definitely nice, perhaps the book could've added many more by placing two to four per page. Banjo afficinados typically enjoy such "eye candy," and photos speak a thousand words.

Keep in mind that this book only covers the banjo in the 19th Century. There is a cursory link to the banjo in the 20th Century, and there's only minor mention of firms such as Gibson, Paramount, Bacon and Day, and Weymann. While the authors state that "the stories of these companies and their instruments are fairly well known and...belong to the history of the new century," I hope that Gura and Bollman will consider pulling all these tales together into a sequel that documents the banjo in the Twentieth Century. All in all, they've done a very fine job covering a hundred years of the instrument's early history in America. Banjo-players and others interested in the instrument's history should certainly add this book to their library. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

James Bollman's collection of banjos and banjo memorabilia is stunning and this volume may be the only way in which I would ever be able to view it in my home a photograph at a time. The history is a resource for historians and reenactors alike. The vintage photos are mostly ones I've never seen before. This collection has the most vintage photos of lady banjo players I have ever seen. The 1860's photo of a young woman playing the banjo on page 93 has enough detail for a reenactor to duplicate her dress and accessories as well as her banjo. The same is true of an 1895 photograph of a woman playing a Fairbanks Electric. The turn of the century all woman banjo band on page 10 is inspiring. It's great to know that there have always been lady banjo players and these photos give the lady reenactor a place to start when planning a period costume to go with a period banjo. There is a section of breath taking color plates in this book that allow you not only to see detail on some rare banjos, but also depict antique banjo clocks and memorabilia. I never knew such pieces existed until this book. A great book and a must have for anyone interested in vintage instruments and pickers.

As a banjo player of some twenty-five years experience, as well as a historic interpreter/performer of Early American music, all I can say is that this is the book that I've been waiting for! This well-researched, well-written, beautifully illustrated tome doesn't just give us an interesting history of the banjo; it offer us a fascinating view of the instrument's pivotal role in the birth of American "pop" music.

My favorite features of the book are the antique period photographs, as well as the many wonderful illustrations of authentic period instruments and ephemeria, primarily from the extensive personal collection of the book's authors and fellow collectors such as Peter Szego. The majority of the 19th century photos depicted belong to author Jim Bollman, whose home can best be described as a museum and shrine to the banjo. I'm also a collector of vintage photos of musicians and I can tell you there's no one more respected in the field than Jim. His name is constantly invoked with awe and reverence by both dealers and other collectors. I have to admit there were times at photo shows when I've had cause to harbor some unkindly thoughts towards Jim every time it had become that he had scored all the best photos. However, purchasing this book, which contains many of those incredible unattainable photos, more than makes up for that.

My only complaint about "America's Instrument..." is its failure to really explore the banjo's African roots other than to briefly quote Dena Epstein's pioneering work on the subject. Also, the authors are mistaken in their statements that the African ancestors of the banjo, such as the xalam, "lack the shortened string on the top of the fingerboard that is characteristic of later banjos." In fact, the xalam has three "chanterelles" (drone strings) of various lengths above the two long melody strings. A cursory look at the xalam illustrated in the book would reveal that.

Be that as it may, I highly recommend "America's Instrument...!"

There exist in the world perhaps a dozen books on native fish keeping, perhaps less. This may be discouraging to the budding native fish enthusiast but you need not worry, there is only one book you'll need on the subject. "American Aquarium Fishes" is best described as a literal native fish Bible. Truly no book compares. The first few chapters go over various topics such as collecting methods, native plants and distribution among other things. One useful chapter goes over the rules and regulations concerning native fish collecting in each state, information that is often difficult to find. Granted these regulations are likely outdated every year but still, its a useful starting point. Of course the best part of the book is the pages of profiles on just about every native fish species suitable for aquarium life. These profiles mostly outline how to breed the various fishes in captivity but also go over other need to know facts about the fish. The book does however neglect to mention many popular game species such as yellow perch, largemouth bass and bullhead catfish. The author purposely does not include them because according to him these fish grow too large for the average aquarium. Strangely he still deems it necessary to go over sturgeons, bowfin, gar and other fish who are among the largest on the continent. Despite this the book still is the best on the subject, a must have for any native fish enthusiast whether you intend to keep them in aquaria or not.

