I have just read this book, and can recommend it unreservedly. Brookhart's career is one of high interest and Father McDaniel has done an excellent job telling of it. I have long heard of the fantastic campaign of 1932 for U.S. Senator in Iowa, and this book relates the facts as to it, and as to all the other campaigns that Brookhart was in. A most worthwhile contribution to senatorial biography. I am glad it has been published.

"On A Street Called Easy, in a Cottage called Joye" is an easy and entertaining read, with short chapters perfect for the ride on the subway, or a break between tasks. A close parallel to "A Year In Provence", which is referenced by the authors, the story is essentially a humorous take on the gentry's lament "you can't get good help these days", but the biggest difference is that while "A Year..." is heavily slanted towards food, "A Street..." is almost entirely about the travails of renovating a wreck. It is after all, set in the deep (if it ain't fried, it ain't cooked)south, this is NOT Provence.
The "true" story follows its two, pullitzer prize winning authors as they leave their dark, viewless, Manhattan condo and set out for Aiken, S.C., where they've bought(for quite a bit less than the original million+ asking price) a sixty room mansion built in 1897 by WC Whitney, as the gilded age began to flicker to a close. Through neglect, the house is an absolute mess. The crew hired to bring it back to its glory is pretty much a mess as well. From the holdover-joint-toking hippie that makes off with the only, working-order copper piping to sell for scrap, to the tile man who wants to be paid for time he'd requested to hang out (doing nothing)while the tile arrived, to the maid who spends all day dusting 3 rooms, only to be discovered sleeping whenever the bosses are away. You can't leave this crew a for a second, as they discover towards the end, in a scene that will leave wine lovers heart broken. The problem is, as with "A year in Provence", the owners seem to have a bottomless pocketbook, and always seem to have a check to write to cover whatever goes wrong. And EVERYTHING goes wrong. This eventually takes away from the believability, especially when combined with the patience of Job that the two men seem to display, endlessly, towards what are essentially ne'er do wells and lowlifes posing as contractors. Ah, well. You do learn a bit about the Whitneys, the house in its better days, Aiken in its better days, and the more recent days. All in all a worthwhile read.

Can you begin to imagine two authors of brutal true crime stories, undertaking a project such as remodeling an old 60 room mansion? And can you believe their moving from their home in Manhatten to Aiken, SC? They write of their trials and tribulations, in such a manner, you wipe tears of joy and tears of frustration and sorrow for them. And all the time the reconstruction and renovations are taking place, they are constantly meeting friends and neighbors; while they are trying to hire someone for this project or that project. You celebrate with them over each accomplishment. By the time they finish the renovations, you can 'hear' the music filtering through the wing of the home where all of the parties will be held. Such excitement in the air. I am fortunate enough to live close to this location and took a trip over and found Joye Cottage! Absolutely breathtaking.... wish I could tour the inside.

I was given the BOOK version of this several years ago by a dear friend and honestly, I have read and re-read this book several times. The first time that I got it, I actually read it out loud to my husband while we were working on our own version of "Joy Cottage." We both roared with laughter!

Having moved to the South from the West Coast, I understood totally what Mr. White-Smith encountered! From Irish Travelers to the local restaurant that produces vegetables that have had every last trace of nutritional content boiled out of them, collard greens, fat back and fat light (it is vital that you know the difference: one is used to light fires and one is put in with your collards!),pepper sauce, sweet tea (cavities be damned!) to Moon Pies, Krispy Kremes, speech from people that you swear aren't speaking English, painters that can't paint, roofers that drink way too much, Nandina, Magnolias and Smilack at Christmas (I hope that I spelling the last one correctly!) and on and on and on. If you live in the South (especially if you are a transplant) and most especially if you live in or have redone an old house, this is the book for you!

As I said, I have re-read this book several times and I still find myself laughing hysterically. It is a great book that I am terribly sorry is out of print. Until it comes back into its second printing, the audio version will suffice. I wish they would do a "Part II" version...

A MUST read!

