Customer Reviews (2)

The team of the '70's.
Excellent book. I have been fascinated with the Oakland A's since I was a kid. Baltimore was the closest Major League city to where I grew up (four-and-a-half hours away!) and I was an O's fan because we visited there most summers. But, the A's became my favorite team in the early '70's. Maybe it was the uniforms. Maybe it was the colorful characters. Maybe it was the fact the A's players always seemed to look really cool on their baseball cards. Whatever it was, I continued to root for the A's from 3,000 miles away and still do.

"Champagne and Baloney" captures not only the essence of the internally contentious Oakland A's, but sets it in the context of the era in which they played. Besides being three-peat World Champions, the A's were innovative on the field, the first dominant team of the division play era, and the symbol of the coming difficulties for small market teams in the land of free agency.

This book is must reading for any Oakland A's fan and any baseball fan who remembers (or appreciates) the National Pastime in the early 1970's.

Keep it alive in '75
I was born and raised in the Bay Area and grew up watching the magnificent, mustachioed, mavericks who were the Oakland Athletics of the 1970's.This book brings back all those wonderful memories of mychildhood.Reggie, Campy, Sal, Joe, Vida, Catfish and all the rest arethere to remember.This book has a lot of insight into how Charles O.Finley created the team that may be the last dynasty in baseball history. It is mostly written about the owner, showing his tenacity to survive andbuild a great team but also portraying him as the egomanical despot that hewas. The only thing I disliked was the fact that it didn't go far enough indocumenting the dismantleing of the team as well, which started with theloss of Catfish Hunter in 1975.However, if you are a fan of baseball andan A's fan in particular you should read this book.It was a veryenjoyable read. ... Read more

Product Description
This anthology presents material selected from the collection of Angel Hair magazine and books edited by Anne Waldman and Lewis Warsh between 1966 and 1978. Included are substantial sections of writing--in some cases entire books--from an impressive range of poets including Clark Coolidge, Alice Notley, Hannah Weiner, Robert Creeley, Bernadette Mayer, Kenward Elmslie, Tom Clark, Joanne Kyger, Bill Berkson, Ted Greenwald, Lorenzo Thomas, John Wieners, Joe Brainard, Ron Padgett, as well as Waldman and Warsh, among many others. From the nascent St. Mark's Poetry Project on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Bolinas and Boulder, Angel Hair published an idiosyncratic cross-section of innovative writing in distinctive format, becoming one of the longest-lived and most influential publishers on the small press scene. The anthology of literary writings is supplemented with brief memoirs by more than twenty writers, and the book also includes an annotated checklist by Aaron Fischer and Steven Clay that comprises a citation and photograph of each of the approximately eighty books, magazines, broadsides and catalogues issued by the Press. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I didn't like that book
I am a fan of Rock Hudson and buy this book expecting to learn a bit more of his life. But it was too boring to read nonsense about places they frequented together. I had the impression that Tom Clark just wanted to report on expensive trips and hotels that they stayed. A book that adds nothing to the reader. A waste of time. I regret even have wasted my time reading a book so superficial about Rock Hudson. I do not recommend reading this book. And really a waste of time...

What a Waste of Paper and Ink & MY Time!
I had to rate this book with ONE star!! I could not rate it NO stars or NEGATIVE stars, but if I could have ... I would have!!!

This book is not worth reading. It is all about some guy (Tom Clark) hanging on to the coat tails of Rock Hudson. The book is filled with all of the wonderful, charitable, exotic, expensive and important things "we" did together! The book is really NOT about Rock Hudson, but about the importance Tom Clark felt because of his relationship with Rock Hudson. They traveled first class, they had houses, they had cars, they had important people in their life, they had butlers & cooks, they had it because Rock was paying for it ALL!

Tom Clark makes many vague references based upon his shaky memory, when the facts could be determined. For example, "so-and-so" had four or seven nominations, Rock Hudson may have done this, etc. His writing is poor for someone who wanted to be a writer. The text would get failing grades in an high school English class. Dick Kleiner worked on this disaster with Tom Clark and his English skills must be just as poor! Both of these "writers" need decent editing and coaching in English sentence construction.

As Tom Clark states in the Preface: "This is the book I swore I would never write." ... This is the book he should NEVER have WRITTEN in the first place!! It is not a biography or an autobiography, but the story of a leech who knew Rock Hudson and LOST. It is mostly sour grapes with name, place, house, activity, shopping, hotel, restaurant dropping throughout. Your life is worth more than the time required to read this useless, bad, boring, silly book.

