Columbia Reviews

This story, written by Chris Morgenroth himself, even though he had only a grade school education, is a testament to the people who lived, loved, worked and endured the life of the mining rush for gold and silver. Rich and wonderful reading with crisp, clean text, this is worth reading!!

Astounding, awesome, fantastic, incredible... there are only some of the adjectives that occurs to you while you see this book. Ruth Thorne-Thomsen is without doubt one of the best contemporary photographers, her imaginary landscapes don't have equal. If you like the millenarian ruins... imaginary landscapes... the disturbing beauty... the dreamed photographies...this is your book.

Again, one of the best photographers of the history. Few photographers can make feel the some Ruth makes you feel. An incomparable photographer. An incomparable book

First, if you're going to read O'Brien, I recommend reading his novels in this order. 1. Father Elijah, 2. Strangers and Sojourners, 3. Plague Journal, 4. Eclipse of the Sun. Although they were not published in this order it will make the most sense from a chronological standpoint. Certain characters resurface.

The Plague Journal is the journal of conservative newspaper editor Nathaniel Delaney, his friendship with a local doctor, and his attempts to escape, with his children, from a totalitarian Canadian government that seeks to silence him.

As usual, O'Brien interjects just enough action to keep you reading, and just enough spirituality and theology to get you thinking. O'Brien is one of the finest Catholic journalists of the 20th century.

Artist and author Michael O'Brien has again proved himself to be a master of the writing craft, and one of the most original and creative writers of the late 20th century. Plague Journal, the second of his Children of the Last Days trilogy, continues the story of the Delaney family in Rocky Mountain British Columbia, from the persona and perspective of Nathaniel, now a middle-aged father and editor of a "conservative" newspaper. As the hidden totalitarian government cracks down on him for "hate-crimes", setting him up to be a child abuser and even murderer, he attempts to escape the madness by fleeing into the Canadian wilderness with his two children. The story, albeit filled with many flashbacks and the thoughts and ideas of the protagonist (actually the author's, thinkly disguised), takes place over only five days, as opposed to the 50+ years of its predeccessor, Strangers and Sojournours. The book maintains a pleasurable balance between fast-paced action and O'Brien's trademark gift of spiritual and philosophical insight and commentary. Plague Journal easily stands as the author's most explicit warning against modernism gone haywire: social engineering, abortion, technology-worship, television addication, the numbing of the imagination and intellect, and the possibility that these conditions may make us vulnerable to the arising of a thinly-disguised, "benign" totalitarianism, which, O'Brien conjectures, would operate under a facade of democracy, but in reality, force its will and world-view upon the people. This story includes all the necessary ingredients of a great tale: action, wit, unforgettable characters, pathos and even tragedy, but it is filled (especially towards the end), with a sense of hope, and the ultimate victory of light. The saga, of course, continues on into Eclipse of the Sun, but this shorter novel (only 269 pages) can be read on its own. Heartily recommended to all who are concerned over the present or future state of society, or simply enjoy great literature.

The book was quite excellent. I was used to and enjoyed some of the mainstream thriller authors. I hope Michael O'Brien would continue on this excellent course. I wish more people would read this with a wide open mind.

This is the best source for travel to Alaska, whether you are traveling by car, plane or cruiseship. I bought a copy to plan my trip last May ('97). I was traveling alone, and was not renting a car.

The guide lists shuttle services, train services, ferries, phone numbers for major and minor attractions, and has a fairly comprehensive listing of all hotels, motels, B&B's, restaurants, etc. The book list everything, milepost by milepost, for every region of the state. It will save you time and money. This will become your bible for travel in and around Alaska!

This is a book to take with you for saving those souvenirs like ticket stubs, postcards, brochures, etc. and the memories from the trip of a lifetime!

If your budget allows for only one guidebook -- this is THE BEST, bar none!

I have owned 3 copies of this book...the most recent being the 1996 version. The book is an absolute wonderland of information about fishing, camping, siteseeing,....ad infinitum - on the great(ist) state to the north - Alaska. I have been saved many times (gas, motels, food) by referencing this book while traveling in the north. My fist experience with Milepost was in 1982 when we drove the Alcan and Cassiar highways to Alaska. If you take this type trip without this book it is like working with half your brain!! (or less). It can't be recommended enough, even if you are flying into Alaska and renting a car (or taking a taxi, or a float plane!!).

I'm from rural Alaska. (Unalakleet) I have collected mileposts for the fun of it since the 1970's. The book is an enclyopedia of Alaska information. If you are thinking about travelling to Alaska or are from Alaska, and are condsidering driving south for the summer, this is more than enough information to get you to the spots worth stopping at. The index will get you started, from there it's a breeze. I like to keep it around the house to pick up now and then as a reference tool. I look up places I might like to visit on the road system.

