Subjects:  1. Cartography    2. History    3. History: World    4. Maps & Road Atlases    5. Science    6. Travel    7. Cartography, geodesy & geographic information systems (GIS)    8. History of science    9. Technology / Cartography   

Subjects:  1. 1868-1912    2. Adventurers & Explorers    3. Antarctica    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. British    9. Discovery and exploration    10. Explorers    11. Great Britain    12. Military    13. Polar Regions    14. Scientists - General    15. Scott, Robert Falcon,    16. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Australia & New Zealand - Australia    4. Commercial - Illustration    5. History - General    6. Techniques - Drawing    7. Australia    8. Botany & plant sciences    9. Drawing & drawings    10. Illustration   

Reviews (11)

From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawaii
It is encouraging to have a Hawaiian book on Indigenism that, through the perceptions and words of a Native Hawaiian, reconnects Hawaii with victims world-wide of a 500+ year International Indigenous Holocaust.
Trask is the light for truth
"From a Native Daughter" is very intelligently written with strong academic and historical references.Who can fault Trask for being so passionate and angered about Hawaii's wrongful past?For over 110 years, Hawaii has been seized and administered illegally by the United States.The native people have had their culture, their sovereignty, and their spirits taken away.She is demanding a right of sovereignty for this island nation that has been falling on deaf ears for generations.
What it is we should know.
Many have critiqued Professor Trask's work for being "self-serving," "overly angry," "racist" or worse.These reviewers seem to miss the point that Trask is speaking from a highly personal though richly considered narrative position and not writing a history of Hawaii.In fact, to my recollection Professor Trask never claims to be writing history, but righting it.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Colonies And Colonization    3. Ethnic Studies - General    4. Government - State & Provincial    5. Hawaii - State Government    6. History - General History    7. History - U.S.    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. United States - General    11. United States - State & Local - General    12. Colonization & independence    13. Hawaii    14. Human rights    15. Indigenous peoples   

Subjects:  1. 1917-    2. 1917-1992    3. Art    4. Art & Art Instruction    5. Criticism and interpretation    6. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    7. Individual Artist    8. Nolan, Sidney,    9. Australia    10. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    11. Individual artists    12. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (8)

The Soldier's View with Reflections on the War and the Battle
LaFantasie writes a compact book that concentrates on the attack and defense of Little Round top providing a soldier's view of the most engaging fight at Gettysburg through their letters and post war comments. Of course, he includes reflections by the notable officers involved particularly Colonel Oates of the 15th Alabama and Chamberlain of the 20th Maine. Thus, the personal histories offer a realistic feel for this deadly battle that ensued on the most dramatic landscape at Gettysburg. You have to agree with the author that virtually everyone that went into this battle was without a doubt a brave man. An example of the realism is the comments of a member of the 15th Alabama who advances to attack the forces on Little Round Top but becomes pinned down behind a large boulder due to the union fusillade of bullets. His options are severely limited; he can only move forward with his seven colleagues when the fire slackens or they must find an opportunity to get away. There are countless reference of charges of Little Round Top by the confederates but due to the noise of battle and limited line of sight, it seems that there is no definitive clear count of attacks on Little Round Top. After the initial push, additional attacks seem to be made by companies and platoons. On the union side, dramatic decisions are made to defend Little Round Top, pushing cannon up by hand more to make psychological noise due to the inability to depress barrels low enough to strike the attacking enemy while Vincent's line keeps a horrific, effective and continuous fire that has great effect. There is a fairly detailed description of the well-known confrontation between the 15th Alabama and the 20th Maine as Chamberlain refuses his left to stem a desperate flanking attack by the 15th. Through these personal perspectives, you see that many confederates were frustrated with their leadership in making an exhaustive attack across broken ground while a junior officer later questions the depth of Chamberlain's role that although heroic may have stepped beyond allowable embellishment. The latter part of the book consists of the participants view of the third day from their perspective but primarily offers social commentary on the significance of the battle and in particular the depth of loss on both sides. The loss of Oates' brother is particularly poignant as he, like General Garnett in Pickett's (Longstreet's) Charge, was truly too ill to participate in the attack but loses his life making the attempt. Pfanz's "Gettysburg: The Second Day" provides more overall detail as part of his great trilogy but LaFantasie provides a perspective of the battle from the soldier's view and after reading again about this unique and boulder filled rough ground, I plan to return to Gettysburg once again to walk through Devil's Den and stand next to Warren' s statue on Little Round Top and this time try to find where Vincent fell and the location of the refused left of the 20th Maine.
Little Round Top
The Battle of Little Round Top and the courage of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine have exercised a hold on many Americans understanding of the battle of Gettysburg. Chamberlain's role became viewed as larger-than-life following Michael Scharra's novel, "The Killer Angels" and its subsequent television and movie adaptations. A degree of reaction has set in, as some historians question the significance of Little Round Top to the outcome of Gettysburg and the legendary status accorded to Chamberlain.
DEATH at DUSK on a GLOOMY SLOPE
The author, Glenn L. LaFantasie, in the PREFACE notes "In the end, the Union triumph on Little Round Top set the stage for the battle that was to be fought on the following day, July 3, because Federal possession of the hill meant that General Robert E. Lee's options for further attacks against the defensive line of the Army of the Potomac would be by necessity severely limited." Unlike many works on the fight for Little Round Top, the text does not overemphasize the strategy differences between Lee and Longstreet, but rather gives a clear account of one of the bloodiest five hours of combat during the Civil War.
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Subjects:  1. Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysb    2. Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History - Military / War    6. Military    7. Military - United States    8. United States - Civil War    9. Australia    10. Ethnic studies    11. History / Military / United States   

