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Earthquake in the Early Morning (Magic Tree House #24) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 067989070X
Release Date: 2001-07-24 |
Amazon.com
The year is 1906, the place is San Francisco. Annie and her brother, Jack, have just traveled here in their magic tree house, on a mission from Morgan le Fay, the mysterious magical librarian from King Arthur's time. In an effort to save Camelot, the children have already found three special kinds of writing for Morgan's library: something to follow (Civil War on Sunday), something to send (Revolutionary War on Wednesday), and something to learn (Twister on Tuesday). Now it's time to find "something to lend." It's a quiet, peaceful morning in San Francisco, and Annie is eager to start exploring. So eager, in fact, that she pulls Jack away from his research just before he would have learned a very important piece of information... All too soon, the siblings figure it out for themselves: they have arrived in this lovely city a moment before one of the biggest earthquakes the U.S. has ever known shakes the Bay Area to pieces! Stunned, Jack and Annie wander the streets, but quickly find a purpose. Lots of people need help transporting goods to safety, and many more are left without any idea where to go or what to do. But what about their mission? Will the kids find something to lend before the entire city goes up in flames?
Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series offers young readers a chance to immerse themselves in spellbinding adventures even as they learn about history. The terrible San Francisco earthquake is described with great historical accuracy, but with admirable age-appropriateness. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Jack and Annie travel back to the morning of the great San Francisco earthquake. While they are there, they meet a reporter and help get some kids to safety.
Customer Reviews:
Books.......2007-05-09
My children love these books I didn't know if they would like them because they don't have alot of pictures. They just can't get enough
took over a month to receive it.......2007-05-07
waited for a month to receive the book.
Earthquake in the Early Morning.......2007-04-27
This book is fabulous.
One of the reasons I like it is because it talked about fires, earthquake and natural disaster. Another reason is because it was near our city! The last reason I liked it is because they lost their city but still had hope. I learned some exellent facts. I learned the fire burned 28,000 buildings! They had half a millon people there. The earthquake was called "The Great Shake". It was one of the biggest earthquakes ever! I would recommend this book for three reasons. The characters are fun. Jack likes the realistic and Annie likes the magic. The second reason is the excitement and learning wonderful facts.
Earthquake in the Early Morning is a excellent book.
MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07
My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!
Earthquake in the early morning.......2005-12-20
I like this book because it is interesting.
It keeps you wondering whats going to happen next.
It is also very funny.
So you might want to read this book.
Book Description
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the inspiring story of how one man found his life’s work—and true love—among a gang of wild parrots roosting in one of America’s most picturesque urban settings.
Mark Bittner was down on his luck. He’d gone to San Francisco at the age of twenty-one to take a stab at a music career, but he hadn’t had much success. After many years as an odd-jobber in the area, he accepted work as a housekeeper for an elderly woman. The gig came with a rent-free studio apartment on the city’s famed Telegraph Hill, which had somehow become home to a flock of brilliantly colored wild parrots.
In this unforgettable story, Bittner recounts how he became fascinated by the birds and made up his mind to get to know them and gain their trust. He succeeds to such a degree that he becomes the local wild parrot expert and a tourist attraction. People can’t help gawking at the man who, during daily feedings, stands with parrots perched along both arms and atop his head. When a documentary filmmaker comes along to capture the phenomenon on film, the story takes a surprising turn, and Bittner’s life truly takes flight.
Customer Reviews:
Really good book.......2007-07-20
This book was recommended to me by someone whose taste in books I questioned. However, I must say this is a well-written, fascinating book. For animals lovers, in particular, you will truly enjoy this story.
Parrots for everyone!.......2007-07-12
What a thrill to learn about Mark Bittner's love and care of the flock of (mostly) cherryheads. I'm not even a bird person, but I was just mesmerized a couple of years ago by a story I heard on NPR about a flock of parrots. I'm still not sure it was the San Francisco flock, but imagine my surprise when I saw Mark's book on my emailed Page-A-Day calendar.
Reading the story was like being there. I learned to like Mark in spite of my reservations in the beginning; couldn't wait to watch the film.
Only a week after finishing the book, I was reading the intro to another book and the author (Jim Palmer) introduced himself as a lover of quirky films that no one else knows about, like "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill." I considered it a "God-sign."
Read this book; you'll love it.
Love on Wings.......2007-06-27
I throughly enjoyed this true story with a happy ending.
It was written with heart and soul.
And touched mine.
Even better than the movie.......2007-01-03
I watched the movie prior to reading the book.
I enjoyed both but in particular the book.
Mark is a very good writer, especially when you consider that he has no formal training, that I am aware of.
This is a book that you can read again a few months later and be entertained all over again.
On the Wings of Love..........2006-12-26
They say he may have been a modern bohemian Saint Francis living in San Francisco and befriending wild parrots. Or maybe he was simply a man returning (for some time) to the original state of humankind living in harmony with the creatures. Yes, this is the story of wild parrots and a semi-wild man and how they danced, sang, ate seeds, and lived together for six years. Perched high upon a hill overlooking the San Francisco bay, the ancient story of human befriending wild beasts unfolded. The kind of tale that fascinates us today just as it would have fascinated our ancestors in ancient times. Such stories will always fascinate us humans, whenever a gentle, loving heart opens itself to the magic and mystery of creation and engages in a dance of truth with life.
