Exciting Foliage Plants: And How to Grow Them (The Pan Plant Chooser Series)

Book Description

The authors have compiled eight small format books that cover the most popular subjects for gardeners in the Pan Plant Chooser Series. The series is aimed at the less-than-expert gardener who may be buying plants for the first time.

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EXCITING PLANTS FOR FOLIAGE
Roger ; Rix, Ma Phillips
Manufacturer: Pan Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OUOU7A

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Not Just A Guidebook -- Great for Armchiar Hiking

Think outside the Appalachian Trail

Misleading Book Title, Buyer Beware!

Read it. Believe it. Achieve it.

Great Practical Guide To Some Beautiful Trails

Thru Hiker's Guide to America (Thru-Hiker's Handbooks)
E. Schlimmer
Manufacturer: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Hiking the Triple Crown : Appalachian Trail - Pacific Crest Trail - Continental Divide Trail - How to Hike America's Longest Trails

Appalachian Trail Hiker, 4th: Trail-proven Advice for Hikes of Any Length

Pacific Crest Trail Data Book: Mileages, landmarks, facilities, resupply data and essential trail information for the entire Pacific Crest Trail, from Mexico to Canada

Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail

Trailside Guide: Hiking and Backpacking, New Edition

ASIN: 0071433643

Book Description

A planning guide to 25 of America's most alluring and most attainable long-distance trails.

If you dream of tackling the Appalachian, Continental Divide, or Pacific Crest Trail but lack the time or resources for a 2,000-mile-plus journey, the Thru Hiker’s Guide to America provides a cache of manageable alternatives. Here are 25 beautiful trails that can be hiked during a vacation of one to eight weeks. From Washington’s 95-mile Wonderland Trail to the 1,300-mile Florida Trail, this thoroughly researched guide covers the entire spectrum of North American geography, climate, and terrain. Whether you're looking for rimrock or alpine meadows, mountain panoramas or forest cloisters, seaside or desert, the Thru Hiker's Guide to America will help you decide which trail is perfect for you.

Following the easy-to-use format, you can quickly find the key attractions of each trail, including natural wonders, scenic vistas, flora and fauna. You’ll also learn important particulars about access to drinking water, campsite availability, and prevailing weather conditions for each trail. E. Schlimmer also includes trail-specific advice from experienced long-distance hikers and Forest Service employees.

“All the options and answers to the question, ‘what do I want to hike next?’ are contained in this book. Choose your season, your distance, your terrain, read this guide, and head off to hike the trail that fits your personal criteria.”--Dick Anderson, International Appalachian Trail president

Customer Reviews:

Not Just A Guidebook -- Great for Armchiar Hiking.......2006-09-19

I would imagine that this book would be considered a reference, but I read it cover to cover. Mr. Schlimmer does a great job of putting you on the trail, and sprinkles his prose with just enough humor to make it fun. Unfortunately, he also sprinkles his prose with a little too much politics for my taste, but I still greatly enjoyed the book. I'm also unsympathetic with the reader who was expecting more about the AT. The book cover explains clearly what trails are included, and the author gives a good justification for his choices in the introduction -- which, by the way, is pretty darned good as well.

Think outside the Appalachian Trail.......2005-07-01

The only bad part about this book is that it didn't come out years ago. Really. Hands down, the definitive guide to long-distance hiking in the United States.

I usually don't write reviews but after reading the dissenting view ("misleading title") I had to even the score. Schlimmer knows about the AT- he's a well accomplished long-distance hiker (like myself) and former AT caretaker and ridgerunner (a dream job). He chose the "underdog" trails because they are NOT the Appalachian Trail. Type in "Appalachian Trail" on Amazon and see how many titles come up. I counted 293 of them. But how many books are out there on the Baker Trail, Mountains-to-Sea Trail, International Appalachian Trail, Shore-to-Shore Trail, Wonderland Trail, etc, etc? Not many. The "Thru-Hiker's Guide to America" fills the long-distance void.