From The Inside Flap:
This book is an intimate portrait of Rock Hudson. There is only one person who could have written this book and that man is Tom Clark. He was Rock Hudson's best friend, his closest friend and confidant for more than twenty years. ROCK HUDSON: FRIEND OF MINE is also the book Tom Clark swore he would never write because he felt the times he had shared with Rock Hudson, both good and bad, were his alone to remember and cherish. But he has changed his mind. Why? Because he, and the others who knew Rock Hudson well, were disappointed and distressed about the other books written about Rock. They felt a truer picture had to be shown. In these pages, you will find Rock Hudson as he really was. Because of their closeness, Tom Clark reveals stories and memories of Rock Hudson that no one else knows. And ROCK HUDSON: FRIEND OF MINE is filled with wonderful reminiscences-some funny, some sad, all revealing-about the great stars and directors Rock Hudson worked with in his many films. Here are personal insights into Elizabeth Taylor, Tyrone Power, Lauren Bacall, Dinah Shore, Doris Day, Carol Burnett, Susan Saint James, Julie Andrews, and Blake Edwards, among dozens of others. ... Read more

Product Description
Storage virtualization is a new field that has considerable interest forinformation technology managers. There is currently no single work thatprovides an objective, technical explanation of virtualization technologies.This book examines new storage virtualization technologies that automate datastorage processes, including data placement, replication, and back-up. Storagevirtualization is designed to ease storage management by presenting yourstorage network's physical assets in a logical form. Making storage networkseasier to manage can save a company money and make a storage network moreefficient. Storage Virtualization provides a technical overview of howvirtualization applications work and also includes practical case examples fromthe real world. Topics covered include: virtualizing at the host level, fabricbasedvirtualization, virtualization appliances, virtualized file systems,virtualization engines, and virtualized tape back-up. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good book to learn the basics
A good book to learn the basics of virtualization.

A good summary of storage virtualization
This book describes the basics of modern storage virtualization at an introductory level. The reader should have a basic technical background but does not need know much about storage. There are fourteen chapters each of which covers one aspect of storage. Topics include: host, server and fabric based virtualization. Additional topics such as various types of file systems as well as protocols such as Fibre, NFS, iscsi are also covered. The main drawback is the lack of details. Each topic is covered in about ~10-15 pages which is barely enough to scratch the surface. Therefore anyone who is seriously interested in a particular topic will have to find other material to really dig in. On the positive side, the presentation is simple enough that the book may be read rather quickly. I would recommend it to anyone who is getting into storage and wants a summary of all the major topics in an easy to read book.

goes behind the storage abstractions
Clark gives straightforward explanations of the issues involved in storage virtualisation. He shows that there are various ways to present to an operating system or user data storage capacities. In a functionally abstract manner, that permits a modular architectural design. This abstraction is crucial in giving a simple and logical view of the memory or disk. So that the applications level developer need only deal on a very simple level with read and write to the medium.

But Clark does more than just present this from the developer's viewpoint. He takes us deeper into how the actual hardware might be arranged. Perhaps in a virtualised mirroring setup, to cite one of his examples. He also goes into the idea behind a SAN server. Where essentially you might imagine a fast, dedicated computer sitting on your network. Whose only purpose is to provide massive data storage, simply accessible.

Plus, tape drives are also considered, in various configurations with SAN servers. Clark demonstrates that there is indeed an important place for tape drives. Not extinct yet, despite the claims of some disk vendors. A tape is often the most economical medium for archival storage.

If you manage a network of devices, then the book gives you a good education in what issues to consider, when deciding on storage.

Very well written intro to storage virtualization
A concise and well written book on storage virtualization. Starting with explanation of file meta data and storage meta data the author uses good illustrations to dive reasonably deep and explain the concepts behind each mode of virtualization starting from server down to switch, appliance and array-based virtualization.The book is not wordy nor does it waste time on pointless rambling on the history of storage networking etc..I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in truly understanding the concepts behind this upcoming technology.

Tom Clark Clarifies Storage Virtualization Very Well!
Tom Clark is one of most lucid, current writers on storage networking topics.His books on Designing Storage Area Networks and IP SANS are good introductions to these topics.His latest book, Storage Virtualization (2005 Addison Wesley press), provides a much-needed Rosetta Stone for interpreting and putting into perspective the various meanings for this much ballyhooed concept.

