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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Charles Branch has commented on (41) products
Toyota Tacoma 2005 2011
by
Editors of Haynes Manuals
Charles Branch
, June 12, 2023
This is the next best thing to the hard to find Toyota FSM (Factory Service Manual) as these manuals are based on the complete disassembly and reassembly of the vehicle. I've used this to obtain the correct fasteners and other OEM parts from the dealer, remove and reinstall door panels to apply sound deadening insulation and replace the front door speakers, removing and replacing center dash modules to upgrade the stereo receiver, replace light bulbs with LEDs, and more on a 2009 Tacoma Access Cab SR5. it's a great reference for DIY and determining when a project needs professional attention beyond one's DIY capability. (One example: I paid for Crutchfield's Ready Harness wiring service, which prewired the Steering Wheel Control harness with OEM connectors, so it was a painless plug and play install with the new stereo AM/FM/CD/BT receiver.
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Secrets of the Soil
by
Peter Tompkins
Charles Branch
, July 10, 2022
Wow! I am glad that this reference was provided me today, as invaluable as it is to anyone concerned about petro-carbon, energy, food, and water shortages in the world. Biomass provides the solution to many of the problems generated by corporate profit.
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Intervals, Scales, Tones: And the Concert Pitch C = 128 Hz
by
Maria Renold
Charles Branch
, March 24, 2021
I eagerly await this book, as I've been learning guitar and alternate tunings. Tuning from A=440 Hertz (or cycles) to A=432 Hertz produces chords that sound better to my ears. Maria Renold developed the Renold I and II temperaments as a pianist.
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Deadliest Indian War in the West The Snake Conflict 1864 1868
by
Gregory Michno
Charles Branch
, August 31, 2020
I was born near the Snake River SE of Boise, and spent time exploring Bruneau Dunes State Park on winter weekends in 1981. The high desert can be inhospitable, and the south Idaho section of the Oregon Trail was likely the most hazardous due to the limited access to water and river crossings. Greg Michno notes the difficulties such resource scarcity posed to native tribes, miners, ranchers and other settlers. The BLM (Bureau of Land Management, or "Livestock & Mining" or "Large Mistakes") has an excellent guide to exploring that corner of the Owyhees in Oregon and SW Idaho. This war of attrition took its toll on everyone trying to eke out a living in the area, and management from afar ('fact-finding tours') didn't help much then either.
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Horizon
by
Barry Lopez
Charles Branch
, July 19, 2020
It's difficult to think of what to say after reading the Powell's Staff Pick review above. I have never read a clunker by Barry Lopez, as he has always written with a clarity that conveys his immersion and absorption in the places, people, environment and events he's participated in. This latest (and last) book is no different, as he looks outward and inward in retrospection at what was learned, and what should be unlearned from the experiences and expeditions he's been on. As I look back, it seems coincidental that during a career as a fish biologist, I read his book on wolves as they were naturally re-establishing packs in Idaho's Clearwater country, and several years later read Arctic Dreams while doing habitat surveys and salmon weir camp work in SE Alaska. His works have always touched me deeply, and I wish him well and a peaceful departure on the journey to come. Horizon is an elegant parting gift to us.
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East of the Mountains
by
David Guterson
Charles Branch
, July 19, 2020
David Guterson provides great soul searching reading as Ben Givens contemplates the end of his life, which leads to unplanned re-examination of his past and his own evaluation. Like life, this is a reading filled with darkness and light, trial and tribulation, and a realization that all is worthy of gratitude. I'm grateful for this book as my mother recently passed on to the next dimension, and as he'd asked, is without a doubt saving a place for Dad. If you do not think so, please read author Eben Alexander, M.D., a neurosurgeon who made a complete recovery from what he and his colleagues knew to be an unrecoverable illness. Proof of Heaven, The Map of Heaven, and Living in a Mindful Universe.
