I first found this book in it's first edition in 1994 after a trip to D.C. After picking it up from the library, I really wished that I had it when I was in D.C. I read it from cover to cover and learned so much about Arlington. I picked up the second edition during a visit to ANC in September, 2001. Every grave marker and memorial of renown is mentioned and the history behind the larger monuments is very good. It would be really nice if color pictures accompanied the text. I hope that Mr. Peters continues to update the book every now and then.

This is by far the best text devoted to the history of Arlington national cemetery I've seen. It begins with a detailed hisory of how the Washington-Lee family aquired the property, and the government seizure during the Civil war.. The property was used as a burial ground in part to prevent Robert E. Lee family from returning. The book goes on to list numerous notables now buried there and includes a brief but informative biography of each, most have pictures of the gravesite. Finally the book lists the many memorials inside and around the cemetery and the offical requirements for burial at Arlington.. A Fascinating book, I've read it several times and find something new every time I pick it up. Well worth purchasing for the history buff, or the casual tourist who wants to learn more about our most important national shrine.

Panthea Reid, author of Virginia Woolf: Art And Affection, is a professor of English at Louisiana State University. She has authored a book on William Faulkner and edited one on Walker Percy, both gifted, but very eccentric Southern writers. Reid must have a predilection toward gifted artists who produce astounding work, but who never find a way to fit in with society in general. In this book Reid contends that Woolf was what we in the south call a high maintenance female. Aside from her manic/depressive disorder, Reid asserts the many psychological blows, real and imagined, Woolf suffered during her childhood left her with wounds that never healed, no matter the outside success and acclaim she enjoyed in her later life. Marriage, travel, literary fame and fortune were not enough to keep Woolf from "...put(ting) stones in her pocket...walk(ing) into the water, and sink(ing) into a tidal current, hoping to fine 'rest of the floor of the sea'" on the morning of March 28, 1941. As a child, Woolf desperately longed for the attention and affection of her beautiful but emotionally detached mother; suffered emotional scars at the hands of her stern father; endured sexual abuse from one of her half-brothers; and was pathologically attached to her sister, Vanessa, herself a free spirit whom no one could restrain. Because her many childhood needs were not sated, and because her bi-polar disorder hadn't been given a name, diagnosis or treatment, Woolf spent the rest of her life enduring lingering bouts of depression, fragile health and periods of self-doubt, despite a tremendous gift for putting words on paper. By their very nature, the book's reliance on copious correspondence between Virginia and her intimates gives the reader an excellent glimpse into the day-to-day life of an upper middle class family living in Victorian England. Some of the details are tedious, while others explain the confinement Woolf felt at being a female in a very controlling, male-dominated society. Although she was obviously gifted, she was devalued by Victorian mores. This book is meticulously researched and annotated. It appears Reid had almost unlimited access to family correspondence, records and photographs. While the book might be overwhelming at times in by the sheer weight of the research, it is a scholarly work that deserves place on a library shelf and should be included in any serious study of Woolf and the life that produced her enormous, if fragile, talent. Recommended for Woolf fans and those curious about Victorian life. Enjoy!

Terry H. Mathews Reviewer

This is such an outstanding account of a Civil War campaign that I try to reread it every year or two. Aside from
being a great account of the Bermuda Hundred Campaign,
it is such a welcome change from so mant of the books currently being sold under the description of Civil War history, when they are in reality just junk. This is basically
a "how to" book on how to write and bring to life a Civil War
campaign, especially welcome in that it deals with a relatively obscure campaign in 1864 Virginia. Buy this book!

Wonderful description of the Union successes in almost capturing the little protected Petersburg and the incredulous defense by Confederate forces against huge odds. This book has details on the campaign that actually starts from the Suffolk area where Union cavalry penetrate the lightly defended no man's land southeast of Petersburg outside of Suffolk that even today is lightly populated. The Union cavalry penetrate through small towns like Ivor on route 460 and Windsor heading all the way to the Weldon railroad south of Petersburg. This raid rivals the Grierson raid made during that was made during the Vicksburg campaign. The audaciousness of the Union cavalry
led by Kautz in a series of raids below and above Petersburg rivals Stuarts trip around McClellan in 1862. This is excellent writing as Robertson writes in efficient prose about the early aspects of the Petersburg campaign that has not gotten enough print. The book follows Pickett's stressed out attempts to protect Petersburg with just a few thousand troops and his physically collapsing as soon as Beuraguard arrives to take command. The book also describes the fluttered attempt by Butler's surprise move on Petersburg that fails only because Generals like William Smith stop their attack impressed by Confederate forces that establish a bold front with small numbers, numbers so small that Smith could have steam rolled them and entered Petersburg. The book also describes Beauregard's attempts to get Lee's attention to get more troops and the description of the strained relationship between the two. Very well written description of the Confederate defense of Drewery's Bluff on the James (a wonderful tour stop today) and the counter attack along the Bermuda 100 that seals Butler's forces on the Peninsula as a "cork in a bottle" as Grant was alleged to have said. The author makes a good point that Grant's continued attack of Lee at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania may also have been to divert Confederate pressure and attention north away from Butler to protect Butler's forces allowing an opportunity for victory. The defense of Petersburg is very exciting as the Confederates thin defenses and response forces barely held on for modest reinforces defeating the Union attack. It's truly a miracle that the Confederates held on. This compact book tells the story rapidly but is well written with an easy to read style.

My girls and I love this book! What a pleasure to be able to look out our window and now be able to identify the types of birds that live among us. We even now can recognize a bird by sound.