Great book fo native fishes written for the beginner and advanced hobbiest alike. Easy reading with many color photos.

I recently managed to buy a copy of this book and from what I have read so far it is a book that should be on the shelves of fishophiles everywhere, aquarist or not. The book covers a wide range of species, mostly darters and cyprinids and goes into good detail on how to keep and breed them. With native fish keeping resources being rare this book may very well be the best of it's kind. One feature I really liked was the chapter covering the laws and regulations of various states, something that many people are curious about when out collecting. About the only thing I didn't like was that it neglected to mention many of the larger species. Bullheads, perch, bass, trout and many others are not given a lot of attension if any at all. The author deems them either to large or to dificult to breed in captivity so he leave them out.

The book in its entirety is fairly good. The authors tried to cover a broad scope. This book may be useful for the breeder in that there is specific information on each species. Please note that you may need to combine the information in this text with information from other sources (print, web, etc.) to take complete care of your native fishes.

This comprehensive reference volume will appeal to both specialty and general-interest libraries: American Aquarium Fishes provides over 118 color and over 200 black and white photos of various species of aquarium fish, providing detailed discussions on where to find native fishes, how to collect and transport them around the globe, and regional rules of collecting. The depth and detail and the vivid photos are impressive.

The IHS Director continues to allow and tolerate inter-office romantic affairs especially those between married staff. I can name names of Headquarters and Area staff who have had affairs still ongoing or within the past 4 years that include: Area Directors, Executive Officers, and Division Directors (all males). My next review will contain the names and this time it is not fiction.

The mission of IHS to promote and ensure that the Native Americans/Alaska Natives receive the best possible health care available. The network of SOME Commission Corp and higher up management officials have at their disposal the IHS to abuse their positions and inflict harm on faithful IHS employees. Ii commend you Mr. Burns on your book. I as an Indian female IHS employee have felt the RATH of IHS and have filed EEO's MSPB,Whistleblow, Office of Special Counsel complaints and no protection is offered to complantants for reprisal. This insanity, misappropriation of funds, abuse of positions and harassment of any form needs to stop. Short of a congressional hearing no one, not even Donna Shalala, seem to care about the abuse within IHS. When all administrative channels are followed, and still nothing is done, What is next? If you want a best-seller write about the complantants who suffer and lose their livelihood and years of dedicated service to managers directors who abuse their positions. People are willing to give you their stories. The only Mission these directors/managers have at heart is their own, a mission of illegal tactics.

I am calling all American Indians especially women to come forward and contact Amazon Books to tell their stories of EEO violations and management's abuse of power. Without Amazon, Indian women would continue to suffer in silence. The book is real! How can the Indian Health Service mistreat Indian women. Shame on you Indian Health Service.

When I consider how the Public Health Service has treated Native women, I am so disgusted and outraged by the white male agenda of hatred that I could scream. To think that Native women were FORCED into sterilization! It is just so typical of the white male government. As a radical feminist woman of european descent, I am OUTRAGED by the way the Native population has been treated. Apparently our government thinks that their suffering is just some sort of big joke. Let's remember, then, that someday white males will need affirmative action!

This book needs much wider exposure. Finally the Native people and especially Native women have an advocate.

There are others, for example, the elderly Native population and young Native people who are also suffering, unfortunately, from IHS's inability to meet the health needs of the Native People.

Richard Schwartz paints a picture of Berkeley in words that transports you back in time. Interesting and lively, the stories show life around the turn of the 20th century. Even for people who don't live in the Berkeley area, the characters and pictures are fascinating. A must-read for anyone who wants a sense of how life really was around 1900.

This book really gave me a different perspective on Berkeley, the geography and the people. The way the information was delivered brought the book to life and added depth. It is not in any way a "typical" history book. The vignettes about the people made the time period approachable and real. A must read for anyone who has ever been to or lived in Berkeley.

Just a few words to tell you how much I enjoyed "Berkeley 1900." I saw
pictures about a past I never knew existed. It gave me an appreciation of
Berkeley I never thought I would have. Prior to seeing the book, I thought
Berkeley was just a bunch of pinkos.
jake

This compilation of hundreds of newspaper articles shows a small town at a point in its evolution. Berkeley, California is now a well known city throughout the USA, but it started out from humble beginnings. Each article reveals something different about its people, its society and movements and norms of the day.

