Virginia Books

I received this book as a gift and I absolutely love, love, love it! I regret that I was not fortunate enough to actually purchase any of their candies when their stores where open. I'm a truffle lover and the truffles in this book, while few are absolutely excellent and extremely easy to make. We made caramel apples recently and used the caramel recipe in the book and I won't say how many of the apples I ate but I enjoyed each and every one of them. Buy this book; you will love all the recipes in it.

I never heard of Hazel's Candies, and I bought this book along with several others as I launched into home candymaking. This book contains kitchen-tested recipes -- very important -- that are easy enough and well-explained enough for the novice. Forget microwave fudge. This is the real deal. I just made a batch of the best fudge in the universe from this cookbook. It's enough to make me think of switching careers, or gaining 500 pounds, or both.

Some recipes call for items not usually found in a home cook's kitchen -- such as hard butter. I found everything I needed on-line at www.kitchenkrafts.com.

hello everybody this is a great book its easy to read and the receipes are wonderful my favorite receipe was the fudge its to die for

As a resident of Washington state, I was familiar with Hazel's high quality candies and was delighted to see that a recipe book of their delicous confections was available. I recall the amazing rich flavors of their candies. This book is filled with detailed yet easy to follow recipes for just about any of Hazel's candys you wish to make. I also enjoyed reading the family story; it's like a page out of American history. This book is a real treasure and an essential addition to your cookbook library.

I am an amateur cook and love to make candy. I remember buying candy at Hazel's Candies when they had stores in the malls in Washington and Oregon. I was really excited to see that they had written a candy cookbook using their original recipes that they scaled down for home use. My favorites are the Victorian creams and the fudge recipes. This book tells you exactly what ingredients you will need and a step by step recipe. If you do have a problem it walks you through a list of questions and what you might have done that caused the problem. I would recommend this candy cookbook as a gift to ones self and also a gift for others for any occasion.

A very good book for reference. I have used it many times looking at thing I'd like to bid on and wanted more information on the origin and value

This book is indispensable for indentifying the older pieces of Homer Laughlin. While not a price guide per se it does give the reader an idea of the value of older pottery shapes.

Wonderful book about a wonderful company. HLC is one of the oldest companies in the USA which continues to operate successfully. It's famous for Fiesta and restaurant china, and in earlier years for an endless array of household patterns. In this book Jo Cunningham does a sensational job of documenting company history, along with hundreds of popular as well as rare patterns made from 1873 through 1939.

This is a must have for Homer Laughlin collectors. Get a feel for the life,times and area that produced the largest American manufacturer of dinnerware. This book is packed with information that you just can't digest in one setting. I'm constantly referring to it and learning something new everytime.

A well researched and well written guide. Readers like pictures and this book has lots of bright and colorful pictures with descriptions and information. The book gives insight into Mr. Laughlin and his pottery. I recommend this book to all collectors of Homer Laughlin.

Weddle has given us a sympathetic tale of one of the premier figures of the 19th century navy -- Samuel Francis Du Pont, whose statue initially graced Washington's Dupont Circle before it was moved to his home state of Delaware and replaced by a fountain.

The climax of Du Pont's career was his least-succesful campaign -- the abortive attempt to take heavily-fortified Charleston from the sea. Weddle convincingly argues that this attack -- undertaken in spite of Du Pont's reservations -- was doomed to failure. The early ironclads were simply no match for heavy shore-based fortifications. In the best tradition of inter-service rivalry, the Navy rejected Du Pont's request for a joint army-navy assault: "I beg of you not to let the Army spoil it."

Equally interesting is Weddle's description of Du Pont's early career, which spanned a period of rapid technological change, from sail to sidewheeled steamers to ironclads with screws. Perhaps Du Pont's most important and lasting contribution was his successful struggle to introduce merit into the navy's promotion system.

A fascinating book! I particularly appreciate the way the author integrates Du Pont's human strengths and frailties with the bureaucratic, logistical, and armament systems of the time. He provided just enough background information on Du Pont's family, peers, and related events for readers to appreciate their impact without being taken off track. Ultimately the reader sees the guy as very much a real man with skills, challenges, successes and failures that are just as relevant today as 150 years ago. (Anyone who doubts the relevance of history to modern events need only read this book.) Finally, I greatly enjoyed learning about the technological advances of the day in the context of the times. It's easy for us today to look back at the Civil War as being an "old-style war" like that of 1812, but in reading Weddle's book I was enlightened to the fact that from a technological attitudes standpoint, the Civil War was much more of a "modern" war than I had previously realized. What kid isn't fascinated by the battle of the Monitor and the Virginia (Merrimack), for example? In history books that event is always presented as an isolated incident, but thanks to this book I now realize that steam-powered vessels and ironclads were the wonder weapons of their day -- they captured the public imagination (and those of military planners) just as tanks, jets, and nuclear weapons have in more recent times. It has been a truly delightful read and I've learned a lot. Incredible the peers Du Pont rubbed elbows with at the time -- legendary heroes like Stephen Decatur and Matthew Perry. If you like history, you will love this book. Not only does it offer fascinating facts and insights into a man and his times, but it reads like a novel. Don't miss it!

