They came from all over. Farmers from New Hampshire, get-rich-quick schemers from Ohio, merchants from Missouri, second-sons from England, ladies of the evenings and Mormons from Illinois. Many would not make it, but no one could stop them from trying. It was the spring of 1848, and thousands were heading West to carve an empire out of raw land.

These strong and courageous pioneers had half their lives packed into their covered wagons and the other half staked on the future of the wild frontier. They knew there would be hardships, death, Indian attack, and rough, dangerous terrain. And they knew there would be great happiness and fulfillment when they settled the untouched earth with their own blood, sweat and tears.

But these people were adventurers; brave pioneers with passion in their hearts and spirit in their souls. They were willing to take a chance on life, themselves and on America.

This is undoubtedly, one of the best books I have read in this area. The authors follow an appropriate sequence in terms of addressing scale development, testing and analyses issues. The best thing about the book is that it is really easy to comprehend and covers all the important areas. I feel it is a "must buy" for professionals in the area of health-related quality of life and outcomes research.

If your children or even you just love the subject of prehistoric beings you definitely have to have this book. Do not let its size fool you, for in it, you not only ge t to read about every dino known to man, but also activities that children can engage themselves with their parents. The Humongous Book contains 3D pages through wich your child and yourselve can be transported to the Paleolithic times of these giants and what their view of Earth was to them during the time they walked on it. It is definitely a book to have for your children or even yourself if you caught dinomania!

A baker's dozen of the best in public service lay bare aches and dreams about their calling. Final words that soar above the daily slush that turns so many Americans away from things political. Cherish this one. Give it to every young student you know. Bradley, Brown, Cohen, Exon, Hatfield, Heflin, Johnston, Kassebaum, Nunn, Pell, Pryor, Simon, Simpson. Ouch.

WHAT A REFRESHING LOOK AT THE SUBJECT OF MARRIAGE! DAVID AND JANET DEAL WITH THE STRUGGLES THAT COUPLES HAVE WITH MARRIAGE IN A VERY HEALTHY, INTERSTING, BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE. THE BOOK DOES NOT STOP AT ANALYZING MODERN MARRIAGE STRUGGLES, BUT ALSO OFFERS SOME VERY, VERY UNIQUELY INTERSTING, ROMANTICAL (AND BIBLICAL!) AND PROVEN EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE PACKED FULL OF POSITIVE DYNAMITE. ENJOY!

If you like to understand where each part of statistics fit in with other parts, start with this book. This is a Macro view of statistical analysis, not a nuts and bolts one. Nevertheless, one needs to understand the major distinctions of the categories and subcategories of statistical analysis, and this book does a wonderful job at it. Recommend it for anyone who cares about the logic of statistics.

In it's second edition, the book divides into two essential overviews that are very "user friendly". The first part profiles a general clinical psychopharmacology which provides a well written and comprehensible neuroanatomy review, which is basic to the understanding of how psychotropic drugs work. The mental disorders are discussed which these drugs are used to treat, along with ECT, abuse dynamics and interventions.

The second section provides a complete drug profile for more than 100 psychotropics. Included in each profile are facts that exceed most common nursing medication books. The drug index is all encompassing and has index resource to furthur promote a handy reference source.

Evans is a fascinating man to listen to. He is a decorated veteran, but shuns the recognition he rightly deserves. He admits that some of his actions during the heat of combat "might have been foolhardy." Evans was not interested in medals, only in trying to keep his men alive. As Evans' Third Army Com mander, General George S. Patton remarked, "No one ever won a war by dying for his country. He won by making the other poor bastard die for his country."

Evans met several truly historical figures. First and foremost was Patton. After the first day of the Battle of Arracourt, Patton visited Evans' command post to commend him on a job well done. That was just the first of many encounters with General Patton. After hostilities ceased in 1945, Evans was assigned to a Prisoner of War camp near Landshut, Germany. There, while interrogating prisoners, he briefly met General Vlasov, another larger-than-life individual. Vlasov was a former White Russian officer who was convinced (some say coerced) to help the Nazis against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. Later, in Switzerland, Evans was able to get a glimpse of a compound full of Nazi war criminals, most notable of whom was Herman Goering.

