This is one of the best books I have ever read. Great history about cops and immigrants.

A friend got this book for my dad two Christmas's ago. He read it cover-to-cover, which he never reads a book like that!! His extreme interest peaked my interest, so I had to read it. Some parts are pretty graphic, may bring a tear to your eye. Particularly of high interest to coal miner's families, esp in Pennsylvania.....much sadness throughout the book. A good read. I'm not usually one to read this kind of stuff, but it is now on my nightstand, I read it a lot, almost done wit the book. Historical.

Great history of the Pa State Police. Easy reading. Also good
Review of unions and strikes. This book is worth every penny!

Something very strange is going on in Crooked Tree State Forest in the state of Michigan. Several people are savagely attacked and killed by black bears. The Ottawa Indians suspect that an ancient legend has come to pass where the spirit of Shawonabe, an evil man has taken over the mind and body of a living person and is inciting the bears to murder. Shawonabe called "the evil one from the south," is buried somewhere in Crooked Tree State Forest, and the legend is referred to as "the bearwalk."...

This is a story that kept me reading late into the night. I also learned that pound for pound, the black bear is the strongest animal alive.

I ...would love to see this story made into a movie!

A MUST READ for any horror story, outdoor or Native American aficionado. "Crooked Tree" evokes an old Ottawa Indian legend as it explores the strange and increasingly violent behavior of some large furry woodland denizens. An evil spirit is threatening the balance of nature and the lives of local residents, and it's growing in power. Soon, it's affecting more than just the bears...

For a book set in the woods of Northern Michigan, "Crooked Tree" keeps a remarkably fast pace. And despite the pace, the character development doesn't suffer.

The book is superbly timed and is as scary as any Steven King novel I've ever read (and that includes Carrie, The Shining, Cujo and Christine). I join the ranks of Amazon.com reviewers calling for a movie adaptation. This would put any recent "horror" film to shame, and they wouldn't have to go hog-wild on the special effects budget. In fact, to any movie execs reading this and considering a screenplay (fat chance): I beg of you, please don't! If I have to watch another movie like "The Haunting" I may just poke my eyes out.

And speaking of eyes, you'll be doing double takes with people and pets for quite some time after you read this... just to be sure...

The book should also appeal to any Michiganders with ties to the North Woods or hunters in general. Readers interested in more background on the legend of the Crooked Tree should check out the book of the same name by John Couchois Wright that describes the history and legends of Michigan's Little Traverse Bay region and the Ottawa Indians.

- Reviewed by Todd V.

I read this probably 25 years ago and could not put it down. One of our sons read it and gave it to another son who could not finish it as it was just too scary for him at the age of 19 or 20. He lost it and we have been trying to find another copy for years. It was so vivid you could live it as you read. The bear breathing down your neck and the indian references were all too, too real! Not a book for someone who scares easily.

I agree with the earlier reviews but I'd like to provide some details about this book's strengths.
First, Payne places the people who made the Mississippi movement at the center the story. He tells the story of both the original local leaders who made it possible for the civil rights movement to happen in Mississippi and the activists who followed their lead in the 1960s.
Second, he extends the time span of the civil rights movement, showing that it would not have been possible without the "organizing tradition" referred to in the subtitle. Payne expertly traces the relationships and linkages between different generations of heroic troublemakers in Mississippi.
Third, he shows that the original radicals, and I mean those who wanted to change Mississippi from its roots, were those who had already challenged the system to achieve personal gain. "Bourgeois" blacks in Mississippi weren't uniformly complacent or fearful. Wisely, Payne does not use this fact to justify any notion of a "talented tenth" that ought to lead the masses.
Fourth, the chapter on Ella Baker is a stunning and riveting account of one heroic troublemaker who didn't receive enough recognition for her efforts.
Fifth, when Payne writes about what we typically consider the civil rights movement, he places you in the midst of the activists and makes you feel their exhileration, exhaustion, frustration, fear, and courage. Scholarly books never have this quality. At the same time, he does this in a historical context and with a critical eye which absolutely illuminate the raw material in a way that first-person and journalistic treatments rarely approach.
For these reasons, and many more, this is clearly the best of many excellent books on the civil rights movement. Some could fault Payne for placing less emphasis on the national and institutional dimensions of the freedom struggle. But, in the case of the black American struggle for freedom, Payne shows us the story begins with, and is carried by, people who tried to change their communities, not their nation.

