North America Books

This may be Vine Deloria's finest and most appreciable work. It is the kind of literary rarity that, when you realize the man has passed away, makes you weep that nothing more may be forthcoming from his genius. The collection of accounts and anecdotes is surprisingly complete to get his point across, namely, that the post-natural civilized world we live in today has forgotten something of great importance. The narrative is divinely inspired.

Grandma once said, "I don't know how you boys are doing it, but you are bringing back ways that were lost--ways that I only heard about as a child." This book tells about ways that were lost, be they the making of little clay Indians and buffalo that the medicine man then animates to run around the lodge, or fantastic healings, this book is an in-depth look into what our ancestors use to be able to do. Tons of examples and references are included in typical Deloria fashion.

This book is not an instruction manual, but Deloria does offer his understanding as to how these things were done, calling upon his research into quantum physics to back him up. Reading this book will offer insight into some of those things that the boys are bringing back much to Grandma's delight.

This book is a compilation of the accounts of disinterested and often hostile observers of the amazing and often inexplicable workings of Native American medicine men and shamans. Most of the stories are drawn from 19th century books, while some predate that era.

Vine Deloria Jr., a wise and intriguing writer whose recent passing is a great loss, categorizes these accounts and discusses their credibility, based on the perspectives of the correspondents, and his own common sense and analytical ability. The stories range from the simple doing of medicine to heal sick and wounded people, whether Native or not, self-healing, protection from attackers, summoning of storms and rain, manifesting the growth of plants before one's eyes, communicating with spirits through animals and even stones, prophecy and clairvoyance, and general mystical topics including manifestation of the spirits of the dead, and accounts of the afterlife.

This book also has a good set of end notes for further study of these anecdotes, and a good bibliography. Deloria places the medicine man and shaman traditions in the context of wider spirituality and quantum physics.

Any serious student of spirituality and mysticism should become acquainted with the powerful Native American traditions, which were, and in many places still are, practiced all over North America. These stories compare favorably with the stories of yogis in India, and occidental accounts of ancient and medieval Europe, not to mention classical Greece, with the Delphic tradition.

Anyone with an iota of knowledge about Vine Deloria Jr.'s scholarly background could accuse him of being a sentimental crack pot fallen prey to tall tales and rural legends. Finally someone who is not afraid to be taken for such has written about paranormal encounters with powers that actually exist beyond special effects studios. However, those who like to imagine that only THEIR cultural/ethnic group has been chosen will find it disconcerting that Native Americans have had an on-going relationship with God and spiritual forces for thousands of years. This is an unapologetic as well as unsensationalized account of personal experiences with the real powers of the world.

The Delorme atlases/gazetteers are valuable references especially if you are traveling the back roads. Compared to a regular road map, there is much more detail to find your way just about anywhere in the atlas coverage area. If you need a lot of detail, you can then purchase topographic maps. Special features are also noted. Get one of these for any state where you plan to explore off the beaten trail. I already have atlases for five states, and the collection will surely grow in coming years.

DeLorme has done it again! Stellar mapping and attention to detail make this a grand publication. Two thumbs up!

This was very well made, for an atlas. The format and legend was easy to understand, and it certainly helped my not so great navigational skills.

This atlas is a great book to have on hand while driving through Wyoming, especially via the backroads. It's a must-have for any traveler and resident.

I already had a couple of trips to Yosemite under my belt before buying this book in anticipation of a third, but I still found it very useful. Much of the information you will want at hand before and during your trip is conveniently compiled in this book, and it is presented in a charming and amusing way. (Bruinhilda, your host, is a cartoon bear.) History, hiking, flora, fauna, lodging, feeding, even five pages of telephone numbers you may need, are all there. The price of this book will be a pittance compared to the total cost of your trip to Yosemite, and it will help you to get the most out of your visit. I particularly recommend this book to people who aren't planning a trip to Yosemite-maybe it will encourage you to go (and to respect and care for the park when you do)!

This book may be better than Steve Medley's "Guidebook to Yosemite National Park" because of its question and answer format. The cartoons are excellent, especially if you're a fan of "Farley" as I am...it's very easy to read and information is easily accessible, also it's about as up-to-date as you can possibly get. My husband and I were married in Yosemite in September of '98, and sent this book around to the invitees who had never been to our beautiful park. The book got rave reviews from all.

I would recommend this book, along with the Jeffrey P. Schaffer book "Yosemite National Park" (which I would also give 5 stars) as "Must-haves" when visiting Yosemite. The "Yosemite Handbook" is especially good for people who are bringing children, and plan to spend the majority of their time in the Valley...can't say enough good things about this book!

The way the books of this series work is that they took a guide for new rangers in Yosemite with the 100 or so most frequently asked questions, and wrote their own answers for each park. It's a great format because it makes for easy reading beforehand, but it's also quick as a reference when you're there because they're arranged in an intelligent order. There's also a huge reference section at the end with lists, copies of permit forms, and so forth. So the thing to do is read the FAQ before you leave but bring the book and refer to it once you're there.

I've been to Yosemite four or five times since I've purchased this book, and still find it useful. Partially this is because if you go in different seasons there are different things to see, and sometimes you just want a pizza and that's in there too (Camp Curry has good pizza, if anybody's curious).