The book gives a good overview of files and records, basic storage device and system architecture, as well as storage interconnects.It also provides a guide to techniques for virtualization as well as in many uses to which storage virtualization can be used.He gives us a detailed description of various paths to storage virtualization including virtualization at the host, at the storage target, as well as in the storage network fabric.The book also discusses specialized virtualization appliances and virtualization services such as pooling heterogeneous storage assets, mirroring, point-in-time snapshots, and hierarchical storage management (also known as ILM).Clark covers more advanced topics such as virtual tape, virtualization and storage automation, and finally storage as a utility.He also provides descriptions of numerous commercial solutions where appropriate.His description of the fiber application interface standard (FAIS) in chapter 8 is the best I has seen.

This book is accessible to several levels of readers from undergraduate and graduate students, IT administrators, as well as storage professionals.It will serve as a good textbook which I recommend for inclusion in a class covering advanced network storage concepts.The book is organized into 14 short chapters, each followed by a comprehensive review at the end of the chapters.It also includes useful appendices including vendors for various storage virtualization solutions, short observations and speculation by various analysts and practicing storage professionals, and a comprehensive glossary.

Although there are a few grammatical errors, they do not lead to serious misunderstanding of the excellent content.Overall, I highly recommend this book and enjoyed reading it.
... Read more

Product Description
Volume Four (Sales & Marketing Giants)Jerry Clark interviews Michael Oliver, Tom Hopkins, Donne Reeve, Ted Nicholas, Rick Crandall, Jay Conrad Levinson, and Mark Davis.Volume four of Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants includes:· How to naturally attract more new businesswithout ever using any manipulative sales techniques whatsoever!· How to make the salealmost every timewithout even trying! (Key idea: Detach from the outcome and youll build a bondinstead of a barrier!)· What you should focus your attention on when first meeting a new prospect! (Most NEVER do this... so youll make a lasting impression and set yourself apart by following this simple strategy!)· The most effective method of persuasion... yet not one in one hundred Network Marketers use this!· 4 principles of Natural Selling and why this works so amazingly well!· How to easily get every prospect to listen attentively to what you have to say!· Why most prospects are less than receptive to sales pitches... and how to use this information to eliminate any anxiety and put people at total ease!· Classic networking blunders... and how to avoid making these costly mistakes yourself!· How to turn a natural conversation into an ideal sales opportunity... and how to make the transition a super-smooth, win/win exchange!And much more... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cut Down On Your Rejection Rate
From my years in publishing as an author, magazine editor and currently a book acquisitions editor, I know the value of a good pitch. It's everything to capture an editor's attention.

Tom Clark gives seasoned advice about how to seize the editor's attention and imagination. if you want to cut down on your rejection rate as a writer, then get this book.

As he writes in the final pages, "Successful freelancing isn't a one-shot proposition. You write, you sell, and you write again. But each article will be a different experience. The first article may be on safety in homes, and the next one is on Hawaiian rain forests, and the third is on mega-aquariums. The world truly is your oyster; you can pluck the pearl of an idea from any spot on it."

I recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a fully updated revision of Designing Storage Area Networks. It collapses or removes dated material from the original edition and adds new content, particularly in the area of Fibre Channel fabrics, IP SANs and storage virtualization. Storage area networks are now recognized as the preferred solution for fulfilling a wide range of critical data storage needs for institutions and enterprises. The success of SANs in establishing real end-user value is affirmed by the adoption of the technology by all major solution providers as their flagship server and storage offerings. IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Sun, Dell and others now provide certified SAN configurations for performance, high availability and backup of storage data, while storage vendors such as EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, XIOtech and others offer SAN interfaces on their premier products. While the current market penetration of SAN-based solutions is only 20% of the total storage market, SANs are expected to capture the majority of the market within a few years. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Detailed and well written yet still consice and compact
This is the kind of book that will give a solid foundation on storage concepts like iSCSI, iFCP, FCIP, SAN. It's not super detailed like reading standards documents. What I really liked on this book is the way it was written, it is very clear and easy to understand especially for a beginner or an IP network guy like me.

Great Book
This book is a very good overview of the field.The information contained therein is a little dated, but most of it still applies to today.It is well written and concise.

Good, Practical Overview
A good overview of SAN technology.My first exposure to SANs and Fiber Channel switches was the Web interfaces for the devices we have.I bought this book and it made much sense of what I saw in the Web pages.While not perfect (and not vendor specific), it covers the topic concisely and throroughly.

