I rate this book a close second to The Ashley Book Of Knots,as a must-have for serious knot enthusiasts. Less pleasing artistic- ly, this book nevertheless delivers instructions for construct-ing truly beautiful and functional things. From rings, to brace- lets,to hatbands to belts--they're here. Need a quirt, a whip, a lariat,a horses headstall--they're here. How about a pair of "galooses?"--they're here. For me, the woven buttons are the most fascinating of all. Intri- cate and beautifully symmetrical, these knots are easy to make by following the ingenious method that Mr. Grant explains. (I copy the pattern, match and tape the ends to produce a cylinder, then I slide the cylinder over a rolled piece of cardboard or lino- leum and pin the bites with carpet tacks.) If you like this book, and I know you will, you might want to get Mr. Grant's two other books on the subject: Leather Braiding and How To Make Cowboy Horse Gear. Enjoy. Happy birthday.

During a one year stay I had the good fortune to stumble across a second hand bookstore where the library of Bruce Grant was for sale. Among the joys for a knot friend where the Ashley book of knots, the Encyclopedia of Knots and fancy ropework, Whips and Whipmaking, and more notably Leather Braiding and The Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding, both by Bruce Grant. To get your first impression of the subject by the authors own copies of the books is of course a trip in itself, but as the delicious shock subsided, the books continued to shine on their own. Using drawings, rather than photographs, is a superior way to guide the reader through apprenticeship of the art. This book serves the important purpose of preserving an old craft, and it does it well; the text is clear, and the development from the simple to the more complex eases the reader over all obstacles. This is the Ashley of leather braiding.

Bruce Grant shared his genius with the world by writing the "Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding. This book has text and illustration, for how the knots and plaits are constructed. Patterns also included for items that may have been lost forever if he never wrote them down.

Although Bruce Catton was an accomplished historian in his own right, In _Grant Moves South_, one cannot help but notice the influence of the great Sherman biographer Lloyd Lewis. Anyone who has read Lewis' _Sherman: Fighting Profit_ will recognize similarities; the heavy reliance on primary sources and the uncanny ability to allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions without explicitly stating the writer's intentions, not to mention that sinuous narrative style that captivates and draws the reader deeper into the manuscript. Unfortunately, however, Lewis only lived to publish the first of a multi-volume biography of Ulysses S. Grant titled _Captain Sam Grant_ . Lewis' widow commissioned Bruce Catton to finish the project utilizing much of the notes Lewis had gathered in the course of his research. The results are the two subsequent biographies authored by Catton: _Grant Moves South_ and _Grant Takes Command_.                 Catton begins his story in June 1861 when Grant, appointed Colonel, takes command of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Catton portrays Grant as a man of few words, yet possessing an ability to earn the respect of his men. Grant stresses discipline and training particularly of his company grade officers. About half of the book is devoted to Grants participation at the battles of Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and the near disaster at Shiloh. The remainder of the text focuses on the Vicksburg campaign.                 Catton prefers a loosely structured chronological approach and provides his readers with a commanding view from headquarters. Catton relies upon letters, cables, and other communiqués between officers, which tends to keep the focus on Grant and other high level players. Besides Grant's known habit of scribbling handwritten orders on scratch paper and other official documentation, Catton allows Grant to speak for himself through the only vestige we have: his memoirs. In contrast, Catton listens to what other observers have to say about Grant in their memoirs, particularly William T. Sherman and the unpublished memoir of Grant's wife, Julia Dent Grant. Juxtaposing this top-down approach is Catton's ability to portray the human frailties of Grant's personality. Grant's drinking is a recurring theme in which Catton bestows an admirable defense.                                Catton devotes considerable space to the Grant's uneasy relationship with General Henry Wager Halleck. To the charge that Grant disobeyed orders and failed to communicate his intentions from his Headquarters at Fort Donelson, Catton counters by stating the Union communication system, as a whole was substandard. He goes on to point out that evidence suggests Confederate sympathizers manned telegraph offices squelching vital communiqués.   Catton gives Grant's nemesis credit however, when Halleck played a vital role in saving Grant's command during the controversial political maneuverings of another of Grant's rivals: General John A. McClernand.                 Catton concludes that Grant certainly had his hands full. On the one hand, Grant had a military campaign to plan and orchestrate; On the other hand, Grant was the target of dubious machinations from jealous staff officers and politicians in Washington bent of relinquishing his command. Grant was also faced with economic issues and the problem of what to do with displaced contraband slaves that were pouring into his army camps on a daily basis. In the chapter "A Noun is the Name of a Thing," Catton again comes to the defense of Grant in his handling of these sensitive civil-military relations. In a controversial order issued on 17 December 1862, Grant categorized northern businessmen attempting to exploit profits from the sale of cotton as "Jews." Referring to the former slaves as "Darkeys." Grant immediately put the Negro refugees to work maintaining roads, bridges and other military necessities that required manual labor. Admitting that "Grant and most other men were children of their time '," Catton minimizes Grants derogatory comments. These complex topics surrounding Ulysses S. Grant, are significantly important, yet diminish the significant effect of the Vicksburg Campaign. Taking into account that this is a biography of Grant and not a comprehensive treatment of the pivotal campaign that sealed his place in history, Catton could have evened out the balance rather than treating the Vicksburg campaign as a mere backdrop. It is not surprising, however, given Catton's eloquent literary style and his excellent syntheses of primary sources, why scholars in the literature of the Vicksburg Campaign repeatedly cite this book. Though sympathetic to the treatment of his subject, Catton's volumes on Grant deserves an honored place on the shelves of any serious student of the Civil War.

