I am a third grade teacher and I use this book every year in my classroom when we study Native Americans. It tells the story of how the big dipper was created. It shows the culture of the people. My students always enjoy it.

Ostentively written for children, Terri Cohlene captures the spirit of a Cheyenne legend explaining the origin of stars. She then goes it one better by compiling an entertaining and educational perspective on the historical and cultural aspects of the Cheyene civilization. After reading her marvelous tale I was surprised to find the entire last half serving as a text book to further educate me. I learned something reading this and so can you.

Ride To Glory is a unique examination of the issues involved in the Darwinian hypothesis about the origins of mankind cast in the form of a novel. Action oriented, splendidly written, thoroughly entertaining (and more than a little educational), Ride To Glory is highly recommended reading for anyone on either side of the Creationism vs. Evolution issue.

Like a serpentine road, Road to Glory twists and turns to the last page. It's a book you can't put down--a book you won't want to put down until the end.

The author cleverly recasts the Scopes trial with Darwinian evolution in the dock. More than a novel, the work is a compendium of scientific challenges (all well referenced) to Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Creationists will cheer the star witness. Evolutionists, however, will take solace in the summary reflections of the main character which is the philosophical apex of the book.

A dry scientific tome, it is not. It is a lively romance, an intriguing mystery, and a revealing glimpse at the nuanced life of academic philanthropy. Ride to Glory is a wild ride by any standard.

My wife gave this to me because she knows I like the turn of the century (everything from Henry James to Caleb Carr to the trust busters and so on) but I was skeptical. Who knew?

Who knew this would read better than the best fiction? Who knew it would be charming, gripping, infuriating, uplifiting?

At times, I felt like I was reading Serpico. It's amazing how no matter how much things change, the more they stay the same. Wasn't it just a few years ago that we were reading about the Mollen Commission investigating police corruption?

And it's amazing still that people can make a difference.

Terrific personal stories of immigrants, cops, anarchists, prostitutes, and Parkhurst himself -- Pacino has the power to do him justice in the film version though I bet they go with someone more "uptown."

A great read.

Funny, funny, funny. What surprised me most was finding out it was based on actual events (meaning that they did go on a camping trip). I enjoy everytime I listen to it.

This book, written in the early 30s, may be long forgotten and ignored, but it has the advantage of being right. How dare Warren suggest that congress obey the constitution?

Thornthwaite "Climatic Water Budget Analysis" is rational, systematic and quantitative, based on measured data. Unlike Köppen which attempts to use vegetation to predict large general climate areas, Thornthwaite uses temperature, precipitation, latitude, day length and soil water-holding capacity for an objective perspective of climate. Model enhancements include net primary productivity in grams per square meter per year, continentality (continental vs. oceanic influence), aspect, an Index of Moisture that accounts for precipitation (income), potential and actual evapotranspiration (spending), soil water-holding capacity (storage or withdrawal), indices of moisture in arid and humid climates. While Köppen lumps mountains into "Highlands", Thornthwaite reflects objective conditions - over a 30-year period. Climate constraints (maximums, minimums, ranges) are comparable world wide. Agriculture, urban residents, water, soil and ecosystem managers find Thornthwaite logical, rational and useful (vs. Köppen, a "memorized" system of map areas).

Historical perspectives of Thornthwaite's time and teaching in Oklahoma, working with Birdseye, doing regional geography in Kentucky, heading the Soil Conservation Service, and applying the tools of weather and climate worldwide make his life and biography long-term valuable. Understand Thornthwaite and you realize just how much "fluff" and spin current Natl Weather Service and media weather-climate reports are. This biography is defensible, robust, rational and reveals hard work and a fresh perspective.

The authors apply mathematical theories to build business models in very simple statements. In this way, we understand how to make decisions based on the models described in this book. The authors also reveal how to use Microsoft Excel to solve business models. I think this is very crucial skill for the managers.

