Several elements make this work exceptional. It consists of 37 vignettes during a decade of the author's early life in a California farming community that was trying to emerge from the Great Depression and continuing through much of World War II. One driving element is that each of these 37 chapters is initially linked with a starting headline in that day's newspapers involving one or more national or international events.
The individual vignettes sometimes reminded me of a good Impressionist painting -- splashy color, sometimes downright gaudy, but each is powerful as its own piece of ritual of entrance into adolescence and generally overcoming the obstacle of that day. At least some of these, particularly as they merge with the world scene of that slice of time, will become indelible for those of us who read its pages. Some stand out for their humor; others through the range of emotions from sympathy-empathy all the way to unbridled joy. And there are even a couple chapters that cope with those difficulties, problems, and occasional thrills that clearly relate to subtle and not-so-subtle hormonal changes.
Strongly recommend for men ages 25 and up. Its very nature is so masculine that I have no idea whether women would, by and large, enjoy a glimpse into its content. I suspect they would.
And, to this reviewer's judgment, there's little doubt but that a second book will be forthcoming. I'm keeping my open for that!

OK, who should read and would enjoy this book? First, anyone from the "GI" generation (Brokaw's The Greatest Generation) born 1901 -- 1924* or the "Silent Generation" born 1925 -- 1942.* They can remember a time in America when a 10-year-old could go out to play in the morning and his parents not worry about him unless he was late for dinner. Those who remember can play "Nostalgics" (a word coined by Shelley Berman) and relive those days. Boomer generation members, born 1943 -- 1960, will love it because it shows a time in America that they were born into - but lost. Generation X, born 1961 -- 1981 can begin to understand that all those wonderful stories the old man (their fathers and grandfathers) told are really true. The Millennial Generation and beyond, born 1982 -* should read it so they will listen with more attention to the old men. They can learn so much!

What a story! Richard Rohrbacher starts it in 1935 and skillfully makes a youngster spring to life before your eyes. From hanging around a construction site to the first guilty feelings of an adolescent that can't help but fall in love (lust?) with his 8th grade teacher. From the sad musings of old man about dying to the youngster's hilarious fear of dying himself from an "advanced case of acutum masturbatum morbindus," Richard keeps your face in his book.

The narrative saddens, as did the whole world, as first, his love (the teacher) left to join the WACs. Then his family, then his friends as ". . . we watched the June graduates trade their gowns and mortarboard for uniforms." They also ". . . wondered if our name was slated to appear on some future casualty roster . . ."

This book captures, in an easy readable way, life in America as the world skid inexorably into WWII.

*Generations, by Neil Howe, William Strauss, William Morrow & Co.

An amusing and heart-warming book about the author's adventures while growing up in a mid-sized farming community in Northern California in the years 1935-1945. The author presents a nostalgic and true-to-life picture of life in an American community in those "innocent years," while at the same time showing the impact outside events had on his and his family's life and on the community.

Ancient West Mexico is a fascinating region that has been overlooked by many scholars through the years. Finding very good information about the cultures of West Mexico is difficult. This book is wonderful...it has the latest archaeological information, beautiful photographs of the pieces and the landscape, and great detailed illustrations and diagrams. I often teach about the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica and this is a perfect resource.

This work provides a nice look at a part of what we know about this area. Western Mexico has a largely unappreciated history even among scholars in the mesoamerican field. It's probably safe to say that the written history of this area has only begun to develope despite a long record of investigation.

The photography in this work is excellent. The text is informative. Anyone interested in this area owes it to themselves to read this.

This book is a delight to read and look at the photographs. Very unusual samples of ceramic art. The text is as the title indicates rather on the archeological side. The only thing missing is a description of the actual clay technique used (coils). Highly recommended.

From the very first page, I felt like I was there. Dick Yarbrough combines incredible professional credibility and integrity with expert story-telling. What a great read!

I was always suspicious about the goings-on behind the scenes during preparation for the Olympics in Atlanta.While Richard Yarbrough's book has not completely convinced me that all was well, it awakened me to the fact that the folks working in the trenches performed admirably under very adverse circumstances. It also confirmed my belief that the Committee's goals were undermined by a selfish and greedy city government. Yarbrough's account of preparation for the games, the bombing of Centennial Park and the competition is must reading for those who, like me, need to know the truth. Good going, Richard!