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Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate
by
Mark Kurlansky
Charles Branch
, July 09, 2020
As a 'seasonal grunt' fish biologist on the Clearwater National Forest from the late 1970s in the Columbia Basin, learning that the state of Idaho was not a signatory to the Columbia Basin Compact thus having no voice in managing salmon and steelhead escapement into those headwaters, to the Tongass National Forest in the early 1980s, where one might think that their commercial value would figure into forest management, it doesn't. Thankfully the exertion of treaty right rights led to the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission(CRITFC) and the involvement of reservation members in restoration efforts and education. We've learned that marine-derived nitrogen transported by salmon has an impact on the landscape two hundred miles from their waterways. If that doesn't make anyone take notice, it should, for the loss of that nutrient cycle should be missed, avoided and encouraged in future. Mark Kurlansky has written a beautifully documented book, just as the subtitle describes. - a former stream habitat surveyor, ADF&G sockeye weir crew leader and hatcheries technician (Sitka and Juneau) and Cordova Harbormaster's Office and CFV Spill Response crewman. It's the fish that provide a livelihood and food, and Sitka spruce guitars.
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Hey Rube Blood Sport the Bush Doctrine & the Downward Spiral of Dumbness
by
Hunter S Thompson
Charles Branch
, June 08, 2020
Hunter Thompson's raison d'etre was that "journalism is a ticket to ride." Unlike George Plimpton, whose "ticket to ride" was playing with the Detroit Lions and other endeavors, HST rode with the Hell's Angels, on the campaign trails of a number of national elections and with other activities on the unseemly (seamy? unraveling?) side of America. It's not pretty out there, but clouded and depressing if you let it get to you. Cutting to the heart of matters, of things that matter, can be difficult to absorb, but HST gave his best. Take a smaller dose... While presently living "in the danger zone" (cue the Top Gun music) of the current pandemic, being over 60 and taking up guitar, I have come to grips with my disappointment as a "tree hugger" in SE Alaska because, by the time a Sitka spruce has grown enough to become a solid top for a guitar, it's more than five feet in diameter. Nah, not disappointment, but awe at these wonders (4' diameter, 200' tall and straight clear-grained alder, too!)
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Declaration of Independence & the Constitution of the United States
by
Pauline Maier
Charles Branch
, April 24, 2020
The "must read" that should be 'most read'. These are cited as the reason for Idaho's passage of a state law requiring the teaching of cursive writing in our schools, so that future generations will be able to read historic documents in their original form.
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Northwest Exposures A Geologic Study of the Northwest
by
David D Alt, Donald W Hyndman
Charles Branch
, April 24, 2020
Dave Alt made geology fun! "Road cuts are the geologist's best friend (for learning)." From Geology 101 at the University of Montana to his guest talk at Yellow Bay Biological Station on Flathead Lake one (1976) evening on these two authors' travels across Montana to write The Roadside Geology of Montana: "I told Don Hyndman to ask at this small roadside gas station to see the owner's rock collection. As usual, the question was produced, 'Want to see the s_x rock?'" You can guess the answer. Years later in Alaska, I was told that the hatchery manager was fond of telling people that the granodiorite they were looking at was "leverite", as in "Leave 'er right there"... A fish biologist, which you may find leads to learning about related resources in geology, entomology, hydrology and hydrogeology, land use planning and more.
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Korean War Pusan to Chosin An Oral History
by
Donald Knox
Charles Branch
, April 24, 2020
Donald Knox (1936-1986) was an award-winning producer and director of television documentaries. He passed away after drafting more than half of the manuscript for the next book The Korean War: Uncertain Victory, which was completed by Alfred Coppel. I found this later book of oral histories (used, softcover) quite compelling, so looked for this one to add to the shelf. The Korean War marked Dad's entry into a USAF career. He has noted (as have some WWII vets I've met), that it can be fortunate to enter late enough that training will see you long enough to avoid being in the thick of things, though the worn out machinery that remains can kill you instead. We are so blessed in these days, that the protested inconvenience of our current (Covid-19 disease caused by SARS-Cov2) pandemic seems a trifle, compared to our wars of the 1940s and 1950s.
