This book was truly stunning in its comprehensiveness and ease of reading. I was amazed and could not put it down until I had read it cover to cover. Unlike many books in its field, it focuses on important information, not convoluted thoughts like the use of bear paws. I recommend this book to everyone.

Having taken several courses on Medieval History, I find Daileader's book to be very insightful. It is amazing how similar his insights and conclusions are to those of my professors. I believe this work is truly a great addition to the field.

This is by far the most difinitive and best work I have ever seen on the subject of medieval history. Without it, the entire discipline would suffer, as it has for centuries up until the publication of this book. It makes books like Ermengaard of Narbonne pale and hide behind their little awards. Easy to read and highly enjoyable, I recommend everyone buy this book.

I just finished reading TRUE LOVE by Millie Criswell and loved every word. Ms. Criswell did a fabulous job in developing a warm, touching story filled with memorable and wonderful characters. I have only one regret. That I didn't read the book sooner.

This wonderful addition to Ms. Criswells works from the old west runs true with "True Love". Miss Emily Bartlett shows Jess Murdock just how wonderful love can truly be between the right two people. This heartwarming story will keep you reading til it's finished. A wonderful way to spend some quiet time! Can't wait for her next book!! All of Criswell's works are tops on my list of historical westerns. Enjoy them all.

Writer Emily Jean Bartlett and rancher Jess Murdock come together in this enjoyable western romance. First, they must fight cattle rustlers and selfish ex-wives.

Millie Criswell does a wonderful job in creating a story and characters readers will love.

This is the last book in Allan Eckert's Winning of America Series. "Twilight of Empire" chronicles the little-known but bloody Indian uprising in western Illinois in 1832 that became known as Black Hawk's War.

The war was named after the leader of the uprising, an old battle-hardened Sauk war chief named Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak...Black Hawk. In the years following the War of 1812, white settlers flooded into Sauk and Fox lands and the native tribes were forced into signing treaties that gave up their ancestral lands to the United States. In the spring of 1832, Black Hawk, in defiance of the United States and some of his own tribal leaders, led a large band of his starving people back across the Mississippi into northern Illinois to reclaim their stolen lands. This large movement of Indians was seen as hostile by the local white settlers and the militia was called out to subdue Black Hawk's band. The fatefull encounter at what would become the Battle of Stillman's Run would start off what would be the last major Indian war of the midwest. In the end, Black Hawk and his people would be decimated by pursuing American troops under General Atkinson at the Battle of Bad Axe, where hundreds of Indian women and children were shot or drowned while trying to escape back across the Mississippi River. This sad event marked the end of Indian wars east of the Mississippi and signaled the end of the way of life for the woodland Indians.

This story is deeply moving and involved and tells the history of a people and events not generally known today. Highly recommended.

Not only is Twilight of Empire a great book, but the whole winning of america series are, without a doubt, the best stories ever told. I would recommend them to anyone, even those not very interested in history. You have got to read these!

ALLAN ECKERT GOT ME FOREVER HOOKED ON THE FASINATING HISTORY OF BLACK HAWK AND THE BLACK HAWK WAR. HIS STORY TELLING STYLE AND ACCURATE ACCOUNTS OF THIS IMPORTANT PART OF THIS AREAS HISTORY MAKES IT A MUST READ.

Editor Kristen Johnson has done an excellent job of pulling together many difficult-to-obtain source documents that are pertinent to the Donner Party. She enhances the reader's understanding by presenting detailed biographical information about each document's author, combined with copious footnotes, all of which are extremely helpful and unbiased. The tremendous amount of research required to synthesize the material is quite apparent. Johnson's volume of material helps to counterbalance some of the older, more biased works of Donner literature. This is a "must-read" for anyone interested in American history, the great western overland migration, or simply in tales of survival. Congratulations to Ms. Johnson upon compiling an interesting, eclectic mix of old and rare--some almost forgotten-documents which really improve our understanding of conflicting viewpoints of one of America's greatest mysteries. (This text refers to the hardbound edition of the book, c. 1996.)

Johnson's book is a great reference for anyone interested in the Donner Party. It is a compilation of written source materials, most contemporary to the Donner event. The book contains many personal accounts of the tragedy, given from widely diverse sources, from survivors and rescuers to "yellow journalists" of the time. Johnson's compilation is a testament to how the Donner Party story affected people of the time, and how their varying perspectives affected their opinions. Johnson avoids reader confusion with a complete set of footnotes, detailing where various writers were inaccurate or incomplete in their retelling of this amazing story of the West.

