This remarkable book about the start and progress of the first Roman Catholic Diocese in the USA is worth buying and reading. It provides wonderful insights into the way the Catholic Church digs in where it was rejected before, and builds a powerful foundation for future growth.

Prior to the 1776 Revolutionary War, the Catholic Church was literally outlawed in the then 13 British colonies of North America. After the war was won by the revolutionaries, the Roman Church immediately took steps to set up a branch of its organization in the newly established USA. Baltimore, Maryland was chosen as the headquarters site, and a former Jesuit priest from a prominent Maryland family was consecrated the first Catholic bishop in the USA. The Catholic Church divides the world up into geographical areas called "dioceses," or "sees," for short. Thus, the new (in 1787) Catholic diocese in the USA (in Baltimore) was (and is) the "Premier See" of the Roman Catholic Church in America.

This book, written by a Catholic Religious Brother named Thomas Spalding (a history professor from Spalding University in Kentucky), details the establishment and growth of the Premier See, the Catholic diocese (later archdiocese) headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

The book is well written, and very interesting. Brother Spalding does not shrink from offering controversial material, even reports of criticism of various bishops and archbishops who led the Premier See in Baltimore over its 200 plus year history.

Any student of the Catholic Church, friend or foe, would do well to read this book. It tells the tale of a complicated and powerful religious organization in a very readable, informative way.

It's unlikely this book will be of much interest to anyone not living in the Tacoma area. Just the same, it is a colorful portrait of the city that used to be, the dreamers and scheamers who came so close to creating the west coast's hub city from scratch. The story of Tacoma's rapid rise to prominence, and its equally swift and steady decline is not only facinating, it delivers a valuable lesson on what still happens today when civic cheerleaders go blind with optimism.

This book is a must-read if you want to amuse and/or bore your fellow Tacomans with antecdotes on street names, unusual buildings, et cetera. Perfect fodder for Tacoma's burgeoning barstool-pundit culture.

This book consists of short chapters, loosely associated, resembling short stories. The first two-thirds of the book seem to focus on various people populating a river valley in northeast Washington state, the last third has a greater natural history focus. In sum, the book is an wonderful rendering of the essence of this region. The author has a talent for depicting the ordinary as intensely interesting, without being overly poetic or abstract. What is brilliant about the book is how he manages to show you this world through his senses while minimizing his own presence. You're there, in simpler terms. This is a wonderful book about what it really feels like to know a place completely. Since reading this book I've been thinking that whereever I settle, I want to experience that place as deeply as this author has experienced his home. Highly recommended. One of the few (the only?) five-star reviews I've given.

If the name "Quabbin" is unfamiliar to you, then you're probably not from Massachusetts. This 18-mile-long reservoir was created in the late 1930s and early 1940s when the Swift River Valley in western Mass. was deliberately flooded. The goal of the project was to provide water to Boston and to other selected cities in the commonwealth, which the reservoir still does today. Four towns were lost in the process, however, and a certain historical mystique still surrounds those communities. Here journalist-naturalist Michael Tougias takes us on a tour of the region with stories and scenes from yesterday and today. We learn of the history of the region, the activities of the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission, who the "woodpeckers" were, and the displacement of residents of Prescott, Enfield, Greenwich, and Dana. Quabbin's magic continues in its gradual acceptance and promotion as a natural resource and recreational area. Today a bald eagle may fly over you as you proceed along a hiking trail or traverse the length of Winsor Dam. At the water's edge, you might startle a feeding moose or hear a loon call to its mate. Take Tougias' book along, and you'll know which of the 55 gates you'll want to use and what you'll see when you get there. Neighboring towns offer unique diversions as well, and the author provides lists and notes for wanderers exploring the area on foot, on bicycle, or by car. Quabbin's beauty can be breathtaking; reading and consulting this book will further your appreciation of the place. A must-buy for New England libraries and for any weekend adventurer.

Written by a restaurant expert, "Quest for the Holy Grill" is one of the funniest, most well-written travel guide/ restaurant review books I've read in a long time.

If you live in Maryland, Washington DC, or Virginia, you will find this book to be an invaluable tool to find great restaurants you may have overlooked in the past.

Colorful pictures help you understand what the animals look like and the descriptions are good.

I purchased this book for a recent vacation to Toronto, and after reading through the getaways narrowed it down to three due to limited time. All the advice in the book was extremely helpful, including much needed directions. The lists of things to do, restaurants, and hotels covered a wide range that would appeal to everyone. This book is a great choice if you don't want to waste your limited time while visiting the toronto area!

Ralph Edwards of lonesome lake is a book about carving out a life for ones family in a remote wilderness. This book is such a contrast to our technical world with cell phones, internet, e mail "Big Box shopping" malls. Our lives are so full but really so empty. I felt an extreme feeling of sadness after having read this book. Ralph Edwards and his wife are now dead after having lived a hard but full life. We all struggle through life with different goals and yet we all have to face death. I felt the sadness of Ralph Edwards when he realised that he was too old to be independant and look after himself. This book has to make us all stop and concider what we are doing and what is the purpose of life. What could possibly be more important than these questions?

We checked this book out from the library and liked it so much that now we're purchasing it. It is a charming story about an inflatable raft that falls off a truck; children, ducks, and water creatures play with it before it is restored to its rightful owner. The illustrations of Maryland's Eastern Shore are quite delightful.

After reading this book I knew everything I wanted (and didn't want) to know about San Diego's sewerage system. The author wrote this book in terminology that anyone can understand. Highly recommend it for anyone who has the slightest interest in what happens when you flush the toilet.