Mark Bittner writes: "In 1988, I took a job as the caretaker of a house on the east side of Telegraph Hill. Two years later I spotted four parrots in the gardens outside my home. Within three years the flock had grown to twenty-six, and I was in love. I spent the next six years making friends with them and learning their ways... I watched them for several years with tremendous curiosity. What were wild parrots doing in San Francisco? Then one day a few of them flew to my fire escape, and my whole life changed..."
In 1996 Mark began writing a book about his experiences with these colorful, fascinating birds. He came to know each parrot individually and personally. Each one has its unique personality, quirks, friendships, courtships, and life pathways. Mark wrote his observations in a journal of the lives of Mingus, Connor, Picasso, Sophie, Olive, Pushkin, Tupelo, and many other parrots whom he named, fed, observed, cared for, and befriended. He also photographed the birds, with stunning results. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill: A Love Story... With Wings is the highly acclaimed, charming, and best-selling result of Mark's six years with the birds.
Judy Irving, a filmmaker, began creating a documentary of Mark's work with the parrots in 1998. This resulted in her extraordinary documentary, also called The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. Although the title is the same as the book, the book and film focus on somewhat different aspects of the story. The film (available on DVD) is as much a study of Mark as it is of the parrots. While working on the film, Judy and Mark fell in love. They are now married and living in the gardens of Telegraph Hill. Mark is currently working on a book about his years of living on the street prior to his encounter with the parrots. Judy continues making her high quality films on the environment.
If you read the book or watch the film, you will find that Mark's bird-friends become your friends. James D. Gilardi, Ph.D., Director of the World Parrot Trust, writes: "By falling in with a flock of wild parrots, Bittner has learned more about a real parrot society than those of us studying wild or captive parrots could ever hope to learn." But of course, the book isn't just about parrots. As one reviewer of Mark's book wrote: "By the end of his tale, you will no longer see humans as the center of the universe, if you ever did." And by the time the screen credits are rolling at the end of the film, you will find yourself transformed by this beautifully touching and compelling story.
What I loved especially about both the film and the book is experiencing how Mark himself evolves and transforms through his relationship with the parrots and eventually through his relationship with Judy. He was a lost musician, a street person, a post-beatnik, searching for truth and "right living" as taught by Buddhism. He took odd jobs, tried this and that, but never quite found his path. Until he met the parrots. And then Judy. We sense that the story is far from over, and we yearn to know more of its unfolding... I wish that Judy and Mark would write, or document in film or photographs, more about their personal lives since the publication and dissemination of their book and film. The film opens you up to the delight of these two people, and one yearns to know more. Like the parrots, Judy and Mark have become our friends through the magic of the book and film.
To experience the magic yourself, view the film or DVD, read the book, view Mark's photos, and check out Mark's and Judy's websites. You'll be glad that you did! Beautiful story, beautiful people, beautiful birds.
Yes, if you are a lover of nature, both human and animal, I highly recommend this book and the film/DVD.
Book Description
A gripping portrait of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake by Laura Ingalls Wilder Award winner Laurence Yep.
When the quake subsides, Chin and Henry and their families are lucky to be alive. But now they must escape the fires that have broken out and find their way to safety–before it's too late.
Based on actual events and told from the alternating perspectives of two young friends, The Earth Dragon Awakes is a suspenseful novel about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake by Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep.
Customer Reviews:
Earth Dragon Awakes.......2007-09-24
This is an excellent young adult book. It is one of our Georgia Book Award Nominees for 2007-2008. It is a great way for kids to learn about what the earthquake was like from a young person's view point. The language of the book was very descriptive. You felt like you were there.
Everyday Heroes..........2006-08-01
THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES features parallel narration from two young boys...one American, one Chinese-American. Two different neighborhoods, but one terrifying crisis overwhelms them all.
Ah Sing is the houseboy to the Travis family, his son, Chin, is friends with Henry Travis. They both share a common passion: secretly reading 'penny dreadfuls' adventure stories full of heroes and action-packed adventures. But little do they know that the true heroes are much closer to home.
When the earthquake strikes, the young boys see their fathers revealed as true heroes. Fighting for survival, the city brings out the best and worst of everyone. Some see an opportunity to make profit, and others devote their time to helping strangers.
It is an exciting read for young readers.
An exciting story that will appeal to children ages 8-12 .......2006-05-31
Chin and his father, Ah Sing, live in Chinatown with thousands of other Chinese immigrants. Ah Sing is a houseboy for Mr. Travis, a well-to-do banker who lives in a very nice San Francisco neighborhood with his wife and son, Henry. Henry and Chin are good friends; Henry shares his comic books with Chin, who is using them to learn how to read. Henry's parents and Ah Sing don't approve of the comic books their boys find so interesting.
