North America Reviews

Still Black, Still Strong

Published in Paperback by Semiotext(e) (1993-01-01)

Authors: Dhoruba Bin Wahad, Assata Shakur, and Mumia Abu-Jamal

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Any Connection with Tupac?????

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-20

I have heard that Assata is the aunt of famous rapper, Tupac Shakur. Is this true? Is their any mention of Tupac in her books???

Voices Of Black Power

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-16

A collection of mostly interviews conducted over a number of years, the voices of Dhoruba Bin Wahad, Mumia Abu-Jamal and Assata Shakur speak loud & proud while revealing the roles of a variety of government agencies in destroying the Black Power movement.

Originally published in 1993, the topics covered include the Black Panther Party, (Philadelphia) MOVE, the Black Liberation Army and the racism in the American judicial system. Particularly interesting is the BPP chronology and a collection of FBI documents that explain in government-speak the targeting of individuals/organizations.

These are important accounts that challenge and ultimately debunks mainstream media coverage of individuals & events that will continue to have significance when one researches the real history of the Black Power movement.

I own the book

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-04-22

This book gives a insight of the most famous victim of The F.B.I's cointelpro next to Geronimo Pratt. This book shows that 19 years of Prison has not dulled Dhoruba's committment to Revolutionary Struggle. The excerpts by Mumia abu Jamal and Assata Shakur are very helpful.

Rare Insights Into American History

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-27

After spending about two decades in America's penal system for a crime he did not commit Dhoruba bin Wahad gives us his too brief insights into America and it's relationship with Blacks. Interms of clearity perhaps only matched by Chomsky.

The other two writers [Jamal and Shakur] one on death row, the other exiled in Cuba also peel back the illusions of justice for all citzens in America. A vivid account of what it is to have the most powerful country in the world trying to destroy you for standing up for justice.Also a great general history lesson.

Book should be part of a mandatory reading list in public schools for all students black and white.

I own the book

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2002-04-22

This book gives a insight of the most famous victim of The F.B.I's cointelpro next to Geronimo Pratt. This book shows that 19 years of Prison has not dulled Dhoruba's committment to Revolutionary Struggle. The excerpts by Mumia abu Jamal and Assata Shakur are very helpful.

Strange empire (Swan)

Published in Unknown Binding by Swan (1965)

Author: Joseph Kinsey Howard

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Strange Empire

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-06

In large measure, this book is the history of Louis Riel, a Metis leader, and his efforts to gain recognition and independence for the Metis people. Since the ethnic group usually called Metis was closely tied to Riel, the book is also a partial history of that group.

Metis is a French word that can be translated as "mixed blood." In a narrow sense, one might think of the Metis as the offspring from intermarriage between the French and Indians (mostly Cree) of eastern Canada during the early days of the fur trade. In a practical sense, the group must be broadened to include at least Chippewa, English, and Scot parentage. In the context of the twentieth century, an even broader definition is used. However, some combination of white and Indian linage is usually a prerequisite.

This book is a classic by a legendary author of Montana history. Joseph Kinsey Howard (1906-1951) is also known for another classic, "Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome," a book considered for decades as the definitive history of Montana. Howard spent much of his short life in an area of Montana that has a significant Metis population. He understood the Metis, respected them, and spent years preparing to write "Strange Empire."

The original publication was in 1952. More recent issues include an introduction by Nicholas C. P. Vrooman, Director of the Institute for Metis Studies at the College of Great Falls, Montana. This introduction is a magnificent addition.

The Metis were primarily a product of the fur trade. Their language was a hybrid of French and Indian; definitely not English. Most of the Metis communities remained in close contact with the local Indian tribes. Many of these mixed blood people were drawn to the Red River which flows north from the present states of Minnesota and North Dakota into Canada and on to Hudson Bay.

Louis Riel had trained for priesthood, but hadn't become a priest. Despite occasional self-doubt, Riel had many characteristics of leadership. He was literate and a good speaker and, more importantly, was fluent in English. The Metis attempted to establish their own nation in the Red River Valley. Howard beautifully summarizes the Metis situation: "This conflict between the Metis and the Canadian government was not only a battle over native and Euro-American claims, but also an age-old fight between Catholicism and Protestantism, English and French, English and Irish, and English and American causes." Louis Riel and the Red River Metis faced the Canadian forces with little loss of life on either side. Some people feel that the decision of whether the United States or Canada would rule what is now central and western Canada hung in the balance. The Metis won many of their goals but came under Canadian rule. One result is that the Red River part of Canada became the province of Manitoba in 1870. However, for his part in the "rebellion," Canada exiled Riel for five years and he went to the United States.

The Metis were buffalo hunters but were significantly different from Indians. They dressed differently. Many combined their hunting with agriculture. They had their own language. They had their own culture, a melding of the cultures from which they came. They were much more efficient at commercial buffalo hunting than were the Indians. Their background in the fur trade meant that they had the weapons, hunting experience, and trading expertise needed. Synonymous with the Metis is the Red River cart. Pulled by draft animals, it had high wheels and could carry several hundred pounds. With these carts, the Metis could transport the hides, pemmican, and dried meat of many buffalo to market locations. Twice yearly, the Metis gathered in a large force to go to the buffalo herds.

As the buffalo herds dwindled, the Metis went further west for their hunts. As a result, Metis communities developed in the Turtle Mountain area of North Dakota, the Milk River country of Montana, and Saskatchewan in Canada. Later, communities developed near Lewistown and Great Falls, Montana, (note that most of these locations were undeveloped, and probably unnamed, when the Metis first arrived). Louis Riel moved westward also and became a teacher at a mission in the area of Great Falls.

In Saskatchewan, the Metis were experiencing problems dealing with the Canadian government; problems very similar to what they had experienced in the Red River country. In 1884, the Canadian Metis appealed to Riel to serve as their leader and negotiator. Riel answered the call. Ultimately, an armed conflict evolved with the Canadian military and Mounties facing the Metis and their Indian allies. This time the Metis were crushed. Louis Riel was tried and hung.