I expecially enjoyed items such as these:

Chapter 18. Saloons and the Temparance Movement. "Scientists. . .reported that daily indulgence in beer would result in a mental state akin to criminal insanity. . ." Fascinating stuff.

Then dive into Chapter 19. Milk, the Problem. In a creamery's advertisement one can learn "Absolutely pure country milk and cream from healthy cows and fed in a well-ventilated and sanitary barn -- fed on only the best food obtainable."

Just slices of 100 year old life in Berkeley. . .

Some historians avoid the controversal events of history. Richard Schwartz's book paints a realistic view of of life in Berkeley, California at the turn of the century.

From articles condemning dairymen for not giving their milk cows the tuberculin test, to stories about organizations forming to discriminate against Asians in the city, Schwartz tells it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

A great portion of the book is devoted to "human interest" articles. There are stories that deal with fires, ferries, and the conflicts between horses and the new automobiles.

Richard's book is filled with interesting articles, artwork, newspaper ads, and photo's. It makes a great coffee table book, one that can be picked up anytime for a few minutes of exceptional reading.

This is a great addition to any home or collection. This book has the family, species(latin name),length, wingspan, plumage habitat, weight, nesting, and more for over 930 species of North American birds on over 1000 pages.

Just got home from B&N, where I saw this book -- I spent a LOT of time flipping through it ... talk about lust! I must have this book ... must must must. After this review I'll buy it now at [...]. I knew [...] would have it at a discount (no discount on it at B&N), plus this tome is very heavy ... and I already had a stack of books (seriously discounted) that I couldn't part with. I'm not even a serious birder, but I love birds and keep track of those that visit my Brooklyn patio (you'd be amazed at the variety!). Can't wait 'til it shows up ... this is truly a handsome book, chock full of terrific photos and info. Splurge and treat yourself!

If you love birds, you may want to add this book to your collection. Clearly it is not a field guide: too heavy and bulky. It does, however, contain a great deal of information that will help in the never ending quest to find and identify another bird. Each bird listed has a section on song, behavior, breeding habits, nesting, population, and conservation. Flight patterns, nest identification, and habitat are also described iconically. Good range maps are included. The "photos" will not help much in identifying birds, but a complementary guide such as Sibley's can fill in the gap nicely. Place this book on your coffee table, open it often to learn another tidbit about one of those birds you haven't yet seen, and I don't think it will be disappointing.

This book has more information than any other book I own. You will find birds listed here that you won't find elsewhere and the information offered is second to none. Considering the cost of this book, the value is tremendous. You will find common names, scientific names, very specific identification notes and interesting facts on all the birds listed. In the upper right hand corner of each page is a diagram showing the relative size of the bird to the size of this book and this is very helpful. You'll also find information on breeding, nesting and basic behavioral aspects of each listing. I personally recommend this book to any casual or enthusiastic birder.

Birds of North America written by Fred J. Alsop is one of the most complete books on birds of North America that I've seen.

The contents of this book is comprehensive and has a very well-written introduction and a how the book works section, this describes how the books pages are set-up for easy indentification of the birds you find in the wild. The guide to visual references helps again to further refine your classification and a identifing of the bird you've found.

There is an anatomy, topography, and variations sections; also a how to identify birds, birds in flight and by silhouette, but to further hone your indentifing of your birds, there is a behavior, abundance and distribution; classification and how to watch birds in the backyard, along with those in the field.

There is a very fine glossary and index with this book to get the birder to the species you've found. this book classifies birds by species... this I found is the best and fastest way to find and classify to birds you're looking for.

I highly recommend this book for those who really need a book for their birding experience. Along the outside margins of the pages, there is a place for a date, time and location on the page for you when you spot a bird species.

All in all, this is by far, one of the best bird book that I've seen. Excellent choice for a gift for the birder in your family or to get the children involved in what is around them while the are with you on walks through the woods.

(My review is on Thoreau's Cape Cod rather than this specific edition).

While some literary critics seem to slight this work by Thoreau, saying that it is not as "powerful" as his other works, etc., I personally find this one very enjoyable. Sure, it does not have as much "philosophizing" as other books by him, but it is full of humor and very fun to read. The part where he describes the old man spitting into the hearth is particularly hilarious. The part about him sleeping in a lighthouse is also very funny. It lets us experience the more jovial side of Thoreau. This is probably one of the easiest to read among Thoreau's books.