Henry's dog, Sawyer, is very upset. He's whimpering and afraid, sensing that something is terribly wrong. Even the chickens in Ah Quon's butcher shop are skittish and frightened. What could be scaring the animals?
Over one-third of a million people are sleeping or just waking up around 5 A.M. on April 18, 1906 in the San Francisco area when the earthquake begins. Author Laurence Yep describes what it's like: "It is as if more than 18 million sticks of dynamite explode beneath them. That is more force than the atom bomb that struck Hiroshima."
At the Travis house Sawyer begins to howl. Henry hears a low rumble, then his books bounce off their shelves. Plaster drops off the walls and windows shatter. The house across the street falls apart.
Over in Chinatown the floor in Ah Sing's little apartment actually rolls under his feet. Boxes fall. Possessions are scattered everywhere. Windows shatter, and walls crack and crumble. Then the ceiling falls.
Imagine the chaos and destruction as houses tumble like flimsy paper cards. Water mains break. Thousands of people are trapped under falling rubble --- bricks, wood and plaster. Cable-car tracks are twisted and contorted. Fires are breaking out and spreading rapidly because there aren't enough firemen to fight that many fires. Those who are able to are helping rescue people, pets and a few belongings. Everyone is desperately trying to find a safe place.
This disaster is bringing out the best in most people, but also the worst as some folks are charging outrageous prices for the few supplies and what little transportation is available.
Henry and Chin's families experience many hazards and great uncertainty, but they do survive the earthquake and the fires. Both Henry and Chin are very proud of their fathers for the way they overcame the hardships and kept their families safe during the disaster.
--- Reviewed by Carole Turner
Book Description
San Francisco is home to an amazingly diverse and exciting urban forest. Mike Sullivan shares his enthusiasm for San Francisco's trees in engaging and nontechnical descriptions, stories, photographs, and a series of walking tours. Natives and tourists alike will enjoy the chance to learn not only about the city's trees, but also about historical and environmental forces that have shaped the San Francisco we know.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointed but it does do trees.......2007-09-23
I first heard about this book from the author and I'd been looking at trees in San Francisco for a while wondering what these trees are--so I thought this book would solve the mystery. It doesn't. The picture of each tree is so small you can't see the shape of individual leaves, nor the bark, nor any fruit there might be. And I need those details (and more) to be able to tell some of these trees apart. I thought I'd finally be able to put a name to some of these trees I see around town that I love because they look so distinct but this book doesn't provide that much information to do this. Maybe if you are already fairly familiar with the various types of trees in San Francisco, or have studied treeology or something this book might be useful. I can tell a Bottle Brush from a palm tree from a maple tree from eucalyptus but when I'm standing in front of an unfamiliar tree and want to know what it is, this book is not helpful--and that's what I want in a tree book, to be able to see a picture of what the seeds usually look like (maybe explain when that tree usually seeds too), what the flower looks like, what the bark looks like, what the branching of the limbs look like, all the things that differentiate one tree from another. I'm not sure why this book was even published.
Tourist or Home Owner.......2006-10-05
This is a well-assembled manual for homeowners in San Francisco who wish to plant street trees. For them it is indispensable. The walks described in the second half of the book might be of high interest to tourists of ambulatory instincts. The best of SF is its neighborhoods and its domestic architecture. The trees of the city might seem small and crowded to a visitor from Minneapolis, for instance, but the variety is huge and there are magnificent specimens here and there.
If you love San Francisco, you'll love this book.......2006-05-03
This book is an absolute delight for lovers of San Francisco, whether you are particularly fascinated by trees or no. The book is packed with interesting information about San Francisco's trees, and about the city itself. The suggested walking tours rank among the best walks I've taken in this city, and that's saying something. On my first walk with this book, for example, I learned that the word carat is derived from the ancient word quirat, which refers to the carob tree. The seeds of this tree are remarkably uniform in weight and were used by the ancients as a measure of weight. The walk in my own neighborhood, where I've lived for several years, pointed out several remarkable sights that I'd never noticed before. If you live in San Francisco or plan to visit soon, then buy this book. It will enhance your experience of San Francsico immeasurably.
From the Publisher.......2005-11-20
"Mike Sullivan loves his adopted city of San Francisco, and he loves trees. In The Trees of San Francisco he has combined his passions, offering a striking and handy compendium of botanical information, historical tidbits, cultivation hints, and more.
"Sullivan's introduction details the history of trees in the city, a fairly recent phenomenon. The text then piques the reader's interest with discussions of 71 city trees. Each tree is illustrated with a photograph--with its common and scientific names prominently displayed--and its specific location within San Francisco, along with other sites; frequently a close-up shot of the tree is included. Sprinkled throughout are 13 sidelights relating to trees; among the topics are the city's wild parrots and the trees they love; an overview of the objectives of the Friends of the Urban Forest; and discussions about the link between Australia's trees and those in the city, such as the eucalyptus.
"The second part of the book gets the reader up and about, walking the city to see its trees. Full-page color maps accompany the seven detailed tours, outlining the routes; interesting factoids are interspersed throughout the directions. A two-page color map of San Francisco then highlights 25 selected neighborhoods ideal for viewing trees, leading into a checklist of the neighborhoods and their trees.