Grant was a somewhat dispirited and discouraged man living in Illinois when the war began, but he thought he might have something to offer the Northern cause. Offering it and obtaining it, however were challenging. Eventually he was assighned to Cairo, Illinois where circumstances, partially of his own making, contributed to victories along the Tennessee River. His reputation, and a bit of politiking, put him in command of the campaign to open the Mississippi River by taking Vicksburg, a veritable fortress, and key to Southern Hegemony in a recognized vital area. New Orleans had already been captured. Shilo was the nearly disastrous prelude in a story of one imaginative tactic after another against a formidable adversary whose position was one of dominance. Finally, the practical and decisive move was determined by Grant, and worked. Vicksburg was taken from the rear after his army glided down river and on to Jacksonville to stop reinforcements from reaching the battle.

Grant had the advantage of having known many of his adversaries with whom he fought during the Mexican American War. Victory coincided with that of Gettysburg, PA, and the South was in full retreat as Union forces cautiously pressed into Tennessee and Alambama. As is often the case, luck played a part in success, but the Southern back was broken, and it was just a matter of time before the Union won. So great were the losses on both sides, and so hideous, as well as human, the circumstances, that I am confounded by the combined strength of the two armies. Abe Lincoln called the political shots, but it was Grant and his field commanders of the west who determined the War's outcome. Grant did what had to be done, though he was unjustly criticized at times. The conclusion of this volume leads naturally to the last; Grant Takes Command, the only general ever to defeat Lee.

Bruce Catton is arguably the greatest Grant biographer and is largely responsible for changing the negative views about Grant in the 1950's and 60's. Catton wrote several books about USG and this is the second part of a grand Grant trilogy begun in 1949 by Lloyd Lewis with "Captain Sam Grant." The final volume of the trilogy is Catton's "Grant Takes Command" (both books are available on Amazon).

Bruce Catton thoroughly understand Ulysses Grant and became his vociferous proponent. He correctly grasped that Grant was the preeminent strategist of the civil war and was also the war's greatest, most innovative and most determined general. Those who errantly believe Grant won with brute force or superior numbers need to read this book. Others who espouse the line that Robert E. Lee was the real genius of the war also need to consult this volume. At its conclusion, you will change your mind and realize that Grant was not only a magnificent soldier, he was also a highly intelligent, humorous and marvelously humane man. He has been unfairly maligned and Catton sets the record straight.