A definite good technical read
Good details description very easy to read, facts and information from the very basic to very technical. A definite good technical read.

Understand technology behind without reading T11 standards
This book is quite dry, no question about that, but not as dry as the standards published by organizations in charge with Fibre Channel standards. Yet, as a SAN designer or SAN administrator you can find in it all the information you need to understand the inner details of a Loop Insertion Primitive or how an Alternate buffer-to-buffer credit model works. Compared with other books on the subject is remarcably error free and I was nicely impressed by Mr. Clark's considerations upon what should be the customer' role in steering vendors in developing products that are more open and interoperate better. ... Read more

Product Description
Jerry "DRhino" Clark interviews Jett, Christine Gear, Tom "Big Al" Shreiter, Jan Ruhe, Randy Ward, and Collie and David Butler.Secrets of the 90-day blitz - how to successfully launch - or dynamically expand - your network marketing business in the next 3 months! (Get this right and you'll never look back!)5 no-nonsense steps to producing outstanding results in any networking business in a shockingly short period of time!Fool-proof goal setting AND getting! (Follow these steps and truly ANYTHING is within your grasp!)Lightning-quick growth strategies that work at any level - even for beginners! (Surprise! It's actually easier to grow faster rather than slower? so you'll be able to enjoy the plentiful fruits of your labors that much sooner!) ... Read more

Product Description
In the 1960s, a trio of rebellious young gangsters, the Gallo boys, sought to overthrow the reigning New York Mafia Dons and create a dynasty for themselves—an underworld revolution that was fueled by their leader’s immersion into the era’s countercultural revolution. The Gallo boys are steeped in legend, from being the subject of a Bob Dylan ballad to serving as inspiration for The Godfather trilogy to appearing in photo spreads in Life. Yet never before has their complete story been told.

Now, “with the authority, swagger, and flavor of a true insider” (ForeWord magazine) Tom Folsom finally gives Red Hook, Brooklyn’s most notorious figures their due and captures the radical spirit of 1960s New York City. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (40)

Oh please!
Very, very tough read.With this subject this could have been a great read.So difficult to follow makes this even more of shame.The writer is almost trying to hard to be a writer.Going out of his way to be some kind of "hip" writer to try and get you into the times but is so far off it makes you want to put this book down for good.Then there are times where it holds your interest for a few pages then not.Great subject for true crime fans but as I said, Not a good read.

Interesting topic....Poorly written
First, I'm thinking this book was written to create a television documentary.There was such potential to present this story of Joe Gallo and sadly, the "story" skipped so much it was hard to follow.Secondly, I can't imagine the author is lazy.Just to write any book least of all one that is nonfiction is a serious and challenging undertaking.However his writing style seemed lazy to me.Failing to attribute quotes to characters in a conversation, I found it difficult to know who was saying what.Okay, it's a book and not a screenplay? Wait, maybe it was a screenplay?

With the parallels and links to The Godfather stories, Joe Colombo, Profaci, Persico, Gambino, etc., so much more could have put into this book.Even Joe Gallo's entry into New York society might have been interesting.Yet readers are left to an insipid presentation of what might have been.I've read some fascinating books about Giancana, Spilotro, the Westies, Roy DeMeo and even "Joey the Hitman".All were very well done. Clearly we tend to romanticize members of the mafia and yes they have been cancers on our society but they are figures of the American experience. I'm disappointed to say the least.

To put into context about the potential this book had, "potential means you ain't done nuthin' yet."This book does nothing.Try again Mr. Folsom, I'm ready to read something well done.

unreadable!
The cover for the hardback or the paperback are the only positive things that I can say about this "book". It is so disjointed and lacking in actual substance it is truly unreadable. There is just enough information to want to keep reading in hopes that author will actually get to the point. Sadly, he never does. It feels like he was trying to write a screenplay not a biography. It was so frustrating, however, that I hit Google and looked up Crazy Joe and his history. I suggest that you save your money and go buy a cup of coffee at your favorite coffeehouse and log on and read about a truly interesting character in U.S. history.

cool cover boring story
I was all excited to read this especially with the Kerouac and Dylan references. I'm 1/2 way through the book and I just want to finish it and sell it on here. I'm not interested in the characters at all. Don't even bother with this book.

