The characteristic look of California Chaparral--a soft bluish-green blanket of vegetation gently covering the hills--is known to millions who have seen it as the backdrop in movies and television productions. This complex ecological community of plants and animals is not just a feature of the hills around Hollywood, but is a quintessential part of the entire California landscape. It is a highly resilient community adapted to life with recurring fires and droughts. Written for a wide audience, this concise, engaging, and beautifully illustrated book describes an ancient and exquisitely balanced environment home to wondrous organisms: Fire Beetles that mate only on burning branches, lizards that shoot blood from their eyes when threatened, Kangaroo Rats that never drink water, and seeds that germinate only after a fire, even if that means waiting in the soil for a 100 years or more. Useful both as a field guide and an introductory overview of the ecology of chaparral, it also provides a better understanding of how we might live in harmony, safety, and appreciation of this unique ecological community.

* Identifies chaparral's common plants, animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects
* Features 79 color illustrations, 56 black-and-white photographs, and 3 maps
* Examines the role of humans and fire in chaparral, covering the placement and design of homes, landscaping, and public policy

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Ronald D. Quinn - Introduction to California Chapa rral (2006).pdf

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Rudolph Peierls - Bird of Passage, Recollections o f a Physicist (1985).jpg

The lighthearted title is a clue to the easy-going style of Peierls's memoir of a career spent working (and sometimes playing) with his peersthe scientists whose ideas and experiments generated the awesome body of laws and theories known as quantum physics. Born in Germany in 1907, Peierls lived to win a British knighthoodbut never, it seems, once he had escaped Hitler's Germany with his Russian-born wife, settled in one place long enough to feel more than a bird-of-passage. Out of Peierls's recollections of life in universities and labs, he constructs a lively, charming and informative behind-the-scenes account of men and women on the forefront of physics. Peierls studied or worked on several continents, numbered Bethe, Bohr, Rutherford and other greats among his friends, andhere revealingly describedcontributed to the development of the A-bomb at Los Alamos right up its first use, at Hiroshima.

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Rudolph Peierls - Bird of Passage, Recollections o f a Physicist (1985).djvu

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Sybil Rosen - Living in the Woods in a Tree, Remem bering Blaze Foley (2008).jpg

Living in the Woods in a Tree is an intimate glimpse into the turbulent life of Texas music legend Blaze Foley (1949-1989), seen through the eyes of Sybil Rosen, the woman for whom he wrote his most widely known song, "If I Could Only Fly." It captures the exuberance of their fleeting idyll in a tree house in the Georgia woods during the countercultural 1970s. Rosen offers a firsthand witnessing of Foley's transformation from a reticent hippie musician to the enigmatic singer/songwriter who would live and die outside society's rules. While Foley's own performances are only recently being released, his songs have been covered by Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, and John Prine. When he first encountered "If I Could Only Fly," Merle Haggard called it "the best country song I've heard in fifteen years."

In a work that is part-memoir, part-biography, Rosen struggles to finally come to terms with Foley's myth and her role in its creation. Her tracing of his impact on her life navigates a lovers' roadmap along the permeable boundary between life and death. A must-read for all Blaze Foley and Texas music fans, as well as romantics of all ages, Living in the Woods in a Tree is an honest and compassionate portrait of the troubled artist and his reluctant muse.

"Living in the Woods in a Tree comes at a time when music fans are hungry to know more about Blaze Foley. There are no books that compete with Rosen's, and it's quite unlikely that any ever will. Rosen's time with him (and her deft telling of that time) reveals so much about the man and the music."--Peter Cooper, The Tennessean

"Poetic and gripping, this beautifully written book ends up being about Blaze, the author, the times, and the creative journey. This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys strong writing and great story telling, who is interested in Blaze Foley or Texas music. An impressive work in every way!"--Louis Black, editor, Austin Chronicle and executive producer of Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt

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Bruce Chadwick - The General and Mrs. Washington, The Untold Story of a Marriage and a Revolution (2 006).jpg