Reviews (2)

A scholarly work
Historian David Yelverton takes a long overdue look at Scott's Discovery expedition, the first significant attempt to probe the interior of that great southern continent. He pays great attention to Scott's difficulties in securing funds, crew, supplies and so forth. And, of course, Yelverton writes at length on the Discovery herself, an leaky craft that would have never made it south were it not for the constant struggle at the pumps.There is also a good deal on the cooperative effort with the Germans (!) on making often difficult magnetic observations, one of the principal reasons for the expedition in the first place. A less negative look at Scott's first expedition
Recent writings on Antarctic exploration have not been kind to Scott's leadership. If you're interested in a different look at the man (to some degree) and the first (Discovery) expedition try this book.The author gives one a sense of life on the expedition and takes one along through daily life on the ship, over the winter and on the sledging journies. Heavy on detail and a bit too focused on 'righting the wrongs' of Huntford, etc., the result seems an extremely well-researched view of the scientific goals and results of the expedition. (And, perhaps the author can be forgiven for the emphasis on righting wrongs--previous works have certainly emphasized contrary views.)I've long felt that viewing the turn-of-the-century expeditions through today's 'lens' is problematic. Scott and the others were English men of their time and subject to those values, just as we are products of our time.I recommend the work to those interested in a detailed view of that first expedition, how its course affected the Terra Nova expedition, and a different view of the explorers and the expedition--placed in their time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1901-1904)    2. 1868-1912    3. Antarctica    4. Arctic Islands And Antarctica - History    5. British National Antarctic Exp    6. British National Antarctic Expedition    7. Discovery And Exploration (General)    8. Discovery and exploration    9. Expeditions & Discoveries    10. History - General History    11. History: World    12. Polar Regions    13. Scott, Robert Falcon,    14. Travel    15. Geographical discovery & exploration    16. True stories of endurance & survival   

Subjects:  1. Australia & New Zealand - New Zealand    2. General    3. History    4. History: World    5. Life Sciences - Ecology    6. Natural history    7. New Zealand    8. Reference    9. Science    10. Conservation of the environment    11. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS   

Reviews (7)

