Races Books

This small-format lavishly-illustrated book accomplishes everything it attempts. The posters are reproduced nicely, although in postcard size. To readers with questions about the actual canine work of a race, this book explains quite a lot. Siberian huskies are the stars of "the last great race," and there are many modern-day improvements to their lot - food-warmers, airlifted straw drops (for their sleeping comfort) and more. The Van Zyles' dogs are varied and gorgeous. Jon Van Zyle is a handsome bearded man who appears - with great success - in some of the posters. Jona Van Zyle offers a wealth of information. The drawings are romantic and even heroic - without being kitschy. For example, the piercing blue eyes of a Siberian husky are actually hauntingly beautiful in real life - and a Van Zyle painting might confirms that. A great look at beautiful, hardworking dogs by two people who love them.

Jon Van Zyle's Iditarod Memories, Alaskan artist Jon Van Zyle has captured the twenty-five years of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race year by year with his commemorative posters celebrating the triumph, heroes, historic tales, and spirit of this classic dog sledding event. With true-life Iditarod stories by Jona Van Zyle, this 64-page book is a fitting memorial testament and celebration of human and canine endurance, courage, perseverance, and accomplishment, as well as "must" reading for anyone who has ever thrilled to an Iditarod event.

This book is amazing. It chronicles a family's amazing experiences with an Extraterrestrial Intelligence that has come to Earth to help humanity take it's first steps into a much broader existence.

You will travel along with them as they come to terms with this astonishing experience. The sincerety of this story can be felt in every page, and will help you to understand not only the ET situation, but yourself, and our purpose here as well.

This is a must buy!

I have read much about the UFO/Alien subject, but, this was the very first journaled accounting of almost daily events, that I have ever read. It all started when the author, and her family, first met the aliens, to getting to know the aliens, and all of the emotions, fears, and excitement that followed. The "journal" helps to bring a profound awareness, and answers some of the many questions, as to the intentions of our visiting friends. Highly recommended.

Journeys Across The Rainbow: Inspirational Stories For The Human Race is a collection of nearly eighty uplifting short stories, contributed from around the world. The stories especially focus upon the core themes of coming out of the closet on the matter of one's sexuality; addiction and recovery; spirituality; business; love; HIV and AIDS; and rising above the turbulence life throws at one. Contributors of particular note include Sgt. Mitchell Grobeson, the first openly gay police officer in the L.A.P.D., and Dan Jinks, producer of the film American Beauty. Powerful, stimulating, and openly candid, Journeys Across The Rainbow is an assembly of vignettes to be remembered.

The book is a collection of short stories dealing with issues ranging from battling addiction, learning about our spiritual selves, coming out to friends and family, dealing with HIV/AIDS, and learning to accept people for who they are. I was truly touched as I read story after story about people from all walks of life who overcame adversity and learned more about who they are, and why we are all precious. The book has a mixture of gay and non-gay themes, and is something that anyone will enjoy reading regardless of their sexual orientation. I found it a comfort to read a story or two before going to bed. The stories made me feel so good and I slept so well as a result. I think it is a book that is long overdue. I can't wait for the next one!

At last there's a book that celebrates the great variety of beautiful Judaica being hand crafted today in America. The pictures are great, showing a wonderful variety of objects, styles and materials. The text is delightful reading as it profiles scores of fascinating artists. And the intro and glossary are an education in modern Jewish art history and ritual ceremonies.

I purchased this book as a gift for a friend who is herself a Judaic Artisan. The book includes stunning Judaica in many mediums. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book, especially for anyone who is working in Judaica art of any kind.

Kara Walker's Art currently exhibited at the UCLA Hammer Museum is so powerful I often think about the Art exhibit during my day it has become my companion,a stimulating and welcomed friend I recommed this book and urge all within a hundred miles of Los Angeles to visit the Hammer before June 8,2008

Kara Walker is the artist who has something to say in every medium. First I have viewed her sensational installations which include her trademark silouhettes which remind me of huge versions of cameos from time gone by. Second her messages are loud clear with a poetic flow . She translates her ideas about abused women,slavery,possession and if possible redemption into paper cut outs which can fill a room along with paintings drawings film and text. Her book ebodies the foundation of these images. I highly recommend it.

