Wings and Warriors: My Life As a Naval Aviator

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Great story, some endurance required

The Real Right Stuff

Being There

Fascinating Historical Account of a Naval Aviation Career

First-person account of the evolution of naval aviation

Wings and Warriors: My Life As a Naval Aviator

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1560988525

Customer Reviews:

Great story, some endurance required.......2002-01-07

Military memoirs are kind of a tricky category. The authors usually aren't professional writers, but that's often a bonus rather a drawback. Donald Engen's book is perhaps somewhat of an exception to this rule.

"Wings and Warriors" is well worth reading, but it required a bit of grit to make it through to the end. Engen has a remarkable career as a naval aviator and test pilot, and goes on to become a Captain in the "black shoe" Navy. But his account often threatens to bog down in a welter of detail. Engen includes a lot of facts about a lot of different aircraft, and salutes a great many of his comrades and commanders, but the momentum of the narrative tends to suffer as a result.

I found myself wishing the book had an appendix with a field guide to all the aircraft Engen describes. As Engen notes, there were many different types of jets produced in the early days, and he seems to have flown most of them. But it's hard to keep them straight, especially because Engen refers to them mostly by their original Navy designations, which are somewhat obscure today. (Engen gripes about the Pentagon-imposed "uniform" aircraft designations which eliminated the Navy system in the early 1960s.)

Despite some excess baggage, "Wings and Warriors" has enough great stories along the way to make the trip worthwhile. As a test pilot, Engen relates why it isn't necessarily a good idea to turn off your jet's engine at high altitude just to see what happens. (Hint: the engine also keeps the cabin pressurized.)

Test pilot Engen also flies a series of attempts to set the altitude record. He manages to best the Soviet mark, although not by a wide enough margin to make the record books. But he does a really nice job of relating the experience, and it's pretty clear there's no major disappointment involved.

There are many other gems here as well. Mrs. Engen devises an unusual method to remind her flyboy hubby that he drove off with *both* sets of car keys that morning. The Engens move so frequently that one move is cancelled halfway to make way for the *next* move. Given command of an ammunition ship, black-shoed Captain Engen reveals himself as a world-class scrounger. It's not hard to understand why a crew would be intensely loyal to a skipper like that.

I did find one minor factual error: during his carrier qualification, Engen refers to Point Oboe as the "large mausoleum" on the shores of Lake Michigan. The "mausoleum" is in fact the Bahai House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, not far from the former NAS Glenview. But Engen was there for all of one day over fifty years ago, so I suppose we'll give him a "fair pass" on that one.

After the Navy, Engen went on to become the FAA adminstrator and the curator of the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum. As this memoir makes clear, Engen is unusually well-qualified for both jobs.

The Real Right Stuff.......2001-06-23

This Naval Aviator's personal memoir is also an excellent history of Naval Aviation from the battle of the Phillipine Sea to Viet Nam. It was almost voyeuristic - peering not only into the exciting and sometimes mundane activities of his flying career, but also seeing how he and his family adapted to the nomadic life of a career Naval Officer. It was particularly enlightening to read the story behind how some of the great innovations in Naval Aviation came to pass from the author's perspective. His very survival to achieve all that he accomplished in his life alone is a miracle. While some might criticize the inclusion of the names of almost aviator or commander with which he served as detracting from the narrative, for me that was personally satifying as I too served in Naval Aviation and recognized some of those individuals. All in all an enjoyable memoir of a great and not particularly well known American hero.

Being There.......2001-06-22

On the personal level, very satisfying read. I served in one of the author's commands (CAG 11), but before he took over. It was particularly enlightening to read the story behind how some of the great innovations in Naval Aviation came to pass and the human cost. On the down side, the narrative included almost every aviator and commander with whom the author served, which while great for the ego did not help the narrative. All in all an enjoyable memoir of one of our nation's great unsung heroes.

Fascinating Historical Account of a Naval Aviation Career.......1998-06-28

This book blends real life drama with a highly factual account of the development of modern naval aviation as seen through the eyes of a key contributor. Enjoyable and educational.

