Merrill D. PetersonÕs Adams and Jefferson: A Revolutionary Dialogue is a well-documented study of how two men of differing characters and political views met and became life-long friends. Drawing heavily on the Adams-Jefferson letters and other primary sources, Peterson does a satisfactory job of explaining why these two men became friends and traced the very course of their friendship. In reading this book, I have learned that even though political events like the Election of 1800 and the French Revolution can overwhelm and destroy a friendship, a faithful friend can act as a go-between and help repair a friendship.

This book is a brilliant account of the fascinating relationship between two of the most brilliant minds in American history. It is a highly enjoyable read, and a welcome companion to the "The Adams-Jefferson Letters."

This is a good mystery and not bad romance either. The settings are interesting and she makes the less important characters seems as real as the main ones. I'd recommend reading this one!

When I started this book, I wasn't expecting the romance between Porter and Elaine to be quite so hot. After all, it's a murder mystery. But not only is the romance a sizzler, the mystery really kept my attention and kept me guessing. I'm guessing Leslie Adams knows the country club set fairly well, because the realism in the scenes was great. Not only that, but the convoluted relationships among the characters was exactly how life seems to be among the southern upper class! The ending was definitely not what I expected, but I hope the "debutante detective" has a lot more stories to tell, because this one left me waiting impatiently for the next book ... in all WOW!

This is an excellent resource book for those seeking to learn more about alternative construction methods and materials. It introduces the reader to straw bale, cob, light straw clay (a marvelous material), rammed earth and many other ecologically appropriate materials. It doesn't provide enough detail to help you build with these materials but it will help you choose which might be good for you and guides you to some of the key people and resources. The chapter on natural conditioning of houses is outstanding and provides performance estimates for a variety of building materials in cities as diverse as Denver and El Centro.

david bainbridge is one of the authors of the Straw Bale House and a pioneer in passive solar heating and cooling.

A good informativeand worth to keep in your personal library

Although I completely agree with the previous review, I would like to emphasize how well this book is written. This book is part of Twayne's Evolution of American Business Series and, as such, does not hide raw data from the reader. However, one can easily ignore the tables and skip a few paragraphs in each chapter and still feel very satisfied with the book.

I orginially purchased the book to learn the history of the Walt Disney World Resort. What I gained was a thorough review of the amusement park history from the 12th century Bartholomew Fair to Universal Studios Florida in 1990 (the book was published in 1991). From trolley parks to Coney Island, from Disneyland to Cedar Point, Ms. Adams covers all the bases.

A wonderful book!

This is a wonderfully researched, thoughtful treatise on the amusement park industry. It is not for those who want a pictorial history, or a romp with colorful characters like George Tilyou. Tilyou is here, but he is surrounded by demographic charts showing the age breakdown of the New York City population during Coney Island's history. There is a great deal of financial information, as well, such as consumer spending on 23 recreational products or services for the years 1909-1923. You get the idea--it is an academic book (but there are some photos, mainly historical).

But as such, it's awesome. There is probably no other book like it. Many academic books are not only dry, they are poorly written, but this one is neither. Here is a sample (since this is the first review and there is little here about the book):

"The major historian of the amusement industry, William F. Mangels, author of "The Outdoor Amusement Industry from Earliest Times to the Present" (1952) was himself a carousel manufacturer. In 1907 Mangels patented a device that imparted an improved, smooth, galloping motion to the horses and in time became common on all carousels. He and his carver, Marcus Charles Illions, produced finely carved carousels, including the Feltman merry-go-round at Coney Island. This man, who in 1912 also created the first wave machine for the swimming pool at Palisades Park, New Jersey, preserved the heritage of the amusement industry in America by organizing and developing the American Museum of Public Recreation."

For the same reason, here is the Table of Contents:

1. The Origins 2. The Form Emerges 3. Coney Island and the Enclosed Park 4. From Trolley to Automobile 5. The Disney Transformation 6. Theme Parks 7. Walt Disney World Resort 8. Overview and Postscript

A: Some Parks That Established the Traditional, Pre-Disneyland Culture B: Industry Associations and Publications Chronology Notes and References Selected Bibliography

Index

As Mark Twain once said, "If you enjoy this sort of thing, this is just the sort of thing you'll enjoy." I found the book's precision and well-supported opinions very entertaining. Perhaps you will, too.

...and Christina Adam has met that challenge quite handily. I have never read anything by this author before, but after enjoying ANY SMALL THING CAN SAVE YOU as much as I did, I'll certainly keep my eyes open for more of her work.

Not a novel at all -- the book is subtitled 'a bestiary' -- the vignettes presented here are nonetheless related in various ways. A couple involve the same characters -- given away by their names -- and others might as well, although this is really unimportant in the scheme of things. All of these pieces depict poignant, memorable moments in the lives of the people involved -- some might even be described as epiphanies. All of the selections are relatively short -- making this a book that's easy to read in short bursts, in several settings, without losing any of its impact. In fact, in retrospect, I think I probably got more out of it reading it that way than if I had burned through it in a single sitting -- taking my time allowed me to reflect on each of the pieces, making my reading experience much more rewarding.