Carol has been able to carry forward the delightful style of the "Kids Running" web-site into this equally delightful book. With so many pictures of kids (and their ever-present pet dogs) enjoying the many running activities, and with so many cute rhymes about running and healthy eating, it's hard to imagine any child NOT getting caught up in the fun and excitement!

As "Professor Shoelace", I was also pleased to see that Carol promotes the virtues of good fitting running shoes or sneakers, securely tied with shoelaces. This comes by way of advice on the very first page of the book, as well as by example in the countless pictures of kids wearing colorful running shoes, all neatly tied with colorful shoelaces.

Carol Goodrow breaks through the finish line with a gold medal finish again!

Recommended for grades 1 to 6, this 82-page gem has content stimulating enough for adult readers, yet colorful, clever and charming enough to read to toddlers.

The information is rock-solid, perfect for a lifelong foundation in health.

This book is a cheerful antedote to wearisome complaints of youth with too much screen time and too little nutritious food. It is not preachy, and has enough informative tidbits and silly riddles to keep readers returning again and again.

Librarians, teachers, parents and grandparents will want to get this mighty treasure.

What do Rosa Parks, Mary McLeod Bethune and Shirley Chisholm all have in common? They're three of the ten extraordinary African American freedom fighters in Andrea Davis Pinkney's marvelous collection, Let It Shine. These are strong women who didn't just sit back and accept the status quo, but met challenges head on and took action to change the world and make it a better place. These ten dynamic women were never silent, even when they thought no one was listening, faced discrimination, inequality and racism, triumphed in their battles against oppression and for civil rights and inspired those who followed in their footsteps. Told in easy to read, conversational style, each chapter is rich in both anecdotal and historical detail and accompanied by Stephen Alcorn's beautiful and bold oil painting illustrations. Perfect for youngsters 10 and older, Let It Shine also makes a wonderful read-aloud book the entire family can share and enjoy.

"Let It Shine: The Stories of Ten Black Women Freedom Fighters" is an amazing, entertaining, and educational journey back through time for both children and adults alike. The stories accurately depict the changing face of America for all people. The author, Andrea Davis Pinkney, uses a combination of oral stories and historical facts to re-create the lives of ten African American women "freedom fighters" (a.k.a. civil rights activists.) The descriptive language Pinkney uses keeps the style of the text upbeat and enjoyable. Among the list of women are Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks. However, there is also a presence of many unknown women, such as Shirley Chisholm, an inspirational politician, and Biddy Mason, a one-time slave with never ending generosity. The stories are quite diverse, spanning a history of nearly the entire 20th century. Some of these historical references include the signing of the emancipation proclamation, the peaceful demonstrations of the civil rights movement, and the Democratic Convention of 1968. There is one common, underlying goal of each story- inspiration. From Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad to Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat, there is a sublte undertone that promotes and requires action. These women learned that justice comes from not only speaking, but doing. Their stories and successes encourage people of all ages to get up and fight against inequality. The combination of descriptive oral stories and historical facts, along with the colorful illustrations, keep readers of any age interested in this text.

I read this book in two days, and it was most enjoyable. It was wonderfully written, bringing both Eastern North Carolina and a romantic love story together. You will be delighted when you read it, though be prepared to not be able to put it down.

This is such a beautiful love story. But more than that, it gives hope--hope that even in the middle of personal trials, love heals.

Book 194 title in the Osprey "Campaign" series.

This is a fine, slick history of days following the breakout from Normandy in July 1944. We find the Allies racing across France with orders to ignore Paris. Charles de Gaulle, French political pressure and a popular Paris uprising persuaded the Allied commanders to liberate the French capitol. This then is the story of Patton's Third Army advance toward Paris. The Free French armored division joins with resistance forces to liberate Paris on August 24, 1944. Retaking the French capitol generally undamaged was a moral boosting victory for Charles de Gaulle and the French people. American troops were saved from the inevitability of taking Paris street by street.

This writing sparkles. The artwork is dynamic. The maps and battle scenes put the reader in the battle.

I am new to the Campaign series, but if "Liberation of Paris, 1944" sets the standard, I'm ready for Campaign #195, what ever the title.