In this second installment of the "Kodiak" book, things really pick up and move. I thought this book was a lot more fun then the previous installment, and it would make a great movie. George Kodiak, cryptozoologist/badass is back, tracking the legendary lake monster Ogopogo up in Canada. Good guys, Bad guys, monsters, and a really big helicopter.
Some of the chapters are right out of a summer blockbuster, much better then those in other recent sci-fi monster books like Meg. This book also doesn't have the sadistic streak that the previous installment featured.
Keep 'em coming!!!

Finally Mr. Murphy has provided us with yet more reading pleasure. Finally there is an original author out there who knows how to research a subject before daning to write about it. Finally the reading public is provided with true reading pleasure, with intelligent action and gut-wrenching newness of style. Finally, someone who can paint with words and fill our minds with fresh pictures and ideas.

Now there is something new to look forward to reading. I can't wait for the next one, Mr. Murphy.

THWACK! That's the sound of Lee Murphy hitting another home run with his second book, NAITAKA. Fans of high-tech thrillers and adventure novels will find themselves right at home in the pages of this book. As he did with the sasquatch in his first book, WHERE LEGENDS ROAM, Murphy portrays the basilosaur as an animal of nature, instead of a bloodthirsty monster. That's not to say there aren't plenty of close calls when it comes to this large, toothy predator. Murphy is a master at mixing realism and action. The overall effect is akin to the Discovery Channel on steroids. George Kodiak continues to be one of the most carefully crafted characters you are likely to encounter. I say this because Kodiak doesn't seem to be designed or crafted at all, he just IS. You can't ask more from an author than that when it comes to character development. Murphy paces the story nicely and is even able to weave a chilling subplot into the action. My advice to anyone reading this is kick back, put your feet up, turn off the Discovery Channel, and take a journey to British Columbia with George Kodiak to solve the mystery of Ogopogo. You'll be glad you made the trip.

You know a movie's a hit when the audience remains sitting while the credits roll. A great novel affects me the same way. I'm silently awed by the gift of a powerful story.

Michael O'Brien wowed me with Father Elijah (now available in paperback) and now stuns me with Eclipse of the Sun. In an earlier tale, Strangers and Sojourners, the Delaney family acquired a newspaper in Swiftcreek, British Columbia. The current editor views the growing misuse of Canada's "hate crime" laws with alarm. Since you can't speak ill of anyone, you can't call abortion "murder," you can't expose corruption, and you can't criticize the government.

Phony charges send the Delaneys fleeing to the mountains, except for estranged wife Maya and her youngest child Arrow. They live in a commune involved in drug dealing and possibly Satanism. When a secret government militia attacks the camp, Arrow flees, assisted by Father Andrei. This priest survived the Holocaust and recognizes the signs of fascism in the Canadian government. His task is to reunite Arrow with his family. He launches the young boy on an epic journey, both physically and spiritually.

The two discover that God is bringing a blessing out of the current oppression. People who never took religion seriously are now wondering why the government seems so threatened by it, especially Catholicism and evangelical Protestantism. They're forced to realize their choices have moral and possibly fatal consequences. Surprising characters choose to die for God rather than capitulate to government intimidation.

This novel is rich in characters. In addition to Arrow, one of the most believable young boys I've met in books, and Father Andrei, there are the Wannamakers, suspicious of the media's silence on events they know occured. Their daughter Julie and her family have decided to take a long cruise away from Canada, while the parents opt for a trailer tour of America. Potempko, another old European priest, has lost his parish to "progressive" elements but finds more and more Indians seeking his spiritual advice. Alice, Queen of Junque, claims to be amoral, but she rescues a hydrocephalic child from a government dumpster, and she willingly shelters Arrow. The Potters, Alice's evangelical neighbors, have spent years of love trying to convert Alice only to find themselves in trouble with the law for their charity. A formerly moderate archbishop begins to question the direction of Church "reforms."

The villains are mostly faceless, except for Maurice L'Oraison, who loved the first Mrs. Delaney but has sold his soul to escape the poverty and provincialism of Swiftcreek. Father Andrei's struggle to rescue L'Oraison's soul resembles the Grand Inquisitor section in The Brothers Karamazov, a section of philosophy that forces you to think. Like most epics, this is a long book, but I wouldn't cut one page.

Kathleen T. Choi, HAWAII CATHOLIC HERALD

Michael O'Brien's "Eclipse of the Sun" is a roller coaster of books! It's the Indiana Jones of epics. Open the book, and you are hooked. This will keep your heart racing and your fingers turning pages.

But don't mistake it for a fluff novel--this is the meat and potatoes of our times. Read the book. Recognize today's headlines? This book will challenge you to reflect on your own life, your community, nation and world.

I have read three of the Children of the Last Days series, and I would recommend this as the first to be read. It is gripping. It will introduce you to the characters in O'Brien's other books; you will want to read the other books!

