The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14 July 1863

Customer Reviews:

Great Analysis on Why the Union Had the Edge at Gettysburg .......2005-03-06

One of the great controversies of Gettysburg, aside from pointing the finger at Longstreet, was why did the Confederates go blind through Pennsylvania and of course where was Stuart? Longacre gives a highly readable story of how the supremacy of the Confederate Cavalry crested before Gettysburg as the Union begin to have bolder leaders and more aggressive tactics and better mounts. Starting with Stuarts embarrassment at the shock like attack of Union Cavalry at Brandy Station, Longacre explains the difference evolutions of the Cavalry on each side and in detail you see how the Union became more like the Confederates and less like picket line guards in the past. Excellent story of how Stuart took all his top brigade commanders with him leaving Grumble Jones behind to screen Lee's army and with the little known Albert Jenkins virtually leading reconnaissance for Lee's march through Pennsylvania. To me, the best part of the book is about Stuart's misadventures and Lee's army groping its way almost blind through Pennsylvania running into Buford's cavalry equipped with spencer repeater rifles. Great detail on Stuart's final arrival and desperate attempt to ride behind the Union line to disrupt it during Pickett's charge only to be quashed by Custer's attack stopping Stuart completely. In addition, excellent detail on Farnsworth's suicide charge into Longstreet's right flank after Pickett's charge ordered by "Kilcavalry" Kilpatrick. There is also additional detail on the harassment of Lee's retreat by the Union cavalry and Stuarts tired efforts to hold his ground. Excellent book fills the void left by most all Gettysburg books.

An Essential Read for All Gettysburg Fans.......2004-07-29

Edward Longacre's _The Cavalry at Gettysburg_ continues to deserve an honored place at the top of the Gettysburg canon, which is saying a lot considering how much has been published on America's most written-about battle. This is one of Longacre's earliest books, but it still ranks as one of his best. The volume is exhaustively researched and well written. Longacre excels in his pithy character sketches of the opposing commanders, and his battle descriptions sometimes approach the poetic. This book sets the Battle of Gettysburg in a wider context, which helps us to better understand both what caused it and its outcome. Finally, Longacre ended up teaching me many things about a subject I thought I already knew a lot about.

A History of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign.......2004-03-04

Edward Longacre's book, "The Cavalry at Gettysburg" is a thorough, well-written study of the mounted arms of both the Union and Confederate armies during Lee's critical Pennsylvania campaign of June 9 -- July 14, 1863. This campaign culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg. As is well known, Jeb Stuart had embarked on a ride-around of the Union army beginning on June 24. He did not rejoin General Lee until late on July 2, well into the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Longacre examines Stuart's ride and its impact in detail. But he offers as well a comphrensive account of cavalry operations throughout the campaign. This is a subject that is sometimes overlooked, and it is good for those interested in the history of the Pennsylvania campaign to have the information gathered in one study.

An excellent feature of the book is the background Mr. Longacre gives on cavalry operations and on their development in both armies. Mr. Longacre also spends substantial time on the leaders of both the Confederate and Union cavalries -- during the time of this study Stuart for the South and Pleasanton for the North. He explains why the personal, hands-on dashing activities required in cavalry operations tended to attract flamboyant types of leaders.

Mr. Longacre describes well the different fighting styles of the Southern and Northern mounted arms and show too how the North gradually was able to turn its cavalry into an effective fighting force. He finds that the Union was well on its way to doing so by the Pennsylvania campaign, but he concludes that the Union cavalry still was not quite the equal of the Confederate unit during these summer months of 1863.

Mr. Longacre provides detailed discussions of the important and large-scale cavalry battle at Brandy Station, Virginia at the outset of the Pennsylvania campaign and follows it with accounts of engagements at Aldie and Middleburg as the Confederate infantry advanced. There is a good account of the backround of Stuart's ride-around, with Mr. Longacre less critical of Stuart than many other writers. He examines the battles between Stuart and the Union cavalry, particularly at Hanover, before Stuart finally rejoined General Lee on July 2.