There is disagreement concerning Riel's role in Saskatchewan. Some people feel he became insane, some dispute that opinion. He felt that God guided him and when a disagreement arose with the Catholic priests, he attempted to separate the Metis from the Catholic Church. The Metis uprising in Saskatchewan was probably doomed from the beginning, but Riel made things worse by his indecision between peaceful negotiations and the use of force.

In 1982, an amendment to the Canadian constitution gave the Metis aboriginal rights. In the United States, the Metis do not have a legal relationship with the government and do not have a reservation or enjoy other rights granted to Native Americans. In each recent session of the U.S. Congress, there have been bills concerning what is often termed Montana's Landless Indians. Many of this group are Metis.

This book reads almost like a novel. It is well researched. Every book published since "Strange Empire" and containing a mention of the Metis, references Howard's book. A comprehensive and modern history of the Metis is needed but at the moment, this reviewer is unaware of anything near as useful as "Strange Empire."

Forgotten Hero

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-08

The amazing story of the Metis people whose French ancestors first colonized and controlled most of North America. Louis Riel should have been a National Hero for all Canadians since without him most of the land west of Ontario would have fallen in US hands.

This book is riveting and should be required reading for history majors.

Seminal North American history of the Metis and Louis Riel.

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-24

The genesis story of the Metis in North America, this book describes the evolution of the 'New Nation' and its place in continental history. Arising from the Fur Trade a new race of people, the Mixed-bloods, being descendents of Celtic Orkney and Highland Scot and Celtic Normandy and Brittany French fathers and predominantly Algonkian Cree and Chippewa mothers, create a new native North American identity. The Metis struggle to maintain their place as true descendents of aboriginal lineage while expressing the finer elements of their European paternal heritage. A finely crafted narrative of the attempt to affirm the cultural, economic, and political equity of the Metis, and all aboriginal peoples during the reconfiguration of the continent, Strange Empire is a powerful, dramitic, and epic telling of the most significant 'missing link' in our understanding of how the North American continent came to be.

Haunting saga of a forgotten revolt by a dispossessed people

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1999-08-16

A century ago, North America almost had a fourth nation, Assiniboia. That would-be nation's leader, a poet, religious zealot and one-time schoolteacher named Louis Riel, once was considered a traitor ro Canada but now is being revered and "rehabilitated" as one of the founders of the Dominion of Canada. Riel was "drafted" as leader of the Metis, "mixed blood" children of the fur trade, when Canada was reneging on its promises to these people who carried on the cultures of both European and indigenous ancentry. (Today, Celtic and French folklorists visit Metis in Western Canada and Montana to record unblemished versions of tradition folk music long dead in their original mother countries.) Howard, a legend in Montana journalism and history himself, penned his masterpiece in "Strange Empire." He gets down to the basics of the struggle for Western North America and some of the more haunting passages deal with the pyschlogical effects of such white man's diseases as smallpox and alchohol and their role in subjugating the natives a century or so ago. Riel was hanged for his insurgence, but had he been more decisive in battle, the maps -- and language patterns -- of much of North America would be much different.

A well researched history of my ancestry.

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-26

First I would like to thank Amazon for making this fine book so easy to obtain. There are countless thousands of descendants of these, strong, courageous people that now live throughout the world. my son among them, being on a temporary assigment in Turkey. Many thousands more know little of the history of our people. This book should have a particular appeal to these folk. Perhaps by the reading of Mr. Howards book some will be induced to further study and research. It is a benifit to all that seek the true history of our country. These folk were a monolithic type, what happened to one could be an indicator of what happened to the society in the whole. My families have ties to several of those mentioned in this book. As an example, my grandfather was the first cousin to the wife of Louis Riel. My great grandmother was the god child of, Marie Anne Gaboury, the first white woman in the northwest. My fathers mother was baptized by, Father Lestanc. These people are mentioned in this well written book. Thank you, Melvin Beaudry Lynnwood, Washington.

The Tahchee Chronicles: An Epic Journey into Spirituality

Published in Paperback by Triad Publishers USA (2001-08)

Author: T. H. Smith

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An Enlightening Spiritual Journey

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-10-20

This book is a wonderful and insightful read. An incredible example of what can happen when cosmic forces intervene in ones life.

Shedding new light on spirituality

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-18

The Tahchee chronicles is a book that appeals to readers on many levels and contains important historical information as well as spiritual insight. It is fascinating to read about the author's spiritual quest and the reader is drawn into that story as well as the story of the earliest of civilizations on this planet. Anyone wishing to understand the connections between modern humanity and ancient civilizations can gain valuable insight, not only in the realm of historical narrative, but into the deeper aspects of the interconnectedness of the universe.

The Tahchee Chronicles

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-23

This book is for those readers who love to explore and learn about our very ancient history and the wonderful influence of our Native people upon the culture of the human race. It follows the fine tradition set by other great and similar books such as those written by Ken Carey called, THE RETURN OF THE BIRD TRIBES ,THE STARSEED TRANSMISSIONS and THE VISION and the book by Frank Waters called THE BOOK OF THE HOPI. There are actually two stories intertwined in this book. One is the epic journey of the Cherokee Nation going back some 40,000 years as seen through the eyes and recollections of its great spiritual Guardian called Tahchee. The other story and yet equally fascinating is the personal spiritual journey of discovery for the author Tom Smith. The book is the kind that you cannot put down until you have read every chapter and gleaned every bit of wisdom and experience from such a profound experience and journey. You cannot be but moved, by the story of a group of awe-inspiring souls who came from the stars to this planet long ago on a journey of service on behalf of the Great Spirit that we are all part of. The book is easy to read and to understand, unlike some other similar books which tend to talk down to the reader.The book will alter our past beliefs about of how and when some of the Native people came to North and South America . A wonderful and absolutely fascinating book of ancient history, spiritual discovery and a magnificient journey of a great Nation and a very humble author.