Good Overview, Short on Archeology
I will say that like most of Ballard's books this is nicely laid out; good sized and with excellent photographs & drawings.
Price of Freedom Lies Between These Pages
The title above is what my great-uncle inscribed on the inside cover of this book.He is the Tommy Morriswhose story is told in the pages of this book.Like many more famous sailors and soldiers, Uncle Tommy (who died only two weeks ago after a long decline, for those readers who might be interested)used to tell me and my grandfather (Tommy's brother) that it was impossible for him to think of people as "civilized" having seen how we turn our new discoveries and technology so easily to the unhappy task of killing each other.He also said to me once that his role in the Quincy sinking was that of a "damsel in distress".. which description was follwed by that sort of masculing deep-seated chuckle which only come forth from heroic men who have seen hell on earth. Great book on the warships lost in Iron Bottom Sound
Between August 1942 and February 1943, a land-sea and air battle was waged for an island in the south pacific called Guadalcanal. The six-month long battle for the island would be one of the definitive battles of the war. It was also one of the costliest. Thousands of Allied and Japanese soldiers died. And a channel north of the island had so many ships go down there that it was renamed Iron Bottom Sound. Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Australia & Oceania - South Pacific    3. Guadalcanal    4. Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands)    5. Guadalcanal, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1942-1943    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Military - Naval    9. Nautical Archaeology    10. Naval History - World War II    11. Shipwrecks    12. Solomon Islands    13. Underwater archaeology   

Reviews (1)

a newperspective
Using personal histories and the biographies of leading figures, this book humanises the Viking world. In places, it often reads more like a historical novel, albeit one with scrupulous references to original sagas and archaeology. It is particularly good on the Vikings' encounters outside the usual stories, with interesting notes on their dealings with the Muslim world, particularly the effect of the Zanj Rebellion in what is now Iraq on the white slave trade in Northern Europe, and the influence of the influx of silver from Benjahir in Afghanistan. The narrative also manages a broad historical perspective, beginning with the departure of the Roman legions from Britain, and taking the impact of Scandinavians on North America all the way up to the year 2000. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Scandinavia    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Medieval    6. Polar Regions    7. History / Polar Regions   

Editorial Review

When Jonathan Waterman set out to cross the Arctic Circle by way of kayak, cross-country skis, and a dogsled, he was less interested in conquering the 2,200 miles between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans than in learning to live as the Inuit had before him (Read more

Reviews (26)

buy this book
Jon Waterman is a writer who belongs between the hardcovers.His explorations and introspection make for compelling reading.

Articulate Adventurer
Who was it who said, "less is more"? That's one truth that stands out in Jonathan Waterman's "Artic Crossing" - a epical solo trip of the Northwest Passage done without fanfare, without oodles of sponsorship dough. I liked the author's cool, understated writing style, the wry observations about his sufferings and about the Inuits. No hyperbole, none of self-inflation that is so common in adventure writing, this book is truly believable. A wonderful read.

excellent book
in Arctic Crossing Jonathan Waterman, Kabloona extraordinaire gives us a a great gift. This guy can write, this guy can listen to the silence, this guy can paddle,hike, take in the wonder and freezing cold andbring it back home to those of usall warm in our living rooms. this guy is amazing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arctic Islands And Antarctica - History    2. Arctic regions    3. Canada - General    4. Description And Travel    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. History    7. History: World    8. Journeys    9. Native American    10. Polar Regions    11. Special Interest - Adventure    12. Travel - Foreign    13. Waterman, Jonathan    14. Canada, Northern    15. History / Native American    16. Nord-Ouest, Passage du    17. Voyages   

Reviews (3)

Hellish.
I read this book twice ten years ago when it was still in the library. I haven't been able to find a copy since then, but the images of the hellish, alien landscapes that Mr. Goin photographs are still so vivid that to use words "powerful" or "evocative" would tarnish their terrible beauty.
One of the most haunting books you'll ever see
I don't know of any book whose images have stuck with me for so long. "Nuclear Landscapes" is a chilling look at the remnants of America's vast nuclear weapons production and testing. From the Hanford reservation in Washington state to the south Pacific to the deserts of Arizona you will always be aware that while the photos may look serene there's always enough radiation around to at least give you cancer or some other related malady. Peter Goin knew the risk he was taking,but he left a priceless work for all people to look at and become aware of what we've done to many places on Earth with nuclear testing. One would wish that India and Pakistan would take a serious look and realize that they too have places that can never be inhabited. That they also have nuclear landscapes.

