I am a professional botanist so my standards are high. I checked Huxley and Taylor's book out of the University library and carried it in my backpack for a month. The only thing is you really need a backpack with an easily accessible pocket if you aren't going to just keep this book in your hands.

This volume is a reader's delight, for it presents not one but two of Francis Parkman's classic works: The Oregon Trail and The Conspiracy of Pontiac. Rightly hailed as America's greatest historian, in The Oregon Trail Francis Parkman relates a journey to the 1840's American West - undertaken for the express purpose of living among "real" American Indian tribes of the Great Plains before their way of life passed forever. By this experience Parkman hoped to better understand and relate what eastern tribes had so tragically fought for and lost in the preceding century's struggle for the continent. The Oregon Trail is a great book in its own right, and has been reviewed by this reader previously (see more in "About Me/ Other Reviews"), but the primary focus of this review is Parkman's study of a crucial chapter in the development of North America as we know it today: the disastrous consequences France's defeat in Canada would bring to the remaining eastern tribes. For this event would inexorably lead to the explosion of the English colonies across lands heretofore held by them under French "dominion".

While the Iroquois Nations had long maintained an uneasy alliance with the English as they pushed their way into the western reaches of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, those further west knew what the defeat of the French would bring: utter destruction. The Ottawa, Ojibwa, Pottawattami, Delaware, Shawnee, Illinois, Sauk and Foxes had long fought the intrusion of the arrogant and land-grabbing English from Quebec to the Mississippi. Pontiac himself had fought beside the Marquis de Montcalm as he tried in vain to save New France from ruin during the French & Indian War. But at last, in the mid-1700s France finally capitulated to her English rivals, her hold on the North American continent broken forever. The only task left to the conquerors was to make their way across the Great Lakes, into the valleys of the Ohio, and down the Mississippi into the Illinois country to make their claim upon the former French forts and trading houses. For a brief time a singular leader and a dozen nations blocked their way: Pontiac and his assembled allies.

Parkman sets the stage by briefly relating the history of France and England in America from the early 1600s-1760s, then meticulously details the source of the tribes' many grievances - grievances which would directly lead to Pontiac's bold attempt to decisively halt the English advance.

Though doomed to ultimate defeat against the onslaught of English guns and armies, traders and pioneers, for a short time Pontiac's initiative was remarkably successful. He brought war to nearly all of western America at the same time - from the siege at Detroit to the forests outside the gates of Niagara, from upper Michigan and Wisconsin to the Ohio valley, into western Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York, down the many rivers and tributaries leading into the Mississipi. A dozen forts fell before him and hundreds of miles of frontier settlements emptied in terror.

Parkman's work is perhaps the best chronicle of many of these tribes' last desperate fight for their lives and land. Those interested in the history of the struggles destined to come shortly to the tribes west of the Mississippi will derive much insight from Parkman's treatment of Pontiac's war. For his "conspiracy" was the original "last great battle" for the "American West" - 100 years before the battle for the further western Plains would come to an ignominious close. To understand Pontiac's war, the motives of both his people and the English and French, as well as the burgeoning force who would soon thereafter cast off their identity as "colonists" is to understand much of what would follow as American history.

Can't wait to see this one. Lilla and Dworkin is like a collaboration between Ken Vandermark and Wynton Marsalis.

This book allows readers to see a significant segment of the history of religion in Mexico as never before. William B. Taylor's research into the lives of priests, natives and mestizo parishoners in 18th century Mexico presents a largely innovative and exciting understanding of religious change, church authority and the primordial power of Catholic ritual in the lives of all three. It also reveals the intense and ongoing negotiations for who would interpret sacred space, religious experience and Christian identity during these years of change and continuity in Mexico. Especially valuable for students of syncretism, cultural change and Indian religious identity is the excellent chapter three on religious change and ritual transformations brought about by Indians and priests.
By the way, this book won several of the most prestigious history prizes given by historians.

The Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute is a world renowned center for the fine arts. Ably edited by Anna Tobin D'Ambrosio, the Curator of Decorative Arts at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute Museum of Art has compiled essays by herself and other decorative arts scholars on more than 65 finely crafted examples of American furniture encompassing nearly every 19th century style and explores the careers of America's most influential cabinetmakers and shops of the era in Masterpieces of American Furniture From the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute. Her introductory essays traces the evolution of the museum's decorative arts holdings. The informative text is superbly illustrated with more than 90 color plates, plus detail images from period sources and labels. The outstanding and scholarly presentation is highly recommended for students of 19th century American furniture, cabinetmaking, and home decorative fashions.

Hi there If you are a Boyer (or a French) and have family from southwestern Ohio - please order one of these fine paperbacks by Paul. Besides wonderful mission history there is also Boyer (and French) family history to be learned.
Have a wonderful day.
Nanette

A comprehensive collection of reproductions of images of the City of New York since the city's founding to the present in the collection of The Museum of the City of New York. Detailed, informed descriptions written by the museums' curators and historians accompany each reproduction.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tape. Beautiful poetry read by beautiful voices. It's wonderful for playing in the car on long journeys, it could even be the perfect antidote to road rage. Very relaxing.

The Political Theory of Jon Taylor of Caroline is book which should be on the shelf of any Jeffersonian.Professor Hill provides in detail the complete political theory of John Taylor
and his defense of agarianism.The author provides information on
Taylor's relationship with other Jeffersonians and how they
fought to implement limited government. My only disagreement
is that too much emphasis is put on minor differences with
Taylor's friend and collaborator, Thomas Jefferson.Although it

is true Taylor and Jefferson disagreed on minor points of
banking, he and Jefferson were friends and kindred spirits.

Jefferson and Taylor agreed on the fundementals of republican
government: agrarian democracy, the sovereignty of the people
limited federal government, reform of the federal judiciary,
and individual liberty. They did very much disagree on the
issue of slavery. Taylor reamined loyal to Jefferson
throughout his political life, twice being an elector
for him, and introducing the Virginia Resolutions in the
Virginia Legislature in 1799. Professor Hill does show
Taylor's greatness as an American philosopher.
Overall an excellent read.

If you're interested in reformed theology, the Puritan Bookshelf CDs are a great way to get an extensive library of books, lectures and sermons, for very little expense - and without having to search the world for them in libraries and used book stores. Every CD is packed with a wealth of wisdom and biblical instruction that goes far beyond what is generally seen in our day.

Volume Ten contains eleven books; five massive volumes written by three authors of the 17th century, along with six books by more contemporary covenanters.

"The Works of the Reverend and Learned John Lightfoot" abounds with great history lessons of New Testament times. This book includes a full description of the temple and its service, as they stood in the days when Christ was on earth - complete with a detailed, labelled drawing of the temple, done by the author himself.

Among the many valuable lessons in "The Works of the Judicious and Learned Divine, Dr. Thomas Taylor," is an exposition on Eph. 5:15. The author stresses the importance of the Christian walking circumspectly, demonstrating which areas of life this admonition applies to, and how the Christian is to gain the wisdom he needs in order to obey it. In the words of Dr. Taylor, "A circumspect Christian is not so careful for the... tilling, and sowing of his field, the pruning of his trees, the feeding of his cattle; as in fencing the heart against temptation, in sowing the seed of God's Word, in weeding of sin by the roots out of his soul, in feeding and fostering of grace."

"The Works of the late Reverend and Learned William Bates," contains more than thirty sermons on such practical subjects as forgiveness, the fear of God, and the danger of prosperity. Several of the sermons in this book were preached at the funerals of such eminent and godly men as Thomas Manton, David Clarkson and Richard Baxter.

This is only a glimpse of what is available on these wonderful CDs. I can't recommend them highly enough, to anyone who wants to study Protestant Church History from those who were there.

You can see the full listing for all 32 Puritan Bookshelf CDs online, at Still Waters Revival Books. SWRB also lists a similar set of 30 CDs in their Reformation Bookshelf CD series.