An Unbelivable Epic

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-16

This book is a new age masterpiece. I read it last week and could not put it down. New information about reincarnation, as well as inconcievable prehistoric concepts. Keep your eye on this book. It is destined to be a classic.

The Tahchee Chronicles

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-23

This book is for those readers who love to explore and learn about our very ancient history and the wonderful influence of our Native people upon the culture of the human race. It follows the fine tradition set by other great and similar books such as those written by Ken Carey called, THE RETURN OF THE BIRD TRIBES ,THE STARSEED TRANSMISSIONS and THE VISION and the book by Frank Waters called THE BOOK OF THE HOPI. There are actually two stories intertwined in this book. One is the epic journey of the Cherokee Nation going back some 40,000 years as seen through the eyes and recollections of its great spiritual Guardian called Tahchee. The other story and yet equally fascinating is the personal spiritual journey of discovery for the author Tom Smith. The book is the kind that you cannot put down until you have read every chapter and gleaned every bit of wisdom and experience from such a profound experience and journey. You cannot be but moved, by the story of a group of awe-inspiring souls who came from the stars to this planet long ago on a journey of service on behalf of the Great Spirit that we are all part of. The book is easy to read and to understand, unlike some other similar books which tend to talk down to the reader.The book will alter our past beliefs about of how and when some of the Native people came to North and South America . A wonderful and absolutely fascinating book of ancient history, spiritual discovery and a magnificient journey of a great Nation and a very humble author.

This Splendid Game: Maine Campaigns and Elections, 1940-2002

Published in Hardcover by Lexington Books (2003-06)

Author: Christian P. Potholm

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Potholm's latest political must-read

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-30

As Christian Potholm's former student, I've seen first-hand his enthusiasm for Maine politics and his depth of knowledge on the subject. Therefore, I was not surprised to find This Splendid Game to be a wonderfully entertaining account of politics in the Pine Tree State and a must-read for anyone with an interest in Maine's political history. Potholm captures the importance of the campaign effort and proves that the outcomes of political races are never preordained. He shows that while a candidate's personal qualities are a factor in being elected, it is the "ebb and flow" of the campaign that inevitably distinguishes victory from defeat.

Having been personally involved in many of the campaigns discussed in this book, Potholm skillfully provides an insider's perspective while remaining balanced and objective in his analysis. He avoids the partisan sentiments that dominate so much of today's commentary, and in turn provides a refreshing and honest look at politics in the state.

There is no doubt that one would be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive assessment of Maine politics. Potholm acknowledges every person who has ran for major political office in the state in the last five decades, and provides biographical information for some of Maine's past and present political titans. However, his scholarly interest is clearly directed more toward the inner-workings of the campaign effort, as well as the many staffers, pollsters, consultants, journalists, and others that make politics so exciting to watch and be a part of.

From the story behind William Cohen's 600-mile walk across the 2nd Congressional District to the strategy behind both James Longley and Angus King's electoral success as Independents, This Splendid Game is truly a splendid read, one that undoubtedly fills a literary void in Maine and honors the countless men and women who have participated in the state's political process over the years.

With this feat to add to his ever-growing list of achievements, Christian Potholm has made yet another indelible impact on the academic discourse in the state and further solidified his reputation as the professor of Maine politics.

How political winners defined and branded the Maine we know

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-31

Do you ever wonder how Maine Government reached its current size and scope?

Perhaps you have a historical interest in the strategies and unique abilities of the winners and losers of high political office in Maine over the last 60 years.

Or maybe you're curious about the decisions and influences of the key people behind the political leaders of our time- from Margaret Chase Smith and Ed Muskie to Angus King.

Whether you're a student of politics or just wondered how our government has evolved to where we are today, you will find Bowdoin College's Dr. Christian P. Potholm's new book This Splendid Game answer these questions and more from his intellectual and first hand account of the people and policies which have created the Maine we know today.

From the rise of Margaret Chase Smith by virtue her strategy of a "personal campaign organization" over the traditional political party campaign; to the "Muskie Revolution" in the 1950's where he deployed television for the first time in Maine elections combined with "retail politics" which converged to toppled the reign of Republican Party dominance.

Chris Potholm's insight and wit enables the reader to wade past the tedious attention he paid to dates and election results percentages, which well serve the researcher of Maine politics and those of us with a curious eye about the people and issues that has defined and branded Maine.

His success in interviewing candidates, their family and advisors enabled him to paint a vivid picture of our political leaders. Here is a glimpse. He traces Ken Curtis' victory from the jaws defeat in the 1960's and the baker's son Bill Cohen's rise to the rank of United States Secretary of Defense beginning with an arduous 600 mile walk across Maine's 2nd Congressional District in 1972 resulting in the reemergence of the Republican Party.

No account of Maine political history would be complete without an understanding of how the referendum process has enabled special interest groups to get their proposed law decided by the public and not their legislature. Here Dr. Potholm takes you inside the dynamics of why referendums are so different from candidate elections. His political science and keen instincts show you how; the Maine Yankee Power Plant earned the support of Maine voters and remained open.

Potholm proves his theory that Angus King duplicated the dynamics and savvy of Jim Longley's amazing election as Governor in the 1970's worked again in the 1990's when King upset the two-party system to be elected Maine's second Independent Governor.

Finally, Dr. Potholm weaves together the realities of how the press, political insiders and scientific polling determined the eventual outcome of most all races long before Election Day. Along the way he rightly acknowledges the courage and integrity of the men and women who at the end of the long election season did not have the sweet pleasure of giving a victory speech. For the scholar and the casual observer of political dynamics alike, reading This Splendid Game is time well invested.

Philip Harriman is a former Town Councilor and State Senator. He actively participated in many of the elections covered and for 25 years has operated a financial services business in Portland Maine.