As a history major, I have various interests. One of my favorite things to study is the civil rights movement. Of all the books that I have seen, few match the caliber of this book. It takes the state of Mississippi (which may be the book's greatest irony)and shows how powerful a grassroots movement such as the civil rights movement can be with the proper forms of leadership. I urge anyone who is interested in learning about the civil rights movement should start with this book!

Two years ago the author taught a short course at my college on the Mississippi civil rights movemement. He used this book, and I've been recommending it to people ever since. His style and content are both amazing, and I feel really lucky to have had an opportunity to read this book in a course structured around it. _I've Got the Light of Freedom_ offers a new perspective on the way history is taught and remembered. Organizing and people's history are emphasized in what happens to be one of the best movement books out there. It's everything scholarly writing should be. Kudos to Charles Payne.

great book. very easy to understand. the only book you should own.

Thanks, Amazon!

This is one of the most resoursefull bibles ever found. Also Bonded Black Leather, easy read and reference! A great gift to anyone who like to research the bible for studies or personal growth!

If you are a lover of great literature of any kind - pick this up and start reading! What's your favorite style? You'll find it in the Bible - romance, poetry, tragedy, action, intrigue, narrative, parables, miraculous events...on and on and the best part is that it is all true. I have found that most people who "do not believe" the Bible is truthful have not read or investigated it for themselves but are merely echoing popular sentiment held by the majority of those in the liberal media and entertainment industries.

If you are ready to investigate and learn, then I believe that this is probably the best study Bible available. Ryrie's commentary is outstanding and presents notes as to what the verses or the text is trying to communicate. In some cases, different commonly held understandings of the passage will be given.

Ryrie also presents "A Synopsis of Bible Doctrine" that is easy to understand and essential for any new or old Christian or non-Christian who may be unfamilar with Christian beliefs (essential doctrine). Ryrie provides information regarding the "End Times" (Revelation period, end of the world, Left Behind time frame) that presents are fair accounting of the differing understandings and beliefs held by the Premillennialists, Postmillennialists, and the Amillennialists are. Also included are sections on the meaning of salavtion, archaelogy, and church history. I find this to be an excellent translation with an abundance of helpful, easily comprehended material that adds to our understanding of the Bible text itself.

A MUST read!!!

A 600+ page chronology, year by year, of the black experience in America - from the first records of Africans on the continent onwards. If you have more than a passing interest in Black Studies, then this is an enriching resource. The entries are dense with information and well-written enough to be compelling to the casual peruser.

Black Saga is a book I turn to constantly when doing research for my books. I imagine I would cherish this book even if I weren't a writer. It is intelligent, compelling, and so comprehensive. It should be in every home and in every school--wherever there are learners and lovers of history.

Black Saga is an excellent book to assist young people to become more productive, contributing adults. It is important for young people to learn and understand their complete history. As a teacher, I found this book to be an excellent reference source, and an important part of any history class.

Beyond Race: The Bhagavad-gita in Black and White
by TDL Turner, M.A. [L.I.S.]
My thoughts about and reactions to Beyond Race: The Bhagavad-gita in Black and White, by
Charles Michael Byrd, were well clarified by my return from AMEA's (packed!& worth it!) National
Conference on "The Multiracial Child", in Tucson (AZ) (mid-October 2002). While those who have
done some comparative reading of major religious texts might find it academically "friendlier",
anyone in the habit of critical thinking and analysis also can glean from these pages.
As a fifth-generation member of brown, tan, and pink Moxhaccine* (Mestiza-Creole)
Multiracials my responses to certain sections were both experientially and academically triggered.
So-called " 'black' and 'white' cultures" (pages 22-25; 28-29) were developed entirely to
perpetuate antagonistic, viciously greedy, destructive, anti-humane agendas throughout the past 4,500
years. Since these agendas=the "definitions", I tend towards not using such terms, preferring African
(Afroid) and European (Caucasoid). While both European and African heads of state used what
became "racially-based" slavery to fund and expand their political/military agendas, Arabic Islamic
"jihads" that resulted in the fall of Adoghast (ca.1066, ending phase I of the Akana-Ashanti Empire),
and successive rises/declines of Akan-Islamic medieval to [baroque] empires that included Mali,
Songhay and Kanem-Bornu, further fueled West African involvement in kidnapping and selling of
humans (ref: Basil Davidson; Leroy Brooks; Eva L.R. Meyerowitz).
I believe many black and brown Afro-North Americans rejected the term "African" because
they have not been able to socio-psychologically reconcile some of their African ancestors' collusion in
the mass kidnapping and slavery connected with "Diaspora". The combination of improperly taught
history and unacknowledged injustices has caused the social diseases of "White" so-called

