Zur Biologie Und Systematik Der Flechtengattungen Heppia Und Peltula Im Suedlichen Afrika (Bibliotheca Lichenologica)

Book Description

No matter what your budget or whether it's your first trip or fifteenth, Fodor's Gold Guides get you where you want to go. In this guide, updated every year, our experts who live in Miami give you the inside track showing you all the things to see and do -- from must-see sights to off-the-beaten-path adventures, from shopping to outdoor fun. Start with the color planning section to help you decide where to go, use your personal supply of Post-it? flags to mark your favorite listings, and consult the foldout map to stay on course. Fodor's Miami 2002 shows you hundreds of hotel and restaurant choices in all price ranges -- from budget-friendly B&Bs to luxury hotels, from casual eateries to the hottest new restaurants, complete with thorough reviews showing what makes each place special. The Smart Travel Tips A to Z section helps you take care of the nitty gritty with essential local contacts and great advice -- from how to take your mountain bike with you to what to do in an emergency. Plus, web links, maps, costs, and mix-and-match itineraries make planning a snap.

"The king of guidebooks." - Newsweek

Amazon.com

Someone once said that more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other person in history save Jesus and Shakespeare. Indeed, it is impossible to understand the Civil War without getting to know the complex figure of the 16th president. More than any other biographer, Stephen B. Oates brings the plain-talking man from Illinois to life as a canny politician, a doting husband, and a determined wartime leader. Oates has an appealing appreciation for Lincoln's majestic control of the English language, his raw humor, and his undeniable heroism. The final pages, covering Lincoln's death and his legacy, are graceful and moving.

Book Description

A masterful biography of Lincoln that follows his bitter struggle with poverty, his self-made success in business and law, his early disappointing political career, and his leadership as President during one of America's most tumultuous periods.

Customer Reviews:

A luxurious reading experience.......2007-09-13

This book generated controversy among Lincoln scholars. The general reading public, however, will probably enjoy both the book's prose and its story. Regardless of whether there is much, or anything, new in the volume, its account of Lincoln is told with flair. Points that disturbed some Lincoln scholars will probably not be noticed by general readers. I read the book before I knew about the dispute, and found the volume enchanting.

Best Lincoln Biography.......2007-08-24

Consider the great biographies of Lincoln: Nicolay and Hay,[10 volumes] his secretaries, Carl Sandburg's Abraham Licoln [6 volumes], Benjamin's single volume and all those that preceed and follow this, you must conclude this is the best single volume biography of Abraham Lincoln, indeeed the best general biography of the President and the man. The closest rival is Carwardine's Lincoln which deals in depth in one aspect of his life. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE IS THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO THAT COMPLEX MAN AND HIS TIME AND ACHEIVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DATE.

One of the Best Biographies I have read.......2007-02-06

Professor Oates in my opinion did an outstanding job in the biography he did on Lincoln. While it is not as verbose as Donald's, it was well written and to be honest I could not set the book down. For anyone who does not have the time to read a larger volumn on Lincoln I suggest Oates. If you have time then I suggest you read both and also read "Team of Rivals. They are all outstanding volumns. This biography though is articulate, a good length and at times you can see the great passions in Lincoln the boy from Kentucky, the youth in Illnois and the 16 President of the United States. I give it a 5 stars a must read for any history student and I think a must for every American.

A great biography of Abraham Lincoln.......2007-01-23

In this work, Oates succeeds in illuminating the political and personal life of Abraham Lincoln. For readers interested in the psychological and social nature of the man, this may not be the best selection. However, Oates does an excellent job portraying how Lincoln worked his fingers to the bone while developing his standing as a lawyer and politician. His description of Lincoln as a rough and tumble political longshot made 16th President of the United States in the election of 1861 is vivid and memorable. Much information is also included on how Lincoln and his administration struggled with the issue that would become his legacy: slavery in America. That said, Oates neglects to discuss in any great detail the economic influence of the nation's cotton industry on the political and social conditions of the era.

Debunks the saint and presents a human .......2007-01-13

Lincoln, widely considered our best president, has been sainted in many quarters. Indeed he saved the union, freed the slaves, and preserved the constitution, but he was human too. Stephen Oates presents him warts and all - a man struggling with depression, a weak manager entrusting too much to his people, and a leader fighting a congress rallied against him for both being too progressive and too reactionary. It was a tough time, and many times the wonder is how Lincoln managed to bend without breaking.

The book is outstanding as a scholarly work, and as popular history. Enjoy!

