No comments about Alan Villiers: Voyager of the Winds.

1 comments about Juan Bautista De Anza: Basque Explorer In The New World, 1693-1740 (The Basque Series).

1. As a genealogist, I found this book to be a treasure...as a history buff, I found this book to be very informative and interesting...leaned a great deal. I am mystified that Juan Baustista de Anza is never given more credit than he deserved in the history books...I highly recommend this book, it is well written and very insightful into not only the man, but the times and locations as well.

5 comments about Ten Hours Until Dawn: The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do.

1. Michael J. Tougias, Ten Hours Until Dawn: The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do (St. Martin's, 2005) ***
   
   After the runaway success of The Perfect Storm and In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, I rather expected there to be a flood, pardon the pun, of nonfictional tales of derring-do on the high seas. It never happened; Sebastian Junger turned his attention landward, Nathaniel Philbrick has only released a single book since, and the rest of the literary world seems to have met this possible developing trend with a thundering silence. Until, that is, Mike Tougias released Ten Hours Until Dawn, set in the same basic space of The Perfect Storm, but a number of years in the past, during the Blizzard of 1978, a storm that will long be remembered by anyone who happened to be living in the northeast at the time.
   
   Ten Hours Until Dawn was written by a journalist, which is not normally a bad thing. The downside to it is that journalism makes for great half-pagers, but across two hundred-odd pages, it can get a little dry. Tougias has a very worthwhile story here, and tells it competently; however, it could have been told a bit better.
   
   It's the story of Frank Quirk and his pilot boat Can Do, based out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. When the Global Hope, an oil taker, runs aground a few miles south of Gloucester, the harbor patrol sends a couple of boats out after it, and those two boats get caught in the Blizzard of '78, which roars out of nowhere. One gets lost, and the Can Do goes out after it. Eight hours later, the Can Do, also lost, makes its final radio transmission. From the radio transcripts and the aftermath of the storm, Tougias weaves the tale of what may have happened aboard the Can Do that night, as well as the tales of what happened to those two Coast Guard ships (both of which made it back to port) and the Global Hope. There are a number of times during this narrative where Tougias' journalist style serves it well; the simple just-the-facts-ma'am delivery adds a depth to the action. It stumbles, however, when the subject is the humans themselves; even when Tougias is relating the worlds of the survivors, the prose seems oddly wooden in spots, as if the goal is to check in, get a quote, and get back to the action.
   
   Don't get me wrong, it's a good book, and an incident that certainly deserved to be enshrined in the national consciousness. Pick it up, give it a go. ***



2. As a former active Coast Guard sailor (Korean War) I found this book reading at it's best. Tells the life Coast Guard people, along with the harbor pilots, fishermen and others that "Go Down To The Sea in Ships" can encounter.



3. A very well researched and documented story. As a member of the USCG and having been stationed at Gloucester Station and having been born and brought up in the area of the story I found the book extremely interesting. Highly recommend this book to any persons interested in the true story of the men and women of the Coast Guard.



4. This is a compelling story about real people doing what most wouldn't think of doing. It's infuriating that the captain of the freighter was so thoughtless. If he had been anything but a complete waste of time, Can Do would still be here. Read this book carefully and learn what is happening out there. The media ignores fishing and the ocean unless something bad happens. Your life is affected by the ocean and you should know how.



5. I think the author really is a good writer and researcher, and enjoy the book where it is telling the story which is promises to tell. The book shows evidence that Tougias didn't want to take the time to rewrite the plot progression as he discovered critical new details after the book was half written. Also, there are not enough "interesting" details of the story to fill a book which can be sold for a standard book price, so the author and editors saw fit to fill it up with digressions, side stories, and over-the-top speculation.
   