With 25 trails to choose from located in more than half of the 50 states, Schlimmer's witty tone and informative style will make your backpacking wish list grow and grow. Five stars.

Misleading Book Title, Buyer Beware!.......2005-06-22

This is fine book except for one major problem: the title. Imagine if you bought a book called, "A Hiker's Guide to Inca Trail" and when it arrives you find out that it talks about parts of the Inca Trail in Bolivia (which few venture) but mention the part of the Inca Trail that everyone thinks about when they hear "Inca Trail": Macchu Picchu.

Or imagine a book called, "A Hiker's Guide to America" and then only talks about trails in Alaska and Hawaii.

By not delving into the PCT, AT, and CDT, known as the Triple Crown of thru-hikes, this book does not live up to its title. The Triple Crown are America's biggest and most alluring thru-hikes. To not include them in the Top 25 is a crime.

Read it. Believe it. Achieve it........2005-06-09

Whether you are a seasoned long distance trekker seeking another notch on your pack straps, or a newbie needing a good trail to burst your blisters on, look no futher. With 25 premier hikes to salivate over, picking which one to do next is the hard part. Thanks to Schlimmer's expert advice, all the info you need to make your decision is in this wonderful book. I consider the Thru-Hiker's Guide to America to be a must have for any trail lover's library.

Great Practical Guide To Some Beautiful Trails.......2005-04-12

Thru Hiker's Guide To America is an excellent reference for long distance hikers or anyone who dreams of long trails. This guide is a collection of some of the best long trails in the USA. It is well written and has an easy to read format. Within a couple of minutes you can tell if a trail meets your specific needs of the moment. The Recommended Resources section is worth the price of the book.
After decades of hiking, this guide is revealing many gems that I have missed. If you are a long distance hiker, get this book!

2003 Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers' Companion (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)

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2003 Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers' Companion (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)
Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association
Manufacturer: Appalachian Trail Conference
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 1889386359

Book Description

When 2,500 men and women (and children these days!) take to the Appalachian Trail to attempt to hike all its 2,173 miles in a single journey, they need first-hand information on what's in each town, the basics (beyond guidebook stuff) of what's on the trail and where, and scores of other facts to support their adventure of a lifetime. The Companion gives them that without numbing excessive detail or personal opinion. Adventure-oriented, it's compiled by a score of volunteers who have thru-hiked the A.T. at least once, edited by leaders of their organization, and published by the private nonprofit that coordinates the volunteers who maintain and manage the trail...and know each changing inch like they know their backyards. This tenth edition includes town maps, a new glossary of "thru-hiker lingo," illustrations of significant wildlife, post-office lists, and toll-free numbers for equipment suppliers. Spiral-bound for easy use on the trail; envelope width for easy slipping into a pack pocket.

Book Description

What do we know about the Intuit? Who are the Intuit? Do they live in houses? What kind of food did they eat? What language do they speak?

This series takes an exciting look at religion, history, and culture through the everyday lives of people from all over the world. Using color photographs and detailed illustrations, each book helps young people ask questions and leads them toward a better understanding of a particular historical era, religion, or culture.

Bryan and Cherry Alexander are specialists on the Intuit people. They are authors and professional photographers who have spent long periods exploring both the Arctic and Antarctic. Their work has appeared in National Geographic, Life and Geo.

Book Description

Cinch today's top new riding techniques

In the past twenty-five years, a number of major innovations in horse handling have gained acceptance in the global community. Now Howell presents a one-stop resource for amateur adult riders to help them understand the new approaches and implement them to achieve fast results.

Written by renowned professional riding instructor Donna Snyder-Smith, The All-Around Horse and Rider is the first equestrian book to offer a precise road map to utilizing the new innovations in training. This unique book explains the basic lessons the all-around rider must master, showing how to set realistic equestrian goals and adopt the methods that best enable the horse to do his job. Snyder-Smith gets to the heart of "correct" riding, helping the rider harmonize with a horse's movements while translating acquired skills to a wide variety of disciplines.