With Malice Toward None - The Life of Abraham Lincoln

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With Malice Toward None - The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Stephen B. Oates
Manufacturer: Harper & Row, Publishers, New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H13Z6S

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WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Stephen Oates
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M6CV4K

With Malice Toward None, The Life of Abraham Lincoln [UNABRIDGED] (Audiobook)

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With Malice Toward None, The Life of Abraham Lincoln [UNABRIDGED] (Audiobook)
Stephen B. Oates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Biographies & Memoirs | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Nonfiction | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 1419325868

Product Description

The Los Angeles Times hails this biography as the finest ever written. With an outstanding blend of brilliant scholarship and entertaining style, Professor Stephen B. Oates brings us closer than ever before to knowing the real Abraham Lincoln. Here is Lincoln as he really wasa gentle, determined man obsessed with death yet filled with life, troubled with bouts of melancholy yet blessed with a witty nature, and gifted with a talent for literary expression. With Malice Toward None reads like an enthralling novel while piecing together the richest, fullest portrait of Lincoln in existence.

Average customer rating:

A luxurious reading experience
Well-written and informative
I'm a teenager actually and this book is horrible
Great

With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Stephen B. Oates
Manufacturer: American Political Biography Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0945707320

Customer Reviews:

A luxurious reading experience.......2007-09-13

Well-written and informative.......2006-05-04

With Malice Toward None is a well-written and informative look at Lincoln's life. I am very selective about the biographies that I spend my time reading because I consider the style of many to be suffocatingly boring. I looked over several on Lincoln, and selected this one. I was pleased with it through the end. The author does not waste space on finding the "flawed" man underneath the legend, which is popular in so many recent biographies. He explains Lincoln's life in a matter-of-fact and readable fashion. One of my favorite parts in the book is the explanation of how the Civil War proceeded and the absolutely essential role Lincoln played. It will give you an insightful look at the politics and history of the time, not to mention an appreciation for how much Lincoln endured before his triumph.

I'm a teenager actually and this book is horrible.......2006-02-02

I am being forced to read this book in AP History. It is one of the worst bigs I have ever read n my life. It is boring and the author is far too verbose for his own good. He often uses 50 words when 2 will do. Do not buys this book. It is horrible beyond belief the only book I can think that is wworse then this is Founding Brothers. I wish I could ahve given it zero stars.

Great.......1999-03-14

Well I needed to read this book for a history book report. The book was interesting but also boring for a 14 year old to read. All of the political stuff but it was still a great book about Lincoln. I learned a lot about him and and how much he must have been stressing while he was President. If you like to read then u might as well read this book.

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With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Stephen B. Oates
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000H9LNX2

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With malice toward none: The life of Abraham Lincoln
Stephen B Oates
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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With malice toward none: The life of Abraham Lincoln
Stephen B Oates
Manufacturer: Harper and Row, Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln ( the Collection of Biograp

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With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln ( the Collection of Biograp
Stephen B. Oats
Manufacturer: New American Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000XKVMA4

With malice toward none: The life of Abraham Lincoln (The collection of biography and autobiography)

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With malice toward none: The life of Abraham Lincoln (The collection of biography and autobiography)
Stephen B Oates
Manufacturer: New American Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Few garden birds have contributed so much to the rising popularity of birds in general than members of the titmice family. Their boldness, attractiveness, and agility has endeared them to countless armchair bird watchers. For nature and animal fans.

Customer Reviews:

Bluebirds Forever by Connie M. Toops.......2001-03-07

If you are a bit interested in bluebirds or obsessed with bluebirds and can purchase every book that is Great. But if you are to have only one book "Bluebirds Forever" is that book. The best information in 1976 and until now I believe was "The Blubird" by Lawrence Zeleny. (I think it is no longer being printed). Within one book Connie M. Toops has included interesting informative information and beautiful color photos with the added bonus of several different quality bluebird box plans as well as information and plans about guards for those boxes. Bluebirds have been a part of my life for many years and I have several good books about bluebirds still when I purchased this book recently I was so excited and pleased to add it to my collection.

COMPLETE Sarah Series: (1) Sarah's Child SSE # 230; (2) Almost Forever SSE #327; (3) Bluebird Winter

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COMPLETE Sarah Series: (1) Sarah's Child SSE # 230; (2) Almost Forever SSE #327; (3) Bluebird Winter
Linda Howard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000S74YZC

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Forever Bluebirds
D.E. Worsdell
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1412074835

Book Description

Beginning with the story of my ancestors coming from France and Ireland to the new world. How they settled in Nova Scotia, made friends with the local Indians, and how they were uprooted by English soldiers, burned out and scattered. Taken on ships to far places, then eventually finding their way back.