Summary: This 5th edition of The World Atlas of Golf belongs in the library of every golfer who wants to appreciate more of the game's rich history . . . and have a Walter Mittyish look at courses that will probably never be seen in person. Over 70 courses get the deluxe treatment of looking at the course layout, the score card, and an in-depth evaluation of the most famous holes. Thorough essays recount the history of the course, including the most memorable golf moments there. Beautiful color photographs capture the holes, and famous historic shots share the winning and losing. Afficionados will appreciate the pin-point descriptions of how to play the world's most demanding holes. The book also boasts a brief gazetteer of over 100 courses providing a one-third page thumbnail sketch of their layout and history. The book also boasts excellent, brief essays on the development of golf course design.

Review: This book will appeal to those who have played these wonderful courses and want to relive the experience, those who wish to know more about the rich history of the world's most challenging holes, and those who are curious about why golfers everywhere rave about certain holes and courses. The material is so rich and detailed that any golf fan could happily spend days with this book and just scratch its surface. A fan could easily extend enjoyment of the book by getting videos of famous championships to see the live action that is captured here in photographs and essays.

The courses are selected from around the world, but are primarily from Europe and the United States. Reflecting the game's heritage, the courses examined start with those in Scotland and proceed from there throughout the British Isles and Eire. From there, you transfer to the European mainland. Next, you go the North America. Asia, Africa, and South America are your final stops.

Naturally, the courses include such standards as St. Andrews's Old Course, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Royal Dornoch, Muirfield, Turnberry, Loch Lomond, Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale, Ballybunion, Valderrama, Shinnecock Hills, Augusta National, Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, Oakmont, Baltusrol, The Country Club, Olympic, Winged Foot, Pinehurst No. 2, Seminole, Merion, Pine Valley, Medinah, Oakland Hills, Dorado Beach and the Mid Ocean in Bermuda. But you will also get exposed to courses that you may not know as well like Sotogrande in Spain and Banff in Canada.

As an example of the hole-by-hole analysis, the book early on looks at the famous 17th on the Old Course at St. Andrews. A hotel cuts off the right side of the hole of this tough par four, also referred to as the Road Hole. In 1995, John Daly won the British Open there in part by hitting a tremendous drive around the hotel and into the fairway. He was able to hit onto the green from there with a 7 iron. The book shows the outline of the hotel, where Daly's ball went, and where most players shoot. Naturally, this looks easy on paper. When I tried the same thing with my drive, my ball went just a bit too far right and disappeared into an area near the foundation of the hotel, out of bounds. I came away much more impressed with Daly's feat.

With the knowledge this atlas can give you, you will find yourself able to take on challenges that great golfers have lived up to before you. You may not match them (and probably won't), but you will enjoy the feeling of trying on the challenging swings of the greats. It'll be a great thrill when you do!

After you finish enjoying this book a few times, think about where else in life you would enjoy reliving great moments of those who have gone before. How can you use those experiences to inspire you to try more, accomplish more, and have more fulfillment in everything you do?

"Take dead aim."

"The Dark Frigate" was the 1923 Newbery Award winner. However, as I read the first few chapters I was thinking to myself, "Boy, the Newbery standards weren't very high back then." My chief problem was that it was written in a very archaic and verbose style. I understand that the author was trying to recreate a feeling of 17th century language for his readers, but any child under the age of 12 is going to get frustrated and I doubt many children over age 12 will enjoy wading through its difficult prose either. Also, this is a strange childrens book in that the main character is not a child, but a 19 yr old man with an eye for comely barmaids.

However, if one can get through the rather awkward writing style and the cursory introductions to key characters, "The Dark Frigate" becomes a real page turner when the pirates enter the story and remains one until the last couple of chapters when the author tries to wrap everything up a little too quickly. The chapters dealing with the pirates, though, make for an extremely entertaining and exciting tale. It's those chapters that made me understand why this book won the Newbery.