First-person account of the evolution of naval aviation.......1998-05-12

This book is both a engaging autobiograph--in which the author takes us from his days as a naval aviation cadet learning his trade in the "Yellow Peril" biplane trainers in 1942 through to his command of USS AMERICA in 1967--and a fascinating first-person narrative history of naval aviation during its period of most rapid and fundamental change. This era saw the development of all the technologies that form the foundation of naval aviation as we know it, including jet propulsion, angled flight decks, fresnel lens optical landing system, steam catapults, TACAN, supersonic flight, and air-to-air missiles. And Don Engen was in the thick of it all. This is a highly personal tale, a fast-paced collection of anecdotes, vignettes, and confessions. His recollections vividly convey the sense of adventure in exploring the unknown frontiers of new territory that infused the naval aviation in the "golden age" of its transition to jets.

Book Description

A short essay on the life and the main works of this great physician, scientist and philosopher. Very little literature in the English speaking world discusses Paracelsus. In this volume, the author attempts to present the great physician's worldly career and, necessarily in part only, his doctrines and medical activities. Paracelsus was one of the first men to introduce the notion of hygiene and who spoke of "the germs" of diseases such as syphilis, leprosy, etc.

Paracelsus: A genius amidst a troubled world : a short essay on the life and the main works of this great physician, scientist and philosopher

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Paracelsus: A genius amidst a troubled world : a short essay on the life and the main works of this great physician, scientist and philosopher
Basilio de Telepnef
Manufacturer: Zollikofer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Physicians | Physician & Patient | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007J64OK

Book Description

Women have always been healers, and medicine has always been an arena of struggle between female practitioners and male professionals. This pamphlet explores two important phases in the male takeover of health care: the suppression of witches in medieval Europe and the rise of the male medical profession in the United States. The authors conclude that despite efforts to exclude them, the resurgence of women as healers should be a long-range goal of the women's movement.

Customer Reviews:

disappointing.......2007-05-31

I purchased this book looking for an historical perspective of women healers. Although this book does provide a history it is extremely biased towards the feminist idealogy. The book was written in the 70's and it shows with it's bias and underlying anger. The good thing about reading this is to realise how far women and the health system have come in the equality debate.

An Outdated and Flawed Thesis.......2006-10-10

Ehrenreich and English's book has been highly influential in some feminist and New Age circles since its publication in the early 70s. Its thesis - that the women persecuted as "witches" in the Witch Craze tended to be midwives and healers - fits neatly with some ideological views of the suppression of women and has since been seen as historical confirmation of a patriarchal desire to control science and medicine and maintain control over birth, healing and women's bodies.

As a result, their thesis has become orthodoxy in these circles and has recently been given a popular boost via Dan Brown's pseudo historical thriller, *The Da Vinci Code*.

Unfortunately, Ehrenreich and English's research was selective, incomplete and ultimately false. Their study was subjected to critical analysis in later decades and found to be deeply flawed. Ehrenrich and English had taken a few isolated cases, assumed they were the norm and then extrapolated from them to conclude that healers and midwives were a particular target of the Witch Crazes. In fact, the evidence indicates otherwise.

David Harley systematically examined the evidence in his article "Historians as Demonologists: The Myth of the Midwife-Witch" (Social History of Medicine 3 (1990), pp. 1-26.) and found that being a midwife actually *decreased* the chances of being charged with witchcraft. Many accusations of witchcraft centred on still-births and infant deaths, with the blame for these occurrences being put on the malicious magic of witches. Far from being more likely to be accused of witchcraft, midwives and village healers were more likely to be the accusers, or to be witnesses summoned to support such accusations. In *The Witch in History*, feminist historian Diane Purkiss writes "midwives were more likely to be found helping witch-hunters" than as victims of their inquiries.