How family members accepted the English presence, and their life after the 1775 war. My grandparents life in the late 1800's. My parents short marriage and my birth, followed by my own growing-up years, being rejected by my mother who eventually placed me with her French relatives, who, in turn, also rejected me. My eventual marriage during the Second World War, which led to brief years of life in England.

On coming to the United States in 1948, and our years of working and raising our family.

Finally, this book concerns our retiring years in Florida and many years of marriage, all of which were spent with the word "Bluebird" engraved inside my wedding ring, and kept close ever since our wedding day.

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Bluebirds Forever
Connie Toops
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O51VMM

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Machine Embroidery with confidence

An informative book - good as any in Nancy Zieman;s series

Machine Embroidery with Confidence

Not an old book, but out of date

Best Book "Ever"

Machine Embroidery With Confidence: A Beginners Guide
Nancy Zieman
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Embroidery | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Nancy Zieman | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Embroidery Machine Essentials: How to Stabilize, Hoop and Stitch Decorative Designs

Embroidery Machine Essentials: Basic Techniques : 20 Designs and Project Ideas to Develop Your Embroidery Skills (Jeanine Twigg's Companion Project Series)

Serge With Confidence

More Embroidery Machine Essentials: How to Customize, Edit and Create Decorative Designs

Creative Beginnings in Machine Embroidery: Innovative Ideas for Expert Results

ASIN: 0873498577

Book Description

Nancy Zieman, the nation's most recognized and revered sewing expert, teaches aspiring and experienced embroiderers everything they need to know to master this craft. An easy-to-understand tutorial explains the basics of machine embroidery, and detailed photos depict every step of using these machines for top-notch results.

Readers will learn about what tools are needed, how to organize the embroidery area, types of machines, designs, templating/positioning, software, stabilizers, hooping, fabrics, problem shooting and finishing touches. The book also features a glossary of common terms, and the final chapter features ideas for moving beyond the basics and taking those new skills to the next level.

-Easy-to-follow tutorial for beginners in machine embroidery -Features a glossary of common terms -Provides inspiration for moving beyond the basics into more advanced projects

Customer Reviews:

Machine Embroidery with confidence.......2007-07-22

The book explains different techniques, explains different types of backings. It is very useful for a biginner. Having this info in a handy book is really good. One can refer to it over and over. The author gives tips, and warnings. These should be heeded.

An informative book - good as any in Nancy Zieman;s series.......2007-03-30

An informative book - with beginner info and advanced tips with plenty of images - illustrations and photographs. I've found Nancy Zieman's books to be useful in expanding my knowledge in the art of sewing and are worth picking up - either new or used.

Now - If only Nancy Zieman learned to smile a little on her book's covers ;)

Machine Embroidery with Confidence.......2007-03-24

Excellent book. Anyone who is interested in machine embroidery should purchase this book.

Not an old book, but out of date.......2006-03-28

Nancy Zieman is a Baby Lock dealer, so this book is heavily slanted in that direction. If you have a Baby Lock, it might be very useful. It is full of very pretty pictures, but not all that much useful information. We beginners need a book that is not an advertisement for a certain kind of machine. What is really needed is a "Machine Embroidery for Dummies" type book since the introduction of the Singer Futura and Quantum Futura machines which run off your computer have made it possible for so many more of us to afford embroidery machines. It's a whole new ballgame, and there are going to be a whole lot more players than ever before! Save your money and keep looking for a book with more substance.

Best Book "Ever".......2006-03-22

I have purchased many machine embroidery books. This one by far is the best in every way. This is a must have for every machine embroidery person. Nancy Zieman did a great job on this one.

Krause Publications.(Felted Crochet)(Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes)(Kitchen Stitchin')(Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide)(More ... review) : An article from: Library Bookwatch

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Krause Publications.(Felted Crochet)(Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes)(Kitchen Stitchin')(Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide)(More ... review) : An article from: Library Bookwatch
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Online Books | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Library Bookwatch, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2005. The length of the article is 411 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Krause Publications.(Felted Crochet)(Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes)(Kitchen Stitchin')(Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide)(More Crazy Quilting with Attitude)(The Cross Stitch Motif Bible)(Book review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Library Bookwatch (Newsletter)
Date: November 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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This is exactly what I was looking for!

A Gardener's Delight...