Although, written for children, "The Dark Frigate" is a rather grown-up book with murders being described in grisly detail, implied torture, hangings, and female characters who aren't exactly chaste maidens. I guess children in the 20's weren't handled with kid gloves when it came to describing the seedier elements of life.

By: Charles Boardmen Hawes

In seventeenth-century England Philip Marshman was suddenly orphaned when his father died at sea. Growing up around ships Philip runs from London and joins the frigate called "The Rose of Devon." In the middle of the voyage to Newfoundland the ship is seized by evil men, from a floating wreck, saved by the Rose of Devon's crew. Now Philip Marshman is a pirate joining these men on there bloody journey. With only his hanging awaiting him in London. Will he survive? Or suffer the same fate as his father.

This book was winner of the 1924 Newbery Medal for best contribution to American children's literature (Unfortunately, Hawes died before the Medal was awarded). It focuses on an English lad named Philip Marsham in the 1640s who signs up for duty on a frigate. The ship is taken over by others and is converted into a pirate ship. Philip has to find a way off the ship and back to England. And, the adventures begin! Boy, I wish I had found this book when I was a kid. Iwould have loved it. Even now, as an adult, I enjoyed it.

This book tells the traditional story of Sleeping Beauty with magnificent language, accompanied by spectacular illustrations. As in the original, Sleeping Beauty's mother is told that her dream of having a child would finally come true and that she would have a baby girl. The Queen did have the baby girl and her husband was so pleased he threw the biggest and grandest birthday party. He invited all but one person and not inviting her was the result in a terrible spell cast upon his daughter, Briar Rose. The spell was to put her to sleep on her 15th birthday, in which it did, after she touched the spinning wheel. Only a handsome man could wake her from the spell, and many years later that is what one man did. By kissing her, she returned to life and brought the whole castle life back with her. What catches the reader's attention in this particular book is the depth and colors of the illustrations. The position of the text also is very relevant in this story. Each picture is extremely detailed and shows that a great amount of thought was put into completing each page. It is very unique that the placement of the words on each page is located in some form of an opening. The text is placed in open skies, doorways, and blank walls on each page. In the beginning of the book, when the tone is darker, opening words are placed in a smaller and darker area; when Sleeping Beauty is awoken, the tone is much livelier. An example of this transition is relevant on the first two pages of the book, from the time when you are told the Queen could not have children to the time she has given birth to a baby girl. The first picture has dark colors and the trees are scary, close together and representative of a dark tone. With a turn of the page the tone takes a great positive change with open skies, doves, and vibrant colors. The text on both pages is in the middle of the darkness and then in the middle of a window. The position of the text and the illustrations are key factors in determining the over all tone and mood of the story. This book tells such an amazing story with the pictures that words are not even necessary. Children can read this book and better understand because of the colors and detail that each picture possesses. The doves that are used on the page of the birth of Briar Rose and the end of the book symbolize her life and what joy she lived. The colors in general are also used a symbol for joy and sadness, with such powerful colors meaning and representing happy times.

Trina Schart Hyman entranced me with her illustrations of Snow White when I was just a child. This book, with all its wonderful depictions, is equally as rich and magical. I have always loved the way her drawings looked and she was a direct inspiration for me to take up illustration when I got to college. I definitely reccomend it. It is a lovely, well-written tale and anyone, young or old, will love it.

As soon as you see the cover, you will know this is an edition of Sleeping Beauty that you will want. You actually feel the joy of the baby's christening, and the hurt and turmoil of the wicked fairy's curse. The scenes in this book are medeieval looking and it even shows some of the seasons that pass. This might not be the way that you see Sleeping Beauty often depicted. The princess, Briar Rose has long red hair and she wears a knife around her waist, in true medieval princess style. This is definetly a good change for the story. With it's expressive wording and beautiful, unique illustrations, you will want to check out her other books such as Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and some others!!!!