Covers the latest innovations in horse handling, including rider body awareness, equine movement awareness, and round-pen work
Demostrates how the innovations and training methods inter-relate -- and how to combine them effectively
Reveals how to increase the strength and endurance of both horse and rider
Explains the different competitions and who is best suited to compete
Shares inspiring, real-life experiences of all-around horses and their riders
Identifies when to ask for help-and how to find it

Download Description

A complete guide to advances in horse and rider education

In the past 25 years, a number of major innovations in horse handling-rider-body awareness, equine movement awareness, and round-pen work-have gained acceptance in the global equestrian community. This unique and wonderfully accessible book synthesizes these advances, showing today's adult amateur riders how to understand the new approaches collectively-and implement them in tandem to achieve fast, all-around results. Written by a renowned professional riding instructor-winner of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Riding Instructor's Association-this one-stop guide is essential reading for anyone who wants to harness today's hottest new riding techniques.

Donna Snyder-Smith (Union City, CA) has spent more than 35 years teaching the equestrian arts to students on both the East and West Coasts. She is also the author of The Complete Guide to Endurance Riding and Competition (0-876-05284-7).

Customer Reviews:

The All-Around Horse And Rider by Donna Snyder Smith.......2007-09-07

The All-Around Horse And Rider by Donna Snyder Smith makes me wish I could go back and do my equestrian life all over again... to do it right! I learned about horses during the summers when I was 10,11&12 by spending my days at Fairmount Riding Stable. I never had a lesson until I was married. Once I owned a horse, I read a number of "how-to" books... but I found it difficult to put the information into actuality. Enter The All- Around Horse And Rider... I think it should be retitled as:
The Novice Rider's Bible - or - How To Become An Accomplished Equestrian

If I had had access to this wonderfully good book of discerning advice, I would have learned before my mistakes, instead of from them. The best part of riding was becoming one with a horse... being a team... looking after one another. This information packed book, so full of simple, basic and insightful advice, can help riders of all disciplines to do exactly that. Marie Weber

Best Guide to the Horse Industry, a Must Have!.......2007-01-11

As an equine professional (equine bodyworker) I have found this book to be the best guide to the horse industry. I am constantly quoting chapters out of the book to some first time horse owners and some very experienced owners to help guide them in their decisions when it comes to the health and happiness of their horse as well as finding a cost effective way to solve their equine/equestrian problems. When you own a horse the chapter "When to ask for help and how and where to find it" can save you thousands of dollars and perhaps even from serious injury/accident. I have a few clients who just love to ride but don't want to show, and Ms. Snyder-Smith gives lots of alternatives as to fun activities you can do with your horse, that don't involve showing. It is an excellent reference book, even for the experienced horse owner who did not get a good foundation. Every client of mine who got the book was so grateful for the knowledge, and I have received numerous thank you's from them. I also loved her book "The Complete Guide to Endurance Riding and Competition"

The Best Resource for the Novice RIder.......2007-01-11

As a novice rider, the quest for knowledge can be like drinking from a fire hose -way too much unfiltered information for the untrained. Fortunately, I discovered the book 'The All-Around Horse and Rider'. This book covers a broad range of topics absolutely relevant to those striving to learn the fundamentals of horsemanship. The book is well thought out, with each chapter providing progressive information. The inclusion of checklists, quizzes, numerous illustrations and diagrams make this book my favorite reference and the one I go back to time and time again.