As a result, this book's value lies mainly in its indication of how some early feminist views of history were marked more by ideology and enthusiasm than rigor, comprehensive analysis of the data and objective methodology. It's value as a work of history is minimal.

great easy read.......2006-08-28

It's less than 50 pages long, but it's a great short history about witches, midwives, and nurses. It tells about how the profession began and why there aren't more women in the field today. It's good to learn the history of things that is rarely talked about. I would highly recommend this book to whoever may be interested!

interesting bit of history.......2006-04-21

As a witch and a labor/delivery nurse, of course I had to check out this pamphlet. History is the key word in the title. This pamphlet was published in the early 1970's as a propaganda tool for the feminist women's liberation movement. The history it works through is mostly valid, entertaining (the pics especially), and informative. The discussion on the current state of health care may have been the case in the early 1970's, but in no way represents modern times. Gone are the days where female nurses blindly follow the male doctor's orders. I work with just as many female doctors (if not more) than male, and when I was in another specialty, I worked with several male nurses. It's also the sign of a poor nurse not to question all orders (at least to her/himself) first before carrying any out. If the order is valid, and non-harmful to the patient, then I proceed, but I've caught too many errors and suggested too many alternatives to blindly follow the page-- this is also the case for just about every other nurse working today, with our levels of training/schooling/experience.

Classic and worth reading.......2004-02-26

For any one interested in women's history and in the real idea of "total history" from the Annales school, this book is a must. Of course is not perfect, what it is? However it is time to recover our past, and for that we have to depart from a different perspective, even if it is threatening and contested by some.

WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES: HISTORY OF WOMEN HEALERS

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WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES: HISTORY OF WOMEN HEALERS
DEIRDRE ENGLISH BARBARA EHRENREICH
Manufacturer: WRITERS AND READERS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0904613240

Witches , Midwives , And Nurses A History Of Women Healers

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Witches , Midwives , And Nurses A History Of Women Healers
Barbara Ehrenreich And Deirdre English
Manufacturer: The Feminist Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UV8O7K

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Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers
Barbara Ehrenreich , and Deirdre English
Manufacturer: The Feminist Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KPAQ7M

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The Cook's Canon: 101

Provocative Culinary Scholarship and Opinion

A Tasty Smorgasbord of Culinary HIstory

The Cook's Canon: 101 Classic Recipes Everyone Should Know (Cookbooks)
Raymond Sokolov
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Healthy | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0060083905
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Amazon.com

The Cook's Canon: 101 Classic Recipes Everyone Should Know is Rayomond Sokolov's tenth book. Add to that his years of magazine and newspaper columns devoted to digging down to the roots of a dish or food tradition and you have a man who knows a thing or two. Drawing on his own taste and ideas--and his concern that a current generation of talented food enthusiasts, amateur and professional alike, don't seem to know much at all about the evolution of the food we eat and take for granted--Sokolov has come up with 101 recipes he thinks everyone should know and understand. He's looking to "train the palates of a generation whose connection with traditional food has been short-circuited." The recipes he has chosen, then, are classics accompanied by "historical and cultural and sometimes scientific information that tells in some depth where they came from, what they meant to the people who first ate them before they spread to other societies, and why they are importa! nt to us now."

Since Sokolov is writing for an English-speaking readership, he has chosen the recipes that reflect that prejudice, Euro- and Gallocentric recipes for the most part, with a tip of the hat to China, India, and Morocco. For those inclined to argue with the choices, Sokolov says so much the better, "because that will mean that you have thought passionately about the subject." He begins with Apple Pie and ends with Zabiglione. In between, in alphabetical order, you'll find the likes of Chicken Adobo, Doughnuts, Jambon Persillé, Osso Buco alla Milanese, Pork Vindaloo, Shepherd's Pie, Suckling Pig, Terrine of Foie Gras, and Vinaigrette. His notes accompanying each recipe are entertaining and informative. --Schuyler Ingle

Book Description

The Cook's Canon is Raymond Sokolov's pick of the recipes essential for culinary literacy. He provides crystal-clear recipes for 101 classics, from Apple Pie to Zabaglione. Each iconic recipe is paired with a short essay -- historical, ethnographic, chemical, physical, and often very funny. Readers who know their way around the kitchen will rediscover what got them into food in the first place, and they can feast on witty morsels of the origins and significance of these beloved dishes. Neophytes will find a short and brilliantly informed survey course in The Cook's Canon, a liberal arts education for the palate.

