Book Description
The acclaimed author of The Princes in the Tower now brilliantly investigates another of Britain’s notorious unsolved mysteries: the murder of Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Tall, handsome, accomplished, and charming, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, had it all, including a strong claim to the English throne, a fact that threatened the already insecure Elizabeth I. She therefore opposed any plan for Darnley to marry her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who herself claimed to be Queen of England. But in 1565 Mary met and fell in love with Darnley—and defied Elizabeth by marrying him. It was not long before she discovered that her new husband was weak and vicious, and interested only in securing sovereign power for himself.
On February 10, 1567, an explosion at his lodgings left Darnley dead. There were many who might have had a motive for murdering him, not least Mary herself. The intrigue thickened after it was discovered that apparently he had been suffocated before the blast. Emerging from the tragedy were more mysteries than any historian has ever satisfactorily solved.
Mary and Darnley’s marriage had been an adulterous disaster. After Darnley’s death, Mary showed favor to the powerful Earl of Bothwell, causing her enemies to accuse her of being his partner in both infidelity and murder. Mary insisted that the murder conspiracy had been aimed at her, and that she had escaped only by changing her plans at the last minute. It has even been suggested that Darnley himself had planned the explosion in order to kill her.
The murder of Darnley ultimately led to Mary’s ruin. After her deposition, there conveniently came to light a box of documents—the notorious Casket Letters—that her enemies claimed were proof of her guilt. But Mary was never allowed to see them, and they disappeared in 1584. The question of their authenticity has haunted historians ever since.
After exhaustive reexamination and reevaluation of the source material, Alison Weir has come up with a solution to this enduring mystery that can be substantiated by contemporary evidence, and in the process has shattered many of the misconceptions about Mary, Queen of Scots. Employing once more the bright writing and stunning characterizations that have made her a favorite writer of popular history, Weir has written one of her most engaging excursions into Britain’s bloodstained, power-obsessed past.
Customer Reviews:
Hoped for more balance.......2007-09-23
I was disappointed in the book, because I hoped for a more balanced, objective look at the murder of Darnley, and Mary's degree of involvement. I agree with the reviewer who said the book needed better editing. Too much time was devoted to repetitious and indignant refutation of George Buchanan's ludicrous allegations about Mary, and Ms. Weir's point of view was driven home too vehemently. The research was meticulous, to the point of ponderous. Near the end of the book, I found myself thinking "Off with her head!" and skipping chunks of pages to reach the conclusion, which, by that time, I found rather satisfying.
A house of bricks, a foundation of straw.......2007-06-15
Alison Weir writes wonderfully. Her discussion is crisp, engaging, and even by turns charming. She has a knack for pulling out telling detail, and weaves original source material deftly through each passage. In introducing Lord Darnley, the then-future husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, she notes that his parents doted on him, holding him particularly precious as most of his siblings died in infancy. She finds a letter he wrote at 8 that sheds insight on his ambition and religion. Detail by detail, she paints his personality, bringing him to life before us. This is a book that is hard to put down.
Yet, Weir also has a knack for building assumption on frail assumption, trying to build a house of bricks on a foundation of straw. As an example, she speculates that the illness that plagued Darnley in the months before his death was not smallpox (as commonly assumed) but rather an intermediate stage of syphilis. She acknowledges that this is not clear from the record, but merely speculation, and outlines both the pros and cons for her view. Weir is clear enough: there's some reasonable chance she is right, but she acknowledges that, across the years, it is impossible to establish her position with certainty. Weir then builds on this assumption, suggesting it was "inconceivable" that Mary did not find out that syphilis ailed her husband, making assumptions about Mary's state of mind, whether or not she may have had another pregnancy, and how she interacted with other men and her husband based on the speculations about Darnley's disease. This is but one example. Again and again, as one works through the book, speculations which are carefully qualified and limited on first argument become certainties when repeated a few pages later, so that as one finally reaches her conclusion, gets her point, and steps back to consider whether she is right, her logic simply melts away. In the end, she adds nothing to the history but her pretty words.
Had this been a work of historical fiction, I would praise it. Weir is a wonderful story teller. Alas, the book masquerades as history. But, oh, if only other historians could write like Weir!