The Union cavalry gets even-handed attention. Mr. Longacre offers excellent accounts of Burford's role in delaying the Confederate advance on the first day of the Battle and the significant fighting of Union General David Gregg against the Stonewall Brigade on the evening of July 2. This fighting greatly weakened the Confederate force which attacked Culp's Hill on the far right of the Union line, perhaps saving it from capture.

Mr Longacre offers a detailed account of the sometimes forgotten fighting at the east cavalry battlefield, some 4 miles east of Gettysburg on July 3. This was an important engagement in its own right and included some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle.

The book concludes with an extended discussion of the role of the cavalries following Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. Stuart in particular played an important role in allowing the Confederate army to escape accross the Potomac and various components of the Union cavalry distinguished themselves in pursuit.

This book is a technical study and presupposes a high level of backround and interest in the military history of the Civil War and of the Battle of Gettysburg. But it tells its story well and carefully. More maps would have been welcome.

An Exciting Look at the Mounted Units at Gettysburg-jaslfms.......2003-05-04

I am a middle school student who had to read a Civil War book for History class. The Cavalry at Gettysburg was an okay book unless you are a history buff. It did give a pretty elaborate picture of each mounted Civil War hero and their march to Pennsylvania and the fight for Gettysburg. The book has a lot of people and they are all explained in the first chapter. The problem is that you have to remember them throughout the whole book. Also there were a lot of words I didn't know and had to look them up numerous times.

My favorite chapter was Gettysburg, 2 July. It is filled with interesting quotes and facts as day two of the Battle of Gettysburg goes on. Mr. Longacre does a pretty good job throughout the whole book but this chapter especially.

Although some pages were a challenge, The Cavalry at Gettysburg had a strong backbone and a lot interesting facts. It was a well-written book and might have been more interesting if I was a Civil War buff. Mr. Longacre has written a swell book that actually took me to the Battle of Gettysburg. It was a good book to read!

The Cavalry at Gettysburg.......2002-12-12

The Cavalry at Gettysburg is an interesting study of the cavalry on both sides during the Gettysburg campaign. I'd recommend reading it in conjunction with Lee's Cavalrymen, Longacre's latest book.

Longacre gives a good picture of the various roles of mid-19th century cavalry, compares/contrasts ANV and AOP cavalry, and criticizes the current tactics of mounted assault. As in his later work, he opines that Confederates often didn't like to fight with sabers, and I still wish he would provide more documentary evidence for that. His point regarding the difficulties of poorly armed troopers who could either fight only on foot or only mounted, is well taken.

The description of the campaign itself starts with Brandy Station, goes through Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, and then follows the various cavalry units as they traveled north. The fighting behind the Union right on July 3 gets a lot of time, as does the desperate rearguard action after the battle.

Longacre generally feels that CS cavalry retained the advantage throughout the campaign, for which he more or less blames Federal leadership. He effectively demolishes the argument that Stuart was not following orders or was "joy-riding" during the march into Pennsylvania, and speaks harshly of the performances of Robertson and Jenkins. He goes on to suggest that Federal tactical flexibility would serve them well in upcoming campaigns.

Customer Reviews:

Small Exciting Book on the Cavalry at the Close of the War .......2005-05-28

I enjoyed this small book at the final stages of the war particularly some of the minor battles of the campaign. I particularly enjoyed the section on Five Forks that was very large in scope in contrast with most of the described battles and the map was well laid out in that although not complex, it demonstrated well where the V corps was in relation to Sheridan's calvary and the east angle of the Confederate line. The book does not over awe the reader in detail but for someone familar with the retreat, it was refreshing that the book moved along at a pretty good pace. And I particularly enjoyed finding the ocassional nuggett of information that I did not know, such as the animosity between Rosser and Mumford, or know very well. I also enjoyed reading about the battle of High Bridge, which was a modest battle by most standards but a desperate battle fought earnestly by both sides with devastating loss as the war was coming to an obvious end. My own personal visit there recently made that section exciting to read. It would have been exceptional if the author did provide maps showing more geography to better understand the different routes that Lee and Grant took along with their cavalry. The strength of the supplied maps was their small scale presentation of battles that were quite good such as the final battle for the road to Lynchburg just outside Appomattox Station. Perhaps the only criticism besides maps of a greater scope was explaining how Lee's Army semed to constantly be blind as the Army seemed to stumble into traps (Sailor's Creek)and never seemed to know when Sheridan was going to cut them off (Jetersville) or capture their trains. The author does note that Fitz Lee was frequently in the rear protecting the wagons or rear guard and that may have been the climatical advanatge Sheridan had over the cavalry of the ANV, fresh mounts and more men. The advanatge hastened Lee's troops to their physical detriment, cut off supplies and disected their trains. Makes one wonder if Wade Hampton would have been more effective but the reduced ANV cavalry was probably too undermanned for anyone. The other note, was that at Amelia Courthouse, Marvel has pointed out that Lee's delay was not to search for food that did not exist but to wait for Ewell's forces to find a way across the river since his pontoons never appeared. The author sticks to the older theory but Marvel makes a good point, Ewell had difficulty and why would you stay where there is no food. But the book has some very good descriptions particularly of Pickett who literally seems to be falling apart well before the end. Obviously, the strength of the author's biography lent itself well with Pickett. Also numerous pictures and a good shot of the High Bridge.

OK, but............2004-02-26

Longacre's narrative covers the actions of the Union and Confederate cavalry in the last two weeks of the Civil War in the east. The text accounts for 200 of the book's 272 pages, the rest going to notes, an impressive 33 page bibliography and index.

The book begins with a brief discussion of the development of both forces during the course of the war in the east, and highlights effectively the rise of the Union forces, and the decline of the South's, during the last 2 years of the war, and the why's of it all. Then the focus turns to the strategic setting and battles that ended the Seige of Petersburg, including Dinwiddie Court House and Five Forks.

The last half of the book takes the reader through the Union pursuit of the retreating Army of Northern Virginia, to the Surrender at Appomattox. Though the cavalry's operations are his focus, Longacre renders well the context of their operations. He particularly pays attention to the Army of the James and its role in bringing Lee to ground.

The author clearly has an extensive knowledge of Civil War Cavalry, and has written many books on the subject. This isn't a bad book, but it won't go down as one of his best. It has a certain assembly-line quality to it. It covers the subject adequately enough, although some portions cry out for more detail, like the fighting at Paineville, Virginia. It is written well enough, albeit ending rather abruptly. It is organized well enough. In fact, the only severe problem is the inadequate maps, especially for a book titled a tactical study. Those few there are lack detail, and over and over again, I had to dig out other sources to find more complete battle maps and maps where I could actually find locations cited in Longacre's book.

I have a better appreciation after reading this book of the Sheridan's role in the campaign, but I would have appreciated more analysis and assessment of the other leaders' performance.

While I don't regret buying this book, it's hard to recommend it. Those knowledgable of the campaign may find some insights, but little that is new. Those unfamiliar with the campaign are likely to be stymied by the paucity and quality of the maps.

C'mon, Ed, you can do better..........2004-01-24

Longacre needs to stop churning out so MANY books, and start writing better ones. This book is way overpriced, is small with large print, and due to the general and shallowly-researched content, is simply not worth the purchase. This work sharply contrasts with his much better recent works on the Federal and Confederate cavalry.
There is much more of the story to tell about the cavalry during the final days of the war, and Longacre did not do it with this one. Don't waste your money or time.