The Cook's Canon celebrates great and fundamental food ideas from all the world's great and fundamental cuisines: French, of course, and Chinese, but also Italian, Moroccan, Thai, Indian, English, and German. While no short-list of favorites could take in the thousands of fabulous things human beings have learned to cook since the first genius chef boiled water over fire, Sokolov's canon is an indispensable, satisfying, and inspiring introduction (or re-introduction) to the world's culinary classics.

Customer Reviews:

The Cook's Canon: 101.......2006-08-18

A good book with recipes that beginning gormet cooks can use. A short and informative read!

Provocative Culinary Scholarship and Opinion.......2003-11-25

Raymond Sokolov has collected recipes and background stories on what he believes are the 101 most important dishes or cooking preparations a cook should know, from the point of view of Western, primarily French culinary tradition. This is a book I wish I had written myself, so I obviously believe this is a very important contribution to those of us who approach food as somewhere between an interest and an obsession. I also must say that Sokolov has done a pretty good job of it.

First, I believe the choice of the 101 to put into the canon is very well made. I cannot easily think of one preparation I would replace with an alternate choice. Even the more obscure choices appear to be right on. For example, I have a good familiarity with Fillipino cuisine and I concur that the one Fillipino dish included is the correct choice.

Second, I believe the recipes are also very well chosen. The recipe for ?bread? for example, is not the simple square loaf one can produce in a few hours in a home kitchen. Rather, it is a much more sophisticated generic artisinal recipe using a sponge developed overnight and baked with high humidity added to the oven to promote a hard crust. Very good choice. Also, most of the recipes are actually very simple and few require any unusual ingredients. With some exceptions I will mention below, I believe the care with selection of ingredients is well placed, for example, when Raymond gives us the warning about using very fresh eggs to make zabaglione.

Third, the headnotes to the dishes are delightful and make turn the book into exactly the kind of foodie book I like the best, a combination of historical and linguistic scholarship with references connecting us to the wider world of food writing to such luminaries as Julia Child and Elizabeth David. Herein lies my most significant disappointments with this book.

The headnotes are very entertaining, but they are sometimes so at the cost of very cheap shots at respected colleagues in the food writing field. There is one paragraph in the article on macaroni and cheese which is highly disrespectful to John Thorne and some of his statements. I believe Thorne is if not the best, then one of the best contemporary writers on cooking and the origins of cuisine. I do not always agree with Thorne, but I believe he deserves respect. Sokolov has gone for the mantle of scholarship and has let it slip by a crude ad hominum attack. He makes a similar personal but less acid observation on Elizabeth David. While I love the work, this has turned me sour on the author.

There are some lapses, also, in the description of ingredients. In the recipe for Daube de boeuf a la provencale, Sokolow calls for bacon, preferably pancetta. Later, in the list of ingredients for spaghetti, he correctly distinguishes bacon (smoked) from pancetta (unsmoked). In the first case, it would have been much better to specify pancetta and say one would substitute bacon if necessary. A small point, I guess, but it did tarnish my opinion of the author?s expertise.

For the quality and usefulness of the material, the book is very reasonably priced, and I do not miss photographs common to almost every other culinary oeuvre printed today, as I?m sure it would have jacked up the price. What I do miss is a formal bibiographic reference to where the author selected his recipe. Many contain some vague reference to a specifec work, but rarely the full chapter and verse of his text. For quiche lorraine, the author cites both Julia Child and Craig Claiborne for two different opinions, but does not say exactly from which source his recipe comes, as if he had a direct connection to the Platonic idea for each of these recipes.

I really enjoy the kind of culinary writing which opens threads to other writers so the reader and connect the ideas from different sources. This is the heart of scholarship. Mr. Sololov has written an immensely useful book, with blemishes.

