Columbia Reviews

Any book that Barth writes is a must read! This newly translated book is no exception. Barth presents his views on the difference between the Reformed confessions of the Reformation and following with the Lutheran confessions found in the Book of Concord. Then he works through what the Reformed Confessions teach. This is a very helpful book for Presbyterians or others interested in Reformed theology. The Guders have done us all a service in translating this book into English.

This is a wonderful collection of thoughtful essays by an writer who deserves to be much better known. With the newspapers full of so much distortion and plain untruth, Glavin's great respect for facts and his endless effort to dig them out, particularly with regard to fisheries issues, and First Nation (Indian, Native) issues, stand out like a candle in the dark. Nobody can claim to understand BC, especially the coast of BC, without having read Glavin, I would say. My favorite essays in this collection are "Last Day in Alexis Creek," which is pure pleasure just for the quality of the writing, and "From the Old Rice Mill to Annieville Drift," which reveals a sadly common example of how the people of BC were misled by their own federal government.

I also happen to very much like Glavin's other book "The Last Great Ocean," .... I've just finished reading it for the third time.

In Totem Pole Carving: Bringing A Log To Life, writer, editor and photographer Vickie Jensen collaborates with renowned Nisga'a artist Norman Tait and his crew of young carvers to document the actual process of creating a 42-foot Native American totem pole from a single log. The informative text is enhanced with 125 photographs and captures the charged atmosphere in which the pole is cared including blistered hands, camaraderie, pride in solving problems, awareness of tradition, and the joy of creation. A fascinating book which will interest woodworkers and sculptors, Totem Pole Carving is also a very highly recommended addition to personal, school, and community library Native American studies collections.

A Touch of Panic is one of the best mysteries I've ever read. L.R. Wright shows her skill to create a tense crime - as well as a tense private world.

Edmund Augustus Porcher was the captain of a Royal Navy vessel serving an Esquimalt-based tour of duty on Vancouver Island. Porcher was also a watercolor artist who made an impressive array of sensitive and skillfully executed paintings of what he saw. A Tour Of Duty In The Pacific Northwest: E. A. Porcher and H.M.S. Sparrowhawk, 1865-1868 is an impressive and uniquely informative work drawn from the ship's record and Captain Porcher's commentaries, enhanced with his superb paintings and illustrations presenting the reader with a kind of "window in time" to understand and feel what it was like in those times and places along Canada's Pacific coasts, as well as the complex and multifaceted roles and functions of a British war vessel. A Tour Of Duty In The Pacific Northwest is a unique and highly recommended contribution that will be greatly appreciated by students of maritime, and Canadian nineteenth century history.

This book is a delightful series of stories and events that are of interest to folks with their roots and family life along the banks of the Fox River. It is very important to me because my father, Edwin C. Tagatz, provided some of the information used by the authors. The book answers some of the questions of why early settlers found the area so appealing for them to settle in. I have an autographed copy of the book and I pick it up and remember how is was many times each year. We can only go back in time in thought and memeories but this book makes both easy.

Author DonMcCune retraced the Klondike Gold Rush trail and wrote this excellent now-and-then book about what he found, and also about what happened during that now-famous gold rush. The book contains many excellent reproductions of photographs taken by the famous Klondike gold rush photographer Eric A. Hegg.

On the pages opposing the Hegg photos are photos taken when McCune retraced the route, and at the same places as the Hegg photos, providing an interesting now-and-then contrast. The photos and McCune's unique writing style makes this a great read.

This book is on the "Recommended Reading List" of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 295, Indianapolis, Indiana

National Geographic rarely disappoints and adds another fine publication with this book. They have made a name of bringing the world's splendor to our fingertips and, true to form, manage to transform "America's neighbor" into a complete, fascinating, and refreshing journey. Canada, better known to some of us in the States for bad health care, a few odd accents, and a lower drinker age, gets an NGS makeover, and one worth every page.

Author William Howarth takes us on a cross country trip on the Trans-Canada Highway, a 4800 mile stretch reaching from sea to shining sea. He sets out on the eastern seaboard in St. Johns, Newfoundland and, before coasting to an ocean-side stop in Victoria, British Columbia, manages to wind through the bottom edge of ten provinces. He explores the popular (e.g., a vibrant Toronto, Mountie boot camp, and Glacier National Park) and the lesser knowns (e.g., Delaware-sized Prince Edward Island, canoeing down the Patawawa River, and Winnipeg's Ukrainian egg artists), all with an eye for the unique Canadian touch that binds these people with their land. Howarth's fluid prose moves smoothly with his journey, coasting along the ultimate scenic route. His writing reflects the intimacy and the honesty of his subjects who shared their lives amidst the stunning natural backdrop.

Equally breathtaking are the photographs by George Mobley. His images, saturated with brilliant color and detail, provide a remarkable portrait of Canada. The quality of course is excellent but the photos are most provoking in their exploration of the geographical and cultural diversity thriving within Canada's muted borders. The pictures, paired with Howarth's writing, touch at the heart of the country. A cross-cultural spirit, rooted in its Native American and European ancestry, is celebrated best within Canada's expansive landscape, whether on flower-dotted plains, along beaten Atlantic cliffs, or overlooking a rugged skyline.

I admit I wanted to hop in my sputtering Dodge and journey the Trans-Canada myself, but for those of us who cannot, this book provides a most satisfying substitute.

This book was a visual journey into the lives of early 20th century black america. Many of the pictures could be termed as "dignified photo essays" of life in the black community.You feel as though you are right there behind the lenses of these photo's while they're being taken. They almost have an "ethereal beauty" about them. In these photo's you can see the dignity of a race of people who were considered low class at the time of the photographs, but in the way they are portrayed you feel like you're in the presence of royalty. "A visual treat for the eye's" is the best way to describe this book . It is also well worth reading as you enjoy the beautiful photography! I would highly recommended this book to african americans and those who enjoy a look into the past!