   Side stories: No problem with a side story or two with a close association to the primary story, but many of the stories have no relation to the Can Do at all. These stories are interesting in themselves and I'd like to read them in an anthology of nautical disasters. But when story-after-story like this are inserted between chapters of a chronological story, it massacres the suspense and the flow. For those side stories which are justified, instead of setting them up chronologically so you learn to love the characters, they are thrown in where the author happened to be at when writing the book (author says that he had already written the first two chapters when he found out about... )
   
   Digressions: Lessons about nautical history, emergency survival, survival psychology, and any many other topics would be fine if they were short enough to not stop the flow--- but they are very distracting here because they are very long and very frequent. If I want to learn all about emergency survival for mountain climbing, I would much rather find an "expert" on that topic on the web or in a dedicated book than reading the haphazard and distracting summaries here.
   
   Speculations: A little speculation may be necessary when covering an event with no surviving witnesses, but some of the late chapters are 95% fanciful speculation about what each crew member may have been thinking, and even how they looked at each other. One egregious speculation which totally conflicts with the other speculations, which praise the determination and pertinacity of the principals, is that they may have discussed the cowardly option of killing themselves with Frank's hand gun.
   
   Subjectivity: It's apparent to anybody who reads this book that the author lost all objectivity by the time he wrote the later chapters, probably from the close and emotional relationships he had formed with surviving family members by then. Every single incident discussed attributes the most noble sentiments and impulses to the primary characters, and to the author's friends. It's funny that at the time of the accident, each character with a family had a perfect family life. Frank was the perfect family man, though he slept on his boat instead of at home most of the time. A suicide occurs late in the book, but it somehow happened in spite of the perfect family environment, with no influence of drugs, loneliness, or romances... of course it was the inevitable outcome of a death in the Can Do 4 years earlier.
   
   Childish mysticism: I put this last, because most people in the US do prefer to pretend that guardian angles protect people, that dead people visit and help survivors, that the dead float around in heaven chit-chatting with people who died years earlier, and that ghosts serve as muses for writers. However, it annoys educated people when adult writers start with the assumption that these fictions are true, and apply no skepticism when, for example, an alcoholic reports waking up in the middle of the night to a visitation, then goes back to sleep. A responsible adult must at least consider the possibility that in the middle of the night people may dream about what they wish for. Suggestion for Tougias: Grow up.

No comments about Sir James Wordie Polar Crusader: Exploring The Arctic And Antarctic.

1 comments about TEX JOHNSTON PB.

1. This is a great historical accounting of the life of an American aviation pioneer. Tex Johnston's life was a colorful mix of barnstorming through the flight testing and air racing of WWII fighters, and finally the experimental flight testing of the Bell X-1 (prior to Chuck Yeager) and the Boeing aircraft when the jet age was underway. The book is a little scant in his accounting of the famous (infamous?) barrell rolls of the 707 prototype over Lake Washington, which is disappointing. Overall, a great book and must reading for any fan of the early years of experimental flight testing.

No comments about Pioneer profiles.

No comments about Flowers in the Snow: The Life of Isobel Wylie Hutchison (Women in the West).

2 comments about Columbus: His Enterprise.

1. Koning gives a very valid speculation on Columbus' life and voyages. Thoughout the years, the story of Columbus has been twisted and glamourized, making the people of America believe that he was a hero. Koning goes in to great detail when explaining the truths behind all these mythological ideals. It is an easy read as well as a very good piece of writing.



2. This is a book that attempts to set the record straight on Columbus the man and the chain of events set off by his voyage of discovery. Koning does not delight in debunking the myth, nor does he gloat in the exose'; rather the tone is one of moral despair over the actual facts. Essentially the Christian Spaniards slaughtered and enslaved as they plundered the New World. Convinced he had found the fabled way to Cathay ahead of the rival Portuguese, Columbus appears every bit the avaricious social climber of his era. Skilled and daring, he was also venal and petty. Koning's portrait is not a pretty one, but then we've had enough of those.