This is a well-written, well-organized field guide, like all other Peterson Field Guides. The book is divided into five parts: 1. About This Book, a very brief introduction of the book; 2. Collectin and Observing Fishes, again, a brief chapter, but very useful. The next three chapters are divided into: 3. Jawless Fishes; 4. Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras and 5. Bony fishes, which is where the bulk of the book is about. The book also contained an excellent glossary, and a limited number of references. Particularly useful are the detailed habitat information of each fish described, ways to identify them, and of course, the 48 pages of color and black and white drawings of the fishes. The book is an invaluable sources of information not only to ichthyologist, naturalist, but also to the comercial fisherman, professional anglers and recreational angler. The only complaint I had is that this field guide uses artists' drawing for the fishes instead of the actual picture of the fish. With the actual picture of the fish, it will make the identification of an unknown fishe much easier for the amateurs and weekend angler. Overall, an excellent book.

I bought this book in anticipation of a SCUBA trip down the west coast next year. Why? Because I have good luck with Peterson guides and know that they are concise, well written and all inclusive. So far, as I try to gain some familiarity with the fishes of the west coast before I go I have not been disappointed. I'm sure that this book is to the west coast what the Atlantic guide is to the east and gulf coast. I'll write another review after I finish my trip.

A reliable reference work - I have found it to be very useful and informative. I would rate it alongside Helicon's Political Systems of the World, by Derbyshire and Derbyshire, which looks at the political structures and histories of each of the world's states. The latter is very readable, while the handbook contains a wealth of detail.

If you need to know anything about the world whether it is specific info. about a country or simply general information, this is the prefect reference. is is clearly organized and extremely useful for everything. i highly recommend it!

It's not too often that you get a Civilian view of the Civil War. This book shows how Seccesh and Unionists acted towards each other in a border state, depending upon who's troops were occupying the town of Lexington (Home of John Hunt Morgan). The diary was written by a homebound girl (she had epilepsy) with Union leanings. The area that she saw from her window still exists today, including her home and others mentioned and also show up on a hand-drawn map that is in the book. A very good book for those seeking something besides the same old worn out War stories.

A very good diary of the occupation of Lexington KY by both CS and US troops during the Civil War. Since the city was home to both Unionist and Secceshionist Civilians, it shows how each acted depending on who occupied the city at the time. It is a good illustration of Home Front activity.

My introduction to the work of S.J. Rozan took the form of a short story. After reading one or two of her novels, I was telling friends on the internet that this writer was a major talent, someone I believed would be a strong voice in mystery.

With the publication of STONE QUARRY, the sixth book in Rozan's Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series, St. Martins Press has proved me right - but then, I knew that about the time that CONCOURSE, won the Shamus Award back in 1995. Rozan has not only developed a continually fascinating series, with fully developed characters, well-described settings (mostly in and around New York City), but she has successfully created a series with two distinct voices. In books one, three and five, Lydia Chin takes the narrative. She is a young, optimistic Chinese-American private eye who tries to balance the needs of her family and her own need to declare her independence and intelligence. The older, far more cynical private eye Bill Smith takes the lead in the other books. STONE QUARRY is, technically a "Bill Smith" book, while Lydia still participates. While Smith seems to fit the mold of he standard white guy p.i., he is anything but typical and is as interesting as his more "exotic" partner.

In this dark mystery, Bill is in upstate New York where he's had a house for years - a place he retreats to. He's in town primarily to assist Eve Colgate, a somewhat reclusive resident who wants him to check out a theft, without reporting that theft to the police. He is as well known as anyone in the area, but still seen as an outsider; even when he helps someone, he's somewhat resented. There is corruption, there's the arrogance of wealth and small-town attitudes for Bill to deal with. He calls Lydia, who is clearly out of her element in this rural setting, but still insistent on helping her friend and some-time partner.

STONE QUARRY continues an excellent series. It tells you more about Smith and Chin, two of the most intelligently drawn private eyes in modern day. Rozan, who won the Anthony for best novel for A COLDER PLACE, writes as effectively about this dark place as she does the bright lights of Chinatown and the upper west side and Brooklyn. The conflicts between Lydia's fairly upbeat attitudes and Bill's world-weariness only serve to highlight the way the two characters care for each other and keep each other balanced, keep each other from going off the deep end in either direction. This is truly one of the best mystery series available today - never a disappointment, cleanly, sharply written with warmth and wit and compassion, but the author never forgets to tell the story.

