West Virginia Books

I love this book as it opened my eyes to the beauty and rarity of Morgantown Glass (Economy Glass, Old Morgantown Glassworks, Morgantown Guild also included as this company went through huge changes trying to survive the Depression.) The pictures are exceptional, the information relevent and well-researched. The only problem I have with this reference tool is that it is hard to navigate for specific items. The Glossary is wonderful, but a bit murky as to which name or number goes with which item. Regardless, it is a stunning addition for any American glass collector.

Very well done reference book. Many well done pictures and large variety of product. I highly recommend this book.

If you enjoy the game of golf, you owe it to yourself to buy this book and then visit Oakhurst Links. Oakhurst is America's first golf course. At Oakhurst in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia you are given hickory shafted clubs and gutta-percha balls to play golf as it was played in the 19th century.
This book is well written and interesting. The golf experience is unlike any you have ever enjoyed.

I ordered two copies of this book for golfing buddies but opened up a copy out of curiosity and couldn't put it down until I got to the end. DiPerna's prose is beautiful to read and will entrap any reader who appreciates a well-constructed phrase with sharp language. Paragraph one, Chapter one, sucks you in.

A practical reference guide to the northern highlands of WV... Maps are good but are not ultra detailed... Info and tips are outstanding!!!

There are many good trails within the book, but sometimes the maps are quite as good as they could be. Most of the trails are in VA, not really close to DC. It is a good book to have on the shelf!

THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR ALL COLLECTORS OF FIESTA. THE PICTURES ARE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST AND CLEAREST I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS. I HAVE READ ALMOST EVERY BOOK OUT THERE AND THIS ONE IS THE MOST PRECISE. SEE ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS IN THE US. EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND PRICE ANY FIESTA WARE YOU COULD EVER FIND. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS BOOK

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR IDENTIFYING ITEMS THEMSELVES. THE COLORS ARE NOT THE BEST IN THAT IF YOU ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY MEDIUM GREEN, IT SHOWS UP DIFFERENT ON DIFFERENT PAGES. SAME FOR OTHER COLORS. BUT IT HAS BEEN GREAT HELP IN IDENTIFYING ITEMS THAT I HAVE. I RECOMMEND HAVING THIS BOOK ALONG WITH MAYBE ONE OTHER ONE TO HAVE A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF FIESTA WARE.

Very interesting book,I would have given it a five but I was disappointed there was not more information about the logging camps themselves. My father was a logger there for twenty five years. Very little info about what he would have done, only about the locomotives, tracks and the mill.

This book is a gotta have if you are into logging railroad history! Loaded with pictures and personal accounts from locamotive engineers. Easy reading and a full tackage map to follow the sequence of logging areas with. A must for the railroad buff.

I picked this book up on a whim from my local library, intrigued by the promise the library synopsis gave of a scary read and authored by a native West Virginian (whom I am always happy to support). Many people in these reviews want to condemn her for her "less than rosy" depiction of West Virginian society. I too live in WV, have for many years, and while I have certainly never heard of anything described in this fictional book transpiring in real life, I can't deny that the author paints a picture which seems plausible. To the other critics of this book who scorn it, I merely think they are upset because it does, indeed, perpetuate the negative stereotype of the incestuous, backward mountain man. Such readers might be advised to understand that this is a work of /fiction/. and should be regarded only as such.

The basic plot is that a man from the mountains keeps a cabin full of "wives" to produce children for him to sell. He makes a decent profit from this and has an apartment in the city, where he lives in relative comfort. Our heroine, Tuesday, is unfortunate enough to meet this man, who later takes a liking to her and decides to kidnap her and take her to the cabin, where he intends to make her one of his wives.

I have both good and bad things to say of this book. First, the bad, because that's how I roll. Essentially, the plot makes it way to the predictable conclusion through a series of really dumb blunders on the part of our heroine. Although these happenings are reflected upon later by her as she considers her poor judgment, they are all too frequent to be ignored and wind up being downright irritating. There are only so many times a reader can put up with the old "the search missed them by a few seconds" routine.

Also, the dialouge within the book was a bit stiff sometimes and unreal seeming, not to mention there are frequent occurances of the "one person monologue" as a character contemplates things right out loud to themselves. Had these things been conveyed by the characters in thought process, it would have been a lot less disconcerting.

One other note was the progression of the story seemed very unnatural to me. In parts it seemed to move forward very quickly, and the author jumps to a new perspective in every chapter, leaving only just enough time to re-immerse yourself in one story before being chucked right into another.

Other than that, however, I have to say I did enjoy reading this book. The plot had a lot of potential and I believe the author pulled it off, if just barely. One thing I do really want to commend her on was the character development. The different characters really shine through in their distinctness, which for me really made the novel.