If You Want To Be A PLayer - You Have To Buy A Program

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-30

In the first chapter of Chris Potholm's latest book, he opines, "Lecturing on the important figures and campaigns over the years [in Maine], I often wished I had a single book to assign, one that would put the past fifty years of accomplishment and failures in some common perspective."

Well, Potholm has answered his wish with the publication of This Splendid Game. If there was one feeling that I had to put aside while reading the book it was that I should be making notes on the chapters as there was surely going to be a test in the near future.

Politics has always been an interest of mine and Maine politics has been a consuming one for a part of my life as I served eight years in municipal government as a city councilman and mayor and was elected to two terms as Chair of the Maine Republican State Committee following my municipal service. I have been active in several gubernatorial campaigns in varying capacities as well as most of Bill Cohen's many campaigns going back to the time when we were both mayors of our respective cities.

The book that Pothom has produced is an analysis of what he deems to be the seminal elections of each decade since 1940 and in it he also weaves through the years the lessons that were learned or not learned by those that were invoved in "this splendid game.

If you were any kind of a player during those decades, you are most likely mentioned in the book. In fact the book reminded me of many people whose names had dimmed in my memory and also revealed to me that people I had known growing up were involved in Maine politics in ways I did not know, If you are from Oregon, some of the details of the past might make your eyes tend to close from time to time, but if you are from here or have been here "from away" for some time, you will find it interesting to realize how much you have forgotten.

From the 1970's on, Potholm brings a special perspective to the matters he writes about as he was in the middle of all of it in one capacity or another.However, this is not a chatty, tell-all about Maine politics. It is an analysis and a chronicle of a system in the poltical microcosim of Maine. That a state with Maine small population has harbored and nurtured some of the larger political names in US history remains a mystery to me, but it is a fact. Margaret Chase Smith, Edmund Sixtus Muskie, William Cohen and George Mitchell are clearly in the elite section of such people. But their stories and the stories of other elections have hundreds of names invoved in that melange of political activity. In stirring and disecting the melange, Potholm has no peer.

If you lived through those times you will enjoy a studious analysis of what you thought you already knew. If politics is something you are considering, this is required reading. No matter your reason for reading this book, you will be the wiser for it and I'm pretty sure there will be no test.

Potholm's Splendid Game

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-03

Potholm's Splendid Game

Although our lives are governed by politics, few understand how the political game is played and even fewer participate as an active player.
There is one man in Maine who understands and plays the game better than any other: Bowdoin College professor, Dr. Christian Potholm, a nationally recognized pollster and strategist whose campaign won/lost record is the envy of all who aspire to political office and participate in our electoral system.
In Maine, Potholm has dominated what he calls "This Splendid Game," since he managed Bill Cohen's first Congressional campaign in 1972. Few venture into a major political campaign without making a pilgrimage to Potholm's office in the Bowdoin Tower.
Potholm's new book, "This Splendid Game," is a fascinating and informative tour through all of Maine's major elections and campaigns from the 1940s to the 1990s. The professor has been working on this book for ten years and his final product is impressive. Published by Lexington Books of Lanham, Maryland, these 241 pages describe the election results of all major races in each decade, and then focuses on what Potholm calls the "seminal election" - the most critical and defining - in each decade.
I must disclose that the button collection on the book's cover is mine. Look carefully and you will spot a smiling "Smith" button in the middle of the collection. And it was my privilege to work on several of Potholm's seminal election campaigns in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Potholm offers amazing insight into these campaigns and wins my admiration for being able to step outside campaigns in which he participated to present objective and illuminative analyses of these campaigns. He does this well.
In the introduction, Potholm asks, "Over the last 50 years, what were the sea changes in Maine political processes? What changed over time in terms of how to run and win a campaign? What are the enduring patterns and trends? Why did some candidates succeed and others fail? What techniques were introduced when and what impacts did they have?"
And then he answers all of these questions and more. While other books have focused on the political leaders, none has looked with such scrutiny at the campaigns that elected those leaders.
I learned a lot from this book. I did not realize, for example, that Republicans were so slow to grasp the power of television and that my friend Jim Erwin lost the governor's race in 1970 "in large part because he did not make use of it."
Did you know that Angus King and Jim Longley won with identical coalitions of Franco American voters and small town Republicans?
The Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel win Potholm's praise, while other larger daily newspapers are criticized for poor campaign news coverage and an "interventionist endorsement style and a rush to assist one candidate over a need to inform the public as to the actual state of affairs."
"The Sun Journal, Central Maine (Morning) Sentinel, and Kennebec Journal seem to routinely do a better job at keeping their editorial comment separate from their reporting arm and their endorsements seem to be more balanced than their larger rivals," writes Potholm.
Potholm's premise is that the outcomes of the major elections that shaped Maine's political system and government were determined not by the candidates, but by the campaigns. And he effectively proves his case.
In these pages you will learn about how Maine's dominant politicians succeeded - but you will also learn about the smaller - but vitally important - roles played by others, including one of my favorite unsung political leaders, Judge Frank Coffin.
I found the description of Margaret Chase Smith's 1948 U.S. Senate race to be particularly captivating - and the account of how Smith won four congressional elections in one 6-month period.
The special sections describing the reasons the seminal campaigns were victorious, and the impacts of those campaigns on Maine politics, make this book particularly valuable.
It is when Potholm turns to referenda that the professor offers insightful lessons that campaigns pay big bucks to learn today. His analysis of the 1980 anti-nuclear referenda includes his ten ballot measure rules and an explanation of why Franco Americans and women who work in the home are Maine's key swing voters.
There is so much fascinating material in this book that I can't begin to do it justice in this short column.
I have purchased several copies of "This Splendid Game" for the leaders of an upcoming referendum, because no one should enter the Maine political arena without the lifetime of knowledge and experience provided in this book by Maine's foremost political guru.
And all citizens should read the book to understand how their votes are influenced by political campaigns - and why they should be paying attention to and participating in this splendid game that rules their lives.