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If God Is Your Co-Pilot, Swap Seats!
by
James W. Moore
Charles Branch
, May 19, 2019
We have been using James W. Moore's books in our Thursday noon men's fellowship group lunch sessions. One chapter each week, with the provided study guide questions is and has been very worthwhile in getting to know each other, support each other and learn from each other. Jim Moore includes great (and memorable) stories in each lesson, which generally features three key concepts to take away as we go back to our lives apart. I still have my old paperback copy of Col. Robert L. Scott's book God Is My Copilot, copyright 1943, with the one page introduction explaining that the statement was made to the Chinese man assisting the doctor as he was the rivets pulled out of his back after bullets fired by a Japanese fighter hit the armor plate behind the seat of his P-40. We should listen to, and remember these stories, as they help to build our character, too. Last week, I met a neighbor and over coffee, he told me his story of landing a F-4 Phantom II aboard the carrier Kitty Hawk on the first Tonkin Gulf deployment with one engine and no hydraulic systems. One of two A-6 Intruder squadrons aboard lost every airplane, and of the one crew that survived, both had bones broken. I'll be writing this up...
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Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide
by
Douglas Adams
Charles Branch
, December 02, 2018
I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be able to identify with "Dent, Arthur Dent", a common man (cue Aaron Copeland's 'Fanfare for the Common Man')merely trying to keep his home, neighborhood and lifestyle intact in the face of 'progress', only to discover (with Ford Prefect) that there are much larger (and smaller) forces at work in his universe. Another gentleman and I found that this saga occupied us in lengthy and entertaining discourse paralleling theology, during a midwinter boat ride to Valdez, Alaska (in darkness, sitting in the lowest deck, in wind, water and freezing spray conditions passengers could not see). Always know where your towel is, and "Don't Panic." Hanging on, enjoying the ride...
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Last Cowboys
by
John Branch
Charles Branch
, June 10, 2018
The Last Cowboys: A Pioneer Family in the New West should be on everyone's reading list, including those contemplating life in the rural west. I've spent my 'adult' life in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. John Branch writes beautifully of the trails, travails, joys and travels of multiple generations of the Wright family through past, present and into the future. In a sense, we're all pioneers as we learn, grow and pass on in our teaching, mentoring and conversations with others. This brought tears to my eyes, as I contemplate Dad's statement, "I didn't think I'd live long enough to have to replace the (treated wood) fence posts." We hand logged and treated those ourselves, and they've lasted more than forty years. Yeah, land is worth more as scenery than pasture too often these days, and residential uses can easily result in mining scarce groundwater (in excess of the recharge rates), so I'm glad there is the possibility for retired ranchers to rent pastures to younger cattlemen, a more flexible option as prices rise and fall. As pioneers, adapting to changing conditions and circumstance, this is a poignant and elegant tome on life.
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A Fly Rod of Your Own
by
John Gierach
Charles Branch
, October 28, 2017
Unfortunately Fly Rod & Reel was apparently absorbed by Fly Fisherman about the time Dad began subscribing to the former for his 'John Gierach fix". (I'd always read the last page of FR&R first, too!) I agree with Dad, who brought us up fishing, that John 'tells it like it is, and was' in the hobby, sport, lifestyles, characters and habitats associated with the waters, fish and fishermen. We always eagerly watch for his new books, so this one is a welcome addition to the harvest. A retired(?) seasonal field fish biologist with a work history in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho transported by a variety of trucks, cars, planes, helicopters, boats and characters... 'Fishing' is not about 'catching' but the experience.
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Nez Perce 1877
by
Robert Forczyk
Charles Branch
, June 23, 2017
No. 231 in Osprey Publishing's Campaign Series follows the series format, describing the origins, chronology, the opposing forces, commanders and orders of battle. Robert Forczyk then proceeds into describing the events of 1877 illustrated with photographs, artwork and maps that complement this well-written and researched text. I trained, lived, and worked in much of this geographic area (Idaho and western Montana)as a fishery technician/biologist and ranch hand 1973-1982, so this book resonated with me. At that time, I was learning that Idaho was not included in the Columbia River Compact, and thus the Nez Perce tribes' through treaty rights had greater standing than the state of Idaho and federal lands agencies in the management of anadromous fish that had nearly vanished from the upper basin following the hydro-power development dating from the 1930s. The author concludes with a chapter, "The Battlefields Today", which provides information on visiting the area.
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True North Discovering Gods Way in a Changing World
by
Gary Inrig
Charles Branch
, April 25, 2017
We have been reading this in our men's fellowship that meets for Thursday lunch. Each chapter begins with a brief story on a navigation instrument (compass, chronometer, sextant, GPS...) and how it can be used for guidance. Interesting discussion follows (in the book and over our lunch), relating scripture messages to life events and behaviors. Gary Inrig explores our need to study the Bible, as God's Word is our moral compass, which seems lost to many in today's world.