Dick Yarbrough's well written book really tells it like it is (was) with no holds barred. It is a fascinating behind-the-scenes peek into the very political upper levels of planning and running the Atlanta Olympic games. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is a must-read for Atlanta residents!

If you are at all interested in the Plains Indians, Native American Art, or the history of the Cheyenne, do everything you can to get a hold of this CD, which takes you on a tour of an exhibit at the Denver Historical Society Museum. The center piece is the legder art of the this fiece warrior society, but many other artistic and historical items are also included.

I have read extensively on this subject, and visited any number of museums, yet I still learned a lot from the text and the narration. In addition you can click on any of the items in the virtual tour and get a detailed description along with a history-and there are many, many items. There is also a separate section on the ledger art which is clearly displayed a beautiful.

Kids will love going through the virtual exhibit, though I found clicking the next button, and viewing items one by one more helpful. There is also a special kids section, so the entire family can enjoy it.

This is well worth the price!

This CD is unlike anything I've ever seen. Especially in history and art subjects. It even translates all 100 or so works of ledger art and speaks it out loud in Cheyenne! By a real person!

The Virtual walk through of the History museum gives you the feeling of having visited the exhibit.

Every single drawing is detailed with indian and soldier accounts of the drawings; subject, date, etc.

Schools should require this kind of history lesson.

The greatest thing to come out since the Musical itself, Wonderful, educational, fantastic reproductions of the 19th century musicals!

Richard Fawkes' The History Of The Musical is a flawlessly recorded, 4 cassette, unabridged audiobook showcasing the development of the musical, from its origins in European light opera and operetta to its it's golden age in the American theater. The great song composers and lyricists are presented including Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Lloyd Webber, and Sondheim. The wonderfully narrated text by the award-winning Broadway singer Kim Criswell is enhanced with almost one hundred famous musical extracts. The History Of The Musical is a "must" for personal, academic, and community library music history and audiobook collections.

Surely there must be a medal somewhere out there for Naxos records and for author Richard Fawkes. After two superb sets of tapes and CDs titled "The History of Classical Music" and "The History of Opera," there is now available Mr. Fawkes' "The History of the Musical" (NA422712). Here we have singer/actress Kim Criswell narrating on 4 CDs or tapes just under 320 minutes of exactly what the title promises.

Starting with "The Beggar's Opera" of 1728, the history of the genre is traced up to the time of writing, meaning "Les Miserables." Along the way, we consider operetta, the English Music Hall, American vaudeville, the review, the book show, the familiar, the off-beat, the dead ends, the highly influential. And the London stage gets a good deal of attention also, thereby introducing a lot of material not very well known to those better versed in the American musical.

As with any good effort of this sort, a strong connection is drawn between the changing times and the changing concepts of what a musical should be. The importance of "Show Boat" is not glossed over, for example, nor is the other shock caused by "Pal Joey." The reliance of Lloyd Webber on staging is mentioned but not his lack of more than one fairly memorable melody per show. In general, the tone is upbeat and positive.

But this is a recording. While it could never include all the information found in a book, its dozens of recorded examples are what makes this set priceless. Where possible, the oldest "original cast" recordings are used. On the other hand, there are some strange exceptions such as "Hey there" from "Pajama Game" being sung not by John Raitt but by Ron Raines on the Jay recording. I suspect this is because Criswell is in the cast of that set.

Again, this set is in tape and CD formats. For educational purposes, the CDs offer direct access to any show under discussion--and the CDs are very generously divided into nearly 200 tracks! Very considerate of the producers. The booklet offers a nice little personal essay by Criswell. So if I have any complaint about this set, it is that I wish it were twice as long.

This book was a real find for me. Having visited 7 of the eastern Shaker villages, I wanted to know more about the remaining Shaker sites in the "West". There are more than 20 such sites set out in this excellent book. Each has a written explanation and sufficient maps to find and explore all of them. Both the maps and the text are accurate, having been carefully prepared and researched by the 3 authors.