Catton writes with perception about Grant as a father and devoted husband, but the thrust of the book is painting an incise portrait of Grant in the pivotal period 1861-1863 when his greatness was forged. This is a "must have" book for anyone interested in U.S. Grant or the American civil war. There are few, if any, factual errors and the narrative flows smoothly from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

Bruce Grant's work is well-researched and extremely well-organized. It is easy to read and interspersed with anecdotes about his travels on Sakhalin island. The book includes some excellent photography. Grant's main thesis centers around the idea that the Nivkhi tribe of Sakhalin island experienced the Soviet era as a "roller coaster" of policy shifts culminating in a sense of "culturelessness." The book covers pre-Revolutionary times a little bit, and then documents the treatment of Nivkhi throughout the Soviet era. A recommended read for anyone studying Siberia during Stalinism or Soviet times.

Grant's book is in the vanguard of his field of siberian studies and post soviet studies. Anyone who wants to understand sovietization and de-sovietization of culture - a much more important topic than this might seem to be - MUST read this book. Grant's analysis is right and beautiful.

Life Application Bible Commentaries for both the first and second books of Corinthians continues its fine reputation as a guide to fundamental interpretation of scripture. This book offers analogies, comparisons, tables, charts and verse by verse explanations. Those interested in exploring the Bible will find this book a helpful and fairly complete tool to assist in their education and understanding of sometimes confusing texts.

I just got this book and I was so impressed with the writer's straight-forward style that I felt like an old friend was suggesting the best places to stay in Hawaii. It is honest and detailed and a must-have book for planners who want to make the most of their stay in Paradise.

Grant categorizes the many B&Bs, resorts, inns, condos etc. according different travellers' tastes and needs. Each island has her recommendations for "Best Romantic Hideaways," "Best Resorts for Wordly Elegance," "Best Family Resorts," "Best Resort Values," etc.

Based on her description and pictures we saw on the web, we are confident we have found exactly what we are looking for on the three islands that we want to visit on our honeymoon.

I can't say enough about it! If you are going to Hawaii and you don't want a cookie-cutter-travel-agent-planned vacation, but you still want value for your money, do yourself a favor and buy this book.

Have you ever wondered what the old Westerners meant when they used words like "rustling," "handle," or "blind trap?" This fascinating book has plenty of words like these, but it is not merely a dictionary. It is filled with history and lore that may keep you browsing for hours if you have even the slightest interest in the Old West, or in American culture in general. While somewhat dated (it was first published in the 1950's), it also highlights genuinely little-known history, such as the "Rustler War" in Wyoming in the 1890's. The information about famous Old West artists like Frederick Remington could be valuable to art historians as well. Speaking of art, the illustrations by Jackie and Fiore Mastri add greatly to the book's appeal, as does Grant's cleverly-written text. Even the typeface is well-chosen. This is very, very worth searching out.

Although I am a Spanish speaking reader, I found this book most lovely and interesting from the first page. It is written in a clear style that makes it easy to understand and attractive to read. Writing History is a hard task, not suitable for everybody. Sir Walter Scott is certainly one of the greatest British poets and here he combines all his virtues in this matter with a great skill to narrate past events which almost turns this book into a "Romantic History" . It is wonderfuly adecquate for kids as it was originally intended even to those learning English as a second language.

The apostle Paul's task included providing an avenue of intentional discourse between Judaistic Jewish theologians and Christian Jewish theologians. Dr. Bruce Fields has stood on a similar ground in being instrumental in building a bridge for theological dialogue between conservative and liberal Christians who claim African ancestry. This book "Introducing Black Theology" is a must read for all Christians who seek unbiased truth. It should be placed next to works rendered by the likes of Professor Cone and other scholars who dare to deal with the ethnic orders of Christianity. Thanks Dr. Fields, we were anticipating this work. From one of your theology students from Trinity.

