With honest to goodness, (up?)down to earth, interviews of people that have really earned their place in the book. A Fantastic read.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Voices From The Summit: The Worlds Great Mountaineers On The Future Of Climbing [Bargain Price] (Hardcover)

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(National Geographic Adventure Press) A tribute to mountaineering and the greatest living climbers, exploring every aspect of the sport and forecasting the future of mountaineering.–This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

National Geographic presents the 42 people who have led the nation in this fully up to date, authoritative, and lavishly illustrated family reference guide:Our Country’s Presidents.

You’ll find:
President profiles, from George Washington to George W. Bush,
Full-page official portraits,
Fact boxes for quick reference,
Famous quotes from the Presidents’ speeches and writings,
More than 400 illustrations — from period artwork to stunning photography,
timeline photo essays that give historical context to the Presidents’ administations,
Fifteen thematic spreads — from kids in the White House to Presidents at War.

Comprehensive information for school reports.

Fascinating biographies for hours of browsing.

Fun to read, easy to use, Our Country’s Presidents is a must-have reference to the lives of America’s leaders — their stories and their deeds; their scandals and their shining moments.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Our Country’s Presidents (Hardcover)

As we are reminded in this stunning pictorial chronology thereis little on our shores to rival the grand beauty and dramatic history of the Southwest. Photographer George H. H. Huey illustrates the volume with contemporary photos of landscapes from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and Utah.
Presenting the stories of this region and its peoples – Indian, Hispanic and Anglo – the author begins with the Clovis people, who can be traced back some 13,000 years, and then he moves on to the Pueblo and Hopi tribes who found homes on in the mesas of Arizona.
Spanish and French missionaries and explorers also play a role in the area’s rich cultural background.Among the first missionaries to pioneeer the Southwest were Eusebio Kino and Junipero Serra who traveled to California to convert the native peoples and claim land for the Spanish king.Expeditions from France were largely focused on Texas.
Perhaps most impressive of all is the recounting of William Becknell’s forging of the Santa Fe Trail.
Walker brings the area to the present with nuclear research, contemporary border issues, unparalleled growth, and diminishing resources.
Both fascinating and edifying, “Gold, God & Grandeur” will be of interest to all Southwesterners.
– Gail Cooke

Click Here to see more reviews about: Southwest: Gold, God, and Grandeur (Hardcover)

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A land of stunning scenery and startling contrasts, of deep canyons, jagged mountains, and blistering deserts, the Southwest is the most colorful of regions, geographically and historically. It contains more national parks and monuments than any other area of the United States, a measure of its extraordinary beauty and the equally extraordinary efforts to preserve it.

Paul Robert Walker’s ambitious chronological history gives readers a powerful sense of this unique region and the people-Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo-whose stories are etched into the earth. From Spanish invaders and their missions, the Santa Fe Trail, the Texas Revolution and the Mexican War, to Indian battles, gunslingers, land grabs, modern border issues, and nuclear research, Walker expertly assembles the story of the Southwest. In compelling prose, he evokes, as never before, the spirit of this corner of American from the ancient Pueblo and Hopi cultures to the New Southwest and the pressures the region faces from growth and scarcity of resources.

Illustrated with contemporary photographs of landscapes from New Mexico, Arizona, and California, to Utah, Colorado, and Texas by acclaimed photographer George H.H. Huey, The Southwest captures all the magic of this awe-inspiring land.

From St. John’s to Vancouver, this 1987 book documents a pleasant road trip across Canada.As always the splendid National Geographic photography captures the scenic splendor encountered.In this book the photography does an equally excellent job conveying the personality of the many friendly and fascinating people met along the way.

This volume is part of the National Geographic’s Special Publications Series, one of the best-kept secrets in the world of books. Since 1966 the Society had released four titles per year. The same size and shape as their iconic magazine, these hardcovers present the best that National Geographic has to offer, and without the ads! Authors have included such scientific luminaries as Isaac Asimov, Bob Ballard, Jane Goodall and Louis Leakey.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TRAVELING THE TRANS-CANADA FROM NEWFOUNDLAND TO BRITISH COLUMIA (Hardcover)

Broken Empire leaves an indelible mark on the memory.This stunning work presents a passionate and proud people, ravaged by the merciless process of political change.The book’s coverage of the effect on the Russian environmental landscape alone, makes this a documentary of great importance.But most unforgettable, are the images which capture the entire spectrum of human experience that the nation’s new self-image has imposed – from humiliation and despair, to dignity and triumph of the spirit against all odds – making this work an uncompromising testament to the historic realities of post-communistic Russia.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Broken Empire : After the Fall of the USSR (Hardcover)

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On December 25, 1991, at 7:35 p.m., soldiers lowered the red Soviet flag flying over the Kremlin and raised the Russian tri-color in its place. The moment passed without pomp or circumstance, resulting in a strangely muted end to a regime that had, in many ways, defined the 20th century.

Christmas 2001 is the tenth anniversary of the demise of the Soviet Union. To commemorate the event, National Geographic presents a mesmerizing retrospective that captures all the turbulence of Russia’s new beginning.