When Martha Custis married George Washington in 1759, according to Chadwick, she was a fat and amiable widow seeking a loving companion, a father for her children and a manager for her sizable plantations. Their union also met the needs of the dashing, social-climbing and rotten-toothed military hero: he became one of the wealthiest men in Virginia, inherited a ready-made family and quashed a fruitless infatuation with his best friend's wife. As Chadwick (George Washington's War) explains in this lackluster dual biography, Martha was a traditional, dutiful wife whose life in a patriarchal society revolved around her husband and children as she supervised a staff of slaves who prepared meals, tended gardens and produced clothing. As the Revolution approached, Martha saw her role as supportive wife of a political figure. She joined George at Valley Forge during the cruel winter of 1777–1778, and her simple helpfulness, such as organizing sewing circles to clothe soldiers, made her a beloved role model. As the president's wife, Martha befriended all and sundry and had Washington's ear. Although competently researched, Chadwick's latest effort is amateurishly written and lacking in provocative insights. Readers will do better with Patricia Brady's splendid recent bio of the first First Lady.

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Bruce Chadwick - The General and Mrs. Washington, The Untold Story of a Marriage and a Revolution (2 006).pdf

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Clifford A. Kiracofe, Jr - Dark Crusade, Christian Zionism and US Foreign Policy (2009).jpg

Despite its efforts to promote peace and instil democracy in the region, America is viewed by many in the Middle East as a dishonest broker waging a "dark crusade" against its enemies: in covert collaboration with Israel. The crucial hostility to Arab and Palestinian interests of the so-called "Zionist lobby" in the US has long been recognized. But it is another less familiar element in US politics that increasingly calls the shots on Capitol Hill, directing the course of American foreign policy there: Christian Zionism. Christian Zionists now influence not only the Republican Party, but also the White House and Congress. Protestant fundamentalists are anticipating the end of the world and they have long made common cause with the most extreme political elements in the state of Israel. But why? Jews and fundamentalist Christians hardly look like natural allies. Adhering to a feverish apocalyptic ideology, Christian Zionists nevertheless believe that restoration of the entire biblical Holy Land to the Jewish people will result the thousand-year reign of Christ. During his eleven years working in the Senate, the author observed at first hand the deep-seated influence of Christian Zionism on American foreign policy, and is uniquely qualified to assess its significance. Dark Crusade offers the most nuanced analysis yet written of this dangerous and complex phenomenon.

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Gordon MacQuarrie - Ole Evinrude and the Old Fello ws (1947).jpg

Ole Evinrude was several things at once that carry weight with the American public. A self-made inventor, engineer, and businessman, he also lived the success story par excellence. Though of humble immigrant origin he founded in his adopted country, after years of hardship and disappointment, a new and important industry. Big and genial -- a veritable mountain of a man -- he graciously attributed all success to his frail wife, Bess, who was also his partner in business. But more important still, he won the enduring gratitude of thousands of hunters, fishermen, and vacationers, who were freed by him from the drudgery of rowing a boat. For Evinrude designed and produced the first practical outboard motor, which must be considered a piece with the automobile and therefore a part of this motor age. He belongs to the saga of the out-of-doors, of sports, and of fun, but he also has written his name large in the story of the American economic revolution.

Ole Evinrude, born Ole Evenrudstuen (April 19, 1877—July 12, 1934) was a Norwegian-American inventor, known for the invention of the first outboard motor with practical commercial application.
The company is now called Evinrude Outboard Motors, and is owned by Bombardier Recreational Products.

About author: MacQuarrie, Gordon 1900-1956. Works: 18 works in 29 publications in 3 languages and 688 library holdings.

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Gordon MacQuarrie - Ole Evinrude and the Old Fello ws (1947).pdf

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Kenneth W. Howell - The Seventh Star of the Confed eracy, Texas during the Civil War (2009).jpg

This new anthology, edited by Kenneth W. Howell, incorporates the latest scholarly research on how Texans experienced the war. Eighteen contributors take us from the battlefront to the home front, ranging from inside the walls of a Confederate prison to inside the homes of women and children left to fend for themselves while their husbands and fathers were away on distant battlefields, and from the halls of the governor's mansion to the halls of the county commissioner's court in Colorado County. Also explored are well-known battles that took place in or near Texas, such as the Battle of Galveston, the Battle of Nueces, the Battle of Sabine Pass, and the Red River Campaign. Finally, the social and cultural aspects of the war receive new analysis, including the experiences of women, African Americans, Union prisoners of war, and noncombatants.