"160 pages with more than 90 full-color photographs. Smythe-sewn paperbound book with dust jacket. Size: 6 x 9". ISBN: 0-7649-2758-2."--© Pomegranate
An excellent, unparalleled focus on San Francisco's tree history.......2005-10-12
Mike Sullivan first visited San Francisco in 1983 and was captivated by its trees: his Trees Of San Francisco provides a culmination of his interests, from natural history and tree history to walking tours. Chapters come packed with color photos and are organized by tree variety, include many unique to San Francisco, and provide both growing notes and historical background. An excellent, unparalleled focus on San Francisco's tree history.
Book Description
A vivid account of America’s first environmental cause célèbre, which illuminates our attitudes toward fundamental questions of growth, development, and our place in nature.
The building of the O’Shaughnessy Dam and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in the middle of Yosemite National Park–despite the availability of less expensive, less technically challenging, and less politically complicated possibilities–set off a defining controversy in American environmentalism. From the early 1900s to 1913 Americans argued about proposals to dam the Tuolumne River and transform the extraordinary Hetch Hetchy Valley into a giant source of water and hydroelectric power for the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a story of intrigue replete with political scandals and suspect tactics played out in the corridors of Congress, in San Francisco’s City Hall and its corporate boardrooms, and in the national media. The colorful cast of characters includes Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and John Muir, as well as a host of political bosses, West Coast boosters, East Coast patricians and publishers, big-business interests, newly formed environmental groups, and the American public.
Simpson also takes us through the building of the enormous dam and the extensive tunnels and aqueducts that carry water to the Bay Area, and the even more controversial hydroelectric project that still fails to deliver the “public” power that Congress mandated and about which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled. He recounts conversations with an array of people currently involved in the ongoing controversy over whether to manage, refurbish, repair, and enlarge the system, or to tear down the dam and restore the valley to its prior splendor. Simpson concludes with a reflection on what all of this reveals about American attitudes toward growth, development, and environmental stewardship.
Customer Reviews:
Forgot the story of the Native Americans of Hetch Hetchy Valley........2006-02-25
The problem with a lot of books written about Hetch Hetchy is that they leave out the original Native Americans of Hetch Hetchy Valley.
The Paiute Indian people were the original owners of Hetch Hetchy, but no one, especially the Yosemite National Park Service, does not want to mention that. Why is that?
Why do stories written about Hetch Hetchy always start AFTER the the Raker's Act. There were Indians in Hetch Hetchy before that. The Native Americans of Hetch Hetchy Valley were Paiutes.
Where is that in the story of Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite National Park? The story of Captain Jim of the Hetch Hetchy Paiutes. The story of Joseph Screech the first European to enter Hetch Hetchy Valley meeting Paiutes there.
In fact here is something the Yosemite National Park Service does want people to know. The original Indians of Yosemite and Hetch Hetchy ended up in Paiute areas.
The truth is out there, but the injustice continues. The history of the true Indians of Hetch Hetchy should be included in all stories of Hetch Hetchy...the Paiutes.
A lively account of controversial battles which continue into modern times.......2005-11-07
After the great earthquake and fire of 1906, San Francisco was in desperate need of a reliable water source - and proposals were made to damn the Tuolumne River and transform the Hetch Hetchy Valley into a giant hydro-electric supply for the city. Others protested the changes to the environment. The two groups sparked one of the biggest controversies in American environmental history, and Damn! Water, Power, Politics And Preservation In Hetch Hetchy And Yosemite National Park charts the conflicts and eventual resolution, from changing attitudes towards growth and water issues to the American public's evolving interest in preservation. A lively account of controversial battles which continue into modern times.
The Waters of Empire.......2005-09-09
Portions of this book will be of great value to anyone interested in the history of the environmental movement, and the shifting political realities that environmentalists have had to deal with over long periods. Simpson explores the history and issues surrounding the Hetch Hetchy dam at Yosemite National Park, which was built to supply San Francisco with water and power even though the site was already protected within the national park. The unsuccessful fight against the dam, which flooded a beautiful valley that was the near-equal to the tremendous Yosemite Valley nearby, was the first major battle conducted by the American environmental movement. Simpson starts with a history of the national park and the twisted politics that resulted in the construction of the dam and its reservoir. This leads to some real insights into environmentalist history in America and the politics of the early 20th century, when the fight for and against the dam took place over several contentious decades.
After this enlightening start, the majority of the book covers the politics and issues behind water and power utilities in modern San Francisco. There is much to be learned here, though the specifics on San Francisco's unique challenges and practices become rather tedious and may not be that enlightening for anyone outside of the region. However, one of the great insights of this book is how San Francisco behaves like an empire, controlling far-away colonies for the extraction of resources that it can't obtain locally, especially fresh water. All of this was accomplished through strong-arm political tactics and flaunting the wishes of both the Federal government and millions of affected citizens. [~doomsdayer520~]
Book Description
Why does a bit of ocean floor lie on top of Mt. Diablo? Why is Red Rock, that small, knobby island in San Francisco Bay, red? Why is Loma Prieta high? This book is for San Francisco Bay Area residents and visitors who want to explore the geologic world of this spectacular area, to learn about its shapes, colors, and rocky foundations. Doris Sloan illuminates the colorful geologic mosaic that surrounds San Francisco Bay and lucidly explains the complex and fascinating processes that have forged it over millions of years.