Controversial matters, but entirely enjoyable.......2007-03-15
I'll start off by saying that before reading this book, my only knowledge of Mary Queen of Scots came from fiction books. I had thought she was an interesting character, so I bought this to read more about her. For a 600+ history book, I swallowed it pretty fast.
This book is written well, discussing an interesting topic, and all in all, clearly presenting facts that are very intriguing in a manner that makes it interesting to anyone who tries to read it. While I can't say that I know whether or not the facts were accurate or not, I know that it all seemed plausible to me (or, well, most of it, at least) and that I enjoyed myself reading this.
For those who may know more about this fascinating queen and simply want another view, I don't see why you shouldn't read this. It's nice, it's well done, and it's certainly a good way to spend a few days. For those trying to get into Mary, this may also be your book. It's not too difficult to read, and while some of Weir's beliefs on what happened are questionable, it's a good book.
Fabulous historical analysis.......2007-01-04
Alison Weir gives you all the information of what led up to Darnley's murder in an excellent, very readable format. The events are entertaining with just enough interjection of factual evidence, as well as different theories of explanation. Weir has done excellent, very detailed research and gives the reader an education. One of the best books on Mary Queen of Scots that I've seen.
Real Life the Stuff of Romance.......2006-08-03
This meticulously researched story of Mary Stuart reads like the very best of historical novels. Weir creates a finely woven tapestry of fact, pacing and style. A thoroughly satisfying and absorbing read.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read.......2002-12-29
I literally couldn't put this book down. Upon receiving this book as a Christmas gift from my wife (who has endured my fascination with Jimmy V for years) I read the book within a day of opening the front cover. As a student at NCSU during the last year of his tenure I was touched by his gifts. This book shows the human side of Jimmy and his relationships with his family, players, fellow coaches, sportswriters. You will find yourself laughing outloud and moved at the same time. The book gives an informative look into the truth behind all of the myths surrounding his departure from N.C. State. This is truly a motivational book which provides an insightful look to the life of coach Jimmy V.
Laughing Out Loud.......2002-01-08
While reading the Gifts of Jimmy V, I found myself laughing out loud while imagining the plots told by his brothers, coaches, and friends. Although I was too young to remember the Championship win at NC State, I do recall his ESPN days. I always thought he was a nut, and thought it was a shame that cancer took him away in such a tragic way. The book was great, and if you are like me and don't have time to read novels, it's a good short book that gives you a different look at life and how you should live it.
A fast, funny read and inspiring too!.......2001-12-14
Jim Valvano is best remembered for two things--running around the court after NC State won the 1983 National Championship, and for the emotional ESPY speech he made, where he urged everyone "Don't Give Up--Don't Ever Give Up." This book goes beyond that to tell amusing and often touching stories of Valvano's life through the eyes of those who knew him best, starting with his brother Bob who author's the book. Bob has a radio show on ESPN Radio that is pretty funny (I have heard it late at night while driving mostly), and he tells some funny stories in this book. The book is a biography of Jim Valvano, but VERY liberally spiced with stories all throughout.
It covers Valvano's firing at NC State, and raises interesting issues about it. Bob adored his brother, and makes no secret about that, but it serves him well here when talking about Jim's very courageous fight with cancer. Those chapters are often very moving.
It is a very quick read. Includes the entire text from the ESPY speech, and some columns from writers Tony Kornheiser, John Feinstein and Mike Lupica in an appendix.
I thought it was funny and moving, and really enjoyed it. It is not really a "basketball" book, and not really a biography...it is like Bob Valvano has just decided to chat with you and tell you about his brother. It helps that Jim was a very interesting guy...if you know who he was you'll enjoy it, and if you didn't you will probably get to know him and admire him, as I did!
Average customer rating:
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The British At War: Cinema, State and Propaganda, 1939-1945 (Cinema and Society)
James Chapman
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Constitutions
| Government
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World War II
| Military
| History
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General
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
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ASIN: 1860646271 |
Book Description
This text presents a picture of popular consensus between the government and the film industry over the representation on the cinema screen of Britain and the British at war. It examines the role of the cinema as a vehicle of propaganda, set within its institutional, political, and cultural contexts, revealing the complex relationship between the Ministry of Information and the different sectors of the film industry. It identifies the themes and ideologies presented to audiences through analysis of key wartime films, including Forty-Ninth Parallel, In Which We Serve, and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.