all the warmth of IBM and as compassionate as the army.......2005-11-11

So you understand from where I'm coming: I know little about horses and horsemanship, I'm a senior man looking into a Long Ride, that's a minimum of one thousand miles at one stretch and am researching everything I can find about horses and what it will take for me and one or two horses to make it across the USA. WILD AT HEART opened my eyes to the possibility of doing something so seemingly crazy. TALKING WITH HORSES and THE HORSES OF PROUD SPIRIT along with many of the comments by horse rescuers, and people such as Dyan of Missouri Foxtrotters A - Z have been the wings beneath my wings, if you will, for this voyage. The forementioned are a stand for the wellbeing of horses, coming from a place of compassion and kindness. Just like the Dahli Lama says when asked what his religion is - he replies "Kindness". Donna Snyder-Smith's book seems directly opposite. First, it is a 'school text book', with too many uses of the word 'obedience' to be a stand for the welfare of horses. Two, it is geared to winning. If you one of the millions 'A-Types, a super achiever with corportate mentality, where to win is the only goal then this is your book. I quote Dorothy Parker, "This book is not to be tossed lightly aside, but to be hurled with great force".

All Around Horse and Rider.......2005-10-20

Donna Snyder-Smith's book encapsulates the best topics of the famous clinics she taught. The format is very readable, engaging and interesting. If you ride horses, read this book. You won't regret it.

Book Description

More Winnie the Pooh and friends collectibles are featured in this special second volume. Identify and date your Pooh, Eeyore, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owl, and Christopher Robin plush characters, ceramic figurines, and Christmas related items. Hundreds of collectibles from: Disney, Sears, Gund, Merrythought, Knickerbocker, R. John Wright, and many others. A must for every Pooh enthusiast! 250 photos. 128 pages.

Customer Reviews:

Great for Pooh Fans!.......2002-02-14

This book is a great reference for anyone who enjoys collecting pooh. I recommend it to any collector. The only complaint I would have is that: there are two books, "Winnie the Pooh Collectibles" and "Winnie the Pooh Collectibles II". I do not think this site did a very good job of distinguishing between the two. I am looking to buy the first book.

Identification and Price Guide to Winnie the Pooh Collectibl.......2000-03-27

This book is a must have for the avid Winnie the Pooh collector. Pages 8-47 are just on stuffed characters. It starts with very early plush characters and continues onward with newer ones. The next section, entitled "Ceramic Pooh and Friends", encompasses a variety of things. For example, cups, banks, plates, bookends, cookie jars, snow globes, musicals, picture frames, and figurines. This section also has platic figurines and Christmas Winnie the Pooh items.

There are pictures of each item along with a description underneath or beside it. The excerpts below each picture tell who or where the item was made, the year it was released, a detailed description, and how much each item is worth.

Overall, this book is very useful and easy to use. It is very helpful in showing how much an item is worth. Any Winnie the Pooh fan will enjoy this in their collection.

Excellent Price Guide - Many New Photos.......1999-03-09

This is a great book. It lists many of the more common items and their prices so that you can actually see the value of items that you (may) own! Wonderful photographs and detailed information about the items.

Identification and Price Guide to Winnie the Pooh Collectibles II

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Identification and Price Guide to Winnie the Pooh Collectibles II
Carol J. Smith
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0762851481

Product Description

Cloth covered book with gilt lettering. 414 pp.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Rocket Boys continued!
A darker sequel
A great book
An excellent peice of literature
Hickam Makes It Seem So Easy

Sky of Stone: A Memoir
Homer Hickam
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440240921
Release Date: 2002-10-29

Book Description

Homer Hickam won the praise of critics and the devotion of readers with his first two memoirs set in the hardscrabble mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. The New York Times crowned his first book, the #1 national bestseller October Sky, “an eloquent evocation ... a thoroughly charming memoir.” And People called The Coalwood Way, Hickam’s follow-up to October Sky, “a heartwarmer ... truly beautiful and haunting.”

Now Homer Hickam continues his extraordinary story with Sky of Stone, dazzling us with exquisite storytelling as he takes us back to that remarkable small town we first came to know and love in October Sky.