A Tasty Smorgasbord of Culinary HIstory.......2003-11-16

If you've ever wondered what meatloaf has in common with zabaglione, this is the book for you. Classics scholar, former restaurant critic, and food writer Raymond Sokolov has put these and 99 other recipes together in this entertaining and enlightening book whose prose is as worth savouring as its recipes. The author writes an erudite defense of his choices for the 101 recipes that are included in his compendium of classics, chosen to help heal what he calls a "decline of literacy" that "infects the kitchen". What he means is that the food is good, the stories interesting, and we ought to know them. There are few cookbooks in which you'll find references to Bill Murray's movie "Groundhog Day" , the purchase of Alaksa in 1867, and HBO's "The Sopranos" along side a quote from Brillat-Savarin's 1825 "La Physiologie de gout".
Whether or not I try all the recipes and I do plan to attempt it, it's been great fun to read and will enliven my culinary conversation for months to come.

THE COOK'S CANON: 101 CLASSIC RECIPES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW

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THE COOK'S CANON: 101 CLASSIC RECIPES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW
RAYMOND SOKOLOV
Manufacturer: HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS, INC.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PD910M

Book Description

Trials and tribulations of the unplanned raising and training of a puppy, and later, thought, to be, necessity, of behavioral improvement, by mating, and orchestrated, by, people unfamiliar, in these, areas.

“You want, a dog? When you have a place, of, your own, you can, have, a houseful—!” (Mike's, mother)

—And it, had come, to pass—

Download Description

'You want, a dog? When you have a place, of, your own, you can, have, a houseful-!" (Mike's, mother)

-And it, had come, to pass-

Average customer rating:

Another type of image file would have been better.

No Fonts But Good Graphics

Memories of a Lifetime: Alphabets & Ornaments: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-Transfer Crafts (Memories of a Lifetime)
Anna Corba
Manufacturer: Sterling/Chapelle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Papercrafts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Memories of a Lifetime: Florals & Nature: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-Transfer Crafts (Memories of a Lifetime)

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Memories of a Lifetime: Fairies & Angels: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-Transfer Crafts (Memories of a Lifetime)

ASIN: 1402719957

Book Description

It's as easy as ABC to create beautiful scrapbooks, cards, and other decorated projects with these vintage alphabets and classic ornamentations. From ornate Victorian lettering to antique word tile images, from baroque initials to cherub letters, the range of charming designs offers something for everyone, and really turns an ordinary page into something memorable and unique. Use them to make monograms or labels for a journal, to write an irresistibly lovely message, or to embellish a memory box. Some of the alphabets are pretty as a picture just shown off as is.

Customer Reviews:

Another type of image file would have been better........2007-02-13

Though the images on the CD are nice, the whole concept would have benefited from using an image type that supports transparency. As they are presented here, the individual images have to be cropped (either manually or on the computer) to eliminate the white background. This is especially annoying with bits of lace or doilies, in cases where you might want to apply the image to a darker background.

I also would have liked to see some actual fonts included (not all the "alphabets" are even complete... sometimes there are only two or three letters). The selection of images is nice, though, so I'll give the book two stars.

No Fonts But Good Graphics.......2006-10-30

I was dissapointed that none of the "alphabets" are actual fonts, so you can't make your own titles and such. You can only use the few individual letters they provide. But the graphics on the cd are easy to use and easy to crop to the size you want.

Book Description

From ground covers to shade trees, top choices for great home gardens in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews:

A book for the midwest home owner........2004-02-08

This is a book for creating a good looking yard that does not take all of your time working on it, so you spend more time looking at & enjoying the results.
Provides you the information required, to decide if a plant will grow successfully in the habitat you are trying to establish. Gives you the need to know requirements of the plant and what will make it happy and flourish.
I live in Iowa and this book is about plants that we can grow Iowa. The TV shows and many other books are always showing Zone seven plant material. That is called an annual in Iowa.
Great book for anyone planting in the midwest region. The price makes it a true value for the home owner. This is not a "coffee table" book this is an owner's manual.

I didn't like it........2003-08-27

No color pictures, it has black/white "drawn" pictures, but the information about each plant has a lot of detail.