Amazon.com
Arr, matey! Ye say you can't figure out how to help Guybrush Threepwood rescue his golden girl, Elaine? This strategy guide will surely help you. The Curse of Monkey Island Official Strategy Guide covers everything the aspiring pirate needs to know: how to socialize with monkeys, how to deal with Guybrush-eating snakes, how to join exclusive beach clubs--even how to cash in on your own life insurance policy. Starting off with a brief version of the long and hilarious history of the Monkey Island games, the book provides a chapter-by-chapter walk-through of the game's many puzzling situations. The best part is that you can get hints to any puzzle without seeing the complete solution--and thereby spoiling the surprise. The solution for each puzzle is printed upside down underneath two or three clues on how to solve it. Toward the back of the book, you'll see some of the great early sketches that led to the game's elaborate art, read about the talented folks who made The Curse of Monkey Island, and learn a few songs to sing along with Guybrush.
Book Description
Guybrush Threepwood's main squeeze, Elaine, is as good as gold — literally! Help Guybrush lift the curse off his one true love with
The Curse of Monkey Island: The Official Strategy Guide.
• Detailed lists of all items
• Puzzle solutions to die for
• Tips on getting the most out of your game time
• Detailed walkthroughs
• All the inside hints and tips you need to pillage your way to victory!
Customer Reviews:
Great tutorial.......1998-11-15
A great help for one of the best games ever created. Though, it does not help if you decide to play the "Mega Monkey" version of the game.
Book Description
The bestselling author of How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci shows how learning to juggle literally and metaphorically will help you become better at what you do, both in business and in life.
As we struggle to get more done in less time, to balance our work and our personal life, and to adapt to constant change, we often feel that we're "juggling too many balls." Now, in More Balls Than Hands, leading organizational consultant Michael J. Gelb, a former professional juggler, shows us how to keep all those balls in the air.
The first lesson in juggling is...let the ball drop. Beginning with this first counterintuitive lesson, Michael J. Gelb offers proven methods that organizations can use to create a "mistake positive" culture, showing how any business can flourish and succeed if it sets the stage for learning, growth, and innovation in the workplace. In addition, Gelb introduces five "Keys to High Performance Learning" that offer immediately applicable strategies for strengthening anyone's learning speed and power. For people eager to increase their learning potential, ratchet up their productivity, and teach others to do the same, More Balls than Hands communicates life lessons in a vivid, completely original, and utterly entertaining way.
Customer Reviews:
Liberate your Heart, Body, Mind, and Soul.......2006-02-17
If only I could have started my life with the wisdom in this magnificent book!
This important book by the best-selling author of "How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci" has many virtues, but its shining achievement is to introduce the reader to a "mistake-positive" way of life and being. In the time since reading it, I am finding myself transforming, in very positive ways, how I approach life, and how I interpret and experience myself and others. Increasing energy, enthusiasm, openness, and resilience to the challenges of life are a few of the benefits that have begun to manifest themselves. My personal and professional relationships are improving. I feel more alive and excited about my future than I have in years. While perfectionism has advantages, it also has many disadvantages-it can hold one back from full participation in life, and it can interfere with one's resilience in bouncing back from failures. This book is excellent medicine for perfectionists.
Michael Gelb is a pioneer in the fields of accelerated learning, creative thinking, and leadership development, and President of High Performance Learning, which he founded thirty years ago. In "More Balls Than Hands" (This title often generates laughs when I mention it to women!) Michael masterfully brings to life five principles of high performance learning and living:
1. Create a clear vision of what you want, and then keep comparing your vision with reality, thus stimulating your brain's natural success mechanism to bring reality in line with your vision.
2. Transform your attitude toward mistakes and failure, thereby liberating tremendous energy and enthusiasm for learning and growth.
3. Unleash your natural genius through the power of play.
4. Achieve more with less effort by cultivating relaxed concentration.
5. Develop your coaching skills so you can bring out the best in people at work and at home.
Throughout the book he ties all these themes together with the powerful metaphor of juggling. As he says at the end of the book:
"The juggling metaphor can serve as an inspiring reminder of the secret of life. Is there one word that expresses that secret? Yes. The word is *balance*."