In the summer of ‘61, Homer “Sonny” Hickam, a year of college behind him, was dreaming of sandy beaches and rocket ships. But before Sonny could reach the seaside fixer-upper where his mother was spending the summer, a telephone call sends him back to the place he thought he had escaped, the gritty coal-mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. There, Sonny’s father, the mine’s superintendent, has been accused of negligence in a man’s death—and the townspeople are in conflict over the future of the town.

Sonny’s mother, Elsie, has commanded her son to spend the summer in Coalwood to support his father. But within hours, Sonny realizes two things: His father, always cool and distant with his second son, doesn’t want him there ... and his parents’ marriage has begun to unravel. For Sonny, so begins a summer of discovery—of love, betrayal, and most of all, of a brooding mystery that threatens to destroy his father and his town.

Cut off from his college funds by his father, Sonny finds himself doing the unimaginable: taking a job as a “track-laying man,” the toughest in the mine. Moving out to live among the miners, Sonny is soon dazzled by a beautiful older woman who wants to be the mine’s first female engineer.

And as the days of summer grow shorter, Sonny finds himself changing in surprising ways, taking the first real steps toward adulthood. But it’s a journey he can make only by peering into the mysterious heart of Coalwood itself, and most of all, by unraveling the story of a man’s death and a father’s secret.

In Sky of Stone, Homer Hickam looks down the corridors of his past with love, humor, and forgiveness, brilliantly evoking a close-knit community where everyone knows everything about each other’s lives—except the things that matter most. Sky of Stone is a memoir that reads like a novel, mesmerizing us with rich language, narrative drive, and sheer storytelling genius.

Download Description

Now Homer Hickam continues his extraordinary story with Sky of Stone, dazzling us with exquisite storytelling as he takes us back to that remarkable small town we first came to know and love in October Sky.

In the summer of '61, Homer "Sonny" Hickam, a year of college behind him, was dreaming of sandy beaches and rocket ships. But before Sonny could reach the seaside fixer-upper where his mother was spending the summer, a telephone call sends him back to the place he thought he had escaped, the gritty coal-mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. There, Sonny's father, the mine's superintendent, has been accused of negligence in a man's death -- and the townspeople are in conflict over the future of the town.

Sonny's mother, Elsie, has commanded her son to spend the summer in Coalwood to support his father. But within hours, Sonny realizes two things: His father, always cool and distant with his second son, doesn't want him there... and his parents' marriage has begun to unravel. For Sonny, so begins a summer of discovery -- of love, betrayal, and most of all, of a brooding mystery that threatens to destroy his father and his town.

Cut off from his college funds by his father, Sonny finds himself doing the unimaginable: taking a job as a "track-laying man," the toughest in the mine. Moving out to live among the miners, Sonny is soon dazzled by a beautiful older woman who wants to be the mine's first female engineer.

And as the days of summer grow shorter, Sonny finds himself changing in surprising ways, taking the first real steps toward adulthood. But it's a journey he can make only by peering into the mysterious heart of Coalwood itself, and most of all, by unraveling the story of a man's death and a father's secret.

In Sky of Stone, Homer Hickam looks down the corridors of his past with love, humor, and forgiveness, brilliantly evoking a close-knit community where everyone knows everything about each other's lives -- except the things that matter most. Sky of Stone is a memoir that reads like a novel, mesmerizing us with rich language, narrative drive, and sheer storytelling genius.

"Cleverly constructed, richly detailed mystery peppered with colloquial dialogue and vivid characters. This pleasing book only reinforces his oeuvre."
   PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Customer Reviews:

Rocket Boys continued!.......2007-03-27

Just a great part 3 continuation of "The Rocket Boys", AKA: "October Sky". I could hardly put it down. I really enjoyed this book, too.

A darker sequel .......2007-03-24

I read October Sky a week ago and then grabbed this one. I haven't read The Coalwood Way but after starting Sky of Stone, don't think it's necessary. This book continues where October Sky left off, and in many ways people are introduced in this book that were never mentioned in the first book. In manyways this book seems to be derived from all the notes taken out of the first book. Sonny's father's character comes to light in this book and we see the continued tension between father and son, and the son's reluctant growth into adulthood when he accepts (or is forced into) adult decisions for the first time.