Potting Places: Creating Ideas for Practical Gardening Workspaces
Teri Dunn
Manufacturer: Friedman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Container Gardening | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Potting Shed (Smith & Hawken (Hardcover))

Ideas for Great Backyard Cottages (Ideas for Great)

Sheds: The Do-It-Yourself Guide for Backyard Builders

Sheds and Garages

Sheds & Gazebos (Better Homes & Gardens)

ASIN: 1586632493

Book Description

At once practical and charming, potting sheds and benches brim with the essentials of a gardener’s life. This delightful volume looks at the creative design and use of potting spaces, from fully outfitted sheds to secondhand tables set beneath sunny windows.

Customer Reviews:

This is exactly what I was looking for!.......2002-01-15

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I purchased no less than five books to help me plan my new potting shed, and Teri Dunn's book has by far been the one I have picked up time and again. Her writing style is written for the "normal" gardener, like me, that doesn't garden with her nose in the air. There are plenty of books written for the upper crust gardener, but I like someone to speak to me without constantly reminding me that they were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Someone with a refreshing and direct style like Teri's is a breath of fresh air. Her ideas are really genuinely helpful, and there are a TON! Lots of special tips I haven't heard of before, and I've been gardening a long time. The pictures in the book are great, and really capture the feel and romance I want my potting shed to have. Gardeners are romantic and ridiculously practical at the same time, reusing and recycling everything, and she speaks to that directly. There are many commonsense ideas to help organize, and fun projects to do. I'm truly motivated, and her book has really helped me prioritize the work I need to do to set up, and I'll be ready by spring. I've written another critique on one of the books I purchased that was a waste of money and huge disappointment.

A Gardener's Delight..........2001-04-04

What a beautiful, practical, inspiring book this is! Luckily, I received this book as a gift right at the start of Spring this year and it's helped me tremendously in getting organized for my flower and vegetable gardening. I'm laying claim to half of my husband's storage shed in the back yard to start my own potting area! The photographs of potting sheds, potting spaces and benches are a visual feast. I particularly enjoyed the potting and gardening tips in every chapter. There are also useful tips on gardening tools and supplies, storage and seed starting. Even if I were not a gardener, I'd enjoy this gorgeous book. If you are a gardener, though, it's definitely a MUST HAVE!!!

Average customer rating:

Great information!!!

Here's to cozy mornings!

Could not be happier.

Great Resource for those Interested in Co-sleeping or Attachment Parenting

Fantastic book, fun to read

Good Nights: The Happy Parents' Guide to the Family Bed (and a Peaceful Night's Sleep!)
Maria Goodavage , and Jay Gordon
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Child Care | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Sleep | Children's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

The Attachment Parenting Book : A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Baby

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition)

Three in a Bed : The Benefits of Sharing Your Bed With Your Baby

The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart

Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0312275188

Book Description

More than ever, new parents are bringing their babies into their beds, but ironically, many of these parents feel alone in doing so. With warmth and humor, Good Nights brings the family bed out of the closet, and gives expert answers to parents common questions on everything from safety to sound sleep to sex. Good Nights also offers easy-to-tailor advice on when and how to move children into their own beds, and reasoned responses and snappy comebacks for critics. The authors build their case for the family bed on new scientific research, which has uncovered a wealth of dvantages for babies who share their parents bed. Among these benefits are possible protection from SIDS, andparadoxicallymore independence later in life. With its perfect blend of science and common sense, Good Nights is poised to become the new best friend and must-have accessory of all new parents.

Customer Reviews:

Great information!!!.......2007-10-11

This was such a God-send for me! Everyone I know thinks I am crazy for letting my baby sleep with us. But every inch of me can't stand to have him all alone in another room. This book confirms all my feelings and gives me such peace and joy knowing that what I am doing is not only right for my family but best for my child! I feel so bad for the few times I toughed it out with him - I think I cried as much as he did! Don't listen to what others say - they used to think the earth was flat! Do what is best for your child, do what your heart tells you is best!

Here's to cozy mornings!.......2006-11-12

Dr Jay gave me the info I needed to make the best decision for my family. My husband and I waivered on whether or not to do the family bed thing- were we not teaching our child something? were we just being lazy? would it change our relationship? But it felt right and we all seemed happier?! After reading this book and another "traditional approach" (albeit modern western traditions)to sleep, I found this book to have much more science behind it. The support he gives will help you feel comfortable finalizing your decision and give you ammo to share with sceptics. Dr Jay provides a loving way to create cozy memories that will last a lifetime. Good Night!