A mob reader MUST!!
Great book about organized crime. I didn't realize the Gallo brothers stirred up the 50's and 60's mob to that extent. A fun read. ... Read more

Product Description
Fantasy Classics presents Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," adapted by Rod Lott and Skot Olsen, with a prologue illustrated by Mark A. Nelson. Plus H.P. Lovecraft's epic fantasy "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath," by Ben Avery and Leong Wan Kok, and "Oz" author L. Frank Baum's "The Glass Dog," by Antonella Caputo and Brad Teare. Also Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter," adapted by Lance Tooks, and poems by fantasy masters Clark Ashton Smith and Lord Dunsany, illustrated by Rachel Masilamani. With a dramatic cover painting by Skot Olsen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Here there be Monsters and Wizards
Tom Pomplun and the Graphic Classics team just keep getting better.This latest release is another anthology collection, bringing us some of the more obscure tales from famous authors like L. Frank Baum, as well as the grand slam home run of Mary Shelley. I love these anthology collections the best, for the chance to be introduced to some new authors as well as seeing adaptations of some of my favorite yarns.

"Fantasy Classics" is a good mix of long and short stories, with two major tales peppered with short poems and stories on a theme.There is no "High Fantasy" here, no knights or dragons, and perhaps "Fantastical" would be a better term.But no matter what you want to call it, there is some great stuff here.

This edition includes:

"After the Fire" - A short poem by Lord Dunsany, the man who was the inspiration for HP Lovecraft and all of the weird fiction authors to follow. Rachel Masilamani's illustrations cement the Lovecraft-connection with writhing tentacles.

"Fantasmagoriana" - A recreation of the famous ghost story competition that gave rise to one of the most famous monsters of all time.Lord Byron, Percy Shelley and Mary Godwin all come to life in illustrations by Mark A. Nelson that resemble Victorian prints.

"Frankenstein" - The Monster in question appears, in a long 47 page adaptation by rod Lott.Skot Olsen interprets the tale with a delightful Gothic-cartoony feel that balances sympathy for the monster with its horrible nature.

"Rappaccini's Daughter" - Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of my favorite authors, and someone who really deserves the Graphic Classics treatment. This is a text-and-pictures adaptation telling the story of a sort of mad wizard of Science, his beautiful daughter, and the foolish man who loves her.Beautifully adapted by
Lance Tooks, my favorite of the Graphic Classics artists.

"The Glass Dog" - L. Frank Baum, best know for his Oz series, did other tales too, like this little yarn of a wizard who cares nothing for money, and a lonely glass blower who cares for little else, unless it be for the love of a bitter shrew. The two strike a bargain, and we get a funny tale of questionable morals. Illustrated by Brad Teare, it has a great scratchy feel that compliments the story.

"The Dream Bridge" - A short poem by Clark Ashton Smith and illustrated by Evert Geradts,It is a fanciful whimsy.

"The Dream Quest of the Unknown Kadath" - This is a new adaptation, different from the previous Graphic Classics adaptation.The second long yarn of the book, 47 pages, illustrator Leong Wan Kok takes us on a bizarre tour through Lovecraft's dreaming realms. It has the proper nightmarish feel, gugs and all.

An invaluable introduction to the worlds of fantasy
Volume fifteen in the Graphic Classics series, Fantasy Classics is an anthology of black-and-white comic adaptations of timeless fantasy (and horror) stories by great literary authors. Each adaptation is illustrated by a different artist with a fiercely individual style. The adapted literature selections are "After the Fire" by Lord Dunsany, "Fantasmagoriana" (a prologue to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, telling of a creative exchange of ghost stories Shelly once had with fellow writers), "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Glass Dog" by L. Frank Baum, "The Dream-Bridge" by Clark Ashton Smith, and "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath" by H.P. Lovecraft. The resulting compilation is highly recommended as an invaluable introduction to the worlds of fantasy, wizardry, and dreaming that took root in humanity's collective psyche well before "The Lord of the Rings" established certain tropes as mainstream. Due to mature and often tragic themes, Fantasy Classics is recommended for readers who are at least twelve years of age.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Fantasy Classics!True Adventure

Eagerly anticipated, my copy of Fantasy Classics arrived in the mail today, and I was not disappointed.
From the Mark A Nelson Frankenstein cover to the fantastic 'Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath', this just may be editor Tom Pompluns' strongest book to date. Just how does fantasy rise from the imaginations of international writers? "Fantasmagoriana" answers that question as Shelley, Byron,Godwin, Claremont and Polidori pose the challenge of Fantasmagoriana-German ghost stories and the creation of ghost stories that rainy evening.
Frankenstein, illustrated by Skot Nelson, is not the Universal standard version, but rather an exaggerated, almost caricturized monster entirely suitable for the story.I loved this telling of the man made monster classic.Rappacini's Daughter is enchanting.The Glass Dog (by L Frank Baum) is delightful, and a hidden treasure from the overlooked author of the Wizard of oz series."Dream Quest" by Lovecraft is a cool exploration of the dream worlds we all have, yet are afraid to enter.There's no place like home could be an apt summary of the adventure, yet there is so much more to the Lovecraft piece.