   Koning takes the revered Samuel Eliot Morrison to task for his sanitized portrait of the Great Explorer. Most reprehensive, in Koning's view, is Morrison's utter disregard for the death and destruction left in Columbus's wake and to which he was a party. Seemingly, Morrison's brand of biographical myopia represents a particularly deadly brand of Western ideology at work, one that cleans up the official record on behalf of the powers that be.

   Perhaps most praiseworthy in Koning's tratment are the succinct moral parallels he draws between the civilizing forces of Spain in the New World and their 20th century American counterparts in Vietnam, where additional tens of thousands were slaughtered resisting Western conquest. A book like this exposes unmistakably the self-serving mythology that surrounds so much of our official history. Such versions are not misleading by accident, instead they work to a purpose and there seems no better word for describing that purpose than ideological. They are distortions that preserve current institutions of power; namely, those political and economic arrangements that also happen to be products of Columbus's bloody wake. It's interesting to speculate the direction our polity would take were Koning's book, rather than the traditional sanitized versions, required reading in the nation's high schools. Be that as it may, don't expect to see Koning in a Columbus Day parade any time soon.

5 comments about A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World: A True Life Adventure Story.

1. Isabel Losada wears many hats: single mom, writer, traveler, and now newly christened activist. Journey with Losada as she tells of the seemingly endless trials and tribulations as a wannabe activist fighting for the religious freedom of Tibet. Interesting choice. Yet when the author explains her reasoning behind backing this particular cause, readers will fall into her line of thinking with a natural acceptance simply because Losada is so charming and sincere. Her expression of sadness over the rising regularity of terrorism worldwide is so commonly felt, so consistently lamented, that when Losada poses the premise of fighting the war on terror with nonviolence, it makes sense. Who then is the leading proponent of nonviolence? The Dalai Lama, of course. Losada determines that he's the man for her --- and on this basis Losada begins her story, her journey toward social activism.
   
   Making use of the famed serenity prayer, Losada divides her text into three main sections. Part One: "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..." Recognizing that she has never done much besides navel-gazing, Losada decides to invest some time in protesting outside the Chinese Embassy, a not particularly auspicious beginning. Next, the author starts investigating, interviewing, and finally traveling to Tibet. Waking up in Kathmandu, Losada details in comical fashion the advice passed along to her from a girl in the know from Tibet: Never squat down in the bushes on the Nepalese side of the Himalayas. Leeches have a way of attaching themselves. Before you know it, you're pouring with blood.
   
   Sounds enchanting. Not to be daunted, Losada repeatedly hears the warning of altitude sickness, which can kill you. More seriously, though, were the injunctions to take extreme care in how one speaks to the Tibetan people regarding their loyalty to the Dalai Lama. And never, ever, hand out photos of the Dalai Lama as they're illegal. Losada does indeed travel and immerse herself in Tibetan culture where she sees both beauty and evil side by side, incongruously thriving together. Hard to accept.
   
   "The courage to change the things I can..." comprises the second part of Losada's tale as she begins making advances in practical activism without much initial success. From approaching the Free Tibet Campaign organization to requesting and receiving an interview with a member of Parliament, from setting up a company, a website, to delving into the nitty-gritty of fundraising via parachuting for donations, Losada makes even the most dreary activities both humorous and sobering.
   
   Finally, in Part Three, "And the wisdom to the know the difference..." Losada's journey becomes at once more introspective and profound as she receives an invitation to meet with the Dalai Lama. It is this portion of the text alone that will likely bring the most fascination to readers. Losada takes her time to carefully unfold the details of this once in a lifetime encounter and the results are most satisfying.
   
   While Losada communicates with regular dashes of humor and wit, she likewise is serious about making a difference in the world. Even the most socially complacent readers will glean tips on how vital doing "one's bit" is to a better, safer, more peaceful world. As the Dalai Lama so succinctly states, "If the individual acts, society is changed."
   
