5 comments about In the Words of Ronald Reagan: The Wit, Wisdom, and Eternal Optimism of America's 40th President.

1. Broadly speaking, many Democrats seem to think that most Republicans don't care about people who aren't rich, and haven't financially succeeded. And, also broadly speaking, many Republicans seem to think that most Democrats are spendthrifts, who like to use public tax money on programs which destroy families, and take away individual choice and initiative. While I am sure there ARE people in both philsophies that hold these extreme views, it is my own contention that most people, of whatever political stipe and ideals, mainly just want to live as happy long, and productive a life as possible, and make sure that their loved ones are able to do so as well.
   
   I suppose the main thing, as a moderate, that I personally have against Republicans, is that, though I throroughy DO agree with the philosophy of being able, proudly and individually, (and WITHOUT any meddling of government telling one what to do), to "pull oneself up by one's bootstraps", it seems that many Republicans tend to forget that there are MANY people who CAN'T pull themselves up by their theoretical bootstraps....simply because they have no shoes! Democrats take a different tack on this -- one I also enormously dislike. Yes -- they will give "shoes to the shoeless".....but they will NOT allow the people they are "helping" to CHOOSE their own shoes. If you are "helped" by a social-service agency, it seems, THEY tell you what to study, and/or what type of job you "should" be doing.
   
   So -- I guess, though I can see good things in both the Democratic and Republican philosophies, I also can see definite negatives in each. Being neither a complete Democrat, nor a complete Republican, I feel I am free to admire the best people of each party.... I admire Jimmy Carter, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Regan.........just to name a few.
   
   This small volume, IN THE WORDS OF RONAOLD REAGAN, by his son (with first wife Jane Wyman), is a fascinating little book! You can tell it was put together with love and devotion....and the reader, perusing its riches, can only wish it were longer.
   
   The picture of Ronald Reagan on the front cover, and the smaller one of Micahel Reagan, on the back inside bookjacket flap, are in "shiny" print....in a very good facimilie of an actual photograph. Within this book, interspersed between Ronald Reagan's words of wisdom and wit, are 28 additional photographs, portraying everything from a photo of the Regan family in 1915, (Ronald with his parents and brother Neil), to Mr. Reagan, as President of the US, inspecting sailors at the recomissioning of the USS New Jersey in 1982. Pictures are also present of the 1982 Inauguation, Mr. Regan's acting and football-playing days, meetings with world leaders, Mr. Regan on horseback and two very different pictures, taken seconds apart, on the day of the assassination attempt on Mr. Reagan.
   
   After a heart-felt and proud introduction by the compiler, Michael Regan, 62 categories of Ronald Reagan's words are given.....from "Acting", "Age",
   "Alzheimer's" and "America".....to "Education", "Faith, "Family" and "Football",.....through "Marriage", "Memorials", "Morality" and "Nancy",....to "Truth", "Values", "Veterans", and "Welfare State", to name just a few. Each category has at least one, and often
   more, memorable quotes.
   
   Mr. Regan's pithy, folksy, common-sense words cannot help but make one think....and even, however grudgingly, admire him. I doubt that any American, of any political stripe, can argue with these quotes....although one does tend to add one's own interpretion to them:
   
   .........." In America, our origins matter less than our destination,
   .......... and that is what democracy is all about." (America)
   
   .........." History teaches that wars begin when governments believe
   .......... the price of agression is cheap." (Defensse)
   
   .........." They say the world has become too complex for simple answers.
   .......... They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are
   .......... simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know
   .......... is morally right." (Morality) (( Of course, everyone has
   a different idea of what "morality" really is, from, say, pro-choice people, to anti-abortion people, to people who, like myself, feel it's up to each individual to choose their own way, and respect other's rights to do things with their own lives, their own way. And therein, of course, lies the conflict. But at least knowing that one should have SOME moral compass is a good idea, I think. -- comment of this reviewer. ))
   
   But here is a statement sure to elicit sympathy from ANYONE of any politcal stripe.
   
   .........." It's so...frustrating! I'll make a statement, and an hour
   .......... later, the press or the legislators will say, 'Sure, that's
   .......... what he says, but what does he mean?' I don't get it. If
   .......... they could only accept that I say what I mean, it would save
   .......... so much time!" (The Press)
   
   .......... " Nothing lasts longer than a temporary government program."
   .......... (Government)
   
   .......... " You know, Senator Kennedy was at a dinner just recently,
   .......... for the ninetiethy birthday party for former governor and
   .......... ambassador Averell Harriman. Teddy Kennedy said that
   .......... Averell's age was only half as old as Ronald Regan's ideas.
   .......... And you know, he was absolutely right. The Constitution is
   .......... almost two hundred years old, and that's where I get my
   .......... ideas." ( The Constitution ) (( Mr. Reagan would have
   .......... been a powerful lawyer, with his turn of the phrase!......
   .......... ....comment by this reviewer ))
   
   .......... Two Soviets....talking to each other. And one of them says,
   .......... "What's the difference between the Soviet Constitution and
   .......... the American Constitution?" And the other one said, "That's
   .......... easy. The Soviet Constitution guarantees freedom of speech
   .......... and freedom of gathering. The American Constitution guaran-
   .......... tees freedom after speech, and freedom after gathering."
   .......... (( A good thing to remember, in these days of Vladimir
   .......... (( Putin's regime.....comment by this reviewer ))
   
   .......... " Secretary William Bennett makes, I think, an interesting
   .......... analogy. He says that if you serve a child a rotten
   .......... hamburgerin Americal, federal, state and local agencies
   .......... will investigate you, summon you, close you down, or what-
   .......... ever. But if you provide a child with a rotten education,
   .......... nothing happens, except that you are liable to be given
   .......... more money to do it with. Well, we've discovered that
   .......... money alone isn't the answer. ( Education. )
   .......... (( Of course, many people have differing opin......ions on what constitutes a "good" education...........comment by this reviewer. ))
   
   Witty, thoughtful, thought-provoking.......all of the many quotes in this
   small book merit reading and thought. Some are as short as a few lines. Others go on for a page and more. All are interesting....most are brilliant. One quote -- believe it or not -- seems to me it could
   easily be given at some future commencement, say, from a "StarFleet" Academy graduation! (Yes....a quote from Ronald Regan, of all people!)
   