As I said before, this may be the best edition yet.But, having read all of the books from Pomplun so far, I doubt it!

Www.graphicsclassics.com

Tim Lasiuta

... Read more

Product Description
Beautifully written and illustrated, this book follows Lewis and Clark from the inception of their expedition to their celebrated homecoming. In an effort to seek out -- and stake out -- the fabled Northwest Passage, Captains Lewis and Clark led the expedition from Missouri through uncharted territory to Oregon. They fought rivers, suffered sunstroke, encountered and befriended Indians, and survived hunger, fatigue, and sickness. The journals brought back by various members, excerpted here, present the first written account of the area west of the Mississippi, including the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Illustrations focus on running maps that serve as time lines, current photographs of still-virgin wilderness, annotated sketches selected from the hundreds of plants and animals (which the expedition documented for the first time), and artifacts created or first archived by Lewis and Clark themselves.Amazon.com Review
Storytellers are many, but illustrators are few--and few bookson the epic journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark are asbeautiful as The Saga of Lewis & Clark. Illustrations from theoriginal journals reveal the explorers' creative spelling and finecartographic abilities; old drawings and etchings lend authenticity tothe chronicle; and color photographs prove that the dramatic landscapethey encountered remains wild in places.

The reproductions of paintings by Karl Bodmer and George Catlin fromthe 1830s are particularly stunning. The same paintings and journalexcerpts appear in other illustrated accounts--including the companionvolume to DaytonDuncan and Ken Burns'sPBS special on the Corpsof Discovery--but without the clarity and vibrancy achieved inthis edition.

Brothers Thomasand JeremySchmidt are particularly adept as guides to the foreign landscapeencountered by Lewis and Clark. Writers and naturalists with nearlytwo dozen books to their collective credit, they are clearly enamoredwith the Corps of Discovery and the West. Although one brotherrecently retraced the expedition's route from St. Louis to thePacific, they don't let that experience intrude on a narrative that isrichly embroidered with the explorers' own colorful language. Otherworks offer better prose, but as an introduction to Meriwether Lewisand William Clark, this fine work succeeds handsomely. --PeteHolloran ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A beautifully illustrated guide to the Lewis and Clark expedition
In 1801, France acquired the vast Louisiana territory from Spain, and in 1803, France sold it to the United States.President Jefferson wanted to explore some of the new territory as well as to establish some claim on the Oregon territory to the West of it.The plan was to look for a route to the source of the Missouri river and from there to the source of the Columbia, and then to follow the Columbia to the Pacific.Captain Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) and Second Lieutenant William Clark (1770-1838) were chosen to lead the expedition.

This book tells us a great deal about the expedition of Lewis and Clark, with some great photos of the terrain they encountered.We read about their encounters with grizzly bears, buffalo, fish, and mosquitoes.We find out how they coped with white water (in fact, they were even better than the Native Americans at handling it, although they were no match for the Chinook Indians when there were high waves near the coast).And we learn how they handled portages when they reached waterfalls or had to cross the Continental Divide (they abandoned their canoes and carved new ones at the top of the falls).

As the Schmidts explain, the expedition began to get organized in December of 1803, and it left Saint Louis on May 14, 1804.It went upriver on the Missouri to what is now North Dakota (the only death to an expedition member was on this portion of the trip), and the team wintered at Fort Mandan from November, 1804 to April, 1805.

The Indians local to Fort Mandan were the Hidatsa.But the ones who lived near the source of the Missouri were the Shoshone.The idea was to find some Shoshones, or even better, a Shoshone guide.The Shoshones could then explain how to get to the source of the Columbia, a region inhabited by the Nez Perce.