This book takes many early, hard to find, publications and compiles them into one comprehensive resource. The book has excellent annotations and summaries which place events into perspective and help give a fair, balanced view of the Donner Party tragedy. Highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in our western history and the early settlers who helped to form it. This is a great follow-up book to McGlashan and Stewart

Valley of the Shadow is filled with action and captivating struggle between good and evil. Fun and fast to read, I'll keep this one on the shelf for another read later, I don't do that with many books. I found myself wanting more or another or the next, hope I don't have to wait too long. This book would be a great study for any junior high or high school English class, or conversion to a movie script! Thank you Earl and Naoma for money well spent

From the moment you start reading Valley of the Shadow, until the very last page. you'll be engrossed in it. A dark and sinister mood engulfs the characters, the towns, and the countryside throughout the entire story. This is a terrific book to curl up with, on a warm bed in a dark room, just make sure there's no black crows sitting outside your window.

Valley of the Shadow is a page-turner. The story grabs yourinterest from the first page, where you meet Jerod, the youngidealistic preacher who finds his world and everything he believes in shaken to the very foundations by the untimely death of his new wife. The setting is the Old West, in the time of horses and wagons and dust covered towns separated by miles of wilderness and beauty untamed by man. These authors skillfully lay out word pictures that create rich visual images in your mind of the surroundings, the people, and the events. You feel like you are there. In the midst of his confusion and pain Jerod finds himself propelled on a mission, to gather together an unlikely team of men, all sensing they are about to face one huge and very threatening challenge from the dark realm of the supernatural. His first pick is John Sheppard, an older former sheriff, forced into retirement after suffering near fatal gunshot wounds that left him with a crippled gun hand. The second man is Clifford Washington, a black man, a one-time deputy turned bounty hunter, refusing to accept the inferior class status inflicted on other members of his race by white men. Then finally there's Frank Meadows, a hardened cold-blooded killer whom Jerod finds and rescues from the swinging end of a rope. These four men come together to do battle with the unknown, with their lives and those of many others hanging in the balance. As the reader you go on the exciting and hair-raising journey with them, through richly detailed and descriptive narrative of every turn of events. The collaboration of Earl Hardy and Naoma Hardy has produced a fascinating story about an old theme, the battle between good and evil, in a fresh combination of two totally different genres, old-time western adventure and modern science fiction. This book is entertaining and interesting, with a surprise ending you do not expect and cannot anticipate. I highly recommend it.

I can still remember the thrill when I, as the young publicity director, read Richard Bradford's "Red Sky At Morning" and then had the pleasure and the honor of promoting his first novel. What excitement when the reviews came in and it started climbing the best seller lists...and then stayed up there too! We celebrated every time it went back to press -- it is a classic now.

When I read "Virgin Spring" I felt, as Richard Bradford himself says, that it is an "engaging" coming-of age story of young Nic Nichols.

We all have had to ride our own broncos in our lives, but Nic's are the real ones and his journey is, in effect, our own. It is enchanting and, set against the magic that is the Southwest, I found I could not put this book down.

This is the strong yet touching story about the coming-of-age of a young man who after a series of disasters at eastern boarding schools is sent by his parents to Arizona as his "last chance". It is an excellent tale well told and the book has great detail and color of life in Arizona during the early 1940's. I recommend this book highly.

Charming love story set in the Southwest circa 1940. This book is timeless in its portrayal of the teenage years. From the very start, it captures the reader. Highly recommended to readers interested in cowboy lore. G.N. Buffington knows of what he writes. It is alve with ranchers, cowboys and horses amidst the sometimes hostile desert terrain of the Southwest. The easygoing narrative is crisply written. Highly recommended from a fan of Edward Abbey.

"Mark Gardner, who is one of the foremost trail historians of our day, an eminent researcher, and an excellent writer, has now entered the ranks of vehicle historians trying to make some sense out of transport history and the vehicles involved therein. This contribution to both historical trail documentation and the vehicle bibliography as well is superb. No serious scholar involved in either discipline can ignore this book." -- from The Carriage Journal