In a lively and engaging style, Sloan describes forces such as the movement of tectonic plates, erosion, the waves on the coast, and human activity. She provides background information on the processes, time frame, and rocks that are the key to understanding the Bay Area landscape and geologic history, then turns to distinct regions of the Bay Area and to San Francisco Bay itself.
* Superbly illustrated with 139 color photographs, 41 drawings, and 29 maps
* Covers Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties
* Gives clear, nontechnical explanations of complex topics including plate tectonics and the Bay Area's fault systems
* Suggests locales in parks and open space preserves to view Bay Area geology in action
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for amateurs & pros alike!.......2007-05-14
If you have any interest in California geology, this is the book for you. The pictures are beautiful; the text is well written and easy to understand even for those with no background in geology. It is a wonderful source for planning weekend trips. A great gift for anyone interested in the outdoors.
Good overall view of geologic scenerio in SF Bay Area.......2007-03-22
Well written and easy to understand description of the geologic wrecking yard that is the San Francisco Bay area - even for a layman.
Best Bay Area natural history book I have ever seen!.......2006-07-08
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and as an avid amateur naturalist, I have collected many regional nature guidebooks-- maybe most of them. I just received this book, having ordered it just based on the title and little else. What a pleasant surprise!-- It is probably the best regional natural history book I have ever seen.
If you are an avid amateur naturalist like me, maybe the following is familiar: You pick up a nice general geology or rock atlas book, and find it beautiful and comprehensive; but when you try to match an actual local observation to this catalog of all possible rocks and structures in the world, you are left with uncertainty. And you quickly lose interest in this guesswork. Well, if you are in the Bay Area, you will feel extremely lucky when you get this book in your hands. It focuses on things you are likely to see here; it shows regional patterns to further help you understand what is what. As a result you will find the topic tangibly relevant, and your local explorations more interesting and fulfilling.
Another amazing aspect of this book is its fullness and quality. You would expect a regionally focused work to be a glorified pamphlet of highlights. On the contrary, this book has the feel of an expensively produced comprehensive geology introduction. (Judging by the cover photo you might not realize (I didn't) that it's a relatively thick (300+ page) book.) It ties everything to the big picture of geologic time. It is full of shiny color photos and color-coded maps. It is extremely well written!-- the writing shows obvious care in making explanations simple and intuitive to nonspecialists. So it is as if we have been given a full geology introduction text (and a great one at that!) written from scratch completely focused on the Bay Area. I might call it the nearest thing I've seen to a "scientific cosmology of the Bay Area"!
I'm not a specialist, but I can vouch for the contents in the following way. Over the years I've collected and bookmarked the most interesting and up-to-the-minute local geology content from the web. For instance, the USGS geologic quadrangle maps. This book seems to collect together all the same good stuff-- and reproduces them in summary form (but in color still!).
In summary, I have not seen a guide written more lovingly for the Bay Area explorer.
Book Description
This new edition of the classic, Building with Nature: Roots of the San Francisco Bay Region Tradition, focuses on the beginnings (1865 and on) of the Bay Area shingle style and Arts & Crafts collaboration in California, and the origins of the trend toward building simple rustic homes in harmony with nature. Freudenheim explores how and why a small, influential group of Californians (including Joseph Worcester, Bernard Maybeck, Charles Keeler, William Keith, Charles Lummis, A. Page Brown, and others)--all of whom had come from the East or from England--were especially devoted to Ruskin and the Arts & Crafts style and how this combined with their dedication to California's natural beauty to create a unique architectural movement.
Customer Reviews:
Building with Nature: an example of how architectural styles happen.......2006-02-07
Ms. Freudenheim has provided us with a very well-written book about how new and developing architectureal styles happen, using the SF Bay Area and the development of the Arts and Crafts style as a perfect example. Ms. Freudenheim's excellant research and engaging style shows, in words and photos, how a web of people and buildings continually interact and thus result in a new style. In this greatly expanded edition of a now hard-to-find great original book, we learn about these people, their interactions, and how this resulted in a new archtectural style. This book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the Arts and Crafts style, either as a home owner, collector, scholar, or as a total observer of the Arts and Crafts movement and it's recent resurgence. Enjoy!
The Art of Arts and Crafts.......2006-01-26
Leslie Freudenheim has captured an era that has given great beauty to our lives. With grace and wisdom she has presented the San Francisco Bay Area as a landscape filled with the richness of the architectural geniuses who gave the area their distinctive creations. The beauty of the arts and crafts buildings complements nature, and bonds our living spaces into it. The author has, with a great deal of style, significantly enriched our experience of this fine period in our history.