This book is about much more than learning and juggling the demands of today's world. It is about the secret of life-how to live well and wisely, how to create the lives and world we want, written by someone who lives what he speaks. The book is a true education, a treasure trove of wisdom, rich with colorful, compelling examples and illustrations. A sheer pleasure to read!
A Good Read!.......2004-08-30
The best and most useful part of this book comes near the end, where author Michael J. Gelb gets down to basics and offers instructions on how to juggle. The first part of the book consists of a series of exhortations and homilies about the advisability of relaxing, letting yourself make mistakes, practicing to be perfect and other personal attitude guidance. Those who thirst for such encouragement will find the first part of this book a godsend. It includes quotations from Lao Tse, Vince Lombardi and Leonardo da Vinci. All of the advice is highly meritorious, even the advice that you ought to take a break or two every day to juggle. That looks like fun whether you favor New Age nostrums or not. We recommend this book to anyone who must multi-task. Even if juggling doesn't smooth out your work life, at least it will help you relax.
I'm Inspired!.......2003-08-31
Every time I read one of Michael's books, I feel inspired for greatness, and this book is no exception. Michael has a gift of taking things that are familiar and looking at and applying them in unique ways. In this book, Michael talks about the importance of creating mistakes in a safe environment and using them to accelerate learning to become a better leader, coach, parent, or person. He makes it feel safe to venture out into new territory by teaching that success means pursuing your goals and dreams with much childlike passion that success and failure become irrelevant. I especially love how he frames examples throughout the book with expert quotes that provide meaningful and often thought-provoking context. The quote by Dr. Glenn Doman, Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential, provoked a great family discussion about how important it is for a child to view learning as fun and the positive impact a person can have to help inspire that belief. In the last section of the book, Michael takes a unique approach to teaching juggling, in which he applies all the principles in the book. I never would have thought that dropping balls on purpose would help me learn to juggle, but it did. And it gave me a new confidence that I can do anything!
Metaphor of the Millennium.......2003-08-24
Michael Gelb has captured the metaphor of the millennium in juggling. It is something that jugglers and non-jugglers alike can relate to at a gut level, because most of us have anything but time on our hands. A single issue of the New York Times is said to contain more information than the average person in the Middle Ages was exposed to in a lifetime. And it just starts there. MORE BALLS THAN HANDS gives you more than just the metaphor, but stories and testimonials from the workplace, as well as practical coaching on how to juggle. The book is readable and doable, and can be enjoyed on many levels. The only thing that could make it even better would be illustrations for the tips on the advanced juggling beyond 3 balls. ...
Book Description
Reynolds Price has long been one of America's most acclaimed and accomplished men of letters. In A Whole New Life he presents his most intimate story yet -- a memoir as compelling as any work of the imagination.
In 1984, a large cancer was discovered in Price's spinal cord. Here, he recounts his battle to withstand and recover from this devastating affliction. He charts the first puzzling symptoms, three surgeries, the radiation that paralyzes his lower body, the occasionally comic trials of rehab, the steady rise of pain and reliance on drugs, and his discovery of biofeedback and hypnosis. Beyond the particulars, Price illuminates larger concerns, such as the gratitude he feels toward family and friends and (some) doctors, the abundant return of his powers as a writer, and the "now appalling, now astonishing grace of God." More than the portrait of one person in crisis, A Whole New Life offers honest insight, realistic encouragement, and authentic inspiration -- and stands as one of Price's crowning achievements.
Customer Reviews:
powerful book.......2007-03-08
THis is a great inspirational book for anyone suffering from a major life changing injury.
Outstanding read.......2007-01-19
The best compliment I can provide is I'm buying more copies to give to friends. The book is thought provoking as well as extraordinarily uplifting.
Eye opening.......2007-01-15
Should be mandatory reading of all Medical Students and Residents. Disease process as seen and documentd by a patient. The physical, emotional, and spiritual swings a patient goes through during a long protracted illness.
A TRUE STORY OF HOPE AND HEALING.......2006-07-07
This is a book about severe illness and recovery. It is a true story of hope and healing told without self-pity. Price writes of being faced with a diagnosis of severe cancer of the spine. "Some vital impulse spared me needing to reiterate the world's most frequent and pointless question in the face of disaster - Why? Why me? I never asked it; the only answer is of course: Why not?"
