A book on Confederate staff work was definitely needed, and this book fits the bill nicely. The first half of the book offers very thorough descriptions of the various staff positions and agencies. The author does a good job of explaining how these positions came into being, how they were manned, and how (if at all) staff officers were trained. Also interesting to read the author's relation of these 19th c. staff positons to their modern counterparts.

If I have any criticism, it may be that the text relies a little too much on three individual staff officers- Walter Taylor, Henry Kyd Douglas, and Heros Von Borcke. I wonder if there are other memoirs out there that would expand on their accounts.

Overall an outstanding book. Very logical and readable. Fascinating treatment of a neglected topic.

A lively and inovative short book that begins to delve into Gary Lawless' love of nature. For anyone who is either beginning or has already become interested in poetry, this book is not only eye-opening, but also captivating. Mr. Lawless utalizes his love of the land to bring forth a new perspective on the land and its animals in the Northeastern U.S. One of the most striking features of this book is the fact that the last 20 or so pages are a transcript of an interview Mr. Lawless had with a Maine news reporter. This not only opens an insightful path into Mr. Lawless' own perspective on poetry, it also includes commentary on politics, nature, and education. While this book is not for everyone (mainly because Mr. Lawless does not utalize what may be considered a traditional approach to poetry) it is a very good read for those who are interested in persuing any poetic endeavours. I would highly recomend it. It provides a new and interesting/refreshing approach to poetry.

Lawless' passion is infectious. The choice is yours to read it, or to miss out on something that will shatter your preconceptions and make you rethink your life and how you affect your surroundings.

Marianne Elliot compiles an unique and thorough history of Catholocism in Ireland's most troubled province of Ulster. The information contained in this book is invaluable for anyone attempting to trace the roots of the current troubles in Northern Ireland, or with any serious interest in the history of this troubled island. This book is not for the casual reader, as Elliot's dry academic style could grow wearisome for those looking for a light, enjoyable read.

As a family historian, I have spent a lot of time reading history in an attempt to understand what my ancestors experienced in Ulster. Some of them were Irish Catholics, some probably Scots Catholics who immigrated with the McDonalds, and they eventually became Ulster Presbyterians. But within the Presbyterian communities of the late 1700's, early 1800's were a lot of Irish surnames. How did this happen?

This book unmasks the truth behind both "Protestant" and Nationalist propagandized histories. Many of Elliott's conclusions are born out by my own family research.

If you want to read propaganda, then you can find plenty of it out there, but if you want to look beyond received history and into a past that is very different from what is commonly held, then this is the book for you.

It is probably not the first book to buy if you are new to the history of Ulster and /or Northern Ireland because it assumes you know the basics or received version of history and it is a response to it.

This is a very useful reference work which gives the command structure, so far as is known, for the ANV and its subsidiaries down to the regimental level. It will be invaluable for specialists. I found the footnote structure to be somewhat confusing: it might have been better to restate these scattered notes as brief paragraphs on the units and events mentioned.

F. Ray Sibley has indeed done a service for the Civil War historian. He has spent more than a dozen years to compile what researchers will ultimately proclaim as the conclusive reference on the organizational make-up of the Confederacy. The Confederate Order of Battle: The Army of Northern Virginia is a rare accomplishment that will greatly reduce the amount of time and effort spent on research for sometime to come. This 486 page volume is destined to be labeled as the standard reference for those studying the organizational framework of the Army of Northern Virginia. In his first volume of a planned three volume series, Sibley has carefully analyzed numerous resources and has subsequently compiled them into a single reference book that defines the structure of the eastern Confederate forces as they went into battle. In a massive undertaking, Sibley's The Confederate Order of Battle: The Army of Northern Virginia and his ensuing works will literally shrink the amount of time and effort researchers, genealogist, and history writers will take in conducting research and verifying their work. Sibley's work fundamentally allows students and researchers to identify a composite listing of a unit's history. In the same light, it enables one to ascertain the identity of a Confederate commander's combat career without the need to consult other resources. In The Confederate Order of Battle, Sibley has carefully defined even the most difficult to find unit identifications and commanding officer names and has listed them chronologically by battle. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, Sibley has meticulously indexed the entire reference in two distinctive and functionally worthwhile manners. First, he has provided a Main Index that alphabetically lists the commander's name with a parenthetical notation of the unit he commanded. Secondly, and most impressively, he has defined in three subsequent sections the Confederate Infantry, Artillery, and Cavalry units. Under these sub-indices, Sibley has organized each operational type listing by the unit's state and hierarchical echelon within the Confederacy. In short, the indices are what makes this book unique and particularly user friendly. Collectively, the main body listings of the units by regiment, brigade, division, corps and, ultimately army, coupled with the notably functional indices are what makes Sibley's book a reference masterpiece in terms of practical value. However, what especially makes this book useful is its extensive endnotes and exceptionally complete bibliography. In tandem with the main body listing of each Confederate battle, unit designation, and commanding officer, the endnotes and bibliography offer the researcher a complete single source reference for the study of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. In follow-on works, Sibley has planned additional volumes describing the orders of battle for the Confederate western armies and armies of the trans-Mississippi and coastal defense forces. In the end, this three set volume will be an indispensable reference and a must for all Civil War libraries. All in all, The Confederate Order of Battle: The Army of Northern Virginia will undoubtedly become a common source for historians and researchers to use in the years to come.