   It is:
   
   .........." For two hundred years, we've lived in the future, believing
   .......... that tomorrow would be be better than today, and today
   .......... would be better than yesterday. I still believe that."
   ( The Future )
   
   As with any person, any group or ideal, sweeping generalities make for
   stereotypes and narrow-minded ideas. Ronald Reagan was far more broad-minded and future-oriented than many give him credit for. His mind was
   optimistic, realistic, and full of wit. Personally, I have great admiration for the man....wishing only that he had realized that ALL people want dignity and success.....but that, again, some people cannot pull themselves up by their bootstraps because, they have no shoes. Yet,
   one must admit that government programs CAN cost over-much....because greedy politicians and lobbyists -- of whatever party -- get their hands in the till....and like the extra money they take out! I'm sure Mr. Reagan realized this.
   
   Reading this book, it's obvious Mr. Reagan wanted the best for
   Americans, and the best for every citizen of the world. His optimism and wit are timeless.....as demonstrated by every word of his in this book!
   
   
   



2. This is a great book to have if you appreciate all that President Reagan represented and accomplished, or if you were not around to understand the massive impact he had on our nation, then this is a greeat introduction to our 40th president.
   
   It is all the more valuable because it his insight from his son Michael, insight that can only be offered by a family member. For all the great publlic stuff I already knew about President Reagan, the advice he offers Michael for his marriage helped further my belief in what a great man he was.
   
   This is a quick read, but it is also one you will refer back to for quotes and enjoyment!



3. Visitors to the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home buy more copies of this book than any other that we sell. Filled with positive little tidbits from a family perspective! It's great!!!!!!!!!!!!!



4. I was born just two years before Ronald Reagan was elected president, so I have virtually no memories of his work as a politician. However, my limited study of recent history left me with the impression that Reagan's life warranted further investigation.
   
   So, I turned to this simple little book of the quotable Reagan, with commentary interjected periodically by his son, Michael. The contents of the book are far from earthshattering, and it wouldn't be too hard to find much more substantive information about Reagan elsewhere. Nonetheless, this book fulfills its promise as a compilation of some of Reagan's many soundbites that provide a window into his character and heart.
   
   The quotes are organized into categories like "Alzheimer's," "Gorbachev," "Values," etc. Within each category are a few pages of short quotes that Reagan provided in very public settings (inauguration speeches, Republican convention acceptance speeches) and more private ones (like personal notes or anecdotes that he told to his family, to which Michael would have unique access).
   
   Ultimately, the book provides only snippets, and after seeing the frequency with which some speeches appeared (like "The Speech" in 1964 on behalf of Goldwater), I was left pining for the entire transcripts of those famous addresses. The other primary fault of the book is that it paints a rather idealistic image of Reagan's life. I understand Michael's interest in promoting the greatness of his father, but the presentation was so overly flattering as to appear a bit artificial.
   
   Nonetheless, there are a number of quotes worth reading in this collection. I laughed out loud a number of times, and I was moved at other times. For a quick snapshot of the wit and wisdom of Ronald Reagon, this book is a good place to start.



5. Ronald Reagan will be long remembered as someone who could give a great speech. Critics, however, wrongly labeled him a dim-witted actor, propped up by good speechwriters. Their hatred for all things `Reagan' make it impossible for them to attribute even the slightest bit of intelligence to the 40th President. As their goal to alter the Reagan legacy, they completely omit the hundreds of radio addresses he personally wrote during the years prior to becoming President, which aptly chronicle the true brilliance that truly was Ronald Reagan. IN THE WORDS OF RONALD REAGAN, by his son Michael Reagan, continues in that arena by sharing with us, many of the personal letters this prolific letter writer penned.
   
   This compact, 200-page treatise, lends the reader yet a deeper look into the essence of thought that was Ronald Reagan. Here you will find a small portion of Reagan's discourse on subjects ranging from acting to welfare.
   
   If you admired Ronald Reagan, then you will admire this book. If you are too young to remember Ronald Reagan, this book will lend critical insight into his character and ideas. If you hate all things Reagan, then there is nothing for you to see here. Just shut up and move on.
   
   Monty Rainey
   www.juntosociety.com

5 comments about My Brother's Voice: How a Young Hungarian Boy Survived the Holocaust: A True Story.

1. Stephen Nasser recently came to my company to speak about his account during the Holocaust and I have just finished reading his book. I have to admit that I wasn't exactly motivated in the beginning to read the book as I like to stay away from depressing subjects such as the Holocaust, but once I got started it was hard to put down. Reading much like a diary - which is what his writings are based on - it's very light and easy reading. As with any book about the Holocaust, it's filled with many descriptions of unimaginable cruelty and viciousness, some of it very graphic. Yet despite what the author went through on a day to day basis, not knowing if and when his living hell would ever come to an end, the fact that never gave up hope was inspiring to say the least. Most of us thankfully will probably never face the level of hardship that Stephen Nasser experienced. It makes you think that if a barely teenage child can have everything taken away from him and still live for the next day, why can't we?



2. I found the book, My Brother's Voice, to be extremely powerful, moving, challenging and awakening. I was unable to put it down once I started it and would recommend it to anyone who feels they may have challenges in their life. Mr. Nasser shares that it is the power of your mind that triumphs over all. It was a truly moving and thought provoking read. I give it my highest recommendation.



3. I just finished listening to Mr. Nasser speak with 3 classrooms of fifth graders and admit I was moved to tears. Even though few "gory" details were given (naturally to fifth graders) the essence and horror of what he endured could be felt in the room. How courageous a man to keep alive and share those horror-filled times; not to mention the sadness of losing your entire family. Thank you mr. Nasser for your honesty and courage and for not allowing us to ever forget. "Never again."



4. I just purchased this book right from Mr. Nasser. I attended a talk that he gave to some students this afternoon. Before even reading this book, I can tell you that it will touch our hearts, and more importantly, will change the future. Hearing about how he put together his diary to make sure the truth was finally told makes me think that I will start and finish this book tonight. G-d bless you, Mr. Nasser.



5. Before I begin..because this comment is long if you want a heartfelt personal account of the Holocaust READ THIS BOOK!!
   On a recent trip to Poland I was fortunate (or unfortunate enough) to visit the Auschwitz concentration camp. The visit heigthened my interest in the Holocaust that we have all heard of, read books and saw pictures of. However, the impact of actually being there in the buildings that housed those that survived the gas chambers by being "strong" enough to work. The gas chambers and crematorium where hundreds of thousands of the weak, the sick, the old, most women and children too young to work, met a horrific end to their precious lives! This very camp is where 13 year old Steven "Pista" and his 16 year old brother Ardis, along with their family members, began their journey after being rounded up by the Nazis.
   