S.J. Rozan gets better with every book. I can't think of many writers with a more vivid sense of place: whether it's the kitchen of a dim sum palace in Chinatown, or a roadhouse in upstate New York, the settings of Rozan's novels, like her protagonists, are engaging and original. Bill Smith and Lydia Chin are rarities in the mystery genre: heroes with evolving inner lives, moral conflicts, and intelligent and humorous voices. Stone Quarry is Rozan at her best: it is wonderfully written and impossible to put down.

Stone Quarry is one of S.J. Rozan's best books yet. The feel for the landscape, both natural and social, is particularly strong. The isolated rural county where the novel takes place really comes to life. The story grips you by the neck and propels you forward, and keeps you guessing until the unexpected but convincing end. In its twists and turns, the plot put me in mind of The Big Sleep. The narrator, Bill Smith, is a complicated, private person, and we learn a little more in this book about what makes him tick. Some interesting changes in the relationship between Bill and his partner, Lydia Chin-- Rozan handles this with a skillful, subtle touch. Another strong character is Jimmy Antonelli, a working-class kid in deep trouble who Bill has helped out before. Jimmy reminds me of some guys I've known-- a bundle of bravado and contradictions, caught between wanting to do the right thing, and internal and external pressures that push him in the wrong direction. Rozan herself goes in exactly the right direction with this novel, a story that slowly builds to a fast and furious conclusion.

The author addresses the urgent need for people to control the government through the voting process, lest they lose even the right to vote.
The book shows how the rights in the bill of rights have been taken from the people by the politicans, bureaucrats, and judges.
Even if you do not consider yourself a political animal, this book would make good reading, and may awaken your desire to remain free according to the Constitution

i thought this book was very well written and i learned a lot about jedediah smith and after i read this book i went to my local library and checked out another book on jedediah smith i also learned about other pioneers

It is extremely racist for the author and other "liberals" to denounce William Hannibal Thomas for "betraying" his "race." Isn't "race" a fiction? A mulatto is not a Negro. Thomas was really no different from the average mulatto in his views regarding mulatto superiority and Negro inferiority. He was just more public about it. Even your mulatto "black" hero W.E.B. DuBois believed in mulatto superiority. What do you think his "Talented Tenth" was? Do you recall how DuBois described Marcus Garvey in the most perjorative racial terms because the latter was black and not mulatto?

If the liberal author condemns Thomas as a "race traitor," then he is indirectly endorsing the view of white supremacists who believe in white "race traitors." If "race" is not a biological fact, how can there be any "race traitors"?

In defense of Thomas and other Anglo mulattoes and mixed-whites who proudly reject the black stigma, may I ask why Latinos (also a mixed race, partially black group), Indians, Asians, etc. have never been condemned for the same "sins" of looking down on blacks and identifying more with whites? Mexican elites, for example, were willing to condemn blacks as inferior as long as Mexicans as a group could have the honored label of "white." Why don't they receive the condemnation and sneering that Anglos of mixed-race receive even when they just live their lives and make no statements on "race"? Why? Why don't liberals rejoice at THEIR misfortunes and proclaim that the uppity in-betweens had it coming to them?

Smith should condemn himself as a "racist" for promoting the "one drop" myth and forced hypodescent. As a liberal, he misleads people of good will into endorsing anti-mulatto racism as a defense of blacks. That is the source of the "race traitor" accusation against William Hannibal Thomas. He is being used as a scapegoat.

As a biracial, i'm compelled to say: You are a bigoted woman. Most mulattoes do not think they are superiour over blacks, they are not hateful like you. W.E.B Dubois was proud to be a negro, he help found the NAACP.

A thorough, detailed account of how William Hannibal Thomas transformed from an activist and advocate into someone who projected his own feelings of insecurity and inferiority onto his fellow African-Americans. The author does an excellent job of giving Thomas's changing perceptions historical context. All in all, a compelling book.

Yay! More anti-American polemic, from a non-Filipino who feels the Phillipines don't rebel often enough. There are some nice facts in here, like about how George Bush praised dictator Marcos for his "adherence to democratic principles and democratic processes" but most of it is full of highly anti-American rantings. A balanced picture is not something you'll get out of this book.

Interesting isn't it that when America's many embarrassing colonial misdeeds in the Philippines are exposed all the Right can do is blame the messenger and dismiss the work as a leftist "rant"?

With history generally written in a self-serving, sanitized fashion, it's refreshing to see a different take on US involvement in the Philippines -- one more in keeping with the general Philippine view of the situation as well, I estimate.