Richard N. Larsen
Reviewer

Although the 1944 Normandy Campaign is now covered in great detail by both popular and scholarly histories, the immediate payoff of Allied success there - the liberation of Paris and the rout of the Wehrmacht across central France is surprisingly obscure to English-speaking audiences. As author Steven J Zaloga notes, there have been very few specialized studies on the liberation of the French capital and most readers with any interest in the subject have relied on the 43-year old popular account, Is Paris Burning? Finally, with Liberation of Paris 1944: Patton's Race for the Seine, readers can now turn to an insightful, well-researched account that provides a wealth of military data from both sides on this poignant moment in the Second World War. As the author notes, the heavy Allied losses at Omaha Beach and in the hedgerows of Normandy - often viewed in isolation - seemed worth the price to the GIs marching down the Champs Elysees to a cheering French audience just two months later (which was well ahead of the expected time to reach the Seine in pre-D-Day planning). This is a graphically-appealing, well-researched volume written by a military historian who knows how to deliver a coherent, but detailed campaign narrative.

The author begins with a tight, focused introduction that sketches out the strategic situation in August 1944 without getting distracted. Other introductory sections cover Opposing Commanders (von Kluge, von Choltitz, de Gaulle, Leclerc, Gerow), Opposing Plans and Opposing Forces. As the author notes, Allied forces arrived in the vicinity of Paris just as the Wehrmacht was disintegrating in central France and the new German commander, von Choltitz, was never able to form a coherent defense of the city. Allied planners had originally intended to bypass the city in order to avoid having to feed 4 million hungry civilians, but the author credits de Gaulle's insistence and Eisenhower's flexibility with a reversal of Allied strategy and the decision to advance directly upon Paris. These sections are particularly useful for readers trying to gain a sense for events immediately preceding liberation, as well as for the weakness of French resistance forces inside Paris (only 600 armed FFI fighters).

The 53-page campaign narrative itself begins with Patton's race to the Seine River on 15 August and concludes with the US military parade in Paris on 29 August - a rather eventful two week period. Zaloga covers the myriad of regimental and division-size engagements leading up to the liberation, as the Germans desperately tried to slow the Allied advance with a hodgepodge of rear area security and flak units. Once the uprising broke out in the city - due to German efforts to disarm the unreliable Parisian police - von Choltitz lacked even the forces to maintain order within the city, never mind hold off Patton's army. Eventually, von Choltitz surrendered his 20,000 troops - a rather large haul often overlooked - and de Gaulle arrived to re-establish the French Government. In addition to military details, the author succeeds in laying out the political dynamics in play during this protean event, which is essential to understanding its significance.

Liberation of Paris 1944 includes six 2-D maps (the strategic situation, August 16, 1944; the Battle for Chartres, August 15-18, 1944; The US Army approaches Paris: August 19-24, 1944; Paris Uprising, August 19-24, 1944; the advance on Paris, August 23-24, 1944; V Corps Storms Paris, August 24, 1944) and three 3-D BEV maps (the Seine Bridgehead at Mantes, August 19-23, 1944; Race for the Seine south of Paris, August 21-25, 1944). These maps are very high quality and pack a great deal of information which is not easily available elsewhere. The three battle scenes by Howard Gerrard (Fw-190 rocket attack on the Seine Bridgehead, 22 August 1944; German attack on the Police Prefecture, August 19, 1944; Sherman tanks advancing on the Rue de Rivoli, August 24, 1944) are superb. In addition, the author provides a well-stocked bibliography with sources ranging from the US Army Foreign Military Studies, US Army official studies and secondary sources in English, French and German. It is apparent from the start that the author has researched this subject thoroughly and provides the best material available to the reader.

A "must have", if you will, to those who are intrested in the history of the Black Panthers. The articles written by several authors covers the whole range of things associated with the Panthers and provides insights and information that make this book essential to your education.

You can really gain a lot of factual/historical background and intellectual insight into the Black Panthers from this collection of essays. Really a great resource for anyone who cares about the movement, is interested in the reality of what we broadly call the "civil rights movement" and the era in which the Panthers evolved, anyone interested in the complex struggles of a radical group, anyone interested in government surveillance and covert attacks, etc. Well, lots of stuff to get you thinking.

Most recommended for the reader with some background in the Panthers and the historical context in general, but approachable without a lot of specialized knowledge.