A pictorial history of nuclear waste graveyards and testing
Anyone researching locations on nuclear waste disposal sites or areas used for nuclear testing will find ample material in this book by Peter Goin.If you're looking for images of desolate and abandoned landscapes, this is definitely a great resource. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Exhibitions    2. General    3. History - General History    4. Marshall Islands    5. Military Science    6. Nevada Test Site (Nev.)    7. Nuclear weapons    8. Photo Essays    9. Testing    10. United States   

Reviews (3)

Great book with one flaw
Outstanding coverage of MacArthur's 1944 New Guinea campaign covering the units and personalities involved at the strategic, operational, and tactical level.I would give it 5 stars except the maps have no scale, which is extremely frustrating.Also, more precise topographic detail on the maps would distinctly aid understanding.Maybe next edition...

Best recent book on the subject.
Taaffe provides much needed depth to the subject.I will not go as far to say the coverage is complete, but Jungle War is generally the most useful volumes on the subject out in recent years.
A seminal book about a little-known WWII campaign
A seminal book about a WWII campaign that achieved nothing of strategicsignificance except to boost Gen. MacArthur's personal standing as well asdiverting US military forces from a direct thrust at Japan. Oddly enough,only military operations from after Operation Cartwheel, which included thebloody Buna campaign, is covered. Interested readers on the relatedAustralian operations including the Kokoda trail, as well as follow-onoperations in the Philippines will have to look elsewhere.A clearprerequisite for reading and enjoying this book is to have read "AmericanCaesar" by William Manchester which gives the background to the complexrelationships between all the personalities involved. The almost deadlyduel between MacArthur and Admiral King over overall strategy and logisticsis highlighted, with Admiral Nimitz being pushed into the background. Therace between MacArthur's and Nimitz's rival thrusts towards the JapaneseEmpire being one of the main themes here.The book constantly harps onMacArthur's obsession with getting back to the Philippines. Thus, in hisrace to beat the US Navy to the China-Luzon-Formosa area, MacArthur iscriticised for moving too fast up the northern coast of PNG before securinghis bases for staging the next amphibious landings.He doesn't appear tohave endeared himself to the men doing the fighting but achieved hisobjectives in record time and with remarkably low casualty rates for thewhole campaign. As MacArthur did not know about the Manhattan Project, hecannot be faulted for his strategic planning based largely on the thenknown technology as well as current US military capability. As it was, theatomic bombs were the strategic weapons that decisively ended the PacificWar.This remarkable book goes somewhere towards setting the recordstraight and giving due credit to the many forgotten servicemen whoperformed gallantly or gave their lives in this little-known campaign. Themaps are clear, concise and relate well to the text. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1880-1964    2. Campaigns    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: World    6. MacArthur, Douglas,    7. Military - World War II    8. Military History - World War II    9. New Guinea    10. World War, 1939-1945    11. African history: Second World War    12. Guinea    13. History / Military / World War II    14. MacArthur, Douglas    15. War & defence operations   

Subjects:  1. Australia & New Zealand - General    2. Australia & Oceania - Australia    3. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    4. Photo Essays    5. Photo Techniques    6. Photography    7. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    8. Travel - Foreign   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (1)

Literally Chilling!
My good friend Antonia Martin just gave me this book for my birthday. Antonia, you are an absolute Treasure!Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventurers & Explorers    2. Discovery And Exploration (General)    3. Earth Sciences - Geography    4. History - General History    5. Polar Regions    6. Science    7. Sociology    8. ANTARCTICA_DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION    9. History / Polar Regions    10. IMPERIAL TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1914-1917    11. SHACKLETON, ERNEST HENRY, SIR, 1874-1922    12. History   

Editorial Review

In Read more

Reviews (7)

Interesting look at the flora/fauna of Antarctica
Very interesting reading for those with limited knowledge of what kinds of life exist in this hostile locale.