Great read! Easy, smooth flowing syntax and text. Almost reads like a novel. A nice mixture of text, maps, and images. Substantial research has brought together the personal man as well as the public man and his concern for United States protection and the well being of his naval forces.
Coming from a naval family, I was very interested in seeing the evolving history of the US Navy. I was also interested to follow the interaction of husband and wife and her influence on DuPont. Highly recommend this book.

Kevin Weddle has blazed new trails in this long-overdue look at one of the U.S. Navy's most important but little-known leaders. He has tapped into the extensive resources of the Du Pont family to capture the essence of a complex figure who stood tall at the cusp of a critical period of American history. The book is a quick read and Samuel Francis Du Pont's story is told with balance, style, and accuracy.
The best biographies hold relevance for for present and future leaders - and this one is no exception. Du Pont plays key roles as mariner, technological innovator, personnel reformer, diplomat, strategist, combat commander, and family man. Through it all, he remains a man of steadfast principle.
Kevin Weddle has spun a superb yarn and created an impressive work that shines a contemporary lamp on a long-neglected giant of the U.S. Navy. This volume is a worthy addition to the library of those with an interest in naval history, the Civil War, or leadership.

For those of you who eagerly await the one book on Civil War naval history for every fifty released concerning the land war, you will not be disappointed. Not only is this book an exceptional biography of Admiral Du Pont, but it also provides a thorough look at the Navy during the service's formative years prior to the Civil War. This is possible because Du Pont's influence proved instrumental during this period; he authored the first comprehensive national maritime strategy (which provided guidance for transforming the Navy from a coastal defense force into a "Blue Water" service with offensive capability), as well as catalyzed much-needed personnel reform. Du Pont's at-sea adventures in the Mexican War and during a hazardous voyage to the Far East also make for great reading. What sets this book apart from any good biography, however, is the insightful discussion of civil-military friction and ill-conceived reliance on technology that characterize Du Pont's 1863 attack on Charleston, SC. Du Pont was against this operation (believing it to be an unnecessary peripheral enterprise that would siphon off valuable - and limited - resources from the all-important blockade), but Lincoln, Navy Secretary Welles, and Assistant Secretary Fox all though the capture of Charleston had important symbolic value. Since civilian leadership sets policy and related strategic objectives, Du Pont saluted smartly and began planning the operation. Friction arose when the admiral tried to persuade Welles and Fox that Charleston could only be captured via a joint Army-Navy operation. Welles and Fox (demonstrating blatant service parochialism) favored an all-Navy operation, and instructed Du Pont to proceed without Army assistance. Despite evidence to the contrary (Drewry's Bluff, VA and Fort McAllister, GA), Welles and Fox were convinced that monitor ironclads alone could destroy Charleston's forts and capture the city; as a result, they confidently assured Lincoln that the monitor technology would prevail. Of course, Du Pont was correct and the operation tragically ended in failure. Civil-military friction and technology as a military panacea are familiar themes throughout American military history - and we see them still in the current global war on terrorism. Colonel Weddle, therefore, does the reader a great service by providing such a thought-provoking discussion and analysis of these crucial issues. Superbly written, thoroughly researched, and well organized, this book was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it.

It's nice, simple reading for all. As one of the only autobiographies by a person with JRA, Nicole's Story is a nice resource for understanding, sympathizing, and empathizing if you have JRA. My daughter has JRA and I'm sure she'll be glad to have this book so she can see that she is not alone. I think I'll share it with her teachers and classmates too.

This pictorial book of a real life story of Nicole, a little girl with arthritis kept my children's attention. My daughter has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and this book helped her to see she is not alone in her struggles. She can easily relate to Nicole. I also gave this book to both my children's teachers for their classroom collection. It explains alot about JRA as well as making it 'acceptable'. They found it to be informative as well as touching.