In the same candid, sometimes funny, yet always affecting words, the popular and prolific author tells of his battle with disease. First struck down in 1984, he suffered through surgery, days of agonizing pain and was eventually confined to a wheelchair, unable to function professionally or personally.
He later sought treatment with a hypnotist at Duke University's psychiatric department with beneficial results. Throughout, Price gives credit to the power of prayer, which he calls "the first strong prop beneath my own collapse."
This is not only the story of an illness and recovery, it is the saga of resolve when confronted with a frightening enemy, and it is a tale of family and friendships, the human network that supports us.
Highly recommended.
- Gail Cooke
Superb writing, an emotional journey.......2006-02-18
A very honest emotional description of experiences while dealing with a cancer, a surgery, radiation, learning how to live with pain as a companion, learning how to live as a "gimp"--word used by the author, and many other superbly described experiences. Just the right touch, just the right doze. Very subtle and lithe. Joy to read.
Average customer rating:
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The Impact of the South African War
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
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Southern Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
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Strategy
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0333776992 |
Book Description
This exciting new book marks a major shift in the study of the South African War. It turns attention from the war's much debated causes onto its more neglected consequences. An international team of scholars explores the myriad legacies of the war - for South Africa, for Britain, for the Empire and beyond. The extensive introduction sets the contributions in context, and the elegant afterword offers thought-provoking reflections on their cumulative significance.
Average customer rating:
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The International Impact of the Boer War
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Southern Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
| Books
20th Century
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
20th Century
| England
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0312239734 |
Book Description
This collection of essays seeks for the first time to put the South African Boer War in its international context. Each essay examines the perspective of one country assessing the extent to which governments tried to capitalize on Britain's embarrassment and distraction and how their perceptions of British policy and the future of the British Empire were altered.
Book Description
Since its initial publication in 1990, American Government has set the standard for American government texts with its distinctive historical and institutional approach. The Seventh Edition raises the bar yet again with the addition of new coauthor Kenneth A. Shepsle and a thorough renewal of the text. New to the Seventh Edition are increased attention to the analytic narrative; emphasis on fundamental, underlying principles of politics; and a critical examination of institutional reform. With meaningful pedagogy throughout the text and an outstanding multimedia instructional package, American Government leads students to analyze the core principles of politics and to understand how these principles influence American political development.
Customer Reviews:
Great subject matter, great service.......2005-09-21
The book.. I'm using it for college, so it's not like I'm reading this for fun. I wouldn't buy it under reading for pleasure purposes... but for the purposes of education it is a great buy.
ted lowi.......2000-09-14
This is not a review. I'm trying to reach Ted Lowi. If anyone has an e-mail address, please contact me at Richjoansf@aol. or otherwise tell me how to reach him. Thanks
Great details but not many pictures.......2000-08-20
If your expecting a book with many pictures, this is not the book for you. But it gives good details on changes since our country began. At the begining of each chapter is a time line on what the chapter is about. I would recommend this book.
Amazon.com
The Colorado Plateau of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and northern Arizona and New Mexico is the site of some of America's most prized national parks, among them Zion and Grand Canyon. It is also the center of ongoing conflict about the best use of natural resources, as the federal government, Indian nations, and ever-growing municipalities struggle to obtain control of water, minerals, and rangeland. As a former natural-resources attorney and now professor of law at the University of Colorado, Charles Wilkinson knows that struggle well, and his new book provides an on-the-ground overview of some of the most pressing conflicts. Some of his fieldnotes will come as no surprise to Westerners and students of the environment; others come as eye-opening news, whether the fact that Navajo Indian children are regularly bused to schools far away from home, traveling as much as 150 miles a day, or that radioactive waste and fallout from cold-war mining and testing remains a critical danger to public health across the plateau. Wilkinson's findings are often depressing; as he writes, "Thirty-five years ago I saw the West as clean and fresh, open and uncluttered. I no longer see it that way. I love it still, with all my heart, but I fear for it. For it is aging rapidly." Even so, he offers a few success stories to temper the bad news, notably the hard-won designation of large sections of the plateau as protected wilderness, with the promise of more extensive protection to come. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
"This book recounts my journey through the Colorado Plateau, a journey through place and time and self.... During my explorations of more than three decades, I found a land that sears into my heart and soul, a place that has taught me and changed me. I also discovered a land of conflict and endurance, a land that has given birth to one of the great chapters in American history." --from the Introduction
The Colorado Plateau, stretching across four states and covering nearly 80 million acres, is one of the most unique and spectacular landscapes in the world. Remote, rugged, and dry -- at once forlorn and glorious -- it is a separate place, a place with its own distinctive landscape, history, and future.