Catton has a fine narrative style which is a pleasure to read, and the book includes insights into Grant's personality and the growth in his generalship, as well as detailing political and military history of the Western Theatre 1861-1863. The war in the west has been overshadowed in history by the war along the Atlantic coast (even by Catton, with his Army of the Potomoc trilogy), but it is arguably more important than what was going on in Virginia in this period. The book shows Grant feeling his way to an understanding of what it would take to win the war, and it becomes clear why Lincoln, by the end of the book, chooses him for head of the Union armies. For example, at the battle of Shiloh (1862), the Union forces were surprised and almost beaten the first day, but Grant retained his optimism and rallied the troops to fight hard and hold off the Rebels until reinforcements arrived that night. The next day they took back all the ground they had lost, although they didn't take the opportunity to destroy the Army of the Tennessee. Any other Union general in that situation would have (and did, in similiar battles in Virginia) retreated the first evening and lost the battle. One comment: If you want a hardback copy of this book, it can be easily obtained in on-line used bookstores. I just bought a good copy for 7.95 + taxes and shipping.

Although Bruce Catton was an accomplished historian in his own right, one cannot help but notice the influence of the great Sherman biographer Lloyd Lewis. Anyone who has read Lewis' _Sherman: Fighting Profit_ will recognize similarities; the heavy reliance on primary sources and the uncanny ability to allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions without explicitly stating the writer's intentions. Catton imitates Lewis' sinuous narrative style that captivates and draws the reader deeper into the manuscript. Unfortunately, however, Lewis only lived to publish the first of a multi-volume biography Ulysses S. Grant titled Captain Sam Grant . Lewis' widow commissioned Catton to finish the project utilizing much of the notes Lewis had gathered in the course of his research. The results are the two subsequent biographies authored by Catton: Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command Catton begins his duel biography in June 1861 when Grant, appointed Colonel, takes command of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Catton portrays Grant as a man of few words, yet possessing an ability to quickly earn the respect of his men. Grant stresses discipline and training particularly of his company grade officers. About half of the book is devoted to Grants participation at the battles of Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and the near disaster at Shiloh. The remainder of the text focuses on the Vicksburg Campaign. Catton prefers a loosely structured chronological approach and provides his readers with a commanding view from headquarters. Catton relies upon letters, cables, and other communiques between officers, which tends to keep the focus on Grant and other high level players. Besides handwritten orders and other official documentation, Catton allows Grant to speak for himself through the only vestige we have: his memoirs. In contrast, Catton listens to what other observers have to say about Grant in their memoirs, particularly William T. Sherman and the unpublished memoir of Grant's wife, Julia Dent Grant. Juxtaposing this top-down approach is Catton's ability to portray the human frailties of Grant's personality. Grant's drinking is a recurring theme in which Catton bestows an admirable defense. Catton devotes considerable space to the Grant's uneasy relationship with General Henry Wager Halleck. To Halleck's charge that Grant disobeyed orders and failed to communicate his intentions at Fort Donelson, Catton counters by stating the Union communication system, as a whole was substandard. He suggests Confederate sympathizers manned telegraph offices squelching vital communiques.   Catton credits Halleck for saving Grant's command during the controversial political maneuvering of General John A. McClernand. Overall, Catton concludes that Grant certainly had his hands full during his early campaigns. On the one hand, Grant had the Vicksburg Campaign to plan and orchestrate; On the other hand, Grant was the target of dubious machinations from jealous staff officers and politicians in Washington bent of relinquishing his command. What is more, Grant was faced with economic issues and the problem of what to do with displaced contraband slaves that were pouring into his army camps on a daily basis. Referring to the former slaves as "Darkeys." Grant immediately put the Negro refugees to work maintaining roads, bridges and other military necessities that required manual labor.Catton again comes to the defense of Grant in his handling of these sensitive civil-military relations. In a controversial order, Grant categorized northern businessmen attempting to exploit profits from the sale of cotton as "Jews." Though these complex themes surrounding Ulysses S. Grant, are significant, they tend to diminish the genius for war Grant displayed during the Vicksburg Campaign. Taking into account that this is a biography of Grant and not a comprehensive treatment of the campaign that sealed his place in history, Catton could have evened out the balance rather than treating the campaign as a mere backdrop. Catton's eloquent literary style and his excellent syntheses of primary sources, make this a must have for any Grant afficionado.