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Kenneth W. Howell - The Seventh Star of the Confed eracy, Texas during the Civil War (2009).pdf

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Historyczne Bitwy 42 - Grzegorz Swoboda - Gettysbu rg 1863 (1999).jpg

Wojna secesyjna pomiędzy bogatą i „postępową” Unią a Konfederacją, tzw „ państwem niewolników“, czyli „łatwy” synonim walki pomiędzy dobrem a złem.

Grzegorz Swoboda w swoim opisie krwawego, a zarazem przełomowego epizodu tej wojny - bitwy pod Gettysburgiem - stara się obalać odwieczne stereotypy tych „złych” i tych „dobrych” Amerykanów. Dając wnikliwą analizę narastającego konfliktu, poruszając wiele jego aspektów, zarówno tych politycznych, jak i społecznych, wyjaśnia przyczyny, które doprowadziły do wojny domowej oraz opisanej bitwy.

Praca ta należy do lepszych z serii „Historyczne bitwy”. Forma przekazu wydarzeń zasługuje na pochwałę. Zawiera nie tylko suche fakty, ale także relacje uczestników bitwy oraz ilustracje, dzięki czemu oddaje atmosferę grozy i okrucieństwa panujących na polach Gettysburga tych pamiętnych trzech letnich dni.

Sama bitwa, z niezrozumiałych przyczyn, w ogólnej opinii kojarzy się z wielkim zwycięstwem Unii. Te fałszywe skojarzenia ujawniają się dopiero w trakcie czytania książki Swobody. To wojska Konfederacji były o wiele bliżej sukcesu. Naprawdę niewiele brakowało, by Armia Potomaku (Unia) poniosła klęskę. Jednak z powodu niezdecydowania, a także wielu do dzisiaj niewyjaśnionych militarnych błędów głównodowodzącego wojskami Południa gen. Roberta Lee, nie wykorzystano olbrzymiej szansy zepchnięcia przeciwnika do defensywy, a tym samym możliwości pertraktacji pokojowych z pozycji silniejszego.

Południe, gospodarczo słabsze, nie mogło sobie pozwolić na prowadzenie wyniszczającej wojny bez ograniczeń czasowych. Wyczerpywanie się potencjału gospodarczego i militarnego doprowadziło ostatecznie do złożenia broni, a tym samym uznanie zwycięstwa Unii.

Trzydniowe zmagania pod Gettysburgiem zostały jednak nierozstrzygnięte. Brak sukcesu militarnego Armii Północnej Wirginii z głównodowodzącym Lee skłonił generała do wycofania się z ziem Północy i odstąpienia od ofensywnej strategii wojny. Był to wprawdzie zwrotny punkt wojny, gdzie Armia Potomaku pod wodzą gen. George'a Meade'a przejęła inicjatywę, ale gloryfikowanie i wyolbrzymianie zwycięstwa przez ówczesne media Północy nie miało podstaw, była to bowiem w rzeczywistości sytuacja patowa.

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Indians of North America - Nancy Bonvillain - The Mohawk (2004).jpg

The Mohawk tribe, or "People of the Place of Flint," guarded the eastern realm (present-day eastern New York State) of the Iroquois Confederacy, which included the Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora tribes. In the seventeenth century, they established a profitable fur-trade partnership with both the Dutch and English, along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, and later became renowned for their beautiful basketry. Today, Mohawks primarily live in cities in the northeastern United States and on reservations in New York State (Akwesasne) and in Canada (Akwesasne, Kahnawake, Kanesatake, Tyendinega, and Six Nations).