   --- Reviewed by Michele Howe



2. A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World is an amazing book.
   
   Ostensibly a book about a woman (author Isabel Losada) who decides to do something to help the people of Tibet (the Chinese should be ashamed of themselves for what they've done to that peaceful country!), A Beginner's Guide is a book for anyone who longs to LIVE life to its fullest. It's a book for people who yearn for adventures, yet never take the first step toward making them happen.
   
   It isn't just for people interested in Buddhism, either. It's a fun-to-read, inspiring book that anyone, of any religious faith, could embrace and enjoy.
   
   Written in a breezy conversational style, A Beginner's Guide is a tale told wonderfully and joyfully. It recounts Ms. Losada's adventures in Tibet, revealing a side to that country's people the Chinese don't usually let people see. If you'd like to see Tibet, but don't have the time or money (or government permission) to go there, A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World is the next best thing.
   
   I wholeheartedly embrace Ms. Losada's desire to help the people of Tibet. I think what happened (and is happening) in that country is just as terrible as anything that happened to the Jews in Nazi Germany. A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World is one woman's attempt to come to grips with the enormity of the situation and to do something about it. (And you'll never believe what kind of things she dreams up to do about it!)
   
   But, again, this book is not heavy-handed or dire. This is one of the most joyful and positive books I've come across in a long time.
   
   I strongly recommend Isabel Losada's book A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World.



3. In A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World Losada decides to devote a year of her life to a worthy cause in an attempt to see whether an individual can make real changes. Her chosen cause is the Tibetan situation. This makes the book sound incredibly serious, but what I like about Losada's style is her way of communicating as if she & you are sitting in the room together & she's chatting to you personally. She is a very witty writer & what could be a dry and depressing topic is actually very funny at times, whilst not losing sight of the serious objectives.
   
   The book is divided into three main sections. In the first part Isabel Losada recounts her decision to travel to Tibet & see the situation at first hand. This reads as an exciting travelogue & paints at times an amusing and then touching picture of Tibet & its People. In the second section back at home in London, Losada contemplates the possible ways she could support the Tibetan cause, culminating in planning a daring publicity stunt promoting the Dalai Lama's peaceful stance against violence at a time when the world had embarked on the `War on Terror'. In the third section of the book Losada is invited to Dharamsala to meet His Holiness himself.
   
   You can expect to experience the full range of human emotion as you read Losada's account. At times she is laugh out loud funny, at others you'll be outraged by the callous treatment of the Tibetan people by the Chinese occupiers. You'll find yourself sharing Losada's frustration in her search for a way to make a difference and her excitement and nerves in mounting the stunt. Then there's the anticipation of meeting His Holiness- I had a tear in my eye & felt I was in the room with them.
   
   (...)



4. This book talked much about what we already knew about the plight of Tibet, Tibetans, and Dalai Lama. Still, I'm continuously pilfering through books written about Tibet lest I forget human's propensity to do atrocities against their fellow human beings. Whilst we think that sacrifices made during World War 2 would remind people not to resort to violence to resolve issues, it happens yet again in our lifetime. Examples are everywhere namely Iraq occupation or revolution depending which sides you are on. The irony of the whole thing is that the main power that ended World War 2 would be the aggressor in this instance in the name of profits. From this book, it's obvious that Isabel has a pure heart and she asked quite rightly why we are actually penalising Dalai Lama when he's the one who preached non-violence to overcome obstacles. She also said it quite rightly about fighting might with right. Cynical readers might be worried that this book is one-sided, China slamming. It's actually not like that at all. Isabel pointed out also that the ways activists were dealing with issues might be at the wrong footing or rubbing China the wrong way. Ultimately, Isabel just shared with us her experience of trying to help Tibets, Tibetans, and the Dalai Lama. It's funny, heart-warming, and straight to the points at times. For those readers that want to know about those three main issues and yet, don't want to read a dry book, I guess this is a book that you can try to get your hands on. It's quite an enjoyable read, really.