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Unlocking the Sky Glenn Hammond Curtiss & the Race to Invent the Airplane
by
Seth Shulman
Charles Branch
, March 18, 2017
Seth Shulman weaves an interesting narrative between the very public Glenn Hammond Curtiss and the very private Orville and Wilbur Wright as powered flight begins in the United States. The account of their first meeting, all running to grab the ropes of an airship drifting away in strong winds, was followed by Curtiss' offer of his lightweight engine to aid the Wrights' efforts. Like Nikola Tesla, Glenn Curtiss held few patents for his many inventions, which continue to help many. The twist-grip throttle, ailerons, and seaplane floats are but a few of those listed at the end of the book. He was more interested in promoting the expansion of his industry, than in securing any royalty rights. The granting of broad ranging patents to early filers in a new industry hampered both Glenn Curtiss and Henry Ford, who was of some help to Curtiss. Fortunately, publicity helped Curtiss, and the military's recognition of the utility and need for airplanes was important in that regard as well. This is still a very intriguing story. (I know an aeronautical engineer who started his career at Curtiss-Wright, working on P-40 design. Sadly, these gentlemen are quickly passing.)
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God In The Foxhole
by
Charles Sasser
Charles Branch
, March 27, 2015
God removes our fear. The stories included here, and elsewhere (other books note Dave Richardson's "Jolly Green" rescue helicopter being bathed in a white light while hovering for a pickup with the light brighter the worse the situarion was, events witnessed by the escorting A-1 Sandy pilots; "Horse Soldiers" and Ed Macy's books also note the ability to function under extreme duress with calmness and without fear)include the story of Chaplain O'Neill's "Weather Prayer" and "Training Letter No. 5", written for the U.S. 3rd Army at the request of Gen. George S. Patton, and the real story and lyrics of "Taps". Strange things happen in grace, by faith. Outstanding book, and I'm passing it on by request to a friend and CRE lay pastor.
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Elephant Company The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero & the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II
by
Vicki Croke
Charles Branch
, December 23, 2014
This is the amazing story of James Howard Williams, a World War I veteran who survived the fighting, traveling to Burma in 1920 to become a "forest man" with the teak company. He found his calling as an "elephant wallah", establishing a humane training academy for company elephants. As World War II approached Burma, he considered returning to Royal Army service in England, but reconsidered, as his Burma knowledge could be more useful. It was, as "Elephant Billy" joined the Royal Army, working behind enemy lines with the Special Operations Executive to form Elephant Company No. 1, which may have numbered more than one thousand at times, and played a critical role in the outcome of the war in Burma. Amazing animals!
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Boy on Ice The Life & Death of Derek Boogaard
by
John Branch
Charles Branch
, October 03, 2014
A worthy read probing the depths of the impacts on players of professional sports, and the competition driven by dollars in marketing to an industry of television, radio, stadiums, arenas, newspapers, internet and other exposures. This profile of the life of one player is illustrative of the impact of "contact" sport on the life and body. Perhaps we should add a new category to sports: "Impact" and "Non-Impact" to that of "contact" and "non-contact" sports. Are we on the road to "Cannonball Run"?
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The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by
Adams, Douglas
Charles Branch
, August 19, 2014
An amazing and wondrous parallel theology to the Gospel. With "'Don't Panic' written in large, friendly letters on the cover," The Guide parallels the Bible as God removes our fear. Strange and bizarre things happen, and often do, and sometimes there are witnesses, but often with a different view of events so fiction is often less strange than truth. As one person told me last week, "I have a million answers, but I just need to be asked the questions," the same goes for "the ultimate answer to the question of life, the universe and everything." Such an entertaining romp through the galaxy as the characters search for the question to fit with the answer. Forget the TV series and the film; the book and the BBC radio play allow your imagination to build the picture.