   After visiting Auschwitz and returning home to Las Vegas, I became thirsty for knowledge to understand how such a horrific event could have occured right under our noses as WWII was in full bloom! I began reading and watching everything I could get my hands on, beginning with Schindler's List. I had seen the movie when it first came out, but it was far more impactful after actually visiting the factory, which is also being turned into a memorial much like Auschwitz. As I read book after book and watched movie after movie I still could not get my arms around the event. One morning I was reading our local paper, The Review Journal I came across an Ad about My Brothers Voice. I hurried to the nearest bookstore and bought the book. I began reading the book and could not put it down. I would read before I went to work.....worry about Pista and Ardis all day, hurrying to return home at the end of my day so I could read more, and to make sure they were OK. I read the book in 2 days!
   
   Of all the books I had read, including the Diary of Anne Frank..all paled in comparison to the extremely well written account of Dear Pista and Ardis' horrific journey. As I read the book I felt like I was there with them, could see what they saw, and feel what they felt! At this point, I will add that I am an American Catholic with an unexplained ignorance of what really happened from 1939-1945....that ignorance no longer exists! After reading this book I felt I knew Pista and Ardis, that is how well written this book is. It also helped me to put some closure to my recent obsession...the Holocaust.
   
   About one month after reading this wonderfully written book, I had the pleasure of meeting Pista, who it turns out lives right here in Las Vegas! I saw another Ad in the paper advertising his book and a phone number to call if interested in having him speak at schools, churches, and other organizations. I work for MGM Mirage which is a huge advocate of Diversity Training. I thought how wonderful if we could have him speak at some of our many Diversity Classes! I called the number and to my surprise it was PISTA that answered the phone. I was speechless, for a couple of seconds!!!! After a lengthy conversation with this wonderful man it turned out that he was having a book signing that very night. After work I rushed home to get my daughter and went to listen and learn more from Pista! He is such a sweet and passionate man, now fortunately much older than the 13 year old boy that endured what no child or adult should have to. He is not bitter, he is not predudiced, he has forgiven, but not forgotten what we must all learn more about. Not just to be better Americans and appreciate how lucky we are to be born in the US, but to be better human beings!! To love our families and our friends, to be grateful that we have good food and plenty of it to eat. We have a warm comfortable bed to sleep in and we work hard to have these things, not work because we are forced and beaten falling into "bed" starving, having eaten only a small piece of sawdust bread after a hard days work. Unimagenable...you bet, but TRUE! It would be impossible to write a book like My Brother's Voice without having lived through Pista's misfortune of being born to a family of Hungarian Jews! Same as my opening comment, my closing comment is the same.....READ THIS BOOK!!! I promise you, you will see the world through different eyes!
   
   Denise Fillmore
   Las Vegas, Nevada

5 comments about Chronicle of the Roman Emperors: The Reign-By-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial Rome (Chronicle).

1. I first read Scarre's Chronicle of the Roman Emperors cover to cover, to get the complete narrative of the western empire during the imperial period. He definitely hits the highlights in the main text which contains the narrative. The thematic topics are off to the side of the page, in gray boxes or timeline graphs. The dynastic family trees are very easy to follow. There could have been more maps, especially for the more military emperors like Trajan, but that is more my personal preference than an actual critique, since my primary interest is in military matters. All in all, I enjoyed the read-through, even though I often got distracted from the narrative by the thematic elements. But then again, I think the primary purpose of this book is to serve as a reference, so the thematic sections should appear near the relevant narrative text.
   
   The greatest value I have gotten out of this chronicle, however, is as a companion to Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Reviewing Scarre for a particular emperor, before reading Gibbon's account of that emperor, proved invaluable to me since to fully enjoy the beauty of Gibbon's language, it helps very much to already have a fresh grasp of the subject matter. Scarre's Chronicle of the Roman Emperors allows you to do just that with minimal effort.



2. Fun to read, but also very informative. A good book for the non-speacilist who wants to learn more about history or simply get a good overview before taking a trip to Rome.



3. 
   For anyone with even a passing interest in Roman history this book is an invaluable source of knowledge about the Roman Emperor's. Personally it helps to set the scene for me even if the book is a work of fiction if I can pin point the period of Roman history that is being written about and knowing what emperor was reigning in Rome and in what years is a sure fire way of pin-pointing the period in which the book is written.
   
   Of course the book is so much more than a time scale of Roman history, there is also information regarding what wars if any were fought during a particular emperor's reign and what Roman building were attributable to any given emperor. The book covers the succession of 80 emperors, with biographical portraits of the 56 most notable ones. Names that leap out from the pages of the history books, Julius Caesar, Hadrian, Nero, all names to conjure with.
   
   There are contemporary judgements made by writers of the time including Suetonius and Tacitus and these are balanced by character assessments made in the light of modern research. This is a book that is well worth having, not only for its reference capabilities but also it is a good read in its own right.



4. Replete with timelines, maps, sidebars, and photographs, this is a wonderful resource. Whether you're watching a DVD of "I, Claudius" or reading Gibbon, it's a highly useful reference book where you can get a quick read on any emperor. Often, I'll pull it down from the shelf to research a particular emperor, then find myself still reading it an hour later.
   
   What I like best about it are the photographed busts of the emperors which along with the lively writing really bring the Roman rulers to life. They also allow one to trace the change in Roman art from the idealized classicism of Augustus to the grim realism of the mid 3rd century's portrait of Philip the Arab when the Empire was falling apart to the stolid and blank cartoonlike portrait of Constantine the Great in the 4th century when the Empire had been restored, but had become Christian and more medieval.
   
   A real gem, this book is highly recommended for fans of Roman history.



5. Excellent book, very few errors. Good source of information, very nice colorfull pictures and sketches. Worth the cost.

5 comments about In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War.

1. Once I started reading this book, it was so totally engrossing, I finished it in 2 days. It's a rather self-deprecating telling of his experiences as a US Army Special Forces advisor to the South Vietnamese in 1968-69 during the Tet Offensive. It is not a "war story" of violent or graphic combat, but of many engaging & intelligent observations, of himself, of the army, and of the events shaping his world at the time. At the end of the book I was left wishing for more.