5. I loved, loved, loved this book. It was exactly the right book for me. I almost didn't buy it, though. I'm on a must-resist-book-buying sort of budget, but my husband pointed this book out to me at the bookstore. After reading the "Ten Indispensable Things You Need to Change the World" on the back flap, I knew I had to buy this book. (#1 is "A cupboard. To put your TV in." Something I know I should do but don't.)
   
   The book is structured around the author trying to get a better grasp on the serenity prayer, which she has carried with her for years:
   "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
   The courage to change the things I can
   And the wisdom to know the difference."
   
   That first bit is where I get stuck. I feel this immense responsibility to devote my life to "changing the world" but I just end up feeling overwhelmed (duh, can you imagine?) and frustrated when I see that there's no silver bullet solution to anything. This book spoke to me in a way that no one ever has. No matter how many times someone has said to me "There is no silver bullet" or "You can't change the world in a day" or whatever, I nodded in agreement but didn't really agree. Deep down, I truly believed that there is a silver bullet and I just had to find it.
   
   But this book taught me that though there may be a silver bullet out there, devoting your life to finding out what it is isn't nearly important as *doing* something that brings you joy and makes you feel as if you're contributing something to the solution. I don't want to ruin the ending, but I will if I say much more than that.
   
   I just really, really loved this book. It's exactly what I needed to read. Thank you, Isabel Losada, wherever you are.

5 comments about Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.

1. I enjoyed this book completely...it really gave me a sense of the human experience of the journey, and made me appreciate just what an incredible accomplishment it was. The illustrations really add to the enjoyment of the book, as do the excerpts from the journals of several of the men. I also liked the background information on what goals were actually behind the exploration and how they worked to meet those goals. There's only one reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars, and that's because it lacks a good map to help understand where they were during some of the events described. But that can be found in other works, and this really is a good introducion to Lewis and Clark...it's a relatively easy read but full of interesting facts and adventures.



2. This book was so hard to put down! The way the author combines the facts with the actual quotes from the Lewis and Clark journals (complete with spelling errors), the original sketches and descriptions by Lewis and Clark, old pictures and paintings, and the attention to the sequencing (i.e., he walks you straight through the entire journey and makes it flow) really makes this book come alive for me. I highly recommend it!!



3. I've been looking for the audio version for a long time and found it easily on amazon. You can keep your eyes on the road and still learn something about the the most mindboggling journey in American history.
   It makes me want to follow their trail (by road of course). Fantastic set of CD's



4. The book is good and interesting (especially for someone with very little prior knowledge about the Corps), but the reading is absurd! He (I mean the narrator; the supporting cast is good) is so melodramatic as to be incredibly distracting. GOOFY. Only buy it if you are able to ignore the reader's voice and style; otherwise, order it in print form!



5. Like every American kid, I grew up knowing the names "Lewis and Clark." But (also, I suspect, like most American kids), I really knew (and cared) very little about their incredible journey, or why it was undertaken. Then, 10 years ago, I stumbled across Dayton Duncan's wonderful Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, and I was hooked.
   
   Duncan's book is a wonderful introduction to the Corps of Discovery (even the name itself is exciting, isn't it?) in that it offers information about the expedition without overwhelming the reader new to the topic, illustrates the text with fine photographs and reproductions, all of which are instructively captioned, contains a number of sideboxes and page-long essays on specializied subjects, and includes several essays from other Lewis and Clark authorities, including Ken Burns, who produced the companion film, and Stephen Ambrose.
   
   Duncan ends the book with an essay, "We procceded on," that is as reflective a meditation on the deep meaning of the Corps of Discovery journey as I've read. It also serves as an excellent preface to another of his books, Out West, a fascinating and entertaining account of his recapitulation of the Corps of Discovery's route in a volkswagon camper.
   
   If you're new to Lewis and Clark, this is the book to read. But it's also pure pleasure for afficionados.