Evans was also fortunate to have been able to participate in the design, testing and eventual combat deployment of the M18 "Hellcat" tank destroyer. The United States Army found that its antitank capabilities were woefully inadequate against the masses of German armor, so a new tank destroyer was desired. Evans, along with a handful of other armor officers from various posts around the US, was invited to Detroit to the Buick Division of General Motors, to offer suggestions for the design of this new vehicle. There are precious few times in a soldier's career that he is given the opportunity to impact upon the equipment he will use in the performance of his duty. Evans and these other officers seized the moment and helped to design one of the most effective combat vehicles ever. In ju! st a few short months the M18 went from the drawing board to the maneuver field and then the European Theater of Opera tions.

I found this book to be a great help identifying plants in the field. Most can be identified without magnification. Plants are identified using dichotomous keys.

I also use The Jepson Manual, Higher Plants of California and the old Munz's. But both are heavy and difficult to use in the field for many of the genera though I did use them when I got home to check my identifications. The second great feature of this book is that the plants are specific to the area that I was traveling through. I didn't have to separate out plants that only live in the desert or at the coast. Eliminating that many choices made the effort much easier.

I recommend the book heartily, understanding the plants and animals around us greatly enhances the experience of enjoying nature.

Many of the plants that I found can be seen at californiagardens.com

South Wind Through The Kitchen, The Best Of Elizabeth David is a selection of Ms. David's work that was compiled by Jill Norman, who is Elizabeth David's literary trusty. Jill Norman, publisher and author, also completed Harvest Of The Cold Months, Elizabeth David's final book, which she was working on at the time of her death; it was completed using notes left by Ms. David. Many of the selections in this book were chosen by people that either knew Elizabeth David or were influenced by her-she influenced a legion of chefs and food writers, I count myself among those ranks.

Reading the writings of Elizabeth David is inspirational to say the least; she is often said to be the best food writer of her time. Her work in general is not merely a collection of recipes and essays on food; it is more akin to an autobiography telling of the people and food that she has known. While this is definitely a utilitarian book that is full of recipes, it can also easily be read cover to cover, like a novel-even the recipes read as a form of prose. A classic example of her poetic form of recipe writing is evident in her essay on Cornish Saffron Cake, which appears on pages 326-328 of this book; it originally appeared in English Bread And Yeast Cookery, which was published in 1977.

Over the years I have often found myself reading (and re-reading) the introduction in my well worn copy of A Book Of Mediterranean Cuisine for enjoyment and inspiration. A Book Of Mediterranean Cuisine was Ms. David's first book, which was published in 1950. Though it was published almost a half century ago it still rings true today. The first and last paragraphs are what I find most interesting; they are as follows (it appears in full on page 3 of South Wind Through The Kitchen):

"The cooking of the Mediterranean shores, endowed with all the natural resources, the colour and flavor of the south, is a blend of tradition and brilliant improvisation. The Latin genius flashes from the kitchen pans."

"With this selection (it does not claim to be more) of Mediterranean dishes, I hope to give some of the lovely cookery of those regions to people who do not already know them, and to stir the memories of those who have eaten this food on its native shores, and who would like sometimes to bring a flavour of those blessed lands of sun and sea and olive trees into their English kitchens."

Elizabeth David was a prolific writer who between 1950 and 1994 published nine books, most of which are considered classics amongst food professionals; portions of all of her books appear in this "best of" volume. As a cook she always strode to be as authentic as possible and often this meant writing about ingredients that were not yet known or at least not available in post-war England, and that is what I find really interesting about this book. Much of her work was published three, four, even five decades ago and is not only relevant today but is still used as reference by serious cooks around the globe.

In short, South Wind Through The Kitchen is a "must have" for any cook's library, whether a professional or a layperson. It is both an inspirational read and also an invaluable source of food information and recipes.

Reviewed by Chef Joe George of ChefTalk.Com