"supremacy", "Black" distrust and alienation, "professional victims" and "police-state agendas".
The quote by William Xavier Nelson (I.V. "Point-Counterpoint" debate) (p. 68) perfectly
illustrates the fact we all know there is no [actual human organism] such as a "light-skinned black
person". That racist construct was invented to provide huge pools of share-croppers, slops-collectors,
sweat-shop and sex-trade workers. Many religions including traditional Hinduism have been used to

justify race-based socioeconomic stereotyping. During the late 1960's/early 1970's, to embellish
whatever their "politics" were for that day, both " 'black' revolutionaries" and " 'white'
Blavatsky-ites" prattled about the "superior" Aryans (actually from India!) defeating the "inferior"
Dravidians (also real Indians!). Thanks to the late Mohandis K. Ghandi, much of the caste system
this revolved around was de- constructed (pp: 30-40; 60-70; 115-120) . Sadly, I was reminded that the

devaluation of Aboriginal American spiritual consciousness consistently has paralleled the spiritual
decline of not only the Western Hemisphere, but of the entire world.
As a *Moxhaccine (Mestiza-Creole) Multiracial, half of my history is indigenously North
American. I am pleased that Byrd stated terms such as "Mulatto/ Quadroon/ Octaroon" are
considered obsolete and "offensive", particularly since both Mestizo/a and Creole legitimately,
traditionally have represented many diverse Western Hemisphere populations of (obviously "mixed")
appearance. In future, I recommend inclusion of our term "Moxhaccine" (also "new and not widely
used") representing both hereditary and contemporary North American Aboriginal/First Nations
peoples mixed with Afro-European (often including "Semitic") (pp: 136-46; 149-50).
Review submitted by:
Ms. TDL Turner, M.A. [L.I.S.]
Founder/Coordinator
M.O.X.H.C.A. (AMEA'S Canadian-affiliate)
Edmonton, AB, Canada

Charles Michael Byrd is to be congratulated on weaving what every man and woman ought to be doing in terms of "race consciousness" with the greater morality of the Bhagavad-Gita. The Melungeons, a mixed ethnic group, have lived with, and continue to struggle with, the issues presented and discussed so thoughtfully by Mr. Byrd. All human beings - not simply those who consider themselves :mixed-race" - owe the author a debt of gratitude.

The primary message of this excellent book is that people must learn to see beyond racial distinctions. The author particularly emphasizes the distortion of truth and the injustive of identifying people with that element of their heritage perceived (by some) as "lowest", especially "black" African heritage. Both "white" supremacists and the "black" movement castigate mixed-race "black"/"white" people who claim an identity other than "black"... meaning that they are apparently supposed to ignore their other heritage.

The author's ideal is that "race" should not matter at all. He makes the excellent point that "races" are imaginary constructs based only on superficial physical similarities. Modern nation-state-based "ethnicities" are similarly illusory, being legal fictions.

As an intermediary measure before a raceless soceity can really develop, the author would simply like to see mixed-race have the freedom to acknowledge what they really are, and not be forced to identify with one or anotehr of the "races" their ancestors may have been.

Mr. Byrd uses the Bhagavad-Gita, an important Hindu scripture, to make this point, as well as to show the real solution, which is to recognize that the real identify of all humans is that of the "race" of conscious beings. According to Krishna, in the Gita, the "soul" or the living being is the consciousness. When we collectively see this as the common characteristic between us, then the superficial characteristics of our, and our ancestors', bodies will cease to have any meaning.

I found BEYOND RACE to be thoroughly enjoyable and very important book. It will benefit anyone who reads it, but perhaps will resonate most strongly with those of us whose bodies are mixed-race. As a mestizo or metis who has studied the Gita for over ten years, I was delighted to find this book which so ably brings out an application of its teachings from this new perspective and remaining completely within the message of the Gita.

The author discovered a huge cache of old glass photographic plates belonging to the town's photographer and writer, who, along with his son, published a local Wisconsin paper. One is struck by how such a simple collection of photographs and articles, offered without editorial comment, can be so powerfully affecting. Perhaps it is the haunted, mad eyes of some of the subjects, or the babies in coffins, their images preserved for posterity, or the intermittent reports from the state mental hospital, or the subtle way in which some of the photographs have been altered to emphasize some quality of the image. There is something powerfully haunting about this book - all the moreso since one gets the impression that small-town America of this time must have lived the same way.