The official party of 25 left Fort Mandan on April 7, 1805 and headed immediately into uncharted territory. Along with them were Sacagawea (1788-1812), her husband Toussaint Charbonneau (1758-1840?) and their two month old son, Jean-Baptiste (1805-1866).Sacagawea was a Shoshone and spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa, Toussaint spoke Hidatsa and French, and a member of the Lewis and Clark party spoke French and English.The presence of Sacagawea and her infant son helped assure various Indian tribes that the Lewis and Clark party had peaceful intentions.

They reached Great Falls (more than halfway across Montana) in June and Three Forks (the Missouri headquarters, which Sacagawea recognized) in late July.In August, they managed to reach the Lemhi valley (which Sacagawea also recognized) and looked around for some Shoshones.They did indeed find a Shoshone party.Truth being stranger than fiction, the Shoshone chief, Cameawait, turned out to be Sacagawea's brother.

The Shoshones did guide the party from the Continental Divide to a tributary of the Columbia.In September, they emerged from the Rocky Mountains, and they soon reached the Clearwater river.In October, they took the Snake river to the Columbia, reaching the Columbia estuary in November.

The party wintered at Fort Clatsop in Oregon, and even took Sacagawea to the Pacific to see a beached whale in January.They left Fort Clatsop on March 23, 1806, and were back in Saint Louis exactly six months later.

The first transcontinental railroad was completed in May of 1869 by crews which had headed West from Omaha, Nebraska and East from Sacramento, California.I wondered if any of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were still alive then.One was, namely Patrick Gass (1771-1870).It is sobering to realize how quickly this previously uncharted land became settled.When one compares the Montana of 1806 with that of 1906 and 2006, the differences are truly remarkable.

I highly recommend this book, which tells of a land which has changed greatly in a mere two centuries.

Audacity and Fierce Peril
"The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri river, & such principal stream of it, as, by it's course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purposes of commerce." -Thomas Jefferson, Instruction to Lewis, June 20, 1803

The Saga of Lewis & Clark is richly illustrated with lavish full-color photography, annotated topographical maps, pictorial timelines, sketches of the animal and plant species first recorded during the "voyage of discovery," archival images of native cultural arts and crafts, quotes and pictures of the land Lewis and Clark viewed on their journey to the Pacific.

There are pictures of Clark's field journal and a fold-out map of the journey to put it all in perspective.

The chapters include:

Members of the Expedition - pictures of the letter from Jefferson and gorgeous

pictures of the scenery.
Underway - Bound for the Pacific through the interior of the continent
Onto the Plains - Stories of the Tribes living on the plains.
Off the Map - Confrontations with grizzly bears
Over "Those Tremendous Mountains"
On to the Sea - Rapids and finally, some pictures I recognize as home! I can almost smell
the salty sea now as I look at the pictures. We visited Fort Clatsop once with my aunt.
Homeward Bound - Humorous story about fending off the herd of bison. Yikes!
Log - Expedition Roster, Index, Credits, Animal Listings, Plant Listings, Glossary

A retelling of the greatest wilderness trip ever recorded. Thomas Schmidt and Jeremy Schmidt truly have created a magnificent keepsake of this journey into the uncharted West.

An Epic Journey!

An excellent introduction to the topic
An exciting tale of the journey of these two adventurers and their crew is retold through sufficient text and plentiful images. The photos are striking and abundant and a great way to lure kids into reading the book. It's both educational and entertaining to learn of their trials. However, if you are looking for expansive, in-depth text of every moment, you should check out other books that are a reprinting of their diaries. While this book is thorough, it is really just an introduction to the whole adventure and easy enough that you'll probably finish it in just a few sittings.

Beautifully Illustrated Account of the Corps of Discovery
This is a wonderfully illustrated retelling of the incredible expedition to the West and the Pacific Ocean undertaken by the Corps of Discovery, that amazing group of men (and women) who trekked over four thousand miles from St. Louis to the west coast and back over the course of two years from 1804-1806.The story of Lewis and Clark's journey to the West has been told many times, but never in such an accessible and enjoyable format as this.It is pepppered with excerpts from the expedition's meticulously kept journals and vivid descriptions of the unknown land and the native tribes they encountered in their travels into the vast Louisiana Territory. This book is bursting with beautiful photos, paintings, anddrawings that draw the reader into this truly amazing story of adventure and discovery that shaped a young new nation.