This is THE A-Z Yosemite guild, with info ranging from how long it takes to get there to what restaurants will best suit your needs and not to say, your price bracket. This guide will interest the most unenthusiastic of readers. It gives you a very lighthearted look at camping (the way it was intended to be) and detailed insider information of Yosemite with a side of humor narriated by an animated bear. The animation makes it all the more enjoyable, as it pokes fun of the stereotypical tourist and his civilized quirks. The guide uses a helpful Q&A format. It also provides an informative hiking graph of strenuosity and milage along with a graph of campgrounds and their amenities. I consider it the Yosemite bible of sorts and a must have for first time visitors!

This book is filled with information about African-Americans and their accomplishments that every person should know. Do you know which U.S. President established the Office of Minority Affairs? Who was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D.? What state east of the Mississippi was the first to give African-American women the right to vote, in 1913? These are just some of the questions you'll find in this volume. I especially liked having each set of answers on the same page as the questions. The author also includes a helpful bibliography for further study. Highly Recommended.

A BOOK SUCH AS This One is very important.it's ashame the way History is Taught at Many Schools especially when it comes To Black History Month? a Book Such as this Reflects Strong Contributions by Many NEGROES.it's a Must.Very Informative.

Outstanding in the way it is put together. Must reading in general for all African-Americans and specifically younger African-Americans. Excellent job, way to go!!

I agree with the other reviews: these ACCESS guides are by far the best for cities, and I am really sorry there isn't one more recent than 1999 for Santa Fe. I bought more recent guides for Santa Fe - ehh. The others are very limited in the scope of information.

I buy and Access guide for any city which I am about to visit. I have found their reviews to be topnotch.

I wish they would publish and updated guide to Santa Fe!

I always find the ACCESS Guides to be the best travel guides overall, and look for them whenever I am about to travel to a new location. So far, I have used their guides to Alb/SantaFe/Taos, Seattle, Montreal/Quebec City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Hawaii, San Diego, and London.

I like their format - they are organized by neighborhoods, so you don't have to seach around through the book all day; and they have an empasis on restaurants and shopping, which I find the other guides don't give enough info on and which are my FAVORITE activities when travelling. Also their print is large, clear, and color coded, which also makes it easy to find what you want (restaurants in one color, shopping in another, tourist sites in another).

It's the best guide to carry around each day while travelling.

I was pretty familiar with the history of this subject, but was more interested in the archeological finds. For instance, in the world of shooting today the 50-70 is all but forgotten yet there were more 50-70 cases and cartridges found than any other caliber. The thing about some of the long shots the hunters made during the siege is that the authors point out that the hunters had no doubt tested their prowess at different targets at different distances, so had probably already "marked" many of the shots and distances. Good reference for anyone studying the battle, I am going to the site this summer, and read this as a preface...Ivery

Best book on the Adobe Walls battle available. Covers every aspect from the structures, to the archaeology, people (both anglos and native american), the battle, the occupations, etc. Great info on the archaeology, including ammunition, guns, dinnerware (plates etc), blacksmithing,etc. I learned much about the battle, the times, the people, the construction of the trading post, who, why, when, how.
Highest recommendation!

This is one of the best books on Adobe Walls, ( the other being the life of Billy Dixon). It takes you all the way through, from start to finish. The last half of the book is about the archeology that was done in the 70's. It gives a real insite into the hide hunters and store keepers lives during the six month's at the Walls.

Beth Dugger finds the roads less traveled in this popular New England state. The book is broken down into six regions: White Mountains, the Lakes Region, Dartmouth and Lake Sunapee, the Monadnock Region, Merrimack Valley and the Coastal Region, each offering full details on fun things to do. Hiking, fishing, skiing and canoeing are but a few of the activities covered, with the best outfitters listed for each, along with contact numbers. Dugger says, "This book is for people who see themselves doing things, not just going places."

The New Hampshire Adventure Guide also explores the best dining options (usually off the beaten track), including small town bakeries where the steaming hot bread is to die for! Lodging choices are also profiled. 40 detailed maps plus photos throughout

"... an excellent and comprehensive guide to adventure.... The book is logically organized and well indexed, and directions and maps are clear and easy to follow. Highly recommended."

"Dugger gives interesting factoids, tells what equipment you'll need, and is clear on the difficulty of each adventure. She shares the most romantic hike to Dome Rock and also reviews what to do in cities and towns." Chicago Daily Herald

Vermont has many attractions, no matter what season. Visit during the flowery summers, or in the spring when blooms are just showing their heads. Venture here in autumn when the mountains are bathed in color, or in winter when ice and snow create a winter wonderland. Whenever you visit, be sure to have this book in hand.

From cycling on backroads and hiking along ridgetops to swimming in tranquil lakes and skiing on powdery snow, Beth Dugger introduces you to the many adventures of Vermont. Recommended accommodations include family-run B&Bs, secluded log cabins and five-star resorts. Selected restaurants cover everything from roadside BBQs to intimate dining rooms to picnic suppliers.

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

"The leading guide for information and activities... knowledgeable in its details." Library Booknotes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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