Could not be happier........2006-11-03

This book is a fun, quick yet informative read on co-sleeping. It helped us make the decision to co-sleep (which we are SO glad we did) and also helped "convert" the wary grandparents.

A+!

Great Resource for those Interested in Co-sleeping or Attachment Parenting.......2006-08-07

While the really important information on cosleeping (mattress/bed safety, not smoking/drinking alcohol/taking any drugs that would make it hard for you to wake up, etc.) have been covered in several parenting books that I already own, I really liked this book because it focuses on just the one aspect of parenting and dissects it pretty fully. I won't provide a synopsis because other reviewers have already done so, but I particularly liked the ways to respond to others criticism of your decision to co-sleep. I have found as a young parent that people really do pry into all aspects of your life and offer their opinion whether you want it or not. Having resources that back up my choices makes it a little easier to stand firm around people who are older and 'wiser.' Glad I bought it, will reread. I noticed there is an in-depth treatment of gentle ways to ease baby out of the bed, and will be reading that later.

Fantastic book, fun to read.......2006-03-22

I really enjoyed reading this book. I intended to cosleep (and I do), based on friends' experiences parenting, but it's nice to have a lot of information to feel more secure in one's decision. And oddly enough, this has the best pictures of side-lying nursing I've found yet.

But it's just plain fun to read, whether you have children of your own or not.

Amazon.com

Twelve dogs, a sled, and your wits versus 1,023 miles of danger, snow, ice, and wilderness. The Yukon Quest is possibly the toughest race on earth. Held earlier, farther inland, and at a more northerly latitude than its famous cousin, the Iditarod, mushers on the Yukon Quest routinely experience temperatures dropping to 40 below zero, with 50 below not uncommon. Winning isn't everything; just finishing is an achievement in itself. John Balzar tells the story of the Quest, the dogs, and the mushers in Yukon Alone.

Balzar, a roving correspondent for The Los Angeles Times, volunteered to act as the press liaison for the 1998 Yukon Quest. As such, he traveled the length of the trail, sharing cabin floors with resting mushers, shivering as temperatures dropped to 50 below, and becoming somewhat delirious from sleep deprivation. Balzar does an excellent job of capturing the frozen feel of the race:

The visibility worsens and now Bruce cannot see his leaders in the swirling merger of snowpack and wind. He searches anxiously for a glimpse of a wooden stake that will tell him that his dogs have not wandered off the trail, perhaps to the edge of a cliff. Bruce is not conscious of time or of distance, but only of the wind in his face. The dogs appear to be moving forward, but there is no way to measure progress.

He also paints warm portraits of the mushers--men and women like Mike King, a 37-year-old biker with a Harley-Davidson patch on his sled bag and a tattoo of the Quest trail covering one third of his back; William Kleedehn, who finished seventh in the 1998 race despite his prosthetic leg; Aliy Zirkle, a rookie musher who recovered from losing a dog to finish the race.

Balzar describes the Quest as "a mixture of celebration and ordeal"; Yukon Alone will inspire a mixture of envy, admiration, and relief. Envy of the free-spirited mushers, admiration of their strength and dedication, and relief that they're the ones fighting their way up American Summit in a blizzard with a 70-below wind chill. A gripping read. Mush on! --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is one of the most challenging sporting events in the world. Every February, a handful of hardy souls spends over two weeks racing sleds pulled by fourteen dogs over 1,023 miles of frozen rivers, icy mountain passes, and spruce forests as big as entire states, facing temperatures that drop to forty degrees below zero on nights that are seventeen hours long.Why would anyone want to enter this race? John Balzar-who moved to Alaska and lived on the trail-treats us to a vivid account of the grueling race itself, offering an insightful look at the men and women who have moved to this rugged and beautiful place. Readers will also be fascinated by Balzar's account of what goes into the training and care of the majestic dogs who pull the sleds and whose courage, strength, and devotion make them the true heroes of this story.