So in short, through the clunky progression of the story, sometimes unrealistic dialouge and memorable characters, it made for an entertaining if short read. With another free afternoon, I might even consider picking up the next one.

I was born, raised and educated in West Virginia and know its hills and its people from Wheeling to Welch. Not a shred of anything written in this book rings true. The sad thing is that readers from out-of-state may accept the dialect and the content as an accurate depiction of a state already excessively stereotyped and always negatively. Of course, there are accents and idioms in WV, but the speech of Aunt Aggie, in itself, was so totally, ridiculously fabricated that I appropriately garbaged Cabin very quickly, never to know the outcome of the incestuous relationships and baby-selling mill that Jacob had going. I agree wholeheartedly with the customer who decribed the book as the "most horrific piece of trash I've ever read."

I met C.J. at our local mall. I ended up buying the first autographed novel of the Cabin; I could not put it down and wished I had bought the entire series. I immediately went to Amazon and ordered the rest of the series. I thoroughly enjoyed the books (sent her an e-mail and told her so), something very different then books I've read in the past. She is writing (2) more books in this series and I for one can't wait to get them.
Thanks C.J. and keep writing because I will keep reading

What garbage. My friend that gave it to me told me it was stupid and the half was not told. Pure trash from beginning to end.

I've never felt strongly enough about a book to write an online review about it this book however deserves a comment. I'm an English major and for my senior thesis I'm actually writing about this novel. I'm a proud West Virginian and I'd like to say that this book is complete trash. As another reviewer stated there are numerous beautifully written novels about West Virginia that are based on facts that reflect the people that live here. I was shocked and appalled after i read it to see that the writer was actually from West Virginia. She should be truly ashamed not only for producing this piece of trash but for so horribly slandering her homestate. Breece D.J. Pancake, Pickney Benedict, Jayne Anne Phillips those are true West Virginia writers. Lee Smith or "The Dollmaker" if you like the Appalachian feel.

The story is quite unique in the way that it combines illness with business. Really quite scary stuff if it ever comes to any sort fruition. Thankfully for us all we can get by just fine by reading this fun book, all the plot twists make this definately worth the time and investment.

"Maybe he can order some sort of toxicology on the tissue. 'I'm still certain the mine is at the bottom of all this.'" These words were spoken by the brilliant doctor, Dr. Matt Rutledge in Dr. Palmer's book. The other reviewers have captured the essence of this book admirably...it is an exciting read. But...a line like that? I searched the page to see if it was spoken tongue-in-cheek. Without a wink, this groaner had me wondering about the editor!

Thread through a medical thriller is an intriguing romance and the side story of Rambo hillbillies with heart. It's this latter aspect that adds depth to an already interesting story about the dangers of vaccinations, and the politics that push them through to the public without proper testing. The slow unravelling of the protagonists (a man and a woman, both doctors) demonstrates the considerable writing chops Palmer has developed. The twists aren't quit as shocking as they could have been, I think (not enough red herrings or plants along the way), but still, this is a great read. Well done, Dr. Palmer!

As a mother who does not vaccinate her kids, I liked this book. It was a work of fiction, but for so many familes, it was very real.

This better-than-most medical thriller by the creative Michael Palmer is elevated to the heights of a "can't-afford-to-miss" WOW of a book by the very enjoyable writing style of Palmer.

Interesting plot, likeable characters, believeable dialogue if you know anyone from the mountains of West Virginia - all these elements make for a great story.

Add in the gut-wrenching situations the characters find themselves involved in and the realistic narrative created by Palmer and it becomes a GREAT story. The wiggle-producing ending is the stuff all thrillers should be made of. "Fatal" provides it all in the nail-biting, adrenoline-rush genre. You simply cannot wait until the end arrives, then it is too soon for you because the pleasure is over.

If you listen to this book on audio, which is read wonderfully, One word of warning; if you are the LEAST BIT claustrophobic, DO NOT attempt to listen to tape #8 while in rush-hour traffic. It could prove extremely hazardous to your insurance rates. Palmer's detailed, realistic description of Matt's wild ride could cause the listener to embark on one of his own.

Highly recommend this awesome book!

I am brand new at collecting Fiesta Ware. I really enjoyed this book. Great pics. It has been a wealth of info for someone new like me.

The title of this book "Fiesta" can be a little misleading to the novice or seasoned collector. Beyond actual Fiesta and Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin the author's detail company history by delving into Harhequin, Riviera, Mexican lines, Kitchen Kraft, even promotional items and advertising.

For Fiesta identification pieces the pictures and Plate descriptions are very good. Pictures, specifically are very clear and concise while the page quality is excellent. In particular, this book will provide a very wide range of history and the wide variety of products offered by Homer Laughlin Co. over many years. Although the title suggests a book on Fiesta, this portion is limited.