In this book Catton describes Grant's movements in the West. From Belmont to Vicksburg. It is outstanding, because it also desribes the soldiers story, without being a novel.

Bruce Catton is arguably the greatest Grant biographer and is largely responsible for changing the negative views about Grant in the 1950's and 60's. Catton wrote several books about USG and this is the third and final part of a grand Grant trilogy begun in 1949 by Lloyd Lewis with "Captain Sam Grant."

Bruce Catton thoroughly understand Ulysses Grant and became his vociferous proponent. He correctly grasped that Grant was the preeminent strategist of the civil war and was also the war's greatest, most innovative and most determined general. Those who errantly believe Grant won with brute force or superior numbers need to read this book. Others who espouse the line that Robert E. Lee was the real genius of the war also need to consult this volume. At its conclusion, you will change your mind and realize that Grant was not only a magnificent soldier, he was also a highly intelligent, humorous and marvelously humane man. He has been unfairly maligned and Catton sets the record straight.

Catton writes with perception about Grant as a father and devoted husband, but the thrust of the book is painting an incise portrait of Grant in the pivotal period 1861-1863 when his greatness was forged. This is a "must have" book for anyone interested in U.S. Grant or the American civil war. There are few, if any, factual errors and the narrative flows smoothly from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

As a avid reader of Civil War material, I have found that a number of people have emerged as immortal from this conflict. Lincoln clearly emerged as a the most tragic figure in American history. Lee has been immortalized by reasons that have been made obvious to the point where I don't need to elaborate. But Grant has always been downgraded in the conflict as a man who just put it together long enough to finish off a job that could have been done years ago. He is considered a beneficiary of overwhelming resources and military advantage - a person who simply didn't screw it up the way the previous Union commanders did: the Barry Switzer of the Civil War. This misconception comes about because of his failed presidency, his simple way of speaking and writing (thus producing nothing of note or of anything possessing generally accepted grace or eloquence), and his historical portrayal as a drunk. This period study of the man goes a long way in debunking that perception, and sheds light on his Western career, a history that escapes most deriders. The book flows well with an engaging narrative that easily moves from event to event, battle to battle. It portrays Grant as a determined and smart man who recognized the failures of his predecessors and the weaknesses of the Confederacy forces, and sought to take advantage. It doesn't gloss over his own failures and weaknesses - it chronicles his miscalculations in the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and other costly Union advances as well as his reluctance to confront his subordinates, leading to occasional sloppy troop management. However it paints them in a light that neither praises or criticizes but allows the reader to understand the circumstances and make his or her own conclusion. Grant's early failures in the east show that defeating the Army of Northern Virginia took more than flinging Union troops at Confederate lines, and Union disasters in battles such as Fredericksburg show that he wasn't the first Union commander to try that strategy. The evolution of his strategy outlined in the book, along with the realities of the shortcomings of his own Army of the Potomac goes a long way in debunking the myth that Grant simply outlasted Lee, and deserves little military credit for doing what couldn't be done in four years prior. A great read that portrays Grant in a better light simply by telling the whole story.

Bruce Catton's Grant Takes Command is a wonderful look into the role U.S.G. played in reversing the fortunes of the Union. Operating quite independently in the West, Grant's career was not always in ascendency, but his tenacity in the seige and capture of Vicksburg certainly earned him an opportunity to command at a higher level (though this was not necessarily what he had in mind). That meant a transfer east to the politically charged world of wartime Washington, as well as a 3rd star, placing Grant in the position of General-in-Chief of the Union Armies. How he mastered the assignment that so overwhelmed those who came before him is beautifully retold in this book. In the end, there can be no doubt that the humble General Grant was a man of remarkable political and military judgment, without whom it is almost certain the Confederacy would have prevailed.