Lady Gregory's book is one of the jumping-off points and first fruits of the Irish Renaissance in literature. This translation is one of the classics of modern Irish scholarship. It's fairly readable, especially if you like epic stories, and it does an excellent job of introducing you to mythic Ireland. This is one of Lady Gregory's two finest works, in my opinion.

This book is a translation of many myths, legends, and folk lore of Ireland that make up the Ulster Cycle. The focus of the book is upon Cuchulain, The Hound of Ulster and champion of The Red Branch of Ulster, his life, and his death. A great book for any fan of Celtic myths and legends as well as any lover of fantasy.

this book was excellent. it was well informed and realistic. Because the process is unfinished the end of the book is a bit vague, unavoidable really.

if you want to get the inside track on the NI peace process, I recomment this book.

This book by David McKittrick (AND Eamonn Mallie)has now been updated. It is up to the standard that we have come to expect from two of the best reporters, in any medium, on the Northern Ireland situation. Their strength lies not only in straight forward writing, easily understood by even new readers of the subject but in keen analysis and above all, almost unparalleled access. The ability to get behind the scenes and find out fascinating nuggets of information from key players is what makes their books so interesting. Personal anecdotes from those involved in the negotiations make the scenes come alive. What better recommendation is there than the jacket quote from the Secretary of State that he read it and it provided HIM with insights!

In reporting the discovery of the Americas the popular focus of historians has been on the voyages of Columbus and others in the southern latitudes. The early northern explorers, in search of the elusive north west passage to Cathay, sailed in waters far more hostile than their southern compatriots. Morison has a great love for his subject and wealth of knowledge. He clearly details the personalities of the leaders of these early expeditions and the dangers they faced. This is a most enjoyable read filled with wit and knowledge, which has left me searching for other titles by the author.

In this volume Morison goes back to the voyages of St. Brendan and the Irish monks as well as those of Norsemen such as Leif Erickson. The first post-Columbian voyages the author describes are those of John Cabot in 1497-1498 and the book ends with a discussion of the experiences of the second Virginia colony in 1587.

Morison is an entertaining writer who offers many original insights.

Some of his thorough research was done as a passenger on a small twin-engined plane flown along the same coasts which were discovered by Cabot, Cartier and Verrazzano.

I read this book in only a few days. I could not put it down. The characters of Davie, Molly, Jane, and especially Amos were written so vividly that I could imagine them in my mind as I was reading. The boy Amos was so cruel one minute and so loving the next, I was always amazed that the ones around him were taken in so easily, but then his handicap made him pitiful and they wanted to love him. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read.

Feathers in the Fire plays on the primative human fear of the humanoid monster, depicted by the evil Amos.

Amos becomes evil and twisted because of his childhood--his father's refusal to recognize him and the fact that he was almost put to death just after birth. This mirrors Janie Gibson's birth circumstances in The Maltese Angel, but Janie gets to have a happy future, not the tragic, if well-deserved ending of Amos.

A gritty, great read.

This is a book that explores the nature of folk stores told by a grandad, that no one, not even the grandad are sure is true. It is works with the notion that many of our folklores well are they just folk stores?? Not to be outdone are the illustrations of the book. The northernlights in this book sometimes seemed to dance on the pages. The illustrations of the book are some of the best.

After seeing this book read on a children's show, I knew that my son and I would adore feeling the magic of this family story. I was right! The illustrations evoke a sense of quiet not unlike the snow itself, and the end leaves us eager to listen to some of our own family stories.

This is the best book around for weekend getaways. Everything is within driving distance. He lists top tens for every camping category you could imagine from best car camping to best waterfall hikes. Look no farther, he is the Bay Area's number one authority.

Organized first by what you want to do, then listing options in each category, this book is my first go-to book for something to do. Cave? Hike? Easy hike? Waterfall hikes? You name it. Also gives feature articles on especially rich locales. It's perfect for arranging a weekend or daytrip. It's all about the activity and is mercifully light on recommendations that other books cover such as lodging and restaurants. I hope the reason this is out of print is that a new edition is about to be published.