There is relatively little I can say about this book.

The book is essentially photographs and news clippings from a newspaper in Wisconsin from about 1890 to 1910. Interspersed are snippets from novels dealing with life during the period.

Turning the pages, reading the articles, and looking not at the pictures but into the eyes of the people in the photographs, one gets a sense not of some sterilized, backward glance at these people as some great societal force, not as a band of pioneers, but as very human people, who die in childbirth, die as children, die of diseases that sweep through whole towns and infect the entire state with fear, go insane, murder, and still maintain enough inner dignity to be able to look into the lens of a camera and mask most of their emotions long enough for the half-second exposure but not long enough to pierce the heart of people living a century later. It is pain. It is a death trip.

The book speaks for itself. Actually, it doesn't. The people in word and image speak for themselves.

I was able to read this book in one day, and wanted more. Being a former resident of this area of Wisconsin made it even more interesting for me, but all that aside, it was one of the most intriguing books I've read in a long time. The photographs are a wonderful testament to life in that era & locale, if you're a collector of old photographs & post-mortem shots this is a great book for your library. Reading about all of the madness surrounding these people, their bizarre and sad behaviors really makes you think. The author's conclusion really draws it all together for you.

'The process of presidential impeachment and trial thereon, culminates in a judgement of the Senate, either that the president is not guilty, or that he is guilty on one or more of the Articles of Impeachment voted by the House, and is to be removed from office. Is this judgement of conviction final, or is it in some manner appealable, to the United States Supreme Court or elsewhere'?

Good question, huh? And so begins Chapter 4 of Charles L. Black's marvelous essay on the subject of impeachment. Black wrote this book when President Richard M. Nixon occupied the White House, yet the clarity of his writing, the reasonableness of his arguments and the vigor of his analysis, still hold true today nearly a quarter of a century later. This edition, republished in 1998, includes an impressive new forward by Prof Akhil Reed Amar of Yale University. If you're looking somewhat bewildered by the goings on Capitol Hill, and by implication, the lead stories on the news, rest assured you're not alone. One moment you hear the House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee recommending four Articles of Impeachment and the next moment you see the House vote to send the President to be tried by the Senate. What gives? You ask.

Black's book takes the reader on a journey in search of the facts relating to impeachment: what it means, where it originated and how we apply tests to determine the case for or against an impeachable offence. Black also examines the role of lawyers and of the Courts.

The author's objective throughout is not so much as to provide the reader with solutions, rather it is to illuminate why certain answers are incorrect. He does this by laying the evidence before the reader, so that the reader has every chance to examine both the evidence and his conscience, prior to arriving at a determination. As in other aspects of life, the book highlights that not all issues are clearly defined, and there is indeed room for some interpretation Irrespective of whether you're keen to turn the first sod in the political grave of the President William Jefferson Clinton, or whether you'd prefer to stand at his side as the United States Senate charges him; Black's essay is lucid, elegant and entertaining. As a contribution to the debate it is invaluable.

Black's "Impeachment" is the ideal guide for the average citizen who hasn't studied constitutional law. Black gives a thumbnail sketch of the impeachment process' mechanics and explains what we know about the framers' intentions. He discusses the most often debated impeachment issues, and he offers his own interpretation of the process in general and comments on Nixon's impeachment.

The main points I took from this book are that impeachment gravely frays the fabric of American society, and that partisan politics has no place in the process; the linchpin of impeachment is the solemn statesmanship of our congressmen. If another impeachment comes about in my lifetime, I'll let my congressmen know early in the proceedings that I'm counting on them to act without partisan bias.

Black's book is remarkably relevent to the current impeachment situation, even after 25 years. Though his examples are comtemporary to the Nixon near-impeachment (and prior to his resignation), it is refreshing to read a treatise on impeachment that does not constantly refer to Starr, Lewinsky, Tripp, et al. It is not written for the lawyer, so it has a popular flavor that made it a quick read while still imparting a great deal of information.

I purchased my first Thompson Chain Reference Bible as a new believer back in the 70's. It was and continues to be the best study Bible for those who desire to search out the Word for themselves and compare scripture with scripture. And, the extensive Bible study helps in the back of the Bible do add a rich dimension in addition to the topical chain references.