Published posthumously, this volume is surprisingly consistent and complete (unlike "The Maine Woods" which is chopped into three different parts), it gives one the feel of walking along the entire cape, although the materials are quarried from several different trips. One only wish Thoreau had lived longer and had seen the West, imagine him taking a trip in the Sierra! Oh, well, meanwhile, we still have this one to enjoy.

Thoreau visited Cape Cod in 1849, 1850, and 1853. These trips formed the basis for a series of essays, several of which Thoreau published in magazines. After Thoreau's death, the essays were gathered together and published as "Cape Cod" in 1865.

Thoreau's "Cape Cod" is different in tone in theme from his earlier books. The tone is leisurely and light. Instead of solitude or the wild woods, the picture that remains with me from this book is that of a long walk, or, as Thoreau puts it, a "ramble" through the sand and dunes of Cape Cod. The book is picturesque, full of humor and wry observation. Thoreau unforgettably describes the ocean, in its storms, vicissitudes, and moments of peace, the fish and the fishermen, the sands, birds, plants and lighthouses of Cape Cod, and the people. I have visited portions of the Masachusetts coast, but I have never been to Cape Cod. Thoreau took me there in his book.

The book is arranged into ten chapters. It opens with a description of the shipwreck of the St John on a rock off the Cape. Thoreau then describes a ride by coach across the Cape. But the heart of the book lies in the following chapters in which Thoreau with a companion walks the 30 mile beach from Nauset Harbor to Provincetown with many stops and diversions along the way. I felt the salt air and saw the fishermen and the sandy beach as I walked with Thoreau.

The most vivid characterization in the book is in the chapter "The Wellfleet Oysterman", as Thoreau describes a grizzled, taciturn, and ancient native of Cape Cod and his family who offer him hospitality for the night. Another memorable chapter involves the description of the Highland Lighthouse, no longer standing, and its keeper. The stops with the Oysterman and the Lighthouse punctuate Thoreau's long walks through the day over the beach and his meditiations about and descriptions of what he finds there.

Thoreaus walk ended at Provincetown, on the northernmost portion of Cape Cod, with its wood walkway, shanty houses, and ever-present scenes of fishermen, boats, and drying fish. Thoreau offers what I found an affectionate portrait of these hardy fishermen and their families. Following a description of what he found at Provincetown, Thoreau offers a great deal of historical background on the exploration of the Cape, from the Pilgrims reaching back to earlier French, Icelandic, and English explorers.

Thoreau's "Cape Cod" is a worthy companion to his books describing his experiences inland, on Walden Pond and on the rivers and woods of New England and Maine. It is beautifuly written with unforgettable descriptive passages. It made me want to get up and go from my life in the city, and over 150 years after Thoreau wrote, wander and walk for myself along the dunes and sands of Cape Cod.

This hardcover edition from Peninsula Press is unquestionably the best available edition of Thoreau's Cape Cod, for these reasons:

1) While all other editions are based on Thoreau's journal entries from only his first three visits to the Cape, this edition includes an epilogue compiling Thoreau's notes from his fourth and final visit, in which he traveled south to Chatham and Monomoy.

2) This is the only edition to translate the many, many Greek and Latin phrases Thoreau includes throughout the work, and it is also the only edition to provide illustrations, maps, and sidenotes in-text.

3) This is the only indexed edition ever created.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for fans of both Cape literature and Thoreau in general.

This book details the flora, fauna and people that Thoreau found in Cape Cod in the 1850s. Thoreau organizes the book around a single trip to Provincetown, although much of the material that he uses in the book came from various visits to the Cape, and to the ocean in general. He starts with a description of a shipwreck at Cohasset, then a stagecoach ride from Plymouth, then a walking trip with a companion along the outer shore to Provincetown. Along the way, he describes not only the plants and animals he encountered, but also the people who he met. The book finishes with a lengthy academic historical account of the discovery and mapping of the Cape.