Origins of the "Arts & Crafts" in America.......2006-01-22
This is the first book to truly explore the origins of the American Arts & Crafts Movement. A group in San Francisco began constructing simpler buildings and furnishing them with what eventually was called Mission furniture. This lead to the nationwide popularization of Craftsman homes and furniture by Stickley and others. If you have an interest in Architecture or the "Arts & Crafts" you should read this book.
Maybeck scholar reviews Arts and Crafts book.......2006-01-16
Building With Nature, when first published in 1974, brought attention to Bay Region Architecture as a tradition, as the progenitor of simple homes, grounded on the philosophy of Bernard Maybeck and Charles Keeler among others, and as an influence on residential architecture of subsequent generations. In this new and significantly expanded book, Leslie Freudenheim broadens the inquiry toward a wider appreciation of indigenous forms of California architecture, and an understanding of the relation of natural building and environmental sensitivity to the international Arts and Crafts Movement. The book is a must for any Arts and Crafts devotee and architectural history, personal, or professional library.
Robert M. Craig [author, Bernard Maybeck at Principia College The Art and Craft of Building]
Building with Nature--Review.......2006-01-14
This is a very important reexamination of the American origins of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the major contibutions of a small group of Bay Area designers. The central role is occupied by the Reverend Joseph Worcester who created one of the true landmarks of the movement with the Church of the New Jerusalem in San Francisco. The author provides new context and a great amount of new reseach. This book is a major accomplishment.
Book Description
Killing hundreds and leaving a city in ruins, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 stands as one of the greatest natural disasters in American history. But the aftermath of the quake—the fires that raged across the city for days and claimed the lives of thousands more—was an all too human disaster whose story has remained largely untold. Until now.
Employing the same vivid prose and storytelling skill that made his Report from Ground Zero a national bestseller, Dennis Smith reconstructs those harrowing days from the perspective of the people who lived through them. Smith draws on hundreds of individual accounts and official documents to unearth the true story of the fires—from the corrupt officials who left the city woefully unprepared for disaster, to the militia officers who enforced martial law with deadly force, to the individual heroes who battled the blaze and saved untold lives. San Francisco Is Burning is a thrilling disaster tale that brings a lost chapter of history back to riveting life. BACKCOVER: “Riveting.”
—The Washington Post
“So riveting it is enragingÂ…[SmithÂ's] message is the one that matters most.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“A finely woven human story of tragedy, death, heroism and blunder…This book is an eye-opener in many ways, and a good read, to boot.”
—The Associated Press
Customer Reviews:
Terrific.......2007-05-25
Firefighter Smith (FDNY, Ret) is one of my personal heroes and he has not let me down with this book. I now feel I have an intimate and personal connection with the tragedy of 1906. I was unable to put this book down. FF Smith's unique ability to weave the facts among the personal accounts of real people draw you in and grip you with their honesty, bravery and desperation.
Well written - easy read.......2007-05-01
This book brings the events surrounding the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the resulting fires really come to life. It was a great read - a thriller in its own right. This author makes it easy to see the events in your mind's eye and brings an updated view of historic events based on new information. Very good!
The Katrina and 9-11 of 1906.......2007-02-19
For this native San Franciscan, the April 1906 earthquake and fire has lurked mysteriously in the background of family history. SAN FRANCISCO IS BURNING has cleared away the cobwebs and although I did not find my own ancestors among those people Dennis Smith animates from letters, journals and newspaper accounts, I now know in incredible detail what they must have experienced.
Smith is a firefighter and a historian of firefighting. He is also a talented writer who decided to write a historical narrative, not an academic tract, and as such the reader is moved breathlessly through the events of April 1906 without tripping over tangled language and footnotes. Smith creates a chronological account, moving back and forth between the close-up stories of a fireman and his family, an unsung Naval hero, noble civic leaders, corrupt politicians, an Army general, a nun shepherding orphans through the streets and a Chinese immigrant searching for his fiance. He only stops long enough to tell back stories of San Francisco's history and provide a gloss on the science of earthquakes and fires.
By far the most important aspect of this book is Smith's fearless analysis of the human error, as well as the human triumphs, that contributed to the magnitude of the tragedy as well as to its eventual solution and the revival of the city. He corrects the long held belief that General Funston was the hero who saved the day. In fact, that's what Funston told everyone as he made decisions that fueled the fires and brought on loss of life, not only in fire but through a chaotically imposed state of martial law that had soldiers and citizens killing people left and right. Funston also suppressed evidence of the heroism of naval Lieutenant Freeman, who fought the fires tirelessly instead of responding to Funston's order for a gofer.
"Nature is never overdue.If we think it is overdue it has been modeled wrong.".......2006-11-30
This is an excellent book dealing with the 1906 Earthquake and the massive Fire that ensued and took over 3000 lives,burned over 28,000 buildings,flattened 522 blocks,and left over 200,000 people burned out of their homes. "In fact,outside of war,the San Francisco fire is bigger than any metropolitian fire in history."This earthquake registered 7.8 on the Richter scale and there has not been that big in the lower 48 states since that time.There was one,however,in Alaska in 1964,that was 9.2 and wrecked huge damage;but fortunately not in a heavily populated area.If one of that scale were to occur in a large metropolitian area;the destruction and loss of life would be unimaginable.
