2 comments about San Juan Bonanza: Western Colorado's Mining Legacy.

1. Enjoyable reading; especially if you are interested in past history of silver mines.



2. It is not proper to read a book that you are giving as a gift. So I dunno what is was about, how well it was written or such fancy stuff that reviewer people talk about. It did have a pretty cover.
   
   Amazon told me to review this purchase.

1 comments about The City and the Saloon: Denver, 1858-1916.

1. Noel's study of the saloon in Denver treads the line between being a rather parochial local history and a more analytical social history. He includes everything that you need to know about saloon ownership, local politics, and drinking habits, but does so without stressing existing historiography. This absence makes the book a quick and entertaining read, but there's little sense of how Denver compares to other cities. The book is very good at what it does, but what it does is limited. If you want a fun book on drinking in Denver, this book is more than adequate, but if you are looking for a more scholarly approach read Roy Rosenzweig's Eight Hours for What We Will.

5 comments about OBIT. Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People who Led Extraordinary Lives.

1. 
   Outstanding compilation of ways to handle grief and a great and gentle way of honoring the fallen.



2. The book is a quick read, didn't cry at any of the stories as I thought I would :-) but the stories where o.k., not as "gripping" as I thought they would be as I could proably find some people who did alot for their community, sacrificed for their children etc. All in all, a fast read & was written well.



3. "Obit"; Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extraordinary Lives by, Jim Sheeler is the literary equivalent of the old potato chip slogan: "I'll bet you can't eat just one!"
   
   You can't just read one of these stories and not open up the bag and grab another...and another...and another. Sheeler's "Obit" is addicting and soulfully gratifying.
   
   To my knowledge, most hotels and motels throughout this country still have a copy of the bible in each room for their patrons. I think it should be mandatory that each one of those motels place a copy of "Obit" next to those bibles. After all, Death is the best inspiration of life that I know of (author, Thomas Lynch would agree with me).
   
   Here is a collection of stories about real people, real lives, real death, real writting and...real inspiration!!
   
   By this book and keep it next to your bible, or...in your suitcase, or...carry it where ever you may go. If, you appreciate good stories, and superb writting then... this book is for YOU!



4. There is a quiet dignity in the lives of everyday people. Look at the obituary pages and there are stories. Jim Sheeler began his career as a feature obituary writer in the weekly Boulder Planet and then moved to The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. Now he authors a weekly feature obituary.
   
   Obit features some of those stories. Taking the snippets of information from obituaries, he seeks out family and friends to create a more intimate portrait of the deceased. Along the way he shares their hopes and dreams, their struggles and joys. Within these portraits are the wisdom of many years, memories of the old ways and of Colorado before its expansion, and lessons on living and dying well, as well as heartbreak and tragedy. Far from being morbid or dull, these brief features capture some of the best we see mirrored in each of us. In this increasingly disconnected world, it is a gift to take the time to get to know our neighbors. Sadly, sometimes it only comes after death.



5. Received the book in good condition & arrived in a timely manner. I am enjoying the book as it allows us a more detailed look into these peoples lives. Reminds me of "The Rest of the Story."

5 comments about Cripple Creek Days.

1. This is a brilliant novel which engages the reader fully. The plot twists and turns as if this were a work of fiction rather than a biography. The characters are vivid, unique and unforgettable ... and they were real people. Ms. Barbee Lee was a keen observer and her descriptions are fascinating. Most of all, I liked how she tells us interesting gossip about some of the powerful people involved in the Cripple Creek gold rush and then, explains how things turned out and why. Some of these explanations needed enough time to pass in order to be told. While reading this page-turner, I felt like I was watching the events unfold through a window. I have recommended it to friends just because it is a really good book. The fact that it is true and will give the reader more insight into the past and into Colorado's mining history is just a bonus.



2. This book captivates a sense of innocence and honesty that is palpable on each page. Mable Lee Barby wrote the book I always wanted to read about the district that as a child I wandered and wondered endlessly. Mable is buried between "Jonce" and "Kate" overlooking the town. Cripple Creek has mostly disappeared from what I knew. There are no more "old timers" sitting on chairs in front of screen doors of dusty old shops holding so many individual memories of the characters that made Cripple Creek such an special place. The wheel house is almost gone from the surrounding hills but there is a spiritual core of a history that will never die.

   Frank Waters did a wonderful job with his two books and there have been others but when I see Bennett St. or even pass the front steps of the old stone building of Colorado College I think of Mable Lee Barbee. In this book she left a record of her and others lives that will never be equaled. There is a sweet fragrance!




3. What I Liked: The author's love of her adopted hometown comes through very well. Her descriptions of people and places are vivid enough that one can almost see them when they close their eyes while reading, between passages. I also liked how a lot of clichés and stereotypes about the Colorado Gold Rush era are avoided. Yes, some characters do talk and act the way we've seen them act in Western films since many actually did, but this book doesn't act as though they made up the entirety of the region. We meet people in this book who are articulate, people who are more cynical and jaded than "frontiersman" like, who are religious, but don't proselytize. Another aspect of this book is the period correct dialogue. The languages and attitudes of the people of the day isn't toned down or made politically correct to avoid offending anyone. Yes, some of the people in the story, even the likeable ones, use words and phrases we of 21st century Colorado recognize as racist and/or stereotypical, but that is simply how people talked in that time. Overall, reading this book reminds me in some ways of how I enjoyed the film Little Big Man, another period piece set in roughly in the same timeframe.
   