Homer is a year out of college and he's slowly learning that many of the naive things he experienced in boyhood are coming back to haunt him. Where we all read about the fame and success of the six Rocket Boys, we now find that they are scattered across the country in college. With Homer, the grades in the first year weren't anything out of this world, or anything indicative of an aspiring rocket scientist. Without reading October Sky this book may appear to be a mystery, and I recommend reading October Sky first before attempting this one.

It is unfair to compare one book to the other, although I am doing it right now. What the first book was in childish charm, this one is with mature awakening. The writing style is still superb, the narrative flowing. The built-up to the plot, however, takes longer. The rocket scientist is no longer a rocket scientist in this book, and we find Homer Jr more of his father's son as a summer miner, exactly what he never wanted to be while in high school.

There is much more sadness in this book. The focus is on the death of a miner at the mine that Sonny's father manages. This book is more of a country suspense than it is a happy-go-lucky story like October Sky is. I think that this change in tone was necessary because the first book was full of optimistic, youthful naivete.

The problem with sequels and trilogies is that to understand the whole picture, all books must be read. I have now read two of the three and don't plan on reading the second book.

A great book.......2006-11-04

A wonderful book that was not only an engaging story, but offered a glimpse into the life of West Virginia coal miners. Following on the heels of the "Rocket Boys" ( the book that inspired the movie "October Sky"), this book carries on the story of Rocket Boy and author Homer Hickam. You won't be sorry you read this book.

An excellent peice of literature.......2006-05-19

Sky of Stone, by Homer "Sonny" Hickam, is the sequel to his famous memoir, Rocket Boys, (October Sky). The story takes place in 1961, a year after his graduation from high school. Sonny, now eighteen, has just finished his first year of college at VPI, and is hoping to spend his summer with his mother in Myrtle Beach, lying on the beach, watching the girls go by, and dreaming about building rockets with Wernher Von Braun, the world famous rocket engineer. Out of the blue, his mother calls and says that he can't go to South Carolina; he to go back to Coalwood, West Virginia, the place he thought he was free from, to keep his father company. Sonny, shocked out of his socks, at first argues, but he eventually gives up knowing that he would not want to get on his mom's bad side. So, he heads up to Coalwood, filled with confusion pounding at his head. His father is a pretty stubborn man who can hold is own. Why would he need his company?
Within the first few days of being in Coalwood, Sonny wrecks his father's car. In order to pay his father back for repairing the damages, Sonny has to do the one thing that he never dreamed he would do in this or any other life time: he joins the UMWA (United Mine Workers of America), which is the union for the Coalwood miners. He becomes a "track-laying man," one of the hardest jobs in the mining business. His father, completely enraged with this, as well as having the pressure of the Tuck Dillon case on his mind, threatens to cut off Sonny's college fund if Sonny doesn't stop working in the mines. Yet, Sonny, who is actually beginning to enjoy the hard work of being a miner, refuses.
As the story goes on, Sonny slowly begins to find more and more information about the Tuck Dillon accident, and starts to wonder if his father might have actually killed Tuck. Sonny also has many other adventures during this experience of being a miner. He makes many new friends, some of whom give him very important advice and teach him life lessons; he meets a girl engineer who is older than he, and he starts to have feelings for. He also participates in a heated track-laying race with the other mining group.
Sky of Stone, like Rocket Boys, is a beautifully well-written memoir, filled with such amazing images, you feel as though you are reading a novel. The fact that this is a true story about one man's experience is astonishing. Along with it being about Homer's life, it deals with the hardships of growing up, changing from a teenager into a young man, trying to find your place in the world, while dealing with reality and the new feeling of independence. Each page you read takes you further into this adventure, making you fall in love even more with the book. You feel as though you are with Sonny every step of the way, learning more and more from this new experience. Personally, having read October Sky, I love both books and think that Homer Hickam is great author. It is a wonderful book, for anyone, as it reflects on life and the many lessons it teaches us, "I knew then, as I faced the sky, that Coalwood would go on. Its buildings might be torn down, its mine closed, its people might even die, but Coalwood would persevere. There was something about this place that maybe, as the Reverend Richard maintained, God just liked. Coalwood had nothing to fear and I guessed I didn't, either. When I needed it, the old place of my boyhood would yet be there waiting for me with all its wisdom and purpose, if not in stone and wood and iron, then still in my memory and my heart. I closed my eyes and felt the rain against my face, and smelled the smoke of the defeated fire, and thought of Coalwood. Coalwood, as it was, and shall be. Coalwood my home. Coalwood forever." (354). As I got to the end of the book I felt as though I was looking back on memory, in awe and filled with respect. In conclusion, I think this is great book, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