Very detailed and informative-no pictures.......2002-02-05

I have found this book indispensable since moving from the west coast to Iowa. My only criticism is that there are no pictures, just sketches, which makes it difficult to put together what you have read with what you have seen. I recently bought a small hand size plant encyclopedia to accompany it and I find it makes things much easier. It is a good read and works well for quick reference, too.

Getting ready for spring!.......2000-12-18

I loved the Duggan book and now use it to plan for spring plantings. I turned an ugly yard into a beautiful garden and haven for my family and friends using the helpful, down-to-earth advice contained in the book. Whenever I think about gardening, I always check Laara's book first to find her advice about planting in shade,or in full sun, for color choices or for hardiness. I take her book with me everywhere in a plastic bag so thatI have it while on plant shopping trips, out to the nursery and out to the garden. I bought copies for my friends, too.

Outstanding........1998-09-21

A great book. It tought me how to grow great vegetables with minimal fuss, while making a great looking garden.

The Midwest Fruit and Vegetable Book. Missouri Edition. (Midwest Fruit and Vegetables)

Average customer rating:

best gardening book I have found

The Midwest Fruit and Vegetable Book. Missouri Edition. (Midwest Fruit and Vegetables)
James A. Fizzell
Manufacturer: Cool Springs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fruit | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1930604149
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Book Description

Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the benefits derived from gardening, namely enjoyment, exercise, and nutrition.

Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions.

The Midwest Fruit & Vegetable Book, Missouri Edition is written by the highly popular gardening expert James Fizzell.

Contains advice for plant fruits, vegetables, and herbs. With 60 featured plants, the authors provide characteristics of available varieties, planting and maintenance advice, as well as recipes for dishes from the garden.

Customer Reviews:

best gardening book I have found.......2002-01-07

I live in Oh and bought the book in OH. I have not figured out how to tell which state the book is for. I can tell you that everything matches with what I know. It is excellent! It includes lots of good practical information. I grow Blueberry, Red and Black Raspberries plus the garden vegtable and fruit plants.

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Growing Vegetables in the Great Plains
Joseph R. Thomasson
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0700604308

Book Description

The Great Plains may be the breadbasket of the nation, but it's a tough place to grow vegetables. Damaging spring winds, unpredictable hail storms, and late freezes combine with scorching summer heat, parched ground, and hordes of plant-destroying insects to ravage the crops of unwary gardeners.

But a bountiful Plains garden, brimming with luscious tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, carrots, squash, and beans, is an achievable goal, according to botanist Joseph Thomasson. Even cool season vegetables like celery, head-lettuce, peas, and broccoli can be grown successfully--if you know how.

Thomasson describes exactly how in this practical new gardening guide. His advice, tested in 18 years of backyard gardening throughout the region, is tailored for gardeners in the Great Plains--from North Dakota to Texas, from the Rocky Mountain foothills to Iowa and Missouri.

First Thomasson focuses on the big picture, sizing up the particular climactic problems of the region and describing how gardeners can cope. He lists best-adapted plant varieties, including his favorites, and offers detailed advice about such gardening essentials as soil preparation, planting, water conservation, and more. He also provides a key to identifying pests and diseases and tells what to do about them.

Then he moves closer for a look at the little picture. Why is a pumpkin leaf "scratchy?" How do plants breathe? Through the highly magnified images of scanning electron microscopy, Thomasson provides a unique perspective on the microscopic wonders of the garden, from a bee's stinger to cucumber pollen.

Customer Reviews:

My copy was a little outdated, but great info.......2007-01-10

I think that there is a neweer edition. Valuable resource if you want to grow in the region covered.

Indespensible reference for midwestern growers.......2001-12-20

Home and commercial growers in the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas) face major challenges in getting steady crops of quality fruit. Tree fruits, berries, and the like are better adapted to warmer areas. Most commercially available cultivars are not well adapted to the cold climate in and around Minnesota.