This, along with Fr Elijah, is the best book I have ever read. There are many stories within stories, and so wonderfully written. I hate to even hint at what is in it, just to say if you are interested at all in contemplating man and our possible future, read it. Don't open the pages with any preconceived notions, just read.

After 911 some people said they would give up some freedoms for more safety. hmmmmmm

Against the backdrop of the antebellum world, here is a story of resiliance in the face of annihilation. With a deft, loving zeal Miriam Rawl reveals the sinuous soul of an unconquerable nobility that was the Old South. This is an unsentimental, but personal panarama of a people, a place, a woman and a man that will never bow down to the mere technical defeat bestowed upon the Confederacy by ignorant historians. Here the South lives again in the tough musculature of the human heart.

Union Major John Arledge was investigating the disappearance of a couple of his men that were last seen at the Heyward residence. Sparks flew immediately between Arledge and Ellen Heyward, who was struggling to simply survive and protect her sister, Pam. The sisters were forced to flee to Columbia and reside with a relative. However, they were hardly there before General Sherman's march on Columbia (Feb. 1865) happened.

*** Here is a tale that shows the author's deep research and knowledge on her topic! It is bold and authentic in historical detail and rich in colorful characters! Miriam Freeman Rawl shows the trials women like Ellen and Pam had to survive through during this hard time of America's past. It also reminds us that even among holocausts and its rubble aftermath, love can still be found. In my opinion, this author has succeeded in creating a story to win the hearts of readers everywhere. A MUST for people who enjoyed "Gone With The Wind"! ***

Miriam Freeman Rawl's From the Ashes of Ruin is the perfect book to tuck away on your summer vacation. Or for anytime that you want to immerse yourself with another time, another place. Ms. Rawl's engaging storyline and vivid writing style quickly absorbs the reader and brings to life Columbia, SC at the end of the War Between the States.

An all together good read in the best traditions of storytelling.

The sixth edition of Columbia is a distinct improvement over the fifth (CH, Feb'94), which contained not a few embarrassing geographical inaccuracies. Editor Legasse also edited Concise Columbia Encyclopedia. Hefty indeed, the new Columbia contains some 51,000 entries covering a vast array of topics; it is the largest one-volume general encyclopedia in English. Nearly 40 percent of its content has been revised to reflect the political, social, scientific, and technological developments since the fifth edition. Entirely new are some 1,300 entries covering such topics as the Internet, the Ebola virus, and alternative medicine, to name only a few. Among its 6.5 million words are 700 black-and-white illustrations, 80,000 cross-references, and 40,000 bibliographic citations. Articles range in length from a few lines to several pages, usually written in straightforward style free of jargon. A note for readers explains that "information from one article is generally not repeated in another," although numerous articles are properly cross-referenced to related items. Vladimir Putin, for example, is cross-referenced to Chechnya, which is cross-referenced to Dagastan. Entries are arranged alphabetically in boldface; longer articles are paragraphed with italicized subheadings (unlike the fifth edition) and conclude with brief bibliographies. Like its predecessor, the sixth edition dispenses entirely with photographs and portraits of persons, but includes hundreds of useful maps, tables, and diagrams, many new or revised. Other features include a key to pronunciation and a list of abbreviations. Extending a tradition begun in 1935, this version of Columbia is impressive in its sweep, clarity, and authoritativeness, making it a happy choice among one-volume "first-stop" reference works. Highly recommended for home use or for public, high school, or college libraries. Highly Recommended

This is a wonderful reference book. The information is superbly presented. Where the entry might be unfamiliar it provides a pronunciation key (exceptionally convenient for foreign or archaic words). The entries themselves are well balanced for readability, content, and completeness. And most articles include a bibliography if you wish to research further.

It is also a reference in which you can get delightfully lost. My searches take me in many directions. It's first class cross-referencing makes an in-depth investigation a snap, but sometimes it is better to ramble. And this is the beauty of the book, unlike structured links with Web or CD encyclopedias, in the Columbia Encyclopedia the links are only encumbered by your imagination and curiosity.

If you are not American, (I'm Canadian) don't worry about obsessive jingoism that often pervades American efforts. The Columbia presentation is evenhanded and globally egalitarian in scope and breadth.

If you don't already own this excellent volume it should be on your bookshelf. If you are a teacher it should be in both the school library and your classroom (grades 6-12), and if you are a parent it should be in your home. The Columbia Encyclopedia is truly a rare and valuable information jewel.

I bought the Columbia encyclopedia a little over a year ago and now I feel qualified enough to review it.

I'm never amazed at the amount of information that is presented in this book. It has never failed me or my seventh-grade daughter with any of her school related questions. Whether her questions have to do with the population density of Calcutta (population and area in sq. miles), cell reproduction or plate tectonics, I have yet to find something that she needed and it was not there.