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Cascadias Fault The Coming Earthquake & Tsunami that Could Devastate North America
by
Jerry Thompson, Simon Winchester
Charles Branch
, March 22, 2014
Yes, be ready. As a resident of coastal Alaska, I had occasion to speak with a number of scientists and technicians, including those of NOAA's Pacific Tides unit who pointed me to the site recording changes in sea level elevation along the coastline of North America. The observatory in Palmer, Alaska notes that frequent small tremors that are recorded along Alaska's faults (of which there are many) mean that the crustal plate surfaces are moving more smoothly than areas where sea level has been rising more as the coast is pressed downward by the subducting ocean crust. The coastal edges of the surface plate see stress relief sooner or later... Cascadia's Fault has been dragging downward for years, while the megavolcano to the east, the Yellowstone Caldera, has been rising...
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Harold's Voyage: Based on the WWII Diaries of Harold Kiel
by
M, D Kincaid
Charles Branch
, March 19, 2014
Harold Kiel's wartime diary is the basis for this book, but the addition of the kamikaze pilot's letters home and the pre-mission checklist provided a book that Harold told me he "picked up at 3:30 and couldn't put down until 9:30," when he finished the read. High praise from the guy who kept his diary for seventy years! As we lose our World War II veterans (at a rate of ~1500 per day), it is worthwhile putting these stories to paper, so that we can remember the sacrifices and struggles of our elders at home and abroad. I continually feel that I am standing "on the shoulders of giants"; who will tell you that they simply stepped in and did what they could under the circumstances. The second printing will correct errors in historical background information. One example refers to the "Enola Gay" dropping the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, while the target is correct at the end of the book as Hiroshima. Harold's diary and the letters home from the kamikaze pilot had my rapt attention. I also took note of the treatment of those exposed to combat for long periods of time, particularly those dealing with casualties, being given a medical discharge. Not all injuries are visible... 4+ stars, 5 stars with corrections to historical background.
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Attention All Passengers The Airlines Dangerous Descent & How to Reclaim Our Skies
by
William J McGee
Charles Branch
, February 17, 2014
Sir Richard Branson's advice when asked how to become a millionaire was, "Start with a billion dollars and buy an airline." Pricing analysts at the airlines will admit that there is neither rhyme nor reason to seat pricing, and it does not take rocket science to understand the folly of airlines' partnership in credit card frequent flier mileage programs. Canada recently joined other nations in adopting the ICAO multi-crew license program in an attempt to fill cockpits, while furloughed airline pilots that have found work flying overseas are waiting for pay to increase before they return home to domestic flights. William McGee explains this "race to the bottom" as airlines compete with, or buy out each other, the latter only contributing to the debt load. Trying to balance budgets on the backs of air and ground crews, adoption of new equipment and technologies while keeping fares (flight revenues) lower than costs... This dangerous descent drops out the oxygen masks of solutions "to reclaim our skies".
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Aircraft Modelling
by
Brett Green
Charles Branch
, September 17, 2013
With a lay-flat binding this is an excellent reference to inspire one's aircraft modelling. The thirteen chapters are titled: Building a state-of-the-art injection-molded kit straight from the box; Building a new generation limited-run kit; Working with resin conversions; Improving a simple snap-together kit; Working with large-scale resin kits; Building a current generation long-run injection-molded kit; Upgrading an older kit with resin cockpit and wing fold; Converting a kit the old-fashioned way; Kitbashing two mediocre kits for a better result; Improving detail on an accurate injection-molded plastic kit; Upgrade and conversion using resin and photo-etch; Adding detail to an older kit; Sources and references. This last chapter includes a few URLs for internet forums, to which I would add Agape Models (dot com), which also helps when one is considering the question, "What is an acceptable level of detail?" !/48 scale details are 50% larger than the 1/72 scale equivalent (my preference),so responses to questions on use of photo-etch or resin parts range from "easy, with the right tools" to "run, run away, run away fast!" Laugh always, for these projects should be fun exercises. I find myself putting together a project report similar to that done by artists in other media as I research and build each subject. I shall look into other volumes in the Osprey Masterclass series.