Hickam Makes It Seem So Easy.......2006-02-17

There are authors who make you say to yourself "this person writes wonderfully, but I could never write like this...." Then there are authors that make you think exactly the opposite. "Wow, I can be a writer - it would be a snap to write like this."

Homer Hickam is one of those latter authors. You read his stuff and you say "hey, I could do this...." Of course, 10 minutes after trying to imitate his writing style you would realize your folly. Being a pure, simple, emotional, relevant, romantic, respectful storyteller is, alas, not as easy as Hickam makes it seem.

But who cares. The joy in Hickam's stories is their simplicity, their commonality, and their truthful resonance with us all.

Frankly, I thought nothing could top Rocket Boys and the first-time wonder of discovering Hickam. And since Sky of Stone re-visits the Coalwood scene I figured it to be a Rocket Boys rehash. Not so. Not at all. In fact if this had been Hickam's first book it would have been a winner just like Rocket Boys.

So if you're a Hickam fan, dig in, you're going to love this book on the drama of Sonny's life in the summer after his freshman year in college. And if you're new to Hickam, plunge ahead and join the club.

If Norman Rockwell paintings were books, they would have been written by Homer Hickam.

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Carmen of the Parana? Not Quite.......2003-05-18

The ingredients of a great tragic opera are all there. Elisa Lynch, a mid-nineteenth's century Irish beauty escapes Algerian boredom to become a courtesan in Paris. She charms the dashing young son of Paraguay's founder of the nation and follows him to Asuncion. As the country modernises, the economy blossoms and expands, she rides the crest to become the country's richest and most powerful - if hardly the most loved or respected - woman. Her lover, now the Mariscal Presidente - gets himself involved in a war with Brazil. He loses as he must, and with his teen age son is killed on his retreat into the mountain wilderness of the interior. Elisa, who has steadied him in the battlefield while plundering the city and grabbing lands the size of Belgium, follows him to the end and buries and reburies them after drunken soldiers have violated the grave, then vanishes slowly in post-Napoleonic France.

Was she a woman so cold that she could please anyone? Was it greed, ambition, circumstances - or simply all-overriding love? Hillary Clinton might know - but she would not tell.

Nor, in the end can Siân Rees. Unlike in The Floating Brothel there is no human story from that time she can follow - just history. Unable to write a novel, she meanders like the Rio Paraguay among the marshes and the banks covered with orange trees and, searching for Elisa' Lynch' shadows, is lost emotionally.

A great story but not quite the great historical book one would expect from a writer noted for her compassionate love and her ability to portray historical events through contemporary eyes, values, and sensibilities. I suspect that Siân knew it, and tried to hurry the job along. As a result it is too long, and confusingly told. The maps at the beginning are tantalising and they are useless. Between blancos and colorados she cannot quite make out who is who. Nor can the reader.

But what a plot for a movie. Where are you, Luchino Visconti?

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