2. Viet Nam is well-represented in war memoirs these days. Tobias Wolff, whose first memoir, This Boy's Life, made him famous, perhaps mostly because of the successful film version of the book, starring DeNiro and DiCaprio. His second memoir, In Pharaoh's Army, is not so well known. Wolff is brutally honest and self-effacing as he chronicles his rootless young adult life; his drift through basic, jump school, special forces training, OCS, artillery and language school, always near the bottom of every class. When he finally lands in Nam he is assigned to a remote jungle outpost as advisor to an ARVN artillery unit. Somehow he survives the Tet offensive, terrified to his very toes. He tells of an R&R trip to Saigon where a trio of drunken redneck GI's casually pound the poop out of him in a bar. Another tale concerns a small dog he rescues from his Vietnamese comrades. The dog's name, he learns, is Canh Cho. Wolff keeps the small fearful animal as a pet for months. At a farewell feast before his departure, he compliments his hosts on the delicious fare and asks what he's eating. "Canh Cho," he is told, which translates, of course, "dog stew." Horrified, but philosophical, Wolff concludes, "There was only one way left to do him justice. I bent to my plate and polished him off." There is no sign of braggadocio or false heroics in this story. Wolff is just a man who survived the nightmare of the Vietnam venture and told his story as honestly and as well as he knew how. Which is VERY well. - Tim Bazzett, author of Soldier Boy.[...]



3. War stories are really my brother's forte, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a memoir of Vietnam, and because I read it for a Creative Non-Fiction class, I'm left wondering whether a few things actually happened. Is truth crazier than fiction?
   
   I also really loved the interjections of writerly advice within the narrative, and wish Wolff would have given us more. A young man overseas, always with a novel in the back of his head. In many ways, I related. In many ways, I found truth within his words, and I think I may have found my "in" to the novel I started writing.
   
   The format of the book was especially endearing. Each chapter really was its own short story. There is no true linear progression, and yet there is one. We start off in Vietnam, after he and his buddy has just stolen a color TV upon which they're planning to watch the Thanksgiving special of Bonzana. Then we're back in the States, following the author around as he tries to figure out what the hell he's doing with his life. Then back to the war. We are told even before meeting them that some of his buddies are going to die, and yet we watch their relationships unfold ignorant of that fact.
   
   He's funny without trying too hard to be funny, an unique trait among writers nowadays. His humor comes from the mouth of someone real, not merely a vessel for funny sayings. It read, perhaps, like the memoir of someone I might know. A full-timer, down in the dish room, who doesn't talk about it, but it's always there, like the dreams that were so viciously taken away from them and the dreams that they gave up on.



4. There is something about Wolff that puts me off. I couldn't empathize with him in reading This Boys Life. I could understand how critics would think well of it--it does READ well. But as a person, I didn't like him. He carries this unlikablity (not as bad as Dubya, mind you) into In Pharoah's Army. I didn't like how he managed to become an officer in the Army. Somehow his book comes off as less authentic than other books about Vietnam. Compare it to Tim O'Brien or Philip Caputo (or even my own, Waiting for Westmoreland) and he comes out too detached and sometimes not entirely believable. I am not saying he ripped off Graham Greene, but he also shares a fair bit of style and tone with The Quiet American. Still, it may be worth reading if only to contrast it with the others out there.



5. Tobias Wolff knows how to write.
   In his second memoir, In Pharaoh's Army, Wolff masterfully recounts his experience in the Viet Nam war and does so in a way that completely entrances the reader. I started this book on a plane ride from Chicago to Los Angeles, which is a good three and half hours, and not once on that flight did I put the book down. Wolff is a true master when in comes to the conveying of experience. He brings people that remain only memories to life, and provides wit and insight from an older, matured voice. This is Wolff's true talent, the simultaneous storytelling and ironic analysis that he is so acclaimed for.
   
   Wolff's characters are some of the best in literature. Even minor ones come to life; Wolff describes a Vietnamese Sergeant as "[having] a thin scholarly face and a grave manner. When he spoke to me he lowered his head and looked up from under his eyebrows" (81). To add to his incredible storytelling and description, Wolff's funny asides bring even more life to the book. Looking back on a mission where he brought medical aid to rural villages, Wolff describes it as "being a missionary; even a god. A couple of us big white guys would drop out of the sky and spend the day surrounded by astonished rustics..." (100). Honestly, what is there not to love about writing like that?
   
   Not only does In Pharaoh's Army serve as a recollection of Wolff's experience in Viet Nam but also is a continuation of his previous memoir, This Boy's Life. He bridges the gap between his expulsion from Hill Academy and joining the Army, while also going much more in depth into his relationship with his father. So, basically, if you are looking for even more closure than provided by This Boy's Life, this is the book for you.

5 comments about A Slave No More: Two Men Who Escaped to Freedom, Including Their Own Narratives of Emancipation.

1. In a confluence of events that is hardly short of providential, not one, two unpublished slave narratives fell into David Blight's hands. The narratives, kept lovingly for over a century by the families of former slaves Wallace Turnage and John Washington, chronicle the early lives and desperate circumstances that propelled these two oppressed human beings onto the historical stage. Wallace and Turnage, while sharing the common bondage of slavery, led very different lives. Washington had relatively easier life and shorter route to freedom. Turnage's life was shot through with physical assaults, peril and cinematic close calls. Both men wrote with an urgency that revealed their thirst for freedom and deep desire to preserve their tales for their posterity.
   
   The first half of the book allows David Blight to provide the historical and cultural contexts that his two protagonists could only guess at. Ensnared in the day-to-day turmoil of slavery and survival, they could only guess at the political and military forces that were moving them toward eventual liberation. Blight muses too on the oft-asked question of who freed the slaves - Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation or the salves themselves. his complex and nuanced answer is seconded by the experiences captured by Washington and Turnage. The book's second half contains the unedited narratives, told in soaring but often rough prose, by the men themselves.
   
   "A Slave No More" is gripping, significantly because it is true. The poetry of freedom sings from its pages, crafted by the literary hands of men who were not expected to learn the alphabet, much less to pen epic odes to the liberation of the human body and spirit. Wonderful and worthwhile.



2. Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs are among a handful of former slaves in the Old South who wrote famous narratives of their lives in slavery and their ultimate escape to freedom. It is a rare and important event to find additional first-person narratives that document the efforts of slaves to become free. The noted historian David Blight had the good fortune to become aware of two such narratives which had previously been held close by the families of their authors. Blight has published these accounts in his recent book "A Slave no More" (2007), together with background information on the manuscripts, a discussion of the lives of the authors following their escapes from slavery, and a brief history of Emancipation during and following the Civil War.
   
