Jewels and ashes

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John Edward Weems

Much of the value of this biography of the discoverer of the North Pole lies in its access to hitherto unavailable personal documents, notably Peary's diary. The diary, often quoted here, gives final proof that Peary did in fact discover what he was searching for, and for which Congress awarded him its thanks and a retirement pension. However Peary's former surgeon, the affable Dr. Frederick Cook, had telegraphed to the world that he had discovered the Pole and had telegraphed this message five days before Peary reached a wireless to break the news. This frustration, after twenty three years of incredible effort, infuriated Peary to such a degree that he world not defend his accomplishment. In fact he never quite recovered from the blow. This is a thorough account of the expeditions, the immense journeys by dog sled, the impossibly perilous crossings of tundras of ice and snow. That the redoubtable Peary's achievement should be bent and twisted by the press was indeed tragic, and this is a broad and moving biography, particularly in its theme of American spirit and ingenuity pitted against the existential polar wastes.

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Erin Van Rheenen

This guide contains essential information on setting up your daily life, including visas, finances, employment, education, and health care; practical advice on how to rent or buy a home that fits your needs and budget; a thorough survey of the best places to live; firsthand insight into navigating the language and culture; how to plan a fact-finding trip before the move; special tips for those with children or pets.

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Patricia M. Ard and Michael Aaron Rockland

"Jews have called New Jersey home since the late seventeenth century - and they currently make up almost 6 percent of the state's residents. Yet, until now, no book has paid tribute to the richness of Jewish heritage in the Garden State. The Jews of New Jersey: A Pictorial History, redresses this lack with a lively narrative and hundreds of archival and family photographs - many rare - that bring this history to life."--BOOK JACKET.

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edited and translated by Jürgen Buchenau

"This rich anthology provides a glimpse of modern Mexico through the eyes of foreign observers. Some of these selections are by well-known authors (Alexander von Humboldt, John Reed, B. Traven, Evelyn Waugh). Some are unpublished pieces by little-known writers, and six are available here for the first time in English." "The writings fall into four periods: the transitions to independence and Mexico's first decades as a sovereign country (1800-1867), the era of Liberal modernization (1867-1910), the Mexican Revolution (1910-1940), and the post-World War II era. Four major topics show up repeatedly: ethnicity, gender, and race; cultural differences between Mexicans and foreigners; political stability and instability; and the economy and its impact on Mexicans. Although observers expressed a wide range of view-points on these issues, they agreed in finding a stunning degree of ethnic and regional diversity as well as what they saw as stark contrasts between urban and rural, rich and poor, modernity and tradition." "In addition to Anglo-American authors, the anthology includes selections by German, French, Norwegian, and Spanish authors. Just over a third of the pieces are by women, who offer glimpses of private worlds closed to men, such as convent life, relations between women and their servants, and household affairs"--Page 4 of cover.