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Aircraft Modelling
by
Brett Green
Charles Branch
, August 30, 2013
Wow! Another great reference from Brett Green, webmaster of Cybermodeler, that will likely find its way to my workbench. With a stash of model aircraft dating from the 1970s, I find the technological advances over the past ten years (or thirty)nothing short of incredible. It's not just biking to the hobby shop, picking up a kit and assembling it in a weekend with tube cement, and brushed enamel paints (if you're really putting time on it),any more. Acrylics, oil washes, airbrushing, photo-etched brass and resin parts, epoxies, cyanoacrylates, and not to mention the tools; can provide an overwhelming array of choices for anyone at any experience level. I have to consider myself a novitiate, but a number of internet forums are helpful, too. Cybermodeler, Agape Models, Don Wheeler's airbrushing tips, are among the sites I bookmarked. Advice is the cheapest part, so (even at forty bucks)I use it first.
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Shepherd
by
Frederick Forsyth
Charles Branch
, July 22, 2013
An early book from Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackal), this has become my favorite Christmas story. A young pilot in the early days of the jet age flies his fighter home Christmas Eve, encountering problems, solutions, mystery and blessing. This story can be read aloud in an hour; CBC radio has a CD available.
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Wild at Heart Discovering the Secret of a Mans Soul
by
John Eldredge
Charles Branch
, January 02, 2013
Both of my daughters and I have read this book, which explains that God has a place for a man's warrior and explorer heart, just as he does for a woman's heart. John Eldredge counteracts the neglect in our Christian culture of the heart and spirit of man, noting that children need (require) the validation and support of their fathers, especially between the ages of 10 and 13. In my own life, I find that my daughters need the support of this father's heart as they embark upon their life adventures, explorations, and battles. All battles have a spiritual component, which is often the largest obstacle to overcome. This would be a great book for men's fellowship group discussion, as well as any individual.
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Ks Fly Box
by
A K Best
Charles Branch
, December 28, 2012
How could a fly tier oft-mentioned in John Gierach's books receive less than a five star rating. A.K.'s column in Fly Rod & Reel magazine is always a must read (as is John Gierach's endpiece column) so this is a welcome collection.
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Breaking Clays: Target Tactics, Tips & Techniques
by
Chris Batha
Charles Branch
, December 28, 2012
This book contains an entire chapter on the eyes and vision, with the best explanation of eye dominance that I have ever read! Training and fitness exercises for one's eyes are also included. Excellent descriptions of trap, skeet, sporting clays and other shotgun sporting games are provided, too. This one earned a place in my library!
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One Mans Wilderness An Alaskan Odyssey Anniversary
by
Richard L Proenneke, Sam Keith
Charles Branch
, December 28, 2012
This book is a work of beauty as is the film, shown periodically on Alaska's public TV channels. Dick Proenneke decided that rather than chance losing his eyesight to crud falling from the bottoms of equipment, he would swap life as a diesel mechanic in Anchorage for that of a homestead cabin at Twin Lakes. This book covers the seasons and explorations of the area, and the skills he developed to handle life, and it was a long one. The Keiths' documentation in film and words complement Dick's own.
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Auto Math Handbook Basic Calculations Formulas Equations & Theory for Automotive Enthusiasts
by
John Lawlor
Charles Branch
, December 22, 2012
All the formulas, for example; to figure out the relationship between tire size, final drive gear ratio and the appropriate engine speed (rpm) that I used with late 1960s-1970s vehicles. I would not make alterations from the maker's tire size recommendation on current automobiles with all the computer controls. This is for the gearhead concerned with carburetors, calculating the most efficient air and fuel flow.
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SOG The Secret Wars of Americas Commandos in Vietnam
by
John L Plaster
Charles Branch
, November 30, 2012
Did you know that actress Martha Raye visited a mountaintop camp in southern Laos in 1970? Or that "Code Name Bright Light" was responsible for the rescue of at least a couple dozen airmen from the ground in Laos and North Vietnam? This was part of the author's life, and is helpful as a foundation in understanding his writings on training and special operations in the present day. There are incredible events and individuals in every field of endeavor, and some are described here, including the "Covey" FACs with SOG's "Covey Riders" providing another pair of eyes, defensive firepower, and support and guidance to teams on the ground. The addition of photographs held secret for three decades makes a welcome addition to this account.