Great book! I recommend this book for parents as well as teachers and medical professionals who work with patients suffering from JRA. I've had JRA for 17 years and was finally diagnosed at age 16, after two years of symptoms and suffering from the crippling RA pain.

The list of resources in this book will help any parent or patient work out problems they may encounter living with this disease. As an author it's great to see, and use a book that takes JRA seriously from a child's point of view. I've resourced many books written by medical professionals that lecture patients on how to cope. But Nicole's Story goes the the heart of what all of us living, coping, and surviving with RA and JRA experience on a daily basis. And I plan to use it in all my support groups for kids and teen living with JRA.

Nicole's Story will help discard the myth that Arthritis is just "an old person's disease." Kids coping with JRA have now found a voice. I hope more people will take the time to listen. Bravo Nicole!

This book sends out a great message to young people stricken down with this painful disease. I was diagnosed with JRA when I was fourteen, and I'm 15 now. Thing is, we aren't stricken down. With the help of medical science and power of God, we'll always find a way to live through yet another day that drags on to feel like an eternity. This is a book every JRA-RA patient should read, young or adult. My love and prayers go out to Nicole and her family, plus all the rest of us with this formerly "crippling" disease. But there's hope if you catch it soon enough. I had it for months before we got a diagnosis.

Goodbye and God Bless

I rate this book very high because I have the same disease and I'm 12 and it's amazing that she goes through the same things

The second of the adventures of scruffy young merchant traveller Dane Thorsen. An expedition to another planet is also anything but routine, as the locals are hard to deal with, and the consequences of leaving, are worse.

Aliens and other problems lead the outside to believe that their ship is a disease carrier. This is not good as it might mean destruction.

"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second 'Solar Queen' adventure, and sequel to "Sargasso of Space." Norton's four-book series about the trader-crew of the Solar Queen ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and Nebula Grand Master just recently passed away on March 17, 2005 after a long and extremely fruitful career (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2005).

One Solar Queen rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's Solar Queen stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced in "Sargasso of Space," the first Solar Queen novel, as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

"Plague Ship" takes the crew of the 'Solar Queen' to Sargol, where the enigmatic feline natives seem very reluctant to trade away their fabulous scented gemstones. When Dane Thorson discovers an herb that the Salariki are willing to swap for their gems, he fears that his eagerness to make a trade breakthrough might have poisoned a native child. That becomes the least of his worries when the 'Solar Queen' blasts off from Sargol with invisible, undetectable stowaways that would brand the free traders anathema to all inhabited worlds.

In space, the more senior members of the Solar Queen's crew succumb to a strange plague that resembles sleeping sickness. Dane and his fellow-apprentices, with the assistance of Captain Jellico's Hoobat (a sort of blue parrot-lizard, or at least that's how I've always pictured it) discover the source of the plague: venomous hitch-hikers from Sargol. "It walked erect on two threads of legs...a bulging abdomen sheathed in the horny substance of a beetle's shell ended in a sharp point." It was only about a foot-and-a-half high and could change color like a chameleon.

The Hoobat kills and eats the first creature, and then the hunt is on for others of its kind.

Even with the source of the sleeping sickness discovered, the Solar Queen's young apprentices must still convince the rest of the galaxy that they are not a plague ship--and therefore eligible to be destroyed on sight without warning.

The Solar Queen novels are prime representatives of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling (at least the ones she solo-authored.) If you haven't read them since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try them again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on exotic, carefully-drawn alien worlds.

"Plague Ship" (1956) was one the first science fiction novels I ever checked out of our local library (I can still close my eyes and see that one dinky little shelf, crammed with some of SFs' greatest juvenile authors: Norton; Heinlein; Del Rey; Nourse).

This book contains the second 'Solar Queen' adventure. Norton's four-book series about the trader-crew of the 'Solar Queen' ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and Nebula Grand Master just recently passed away after a long and extremely fruitful career (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2005).

One 'Solar Queen' rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's 'Solar Queen' stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced in "Sargasso of Space," the first 'Solar Queen' novel, as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

"Plague Ship" takes the crew of the 'Solar Queen' to Sargol, where the enigmatic feline natives seem very reluctant to trade away their fabulous scented gemstones. When Dane Thorson discovers an herb that the Salariki are willing to swap for their gems, he fears that his eagerness to make a trade breakthrough might have poisoned a native child.

That becomes the least of his worries when the 'Solar Queen' blasts off from Sargol with invisible, undetectable stowaways that would brand the free traders anathema to all inhabited worlds.