In this volume, Gordon combines the history of fruit growing in the area, basics of culture, and hardiness history of major varieties. This last piece of information is not available in any other source I have seen and by itself is worth more than the purchase price of the book to anyone contemplating a new planting of fruit trees, vines, or bushes.

Hardiness information is broken down by regions within each state, providing a more detailed look at the winter survival characteristics than can be gained by USDA hardiness zones alone.

In addition, Gordon provides some interesting historical ancedotes and cultural information. The cultural recommendations are the same as for other parts of the country, by and large, but the information is useful to the beginner.

awesome book.......2000-01-12

Don covers all the basics of all fruit varieties you can grow in the upper midwest. A book of reference fro anyone interested in growing an orchard in their yard

200 Tips for Growing Vegetables in the Midwest

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200 Tips for Growing Vegetables in the Midwest

200 Tips for Growing Vegetables in the Midwest
Pamela Wolfe
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1556521758

Customer Reviews:

200 Tips for Growing Vegetables in the Midwest.......2002-06-26

Even though I am a beginning gardener, I found this book to be too basic for my needs. Most of the information can be learnt from watching 2 or 3 episodes of any gardening show. It would however, be helpful to someone who has never planted anything, nor has any prior gardening knowledge. The format was easy to read as it was similar to a bullet style, with 2-3 sentences per item.

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Gardening in the Upper Midwest

Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0816609594

Product Description

A leading authority provides detailed, reliable guidance for fruit, vegetable, landscape, and flower gardening in the Upper Midwest.

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Guide to Illinois Vegetable Gardening
James Fizzell
Manufacturer: Cool Springs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Shrubs | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Public Health | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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Guide to Indiana Vegetable Gardening
James Fizzell
Manufacturer: Cool Springs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Shrubs | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Guide to Iowa Vegetable Gardening
James Fizzell
Manufacturer: Cool Springs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Shrubs | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Public Health | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Guide to Michigan Vegetable Gardening
James Fizzell
Manufacturer: Cool Springs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Shrubs | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Public Health | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Motherhood is a powerful and sacred experience. It can be exciting, thrilling, frightening, exhausting and rewarding all at the same time. The Mother's Book of Well-Being begins and ends with the premise that the better you can take care of yourself during your baby's first year, the better caregiver and mother you can be. From one mother to another, Lisa Groen Braner offers 52 essays, one per week, about different ways mothers can learn to take time for themselves.

Portraying both the reality and the joys of motherhood, The Mother's Book of Well-Being offers spiritual sustenance combined with practical tips to assist new mothers in transcending common feelings of isolation, frustration and uncertainty.

From the prologue:

"As most mothers learn sooner or later, perpetual giving leaves you depleted. Recovering a sense of balance often feels impossible after the tumult of giving birth, breastfeeding and late nights. Yet it's important that we replenish the well from which we regularly dispense unconditional love. Sometimes we need to escape, have lunch with a friend or walk in the woods with our mate. We need to make time for our spouse and our friends, who give us the support and strength to care for our children as we do. Most importantly, we need to take time for our own rest and reflection. As we learn to care more deeply about ourselves, we extend ourselves more intently to our children. Motherhood is a journey into wholeness, and the way is self-care."

Customer Reviews:

Bran for the Soul.......2004-07-28

Lisa Braner provides for her readers a nourishing, cleansing and nurturing book of wisdom, broken down into manageable, bite-size pieces. Her 52 bits of sage advice take the new mother through the phases of motherhood from newborn to toddler. Even the cover evokes images of comfort: three little ducks in a sudsy bath; a baby's foot in a mother's hand; and cozy slippers resting delicately in a basket.

Braner's honest examination of motherhood left me, a two-time mother, feeling understood and, quite frankly, loved! Her thoughtful essays interweave the right amount of personal stories to give the reader the feeling that Braner has been there, too. I will never look at my "skinny jeans" in the same way; nor will I engage in negative self-talk, which so many mothers do. Her book made me want to kick back, take a guilt-free bath, and enjoy my kids as their childhoods enfold before me. Thank you, Ms. Braner, for your contribution to mothers' wellness!