An informative, beautifully illustrated account.
Beautiful, bright color photos pepper every page and often offer full-page spreads to accompany timelines, topographical maps, and rich accounts of the Lewis and Clark journey. Their words and experiences come to life inThe Saga of Lewis & Clark, a survey which reveals different aspects ofthe travelers' discoveries and experiences, with Wayne Mumford providingthe beautiful photography. ... Read more

Product Description

The journals of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark remain the single most important document in the history of American exploration. Through these tales of adventure, edited by American Book Award nominee Landon Jones, we see the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and western rivers the way Lewis and Clark first observed them -- majestic, pristine, uncharted, and awe-inspiring.

Landon Jones has selected the most memorable journal entries left behind by Lewis and Clark, and edited them for all readers -- those steeped in the lore of the expedition, as well as newcomers to the unforgettable journey.

Customer Reviews (6)

The Essential Lewis and Clark
Book came in great condition in a matter of just a few days.I was pleasantly surprised.Haven't been able to get it read yet so don't have any opinion at this time on the content.

I recieved this item folded in half..
The book itself is good, but I wasn't sure if this is a review of the sender as well. If so, the book I recieved was folded. The sender said that the book was new but if it's folded and damaged that doesn't mean it's new...

Clark Heals the Natives while Lewis become suicidal
Landon Jones has extracted the most essential parts of the Lewis and Clark Diaries.This is good news for us, as the diaries are incredibly long, hard to read, and focused on detailed accounts of botany, geography, meteorology, and other requests of President Jefferson.

We hear about a full range of relations with the natives.Generally the Indians traded fairly and were helpful to our heroes. In the west, this was less the case, Lewis & Clark only survived a few encounters due to the credible threat of their US Army issued superior firepower. Our heroes also relate everything else that happened, fortunately Clark was an experienced medical man, familiar with treating social diseases common on the frontier.

Regarding their diet, I dont even like eating pork, yet these hardy figures subsisted on dog and horse.They had their lucky days when bear, deer, and salmon were handy, but more often then not, it was a dinner of roots and less desirable meats.

Lewis penned a letter to Jefferson upon the return to St. Louis. He was a bit optomistic in saying that the transcontinental route was a competitor to established water routes. That was not true for another 60 years until the railroads were built.

This is a fun book to read, even better to listen to.

You Are There
This review refers to the Unabridged Audio Cassette edtion of "The Essential Lewis and Clark" Landon Y. Jones, editor

These selections from the journals of Captains Lewis and Clarkduring their explorations in the early 1800's is not the complete text of their writings, but after 6 hours of listening you will come away with more then 'essential ' knowledge of what took place. The selections will take you the entire distance of this important and historical journey, and you will feel like you are part of it. Read by two great voices, Peter Friedman ("Brooklyn Bridge"), and Tom Wopat ("The Dukes of Hazzard"), each giving the Captains very individual and wonderful voices, and making it easy to know who's journals you are listening to.

Through the rivers and mountains, the Great Plains, you are there with them. It's not only an important piece of American History, but great adventures to get caught up in every step of the way, as they navigate unknown and untried routes, meet with native Americans, friendly and unfriendly, fight the elements, wild animals and mosquitoes that nearly ate them alive. So many adventurous episodes to savor in their words. They named the rivers, carved routes for the future, at times facing danger and hunger. I especially enjoyed hearing of their meetings and relations with the various tribes of Indians.

The selections read are unabridged and their every thought captured for us to savor. I found Lewis's writings to be veryanimated and lengthy detailed accounts of the journey. Clark's seemed more abbreviated, but, to the point. Both put you right there with them and are eloquently written. Exciting and adventurous as they are an important and treasured part of American History. There is also a narrator to set the scenes and follow the path.

Highly recommended not only for history buffs, but for those studying this part of American History in school.If I had had this audio edition 40 years ago in History class, I certainly would have paid more attention! The journals can't help but spark your interest. It is great for adventure story lovers.
There are 4 two sided cassettes with excellent sound quality.

For those looking for more explorations of the sea,check out:South a Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
also recommended:
The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty

Enjoy the read... I did...Laurie

If this were a movie you'd say it's a good story but...
... but the events described in the journals actually happened, and they are fascinating! Their means of travel, of survival, of communicating with the Indians, of hunting game and chasing and being chased by bears -- all described in such detail that you can easily picture it. In addition to being adventurers, these men were romantics and intellectuals. It is no wonder that once their journals reached the east, people started coming west in droves to see the beautiful lands and abundant game they described. The CDs are great for a long drive or the daily commute. ... Read more