The past, present and future of the Czech and Slovak people is reflected in Czech and Slovak Touches: Recipes, History, Travel, Folk Arts, a revision of the original Czech Book by Pat Martin.

In this book, an outgrowth of a trip to the two Republics, Pat Martin touches on the magnificent history of the Czech and Slovak Republics, which lie side-by-side in the heart of Europe. Significant events, sites, culture and traditions demonstrate the rich heritage shared and preserved by the Czechs and Slovaks.

Events leading to the immigration of the strong populace of Czech and Slovak people in North America are cited, along with the successful establishment of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a showcase of their rich heritage. Excerpts from statements at the Museum dedication made by Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel, Slovak Republic President Michal Kovac, and U.S. President William J. Clinton are included.

Personal essays tell of life in the New World and ties to the Old. How and where to begin a search for family and cultural ties is noted by Mark Vasko-Bigaouette, director of Heritage Tours, which emphasizes defining Czech and Slovak roots.

Travel in the two Republics includes the author's personal observations of Prague and Bratislava, as well as areas that reveal the charm and distinction of these two nations as a natural entity: from the views and skyline of the Golden City of Prague, to the pastoral and peaceful scenes of Moravian wine country, to the hiking, mountain climbing, and skiing delights of the High Tatra Mountains in Slovakia.

Further definition of national character is observed in folk crafts and enterprise, traditional celebrations, and foods. Over 100 recipes of traditional foods are reprinted from the original book.

Stunning color photographs by Joan Liffring-Zug Bourret and others depict the beauty and magnificence of the two Republics. Additional photos show Czechs and Slovaks in America.

Being an Oz fan for nearly 50 years, I was reeled in. But I quickly drowned in Gardner's laundry list of celebrities, authors and beloved fictional characters who are insulted by their inclusion in this lusterless soggy saga. L. Frank Baum has been maligned. All of us who grew up with or grew to love the Joy of Oz have been maligned by this preposterous travesty. Save your money and your time. This book is neither adult nor children's literature. It's just plain drivel. - advice from a former schoolteacher.

I had the misfortune to pick this book up in a science fiction bookshop recently. The spiel on the back of the book - not clearly marked out as a children's book in its UK edition, I might add - promised a great deal, and being a fan of Jeff Noon's writing, in particular his Lewis Carroll homage 'Automated Alice', I was quite taken with the possibility of discovering an American equivalent, a funky modern revisiting of the Land of Oz.
Sadly, 'Visitors From Oz' proved to be abominable tripe.<

Any discussion of this book's merits is now rendered irrelevant by the fact that it includes certain scenes which have the potential to upset readers in the wake of recent events. These might not destroy the appeal of a movie or TV show aimed at adults; they represent a more serious problem in the case of an Oz book, since the Oz books generally serve to bring joy and happiness to readers of all ages. (In L. Frank Baum's day his publishers used the slogan "No Baum book ever sent a child to bed to troubled dreams.") I think it will be a long time before anyone will again want to read this book or give it to their children to read. Previously I would have given "Visitors from Oz" three stars, but now, unless Gardner revises it, "Visitors" may as well never have been published.