In Fire on the Plateau, legal scholar and writer Charles Wilkinson relates the powerful story of how, over the past thirty years, he has been drawn ever more deeply into the redrock country and Indian societies of the Colorado Plateau. His work in the early 1970s as staff attorney for the newly formed Native American Rights Fund brought him into close contact with Navajo and Hopi people. His growing friendships with American Indians and increasing understanding of their cultures, along with his longstanding scholarship and experiences on federal public lands, led him to delve into the complicated history of the region.
Wilkinson examines that history -- the sometimes violent conflicts between indigenous populations and more recent settlers, the political machinations by industry and the legal establishment, the contentious disputes over resources and land use -- and provides a compelling look at the epic events that have shaped the region. From centuries of habitation by native peoples to Mormon settlement, from the "Big Build-Up" of the post-World War II era to the increased environmental awareness of recent years, he explores the conquests of tribes and lands that have taken place, and the ways in which both have endured.
Throughout, Wilkinson uses his own personal experiences as a lawyer working with Indian people and his heartfelt insights about a land that he grew to love to tie together the threads of the story. Fire on the Plateau is a vital and dynamic work that is sure to strike a chord with anyone interested in the past or future of the American Southwest.
Customer Reviews:
Indian rights (and red rocks and more) - an unbiased expert's view, contrary to a possible conflict-of-interest reviewer.......2006-01-21
I grew up on the Colorado Plateau, just minutes from the "Big Rez," and Charles Wilkinson paints a detailed social, natural and geologic picture of this land, about as close as you can get to the Third World here in the United States, in some ways.
Having one of the largest American Indian populations in the country, and certainly so going by percentage of the population, Indian relations with whites, whether private citizens or the state and federal governments, form a large part of this area's history. Wilkinson, with extensive experience in Indian law, gives an expert's eye view to how this has played out on the Plateau, especially since the rise of the Indian rights movement in the 1970s.
No less a person that Southwestern Indian-oriented novelist Tony Hillerman praises this work for that very expertise. And Hillerman, who has included Navajos, Apaches, Hopis and Zunis as protagonists in various of his novels, would know biased opinion if he saw it. (Contrary to one reviewer here, John Boyden's apparent conflict of interest in representing the Hopi HAS drawn calls for investigation.)
Wilkinson's exposure of how politically connected Salt Lake City attorney John Boyden sold the soul -- and massive coal mining rights -- of the Hopis out to Peabody Coal while also on retainer to Peabody takes up a good-sized chunk of this book. As Wilkinson was the person who discovered the smoking gun, and that in turn was partial motivation for this book, you can feel his anger in defense of Indian rights come through.
For an outside thumbnail history of this, read this Phoenix New Times story at: http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/1997-05-01/feature_1.html
The next two factors in this area are the hardness of its natural features and its aridity, as pointed out by explorers like John Wesley Powell. And, per Powell, communal-minded Mormons appear to continue to have the best success of Anglos in dealing with this land.
Then, this area has been America's energy frontier ever since the Manhattan Project at nearby Los Alamos. Much of the country's uranium in the early years of the Atomic Age came from this area. Radiation poisoning, Indian treaty negotiations and environmental hazards are part of that mix.
Oil and natural gas, touched on by Wilkinson, are part of that picture, too, as are logging rights.
Getting back to the American Indian theme, Wilkinson shows how development of these resources has caused fractures in governments of most Southwestern Indian tribes, fractures exacerbated by the fact that their current government structures were imposed by Washington without regard for traditional native systems.
Meanwhile, the start brilliance of red rocks, painted desert, deep canyons and twisting slot canyons serves as the unchanging existential background for this thin-veneered modern story.
======
NB: Yes, it's commenting about another reviewer, but I highly suspect "Tom Scadden" has an axe to grind, political or otherwise, with his one-star review. Google had only eight links any Tom Scadden; half of them were to his review of this book. And, though he wrote that review three years ago, it's the only book he's reviewed on Amazon. So, take his rating with a huge grain of salt.