   The attraction of this book lies more in the narratives than in Blight's commentary. The narratives were composed by John Washington (1838 -- 1918) and Wallace Turnage (1846-1916). Washington and Turnage both discuss their lives in slavery and the factors impelling them to make their escape. The narratives do not extend to the subsequent lives of the narrators in freedom. The narratives are written in a non-literary style which nevertheless have great power from their very simplicity. Neither man was writing for the public. Their accounts of slavery offer the opportunity to get to know two people who did not make it into the history books but whose storyies have much to teach.
   
   The narrative of John Washington, which he titled "Memorys of the Past" is the more literary of the two. Washington vowed to escape from slavery when his mother was sold away when he was a child. Washington spent most of his early life as an urban slave in Virginia working as a house servant,in a tobacco factory, and in an inn, among other places. With the advance of the Union army through Fredericksburg in 1862, Washington saw his opportunity to cross the river to the Union lines. He became an aide to several Union officers and ultimately established himself with his wife, who had been born free, in Washington D.C. Washington's narrative has some excellent portrayals of the movements of the soldiers on both sides and of his experiences with the Union army.
   
   Turnage's account is untitled and substantially less polished that Washington's. Turnage spent most of his time in slavery in the deep south near Pickensville, Alabama. He was a field hand and subjected to more cruelty and violence than was Washington. His account is replete with descriptions of whippings given to himself and, especially, to women. Witnessing and receiving these whippings made Turnage determined to escape. Turnage made at least four unsuccessful attempts at escape before he succeeded, after each of which he was punished with increasing severity. In the first several attempts, Turnage went west to try to reach the Union lines in Corinth, Mississippi. He nearly succeeded but was returned to his master on each occasion. Turnage finally succeeded in a daring attempt to reach Mobile Bay, the site of a great Union naval victory. Turnage had to cross snake-infested swamps and achieved freedom only when Union soldiers rescued him from the sinking makeshift boat in which he had been riding to freedom. Turnage offers a graphic, gritty account of his escape and of the harshness of slavery in the deep south. Importantly, Turnage does not show bitterness towards his oppressors. He writes at the outset of his narrative: "I do not mean to speak disparagingly of those who sold me, nor of those who bought me. Though I seen a hard time, it had an attendency to make a man out of me." (Blight, page 213)
   
   In his introductory material, Blight retells and expands upon the narratives of Washington and Turnage. Through laborious historical research, Blight also describes the lives of the two men and their families after their escape. Washington spent most of his life as a painter in Washington D.C. and was active in the church and the developing African-American community. His five children went on to careers, with his youngest son enjoying success as a science teacher and athletic coach. Turnage had a much more difficult time of it living in the overcrowded, disease-infested sections of New York City and witnessing the deaths of his mother, wife, and several children. One of his daughters was able to "pass" for white, and she was the source for recovering her father's manuscript.
   
   Blight also offers an interesting discussion of the Emancipation Proclamation which focuses on the immediate reaction to it in African American communities in both North and South. I found Blight's discussion somewhat broader and more polemical than it needed to be to elucidate the narratives of Washington and Turnage. But most of his discussion makes for interesting reading.
   
   Washington and Turnage wrote inspiring narratives of their journey from slavery to freedom. Blight has done a service in making these narratives available to the public. This book will be of interest to readers concerned with American slavery, the Civil War, and African American history. Readers unfamiliar with other slave narratives may wish to explore Frederick Douglass's autobiographies and the volume titled "Slave Narratives," both of which are available from the Library of America.
   
   Robin Friedman



3. Recently two new important African-American slave narratives have come to light, published here along with scholarly commentary for the first time. They are considered significant by historians because they support a theory that slaves played a role in bringing about their own freedom. Traditionally slavery is thought to have ended with Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation - Lincoln freed the slaves, we are taught in school. However, is it possible that the slaves themselves played a role in their own freedom, that their own actions, conscious or not, helped bring about Emancipation? This is what today many historians contend, and these two narratives support that view. "For most slaves", Blight says, "freedom did not come on a particular day; it evolved by process." It was the process of waves of slaves escaping into Union lines as the war moved south, often forming shanty towns of "contrabands" (as the Union called escaped slaves, they were initially classified by the north as property). Eventually something had to be done about the"contraband" and Lincoln signed some limited laws that gave them freedom, which eventually morphed into the Emancipation Proclamation. But it was the slaves desire for freedom, willing to risk life by escaping, that forced the issue of Emancipation. Further, many of these freed slaves then took up arms and joined the Union army. It is estimated over 700,000 of the nearly 4 million slaves found freedom through this "process", the remaining 3.3 million achieving freedom with the 13th Amendment.
   
   Whatever the historical debates, these narratives are interesting and even thrilling. Although not as well written as Frederick Douglass, in many ways the adventures of these young men are more real and tangible - as private documents they were not written to be published, not filtered through an editor. They were meant for friends and family and thus have a rough, raw real edge to them.
   
   David Blight has done a great service to historians and the public by both publishing the original sources and summarizing and expanding on them. Each of the two narratives has a corresponding chapter that re-creates the narrative in more detail and clarity for the modern reader. In addition there are two chapters that examine what happened to the men after the war including some fascinating pictures. No two slave narratives are alike and these will surely not disappoint as important historical case examples and thrilling stories. America has two new unsung heroes representative of 100s of thousands who sought and found their own freedom.



4. This book makes the Civil War period and slavery come alive, partly through the real voices of 2 emancipated slaves, and partly through the consumate writing skill of the author. The level is just right: carefully documented sources (endnotes) that authenticate the story, plus a wonderfully accessible writing style that is clear, never boring, and quietly compassionate. This is an engaging book I recommend even to those having only a casual interest in history.



5. The book provides an in depth look at the lives of two black men who were determined to escape slavery. The book also reveals the hopelessness experienced by slaves in their daily lives. It also exposed the cruelty of slave owners, who were considered in all other respects to be genteel and upstanding citizens in their community.

5 comments about The Concubine's Children.

1. Received my order quickly, the book was is the advertised condition and I loved the book.



2. I couldn't wait to read this book after it arrived. But I was disappointed. Althought the topic was fascinating, the writing was not. I became bored and at times found it hard to follow which person was doing what. I had to re-read some paragraphs to make sure I knew which person I was reading about. If the writing had been better, it would have been a far more captivating book. Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter was much better.



