Rowe Findley (–2003)

Hardcover Book & mint stamp set (sealed in plastic) published by the USPS to commemorate the 50th anniversary of WW2. Shows events & battles of 1942 with spaces for affixing the enclosed sheets of WW2 stamps & maps. The U.S. Postal Service issued 50 stamps during the 50th anniversary years of WWII. 10 were issued on and for each of the years,1991 through 1995.
Each year a book was published covering the major events that took place during that year,and includes the commerative stamps. This one is for the year 1942. In it you will find excellent photographs and illustrations covering many of the historical things and events which were so prevalent at the time.
5 volume set: 1941: A World at War, 1942: Into the Battle, 1943: Turning the Tide, 1944: Road to Victory and 1945: Victory at Last. Filled with hundreds of black and white, color photos, graphs, charts and maps, this is a must-have for readers interested in WWII.… (more)

This is a seriously out-of-date travel sketch of the North American deserts. Since it was published in 1972 much has changed in the American Southwest, economically, demographically, environmentally. The population has increased greatly. And attitudes have changed, especially about resource usage. Even in 1972, this author's approach was behind the times, being more typical of the 1950's, with its admiring emphasis on harnessing nature for industry, resource extraction, urbanization, and motorized recreation. The photographs are very good, but they follow the text in illustrating the wonders of industrial civilization about equally with the wonders of nature. If the book were titled The Southwest this approach would be more expected than in a book about deserts as such.

The emphasis is on the United States, giving fairly little attention to Mexico, except for Baja California. Many lovers of Baja might deplore the modernization that Findley celebrates. Truly a blast from the past.… (more)