Customer Reviews:

The Call of the North.......2007-03-30

John Balzar is a roving correspondent for the LA Times and as such won the Scripps Howard Foundation Prize for human interest stories. Even so he had an enormously difficult task facing him in writing about the Yukon Quest, the longest, loneliest and most dangerous arctic race of them all.
The true measure of a book like this is how well the author holds up as a companion, introducing people to a world and to people totally outside their experience.
"To spend time with sleigh dogs, and the men and women who dedicate their lives to them is to witness a relationship so primary and so ineffable that the temptation is to reduce oneself to murmurs and tears. John Balzar fights this temptation and tells this story of the Far North and of the unbelievable characters he found there gracefully and with all the humor, honor and slack jawed wonder it deserves."
- Pam Houston
His book becomes an outstanding tale of adventure, one of the books which, hard to put down, will be reread many times, being a skilled and enormously well written eyewitness narrative of a tale of wild adventure in what is probably the most remote and inhospitable land on earth.
"...a wholly true tale that's more suspenseful, riveting and memorable than any fiction."
-David Petersen
And yet Balzar avoids the dreamy metaphors that spoil most writing about the North, displaying a gritty reality in his writing as he describes the race, the country, the incredible charracters who live on the adge of desperation to compete in this race, and above all the real athletes, the dogs.
As Jeff Greenwald said about a similar book, HONEST DOGS by Brian O'Donoghue ( a racer who's the only dog driver to finish both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest by coming in last} "I'd love to try this myself." and "This guy's out of his damn mind."
With this book, as O'Donoghue once told me, you can relive the race without the pain.

Dawson Gratrix

Patting his own back!!!.......2005-06-17

This writer is so self-absorbed and busy patting himself on the back that he doesn't even come close to giving an accurate report on this race. Having a LOT of experience with this race, I can truly say, this is the worst account of this race I have ever read. If you want to learn about what it takes to run this race, or what it's like to go through the training, the work, the effort, what the dogs are like, what the north is like.. then read Running North by Ann Mariah Cook. Now THAT is a good book. I have also met John and found him to be arrogant and self-serving while writing this book. He defeats the entire purpose of this book by spending more time trying to sound like an expert, or a "local", trying to sound like he fit in here, but no matter how hard one tries, sometimes they can NOT succeed... and he wondered why people wouldn't talk to him. This is the worst book on this topic I have ever read. It was tough for me to get through it but I did it because I was there during the race that year. I wanted to see what he was going to write next that wasn't accurate... seems he was more infatuated with Aliy Zirkle than the race itself, or getting to see his girlfriend, or pretending that he was one of the mushers himself. Just his account of his "mushing" experience (disaster) was so unbelievable, it made me laugh. I am an experienced musher and I can tell you, that was the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.... the entire book is just a bunch of garbage... but then again, he didn't do his homework, his research, and it shows... horribly!!! Don't bother with it. If this is the only exposure you have to mushing or the dog world, then you will be most misinformed... best to spend your time and money on a different book. DeeDee Jonrowe's book Iditarod Dreams is excellent. Tracks Across Alaska is also excellent, but this... a sad waste!!!

Not bad, not great..........2005-04-05

Absorbing book, probably a good recommendation for anyone interested in the far north and outdoor adventure. John Balzar writes an interesting account of the Yukon Quest, the second-best-known dog-sled race in Alaska after the Iditarod, and the result is an entertaining story covering both the `mushers', their dogs, and the environment surrounding the competition.

Having said that, with a book like this, I found it difficult not to compare John Balzar (perhaps unfairly) with other `Adventure' writers, and this is where the Yukon Alone fell a little short for me. Admittedly, I was hoping for something a little more `deep', a la Sebastian Junger or John Krakauer, both of whom do a much better job of bringing in related historical material to place current events in context, and both of whom also seem a little more willing to go the extra mile in regards to research. Not that I found fault with the details of Balzar's book, but I would have liked to hear more about how the far north was settled, for example, or more stories and anecdotes dealing with the inherent dangers of the extreme cold in that part of the world. The `Bigger Picture" material seems to consist of skimpy, slightly politically correct inserts on commercial sponsorship, animal abuse (a valid issue but not fleshed-out too well here) and some thoughts on topics like whether or not it's ok to call the natives `Eskimos'. These points don't make Yukon Alone a bad book, but they, for me at least, kept it from being great.

What I did find directly annoying was Balzar's self-absorbed tangents into his own private life, and his obvious desire to be seen as an Insider; everyone seems to be his best friend, or described as "the best musher" or "best bush-pilot". After a while I couldn't help but wonder whether he had the knowledge to make these claims or if he was just trying to buddy-up to the people who were actually participating as opposed to just watching, as he essentially was. Too many times Balzar can't decide whether he wants to view the events as a neutral journalist or a rough-and-tough `local' (a label it becomes glaringly obvious he doesn't merit), and ends up looking a little pretentious. I guess this is what they call `a writer getting in the way of the material': If, as a writer, your own contributions to the narrative include describing, for example, your not-very-interesting love-life, you should probably consider leaving it out.