The information is presented in a very succinct manner. There is never too much or too little information for a specific entry - always just enough. The "also see" and bibliography references at the end of many entries are very useful. The binding is great. I was afraid that this huge book after constant use would crack at the hinges, but that is not true. This is one of the bulkiest books I've got and, yet, surprisingly, is also one of the strongest. After more than a year's frequent use, the hinges feel as strong as when I bought it and so do the ledge and spine.

This is not a multimedia information center. There are no pictures, only maps and drawings. When you first open it, you are faced with columns and columns of small font text, though it's nicely laid out.

I do not find any social or political bias in the book, but I may not be sensitive to it. One will not find positive or negative references being made on specific issues, although one may find something to the extend of "some academics feel that..." or "in this century XYZ has fallen out of favor with..." The book does not take sides, its stance is neutral and objective with no flavor. It does not offend and its errors (if any) are ones of omission not commission.

It may be a good idea to visit your local library first to take a closer look at its heftiness, lack of pictures and, perhaps, objectivity prior to purchasing it to see if it's something that suits your family's style. If you decide to buy it without examining it first, I don't believe you will be dissapointed - it's a great book and a best buy.

I don't get why people worship Trooper like they do. They are a very unremarkable outfit from Canada. I'm a bluejays fan, so it's not like I hate Canada, but this group is total bandwagon for people who think Canada is all that. Trooper doesn't have a sound I find appealing. They sound like Bob Vila building a deck more than they sound like rock and roll. If they decided to go the country route to hone their skills like fellow Canadian Shania Twain maybe they cross over and make it big. But no, they decided to pretend they rock right off the bat. The comparisons of this band to Ultravox are insane and waaaaaayy off base. Vox was sponge, this band was certainly not. The only value this band has is if you want to be cool and hang a CD off your rear view mirror in your car. That way you can look hip and never have to listen to the music. Trooper needs to be pulled over and arrested to assaulting the ears of the american public.

Trooper is really cranky music for people who aren't happy with their jobs. It's like they sit there and go, "Hey, we're trooper and we're whiny babies so quit your job and fish for bass you freak". This message seemed to work for a few people and you wonder why unemployment is so high? I collect SUTA reports as a hobby and can tell you first hand that trooper is a big reason our economy is messed up right now. There are other factors, but Trooper's insane mission to take down the US economy certainly isn't to be underestimated. So thank you Trooper for everything.

This album brings back fond memories of my high school days. Who could forget The Boys in the bright white sports car? All of the girls wanted a boy in a white car when that album came out. They were H.O.T.

great trooper cd i know the lead singers son connor he is a cool guy and i met the lead singer for trooper they live in vancouver bc

While not TERRIBLE, this book is fairly useless. Certainly it is not worth its asking price.

I was convinced to buy it by a friend who had used it to get around Alaska 25 years ago. But after a month of traveling around the state, I ended up feeling ripped off. In my travels around Alaska, I found numerous free vacation planners or free travel guides as good or better than this turkey.

The book has numerous problems. In most cases, historical or cultural information is missing completely, or described in the most perfunctory way. And even when there's actually something of interest, thousands of disguised advertisements for paying businesses clutter the text, making it hard to find.

The book is more or less a business directory, and its community descriptions seem taken straight from census data.

25 years ago, it MAY have a good resource (though I'm not even convinced of that.) But it seems to have become obsolete. If you really want the information it's peddling, wait till you get to Alaska to pick up a free guide, or hit the internet.

This guidebook has provided the Alaska traveler with all of the support (lodging, gas stations, dining, vehicle repairs, medical, etc.) and sight-seeing information needed to have a safe, comfortable and informative journey. It details this information on mile-by-mile basis which allows the traveler to know the joys and potential hazards of the trip. It also provides this same detail for all of the major roads that lead to and from the Alaska Highway and throughout Alaska. Also a necessary reference for the traveler who flys to Alaska and rents a car in Anchorage or Fairbanks. It also provides history and trivia of many of the little towns in the Alaska Wilderness. I get this book every time I had to Alaska. Alaska adventurers should also consider getting the book, Discovering Denali if they are going to explore Denali National Park.

The Milepost has provided the Alaska traveler with all of the support (lodging, gas stations, dining, vehicle repairs, medical, etc.) and sight-seeing information needed to have a safe, comfortable and informative journey. It details this information on mile-by-mile basis which allows the traveler to know the joys and potential hazards of the trip. It also provides this same detail for all of the major roads that lead to and from the Alaska Highway and throughout Alaska. Also a necessary reference for the traveler who flys to Alaska and rents a car in Anchorage or Fairbanks. It also provides history and trivia of many of the little towns in the Alaska Wilderness. I get this book every time I had to Alaska. Alaska adventurers should also consider getting the book, Discovering Denali if they are going to explore Denali National Park.