Dennis Smith has done a marvelous job of covering all aspects of the San Francisco Earthquake & Fire.He covers the history leading up to the event as well as the politics that was controlling the city,and more importantly the interplay of the politicians,police,firefighters,military,state officials federal officials up to and including the President. When you see what really went on in 1906,it's hard to imagine that the same sort of thing would not happen all over again with the reoccurrence of a similar situation.
I think that the timing of the publication of this book is nothing short of uncanny. Were it not for Katrina hitting New Orleand on August 28,2005;most people would like to convince themselves that "1906" could not happen again. Much has been learned and put into place and such a disaster would be handled much better today.;at least that is what most people would like to believe.
Katrina showed that a large metropolitian area was no more able to cope today and generally for the same reasons. This book was published in 2006.I see where the first Customer Review is dated October 6,2006;so the book must have been published at virtually the same time as Katrina.
In Chapter 94 the author addresses the question of what would be the result if a similar eaethquake were to hit San Francisco today.The senario is not pretty.There is little doubt that more earthquakes will hit California in the future.The only uncertainty is when,where and how powerful. Another thing that should be kept in mind is that not only California needs to worry. Most people are unaware that the largest estimated earthquake in the United States in recent history occurred in the Mississippi Valley in 1811.On top of that Seismologists,who refer to this event as the New Madrid earthquake,do not yet know why this should be considered a seismic zone.
Let's face it;"Earthquakes are as certain as the tides".
I have read several books about earthquakes but none have covered the subject as well as this.
If you have ever wondered how a major catastrophe would be handled in any large metropolitian area ;you should read this book and you'll not be surprised if it's "deja vu-all over again'>
Excellent Historical Fiction.......2006-07-25
This book is well-written and well-researched, and a cut above normal historical fiction. I'm proud to add it to my collection of SF '06. There's also a great documentary here on amazon called "Disaster by the Bay" that is the best of the best in non-fiction documentaries on the great quake and fire of '06. I'd highly recommend this book and that DVD for your collection.
Book Description
First published in 1999, this celebrated history of San Francisco traces the exploitation of both local and distant regions by prominent families--the Hearsts, de Youngs, Spreckelses, and others--who gained power through mining, ranching, water and energy, transportation, real estate, weapons, and the mass media. The story uncovered by Gray Brechin is one of greed and ambition on an epic scale. Brechin arrives at a new way of understanding urban history as he traces the connections between environment, economy, and technology and discovers links that led, ultimately, to the creation of the atomic bomb and the nuclear arms race. In a new preface, Brechin considers the vulnerability of cities in the post-9/11 twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Mining interests and San Francisco.......2007-03-26
Brechin begins with an overview of the social and political environment that evolves around historic mining operations, then applies the historic pattern to San Francisco's gold rush. This very readable volumn highlights the interactions between San Francisco's movers and shakers, explaining in the process why these individuals had buildings, parks and streets named after them. Imperial San Francisco paints a good picture of the opportunities the city's founders embraced and some of the consequences of their actions.
Imperial San Francisco.......2007-01-28
Perfect in fact.
My general remark is that the cost of sending the item is very high in relation to the original price of the book. I realise that this could be difficult to change, but this makes that I will only consider an order to Amazon whem I see no otrer way to buy a book othertwise.
Karel
Timely reminder of war's cost.......2005-10-24
Gray Brechin tells us about the short Spanish-American War and the long, bloody Philippine-American War that followed. When Gulf War II went fast and well, and the occupation went awry, and comparisons were made to the Vietnam War, I thought Brechin's observations to be much closer to the mark. Too bad its lessons were missed by almost everyone.
POWERFUL, ENTERTAINING HISTORICAL NARRATIVE.......2005-07-03
I am long overdue in giving praise, and thanks, to Gray Brechin for writing one of the definitive and most unique historical treatises on the incomparable and often barbaric history of California, San Francisco, and the American West. He opens with an examination of urban-centric empires, particularly Rome and London, and shows how the process repeated and accelerated in California, due to the unprecedented economic boom triggered by Gold Rush, Silver Boom, the "green gold" agricultural explosion, real estate, ship building and military hardware. His portraits of the ruthless visionaries/profiteers like California's Big Four and Comstock Load barons gives a historical and cultural understanding of how the West became a major economic and political engine that helped transform America into the lumbering financial juggernaut it is today. Brechin dissects the phenomenon of faux wealth perfectly: explaining how hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Gold Mining stocks fueled the Western boom and expansion, investments that were several times greater than the actual amount of gold taken from the land. He dissects the financial "pyramid" that he attributes to mining: how elevator shafts that went down into the grown soon becamse elevator shafts that moved people up into the heavens in high rise buildings, transforming the brief gold mining bonanza into the real estate phenomenon that continues in California to this day. It a truly fresh, original, eye-opening and flawlessly documented observation. And Brechin is not shy about showing the human and environmental costs: the deforestation of the entire Lake Tahoe Basin, the astonishing wastelands created by high pressure water mining for silver in the High Sierra. This is mesmerizing, wonderfully written, a reflective and predictive tale, told as deftly and poignantly as any California history I have ever read, and I have read many. This book should take its place alongside Walter Bean's "Abe Ruef's San Francisco", Marc Reisner's "Dangerous California" and Gladys Hansen's "Denial of Disaster" as a pivotal tome on where we started and where we are headed in America and particularly the American West. James Dalessandro, author, 1906.