3. 
   THE BOOK WAS A VERY GOOD BUY....SERVICE WAS OUTSTANDING I RECD
   THE BOOK IN A HURRY. BOOK WAS IN GREAT CONDITION AND EVEN MY
   WIFE PICKED IT UP AND READ IT. THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK I
   PURCHASED FROM AMAZON. I WILL BUY AGAIN VERY SOON. KEEP UP
   THE GOOD WORK.



4. In this fascinating tale, Denise Chong deftly writes the story of her migrant Chinese family on two soils - Canadian soil, and Chinese soil. Her grandmother ("concubine" May-ying) moves to Canada following Chan Sam, her assigned husband. Times prove not to be so easy for the Chinese in "Gold Mountain". Their isolation and institutionalized exclusion from mainstream Canadian society stifled any progress. May-ying moves almost constantly from Nanaimo to Vancouver (the two Chinatowns) waitressing to support her husband, Hing (the third daughter and author's mother), and also the family left in China. Following relations in this book is key to understanding how the story unfolds.
   
   Denise Chong tells the story of May-ying's taut life in trying to fulfill the obligations of a Chinese wife in a polygamous setting. She also gives historical accounts (political and cultural) both at home and in China. When family and history are intertwined, both become inseperably tangible. I don't think that this book is an exploitation of Chinese culture as one reviewer pointed out. I think this book will be enlightening to many a reader with sparse knowledge and misconceptions about early Chinese migration to the New World.



5. For those of you who think polygamy works when it is culturally supported, this is the book that will give you a new viewpoint to consider.
   
   This book was written by the granddaugther of a concubine, a second wife taken while the first wife was still in the picture. Culture and practicality allowed and supported concubinage in China of the 1920s, yet this family suffered greatly for generations under the practice. It is the history of her grandparents' marriage, a second marriage. The grandfather took a concubine to be his wife in the New World while he worked to make a better living from his At Home family and to elevate his social status in his home community.
   
   The story tells of the struggles of being a "second family," of the depravation that had to go hand-in-hand with supporting two households, with the shame of having parents who were together for the convenience of sex and income, of the pain of being separated from siblings who were being raised by the first wife. It's about the descent from being a merely disfunctional family unit to being essentially an out-of-control single-parent household when the bonds of dependency and culture were broken by the stress of having two wives and two families.
   
   I couldn't put this book down once I started because it's like watching a train-wreck. I could anticpate the troubles and sorrows, as could the family involved, yet they were just as powerless as I to change things.

5 comments about Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different.

1. This is a fairly short, but informative book on the ideas and values held by the different founding fathers. This book is highly recommended for readers interested in both intellectual history and the American Revolution.
   
   The chapter on George Washington emphasizes how Washington went to great lengths to ensure that the American presidency would not have the powers of a monarch. This extreme caution played a key role in Washington's stepping down after two term limits, his warning against a standing army and his personal distress over whether he allowed himself to receive too much adulation or too many gifts as President. In this respect, George Washington is a remarkable man. The history of the United States would surely be substantially different, in terms of precedents set by Washington, had he not been so reluctant to wield executive power.
   
   The chapter on Thomas Jefferson is also very good. Thomas Jefferson is obviously an incredibly accomplished intellectual and statesman. In addition to penning the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson also fought to abolish the laws of primogeniture (which automatically passed all estate property to the eldest son of every family) as well as helped establish the separation of church and state with the famous Virginia Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. However, Wood's work suggests that Jefferson sometimes got too lost in ideals while failing to note how those ideas played out in practice. This shortcoming cannot be better illustrated than Jefferson's infamous "Adam and Eve" letter where he wrote the following to comment on the violence of the French Revolution:
   
   "My own affections have been deeply wounded by some of the martyrs to this cause, but rather than it should have failed, I would have seen half the earth desolated. Were there but an Adam and an Eve left in every country, and left free, it would be better than as it now is."
   
   The chapter on Alexander Hamilton will be unsettling to those who value free market capitalism. This chapter details how Hamilton was instrumental in establishing a national bank despite the opposition from John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. In addition, Wood also details how Hamilton repudiated the benefits of unregulated markets and how he pushed to ban private banking. This chapter also details how Hamilton advocated an "American empire" over a "Democracy" and wanted a standing army contrary to the admonition against one in Washington's farewell address.
   
   Although I will not detail them here, many of the other chapters in this book are also very good. The chapter on James Madison explores the alleged change in James Madison's values when he went from a co-author of the Federalist Papers to a staunch Democratic-Republican and concludes that there were no substantial changes in Madison's political philosophy. The chapter on Benjamin Franklin explores Wood's thesis that Benjamin Franklin was a longtime British loyalist who, up until his seventies, clung to the overly optimistic belief that the British crown was still generally good for the American colonies. The chapter on John Adams does delve into some of his impressive intellectual achievements, including his 'Defense of the Constitution of the United States'. However, my perception is this chapter understates the importance of John Adams in many of the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence, say compared to C. Bradley Thompson's 'John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty'. Overall, this is a great read for anyone seeking to understand the important moral and political ideas that the different Founders held.



2. This is arguably the finest work that I have ever read on the Founding Fathers of our country. Wood strips down the layers and then conveys what made these remarkable men who they were. It is such a compelling work that I have just completed it and I am preparing to start over again. I recommend this to anyone to wants a clear picture of our Founders painted for them. This isnt paint by numbers. Its a masterpiece.



3. The book itself is insightful and well-written, as well as well-organized. Wood goes through several of the Revolutionary Characters and gives an in-depth view into each man's personality and what exactly made each one tick. He expertly depicts each man's limitations and motivations.



4. As with another of Gordon Woods' works, 'The Radicalism of The American Revolution' I'm sorry to say that, in both instances, I've been somewhat disappointed by the analytical style with which Wood approaches his subject matter. Unfortunately, for me, this is somewhat akin to reading a didactic analysis of a great story rather than the great story itself and I found myself struggling with boredom and counting the pages to the end of each chapter so that I could get on to my next book in my current obsession with the American Revolution. While I do not question Prof. Wood's academic capabilities, I do think that he tends more toward historical analysis than historical narrative. This analytical style leads inevitably to conclusions and statements that sometimes appear somewhat subjective. One example is the inclusion of Aaron Burr in this collection of character analyses. On one hand, Wood acknowledges that Burr is not generally considered a 'founder' of the United States yet repeatedly refers to 'the other founders' when comparing Burr with Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, etc. as if Burr were among them. His subsequent analysis of Burr's character as completely lacking the qualities of the true founders begs the question of why Burr is even making an appearance in this book in the first place. Another criticism I have is Wood's tendency to make passing references to individuals not generally well known to most readers, (such as the 18th century English literary figure, Samuel Johnson, to whom Wood refers three times as 'Dr. Johnson' and once as 'Samuel Johnson') without explaining who they are. This is a common flaw one finds in works by some academics who seem at times forgetful that they are writing for a readership that is somewhat broader than the professorial cliques within which they move. It is a rare scholar indeed who possesses both academic ability as well as a talent for engaging the reader. Prof. Wood appears decidedly better on the first point than the second.
   