This book includes wonderful pictures with easy to read descriptions of the birds and their habits.

What a great way to spend time with each other having fun exploring and learning.

A book that can be enjoyed at any age.

This really useful field guide has great drawings of over 100 species found in neighborhoods in US and Canada. Has a simple system to instantly tell you the region and feeding preferences of birds, in other words, where you are most likely to find them. The drawings are beautiful, colorful and accurate, clearly showing the difference between male and female, and defining markings. I've enjoyed mine thoroughly!

I first studied Cantonese in 1974, using the Yale University text of Parker P.F. Huang. In 2002 I acquired Basic Cantonese by Yip & Matthews. It was an excellent review and also clarified certain points further. In addition, it had the benefits of more recent linguistic scholarship.

Another good feature was the answer key at the back of the book, which is immensely helpful when the learner has to rely on self-study.

Also, it is helpful when the learner needs to get an informal Cantonese tutor, like a spouse or other family member. The vast majority of Cantonese speakers have no acquaintance with the Yale University spelling system used in this and other books. So one of the first steps is to teach the spelling system to the tutor. And this book does an excellent job. I recommend it without reservation.

Virginia Yip and Stephen Matthews have done it well. This is the clearest, most useful Cantonese language book yet. Each lesson builds on the previous one, as you would expect, but the inclusion of vocabulary that actually is useful in the world, and their clear method for discribing tonal pronunciations goes far beyond what has been available to date. Yip and Matthews draw on film, radio and t.v. for many of their examples, presenting this vital language as it is currently spoken. Using this book in conjuction with their "Essential Cantonese Grammar" will move your studies ahead vigorously and easily.

Howard Coffin has established himself as the premier authority on Vermont and the Civil War. He has exhaustively researched Vermont's historical records including countless letters and diaries from the actual participants. He allows them to directly share their personal, heroic, sorrowful and inspiring stories and insights. It is difficult today to appreciate the pain and suffering which was brought home to every Vermont family during this Campaign. Mr. Coffin does honor to their memories and has provided a valuable research source for those interested in this period.

A powerful historical account of Vermont's role in the Civil War, The Battered Stars: One State's Civil War Ordeal During Grant's Overland Campaign by American Civil War historian and expert Howard Coffin (himself a sixth generation Vermonter with four ancestors who served with the Vermont regiments in the Overland Campaign) is founded on a wealth of primary sources and archival materials, including wartime letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts. The state of Vermont paid a toll in blood from the strife of the war, and the brutal battles are explored in detail as well as the resolve of those who stayed at home and did their best to keep the wheels turning. A welcome and much appreciated contribution to the growing field of Civil War Studies, The Battered Stars is a powerful, fascinating account highly recommended for civil war buffs, as well as anyone native to Vermont who wants to immerse themselves in the gripping saga of a watershed time of civil war.

I found this book wonderful. It was a good look at the changes that occur in a girl's life when she becomes deaf after contracting meningitis. What I thought was especially well done was the internal conflict she experienced over "straddling" the deaf and hearing worlds, as well as the denial experienced by her parents about her hearing loss. If you can get a copy of this book, try to do it.

In "Belonging" this girl came up with a disease called Metingitis, she is now deaf and learns about deaf people. This book made me think that some people aren't as fortunate as us.

This is a truly wonderful book. Todd describes the homes of many of the people who participated in the Bloomsbury group, in addition to the complex interrelationships of the people involved, their parties and their artwork. She is one of the most focused biographers I have read: always interesting, always to the point. Considering the number of people she has to write about, it is amazing that she never strays from her focus. The book is beautifully designed and illustrated. It is a book that I will go back to over and over.

Bloomsbury at Home is a welcome addition to the bibliography of titles about the very interesting, influential and eccentric group of artists who flourished in England and France during the early part of the twentieth century. These multitalented poets, writers, painters and thinkers lived life enthusiastically and shared ideas, activities and loves with each other and the world. Pamela Todd's extended essay on the Bloomsburyites, including Vanessa Bell, Virginia Woolf, Lytton Strachey and Duncan Grant captures their individuality, and sometimes irrationality, while celebrating their devotion to freedom of thought. The really spectacular and original contribution of Bloomsbury at Home, however, comes with the reproduction of a number of paintings and drawings by the Bloomsbury group, which are otherwise difficult to find gathered in one place. This book is a treasured and inexpensive addition to my library of literary and artistic movements, and I highly recommend it to others interested in the relationship of the visual and literary arts to modern society before the Second World War.

I'm 30 years old and remember this book from the 1st grade. I loved reading about Blue Bug and learning the traffic signs. Now I have a 3 year old son of my own who loves Blue Bug. Wish I could find this book to buy, but will have to be content to get it from the library

It is very unfortunate that this title is out of print! This is a great book. Blue bug is an adorable character who has important information to relay to those who are able to read it!

This is a phenomenal book for the beginner or intermediate flower beader! I tried other "newer" booklets when I first started beading and was so confused. This book is very easy to understand with concise illustrations and instructions. This is a must have if you want to learn the beautiful Victorian craft of beaded flowers! Happy beading!

There are very few books on the market about this subject. Luckily, this one is excellent. The author covers all topics very extensively-- supplies, techniques, color theory. The variety of flowers is phenomenal, and the directions are easy to follow. Many of the illustrations are in black and white, but the color plates (there are 21 of them) are beautiful. If you are at all interested in creating lovely flowers from beads, you need this book.