In space, the more senior members of the 'Solar Queen's' crew succumb to a strange plague that resembles sleeping sickness. Dane and his fellow-apprentices, with the assistance of Captain Jellico's Hoobat (a sort of blue parrot-lizard, or at least that's how I've always pictured it) discover the source of the plague: venomous hitch-hikers from Sargol. "It walked erect on two threads of legs...a bulging abdomen sheathed in the horny substance of a beetle's shell ended in a sharp point." It was only about a foot-and-a-half high and could change color like a chameleon.

The Hoobat kills and eats the first creature, and then the hunt is on for others of its kind.

Even with the source of the sleeping sickness discovered, the 'Solar Queen's' young apprentices must still convince the rest of the galaxy that they are not a plague ship--and therefore eligible to be destroyed on sight without warning.

The 'Solar Queen' novels are prime representatives of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling (at least the ones she solo-authored.) If you haven't read them since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try them again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on exotic, carefully-drawn alien worlds.

"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second 'Solar Queen' adventure, and sequel to "Sargasso of Space." Norton's four-book series about the trader-crew of the Solar Queen ended in 1969 with "Postmarked the Stars" but beware! Lesser authors have butted into the series, presumably with Norton's permission since this remarkable Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and Nebula Grand Master just recently passed away on March 17, 2005 after a long and extremely fruitful career (her first novel was published in 1934, her latest fantasy in 2005).

One Solar Queen rip-off to avoid at all costs is "Redline: the Stars."

Norton's Solar Queen stories are told from the viewpoint of Dane Thorson, an apprentice-Cargo Master who is introduced in "Sargasso of Space," the first Solar Queen novel, as a "lanky, very young man in an ill-fitting Trader's tunic." Most of this author's heroes and heroines are young, uncertain of themselves, shy, with a tendency to trip over their own enthusiasms and load themselves up with guilt at the slightest opportunity. They are very likeable and their adventures are narrated in remarkably lean prose with just the right touch of description.

After ten years of schooling, orphan Dane Thorson is assigned via a computer analysis of his psychological profile--not to a safe berth on a sleek Company-run starship that his classmates were vying for--but to a battered tramp of a Free Trader. To say that the 'Solar Queen' "lacked a great many refinements and luxurious fittings which the Company ships boasted" was an understatement. But she was a tightly-run ship and what she lacked in refinement, she made up for in adventure. Dane soon settles in under Cargo Master Van Rycke and learns "to his dismay what large gaps unfortunately existed in his training."

Sometimes I just want to give Dane a big hug.

"Plague Ship" takes the crew of the 'Solar Queen' to Sargol, where the enigmatic feline natives seem very reluctant to trade away their fabulous scented gemstones. When Dane Thorson discovers an herb that the Salariki are willing to swap for their gems, he fears that his eagerness to make a trade breakthrough might have poisoned a native child. That becomes the least of his worries when the 'Solar Queen' blasts off from Sargol with invisible, undetectable stowaways that would brand the free traders anathema to all inhabited worlds.

In space, the more senior members of the Solar Queen's crew succumb to a strange plague that resembles sleeping sickness. Dane and his fellow-apprentices, with the assistance of Captain Jellico's Hoobat (a sort of blue parrot-lizard, or at least that's how I've always pictured it) discover the source of the plague: venomous hitch-hikers from Sargol. "It walked erect on two threads of legs...a bulging abdomen sheathed in the horny substance of a beetle's shell ended in a sharp point." It was only about a foot-and-a-half high and could change color like a chameleon.

The Hoobat kills and eats the first creature, and then the hunt is on for others of its kind.

Even with the source of the sleeping sickness discovered, the Solar Queen's young apprentices must still convince the rest of the galaxy that they are not a plague ship--and therefore eligible to be destroyed on sight without warning.

The Solar Queen novels are prime representatives of Norton's lean action-packed brand of story-telling (at least the ones she solo-authored.) If you haven't read them since you were a teen-ager, I urge you to try them again. For a few pleasant hours, you will be immersed in the adventures of a likeable, feisty band of free traders on exotic, carefully-drawn alien worlds.