If your looking for price comparisons or rule of thumb the book is weak in this department, it does not effectively handle all colors preferring to provide information strictly on the "hot" collector pieces such as 'medium green.' Of course, prices quoted in books are strictly "guides" as the internet, antique malls and live auctions mix up values on a weekly basis. Current research and personal perspective will be the true guides for market value at any given time.

Fiesta is covered in the first 73 pages of this book (pre/post 1986) and then moves on other topics or products produced. This book would be a fine starter for the novice but additional resources will need to be added for a complete library on Fiesta and Fiestaware.

This is the third book in this series I have purchased by these authors. I like the book a lot.

I just received the 10th edition copy of Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta, and other related items. The new layout and design are exactly what this edition needed to set it out above the previous ones. It seems the forward is a bit lengthy. Each page is framed in the turquoise color. The new pictures are numerous!! And for those who collect New Fiesta (produced since 1986, the pages for this are expanded to include up thru Scarlet and quite a few of the pieces produced thus far in color pictures. I rate this book at 4 stars for one reason. I feel the prices are inflated and out of line. Yes, there will always be some "rare" items at high prices. There are a fair share of pictures that are the same as previous books as well.

One of worst of the newer "collector" books out there. There isn't even a color chart with the names, you need to deduce them by flipping through all the pages and guessing at collections of variuos colors and doing a process of elimination. Fakes are mentioned, and the author says "you'll know them when you see them". Thanks alot! All the marks aren't even listed. What about newer peices versus old?

Some Encyclopedia, more like ramblings of a collector. The medium green issue is already covered by others, the book mentions it everywhere but gives very little evidence of it (maybe the author has medium green envy?).

Not worth the bargain price spent on it. Certainly not a reference book.

p.s. I give other collector books 5 stars, so I'm not just a grump.

Suggested reading for pre-law school students, this book contains the representing attorney's actual story about a lawsuit involving the coal industry. The terminology, processes and struggles included in the story, as well as the lawyer's thought-processes and actions introduce the reader to the real world of legal advocacy, which is not parallel to the Law & Order dramas on television. If you're contemplating entering the legal profession, this book narrates one situation with enough detail to give you a feel for the work you may be doing.

This book was on my law school reading list. I was supposed to read it before school started but never got around to it. Now that I've graduated, I decided to read it. I enjoyed the beginning. I was stirred by the description of what happened when the dam broke. I perceived empathy in the author's tone. Immediately, I was pulling for the victims, regardless of whether they were significantly impacted by the flood or only had minimal contact with the disaster. But, as the book went on, the tone changed. I felt like it was more a story about Stern. The author seemed to become more boastful. It also seemed like he spent a long time thoughtfully writing the beginning of the book, then rushed to finish it at the end. The end was not as compelling as the beginning. The end was slightly unsatisfying. Overall, this is an interesting book that tells the story of what happened in Buffalo Creek and a self-appraisal of how Stern thinks his lawyering was during the case. The downside is that the end turned into a story about Stern's "win" in negotiating a settlement instead of a win for the victims. The book would also be well-served by print of a second edition with an epilogue. You'll end up asking yourself how much the survivors really did win, and whether there truly was a lasting impact on coal companies.

Well I will concede that this staple of civil procedure classes in law school is a good read, but let's do the math. When you see what Stern's firm took and you see what the victims got, we know that the law firms were the winner's here and the people who lost their lives and homes with all their possessions did not fair very well at all. For that reason, it's probably a good introduction to class action litigation.

I was assigned to read this for my Civil Procedure class in law school. Although I dreaded reading it, once I started, I could not put it down. As a law student (or if you are a lawyer for that matter), this was a great insight into how a lawsuit is constructed on such a grand scale. Even if you have no interest in law, Stern manages to tell such a compelling story, I would recomend this book to anyone. It provides great insight into the operations of a corrupt coal company, a state and region at the industry's mercy, and people who felt helpless when their lives were destroyed by the mining company's negligence and the state's oversight. A definite must read.

I too had to read this book for my Civil Procedure class. Let me start off with the positive. With the coal disaster that just happened in Utah, I thought it was quite interesting that the response was the exact same by the coal mining owners. Both Piston / Buffalo Mine Co. (from the book) and the Utah mine owner prematurely said the disasters were an "act of God," without yet knowing all of the facts. And I do think Stern did a good job at getting the reader very upset with the coal companies. However, that was where the positives ended for me.

