There are 110 pages of vintage photographs in this oversize book, by a half-dozen or so early photographers working with bulky equipment out on the plains during the years of open rangeland. Most of the photographs chosen for this book date from 1885 into the first decades of the 20th century, with a few as recent as the 1930s.

Besides herding, driving, and working cattle and horses, which have become familiar images over the years, the editor has included shots of meal-time and preparation of food at the chuckwagon. Some of these are nights shots, lighted by the campfire.

There are shots of cowboys with fiddles and guitars, one a younger man on a cot in a cabin, the photograph rich with details: the layers of worn blankets on the cot, the cowboy's big white hat, the two shirts he's wearing, the cuffs of his jeans turned up, two pairs of boots (the more beat-up pair shoved against one corner of the cot), a towel hanging against the log wall behind him, and a copy of Liberty magazine lying open on a seat in the foreground.

There are cowboys on horseback performing the remarkable trick of drinking water from their hat brims. (One of these is on the cover.) There are many groups shots of men lined up to face the camera. Two of them from early 1880s Montana show artist and writer Charles Russell. Another shows over 30 men at a cowboy's funeral, hats off, standing around a patch of freshly turned prairie sod, two of them holding shovels.

A group of ten trail cowboys from the XIT ranch sit for a portrait shot, two with revolvers drawn in their laps, each of them dressed very differently. There are two studio portraits of individual cowboys from the 1890s, one of them with long, shoulder-length hair, the other a fresh-faced youth, with silk scarf, woolly chaps, leather gloves with wide cuffs, gunbelt, and a monogrammed shirt with big medallion buttons.

There are a few shots of cowboying in winter, taken in the 1920s and 30s. In one remarkable two-page spread, a cowboy on his horse watches a long, long line of Herefords moving across a landscape totally whited out by snow. Also interesting are shots of early ranch houses and cow camp cabins, one of them against the eroded rocks of the Missouri Breaks.

The opening essay by Bob Edgar, curator of The Museum of the Old West, Cody, Wyoming, gives a general overview of the period, focusing on the cattle drives and talking briefly about the career of one dedicated photographer, Charles Belden. For more of a historical background to go with the photographs, there is Andy Adams' "Log of a Cowboy," "Cowboy Life" by William Savage, Jr., Ramon Adams' book about chuckwagons and the camp cook "Come an' Get It," and Larry McMurtry's novel "Lonesome Dove." For another book of vintage photographs of the Old West, look at "The Early Days in Jackson Hole" by Virginia Huidekoper.

If, like me, you are a California- or San Francisco-phile, then doubtless you already know of this book. It is THE classic account of the Gold Rush era, mostly because it isn't tarnished by revisionism--it was published in 1855! It has served as the first informational source for both researchers and novelists alike. But this review is intended for those who might not be familiar with the history of California, or may have read only the novels, journalism, or light non-fiction treatments. Don't be put off by the publication date or the book's level of detail--it is a very enjoyable read! The authors were not scholars or historians, but rather a doctor, a lawyer, and a journalist. It is jam-packed with anecdotes and factoids that will make you appreciate even more the accounts of Mark Twain, Joaquin Miller, Ambrose Bierce, Bret Harte, Henry George, etc. It is truly the root of the fruit.

If I could travel with only one guidebook on Antigua and Barbuda, this would be the one. The author covers activities from the frivolous to the serious; from nightlife, Carnival, and Sailing Week to environmental awareness, and the local humane society. In addition to the breath of topics covered, the author has done an outstanding job in capturing the flavor of the island in photography, commendable consideration given to the inclusion of many locals in context and throughout the contents.

As one who spent most of my formative years in Antigua before leaving 35 years ago, this book has brought back many old memories of traditional customs - Cricket p75, and Long Ghost p88; as well as introduced new activities I was unaware of such as Ballooning p82 and motor racing p144. Over the past 15 years my family and I have made more than 10 visits to Antigua, I was unaware of motor racing or that horse racing was still a big activity on Antigua. (We have not made it to Barbuda as yet). If limited buying only one travel guide on Antigua and Barbuda, this one stands out, there is something for everyone.