The book inspired me to visit Ohio and Kentucky to see the sites. My wife and I were taken around Union Village by Mary Lou Warner, the historian for the Otterbein-Lebanon Community. Martha Boice showed us Whitewater village with her friend Julie Schlesselman. We went to Watervliet, Ohio, then down into Kentucky to the Cane Ridge Meeting House where a camp meeting took place in 1801 as part of the Kentucky Revival. We stayed at Pleasant Hill and then went to South Union. All in all a wonderful experience which would not have happened without this book. I hope to return to the area soon to see the sites I didn't have time to visit.

Most of the interest in the Shakers centres on the well preserved eastern villages such as Hancock, Canterbury and the still active village of Sabbathday Lake. However, this misses the western villages which have a charm and interest of their own. There is much to see in Ohio and Kentucky, and for anyone interested in the Shaker experience as a whole visiting the western sites will expand your knowledge and understanding of why the Shakers have lasted for so long. This book will appeal to anyone who is seriously interested in the Shakers - add it to your bookshelf now.

I have just purchased a copy of Maps of the Shaker West: A Journey of Discovery and have been reading it over the past few days. It is nothing short of brilliant. Martha Boice, Dale Covington and Richard Spence should all be very proud. First of all, it is the best introduction to the Shaker history of "the West" (or what Mother Ann called "the Southwest") that I have seen. Secondly, the three of them have provided an invaluable service to the field by uncovering and/or compiling research on the histories of "lost out-families" such as Eagle and Straight Creeks and Shaker-owned properties such as Berrien Springs, Michigan. The prose is clear, accessible, and veritably sparkles. The illustrations are excellent and the maps are a first-rate aid to anyone who wants to pinpoint the people and places that are written about. The book is a pleasure to scholar and layman alike.

There is at least 150 years of direct experience of the Shakers and an additional 50 years of Shaker influence to be discovered, studied and savored in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan. Maps of the Shaker West lifts the veil of nostalgia which often surrounds the Shaker experience and we can see the pioneer Shakers of the west as they were with all their strengths and weaknesses; their struggles, failures and successes.

In chapter 8 of the book the extent and the depth of the Cane Ridge Revival in Kentucky comes alive. For those of us with roots in southern Ohio, this chapter can touch home directly. The spiritual choices of Barton Stone, John Dunlevy and Richard McNemar at the turn of the 19th century are still influencing us today as we quickly approach the 21st century. The Restoration Movement (The Christian Church) is still strong and active in southern Ohio and the Society of Shakers continues and their many friends are influenced by their faith and story.

Another intriguing line of research is suggested in the book. Some of the land acquisitions made by the Shakers may have been due to their participation in the Underground Railroad. In this endeavor, old religious adversaries joined in common cause: Quakers, Presbyterians, the Christian Church and the Shakers. More study needs to be directed to this line of research.

The maps of Dale Covington and the drawings of Richard Spence help bring alive the old Shaker sites, especially those which have been altered beyond recognition. We can feel again the presence of Union Village (Lebanon, Ohio) the seat of the Shaker bishopric of the west, as it nurtured many other villages: Watervliet (Dayton, Ohio), White Water (New Haven, Ohio), North Union (Cleveland, Ohio), Busro (Oaktown, Indiana), Pleasant Hill (Harrodsburg, Kentucky) and South Union, Kentucky. Other lesser known Shaker sites are also discussed in the book.

Reading Maps of the Shaker West helps a person to experience the furor of the New Light Revival, the excitement of committing to a radical and tranforming faith, the personal and the financial sacrifices made to become a Shaker, and the excitement of participating in a socially important communal project that would so influence the world. Maps of the Shaker West is a welcomed and insightful resource in the ongoing study of the Shakers.

I was fortunate enough to buy this book just before my family's summer drive on 66. I'm definitely glad I did! This book made my family's drive along Route 66 in Arizona into a real adventure road trip.
I have read most of the national and state guides for the Mother Road, but this is definitely one of the very best. The Mangums have included all the alignments of the old Road, have them color coded and dated, and even include journeys for 4WD vehicles and bicycles on Route 66. I never would have found some of these alignments with the standard maps and guides.
One particular favorite was the old 1930s alignment between the Monte Carlo exit on I-40 (149) and the Welch exit (151) farther east. It was potholed and torn up, but I really felt like I was experiencing the real Route 66.
The book's recommendations for hotels, cafes, and attractions were extremely helpful. Also, unlike most Route 66 guides, this book describes the trip going in both directions!