With 120 extraordinary photographs by Gerd Ludwig and incisive essays by Fen Montaigne, Broken Empire captures Russia in all its complexity. The book examines not only the fledgling country’s notorious corruption and poverty-the only aspects of Russia covered by most Western media-but many lesser known facets, including the rise of a new urban generation committed to building a prosperous society. Taking us into the daily lives of Russians, from entrepreneurs to pensioners, Broken Empire‘s images and words come together to capture as no book ever has the poignant resilience of a country endeavoring to find a workable middle road between capitalism and state control.

I realize Mr. Halberstam edited this book and wrote only one one its many essays. Nevertheless, his name is on the cover and he receives royalties (I assume)so he has to be taken to task. Obviously I expect far, far better from Mr. Halberstram. Of the many essays in the book from a wide range of writers, only a couple are even worthy of reading. A definite skip – don’t waste your time.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Defining a Nation: Our America and the Sources of Its Strength (Hardcover)

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How to define America? In this unique compilation, David Halberstam enlists leading historians and writers-including Walter Cronkite, Louis Auchincloss, John Gregory Dunne, Joan Didion, Mary Gordon, Stan Katz, David Kennedy, Molly O’Neill, Arthur Schlessinger, and Anna Quindlen-in a quest to understand the American experience in all of its complexity.
In each chapter, Halberstam defines key issues that have shaped the American character: the sheer physical size of the country; the rise of the meritocracy; the legendary events; leaders, rogues, and icons that have left their mark on American mythology; and the cultural contributions that are uniquely American. Halberstam’s introductions are followed by richly varied essays that cover subjects ranging from Manifest Destiny to John Wayne movies, from FDR’s New Deal to Margaret Sanger and the birth control pill, from Paul Revere’s ride to the Joseph McCarthy hearings.
These inspiring and enlightening essays are accompanied by more than 300 exquisite photographs and illustrations. The result is a fascinating book that provides long sought-after and often surprising answers to the questions of how today’s America emerged, and where the country is headed.

I felt that there was some liberal bias. They seemed to suggest that the Tet offensive was a victory for the MVA and that was not the case. They also suggested that the reason the Korear War and the Vietman War was lost was due to the enemies determination, instead of US political cowardice.However, I did like the coverage of the military nurses, which is long overdue.They saved many lives in terrible living conditions. It was worth buying just for that.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Voices of War Cassette: Stories of Service from the Homefront and the Frontlines (The Library of Congress Veterans History Project) [Audiobook][Unabridged] (Audio Cassette)

A special book for those with a military bent of mind and an interest in our Civil War. Written as if spoken to you directly on each battlefield by a guide of immense knowledge of both the movement of troops and the local terrain. Every young officer in the current U.S. military should read and learn from Edwin C. Bearss, an extraordinary career employee of the U.S. National Park Service.

As for battles, I learned the most from the chapter on The Wilderness. The author brought me a much better understanding of this important battle than I had prior to taking up his “Fields of Honor.”

Finally, the selection of the limited number of photographs presented in this volume was done by someone with a gift for this sort of thing.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War (Paperback)

I teach elementary children about different types of beaches. We also discuss how sand comes from rocks.This book shows many different colors of sand and explains why.It is easy to understand.I’m glad I purchased my own copy since I use it so much.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jump Into Science: Sand (Paperback)

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What is sand? How is it formed? Where does sand come from? How does it get to the beach? Why is it different colors? Let the sandpiper sleuth show you the answers to these questions in this lively, collage-style look at a familiar substance that’s never been so fascinating: sand.

Parents’ Choice Approved Winner

“A striking success…an outstanding choice…a fascinating, lively presentation.” -School Library Journal

“Mysteries of the Ancient Seafarers” covers the history, culture, legacy, and influence on exploration and navigation of numerous ancient maritime civilizations. Also, modern discoveries and shipwreck finds are written about in length. Scores of maps, photographs, and pictures make this book both interesting to read and beautiful to behold. The Phoenicians, Greeks, early Romans, Minoans, Egyptians, and other important seafaring civilizations are discussed. Every chapter contains several maps, and more than one chapter has at least two dozen beautiful pictures. Information about ancient trade routes, naval battles, and the development of both merchant and military craft is included.

This is an essential book for any library of ancient history, and the maps and pictures make it a work of art. The paper is of the finest quality, and the cover is sturdy. Anyone interested in ancient or navigational history must have this book.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers: Ancient Maritime Civilzation (Hardcover)

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In a beautiful volume featuring more than 170 maps and photographs, Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers follows the latest pursuits of National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Robert D. Ballard as he searches for clues to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. An immediate tie-in with the 2004 PBS special, Ballard’s excavation focuses primarily on the story of the Phoenicians-traders who ruled Mediterranean commerce for 1,000 years, then disappeared.

A showcase of National Geographic’s greatest strengths-exploration, discovery, and intricate maps-Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers is a fascinating journey through the depths of the Mediterranean and centuries of time.