First off, there were so many spelling / grammar errors, that I lost count. Did Stern have someone proof read the book? The errors are so obvious, I can't believe someone didn't catch it. Now, as for the substance of the book, Stern provides WAY too much detail. He could have cut the book literally in half. I know Civil Procedure teachers like this book since it is so comprehensive and talks about diversity and all that, but I just felt like there was way too much unnecessary detail in the book. Although, I read through all the boring / unnecessary parts, because I thought it would be a good ending. Wrong! By the title of the book I expected that the plaintiffs would be set for life. Which was hardly the case. I don't want to give away the final number, but let's just say that at the very beginning Piston offered $10,000 each for the wrongful deaths. And after all the time and energy, the plaintiffs only got $13,000 each. And they actually got a lower amount because in their net recovery had to be adjusted for the expenses and legal fees of the case paid to the lawyers. In fact, Stern doesn't even list a net amount, adjusted for legal fees and expenses, that the plaintiffs took in because I think it would be too embarrassing. Ok granted, that Stern was able to get the original 200 something plaintiffs up to 625 because he filed for the each person, even the children, and not just the families. Thus, the families did take in more than they would have gotten originally, since it around $13,000 each compared to $10,000 as a family as a whole. But I would hardly say that they beat Piston. Stern had originally asked for $64 million; which in settlement talks immediately went down to almost half that at $32.5 million. Then he was trying to negotiate between their high number and Piston's low number of $3 million. And if you think he even got the middle number between 32.5 and 3--well, you would be wrong. I actually think Piston won! They had insurance to up to $17 million. And well, the settlement number was way below that. This made me so mad because I do think Stern had made a case for wanton and reckless and not just negligence. I know this was in the 70's and everything must be adjusted for inflation, but I still don't think this was a great number. Basically what happened is that the plaintiffs just got the same initial settlement that Piston offered, but it was for each person affected by the disaster including the children. This is hardly a win in my book. And what about the people that maybe just lost a spouse and they had no children between them? They would have been better off just settling immediately. They could have gotten the money right away. Stern at the beginning of the book laughed off Piston's $10,000 wrongful death settlement amount. But isn't this just what the plaintiffs got for their lost ones except years later?

What is very interesting is that Stern and his lawyers got off with a cool $3 million. And he boasts "sometimes you do well by doing good." He is way too self-righteous. Just because the lawyers may have done well doesn't mean the plaintiffs did well. And just because he calls it a "win" doesn't mean that it is such. After everything that these people went through, I feel they got screwed twice over, first by Piston/ Buffalo Mining Coal Co. and then by a self-righteous lawyer who made bank off of them. And Piston / Buffalo made off fairly well. Will someone who liked this book please explain to me how the plaintiffs "won?" Because I just don't get it.

I found the the story excruciatingly boring, virtually pointless. After Jean marries Don, the next sixty years of their lives are dealt with in ten pages. Ms. Glock may be a gifted writer, but she is a poor storyteller.

Well, I don't know what the negative reviewers were reading, but they clearly took some offense to components I did not see in this beautiful book. Having grown up in the mountains of North Carolina, I am always on the lookout for books about life in Appalachia, and "Beauty Before Comfort" has to be one of the best in recent years. The honesty, reality, humor--they recall Dorothy Allison's "Bastard Out of Carolina" and the poetry of Kathryn Stripling Byer. Glock deserves a place at the table of strong, stunning Southern women writers.

I live across the river from Chester, WV; however, I did not grow up in this pottery area. This book helped me to understand what life was like in an area that was once part of the pottery center of the world. I do not feel that the author denigrates the citizens. The story is a memoir. It is her view of her grandmother's life circumstances. Poverty and joblessness are still part of this area's history; to deny this is also to deny the kind-heartedness and character of its people.

Allison,

You're a great little writer. That you evoked this much emotion from people reading your book says that you have the gift of telling a story passionately. You have stirred up some powerful emotions that goes to the heart of your ability to write. When people who can't spell or put a sentence together are moved to write a review of your book, you're doing something right. Either they love you or they hate you, but they are reading you.

I went to school with your mother, until I was one of the ones who got out of Hancock County when I moved to California. Your mother must be very proud. I sure would be.

Your book brings back many precious memories, even memories of some of the hardships grabbed something in my heart. You have written a very accurate description of the people and the area, and you have been able to tell it like it was while also conveying a loving image of your grandmother and the times.

This is your first book. Incredible!!! I gave you four stars because I'm saving that fifth one for your next book.

Sharin (Fletcher) Bowers

I came from an industrial town in Tennessee, and Allison Glock's wonderful story of her grandmother, who lived in that kind of environment, really resonated with me. Aneita Jean Blair's life is not the kind that usually gets the full biographical treatment, especially from a granddaughter.

The second outstanding part about this book is the writing. Lines such as "Just walking through the house required lurching effort," written about the death of a family member, make the story more real.

Having read some of the reviews here on Amazon, I cannot understand the hostility that some people convey about this book. My favorite line from an angry reader was this one: "I think if you right (sic) a book you should actually know what you are talking about."

That line--complete with spelling that shouts ignorance--says it all. Allison Glock does know what she is talking about, and tells it very, very well.