Not About Antarctica
This was a disappointing read, mainly because it isn't about Antarctica, but about King George Island.Like writing a book about North America from research conducted on Cuba.Yes, Cuba is part of North America, but...If you want information on Antarctica, look elsewhere.Why he named it "Crystal Desert" is beyond me because there is NOTHING on the ice cap.Secondly, Campbell, who may or may not be a competent biologist, spends far to much time grinding his environmental axe.For some reason, he thinks he and other academicians are the only people with the right to go to Antarctica, making numerous disparaging comments about tourism throughout the text.Moreover, he seems to have a major problem with males - be they human, sperm whale, or elephant seal, espousing traits such as "machismo" and other derogatory human emotions to these animals simply because they are larger than the females.And finally, he spends the entire final third of the book expounding on the horrors of the seal and whale hunts that decimated the populations of these magnificant animals.Unfortunate, definately.But the book is supposed to be about Antarctica - not a treatise on over-sealing and over-whaling by people from another period in time.It does have some good descriptions of Admiralty Bay on King George Island - mainly from a biological perspective, but overall, it was a waste of time.

Good, but the author isn't big on introspection
Since I've visited Antarctica, and enjoyed its haunting, indifferent beauty as well as the spectacular wildlife, I was interested in reading an account of someone who had lived, studied, and conducted research there.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ecology    2. Essays    3. Fiction    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Polar Regions    7. Nature / Ecology   

Reviews (2)

Used 4 yrs ago- will not go again without it
A must for traveling and truly enjoying the people and countryside.Details of out-of-the-way places as well as the city life.Able to getaround without driving (on the wrong side of the road).Will long rememberall of the friendly people and the cleanliness of cities and countryside.

informative and resourseful
This book is great for backpackers and students. It is also helpful members of Hostelling International and VIP backpackers.It explains the cheapest way to travel and the must sees in New Zealand ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. General    3. New Zealand - History    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides   

Subjects:  1. Expeditions & Discoveries    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Maritime History    6. Polar Regions    7. History / Polar Regions    8. JUVY-TODDLERS - JUVY-BOARD/BLOCK/TOU    9. PSYCHOLOGY - PSYCHOLOGY TRD PB    10. True stories of endurance & survival   

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Africa - General    3. Asia    4. Asia - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. Oceania    8. Reference    9. Research    10. Statistics    11. 20th century    12. African history    13. American history    14. Australasia    15. Australasian & Pacific history    16. Economic history    17. Reference works    18. Social history    19. The Americas    20. c 1700 to c 1800    21. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (1)

A monumental study.
This is an utterly stunning work that should be required reading for all midwives, obstetrician-gynecologists, feminists of all persuasions--anybody involved in the health care of women.Not only does it take the wind outof the sails of those who believe childbirth is without consequences (partof the natural history of natural childbirth is maternal death), but itdemonstrates how the industrialized world dropped its maternal mortalityratios nearly 100-fold in a century.This has important policyimplications for international health work--providing that theinternational community can persuade developing countries to take women'shealth care needs seriously.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Childbirth    4. Criminal Law - General    5. General    6. Gynecology & Obstetrics    7. History    8. History: World    9. Law    10. Medical / Nursing    11. Mortality    12. Mothers    13. Pregnancy    14. Prenatal care    15. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    16. Australasian & Pacific history: c 1750 to c 1900    17. Australia    18. British & Irish history: c 1700 to c 1900    19. Death & dying    20. Europe    21. European history: c 1750 to c 1900    22. Gynaecology & obstetrics    23. History / General    24. History, Other | History of Women    25. Medical anthropology    26. New Zealand    27. Social history    28. Social research & statistics    29. USA    30. United Kingdom, Great Britain    31. c 1800 to c 1900