I found this to be the most humorous of all Thoreau's work. The character sketches he provides in this book, sharpened with his trained eye for observation of natural phenomena, are legendary. The cultural description of the Cape and its environment is quite fascinating for those interested in the history of daily life in 19th century Massachusetts. As Thoreau describes the desolate, treeless desert that made up the far reaches of the Cape, one begins to comprehend what it meant for an economy to be based on wood and whale oil for fuels. Thoreau stresses how valued driftwood was for residents of the Cape, as one of their main sources of heating and cooking fuel. Doubtless, he would not recognize the Cape today with its lush new forests. Or its Wal-Marts--switching to an oil economy has brought mixed blessings for the Cape. For those who think Thoreau to be a humorless didactic philosopher, this book shows a very different aspect of Thoreau as a writer.

You will forget about the outside world when you read this; nothing but sand, wind, and water. Plus some natural history, local folklore, a few shipwreck tales. Typical Thoreau; he finds beauty, interest, detail in the wilderness. The desolate landscape will help to clear your mind. Highly recommended.

while in France recently at Chalon-sur-Soane I visited their photography museum. They were doing a special exhibit of this work. I was so totally impressed on how Miller could capture these photos while seeming to be invisable to his subjects that I investigated when I returned and discovered that this book was available. I bought TWO; one for myself and one for my daughter who is a serious photographer.

These striking images of Bronzeville -- "Chicago's Harlem" -- will blow you away. The humanity they portray, in all its beaten-down, lifted-up, heartbreaking reality, makes me wish I knew personally every man and woman depicted herein.

Wayne Miller, a white photographer now well into his 80s, went into the Bronzeville ghetto over a two-year period and made these touching pictures; then they "went into a drawer" for 40 years, until finally the Univ of Calif Press published this book. (The book itself is as well-produced a book of photographs as you are likely to find anywhere.)

My grandfather Nathan Joseph ran the States Theatre at 3507 S. State St., in the heart of Bronzeville, for some 50 years (unfortunately the States is not depicted herein). I myself have written a novel of Bronzeville called "To Love Mercy" (Mid-Atlantic Highlands, ISBN 0-9744785-3-9). A historical Afterword appears at the end of "To Love Mercy;" it is an oral history of Bronzeville, in the voices of a dozen people who lived there in the '40s and '50s. This Afterword is illustrated with seven of Wayne Miller's photos from "Chicago South Side, 1946-1948."

I have given close to a dozen copies of "Chicago South Side" as gifts. I was coming to Amazon to buy two more copies when I saw this opportunity to write a review.

These photos have moved me to tears. Buy this book.

This is a marvelous collection of images from everyday Balck Chicago life in the late 1940s. There are scenes of street life, back alleys, patrons at a pool hall and tavern, and night life ranging from a female personator dressing to Duke Ellington hunched at a piano at rehearsal and an ebullient Louis Jordan on stage.

This book is a treasure. I wish I could find more by this photographer (my searches have come up empty). The photographs take you right inside each scene, and often pack a powerful punch of sadness, joy, intimacy, life. The printing quality is excellent. If the publisher can collect more of his work, I will be the first customer.

This is one of the best photographic books I've seen -- ever. Wayne Miller manages to make personal contact with the human beings who lived on Chicago's South Side in a way that few photographers have ever matched. The warmth and complexity of these photographs, the compassion and human understanding involved, are most remarkable -- especially since the photographer stood on the other side of America's terrible racial divide from his subjects. Anyone who loves classic documentary photography, or who simply loves human beings in their complexity, should order this book.

We were very unhappy we bought this through Amazon.The seller was asked to please put a RUSH on this book because our trip was planned in two weeks. We did not receive a response from the seller indicating it would be longer and we didn't receive out book before our trip to Colorado. It was a big disappointment. Never again.

F. Mitchell

The detailed and varied information in this book far exceedes other comparable travel books. It is well organized and concise. Especially enjoyable are the historical backgrounds provided about each place. Knowing Colorado better than my home state, as I travel there frequently, I would not go without this book!

The Colorado Guide (5th edition) is exactly what I was looking for in a Colorado guide book. Besides giving your usual guide information for Colorado, it also included some of the more unusual places to check out, like the Wheeler Geological Site for example, near Creede, CO. Wonderful history stories of areas of interest, and food and lodging info/ratings also. I use it to find new ares to explore and as a reference. I highly recommend The Colorado Guide, especially if your looking to explore this beautiful state.

