Napoleon came to power in France and proceeded to conquer much of Europe. Suddenly, France, the traditional ally of the Russian Empire was an enemy. Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 but was defeated. Alexander then played a major role in the restoration of Europe following the Napoleonic Wars. Meanwhile, reform was postponed.

Troyat has a lively writing style that holds the interests of the reader all way to the end of the book.

The book begins with photographs of the Community of True Inspiration, the religion of the original Amana settlers, their churches and religious followers. The next section is "The Communal Legacy" with villagers, villages and artifacts left over from the days when the colonists followed a system of religious communal life. In 1932 they voted The Great Change to a free enterprise system with a corporation owning the 26,000 acres, mills and various businesses. The people could now own their own homes. A photograph taken in 1982 shows "Those Who Knew the Communal Way," The elderly fifty years after The Great Change. A final section titled "The Winds of Change" shows the traditions of Germany as celebrated in the Maifest and an Oktoberfest. The Amana Heritage Society documents its historic past in several museums. Over 100 black- and- white images are in the book.

The color section, "The Beautiful Amanas, The Amanas in Bloom," has 13 photographs, ending with two views of the Native American Fish Dam on the Iowa river prior to the destruction of the dam in the floods of 1993.

A Foreword by Lanny Haldy, Executive Director of the Amana Heritage Society, and a Preface by Abigail Foerstner, photography critic, contribute to an understanding of the community and the photographs.

In her introduction, Joan writes, "the spirit of love and friendship, religious faith, and traditions continues today even through the vast winds of change in the Colonies and America.

An exhibition of the photographs complements the book.

The photograph at the end of the book conveys the spirit and sincerity imbued by this heritage. Children are pictured walking in the Schulwald (school woods, so named because the trees were planted by school pupils) pine forest. "The trees became tall and erect, and they whispered in the wind, and walking beneath their lacy boughs became one of the soft delights of communal Amana." The trees of the Schulwald were felled for lumber, at the request of the United States Government during World War II, but the visual impressions and historic testimony of a people's heritage are preserved in The Amanas Yesterday.

Today, the Amana Colonies are Iowa's largest tourist attraction with more than a million visitors annually. Visitors find a heritage preserved in the museums, former communal kitchens and living quarters, furniture factories, woolen mill, family-style restaurants, unique stores and shops, traditional meat processing plants and bakeries, wineries, industriously farmed land and a major industry in the nationally successful Amana Refrigeration Plant.

This book was selected as the textbook for our GREAT CHEFs Class ... a cooking class for k-5 students. All the recipes in the book have been 'kid tested', and the illustrations and instructions make it easy to follow for kids of all ages. There are several categories of foods, such as soups, salads, breads and desserts. You know the recipes are healthy because the book is presented by the American Heart Association.

In addition to the great recipes, there are several sections of this cookbook devoted to all aspects of cooking ... a glossary of cooking terms, shopping tips, how to plan menus, nutrition and tips on setting the table.

This hardbound book makes a wonderful addition to any kitchen, and would be an excellent start for that GREAT CHEF in your family.