"Plague Ship" (1956) is the second installment in Andre Norton's so-called Dane Thorson series, and is a direct continuation of the previous volume, "Sargasso of Space." (A reading of that earlier novel is highly recommended before going into this one.) "Plague Ship" does everything that a good sci-fi sequel should: It expands on the possibilities of the previous book, deepens the characters, increases the action and leaves us wanting still more. This time around, Thorson and his 11 shipmates on the galactic trader Solar Queen...
It's a very fast-moving and suspenseful tale, full of unusual detail and unexpected turns. There are several highlights that make the book really shine, such as the gorp hunt early in the story. (And when I say "gorp," I'm not talking about high-energy nut-and-raisin trail mix, but rather reptilian, crablike monsters!) This gorp hunt takes place at sunset on the reefs of an oily sea, and is a highly atmospheric and exciting segment. Other great sections include a raid on an asteroid's emergency station; a landing in the Big Burn... and the viewing of the mutant life-forms therein; and the battle... near the book's end, where our heroes make a desperate bid to make their plea for justice to the citizens of the solar system. Like I said, this is a slam-bang sequel, that will leave few readers unsatisfied.
That having been said, I need to also mention that there are a few inconsistencies in the book. At one point, Norton tells us that Dane has been in the trading service for a few months; somewhere else, she says that it has been a full year. Huh? And I feel that I must chastise Ace Books for the deplorable job with which this book has been put together. Now don't get me wrong: I LOVE these little Ace paperbacks from the 1950s, especially those 2-in-1 Ace doubles. But there are so many typos--not to mention punctuational and grammatical errors--in this book that the reading thereof is made a labor. Should we blame Norton or the publishers for a sentence such as this: "His hands, blundering within the metallic claws of the gloves, Dane buckled two safety belts about him." How could any copy editor or proofreader let such an egregious line such as this get through, when just the simple deletion of that first comma would have made all the difference?! Apparently, these little Ace books were never proofed or edited. They're wonderful volumes, with marvelously pulpy covers, but sadly, the contents were not given their due. But enough about Ace's carelessness. "Plague Ship," despite the occasional blunder, is still a marvelous entertainment, and I do highly recommend it.

I absolutely loved this mystery thriller. Many times when I lay down to read at night, I fall asleep. This book kept me up late, many times. It was hard to put the book down. Heartwarming along with lots of suspense!

I expected this book to be corporate and political and I usually don't get into books like that. This, however, was a suspenseful page turner that was difficult to put down. Since the chapters were short, I found myself saying "okay, one more chapter" until the next thing I knew time had passed and the book was finished in a day and a half. The writing style made this a very comfortable read and I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone regardless of whether or not it's in your usual "genre" because this book has something for everyone. I hope to read many more from Richard Jackson!

I don't normally come back to the site to write reviews, but this book was exceptional and I had to let others know. Chapter after chapter it keeps getting better. By the middle I could hardly put it down. I'll warn you, by the end, I had to stay up until I finished it. It was well written, full of detail, makes you feel like you are a part of the investigation. I will absolutely buy another book by this same author.

Power and Deceit is a page turning action packed must read! Richard Jackson truly has a gift for writing. I can't wait for his next book!

"Power and Deceit" is a great story...if you like James Patterson or John Sanford, you will enjoy this book! Chapters are short, so it is a quick read...and before you know it, you are so caught up in the story, that you won't be able to put it down until you finish it! Thumbs up to this new author on the scene! Hope to see more stories from Richard Jackson soon!

It's impossible for us today to imagine what a frightening proposition it must've been in the mid-19th century to sell your eastern farm or business and prepare to head west to start a new life. Maps were unreliable, distances were staggering, and stories about wild animals and Indians sobering. It wasn't quite like stepping off the edge of the world, but it probably seemed like it to many greenhorns.

So in 1859, Captain Randolph Marcy, under orders from the Department of War, wrote The Prairie Traveler. Marcy, who would later serve as a Brigadier in the Civil War, was an accomplished traveler in the west, and his guidebook was packed with useful information for the determined but inexperienced pioneer taking either the northern overland trail to Oregon or the southern Sante Fe one to California.

The book is great reading--and, not infrequently, helpful even today for the camper when it comes to advice about improvising shelter or lighting a fire from damp wood. For the mid-19th century reader, it provides essential tips on provisions, wagon-packing and animal-care, first aid (large doses of whiskey are the best remedy for rattlesnake bite), identifying good water (alkaline ponds are surrounded by yellow-reddish grass), improvisation (red willow bark is a good substitute for tobacco), collapsible camp furniture, and gun safety. The food section is especially interesting. Marcy recommends carrying lots of dried vegetables (one ounce of dry vegetables, when wettened, equals an entire ration), "cold flour," a concoction of flour, cinammon, and sugar which, when mixed with a bit of water, provides a pick-me-up (not unlike today's energy bar), and jerked meat (no need for salt; the prairie sun will dry buffalo strips in short order). He also provides a rather gruesome recipe for pemmican (powdered buffalo meat saturated in raw buffalo fat, sown up in a hide bag with the hair turned outwards).