A unique book that's useful to anyone interested in politics

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-17

As many Mainers know, Bowdoin College Professor Chris Potholm is Maine's premier political pollster and campaign strategy guru. He has been an insider in some of the state's biggest and most important political battles and is regularly quoted by the press on Maine issues. Naturally, this book will be especially interesting to people who are into Maine history and politics -- but it's not just for Mainers. It provides a lot of basic political insights that will be interesting and useful to anyone who's involved or interested in candidate or ballot measure campaigns. Each chapter reviews the reasons why a particular campaign succeeded or failed, providing excellent lessons that apply to campaigns in any state. The chapter about the referendum campaign on the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant is probably the best analysis of a ballot measaure campaign that I've ever read. As a professional political consultant and a former Mainer, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Time Life Books Complete Guide to Gardening and Landscaping

Published in Hardcover by Simon & Schuster Books (1991-12)

Author:

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It's like a cookbook for gardening!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1998-05-27

This book has been a life saver for planning and planting a successful beautiful garden. The fundamentals (zones, light requirements, etc.) are well-explained. I was dissatisfied with the plans a landscaper drew up and ended up doing it myself with the help of this book. Couldn't have done it without this book! Highly recommended!

Short review

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-01-07

I am an avid gardener, although I am an amateur at it. I like detail, but not the kind that requires brain surgery for you to figure out what the authors are trying to say.

This book is very easy to read, but chock full of interesting "street savvy" information, along with formal knowledge about garden. This book has loads of detail, but it is written extremely well -- very down-to-earth and informal -- and the information doesn't overwhelm you all at once. You can jump in, look up whatever you need in the index and then jump out without being overwhelmed. On the other hand, if you want to find out every cotton picking thing about something, this is also a way to obtain in-depth information.

Very useful reference guide to have!

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1997-04-20

I use this book daily during 'gardening season'! It has easy directions, clear diagrams, and extensive dictionaries of annuals, trees, shrubs, ground covers, etc. This book is also tree-mendously helpful in identifying problems in the garden - i.e., disease, bugs, etc. Each chapter also has a calendar of 'things to do' each month depending on where you live. It's a great wedding or house warming gift, too

This book is a must have for the beginner and the pro!

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-10

This is the best gardening book in print. It covers trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, house plants. It is loaded with how-tos. It is by my side from January (planning stage) to the fall. Unbelievably helpful for any stage gardener.

The definitive guide for landscapes and gardens

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-07

This is the book for people like myself who look at their yard and cringe in disgust."I know something is wrong w/it but where do I start???"This book helped me to understand,maintain and design a landscape.It has easy step-by-step illustrations for just about any gardening activity as well as when is the best time to do it!!It makes it so easy you don't have to think about it,just get your hands dirty...So if you want to plan and design a landscape for your yard and don't know where to start or if your a seasoned gardener you will enjoy many of the practical suggestions.Believe me,this book takes all the guesswork out of gardening.5 stars w/out a doubt.

Too Afraid to Cry: Maryland Civilians in the Antietam Campaign

Published in Paperback by Stackpole Books (2007-03)

Author: Kathleen Ernst

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Brings the Civil War Home

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-01

Wow! Another book that tells of the dread and horrors that the Civil War brought to the civilians, and it is done as perfectly as one could ever hope. It is written in a lively manner and was very hard to put down. Based totally on facts, using diary and journal accounts, the writer brings the reader right in to the middle of the Maryland conflict, from the trepidation the citizens felt weeks before the battle at Sharpsburg/Antietam as the Rebs entered their border state, through the battle itself, and finally how they dealt with the after affects of the worst one day battle ever fought on American soil.
We here in the 21st century cannot fathom what our ancestors went through - what they felt...the aptly titled "Too Afraid to Cry" will give the reader at least a tiny idea of what life was like for the folks living in Maryland in the early Fall of 1862.
Wow is right!

Another great look at the horrors of Antietam!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-30

Seldom do we get a chance to read about civilians and their stories through out the Antietam Campaign. This book gives us a great look at just what the hardships Maryland civilians had to endure. Authors Kathleen Ernst and Ted Alexander have asembled an interesting book that features Confederate and Union early concentrations, skirmishes and battles around the Sharpsburg and Frederick areas that bring to life civilian response. Popular families such as the Prys, Pipers and Millers living in the area of Sharpsburg during the battle are covered along with many others that explain the ordeals and horrors these families faced while war was at their doorstep. Interesting and facinating the text explains the unknown hardships that civilians had to face while battles took place and how also many tried to survive after the bloody engagements. One can not just read about the battle and get a full perspective on the campaign without considering reading about the civilians and I highly recommend this book! 5 STARS!

A Civilian and Military Reenactor "Must Read"

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-20

The book gives insight into a side of the war which is rarely covered - how towns and civilians survived and lived during the war. In short, this is a "must read" for civlian and military reenactors hoping to hone their first person impressions.

The Total Horror of War

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-08

Even the well read student or scholar of the Civil War can develop a slanted impression of the War in reading the bulk of the literature which concentrates on stategic and tactical details and the trials and hardships of the military personnel who fought it. In reading this very well written book of the experiences of the Western Maryland civilians who endured the conflict in this theater of the war, one gains a perspective of how total the horror of this war was for those who not only had to live through the actual battles, but remained to deal with the death and suffering in which they found themselves engulfed. These hardships (physical, emotional and economic) were endured repeatedly and for years after the actual battles and occupations.

I consider this a must read for any serious Civil War enthusiast.