   Also recommended: Washington's Crossing, Paul Revere's Ride'David Hackett Fischer' Alexander Hamilton 'Ron Chernow' America, The Last Best Hope 'William J. Bennett'



5. Here's what I think spawned this book: A brilliant historian with such a wealth of knowledge about the American Revolution had all these thoughts and opinions in his head, and he just had to get them out. So he wrote them down, and poof, there was "Revolutionary Characters" by Gordon Wood.
   
   I made the mistake of reading this book soon after it was released, and I just wasn't ready for the depth of the material because it had been a while since I was in college. After reading biographies on most of the key participants, I recently looked at this book again and got more out of it. It's a very interesting analysis of eight significant figures of the era -- I believe Aaron Burr was included over John Jay because he's more interesting, not because he was more important.
   
   If you're expecting short bios on these eight men, you'll be disappointed; it offers no such thing. It's almost all analysis, and to further that point, two of the longest sections in the book are the introduction and epilogue, which are essentially all analysis. The book is incredibly wordy at times, and it often reads like it was written for history professors.
   
   Basically, this is a useful book for those with knowledge of and interest in the late 1700s and early 1800s. But it's not for the average reader, and it in no way compares to Joseph Ellis' "Founding Brothers," or even "American Creation."

5 comments about Letters of a Woman Homesteader.

1. I love these Wyoming stories and the stamna and determination of the women.
   It came in good time so the service was good and the books in good condition.



2. Wonderfull stories actually written by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. The woman was a tireless worker with a special kindness to her fellow man. You can picture in your mind just what she lived. Her descriptions are as good as they can be. Her kindness will melt your heart. She makes me wish I had lived in the area at the same time. It's such a world of difference from todays progression. I'm not so sure we have progressed to a better life. Even though it was a hard life and a short one I think it may have been a slice of heaven back in old Wyoming. She will tug at your heart at times and make you smile at others.
   A great easy enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
   Steve from Boulder Creek, Ca.



3. The audio version of this book is so well read -- it is well worth the cost. You cannot help feeling cheerful and energized about your own life, as you hear it. I gave the paperback version to a couple of discouraged women friends who prefer to read rather than listen to books. Both women loved it, and were inspired to face their own hardships more buoyantly. The very gifted author has blessed us with a wonderful history and narrative!



4. Dear fellow Book-lovers:
   I found this little gem at the local library today and I can't put it down. It is so good--easy to read (perfect for a busy Mom of 5 like me), inspiring, wholesome, funny, and informative. I am fascinated with this woman: her love for people, her giving heart, and her passion for fun and for life. I'm only on page 81 (out of 282) but I can already sit here and tell you to buy this book and enjoy it! I'm buying myself a copy and also one for my best friend. Christmas is coming!



5. Genuine substance and sincerity describe Stewart's letters from the early twentieth century while homesteading in this remote corner of Wyoming. Whereas most women would not even consider putting down roots in such an isolated area, Mrs. Stewart was determined to make a life for herself in this territory. And she did just that. It took a special kind of person to live in this far-removed landscape.
   
   Her writing, subject matter and approach to life were most admirable. Hard working and always enthusiastic for adventure, she writes of various encounters with surrounding neighbors and experiences into the countryside. If she had any dull moments on the ranch they must have been few and far between.
   
   Very optimistic about life, Mrs. Stewart affirms, "...all my own efforts have always been just to make the best of everything and to take things as they come."
   To further quote, "It has always been a theory of mine that when we become sorry for ourselves we make our misfortunes harder to bear, because we lose courage and can't think without bias."
   
   A wonderful read furthering an appreciation for life in the homesteading era.

2 comments about The Man Who Loved China LP: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom.

1. This well researched and very readable book describes Joseph Needham's quest to show the inventiveness of the Chinese people by documenting in detail their early inventions, many made centuries before their reinvention by Europeans. The number and breadth is nothing short of astonishing. It puts to rest the ridiculous claim by some western politicians that invention can only occur in a free society. One of the themes is the big question still not satisfactorily answered. How, after centuries of extraordinary inventiveness, did it all suddenly stop sometime in the middle of the 15th century? Maybe the question now should be; How quickly will China resume its well documented capacity to invent? He describes a large sign at the Jiuquan space center that says in large letters "Without Haste. Without Fear. We Conquer the World"
   
   This book is a must read for anyone interested in China.



2. Another book well done by Simon Winchester. The large-print version was a joy to read.

4 comments about The Wilderness World of John Muir.

1. excerpted from Muir's The Mountains of California, is one chapter I've read many times. He climbs to the top of a Doug Fir so that he can experience a 100' tree swaying 30° back and forth "rocking and swirling in wild ecstasy" I take this book backpacking (there's no ultralight version yet...) in the Sierra most times and there's always something to read that fits the setting. EWT's intro is very sweet as are the



2. I really enjoyed this book as it was focused on plants and animals. My favorite chapters were "The Water Ouzel" (a bird) and "Stickeen" (a dog). However, the whole book was interesting and enjoyable, including chapters about different people he met along the way ("The Robber" and "The Blacksmith"). This book is titled as "a selection from his collected work." I enjoyed his writing so much that I will look for a complete volume of his works so I don't miss out on any other great stories.



3. I am often asked for a recommendation of what among Muir's writings, or writings about him, one should first read. After spending more than 30 years appreciating both his writings and most of the books about Muir that have been published during that time, and after ten years editing the John Muir Exhibit online, I can only turn to the same book that originally enthalled me with John Muir: The Wilderness World of John Muir, edited by Edwin Way Teale.
   