Among the abundance of literature on various aspects of Santa Fe Trail history, Mark Gardner's _Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade_ begins a new dialog about the development and variance of Trade-related wagon technology. The book documents advances in wagon building techniques as the Trade became more complex and sophisticated. The story of Santa Fe Trail wagon making is the story of the growth and changes in the development of wheeled vehicles designed for heavy-duty long range freighting. The Santa Fe Trade was a primary proving ground for freight wagon building and adaptability. This book grew out of a National Park Service report Gardner prepared on Santa Fe Trail wagons intended for use as a resource for the Santa Fe National Historic Trail project. This version is greatly expanded from the original. From the outset it will become obvious to readers how much painstaking work and time went into its production. During the course of his research he discovered a personal side to the story. His chapter "From Shop to Factory" allowed him to connect with the wagon building business through four generations of his own ancestors, some of whom had worked in the Missouri sawmill industry, and had probably cut lumber intended for the construction of the very freight wagons he now writes about. Gardner has a reputation in the profession for sifting through mounds of paper and microfilm, uncovering lost treasures of material. This reviewer has respectfully nicknamed him "The Mole" because of his research skills. His ability to dig and root through archive and manuscript collections and find the most obscure and previously unknown, yet meaningful bits of information has earned him a place among the great names in today's western historiography. With many books and articles to his credit, Mark Gardner is arguably one of the foremost authorities on the Santa Fe Trade. This latest effort guarantees Gardner's place as heir apparent to the title of Dean of Santa Fe Trail historians. _Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade_ is a detailed, yet coherent guide to nineteenth century freight vehicles. It is a highly beneficial research tool, as well as a pleasant recreational read.

Henry B. Crawford, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Perhaps the trade in wagons on the Santa Fe Trail is best summarized in one breathtaking quote from a newspaper in 1841:

"Six horse wagons are constructed in Pittsburg, loaded with assorted goods from New York and Philadelphia, transported to Independence in Missouri, and there driven across the country to Mexico . . ."

The great wagons of trade were the means by which the Far West was opened. Mark L. Gardner's "Wagons for the Santa Fe Trade," tells who built these wagons, how they were built and the changes in design as the years passed. Perhaps what comes through most clearly is that the great freight wagons were complex pieces of technology, best constructed by a factory system, not unlike how automobiles are assembled today. By means of these wagons, the South West was brought into contact with the United States, and, eventually, absorbed into the Union. An important and vital chapter of American history well told and well documented.

The final chapter deals with the adventure of the Wind Wagon. In these days of high gas prices it is charming to consider that an attempt was made to avoid high mule prices. A sailed wagon was actually patented (the patent drawings are in the book) and launched. Sometimes the stuff of legend is the truth.

My wife and I recently went on our first trip to Italy. We stayed in Florence about 10 days and planned to take some day trips out of Florence. I bought the walking tape on Florence a couple of weeks before leaving home and was so impressed with the clarity of English and the historical content that I ordered the Siena and Pisa tapes too. They were all more than I expected. Although I listened to most of the tours on the flight over, I was very satisfied with using them on the actual tours and so was June. We took along a tour-guide book as well and found that the two really complimened each other. It was a great way to sightsee the streets of those beautiful cities. They were obviously well researched and written so that European history was linked here and there with U.S. history as well as the root of a lot of our English language. I recommend these tours to anyone traveling to Italy.

These tapes are wonderful because the information is based on the antiquities, and the tour taken is much more meaningful. The traveler can go at his or her own pace. Reading a travel guide and then applying that knowledge later looses something, these tapes are as the title states "Walk with Me". The traveler feels just like he or she is walking with the author, a very knowledgable, real person who knows what travelers need!

I would like to buy this guide cassette in Italian language, but I can see that you do not sell it. I like Cicerone man because his ENglish is very clear, and the map is good. But, please produce this cassette in Italian for other cities like Rome and Venice, Naples and Palermo.

"The Walking Drum" is without a doubt Louis L'Amour's best work of art. Taking the reader on a sweeping joy ride through midievil Europe, L'Amour conjures up the greatest literary hero. Mathurin Kerbouchard has it all; wits, strength, loyalty, and even a soft spot in his heart for the maiden in distress. A tale of unspeakable beauty and excitement, this book made a believer in L'Amour's abilities out of me. A must read.

The walking drum is absolutely the best book I have ever read. I made the mistake of it being the first novel of L'Amour's I read and the rest do not compare. I refer to it as "my Bible", there are good values, qoutes and events to take into your own life. I am in awe everytime I read it. YOU MUST READ IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have read many of Louis L'amour's books including the entire Sackett series, but I think that this is his best book that I have read. I especially like that he had real facts and historical events in his book.

A good read. Characters come to life and demand that you remember them as if they had lived next door. Leaves you wanting another hundred pages. Buy it now.

After reading the Baynes Clan by McCord, I ordered his next book as soon as I knew of it. Walking Hawk is an excellent book. McCord's ability to bring the reader into his story is incredible. Anyone who likes Louis L'Lamour will love McCord's books. Walking Hawk is another example of the...can't put it down...books that Mccord writes. This story has is all...love of family...struggles...mystery...turmoil...survival.A must read for western lovers. I am eagerly awaiting McCord's next western book.~Bev. Bozman~

Fantastic from first word to last!! A must read!