Real People React to War

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-26

The foreword notes that the Sharpsburg area was the first organized American community to suffer both from combat and the sustained presence of two opposing armies. The combat was, of course, the September 1862 battle of Antietam, well known as the bloodiest day in American history. Ernst says that her book is one of stories. In so doing she observes the trend to explain history through the eyes of common people, rather than those of the generals, presidents, kings and other eminencies who have fueled traditional historical narrative. Ernst has dug deep into the letters, diaries, I-was-there personal accounts and oral histories of the days immediately before and after Antietam, as well as during the carnage itself. Ample photographs give human form to the names encountered throughout the book. The result is a smoothly written work blending the military and civilian dimensions of Lee's invasion of Maryland that, on a golden September day, etched into national memory names such as the Dunker Church, the Cornfield, the Sunken Road and Burnside's Bridge. Some of these stories illuminate dark subjects. Ernst's discussion of slavery in Frederick and Washington Counties reminds us that it was more prevalent in Western Maryland than we realize-the 1860 census recorded over 4600 slaves in the area. That there were then still three slave-selling sites in Hagerstown suggests that this region was populated by more than unionist German immigrants who opposed slavery. Ernst might have cited the definitive work on 19th century Maryland slavery, Slavery and Freedom on the Middle Ground. The devastating psychological and economic impacts of the Antietam campaign on civilians are powerfully told through anecdote. The words of Allen Sparrow and Alexander Root convey their terror during the fighting in the passes of South Mountain, which preceded Antietam by several days. Ernst's vivid account of this battle sets the stage for the following days (including the tale of the soldier who shared a blanket with a comrade, only to learn at sunrise that he'd slept with a corpse). Maps showing topography and troop movements would have been helpful. The eighth chapter concludes movingly with accounts of area civilians coping with a landscape that had changed dramatically in the preceding two weeks. Their short-term travails included suspicious federal troops on the lookout for renegade rebels and anyone thought to be helping them; longer-term, of course, these folks faced years of rebuilding and, in some cases, economic ruin because of the battle. The last two chapters venture beyond the Antietam campaign. Lacking the depth of the first eight, they summarize the impact of the Confederate 1863 Gettysburg and 1864 Monocacy campaigns on the region. Chapter nine begins in 1863 with federal conscription in the region and Lee's move through the area on his way to Gettysburg, where the battle is touched upon through the eyes of several locals. Post-Gettysburg skirmishes in the area are mentioned, followed by the rebel retreat. Jubal Early's move through the area in July 1864, en route to his raid on Washington, concludes the chapter. The treatment of these latter campaigns seems a cursory afterthought given the compelling details surrounding Antietam that comprise the book's theme. Ernst returns to slavery in her last chapter. She describes the impact of the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns on the "peculiar institution," and local reaction to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. She relates how free blacks and slaves were recruited into the Union army. Harrowing extracts from the diary of Otho Nesbitt, a Clear Spring slaveowner and unionist, tell of kidnapped blacks taken south by retreating rebels. Though the Confederates are known to have done this at times (as in 1863, in Chambersburg, PA), Ernst has unearthed a compelling eyewitness account of black abductions by rebels during their three major sojourns into Maryland during the Civil War. Her account also prompts us to remember that pro-union did not always mean anti-slavery. Letters and diaries describe the unrelenting efforts of families rebuilding homes, farms and lives shattered by battle. Men return from soldiering to farm again; a few were lucky enough to marry the sweethearts they'd left behind. Plowers of fields unearth the bones of the dead, and legend claims that bloodstains in field and hearth mysteriously reappear for years. Poignant reunions of veterans and civilians include the account of Kate Rudy visiting the newly elected Rutherford B. Hayes, whose injured shoulder at South Mountain her family had nursed. To Afraid to Cry is poorly referenced in places. Ernst throughout cites secondary works that themselves cite original sources, but her notes frequently provide only the former. Worse are references improperly cited. On page 194, for example, the author refers to the relief civilians felt following the departure of the union army, and gives as her source pages 244-45 of an unpublished dissertation by Duncan. But those pages in Duncan do not contain that information. The same page mistakenly attributes Duncan's prose to that of an 1862 New York Times reporter. And Landscape Turned Red, perhaps the definitive work on Antietam, is improperly assigned a quotation-"the whole country forlorn and desolate" does not appear on page 34 of that book, as Ernst's page 194 says it does. Another problem appears on pages 45 and 50, where the author quotes William Owen of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans. She cites as her sources not Owen himself but The Gleam of Bayonets-while listing Owen in her own bibliography (albeit with incorrect title, publisher and publication year). There are also inconsistencies in the treatment of misspellings inside original quotations-on page 23 the author corrects the misspelling of "privilege," yet on page 45 she lets stand the misspelling, "permiscus." Kathleen Ernst has knit a splendid archival tapestry that enriches our grasp of the seamy underside of war-the suffering of everyday people caught in the crosshairs of America's bloodiest day. Many stories of Maryland's pivotal role in the Civil War await telling, and Too Afraid To Cry shows us how captivating they are coming straight from the mouths of Marylanders.

Tracks in the Sea: Matthew Fontaine Maury and the Mapping of the Oceans

Published in Hardcover by International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press (2002-06-28)

Author: Chester G. Hearn

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Wonderful

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-27

In the days before computers there was Matthew Fontaine Maury. Almost unknown today, Maury was a navigation and sailing genius, a Lieutenant in the US Navy, who was the father of modern navigation and ocean science. He was a land lubber.

During the age of sail longitude was an uncertain calculation. As a result, it was often impossible for ships to know exactly where they were. After the invention on the chronometer, things improved, but chronometers being expensive, route planning was a hit or miss thing. As a result, for the most part, navigation was anecdotal. There were no highways in the seas, no scientifically determined sailing truisms or protocols, and hundreds of ships were lost each year.

Until Maury, knowledge of prevailing winds and currents had advanced little from Columbus. But between 1842 and 1861, he and his staff mapped the ocean's great surface currents and wind systems. They showed ship captains how to shave weeks, even months from voyages. Tracks in the Sea is the biography of this remarkable, self taught, self made man whose remarkable career culminated as head of the U.S. Navel Observatory. In a world interconnected by maritime commerce, Maury's work was critically important, not just to Americans, but to all nations.

