A highly recommended contribution to Native American Studies, Comanche Society: Before the Reservation by Gerald Betty (History Department, Texas A&M, Corpus Christi) is a meticulous and scholarly study of Comanche society from the beginning of New World Colonization by European powers through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Focusing especially on how the bonds of kinship affected the interplay within Comanche clans, and how the Comanches came to adopt horses, pastoralism, and other Iberian traits into their own culture, Comanche Society is a fascinating and analytical history of the evolution of this Native American nation.

I used this as my main reference book on a trip to Oregon last summer (1998). The info was current, easily understandable, directions were very accurate. I loved the list of radio stations at the end of each chapter - it eliminates searching around the dial while you drive. And I contacted cities from the list of Chambers of Commerce and received a lot of additional helpful info. The best recommendation that I can give is that I'm headed for California this summer and the Martin's book is at the top of my short list of books to buy! PS - There is a 1999 update available now.

Betty Derig's book, A Roadside History of Idaho, travels the entire state, giving useful, interesting, and often rarely known facts and stories about Idaho. Without sounding too academic, the book is authoritative. Without being fluffy, it is light and enjoyable. Perhaps the most enjoyable element of the guide is that by cataloguing the history, the people, and the out-of-the-way places of Idaho, Derig successfully conveys a sense of mythology about the state. The reader, while enjoying the interesting and entertaining facts, gets the sense that Idaho has texture and history and a culture all its own - that the state is more than some sparsely populated, out of the way state that is only good for producing potatos. Betty Derig's book reveals Idaho for the enchanting, enchanted place that it is.

Mimi Osborne illustrates Wild Berries Of The West, a comprehensive, "user friendly" guide to over a hundred berries and fruits of the western U.S. Color photos pack a guide which includes tips on both medicinal and culinary use, Native American lore, and berry history and cultivation. An excellent, practical reference.

I travel to San Francisco every year and I "never leave home without Betty & Pansy"! They get down to the nitty gritty and give you a feel of what each venue is like and the customers who frequent it. The "Review" is indispensible for any gay or lesbian going to the city by the bay.

How could I not LOVE IT!!! I will proudly tell you that I am the "Naomi" named in the book and that every story about every place mentioned is absolutely true!! I even know who the others are that are nicknamed in the various chapters...so watch it. Betty goes to great lengths to bring you the real flavor and spin in the City. Her reviews are brutally honest and they set a high mark for those wishing to make a good impression. This book is must for all those coming to the City. I have even seen one queen reading her copy at the table in Zuni (the restaurant) and grilling the poor waiter/actor/model about all those mentioned in the review!! Grab a Copy Today.

As a former resident of SF, I thought it captured the mood of the city and I liked the sassy writing style.

I don't know if this is the same Don Martin who wrote for Mad Magazine for years, but you can expect the same kind of humor. This book is just what it claims to be- A witty, opinionated "guide" to California Wine Country. The great treasure of this book is that it is written by a couple who obviously love the wine country, and have spent years exploring it. It is also openly, but unabashedly from their own perspective. We're using it to plan our honeymoon- Look for a follow-up review sometime after October 1999!

Two trips in two years....brought this book both times. The maps are simple but helpful in planning daytrips. Liked the sense of humor throughout. Recommended, only hope it is revised soon....

I bought this book in 1997 when my husband and I went to Napa/Sonoma for our honeymoon. We are headed back to CA for our 4th winery visit since and I almost panicked when I couldn't locate this book. I don't know how I'd tour without it. Ours too is falling apart

This is a guide to 21 road trips in California and 4 in Nevada. I've now taken a number of the backroads described in this book. There are some excellent suggestions for getting away from the interstates and finding the true character of these two states. The Martin's have a folksy style that I enjoyed. They didn't include much info about the scenery in between but mainly rundowns of the main cities along the way and places to eat and sleep. They really keep to the basics here. For example the section on "The Silver Trail" from Las Vegas to Virginia city is only 14 pages for a trip covering 443 miles. This book is a good starting point to get ideas for road excursions, but if you're going to spend any length of time on one of these trips I'd recommend getting further material before setting out.

I never thought a book could have so much information about how to get around to different places. The authors know what they are talking. They have researched all information that is in the book and now I can travel and see that I have been missing. Thank you for a great book.

After reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", which was like a little slice of life and "Maggie-Now", which wasn't as good but charming none the less, I read this. It was written in the typical Betty Smith style, but didn't really hold my interest like the other two did. Annie was an okay character, but Carl really got on my nerves. Was it supposed to be "romantic" that Annie still loved him even though he was a jerk? While "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"'s story took place over many years, "Joy in the Morning" only takes place over one and a half years. This means just boring details about what they ate and what they did all the time. Since the two main characters start out married, there is hardly any romance in the story. Instead of acting like newlyweds, they act like old people that have been married for 50 years. While "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" really came to life and made it seem like you were there, I had a hard time imagining the little village of Lopin that Annie and Carl live by. Over all, this is an okay, almost soap-opera about a couple that has little chemistry and live a pretty boring life.

I couldn't believe that I didn't pick this book up immediately when I was sick with the flu ~~ this is one book you cannot just put down and go do something else. You have to devote a day to enjoy the rich characterizations that Betty Smith created with this book! It is incredibly romantic and upbeat!!

Just like Frannie in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, you'll fall in love with Annie. Annie moves west to Chicago from Brooklyn to marry Carl, her sweetheart. And the story is about her first year with Carl, getting pregnant and making new friends in a strange town and making do with little money. And throughout this whole book, Annie faces every challenge with an upbeat and cheerful spirit. And she will steal your heart too!!

I am almost afraid to watch the movie because the book itself is absolutely wonderful!! It's incredibly romantic and wonderful. Please don't hesitate to buy it ~~ it's a good buy and one that will warm your heart forever!!...

Like her modern classic, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith's Joy in the Morning envelopes the contemporary reader in every part of her heroine's world and creates a safe haven from virtual-pets and liposuction.

Smith's characters are real. They are so warm and real you can hear their voices when they speak. You ache for them to achieve their dreams. You feel both their joy and pain and welcome both as a reminder of your kinship with humankind (and I'm only being slightly dramatic). Their story gives you warm fuzzies in places you didn't know you could get warm fuzzies-- amazingly without being trite.

In Annie, Smith creates a simple character whose simple story is somehow made rivetting by the presentation of both her quiet dignity and unquenchable spirit. Unlike more recent authors who also present rather straightforward plots, such as Anne Tyler, Smith does not rely on eccentric oddballs or bizarre circumstances to keep the reader engrossed and keep the story moving. There is not a more perfect and real love story than this narrative of Annie and Carl's first years of marriage.

A great gift for a literary-minded bride-to-be or any romantic realist...

I would certainly reccomend this book to anybody considering a move to Arizona. It includes useful employment information for most of the larger cities, tax information, population statistics, and much more.

This is one of the few books on relatively-unknown artist Frank Reaugh. Mr Reaugh used watercolors and charcoal to illustrate the beauty of the Texas plain. Landscapes -- especially at sunset -- and , yes, cattle, were his favorite subjects. The book begins with 29 pages of text describing the life and art of Frank Reaugh. Then follows 61 full color plates of his watercolor work. An obscure book on an obscure painter, but very much worth seeing if you like Frank Reaugh or scenes from the Texas panhandle. P.S. "Reaugh" is pronounced "Ray"!