Marcy distrusts and indeed actively dislikes Plains Indians, although he admires Delawares and Shawnees, and writes quite warmly of a Delaware friend of his named Black Beaver. So he spends a fair number of pages warning prairie travelers to be wary of approaching Indians. To better prepare them, he teaches the rudiments of sign language, teaches how to track Indians (scattered mustang manure rather than whole mustang manure indicates Indians on the move rather than just a wild mustang herd), and gives detailed instructions on how to sleep with cocked and primed rifles. It never seems to occur to Marcy that Plains Indians were a diverse group, or that their animosity might've had more to do with the white pioneers' presence than with the natural meanness he attributes to them.

A fascinating read!

Read this book and you will view things a bit differently on your next drive. As you effortlessly drive across a bridge over a river at 65 MPH, your thoughts may well travel back to Captain Marcy's advice on how to cross a river with wagons pulled by mule-team.

This book is essential to any author, movie director or Living Historian who wants to "get it right". THE PRAIRIE TRAVELER is chock-full of information about overland travel in the mid-19th century, and covers almost any possible, practical, useful subject related to wilderness travel. Although it is written in 1850's American English, it is actually a fairly easy read with very little "culture shock".

For those of you with the cerebral agility to remove the mental straight-jacket of "Political Correctness", THE PRAIRIE TRAVELER will accurately picture the Frontier society as it existed at the time. It was a very good society in most ways, with the limitations that 19th century people were born into and educated with. Those pioneers did advance themselves, bit-by-bit, away from the limitations they were born into, and the result is the 21st Century America we live in today. We stand on their shoulders, advanced as far as we are today, because of the small advances they made in their generation.

A 21st century man condemning a 19th century man for being the product of his times reflects the mental and educational limitations of the 21st century man.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and bought some for friends who like history. The reading is easy, though you will find a dictionary helpful with some of the archaic words. I have relatives who crossed the prairie in 1848 to California; I have a much better understanding of what the trip must've been like.
For those who love American history, esp. the old west I highly recommend this book

A good insight into the mind of an inhabitant of the new world in the 1800s. Very unpolitically correct to the point of being amusing (section on 'Indians'). I read this book on a long camping tour and liked in a lot. There are some sections that are more like lists, and arenot as interesting, but you can skip over them.

A fascinating assemblage of facts and information for the overland emigrant of the mid-1800's to successfully complete the long, arduous journey to the west coast. Captain Marcy includes everything one can possibly imagine: from types of wagons, livestock, food, provisions and medicines to fording rivers, selection of campsites, types of saddles, packing, tracking, guides, guards, etc. and habits of Indians. The itineraries at the end of the book detail the mileages, availability of water, grass, wood, road conditions, etc. along several different routes to the Pacific. With our many modern day conveniencies traveling across the country, we tend to dismiss the hardships and sacrifices our pioneers endured while traversing the continent. This little book puts it all into focus.

In this terrific reference, Dr. Mindell provides more than we are led to believe from the book's title: "Prescription Alternatives"! Aside from giving us well documented natural alternatives for prescription drugs, Dr. Mindell gives us the vital information: 1) to protect ourselves against prescription drug abuse, 2) to avoid becoming an adverse drug effects (ADE) victim; 3) to live a fuller, healthier life through his "Six Principles for Optimal Health"! This well researched book, with its extensive bibliography, is a MUST HAVE book for every family seriously seeking to achieve and maintain a high standard of health! In a word: ESSENTIAL!

Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins have each written extensively about alternative health and nutrition. They teamed up for Prescription Alternatives, "a tool for easily and immediately accessing information about how the drugs you are taking affect your body, the steps you can take to counteract these imbalances and what alternative treatments are available."

They start with a description of how we've become a nation of pill-poppers and present drug statistics, such as "140,000 Americans die each year" from adverse drug effects and that "at least 11 million people are abusing prescription drugs." They also explain the unrelenting pressures put on medical doctors by the drug companies, medical schools, and state medical boards. Mindell and Hopkins include lists of factors than can affect drug levels, and explain how to prevent common problems with prescription drug use. They offer hints on how to prepare for surgery and decrease your chances of having an adverse drug reaction while hospitalized. They also explain how to read the drug inserts that come with prescriptions and include a glossary of common medical terms.