Grade 5 Up–These revisions of books on the larger tribes of the North American continent (originally published in 1989) are among the best available. All three volumes open with a wonderful foreword by Menominee activist and writer Ada E. Deer in which she gives a glimpse of the Native perspective in today's society. The books are written from an anthropological or ethnographic point of view that allows readers to glean what life was and is like for Native peoples of North America, from a short section on prehistoric nomadic peoples living in 1700 B.C. to the people's fight for sovereignty and living improvements in the 21st century. Full-color inserts show the detailed crafts/handiwork of tribal members, while black-and-white maps, photos, and reproductions appear throughout. The books also include a brief synopsis of the tribe in "...at a Glance" sections and a list of important dates recognized by the dominant culture in the chronology.–Marlette Grant-Jackson, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA

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Indians of North America - Nancy Bonvillain - The Mohawk (2004).pdf

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John Frederick Hartranft, Harold Holzer, Edward, J r. Steers, and Allen Weinstein - The Lincoln Assas sination Conspirators, Their Confinement and Execu tion, As Recorded in the Letterbook of John Freder.jpg

USA Books - John Frederick Hartranft, Harold Holzer, Edward, Jr. S...ecution, As Recorded in the Letterbook of John Freder.jpg

On May 1, 1865, two weeks after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, recently inaugurated president Andrew Johnson appointed John Frederick Hartranft to command the military prison at the Washington Arsenal, where the U.S. government had just incarcerated the seven men and one woman accused of complicity in the shooting. From that day through the execution of four of the accomplices, the Pennsylvania-born general held responsibility for the most notorious prisoners in American history. A strict adherent to protocol, Hartranft kept a meticulously detailed account of his experiences in the form of a letterbook. In The Lincoln Assassination Conspirators, noted Lincoln scholars Edward Steers, Jr., and Harold Holzer, in partnership with the National Archives, present this fascinating historical record for the first time with contextual materials and expert annotations, providing a remarkable glimpse behind the scenes of the assassination's aftermath.

Hartranft oversaw every aspect of the prisoners' daily lives, from making sure they were fed and kept clean to ensuring that no one communicated with them except on the written orders of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. In his Letterbook, Hartranft scrupulously recounts the arrival of each prisoner and describes the prison routine--which included three simple meals a day, a twice-daily cell inspection by Hartranft himself, and frequent physical examinations by an army physician. The prisoners wore wrist and leg shackles and, controversially, most of them wore special hoods designed to isolate them from their surroundings.

When the conspirators' trial began, the nation waited eagerly for news, and many sought retribution against those they held responsible for the nation's grief. Hartranft resisted calls for both vengeance and mercy and continued to treat his notorious charges as humanely as possible, facilitating meetings with clergy and sending letters to and from family members. Yet, as his detached, detailed description of the execution of four of the conspirators shows, he did not allow emotion to impede the performance of his duty.

The legal and moral issues surrounding the conspirators' trial--the extraordinary use of military rather than civil justice, the treatment of the accused while incarcerated, the fine line between swift and precipitous justice--remain volatile, unsettled issues today. Hartranft's keen observations, ably analyzed by historians Steers and Holzer, will add a riveting new chapter to the story of Lincoln's assassination.

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John Frederick Hartranft, Harold Holzer, Edward, J r. Steers, and Allen Weinstein - The Lincoln Assas sination Conspirators, Their Confinement and Execu tion, As Recorded in the Letterbook of John Freder.pdf

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Larry M. Gant, Patricia A. Stewart, Vincent J. Lyn c - Social Workers Speak out on the HIV-AIDS Crisi s, Voices from and to African-American Communities (1998).jpg

USA Books - Larry M. Gant, Patricia A. Stewart, Vincent J. Lync - ..., Voices from and to African-American Communities 1998.jpg

Written by a team of nationally recognized African American social work professionals with extensive and distinguished backgrounds in HIV/AIDS service, the book examines the magnitude and complexity of the crisis facing African American communities.