This is an amazing story. To have compiled the thousands and thousands of ship's logs and sailing observations, drawing trends and systematic sailing instructions, by month, for all the oceans of the world, has to be one of man's most astounding scientific achievements. This is a most remarkable work about a most remarkable American.

A wonderful book on a forgotten man

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-08

This is simply a wonderfully written book about an almost forgotten man, Matthew Fontaine Muray.

Maury lived in the golden days of sail, the 1800's. In those days, the ocean was a big, mysterious, and dangerous place. Sailors had decent charts of the continents, and by the middle of the century. they had decent chronometers to help them navigate (find the Longitude). But what they did not have was a set of charts showing where the winds blew when. Sure, they had some knowledge, gained by long experience, but no scientific knowledge.

What Maury did was to make a life-long scientific study of the winds and currents around the world, with a view of shortening sailing times, thus reducing expenses and increasing safety. At first glance, this does not sound like much, but it took reading literally hundreds of thousands of logs to collect this information, then making charts showing the direction and strength of the wind and current in every month of the year.

Did Maury's efforts work? Would you call shaving a month off a sailing trip from New England to Rio worthwhile? This was the typical result of skippers who followed Maury's charts.

He also 'invented', to a large degree, the science of oceanography, and did a lot to standardize and strengthen the science of meteorology.

Many think this information has been rendered useless by powered ships. Wrong. People who sail long distances always have a current copy of this type of chart onboard, and plan their itineraries around the winds and tides. Professional seamen, especially of very large ships, also continue to use this information, as the sea can overpower even enormous ships like supertankers.

If you enjoy reading books like Dava Sobel's book Longitude, about John Harrison and his clocks, you will equally enjoy Tracks in the Sea. Highly recommended.

American Hero

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-19

Mr. Hearn's splendid account of the life of the self-taught Matthew Maury is one that should be read by anyone with the remotest interest in sailing or the industrial revolution. He should also be of interest to those who want a concrete account of the benefits of "data-mining" in which miscellaneous, disparate sources of information are aggregated into something which is tremendously useful.

Maury took crates of old ship logs, and extracted the data about weather and currents as a function of date and location, and produced ingenious maps of the sea that could be used to plot voyages that minimized the time of passage. In the age of the American clipper ships, the time saved could be quite substantial, even amounting to as much as factor of two over the haphazard routes used by the intuitive captains of the day.

The reduction of the data and the production of the maps was carried out by only a handful of men at the U.S. Naval Observatory, but produced tremendous economic advantages to those who used them. They were quickly adopted by the merchant marine, and by cleverly requiring the recipients of the latest maps to turn over to him logs taken in a standard format, he was able to gather tons of new data for ever-improving successive maps. Maury also discovered the feasibility for the route of the first transatlantic cable, and fought to establish the first weather bureau in the US.

He also brought about the convening of a Brussels Marine meteorology Conference in 1853 that was attended by nine countries and resulted in the adoption of a uniform method of gathering and disseminating the information among the world. Not bad for a simple Lieutenant! His quarrels with the jealous Joseph Henry (of electromagnetic induction fame) and others of his ilk are instructive to those interested in stories of how pettiness and obstructionism of powerful men can be overcome by men of true ability.

This story is well researched and ably told by Mr. Hearn, and is another exciting adventure of the heroes who made the industrial revolution.

Rich historical perspective

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-19

This is a great book for anyone with an interest in or passion for sailing, navigation, mapping and charting or who holds an interest in the challenges of early explorers.

Interesting Life Story of a Neglected American Genius

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-01

Maury's life, rising from the humble origins of a farming family in Virginia and then Tennessee, to a career as an internationally renowned scientist, is quite interesting, and generally well told by author Chester Hearn. Most scientists would feel their careers were a success if they made a few contributions to their area of science. Maury's genius invented two whole sciences: oceanography and marine astronomy. He significantly improved navigation by finding "tracks in the sea," the patterns which numerous currents and winds follow all over the globe. Perhaps because he sided with the Confederacy in the Civil War, he became a relatively obscure figure. Since he had an enduring influence on the human race's knowledge of the oceans, he deserves to be better known. This book will help, and is well worth reading.

The Unbreakable Code

Published in Paperback by Rising Moon (1996-04-25)

Author: Sara Hoagland Hunter

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Important for all readers

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-11

This book is a terrific book, not only because it is well written and inspiring, but because it tells about important history.

The book brings to non-Indian children a sense that Native Americans are not just some people who lived in Tipis a long time ago. It also teaches them about the very important contibution made by one Native Nation to this country.

To Indian children, especially Dine, it can help bolster cultural pride and demonstrate the importance of their own people in this country.

Wonderful book!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-13

I highly recommend this book! What a great way to help children understand the power of communication and true heros.
Bravo!

Grandfather said, "You have an unbreakable code."

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-10

Author, Sara Hoagland Hunter, tells a beautiful story of a young boy's fears of moving off the reservation and leaving his grandfather. But John's grandfather tells him he will be all right, for he has something very special to take with him: he has the unbreakable code--the code that saved the lives of thousands of American in the Pacific during WWII. The history of the Navajo Codetalkers comes alive in this children's book and provides the code at the end of the book. Something all young readers are fascinated by. This book paired with the new GI Joe Navajo Codetalker action figure makes the perfect gifts for boys (and girls) who are interested in WWII history.

A bit of history that held my second graders captive.

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 1997-11-24

I had never heard of the Navajo code talkers so this book opened my eyes as well as those of my second graders. This wonderful book educated all of us and touched our hearts. We shared what we had learned about the code talkers with all we encountered. This piece of history should not be overlooked!