The bulk of the book is devoted to extensive details about the most-often prescribed drugs. They discuss a dozen kinds of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, herpes, and osteoporosis. They list the drugs usually prescribed for each condition, then present detailed information about each drug, including what the drug is supposed to do, possible side effects, interactions with other drugs, interactions with foods, what imbalances in the body may result, and what nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, should be added to the diet while taking the drug. Each section concludes with natural alternatives to the drugs and tips for helping your body heal itself. They also explain how the body systems work and how lifestyle changes can help prevent many diseases.

All their explanations are in easy-to-understand layman's terms.

The authors say that "when you start taking any type of drug, you are heading down a long road full of potentially dangerous drug interactions and side effects." Prescription Alternatives is a scenic byway that will help readers avoid that long road.

Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins have provided one of the most important books of the CENTURY. So many of us listen to our doctors and take the prescriptions offered without THINKING. It is time for pill-poppers to wake up to the motives of the pharmaceutical companies, and to the very dangerous risks we take when we pop a prescription pill without investigating its long term effects.

This book has become a Health Bible for me and my friends. I tell people about it every day. If there is one thing you do for those you love, let it be to buy them this book.

Prescription Alternatives provides live-saving information. It informs us of the risks we take when we blindly accept any prescription our doctors offer. It provides us with all of the alternative choices that won't just suppress or mask a symptom but will change our health in the best and safest way possible. When are we, as a nation of consumers, going to take back the responsibility of maintaining our health? Don't take my word for it, read up on the facts for yourself. Then go out and buy a copy for every one you love! The natural food and supplement stores will love you for it!

This is an easy to read book on natural alternatives to over the counter and prescription drugs. Particular attention is paid to the hazards of drug interaction which can lead to poor health. (The "cure" being worse than the disease.....). The book is well organized, with a good index. Drugs are profiled by type, covering the gamut from NSAIDS to Narcotics. Each drug is discussed. The author tells you: what the drug does in your body, what conditions it is prescribe for, side effects, when you should NOT take the drug, and interactions with other drugs and food. If you must take a drug, the author offers information on supplements that balance out or minimize the potential damage to your body. And of course, the natural alternative to taking pharmaceuticals - specific, herbs, vitamins and minerals, and diet, are given. The author does sermonize from time to time, but this is a minor flaw in an otherwise excellent book.

Purchasing Prescription Alternatives, Second Edition, by Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D. and Virginia Hopkins, M.A., may just be the best investment you can make in your health.
Drug companies spend more than a billion dollars each year on advertising. They sponsor talks in medical schools, providing free meals and medical supplies to students. They also fund most of the medical research going on today and keep doctors' offices supplied with "free" samples. Between drug companies and the pressures put doctors by HMO's, it's no wonder that most people who go to see a doctor walk away with a prescription to be filled.
Sometimes those prescriptions are essential, particularly in the cases of sudden, acute illnesses. But often they do more harm than good. Mindell and Hopkins's goal is to "teach you how to be a knowledgeable and conservative drug user, who knows how to ask the right questions and get the necessary information to stay healthy."
They explain that nearly one million people are "injured" by drugs every year, and "at least 11 million people are abusing prescription drugs." They caution that having FDA approval doesn't mean a drug is safe, reminding readers that "those FDA-approved drugs are killing at least 140,000 people a year, just in hospitals."
The bulk of the book is a detailed listing of hundreds of drugs prescribed every day, including those for heart disease, digestive disorders, asthma and allergies, pain relief, diabetes, insomnia, prostate problems, osteoporosis, eye diseases, and herpes. They also include antibiotics, antifungals, and synthetic hormones.
Mindell and Hopkins start with a description of the disease or ailment and its causes and effects on the body. They then explain how it could be prevented in the first place, making their book useful also for people who are currently healthy. Following that is a list of the drugs that can be prescribed, using both the brand names and generic names. An explanation of how each drug works in the body comes next, along with information on side effects. They then discuss all the interactions each drug has with other drugs, with nutritional supplements, and food. Lastly, they provide information on natural alternatives.
"You absolutely cannot count on the FDA, the drug company, your physician or your pharmacist to keep you safe from dangerous drugs and their interactions," say Mindell and Hopkins. Prescription Alternatives will give readers all the information they need to make wise choices about which, if any, drug is best for them, as well as helping them avoid the adverse consequences that can result from simple human error in obtaining and using prescription drugs.