True to the subtitle, each of the entries involves an animal -- usually interacting with the people involved, though sometimes more in the background. Adam's choice of this form for her book is a curious one -- but one that she has embraced and embodied with a great deal of life and meaning. As another reviewer below noted, she definitely set a challenge for herself in writing this book in this style -- it'll be interesting to see where she sets the bar for her next lengthy work.

From its wonderful title to its powerful final story, this collection defies the very limitations the writer has imposed on herself. Ostensibly there is a gimmick at work here: each story includes (and is usually titled with) an animal that begins with a different letter of the alphabet. In the hands of another writer this device might force a writer to include weaker stories in the name of the "fulfilling the assignment," but Ms. Adam's has such a gift for language and scene, for finding the precise moments when two people connect or don't connect, that one actually forgets the original conceit. It's only when you come back to it after reading most or all of the book--when you think about all the ways the animals and humans have been circling around each other--that you really appreciate what a triumph this collection represents. I eagerly await this writer's next work.

This is by far the best book in print today. Of course, I am a guy with no drive or ambition and I tend to do alot ...of nothing also. However, Goldfeder does an absolutely superb job of talking about all the things we've thought of as men, (or slobs, whatever we are called) but never really said outloud. I, personally, worked at a book warehouse and I got the book for free.... And I decided to get online and do the review just to let the other guys out there know how cool this thing really is. You will love it, I promise....

Matt Goldfeder has produced a masterpiece with his frank portrayal of the American male. It is a page turning comedy, with some very useful information to takeaway as well. I especially liked the openness with which he was willing to discuss the broad variety of topics. This is a book that belongs in the library of males from 18 to 65. We look forward to the encore performance of Mr. Goldfeder.

The Wild Thornberrys by Adam Beechen

The part that I like was the animals. I like the beavers the most. I also liked the adventures and characters. The characters are
Eliza, Debby, Donny, Maryanne/Mom, and Nigil/Dad. This is a really long book and movie. It teaches you a lot about animals. This is a really good book. You should read it

I love this book's happy ending. Through a clever plot featuring some adorable beavers, Eliza and the reader discover together how important family is, and how Valentine's Day can extend to include children as well as parents. The poem at the end would warm any woman's heart!

after purchasing Ron Adams previous book 100 years of semi trucks
I was confident this latest offering would be a worthy addition to my, or any ardent truck enthusiasts book collection.
I was not dissapointed!
If you are familiar with Rons previous work you will enjoy the many photos,and good quality ones at that,included in Big Rigs of the 1950's accompanied with his usual short but interesting
brief history and comments.
Big Rigs covers all main manufacturers as well as a few lesser known brand documented in mostly black and white shots, but theres enough color plates (approx 73) to bighten up the book.
All photos are of a good size.
If you are an avid truck photographer or enthusiast of either new
or older trucking history ,in this case American, you will
appreciate this book.

after purchasing Ron Adams previous book 100 years of semi trucks
I was confident this latest offering would be a worthy addition to my, or any ardent truck enthusiasts book collection.
I was not dissapointed!
If you are familiar with Rons previous work you will enjoy the many photos,and good quality ones at that,included in Big Rigs of the 1950's accompanied with his usual short but interesting
brief history and comments.
Big Rigs covers all main manufacturers as well as a few lesser known brand documented in mostly black and white shots, but theres enough color plates (approx 73) to bighten up the book.
All photos are of a good size.
If you are an avid truck photographer or enthusiast of either new
or older trucking history ,in this case American, you will
appreciate this book.

This book is very engaging and thought provoking. I'm sure the apologists for bigness dislike this book a great deal. Unlike most business and economics texts this book is chock full of references. The apologists for bigness have nice sounding philosophies but they rarely have any real world data to back up their grand ideas. The authors of this book have the facts to back up their argument that bigness, in and of itself, is bad. A very persuasive argument that will be difficult to counter in a rational manner.

This was an excellent and thought provoking book. They challenge the assumption that big is better by showing fact after fact after fact that proves otherwise. The best part of the book is that, unlike most management, business, and economic texts, it isn't just theoretical philosophizing with no basis in reality. Every chapter is laden with dozens of references to real world events and published facts. If only the Bigness apologists had so much evidence it would be easier to take them seriously....

No punches pulled - this is the story of the men behind the men, and how badly they all performed. A very enjoyable read, entertaining, and informative. Short chapters make it (and I say this reluctantly because it's such a good book) a great bathroom reader. HIGHLY recommended.

Bland Ambition is an uproariously funny, highly irreverent look at the Vice-Presidents of the United States. The author covers every man who has ever served as "Veep" (ending with Dan Quayle), exposing every foible and gaff. I would not recommend this work as a textbook, but it does make an interesting introduction to the men who are completely invisible in most history books.