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Larry M. Gant, Patricia A. Stewart, Vincent J. Lyn c - Social Workers Speak out on the HIV-AIDS Crisi s, Voices from and to African-American Communities (1998).pdf

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Lynn Abbott, Doug Seroff - Out of Sight, The Rise of African American Popular Music, 1889-1895 (200 3).jpg

From 1889 to 1895, the fire that would ignite almost every American popular music style was sparking. These were some of the worst years in American race relations, yet they witnessed the emergence of ragtime and the birth of an African American popular entertainment industry. Out of Sight is the first book dedicated to this signal period of black musical development.

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Lynn Abbott, Doug Seroff - Out of Sight, The Rise of African American Popular Music, 1889-1895 (200 3).pdf

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M. C. Lilley - Regulation United States Army Unifo rms and Equipments for National Guard Officers (19 14).jpg

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M. C. Lilley - Regulation United States Army Unifo rms and Equipments for National Guard Officers (19 14).pdf

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Marilyn J. Field, Alan M. Jette - The Future of Di sability in America (2007).jpg

The future of disability in America will depend on how well the U.S. prepares for and manages the demographic, fiscal, and technological developments that will unfold during the next two to three decades. Building upon two prior studies from the Institute of Medicine (the 1991 Institute of Medicine's report Disability in America and the 1997 report Enabling America), "The Future of Disability in America" examines both progress and concerns about continuing barriers that limit the independence, productivity, and participation in community life of people with disabilities.This book offers a comprehensive look at a wide range of issues, including the prevalence of disability across the lifespan; disability trends the role of assistive technology; barriers posed by health care and other facilities with inaccessible buildings, equipment, and information formats; the needs of young people moving from pediatric to adult health care and of adults experiencing premature aging and secondary health problems; selected issues in health care financing (e.g., risk adjusting payments to health plans, coverage of assistive technology); and the organizing and financing of disability-related research.

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Marilyn J. Field, Alan M. Jette - The Future of Di sability in America (2007).pdf

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Mark Connelly - Christmas at the Movies, Images of Christmas in American, British and European Cinem a (2001).jpg

USA Books - Mark Connelly - Christmas at the Movies, Images of Chr...ristmas in American, British and European Cinema 2001.jpg

Whether we love it or hate it, Christmas has always played a special role in the cinema, and Christmas movies like It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street have a special place in popular affections. Christmas at the Movies takes a good look at these popular films, decoding the messages they convey about popular preoccupations and attitudes and about the different societies that produce them. Written in an entertaining and illuminating style, this book gives a brand new view of Christmas and its rituals.

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Peter Bishop - Bridge (2008).jpg

Whether a humble string of planks swaying across a trickling stream or the soaring towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, bridges are one of man’s great engineering feats. Now in Bridge, Peter Bishop provides a comprehensive historical account of their role in the advancement of human culture.

From ancient Roman arches to the rail bridge of Lhasa to the suspension bridge over Niagara Falls, Bishop traverses the full span of the globe to examine numerous incarnations and their diverse architectural styles. The book tackles a wide range of issues, including the design and construction of “mega-spans” such as Hong Kong’s Tsing Ma Bridge; the integral role of bridges in railroad networks; and the social dynamics of class and mobility that surround urban bridges in cities such as New York. Drawing upon sources in art, politics, science, philosophy, and the media, Bishop argues that the cultural meaning of bridges today revolves around the idea of expanding geographical claims, rather than connecting to others, and he explores the implications of that idea for the future. A fascinating and richly illustrated study, Bridge will engage enthusiasts of planning, architecture, and design alike.

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Peter Bishop - Bridge (2008).pdf

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Ronald A. Smith - Sports and Freedom (1990).jpg

Perhaps more than any other two colleges, Harvard and Yale gave form to American intercollegiate athletics--a form that was inspired by the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry overseas, and that was imitated by colleges and universities throughout the United States. Focusing on the influence of these prestigious eastern institutions, this fascinating study traces the origins and development of intercollegiate athletics in America from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Smith begins with an historical overview of intercollegiate athletics and details the evolution of individual sports--crew, baseball, track and field, and especially football.

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