   What I Didn't Like: The author doesn't always do a good job of conveying time in the book. More than once, I actually got lost and couldn't figure out what year an event was occurring in, or how old she was. Transitions aren't always smooth, such as when her brother goes from newborn to whiny toddler in a matter of a few pages. It can be jarring, but is not uncommon for first time authors. Granted, I don't actually know if this was Mabel Barbee Lee's first book, but if it was, it shows. Another negative aspect is the description on the back of my copy of the book, which spoils the book somewhat by listing nearly every major event from the first half of the story except for the death of the author's younger sister, the incident involving bandits where she tried to hide a silver dollar in her mouth, and the boxing match described by her father as "the fight of the century."



4. A candid look into the hardships of life in a mining camp, through the eyes of a young girl growing up there. This book was an eye opening account of what it was really like in a rugged mining camp and how families coped with hardships. I also found this book extremely entertaining and full of historical accounts that I was unaware of. It definitely paints a vivid picture of Cripple Creek's hay day and makes it a place that is not to be forgotten.



5. A poigniant first-person memoire of life in the mining camps at the turn of the 20th Century. Excellent prose. Very clear, descriptive, and engrossing writing. The theme is a surprising brush with the notable politically, socially, and historically famous folks in a most unexpected place: an isolated, mostly poverty ridden mining camp at very high elevation in one of the richest gold mining areas. The author's father played an important role in the exploration and development of the gold and silver discoveries there. Chronicles her childhood and flowering as a woman of distinction who knew tradgedy and trauma, yet grew into a very wholesome adult.

1 comments about Treasure Tales Of Rockies.

1. I ordered this book for my dad, and it was exactly what he wanted. A++++

1 comments about Mesa Verde National Park: Shadows of the Centuries.

1. Great book with diverse research and comprehensive. Easy to read and understand. Recommended for those interested in our indian past in the US.

No comments about Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers.

1 comments about Wapiti Wilderness.

1. Delightful mix of authorship with suject matter alternating between chapters of ground-breaking elk research (by Olaus) and family life in a near wilderness (by Margaret). The Muries were just as dedicated game biologists studying elk in Wyoming as Olaus' brother Adolph was in Alaska as he dedicated his life to research on wolves for the National Geographic Society. (Adolph's work preceeded Farley Mowatt's writings and subsequent hit movie, "Never Cry Wolf" and provided invaluable background information.) Olaus pioneered the practice of feeding hay to the elk during difficult winters to keep the herds healthy. Margaret deserved some kind of medal for raising those kids under such trying, but ultimately rewarding, conditions.

2 comments about Colorado: A History Of The Centennial State.

1. This book was used as a text book in one of my history classes at CSU back in the mid 80s. I kicked myself later on after selling it when I graduated. I never did consider this book to be a "text" book, but a highly enjoyable factual account written with precision and accuracy. I was only slightly disappointed not to be able to find the 2nd Ed., which is the one I read, but bought the 4th Ed. There are some subtle changes, but changes I did notice. Excellent, excellent book!



2. If you have to get this book for your colorado History class and the one you're supposed to get is the 4th edition, the 3rd edition (with the rust colored cover) is nearly identical and has very few and very minute changes to it. There are a few photos in the 4th that are not in the 3rd, but for the 19.00 I saved I had a "hot lunch" on campus instead of packing my lunch and consoled myself. It was difficult but I got through it...
   Seriously, if you're wondering if this is one of those books that you can get away with an older, cheaper edition, yes. Yes it is.

5 comments about Man of the Family.

1. 
   A reviewer asked for help regarding the names and volumes in this series. Here it is...
   
   1. Little Britches
   2. Man of the Family
   3. The Home Ranch
   4. Mary Emma & Company
   5. The Fields of Home
   6. Shaking the Nickel
   7. The Dry Divide
   8. Horse of a Different Color
   
   Mr. Moody shares adventures of his life in this series. It's wonderful, but there is some foul language. Therefore, I would recommend reading the books aloud with older children (not for the preschool/early elementary crowd).



2. Highly recommended series. I recommend as an alternative to the Little House series for boys. Well written.



3. Wow these books are great! And you know the later the books the thicker they are. I think its because he remembers more about like his teen years than in his childhood. Well over all I would highly recommend this book. Yet like in a prior review these books do have some language but it shrinks in the text more and more. Buy this book and you wont be disappointed!



4. I finished reading this book to my older children (12 and 14) today. We all loved it. The book operates on many levels. It's the Chronicles of the life of an adolescent boy around 1910. It's also the story of a family's struggles and will to not only survive, but to thrive and to stand up for their beliefs. This book has encouraged my children to contribute more in our family, and to set up their own families with good principles. I would give this book 10 stars if there were 10 to give, and I can't recommend it highly enough as a great family read!



5. It took me awhile to finish it but I love love loved all the parts with horses and other animals. This was a great book but it had the most awful ending I've ever read. It reminded me of the little house on the prarie books. Funny, interesting and sometimes miserable or sad.
   I would have adored this book if the ending had been something else. Dont continue reading if you havent read it yet.
   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   Ralph moves from Coloradoe to BOSTON!!!!!! THe city!!!!! It broke my heart, hurt my head and dissapointed me sooooo much. I didnt need a happy go lucky ending, but that was the worst. He has to leave the horses, rabbits, cow and all his friends and everyone and most of all beautiful coloradoe for,.....boston? and it;s all his mother's fault. she tells some secret or something and ruins the whole end of the book. i guess it's just being realistic but still......