All in all a good read, but could have benefited from a tougher editor.

(I'm not sure why the `cursing' has become such an issue in these reviews; there isn't much of it, probably a lot less than there actually could have been considering the setting, and if you can't deal with the F-word quoted once in a while in what is a journalistic piece, then stick to Reader's Digest or some other inoffensive publication. Strange what some people focus on...)

A look into the Great White North.......2003-07-30

What a great book. After reading, and now re-reading, this book I wanted nothing more than to pack up, quit my city job, and move to the Far North in search of a life dominated by weather, dogs, and the will to survive. John Balzar does a great job describing a life dependant on dogs and neigbors (even though they may be 50-100 miles away) in the huge landscape of the Yukon and Alaska. Although the book mostly focuses on the Yukon Quest dog-sled race, it gives the reader an intriguing look into the culture of the people in and around the dog-sledding culture and the Quest itself. Definately worth the read!

The Real Scoop on the Worldýs Most Challenging Dogsled Race.......2002-02-10

John Balzar is first and foremost a reporter, with a reporter's unerring nose for news. So it should come as no surprise that word of the Yukon Quest, a 1,023-mile dog sled race through some of the coldest and most challenging terrain in the world, would capture his attention and get him started on the trail of a good story. What was a surprise, as much to Balzar as to his readers I suspect, was the degree to which the race and its participants came to matter. Quirky, devoted to a sport that doesn't translate well to television, and immersed in a way of life that 90% of the population can't begin to fathom, the people Balzar meets when he first heads north have "the power to fascinate."

Following the advice of George "Skip" Brink, a construction worker who volunteers at the race, Balzar stops taking notes, sets aside his writing tools, and asks what he can do to help out with the race. Thus begins his stint as a pooper-scooper and veterinary assistant at the race, in which he slowly comes to realize that he is there to learn as much about himself as about the race.

Yukon Alone is full of Balzar's characteristically insightful and amusing observations on life as he sees it, but it is not as polished or self-assured as some of his other work. In fact, the reader gets the distinct impression that Balzar is flying by the seat of his pants, figuring things out as the story progresses, which lends an immediacy and intensity to the writing. We are there, for instance, when he loses control of his dogsled team and ends up in a heap on the side of a trail with a nasty gash in his head. We stand by and watch with embarrassment as he asks a friend to fly him to see a woman friend, even though he knows he is risking both their lives. Here is a story that has much to say about what motivates and sustains us, and the importance of meaningful relationships with other creatures and the land. No doubt you will be amused and disgusted, shocked and dismayed, thrilled and touched by this book. The one thing you will not be is bored, which is one of the highest compliments I can pay Balzar.

Average customer rating:

Great and inspiring story.

Simply eloquent and surely applicable

Racing Alone : Fire and Earth, A Visionary Architect's Passionate Quest
Nader Khalili
Manufacturer: Cal-Earth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1889625000

Book Description

Racing Alone by Nader Khalili "Is it really sane to follow one's ideals and dreams and race alone in today's world?

Is it really reasonable to insist on holding to one's visions against all odds, and after many trying years?"

The newly published year 2,000 edition of this acclaimed classic chronicles how to sustain a quarter century of quest and inspiration through the arts, architecture, and personal transformation. Published by Cal-Earth Press in beautiful leather-tooled hardback with photographs from the author's original journey.

Customer Reviews:

Great and inspiring story........2006-08-20

Since the title to the end, it is a beautiful experience that teaches the importance of following a dream raising against our own limitations.

Simply eloquent and surely applicable.......1999-08-27

This book, as simple as the narrative is, can be incredibly moving. In fact, the autor's words, move very well to describe the simple act of trying to make an architectural idea happen. He describes a method of building that strikes as so close to the earth that it is revolutionary. The book is a quick read, and the time I have spent pushing its premise is well worth it.

Sea Of Dreams: Racing Alone Around The World In A Small Boat

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The riveting story of a fast-paced, around-the-world race
Sea of Dreams vs Godforsaken Sea

Sea Of Dreams: Racing Alone Around The World In A Small Boat
Adam Mayers
Manufacturer: McClelland & Stewart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0771057547
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Book Description

The biennial Around Alone yacht race (now known as the 5-Oceans Challenge) is the most thrilling adventure in the world for the sailors passionate enough to undertake it. Among the competitors in 2002 was Derek Hatfield, a former fraud-squad Mountie, whose forty-foot Spirit of Canada had cost him almost everything he had. In this nail-biting account of the race, Adam Mayers brings to life the joys and the agonies of racing alone — and the dreams that drive these men and women to sail around the world solo. Watch for Hatfield when he competes again in 2006.

