Nonpareil books

This book is a WESTERN, but not in the "cowboys and Indians" sense. It's about the American West during the period of the Indian Wars and it is a marvelous expose' on an amazing group of characters who come to know the West and themselves in profound ways. It is not a "John Wayne shoot 'em up" type of book, but rather a thoughtful journey into the minds and hearts of people who grow up and grow past preconceived notions of right and wrong. The characters are so fully fleshed that you expect to meet them walking down the street any day of the week. You'll find yourself captivated by the reality of the characters in a way that is seldom seen in American literature. The story shows the growth of the characters through experiences that are entirely believable and historically accurate. Mr. Horgan knew and loved the American Southwest and his writing is absolutely enchanting and brilliant. He created a world that is far more truthful and noteworthy than most "westerns" of film or page and you will find yourself re-reading it constantly. I have read it dozens of times and every occasion shows me something new and wonderful in the text. Don't expect guns blazing and dance hall girls fainting, expect a solid read that will enhance your knowledge and enjoyment.

This is a collection of stories diverse in subject, but sutured together by the limitless affection the author holds for the land and the people of New England. Donald Hall tells about life on a small farm where, as a boy, he spent summers with his grandparents. Gradually the boy grows to be a young man, sees his grandparents aging, the farm become marginal, and finally, the cows sold and the barn abandoned. But these are more than nostalgic memories, for in the measured and tender prose of each episode are signs of the end of things - a childhood, perhaps a culture.

"When he discovered "Lucy," the oldest skeleton of any erect-walking human ancestor ever found, Donald Johanson made headlines all over the world." "Johanson, author of Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind, the controversial bestseller that altered the science of anthropology, is now the preeminent authority on human evolution. In Ancestors, his most ambitious work to date, Johanson calls on both extensive, hands-on field-work and current scientific theory to widen the ever-growing window to the human past." "Ancestors is the companion volume to a three-part miniseries - hosted by Johanson - of the award-winning PBS science series NOVA. With spectacular photographs and riveting accounts of Dr. Johanson's recent adventures in such exotic landscapes as fossil-rich eastern Africa and the Willandra Lakes region of Australia, the excitement of discovery is contagious. Like a good detective on a lead, Johanson crosses four continents, gathering clues to hominid anatomy, habitat, and placement along the fossil time line in an effort to piece together a compelling picture of human ancestry." "Johanson draws from the work of other evolution detectives - archeologists, biologists, geologists, other paleoanthropologists - introducing a cast of eccentric characters and giving a behind-the-scenes look at how scientists work. Johanson also delves into the three most hotly debated topics in the field: why hominids began to walk upright, whether they were "noble hunters" or "cunning scavengers," and at what point Homo sapiens evolved." "Full of anecdote, drama, innovative theory, and the mystery of human origins, Ancestors is a spell-binding read."--Jacket.

When his father loses his fortune, a boy is taken on by a famous shipbuilder and eventually makes a maiden, record-breaking trip around Cape Horn on the "Flying Cloud."

Here is a classic novel from one of our most honored writers--the author of such acclaimed works as So Long, See You Tomorrow and All the Days and Nights." The Folded Leaf is the serenely observed yet deeply moving story of two boys finding one another in the Midwest of the 1920s, when childhood lasted longer than it does today and even adults were more innocent of what life could bring.From the Trade Paperback edition.