I was a little concerned about the "new" TCR's as several reviewers mentioned degradations in quality and I certainly didn't like the thin glossy paper I saw in the hardbacks in the bookstore. I was delighted today when I received my large print deluxe leather edition Bible.

The Bible I received has excellent flat, opaque Bible paper perfect for note-taking. And, the binding appears to have stitching in addition to the glue, so I'd say the quality of the binding is fine and should serve one well for years.

One caveat in regard to the large print edition--It is LARGE! Not the print (it's 9 point instead of the regular 8), but the Bible itself. It's not so unwieldy that I would think twice about using it, but if size is an issue for you, check the dimensions and choose accordingly.

I can't say enough good things about this Bible. It has my highest recommendation; you won't be sorry in choosing this Bible.

I have owned one version or another of the Chain Reference Bible since I was a teenager in the seventies. My 'standard' Bible has been the large print KJV for many, many years and it remains the first Bible I pick up. I purchased the NIV Chain Reference, but just didn't like the translation, it just didn't 'read' right for me. I've enjoyed the NAS translation, but it is awfully dry reading when the heart desires poetry. So, I ended up purchasing the NKJV. It has been a real pleasure to read, combining the elegance of the KJV with a modern and accurate adaptation.

As for the chain reference system used by Thompson, it's such a part of my Bible reading and study that I'd have a really hard time switching to another system. Some of the illustrations and charts have been revised from my older KJV, but not to an extreme. The Thompson system remains, for me, the quickest and easiest way to study a topic through the Bible, or just through either the New or Old Testament. The Bible also includes an excellent concordance; for someone new to chain reference study they can start with the traditional concordance and work their way into the Thompson system. Also included are excellent maps, revised from the earlier versions, and a historical dictionary with photos of significant Biblical locations, with explanations.

I agree with another reviewer that Nelson Bibles are, in general, not made for people with serious intentions on daily Bible use. They are constructed down to a price, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as these can provide a very inexpensive introduction to the Bible. However, when one is ready to use a Bible in a serious, daily way, a better Bible will easily pay for its higher price.

Though this Bible is well-made, it is NOT as well made as my older, large print KJV. My older Bible has whipstitching clearly seen in front and back, with pages secured as well today as when I bought it. This newer Bible appears to have pages that are glued in like cheaper ones. Additionally, the paper is comletely different than my older edition, and thinner. The older paper had almost an eggshell texture, whereas the newer paper is much slicker and thinner. In first use it's really quite difficult to get the pages apart. However, it's still a very well-made Bible, just not up to the standard of the older ones. That should in no way deter someone from buying it, though.

As a one-volume Biblical library, I haven't seen anything to beat the Thompson's. As another reviewer noted, it's also refreshingly free of editorial bias, which certainly can't be said of all its competitors. Most of all, each of us needs to find a Bible they can live with daily, and any Bible available is better than none at all! Thompson Bibles aren't inexpensive but they will last twice as long as cheaper Bibles, particularly if kept in a cover. Also, the supplemental atlases and historical additions might well save purchase of other books to accompany Biblical study. Highly recommended!

I love the New King James Version, put out by Thomas Nelson, but I loath Thomas Nelson Bibles. This is how I happened upon the Thompson a few years ago as I was relieved to find a NKJV not made by T.N. I first bought an NKJV in bonded leather. After 2 years of very heavy use, I bought an NKJV in genuine leather, and later a handy size KJV in genuine. All three of these Bibles are wonderful in every way.

The Thompson Study system is very helpful and they've graciously spared us from a myriad of religious cliche and personal opinion. The page layout is smart. The Bible text actually fills the page and all study helps and references are relegated to the side margins. There are so many ways to use the studies and references, I am unable to number them here. The concordance is as extensive as any I've seen. The 14 maps are colorful and very well done. Simply put, it's a complete, Jesus-exalting study Bible designed with excellence.

The construction of these Bibles is equally impressive. The paper is just right--not too thick, not too thin. The print is dark and sharp. Their font is subtil and very appropriate for the Bible, if you ask me. The red words of Jesus are RED. They're not muddy brown; they're not pink; they're bright, deep, beautiful red. They are printed consistantly page to page, not some pages lighter or misprinted, as the Thomas Nelson folks are plagued by.

Now that I own three Thompsons, I feel about them the way a good ol' boy down in the South feels about shotguns. "I have more than I need, but not as many as I want!"