GEORGIA O'KEEFFE AND THE CALLA LILY IN AMERICAN ART, 1860-1940 has more than 50 calla images by 33 artists and photographers. The driving force behind the exhibition, catalogue and book is Barbara Buhler Lynes, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum curator. In one beautifully illustrated, clearly written and nicely organized source, she traces the plant's history, from the limited written record and through art.

Europeans imported the calla in 1731. The name was already in place, from Pliny, according to botanist Jacques Dalechamps. William Wood said the word meant beautiful in Greek. Carolus von Linnaeus, Swedish plant classifier, accepted the name for his "Species plantarum."

But calla palustris already named a northern water plant. So it became richardia. But that was already a rubiaeceae family member. So it became, and stayed, zantedeschia, after Italian botanist and physician Francesco Zantedeschi.

Art has left a better record than writing. For classifying plants encouraged drawing flowers. Especially after the calla was imported from South Africa into the United States, American artists took to its white blooms, spear-headed leaves and elegant silhouette. It became grown, known and painted coast to coast.

Traditionally, it was painted into women's portraits. As recently as 1951, Mexican artist Diego Rivera put the calla into his portrait of Helen N. Starr. A female bullfighter, Starr faced death many times. The calla was also called the perfect mourning flowers, along with azalea, rose and violets. In fact, it was scattered over President Lincoln's casket and Queen Victoria's deathbed.

It was also seen as symbol, and cause, of death. Some scientists believed them to be dangerously poisonous. But that didn't keep southern Californians from growing them outdoors, year-round, as potato-like tasty good in looks and cooking. It was the same with missionaries who had seen pygmies and elephants eating the corms in the Congo.

With all the hype, how could the calla become other than the best known subject in American art? Marsden Hartley and Georgia O'Keeffe were particularly responsible for, but not alone in, that. Not surprisingly, shortly afterwards the calla also became a favorite with advertisers, designers, film-makers and marriage planners. The book perfectly traces this fascinating surge, from our gardens and into almost all of our arts. It reads especially well with Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser's MARSDEN HARTLEY.

Chuck Lewis, Sr. has hit on possibly the most effective technique to deal with anger, in me and in others, that I have ever known. Seeing anger both as a positive force of change and the very reason we have survived to be here today, his techniques harness the energy of our primal chemistry of adrenalin (fight or flight) in a positive way to open dialogue and keep it open. Not only do my own needs get met, I have the power to influence others to do the same. Chuck has clinically studied human behavior for over 40 years as a leader in the L.A. County mental health system and his experience culminates in this book.

One more thing... if anyone has ever studied karate, they will know that the better they get, the less likely they will use it. The same hold true for Chuck's techniques:) -DBD

From the first pages of the book, Gnashing of Teeth, I fell head first into the story of a young man's journey. Tim's departure from home for the unknown, the bravery and terror he faced at the front lines of the Korean War, the love he felt for a young woman, and finally his homecoming after the war. I was made to feel what Tim felt, fear, bravery, sadness and joy. I was moved to tears when after all Tim went through his homecoming was not what he expected. A must read for all those who served in the military and all those connected to someone who has.

This book was realisticly frightening as the author captured me up into this 'unrealistic' world of Hell. It is things that bad dreams are made of. Mr. Hinds descriptions are vivid and the tale spins and weaves, and entangled me into this horror story of death, life and those in between. The Hotel itself, contains different rooms where each dead sinner enters into to a new horror they have earned.
If you like horror this is a definate book to read!
Susie Harrison, published author of 'innocent insights' and 'Our Biggest Little Hero'.

One of the most thought provoking, heartwarming, character building, well presented slices of life I have ever read! Every parent, child, business owner, employee, teacher, student, politician, citizen - in short, everyone - should read this book. Rank it with (Jim Stovall's) The Ultimate Gift, and place it on the shelf with the most profound members of your private library, beginning with the Bible. Should be part of every school cirriculum in the United States. A must read!

This is a truly fascinating work about Ireland. Told in an enjoyable way it was fun to read. If you are even slightly interested in Ireland, it's past or present then you want this book in you collection.

The celebrated painting of "Washington Crossing the Deleware" shows two future presidents. In addition to the prominently displayed Father of Our Country, the young officer clutching the American flag is James Monroe. There is an element of irony in this painting since the two most famous foreign policy propositions in American history were established by these two men: Washington's admonition that the United States should get involved in no foreign entanglements and the Monroe Doctrine, which declared that every nation "is exclusively the judge of the Government best suited to itself" and that no other nation could interfere with that self-determination. Consequently, young readers will find in Charles Wetzel's biography of "James Monroe" for the World Leaders: Past & Present series an understanding of the Monroe Doctrine that goes well beyond the simple idea that European powers need to stay out of the Western Hemisphere to something more fundamental (and which is clearly embodied in the War for Iraqi Freedom).

This volume tells how Monroe was born into a distinguished Virginia family who left the College of William and Mary to enlist in the Continental Army and serve under Washington. Wounded at the Battle of Trenton after the crossing of the Deleware, Monroe ended the war as a major. A disciple of Thomas Jefferson, Monroe's political career led him to become governor of Virginia and during the Jefferson administration served as ambassador to France, Spain and England. Because of his diplomatic service Monroe was appointed Secretary of State by President James Madison. However, it was as Secretary of War during the War of 1812 that Monroe became a national hero (in contemporary terms, this would mean he went from Colin Powell to Donald Rumsfeld, thereby becoming one of the few men to be a memorable Secretary of War). Elected to the Presidency in 1816, Monroe served two terms in what is now known as the Era of Good Feelings.

This is an informative biography aimed at an older school audience and its major strength is that it focuses more on the political aspects of Monroe's public life than on standard biographical details. The volume is illustrated with historic paintings, etchings, and drawings, including several editorial cartoons that are intriguing looks at the political times in which Monroe lived. The World Leaders: Past & Present series consists of 157 biographies written especially for young adults to introduce them to men and women whose ideas and actions have determined the course of history. This includes world leaders from John Adams to Zhou Enlai, going back to Pericles and up to Ronald Reagan. All the volumes include a prologue "On Leadership" by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

The personalities, prejudices and courage of the Founding Fathers come alive in the give and take of the debates of the Continental Congress. We, who can see the results, can little doubt what each of them knew, that they were inspired by a higher power. I feel greatful to be a descendent. Dewey F. Brignone

Wood has put the "war" back into the Wars of Religion. This volume contains a magnificent analysis of the French royal army and its operations. The nature of the military conflict, particularly in the early wars of religion, had serious consequences for the crown, the state, and French society as a whole. His thesis is that the crown failed to deliver a knock-out blow to the Huguenot rebellion in the early wars due to an incomplete "military revolution" (the problems of logistics, supply, personnel, financing, social organization, etc. that all needed to be solved by early modern states in order to field effective standing armies). This led to a state of endemic civil war that lasted for over a generation. This book is an essential contribution to the fields of military history, warfare and society, the Wars of Religion, and early modern France. Now, we need someone to write the equivalent analysis of the other side...

An inspirational book for men convenient for reflection and worship of our Father at home and travel.