I am a Colorado resident and use this book (and the previous editions) frequently for weekend getaways. In all the many times I have counted on the author's advice, they have never let me down. Excellent book!

Jim in Littleton

This book is a thorough review of things to do, places to see, state history, restaurants and places to stay. In brief, there is not a better guide anywhere!

Smith delivers a searing critique of mainstream feminism on behalf of one of the world's most oppressed peoples.

This is an extremely informative book; all those dreadful (and politicized) things one hears about the abuse of indigenous peoples' sexuality -- it's even worse than that, and this this book is an articulation of all that. A must-read for those who are interested in correcting the ills of history and the present, in order to be achieving a wholesome society for everyone.

Smith's groundbreaking book should be required reading for all rape crisis advocates in North America. Not only does she provide a scholarly examination of the link between colonial genocide and sexual violence, Smith also provides context for contemporary activism and solutions. Forget everything you thought you knew about rape and sexual abuse and be prepared to re-think what it means to be a feminist and advocate. Smith's eloquence and thoughtfulness make reading this text an ideal starting point for dialogue in both academia and grassroots organizations. You will learn about how historical events continue to have an impact today and how the mainstream (white) rape crisis movement has fallen short of providing comprehensive analysis of sexual violence.

The first few chapters present the tragedies that America(as well as Canada, etc..) has committed on Native Americans, and while devastating it is real interesting to read about the boarding schools, sterilization, drug experiments, land taken thru treaties, etc...and abuse that Native Americans recieved from the government. I didn't even know about all the issues that Andrea Smith discusses -but I do know. I loved the first few chapters better then the rest!

In this examination of sexual violence used as tool of patriarchy and colonialism in Native American Indian communities, both historically and presently, Andrea Smith leaves no stone unturned.

She spares neither governments for their racist and harmful policies regarding indigenous peoples and the lands they live on, nor feminists and activists for their sometimes racist views and short-sightedness in their zeal to promote and protect their own respective interests. This is a rare treat to have such a carefully researched analysis made accessible in this book, from an academic and activist who is herself a Native American Indian.

Her thorough analysis of Native American Indian women being adversely affected by government policies still tainted by colonialist mentality--such as through nuclear testing on or near Native American Indian reservations by our government, or being used as guinea pigs by pharmaceutical companies testing new drugs, sends one, very clear message: Native American Indians are considered expendable by our government. Reproductive health problems, babies born with health problems, and poor access to health care (often substandard) are only a few issues these women pay dearly for as a result of unfair governmental policies. The police brutality occuring on reservations, or against Native American Indians in general living outside their communities that she researched,is unspeakable. And heartbreaking. It is a shame to have to realize these abuses are happening in the 21st century.

Smith also brings to light the attitudes of other governments, such as Canada and Peru (as well as NATO) toward their own indigenous people: the prevailing consensus is that they are all expendable. Ravish them, sterilize them, use them as subjects without informed consent in medical experiments and new drug testing, rape their land for others' profit, assimilate their children into mainstream society to civilize them by removing them from their families and into boarding schools, take away their rights and dignity, imitate aspects of their culture in the form of New Age spiritualism--or pornography, to save it from extinction...will anyone really notice?

She balances the unpleasant facts with thoughtful suggestions to solve, or at least alleviate, the many abuses and iniquities that the Native American Indian community has suffered for so long. And she provides a resource guide at the end of her book.

This book was at times uncomfortable to read due to the nature of the subject: sexual violence and the injustices inflicted upon Native American women, and their kin in general. But overall, I was excited to read this for its historical, academic, activist, and feminist perspectives; my knowledge of Native American Indians had been stale since before the end of my high school years. Highly recommended!

I've decided to write reviews of the books that not only caught my attention early on, but lived in my memory all of these years, words and phrases coming unbidden to mind occasionally from a literary experience far removed but not forgotten - a spirit residing within your own as an old friend. This book was one that probably never got the acclaim it deserved, although I never spoke with anyone who didn't like it. If your culture or experiences spring from a youth originating in the West or Southwest, you will be enchanted with it because you will recognize parts of it as your own.

This is the "long hot summer" story of two boys, friends since infancy, South Boy, a white youth, son of an Arizona rancher, and Havek, a Mojave Indian boy - whose intertwined trails to maturity took one last summer to complete for them.