A wonderful way to learn history

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-22

I shared this book with third graders. They loved the mystery of the code and the fact that it was a true story. They were intrigued by the grandfather's part in history and that the Navaho language has no alphabet. I liked the irony of the code breakers using the language they had been denied use of in school.

United States Marine Corps in the Civil War: The Final Year (United States Marine Corps in the Civil War)

Published in Hardcover by White Mane Publishing Company (2000-11)

Author: David M. Sullivan

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An absolute must for any Marine or CW buff !

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1999-02-15

Mr. Sullivan presents a unique style of writing, which incorporates a large volume of historical fact into an easily readable format. He goes in depth into the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the United and Confederate States Marines during the war of rebellion while bringing you close to the personalities and motivations you won't get from a text book. A truly readable, in-depth picture of the Marines and the Naval conflict during this crucial period in the formation of the United States we know today!

OUTSTANDING!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-12-21

If you are into Marine Corps history this book is a must. Marines have participated in every military conflict in U.S. history and the Civil War was one of them. Very enjoyable, and something new to learn. Semper Fidelis!

My drill instructor was wrong--Marines were in the Civil War

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 1997-11-17

Since the day after the first battle of Bull Run it was common knowledge that the U. S. Marine battalion was the first to cut and run from the battlefield, thereby causing the rout of the Union forces by the rebels. After 20 years of research that has uncovered new sources, David M. Sullivan proves that this stain on the battle flag of the Marines was a myth. Even the 90 day volunteer units had more training than the Marines, most of whom were recruited in the three weeks prior to the battle. They were essentially trained enroute to Manassas Junction. The young Marines were pushed back, four times, by superior and fresh forces. They rallied three of those times and re-entered the battle (equaling the record of any unit on the field that day).

This account is just one of dozens of similar stories that will give the Marine Corps the honor it deserves during the Civil War. Year by year, using official records, personal accounts and a myriad of sources he sets the record straight.

This is an epoch work by an outstanding researcher and a competent story teller. Must reading for all Marines, all friends of Marines and everyone that the Marines defend.

A very welcome contribution to Civil War studies

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-03-12

The United States Marine Corps In The Civil War: The Final Year opens with the elevation of Major Jacob Zellen to the commandant of the corps, over officers senior to him. This ended the policy of accession to that post by seniority and established the precedent of deep-selection. Civil War historian David Sullivan provides a complete account of the marines in the desperate, bloody fights at Mobile Bay, Honey Hill, Tulfinny Crossroads, and Fort Fisher. Active on all fronts during the last year of the war, marines also played a little-known role in the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Sullivan concludes his invaluable, highly recommended and very welcome contribution to Civil War studies with a detailed refutation of the spurious, erroneous, and derogatory conclusions that have hitherto obscured the historical record of Marine Corps involvement in the American civil war.

A Fresh View of Civil War History

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-17

This book is a must for civil war buffs and Marine history critics alike. It tells the truth of the History of the Marine Corps in the Civil War by relating the accounts of those who were there. Sullivan's 3 volume history was painstakingly researched over the course of 10 years. His history should be added to that taught by the Drill Instructors at the Marine Corps Recruit Depots. As the histories are taught now, it's as if the Marine Corps wasn't even there. Sullivan's work is excellent and pulls the reader along in a revealing light of one of the darkest chapters of our nations history.

The Unraveling Thread

Published in Hardcover by Two Canoes Press (2008-06-01)

Author: Priscilla Cogan

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A tale of dealing with life and all of its varied obstacles

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-10

When you're against a wall, desperation kicks in. "The Unraveling Thread" tells of Harriet McWhinnie and her laundry list of problems in her life. Out of control children, a divorce leads her to hire an unknown named Agatha Strands. Harriet's Ex, doesn't take a liking to Agatha and begins to use all his power against her. Harriet, as well as Agatha, must deal with their lives and all the chaos that runs through them all. "The Unraveling Thread" is a tale of dealing with life and all of its varied obstacles, which many readers will find much to relate to.

Great Book

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-23

I am a fan of Priscilla Cogan's books. I also enjoyed her trilogy of Winona's Web, Compass of the Heart, Crack of Dusk Crook of Dawn. In The Unraveling Thread, Cogan captivates you from the start. Each character have their own story and yet they are all intertwined into a larger picture. Any woman who has struggled to raise their children, even in the best of circumstances, will love and be inspired by the triumphs and struggles her character endures with humor and grace under fire. It also brings to light the sometimes lonely struggles endured by families and loved ones who cherish and nurture a disabled child.

a good story of family trials and triumphs

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-20

Priscilla Cogan tells a great story of a 'normal' disfunctional family. I loved the mystery of the new nanny, watching her growing relationship with each family member and how she helped each individual to become the best person they could be. She pulled in Native American spirituality respectfully, and effectively incorporated the family dog as one of the main characters.
Her audience could be teenagers or middle aged women, it works well for both. She pulled in physical issues and personality issues that a wide variety of people can relate to. Lessons were taught subtly, and I think it could help families with difficulties learn to cope in a different way.
I thought the book was written creatively, and the story was sound. It was pretty simplistic and a little too fast-moving. It could have been developed a bit more to allow the reader to be really sucked into the family. The only thing that was distracting was the editing. There were too many missing/wrong words and grammatical errors. If there is a second printing, hopefully these will be corrected.
Overall, a good book worth recommending.

A Great read!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-30

Once again Priscilla Cogan has kept me up late at night while I was glued to the pages of her latest novel. The characters are interesting, entertaining and leave me wanting to know where they are today...

The Unraveling Thread

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-05

This is the 5th book I've read by Priscilla Cogan, and typically another real page turner. She has a way of creating characters that you feel you know personally by the time you finish the book. I hope she decides to make this into a trilogy as she did with Winona's Web, Compass of the Heart and Crack at Dusk Crook of Dawn. With each book, she continually evokes in the reader feelings of joy, sadness, pain, humor. I look forward to more of her books!

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