And, I have a hunch that I know who this really is. I think it may be Stephen Boyden, younger son of John Boyden, and himself an attorney -- indeed, he is on record as claiming his father did NOT work for Peabody at the same time he worked for the Hopis. If this is actually Stephen Boyden, well, he learned his conflicts of interest out of the cradle, I guess.
FIRE ON THE PLATEAU.......2005-06-22
LET JUSTICE ROLL DOWN.SEE www.blackmesatrust.org as the rest of the story in this book unfolds.
I like this lawyer........2004-07-19
Its definitely not everyday that I find a lawyer to admire, so Charles Wilkinson is that rare exception. A bit reluctant at first to pick up a first hand account of recent resource and tribal issues on the Colorado Plateau as seen through the eyes of a lawyer, my attitude changed within a few pages. Charles Wilkinson writes with heart! It doesn't take long to see this writer has an obvious emotional investment in the clients and cases he goes to bat for.
The book opens with a telling case of Navajo high schoolers commuting long hours to attend classes. Wilkinson and his firm made the case that long bus rides were leaving students tried before and after class and hurting their grades. With evidence and conviction, they got high schools built on the reservations. With each case recounted, I could sense Wilkinson's attachment to the Colorado plateau and its people grow and grow.
Fire on the Plateau also provides a much broader telling of both the social and natural history of the Four Corners area. But what really set this book apart from others in my mind is Wilkinson's emergence from a lawyer who is just doing his job to someone who bonded to the land and the people he served.
Important Resource for Understanding.......2003-06-04
Anyone with interest in the Four Corners/Colorado Plateau, Native America, Public Land issues, wilderness, law or Western Americana must read this book. Wilkinson's credentials and legacy of work for justice are impeccable. His "Land and Resource Planning in the National Forest" is the best on the subject.
Critics on this site claim that it never happened; that is, Mormon attorney John Boyden never created a conflict of interest by represented Peabody Coal Company and Native America concurrently. (Read: "a Mormon simply wouldn't do it"). Mormons might think themselves irreproachable but greed and the need for glory know no boundaries. The veracity of Boyden's conflict of interest is archived at the University of Utah Marriott Library Special Collections. Anyone can read Boyden's own documents and come to their own conclusion. I have.
Conflict with Peabody or not, the critics have not disputed and cannot dispute the fact that Boyden represented both Hopi and Navajo horrendously over decades, advising them to accept legislation, water and mineral contracts that favored Anglo government and industry -- not the Indian or his land. (I use both "Native American" and "Indian" because some of my Native acquaintances prefer "Indian.") The contracts were so obviously bad and so far below market rate, they were successfully renegotiated many years later.
Wilkinson does a great job of explaining the cultural roots of both Mormons and Native Americans on the plateau that led to such travesties. The ultimate tragedy is that the Hopi and Navajo will never get back any of the plateau land that defines -- or rather defined them culturally.
Don't believe everything you read.......2003-03-31
Being somewhat familiar with the history of the Navajo-Hopi conflict, I was naturally drawn to the premise of this novel which resulted as being a one-sided, extremely inaccurate account of the 20th century Hopi history. After performing my own "due diligence" on the subject, I was appauled to learn that the author's slanderous accusations of attorney John Boyden are not substantiated and grieviously misleading. Peabody Coal has officially denied and submitted written proof that Boyden was never engaged in any "conflict of interest" nor on any payroll while representing the Hopi. I discovered that Wilkinson's mysterious "proof" of Boyden's affiliation with Peabody is painfully erroneous as the author draws awfully creative conclusions from very little evidence.
In 1997, Wilkinson suggested that legal recourse would be sought for Boyden's "devious conduct" against the Hopi, but seven years later, Wilkinson's claims have not been substantiated at any significant level. Why is this? I was very unimpressed to learn that after writing with such conviction and certainty, Wilkinson's "shocking revelation" about Boyden's "misconduct" as a focal point of the novel is and will most likely remain a hollow witch-hunt. I would not recommend that anyone read this novel because of it's poorly executed investigation of John Boyden's service to the Hopi Indian Tribe.
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