   This book was edited by someone who was himself an able naturalist and nature-writer, and therefore someone who could understand Muir in a way that most academics, whether professors of literature or historians, cannot. Edwin Way Teale (1899-1980), has been ranked as a nature writer with been ranked with Henry David Thoreau, John Burroughs, as well as John Muir himself. His honors include being elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, receiving the John Burroughs Award in 1943, and the Pulitzer Prize in 1966. He was the author of 32 books. Teale's sympathy for Muir's message is shown in the book's Dedication page, which is "Dedicated to The Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, The National Parks Association, and all those who are fighting the good fight to preserve what John Muir sought to save."
   
   This book serves as both an anthology of the very best of Muir's writings, and also a biography, compellingly provided by Teale.
   
   The biographical value of this work is often under-stated, even by the publisher. The book is typically viewed as an anthology, and indeed it is, primarily; but it also contains a wealth of biographical information, far more than the typical anthology.
   
   Teale commences his book on John Muir with an authoritative 10-page Introduction, that not merely identifies the key events in Muir's life, but provides an assessment and perspective of how Muir stacks up with other nature writers. He provides facts you won't find elsewhere: "While visiting friends, Muir sometimes would talk four hours at breakfast." Teale, writing in 1954, was able to talk with several people who knew Muir personally. He noted that everyone he talked to had a different view of which phase of natural history held first importance in Muir's mind. Some thought it was trees; another thought it was geology, another plants. Teale points out the fourth view, probably the nearest right of all: "... the whole interrelationships of life, the complete rounded picture of the mountain world. Today, Muir probably would be called an ecologist." Teale 's assessment of Muir as an "ecologist" pre-dates the "ecology movement" of the 1970s by at least 15 years. Teale admirably tells of the scope of the places, glaciers, plants, and animals named after him, and Muir's contributions to science and conservation. Although public appreciation for Muir has grown dramatically since Teale's book was first published in 1954, The Wilderness World of John Muir still provides the best introduction to Muir's life and writings.
   
   Following the admirable Introduction, each of the 51 excerpts from Muir's writings commences with a preface by Teale, of up to a page in length, presenting in chronological order the story of Muir's life, and putting each of Muir's writings into context.
   
   Although serving as a biography, the Wilderness World is, in fact, primarily a superb anthology. Rather than simply re-printing the full text of such of Muir's works as The Story of My Boyhood and Youth, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf, My First Summer in the Sierra, Travels in Alaska, Our National Parks , and the Journals, Teale provides short snippets from the best of Muir's writings, arranged into seven broad categories:
   
   I. Memories of Youth - reprints Muir's writings about his boyhood in Scotland, life on the Wisconsin Farm, seeing immense flocks Passenger Pigeons, nearly dying of choke-damp while digging a well, his inventions, and his enrollment at the University of Wisconsin.
   
   II. University of The Wilderness - Excerpts from A Thousand Mile Walk, including people by the way, camping among the tombs of Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, and Muir's visit to Cuba and New York.
   
   III. The Range of Light - Muir's adventures in the Sierra, including his first glimpse from Pacheco Pass and crossing the bee pastures of the Central Valley, his first visits to the High Sierra, climbing on the brink of Yosemite Falls above the Valley, tributes to wildlife including bears and grasshoppers, and his telepathic experience sensing the presence of his former University Professor Butler in the Valley.
   
   IV. The Valley - Muir's glorious tributes to Yosemite Valley's waterfalls, the water ouzel, the earthquake, and Ralph Waldo Emerson's visit.
   
   V. Forests of the West - Including Muir's adventure high atop a Douglas fir during a wind-storm, and writings about Silver Pine, the Douglas Squirrel, Sequoia, Nevada Nut Pines, and Muir's clarion call to protect the forests, "Any Fool Can Destroy a Tree."
   
   VI. Glacier Pioneer - Muir's discovery of the Sierra glaciers, his climb of Mount Ritter, his perilous night on Mount Shasta, and his travels in Alaska, including his discovery of Glacier Bay and his adventure with Stickeen.
   
   VII. The Philosophy of John Muir - excerpts from many scattered sources focusing on Muir's views on mankind's relationship to Nature. For many, this is the favorite part of the book, the part one returns to again and again for inspiration.
   
   Despite this, the book does have some failings. The book belies the importance of Muir's family and friends, which becomes so evident upon reading his extensive correspondence. Nor does the book do more than barely mention some important places in Muir's life, such as his global travels to such places as the glacial mountains of Europe, the forests of Siberia, the Himalayas and forests of India, Australian and New Zealand forests, and, the fulfillment of his life-long dream, his last trip to see the forests of South America and Africa. The book emphasizes Muir's appreciative writings about Nature, and only briefly mentions the conservation battles which consumed so much of his life, including his long campaign to protect Hetch Hetchy. To obtain a whole picture of Muir, the reader will need to also read another work about Muir's conservation campaigns, such as Roderick Nash's chapter on "John Muir: Publicizer" in Wilderness and the American Mind, Stephen Fox's John Muir and His Legacy: The American Conservation Movement, or John Muir and the Sierra Club: The Battle for Yosemite by Holway R. Jones.
   
   Since the book was originally published in 1954, it is not informed by some of the more recent research resulting from Muir's unpublished journals and correspondence, published in the John Muir Papers in 1980. Given the popularity of this book, fifty years after its first publication, the publishers should consider a second edition, again using a nature writer rather than a literary critic or historian to update the book.
   
   Overall, in this book Muir comes alive, as someone who can can at once write inspiringly and poetically about trees, storms, mountains, glaciers, and forests, but yet also show the attention to detail of an analytical scientist. Muir is revealed as adventurer, a lover of nature, a person who can still excite the imagination of readers. As Teale concludes, "Rich in time, rich in enjoyment, rich in appreciation, rich in enthusiasm, rich in understanding, rich in expression, rich in friends, rich in knowledge, John muir lived a full and rounded life, a life unique in many ways, admirable in many ways, valuable in many ways.... In his writings and in his conservation achievements, Muir seems especially present in a world that is better because he lived here."
   
   August, 2004



4. Whether you are interested in John Muir specifically or just want to read about an interesting life, this book is an excellent place to start.

   John Muir had an incredible and important life, and it is told here succinctly in his own words, excerpted to emphasize the profound. It is a glimpse into a lifestyle 99.9% of us will never know, yet it is truly important to our times. His love of nature, adventure and exploration is a reminder of why we need to experience more than our 9 to 5 workdays and why we need to apply ourselves to the protection of the Earth.

   Muir was a gentle but strong man, a genius with simple needs, solitary yet influential. This book is a terrific way to look into his life and his time and to gain some inspiration into our lives and our times.