Very inspirational! Perfect for new mothers!.......2003-11-20

The joy of new motherhood is often overshadowed by the need for rest, relaxation and the search for a little private time. Ah, I remember those days as though they were yesterday.

In "The Mother's Book of Well-Being," by Lisa Groen Braner, new mothers will find 52 weeks of inspirational passages, self-giving ideas and suggestions for enriching their role as a mother. Children will benefit not only from the love you give to them, but also from the love you give to yourself.

MyParenTime.com highly recommends this book - mothers will find a wealth of support and helpful suggestions on how to enrich their lives, thus enriching the lives of their children. The short passages allow just enough time for quick reads throughout the day. It's small size is perfect for carrying in your purse or a diaper bag :). New mothers, who often forget to care for themselves, will learn how to stay on the path to well-being.

Dad liked it too.......2003-03-04

I bought it for my wife who found it enjoyable and wished she had it 20 months ago (out daughters age). I am also finding it terrific reading and as a stay-at-home Dad can relate to many of the experiences and am in need of many of the remedies.

Treat yourself (or guys, treat your wives and come off looking like the caring husband you are) and read this book.

The Mother's Guide to Well-Being.......2003-01-15

Lisa Braner has written a wonderful book that touches a deep part within all of us, whether we are a new mother or a grandparent. The wisdom contained in this small book, found on almost every page, is so universal that no one can read it and not be richer for having done so.

Her words flow effortlessly, teaching all of us that the best parts of life come in those small moments we can't plan for no matter how organized we think we are. Learning to treasure the unexpected joys that our children bring reflects a larger truth that runs its course throughout our lives.

Instead of mourning the days that are gone or anticipating the days that are yet to be, Lisa Braner gently reminds us that we have to steady our focus in the here and now because that's the only time we really have. Whether those treasured moments rest in the love light of a child's eyes or in the quiet of a garden after a soaking rain, the larger truth of her message is that we must ensure our lives maintain Balance because, as she so eloquently writes, "our most treasured memories usually hang on the edge of mere moments."

A wise and insightful guide to motherhood.......2003-01-03

I came across a great quote recently: "If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?" Likewise, if a mother doesn't take care of herself, who will take care of the baby? Lisa Braner's book is wise, poignant and full of grace. Consider her our flight attendant on the turbulent ride of motherhood who tells us to put our oxygen mask on first and then put it on our child. She takes us through the first year week by week, giving us many tips on how to keep the oxygen mask on -- the importance of carving time out for our souls, our soulmates, as well as our babies. This is a great gift for the first-time mom as well as "veteran moms." There is always room for growth in the motherhood journey.

Book Description

Still working at the age of 91, Louise Bourgeois is recognized as one of the most important sculptors of the twentieth century. This comprehensive study of Bourgeois' work in marble includes pieces from the 1960s to the present, and offers the artist's own reflections on the medium and its importance to her oeuvre.

In her seventy-year career Louise Bourgeois has worked in a wide variety of mediums, including latex, wood, plaster, and metal. Yet she returns again and again to marble, a material she "can wrestle with." As this volume reveals, the major themes of Bourgeois' art—childhood, family, the body, sexuality, and innocence—are enhanced by the flesh-like tones and smooth, unforgiving surface. Oscillating continually between abstract figures and organic form, Bourgeois manages to imbue this inert material with extraordinary emotional intensity, from her mysterious and dramatic large-scale "cell" installations to her seductive and feminine "nature studies."

Book Description

The true story of U.S. Marine Edmond Babler who was forced to surrender during the early days of the U.S. involvement in World War II when the fortress Island of Corregidor fell to the Japanese. Not written in the typical historical context but in a biographical view, this manuscript, transcribed from his own narrative, is Ed's story from the time he joined the Marine Corps until his return from 1,220 days of brutal captivity in Japanese prisoner of war camps. It is intended, in Ed's own words, as "A true history of my struggle for survival in Japanese Prison Camps in the jungles of the Philippine Islands, on air-fields and a coal mine in Japan."

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