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Proof of Heaven A Neurosurgeons Journey into the Afterlife
by
Eben Alexander
Charles Branch
, October 23, 2012
Read this book SLOWLY, read the "Advance Praise" quotes at the front of the book first, noting what a number of M.D.s, rabbis and ministers say about this book. As the author writes, "it's difficult to put into words", so it is to write a review that I would feel is adequate. Suffice to say, that having found my "church home" at last, and realizing that my life has been directed by God from its beginning, that the writing (and reading) of "Proof of Heaven" is likewise guided. Dr. Alexander's statement that this "earthly life seemed more dreamlike" than his experience in the "afterlife", harmonizes with my earthly experiences that have been serendipitous, strange, wonderful, and sometimes bizarre. A couple years ago, I was driving home (2600 miles) contemplating the future, and events unfolded that led me to retire and relocate, making a home for my youngest daughter, attending what became my "church home" on what happened to be the "new" pastor's first day at work, and joining their ministries. My volunteer work in public radio in Alaska, led me to become a member of Spokane Public Radio when I relocated, and their Newsweek subscription membership premium brought the issue carrying excerpts from this book; yet another string of "God-incidences" (Pastor Craig's term) that brought me to this reading. Thanks and praises to God for these blessings.
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Fly The Biggest Piece Back
by
Steve Smith
Charles Branch
, September 26, 2012
This is the story of Johnson Flying Service of Missoula, Montana and the incredible stories of pioneer flying in the wilderness of Idaho and Montana. Their pilot, Penn Stohr is legendary in Idaho aviation history, and Bob Johnson (owner, pilot, innovator)likewise as pioneers in combating wildfire with the U.S. Forest Service. Yes, it's still fought like a military operation.
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Phantom in Combat
by
Walter J Boyne
Charles Branch
, August 28, 2012
The author performs a masterful job of chronicling the development and operational history of the F-4 Phantom II in service with the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Marines, the Israeli Air Force, and to lesser extent with the Imperial Iranian Air Force and its successor Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Air Force. Oral histories are folded in to the mix to tell the story of "energy management" Air Combat Maneuvering in mixing it up with tighter turning machines, and in describing the variety of missions performed in SE Asia. This book will not leave my collection of SE Asia air histories.
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Everything but the Flak A Crazy Ride Across the Atlantic in Three Antiquated B 17s
by
Martin Caidin
Charles Branch
, August 28, 2012
I borrowed this book from the base library in North Dakota(1971-72)as Martin Caidin has been one of my favorite authors. This book describes the 1964 trip across the Atlantic in three B-17s led by Greg Boardman from the Arizona desert to England where these airplanes were used in the filming of "The War Lover" (starring Robert Wagner and Steve McQueen). The adventure includes (but was not limited to) detention in Portugal while authorities were nervous about the .50 cal guns and other spare parts (could they be arming rebels?), encounters with INTERPOL agents, mechanical problems, and finally, flying (great photos of "beating up the field") for the cameras. "It started with a phone call..."
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Collector David Douglas & the Natural History of the Northwest
by
Jack Nisbet
Charles Branch
, August 09, 2012
Well written saga of the life journey of David Douglas traces his path and the people in it as he was recommended to work in the botanic gardens of Glasgow University and from there proceeded to North America under the auspices of the Horticultural Society of London. "Networking" with members and friends of the Society as he went, David Douglas documented the natural organisms of the Northwest, a great contribution to our understanding of this area.
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2000 Year Old Man In The Year 2000 The B
by
Mel Brooks
Charles Branch
, August 03, 2012
Very Good, unless you rate the best puns as "bad..." Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner reprise their respective roles as the "2000 Year Old Man" and his interviewer thirty-some years later. Does he have any more regrets? Has he yet to receive the first letter from any of his younger progeny? Is there a newer and more wonderful product than Saran wrap? Is fear still the fastest mode of transport? "When Woman was Discovered" undoubtedly will not change, as that story is still a classic, but for the rest of the answers and advice from the perspective of two thousand years, you must get it from the man himself.
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Everything But the Flak
by
Martin Caidin
Charles Branch
, July 06, 2012
Martin Caidin wrote this account of his trip with the crews flying three B-17 Flying Fortresses from Arizona to England for the filming of 'The War Lover' in the early 1960s. From scrounging airplanes and parts, coping with breakdowns, bandits, Interpol, and temporary detention in Portugal, to finally filming scenes with the actors, this was definitely a flight of adventure!
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