This was a great book. My only wish is that I would have found it 2 years ago when my son was diagnosed. This is a book that is written for "normal" families that have been attacked by this stupid disease known as Type 1 diabetes. I will recommend it to anyone I come into contact that has a newly diagnesed child. Thank you for writing this book.

The first exposure I had to the Loy family was when I read the book "Getting a Grip on Diabetes" written by this author's two sons who were both diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when they were six and seven. They mentioned in their book that their mother had also written a book, and I couldn't wait to read about living with diabetes from her perspective. I was not disappointed! Her writing style is so conversational and easy to understand. It was nice to read about how she and her family dealt with different aspects of parenting kids with diabetes. My 13-year-old son was just diagnosed three months ago, so this book helped me to get more comfortable with our new life with diabetes. I thoroughly recommend reading this book.

I have read quite a few books on Type I Diabetes since my now-10-year-old son was diagnosed 5 years ago. This book and the one by Ms. Loy's sons, Getting a Grip on Diabetes, are by far the best ones I have read. Helpful information in a readable form with suggestions that are easily incorporated in to anyone's life. This is the book I have shared with friends who have had children diagnosed with diabetes.

When my 4 1/2yr old was diagnosed in 2002, I was so scared that the fun part of his life was over. I bought 10 books & decided to read this one first. I was so happy & relieved to read about this great woman's calm approach to her boys diabetes. Both of her boys were diagnosed before 7 & continued on to do great things with their lives. This is a must read, it will relieve some of your worries & give you hope that life does go on & your child WILL be just fine.

When my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes last May, our dietician lent me a copy of this book--it helped me so much! I didn't know anything about diabetes at the time and was frightened out of my mind! Ms. Loy has so many fantastic coping ideas--I've put many to use--this book is a wonderful tool--especially for parents of newly diagnosed children.

What a wonderful resource for anyone interested in exploring the beauty of Virginia via bicycle! I love it and plan to get good milage out of my small investment. The writer has done the hard work by furnishing all the needed details for forty rides scattered throughout the state. All a rider needs to do to enjoy any or all of them is to add bicycle and pedal.

As someone who bicycled through Rockbridge County for years, I know firsthand the beauty of the Goshen Ramble (#29) and the fun that comes with the Rockbridge Challenge (#31). I eagerly awaite Jim's next effort--hopefully Pennsylvania. Jim's descriptions of the sights, eateries, and technical details in "The Basics" are accurate. Here's looking forward to doing the Burkes Garden Ramble (#39) and eating at Spanky's in Lexington! This guide will accompany me when next I travel to Virginia--whether by bike or car.

This is the guidebook that should be in every bikers' saddlebag!
Mr. Homerosky has managed to pack an abundance of information on 40 rides in just a bit over 200 pages. The ride and route information is clear and concise and a delight to read. I like the way the author gives the rider the oppurtunity to tailor the rides to his/her level; the rider can 'go the distance' or opt to
cut it short without missing the best of what the ride has to offer. I like his notations and footnotes that point out the local interests: and the mentioning of local bike shops and watering holes are a huge plus.

Whether you're a cycling tourist, recreational rider, or competitive cyclist, there's something for everyone in this guide. Mr Homerosky profiles 40 different routes on pavement all across the beautiful state of Virginia from the sea to the mountains. It's obvious he's ridden each one from his descriptions and knowledge of the terrain. His use of title words for each route is especially clever. Each route has a description, map, cue sheet, and when warranted a profile of elevation gain and loss. Pretty neat, and very useful. He also includes contacts in each community so you can further explore the area, or can be helpful for the non-cyclist on your trip.
A must have for any road cyclist wanting a dependable guide of road routes in Virginia.

I bought this new guidebook without much expectation. Boy, was I surprised! Road Biking Virginia may very well be the best written guidebook I ever read. The author takes the reader through the ride, noting scenic and historical highlights as well as areas of caution. I found the narratives addicting, and couldn't put the book down until I read every one. I thought I new a lot about my state - but I actually learned a good deal more. The maps are excellent and the directions are straight-forward and easy to understand.

If there is one flaw, the author doesn't seem to like city riding and doesn't offer any it his selection. But the book does offer fabulous road routes (I've done many myself) emphasizing Virginia's great back roads. Everyone should try the Goshen and Rockbridge rides and at least once in your life, you need to make the trek to Burkes Garden. What a great destination and ride.

I've waited a long time for a road ride book for Virginia. Fortunately, I now have one and it is good. I highly recommend it to all Virginia cyclists. Happy Riding,

Steve