The Mangums have another hit. This is exactly the sort of book Route 66 travellers have been waiting for. "Route 66 Across Arizona" is a very user friendly guide book that gives accurate, detailed directions to the existing sections of Route 66 across Arizona. I have tried several of their tours, and found them to be exactly as described. There are good maps, some history and local color, and perhaps best, recommended stops along the way. "Route 66 Across Arizona" beautifully updates Jack Rittenhouse's 1946 "Guide Book to Highway 66" and provides a practical foundation for many other books about Route 66.

Travelers will enjoy this fun and colorful book to Route 66 in Arizona. Authors Richard and Sherry Mangum have filled the pages with fascinating stories and helpful travel hints to help you rediscover the delights of slowly motoring down the "Mother Road." While wandering through the book, you'll find many detours, historic and modern photos, maps, museums, and little-known bits of history.

Richard S. Wheeler's Skye's West: Rendezvous and his character Barnaby Skye...eh, make that Mister Skye! offers a reading treat for anyone who wants something out of the ordinary with their adventures.
Besides providing a good story Wheeler's writing is grown-up good as it leads us into an historical realm and offers a well- crafted look, convincing dialogue, and characters who breathe.
It's easy to see why Wheeler has won the SPUR Award for his western writing and easy enough for a reader to be spurred on with his stories.
There's only a handful of talented writers in this genre out there and Wheeler is one of them.

This is a good read, with a lot of historical facts mixed in with the fiction. It describes life in the wilderness of the Northwest in what is now the United States, and the struggles people faced just to survive. Has a good story line and keeps your interest. This is the first of the Barnaby West novels I have read and I would like to read more books about this character, if I could just figure out which one I should read next. I can't find anything that gives me any indication of which book in the series comes next.

From the time that Skye deserts the British vessel holding him captive to his meeting with the mountain men and Indians, I was held captive and felt as if I took each step into this new world with him. Mr. Wheelers use of historical facts and people, ie: the Hudson Bay company, Jim Bridger etc. just added to the overall effect of the story. I feel as tho I have gained a little more insight into the way the early trappers lived and faced death on a daily basis.

I will look forward to reading his previous novels on Mister Skye -i backward order to see just where he went from this point on. Anyone who enjoys the historical novel will enjoy this one. Thanks for a trip into the past!

This long awaited book promises to be just what the (zen0 doctor ordered. Richard Baker, roshi, has a gift for the use of language and clarity of thought that is rarely rivaled. His grasp of zen, which he inherits from many teachers as well as his own, has mostly been accessed through direct contact with him , Zen Mind Beginner's Mind, and through his public talks. This long awaited book promises to be a clear expression of practice, and of zen in general. ALthough an inheritor of the Soto Zen Lineage, this teacher has also had extensive contact with Rinzai teachers and has fashioned his own approach to zen. We are all awaiting the release of this book. Thank you for putting insight to paper, roshi.

Dogen Zenji would be proud of you, Richard. This "book" that is no book has managed to digitally slake the thirst of multitudes of grasping samsaric keyboards by holding up the electronic mirror and showing how futile our desire for Original Mind truly is. However, you're the cook and we're still waiting for the rice cakes.

Richard: I was in Kyoto in 1973 and met people who knew you. Trudi is a name I remember. A friend was in a monastary there and your name flew by on several saki occasions. You must be magnificent at this stage of life. Judy Hurley was another name. Colorado here if you need a rest spot. Michael Kelly

This is a great catalogue for those seeking info not accessible by the normal public, like how to be your own mortician.

its an incredible resource guide for people looking for almost any kind of fringe information. i always thought i was pretty much ahead of the curve when it came to hidden or bizarre material, but i grossly overestimated my breadth of knowledge after reading Outposts. everything from sex art fringe politics drugs--its not only a great sourcebook but many of the publishers listed have EVEN more great books...amazing

Review w/cover scan is located at the above URL