During the course of the summer,it takes you through the complex and oftentimes uneasy coexistence between white and indian culture; and the coexistence between the "cultured white" and the "earthy ranch people" is equally tenuous. In the words of the long haired outlaw foreman that ran the ranch for South Boy's father during one of South Boy's Learning Sessions: "Don't put no stock in those wild ideas of you mother's. She's a Lady. Naturally, she's ignorant!"

The adventure begins with the rising thermometer and a youth sleeping in the shade of the grape arbor - he makes his way to the river under the blazing summer sun, goes to sleep on an overhanging limb with the muddy water flowing beneath him; and there Havek finds him "with a dream on his face". Havek is aspiring to become a "great person", is of an age to take a better name for himself in the Mohave tradition; and reads into South Boy's slumber something South Boy is reluctant to dissuade him from for appearances sake, so he agrees to travel "name taking" with him.

They spend one last glorious summer together as adolescents blundering through the Arizona mesquite and greasewood, in a variety of scenarios, some curiously noble, some ill-conceived and dangerous - before the final departing from the comfortable innocence of childhood, where a friend is a friend regardless of anything else; and moving into the complex world of the adult where nevermore will their friendship be as simple as it was on the banks of the slow-flowing, muddy river that day. It is evident in a very poignant scene as they are returning home after the adventure of death, rituals, ignorance, survival, all stunningly woven by Mr. McNichols into a tale spawned from the living of some of it, you can tell. The mesa is awash in rain water dropped by a violent storm after a long draught; South Boy suddenly applies the teachings of the "Foreman" to his immediate reality and comes up with the idea that he can make a lot of money putting weak, cheap cattle on it. Havek, on the other hand, is on his way home to celebrate his new name with his people, and "financial gain" is of absolutely no interest to him - and there they go their separate ways, each to the world he springs from, the same physical world, but in all other ways as different as the ideals and teaching that shaped them.

One feels a certain sadness that it should be so and most of us probably secretly wish that we could reside in our youth forever, never growing up.

This little-known book is, IMHO, one of the greatest books ever written. Reading it as a boy, I was puzzled by how it made everything seem so real in so few words - everything in it seems to have a life off-camera that we had just glimpsed part of.

McNichols crisp writing, detailed knowledge of Mojave Indian and Colorado Desert ranching, and realistic plot make this a genuinely timeless work., My tattered copy was given to me 45 years ago by the writer Madge Harrah. Every half decade or so I dig it out and read it again. It taught me to write and, in a way, was a model for my North Of Nowhere. Bravo Charles!

South Boy goes with his friend Havek on a Mojave name-quest. It sounds simple -- but under the surface is a breath-taking wealth of experience, mythology and understanding of the many personalities in one person, or one horse, or one culture. Every sentence of this book is laden with knowledge of its time and place. Even the mention of the "little yellow catfish," about which no more is said than that they "make good eating," reflects the fact that in this period the US Government seeded the Colorado river with the Yellow Catfish, a transplant from Texas. This is the key to the book -- that everything is in flux, as two cultures melt together, and new ways try to live with old ways. The ending seems to be a conclusion -- until you realize that it's only one more step to escape from final decisions. The book begins a long way before the first sentence -- and would finish a long way after the last. Dreams and visions reverberate through the telling, and Great Things are done.

Having recently moved to Mohave County in Arizona (not far from the Colorado River), I was interested in reading "Crazy Weather" to get a little of the "flavor" of the area, and to learn something about the Mojave Indian culture as well. The book lived up to my hopes in both of those respects, but what surprised me was how absorbed I became in the story itself. On one level, it's a simple adventure story involving South Boy (who's actually white but was partially raised by Mojaves and was given that name by them) and his best friend Havec (a Mojave) as they travel up the Colorado River into Piute territory --- and in some places it almost reminded me of Huck Finn travelling along the Mississippi with the runaway slave, Jim, and meeting an assortment of characters along the way. On another level, though, it's really about the challenges of truly understanding another culture and way of thinking --- and in the end the pull of their respective societies is too strong and the two friends inevitably have to part and follow their separate destinies.

The author seems quite knowledgable about Mojave culture and history, as I've confirmed from subsequent readings on the subject. If you're interested in the American Southwest, the Colorado River, native American cultures, or just a good story, I think you'll enjoy this book.