Customer Reviews:

The riveting story of a fast-paced, around-the-world race .......2006-05-04

Sea Of Dreams: Racing Alone Around The World In A Small Boat, by Adam Mayers is the riveting story of a fast-paced, around-the-world race for the "Around Alone" yacht race. Derek Hatfield in his yacht "Spirit of Canada" raced against twelve others around the world, beginning in New York Harbor, with stops in England, South Africa, New Zealand, and Brazil, and finally ending in Newport, Rhode Island. Sea Of Dreams is an amazing tale and very highly recommended reading, especially for anyone in search of a gripping and nautically inclined true-life story of a fearless pursuit of a dangerous race on the high seas.

Sea of Dreams vs Godforsaken Sea.......2005-08-27

This a great book, about the other solo around the world race. It reads like a thriller and taught me a lot of things I didn't know about solo sailing. Derek Lundy's Godforsaken Sea which was about the 96 Vendee was gripping and so is this one about the 02 Around Alone when the Cdn. Derek Hatfield was rolled over at the Horn and Brad Van Liew who lives in Charleston set new speed records for the race. His race was just as amazing. The other American guy Tim Kent was also a great story, getting stronger and stronger as the race went on.

The Jim Gilmore Story: Alone in the Crowd

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Racing Alone: a Visionary Architect's Quest for Houses Made With Earth and Fire

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Racing Alone: a Visionary Architect's Quest for Houses Made With Earth and Fire
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Manufacturer: Harper & Row, Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GR9C88

Racing alone: One architect's vision of building the future with earth, water, air and the magic of fire

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Woman alone: Sailing solo across the Atlantic
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Manufacturer: D. McKay Co
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The Cheeseheads stand alone.(NASCAR): An article from: The Sporting News

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The Cheeseheads stand alone.(NASCAR): An article from: The Sporting News
Lee Spencer
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Sporting News, published by Thomson Gale on June 23, 2006. The length of the article is 1053 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Cheeseheads stand alone.(NASCAR)
Author: Lee Spencer
Publication: The Sporting News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 23, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 230 Issue: 25 Page: 34(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Racing Alone: One Architect's Vision of Building the Future with Earth, Water, Air, and the Magic of Fire
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Manufacturer: Harper and Row Publishers
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Book Description

Johann Heinrich Alsted, professor of philosophy and theology at the Calvinist academy of Heborn, was a man of many parts. A deputy to the famous Synod of Dort and greatest encyclopaedist of his age, he was also a pioneer of Calvinist millenarianism and a devoted student of astrology, alchemy, Lullism, and the works of Giordano Bruno. From the mainstream Reformed tradition, Alsted and his circle inherited the zeal for further reformation of church, state, and society; but with this they blended hermetic dreams of a general reformation and the restoration of primordial perfection to the fallen human nature through Lullist and alchemical panaceas. However paradoxical from a strictly Calvinist standpoint, this loose synthesis helped prepare the programme of Alsted's greatest student, Jan Amos Cominius, and the following generation of central European universal reformers. Alsted's intellectual biography opens up unexpected perspectives on the reforming movements of the seventeenth century, and provides an invaluable introduction to many of the central ideas, individuals and institutions of this neglected era of central European intellectual history.

Vater und Sohn im 16. Jahrhundert. Der Briefwechsel des Wolfgang Reichart genannt Rychardus mit seinem Sohn Zeno (1520-1543).(Review): An article from: Renaissance Quarterly

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Vater und Sohn im 16. Jahrhundert. Der Briefwechsel des Wolfgang Reichart genannt Rychardus mit seinem Sohn Zeno (1520-1543).(Review): An article from: Renaissance Quarterly
Eckhard Bernstein
Manufacturer: Renaissance Society of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Renaissance Quarterly, published by Renaissance Society of America on December 22, 2000. The length of the article is 1328 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Vater und Sohn im 16. Jahrhundert. Der Briefwechsel des Wolfgang Reichart genannt Rychardus mit seinem Sohn Zeno (1520-1543).(Review)
Author: Eckhard Bernstein
Publication: Renaissance Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: December 22, 2000
Publisher: Renaissance Society of America
Volume: 53 Issue: 4 Page: 1231

Article Type: Book Review

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