I have recently acquired the Luftwaffe Colours Collectors Compendium Volume 1 that incorporates:
Birth of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force
Spanish Civil War
Blitzkrieg and Sitzkrieg
Attack in the West.

This series is a detailed study of the colours, camouflage and markings of the Luftwaffe's fighter force that many serious modellers will find extremely useful. Although the narrative is somewhat brief, the series follows the birth, development, tactics and wartime committment of the Jagdwaffe. The amount of research that must have been conducted and accumulated is impressive and is reflected in the many photographs and colour profiles of the machines used or experimented by the the Jagdwaffe. Included are some first-hand accounts by various pilots who flew the famous fighter aircraft of the Luftwaffe. This along with the many illustrations and photographs brings to life the Luftwaffe's fighter arm. This is a wonderful pictorial history and series of the Jagdwaffe.

Mr. Moreno has a great appreciation and love for the beauty and history of northern and western Nevada, and it shows in this handy book. This is a book about exploring today's Nevada with a little history and a lot of information about over 50 day trips from the capital city.

If you are looking for a hotel and restaurant guide, look elsewhere. And Las Vegas is only a piece of Richard Moreno's story, not the focus. Clearly the author is in love with the Nevada character and he does a great job of describing a pretty interesting place.

Finally, a book regarding the best places in Northern California! This book was easy to comprehend, delightful to read, and very informative. As a high-school student I am happy to know i have decades remaining to visit these places.

Chan Robbins (an eminent U.S. government ornithologist) says, "this handsome volume is required reading for all Delaware birders...and will be of great interest to ornithologists in other states and countries." Dr. Frank Gill (senior VP of Audubon) says with confidence that this book sets new standards for state bird books and its delicious, scholarly species accounts are rich in detailed analyses of status and trends. The Midwest Book Review say, "this seminal, ground-breaking, comprehensive reference featuring 418 species of birds is the result of over 30 years of dedicated, observational research that will prove invaluable to ornithologists, birdwatchers, and wildlife enthusiasts." They have it all right! I've read my copy all the way through. It's attractive, readable, accurate, complete, informative, interesting and fun. It would be valuable for anyone interested in birds who lives from Connecticut south to the Carolinas and west to the Mississippi River, because those states share the same species of birds found in Delaware. As an outstanding reference book, it belongs in every birder's collection where ever you live--here in the states or in other countries. Buy it for yourself and give copies to your friends.

This is an engrossing book detailing one man's hopes of getting to California from Tennessee during the 1800s and hooking up with his father, who set off 3 years earlier. As Adam Cloud prepares to leave Tennessee, he meets up with Harry Creekmore, a compulsive liar, con-man, and charlatan. Harry is escaping from the law, and takes up with Adam (who happens to have some money from the sale of his farm and looks like a reasonable meal ticket). Along their way, they meet up with the Jennings family, a bunch of northern psychopaths and idealists, out to set up a California commune without the slightest idea of the hardships ahead. Then they are joined by Clifford and Ishtar Baynes, a couple of opportunistic weasels. And life is very hard. For most of a year, the bunch deals with weather, food, illness, and Indian problems. The difficulties of living with strangers--people completely foreign in upbringing, values, and goals--are well described, and although Adam starts off as a naive do-gooder, by the end, he's sadly enlightened about human weaknesses (including his own). The scenery is vivid, and every character in this book is well developed, from their basic motivations to their dreams. I found myself noting that I've known people just like these people, and I'm pretty glad I didn't have to spend months crossing the country with them. What a pity that Adam didn't cross paths with the Ingalls family.

This book should be read by anyone, young or old, I first read it when I was 6 and enjoy it just as much today. A must-have for any book fan.