I was attracted by the title of this book; there's so much to be learned by observing the suburban or rural landscape, which most of us drive through without really noticing or reflecting upon it. Someday a wonderful book will be written on this topic, but this is not it. Instead, John Jackson presents us with a series of 'musings,' for lack of a better word, about the vernacular landscape. At times, the writing takes on a stream-of-consciousness quality that leans too heavily toward personal reflection. Topics include the grid-road network of the US midwest, placement of county courthouses within town plans, the history of the 'box house,' evolution of the Arts & Crafts style of architecture, and the author's experiences in the US Army in Europe during WWII. Intertwined among these topics are passages in which the author reflects upon the notion of 'landscape' and what it means to him.

This is a rather interesting book. The perspective it takes on history is unique. The basic premise is that you can learn a great deal about a society by the way they talk about and treat the land around them. I must admit, it made me look at my surroundings differently. It is a bit slow in places, and after a while I started to loose interest. However, overall I would say that this collection of essays is rather good. You should check it out if you have any interest in the field of landscape studies.

Lest there be some confusion about the 2 stars I've given this book: Tacitus is fantastic and fascinating. So don't reproach me for SEEMING to criticize Tacitus, when my target here is the translation. (On the subject of reproach, Tacitus himself wrote: "To show resentment at a reproach is to acknowledge that one may have had it coming.") In fact, I think very highly of the incomparable Roman historian. Gibbon, among many others, loves him and so do I. However, this superficially handsome volume from The Modern Library (containing both The Histories and The Annals), does not do justice to Tacitus at all. These translations cannot be recommended, in spite of the praise lavished on them by the general editor. The Annals is barely acceptable but no more than that, and The Histories is inferior. No, the interested reader would be better off to consult the scintillating translation by W. H. Fyfe (revised by his editor, D. S. Levene) of The Histories, published by Oxford as a paperback in 1997. Tacitus' renown -- looking at his style rather than his content -- comes from his acerbic wit, pithy remarks and lucid analytical sentences. To get a truer sense of his abilities, look to another translation.

If you're an avid fan of the collectable card game version of Steve Jackson's Illuminati: New World Order, you may enjoy this book. If you've never played the game, or are a casual player, you may not enjoy it quite as much. Still, it's useful for some details and strategies that are not readily apparent.

The main benefit of the book by fans is the designer's notes; while there isn't as much on the creation and the rules of the cards, there's a good bit about production and sales that's surprisingly interesting. There's also a note-by-note analysis of each alignment and attribute, as well as Personalities and Places. There's also game variants, beginner's tactics, and assorted tricks to pull with your friends.

The biggest disappointment is the catalog of cards--not that it isn't nice to see the text of all the cards (especially if you don't have that many), but that it eats up a good chunk of the pages. Fans would rather see rules clarifications, notes on creating your own balanced cards, tournament details, card creation stories, interviews with artists and originators, etc. None of these things are present.

Unfortunately, those things in the book can pretty easily be seen on the internet--on the INWO home page, no less! But there are plenty of nuggets that aren't in the web pages.

Not a bad book, if you're a fan, though it may leave you feeling a bit empty. Otherwise, you might be better of looking elsewhere on the 'net for info.

This book is poorly written, and has very few original ideas. If you want books written on this subject, find some written by George Hayduke

Intriguing, romantic cover that captures the Westerner's imagination. Too bad the cover artist didn't write & illustrate this book (really a comic book as "graphic novel" would be a complimentary exaggeration). Text is apologist history, weak on facts, thick on excuses for Hardin's murderous tendencies. Hardin doesn't get to his infamous gunfighting career until page 86, so "Lost Cause" doesn't even work as a traditional Western romp. Artwork inside is crude featuring stiff, exaggerated characters that make "Pokemon" look like Rembrandt. "Lost Cause" doesn't work as history or entertainment. If you are interested in Hardin, check out Leon Metz's or Richard Marohn's bios or even Hardin's autobiography. As for "Lost Cause," save your money--the cover is the best part & you've already seen that.