Shrill and Often Obvious,,, But Interesting Anyways.......2003-08-28
OK, OK, I get the point: elites manipulate the physical world for their own enrichment and then disguise their machinations by comprimising the media. So what else is new?
One complaint that has already been voiced about this book is that it is not reall "about" San Francisco at all, but rather makes a point about all cities. That complaint is true in that author's theoretical underpinings for his argument extend to examples outside of San Francisco. Really though, what else would the author do?
Personally, I found authors attempt to relate San Francisco to Rome and other cities to be interesting and relevant.
Another complaint voiced in these reviews is authors tone. That tone has been described as "shrill". I would have to concur with that complaint. I found the tone of this book to be distracting. I would venture to guess that anyone, ANYONE who reads this book is likely amenable to his "Cities suck" thesis. To belabor the point in the manner that author does is just beating a dead horse.
In defense of author, he doesn't present himself as a true "academic" but as a sort of journalist/academic cross-trainer. I found that perspective refreshing. Author is impassioned about the subject of book in a way that makes you put up with the occasional hectoring and shrillness.
One fundamental problem I had with the substance, rather then the style of the book: Author repeatedly discusses various civic improvement schemes as plots to "increase real estate values". Query: Is that really such a nefarious scheme? If you look at California today, property ownership is hardly the exclusive province of the elite. In this way, I think the book unwittingly lends supports to an alternative, and contradictory hypotheses: That the actions that economic elites take in their own self interest ultimately benefit those outside their own social class.
So, that's something to think about.
Book Description
Here is the definitive botanical guide to the wetlands, woodlands, coastlines, hills, and valleys of the San Francisco Bay Region. For this extensively revised and redesigned edition of Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region, the identification keys have been improved and line drawings scattered throughout the text, ensuring that this popular book will continue to be the most comprehensive and authoritative identification guide to the region's native and introduced plants.
o Easy-to-use keys describe more than two thousand species of wildflowers, trees, shrubs, weeds, and ferns
o Exceptionally clear illustrations include 457 color photographs and 227 line drawings
o Plants are identified by both common and scientific names, making this guide an essential resource for amateur naturalists, students, and professionals
Customer Reviews:
How do you get a problem reviewed by Amazon?!.......2007-07-05
I never received either of the 2 books in this order; I was able to see by tracking that UPS says the order was delivered, but I never saw either. This is at least the second time that I have wandered around in your site and been unable to figure out how to direct a question/comment/PROBLEM of this sort to Amazon. Let's hope someone looks at this situation and advises me about it. John Born
A nice buy for both beginners and advanced student of botany.......2007-04-04
The book is mostly composed of dichotomous keys with a good section of very nice photographs of most commonly encountered plants, covering many genera. It is a sizable book for the field and covers the SF Bay Area really well. The only thing I have to complain is that is doesn't have species descriptions and more pictures, but these are probably out of the scope of this book. It is a great buy and I do highly recommend it.
An excellent reference book for the Bay Area........2007-01-11
If you're into plant identification and you live in the Bay Area, this book is essential. Many of the keys are far easier than Jepson or Munz, and there is the enormous benefit that plants that don't grow in the Bay Area aren't there in the key to confuse you.
People who use this book should know that it is in some ways a work in progress. I took a class with Ms. Beidleman in 2006 and she frequently told us to cross out or re-word certain passages in the keys that were misleading. I don't think she has an estimate for when a new edition may come out--it could be a ways off.
Plants of the San Francisco Bay Region: Mendocino to Montere.......2000-04-25
This books is essential to botanists in the San Francisco Bay Area! For both the experienced and the amateur, this book is a useful guide to identifying common plant species of the region. Much more concise and specialized than the Jepson Manual, plant identification has gone from a time consuming chore to sheer pleasure. Brilliant color plates add interest and aide in identification. Authors Kozloff and Beidleman have extracted the best aspects of botany texts to create a San Francisco Bay Area biologist's dream!
Books:
- Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands: the Ecotravellers' Wildlife Guide (Ecotravellers Wildlife Guide: Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands)
- First Things First: To Live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy
- Flora of the Prairies and Plains of Central North America
- Florida's Fabulous Trees
- Gene Cloning and Manipulation
- Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide
- Growing Things (Cycles of Life)
- Growth & Reproductive Strategies Of Freshwater Phytoplankton
- Guide to Colorado Wildflowers: Mountains (Guide to Colorado Wildflowers. Vol 2. Mountains)
- Horizons: Exploring the Universe (with TheSky CD-ROM, AceAstronomy?, and Virtual Astronomy Labs)
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