The Reluctant Rebel: a Young Kentuckian's Experiences in the Confederate Infantry and Cavalry During the American Civil War

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The Reluctant Rebel: a Young Kentuckian's Experiences in the Confederate Infantry and Cavalry During the American Civil War
William, G. Stevenson
Manufacturer: Leonaur Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

On the 'wrong' side - a journey through the American Civil War to freedom Not every soldier is filled with patriotic fervour. William Stevenson narrowly escaped the hangman and was pressed into volunteering himself into the Confederate Infantry. There he found himself engaged in pitched battles in support of a cause for which he had very little sympathy. Despite his political views, he could not suppress his genuine fondness for his comrades, and his recollections of them on campaign make interesting - and humorous - reading. Incidents on a runaway train precede a transfer to Morgan's Cavalry. The battle of Shiloh and its aftermath are described in graphic detail as the author plans his greatest adventure - his escape to the North.

Carpetbaggers, Cavalry, and the Ku Klux Klan: Exposing the Invisible Empire During Reconstruction (The American Crisis Series: Books on the Civil War Era)

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Carpetbaggers, Cavalry, and the Ku Klux Klan: Exposing the Invisible Empire During Reconstruction (The American Crisis Series: Books on the Civil War Era)
J. Martinez
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0742550788

Book Description

This is the story of the rise and fall of the Reconstruction-era Klan, focusing especially on Major Merrill and the Seventh Cavalry's efforts to expose the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan to the light of day.

History of a cavalry company: A complete record of Company "A," 4th Penn'a Cavalry, as identified with that regiment, and with the Second Brigade, Second ... of the Potomac, during the late Civil War

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History of a cavalry company: A complete record of Company "A," 4th Penn'a Cavalry, as identified with that regiment, and with the Second Brigade, Second ... of the Potomac, during the late Civil War
William Hyndman
Manufacturer: Longstreet House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations During the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, June 9-July 14, 1863

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Excellent, balanced study of the cavalry at Gettysburg

The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations During the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, June 9-July 14, 1863
Edward G. Longacre
Manufacturer: Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0838632483

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, balanced study of the cavalry at Gettysburg.......1999-12-29

This book was one of my best Christmas presents. It challenges the long established view that the Gettysburg campaign was a clearcut success for the Union horsemen. Indeed, given their advantages in supplies, weapons, numbers, horseflesh, and fighting on home ground, it is a surprise the Rebs did not do worse. It also shows that many of Stuart's command decisions were correct, since they are often overshadowed by his gargantuan failure of leaving Lee in the dark as to the movements of the Federal army. However, what I found most helpful about this book was its emphasis not just on the fighting around Gettysburg, but the cavalry battles that occured during the advance and retreat of the Confederate army. All in all, a great book that deals eloquently and concisely with its subject.

In the Saddle: Exploits of the 5th Georgia Cavalry During the Civil War

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Civil War letters, memoirs
A Must Read
An Atlanta Reviewer
A reader's preview

In the Saddle: Exploits of the 5th Georgia Cavalry During the Civil War
Timothy Daiss
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Regiments | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0764309722

Book Description

In the Saddle is the touching story of a memorable Civil War unit, and covers the first days of the war, the middle war with its exhausting battles, skirmishes and cavalry raids, and the end of the war with depleted ranks, death and surrender. The unit distinguished itself in battle from the coasts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, to the pathos and drama of the Atlanta battles, and in harassing Sherman's blue hosts on his infamous march of destruction to the sea. The story is told using narratives, military sketches, and letters of members of the 5th Georgia Ð from the teenage boy from the back woods of Georgia who enlisted in 1862 and served for the balance of the war, to the men who were captured and endured life as a Northern prisoner of war, their story is one whose voices call to us from the past. Supplemented with vintage photographs and drawings, In the Saddle offers rich and rewarding reading., 6" x 9"

Customer Reviews:

Civil War letters, memoirs.......2001-09-03

"In the Saddle" is an interesting blend of letters, diary excerpts and reminescences of a Confederate cavalry unit - the 5th Georgia Cavalry. The book is informative and well documented, although it has -- even though the author admits it -- a pro-southern bias. The most enthralling part of the book is its coverage of the constant battling and skirmishing of the 5th Georgia and the Confederate cav. with the hugh Union army under Gen. William T. Sherman as he cuts and burns his way through Georgia and the Carolinas. Though out numbered, the Rebel troopers are superior to their Union cavalry counterparts. Not until after Atlanta falls and the breadbasket of the Confederacy is spent does the Federal cavalry compare to the Confederate horsemen. By then, however, the Rebel army is ragged, hungry and ill equipped -- often out numbered three, four or five to one. It is amazing that they accomplished what they did. In all the book is an enjoyable read -- even for a Yankee!

A Must Read.......2000-04-18

I picked this up recently for several reasons. I am researching my own Confederate cavalry ancestors and was interested in the author's approach of using first person accounts to tell this unit's story. The author states in the Introduction that this book should not be considered a full history of the unit but as "a primer." He accomplishes this perfectly. Through his use of letters, I was able to "see" through the eyes of the brave men of the 5th GA Cavalry. I now feel even closer to my ancestors who fought on both sides of the War Between the States. This work should be read by anyone seeking to better understand what it was like to ride "in the saddle" for extended periods and under situations that would try the bravest soul. I found his chapter on the Union prison camp, Camp Chase Ohio, especially poignant.

An Atlanta Reviewer.......1999-12-24

I read this book in one evening, eventhough I am not a Civil War buff. My husband left this in our den and I picked it up and was enthralled. Many of the soldier's stories were touching and interesting, particularly since they fought in and around where I live -- Atlanta. Some of these men and boys suffered horribly for their beliefs (whether right or wrong) you have to admire them. In addition, foot notes are given to help explain military terminology. I recommend this book; it is an excellent window into those horrible days of war that shaped our nation, healed its wounds, opened other wounds, and brought us into the 20th century

A reader's preview.......1999-11-30

I had the opportunity to read this work - before its official release. I highly recommend this book if you are a Civil War buff, even if you aren't! The first hand accounts of what is was like to be a young cavalryman during the American Civil War are engaging for any reader, particular those who like adventure and history. But be prepared, this book takes a no-apologies approach to its subject matter: it is decidedly Southern. In this lies a certain charm, if you want to call it that. It is supplemented with numerous period photos and drawings that enhance the reading experience. In addition, it covers the often forgotten war in the western theater and the subsequent fighting in and around that doomed little town called Atlanta. Over all, it is recommended reading...

The Working Life - The Cavalry During the Civil War (The Working Life)

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The Working Life - The Cavalry During the Civil War (The Working Life)
Michael V. Uschan
Manufacturer: Lucent Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Book Description

An intimate look at the daily life of cavalry soldiers during the Civil War. How they trained, what they did to prepare for battle, how they fought, and how they dealt with the loneliness of being away from loved ones.

Andersonville Prison during the Civil War;: Personal narrative of Henry Lankenau, Fort Wayne soldier, Company D, Fifth Indiana Cavalry

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Andersonville Prison during the Civil War;: Personal narrative of Henry Lankenau, Fort Wayne soldier, Company D, Fifth Indiana Cavalry
Henry Lankenau
Manufacturer: Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00071I5DG

Amazon.com

When you remodel or build a house, you have what can seem like a million options. Knobs, handles, or finger grooves in the kitchen cabinets? Self-rimming sink or drop-in? Top vent fireplace or direct vent? Often you're at the mercy of a contractor whose eye is on getting a bigger cut of the eventual cost, so you can end up with the most expensive--and not necessarily the best--choice. Myron Ferguson diagrams and describes the options efficiently and helpfully, and straightforwardly states when and why a certain choice is best. This simple, pragmatic guide will be worth its weight in gold to the first-time remodeler and builder.

Customer Reviews:

Grandiose checklist.......2004-11-04

This book is about the pieces-parts (as the commercial used to say). There are little sections on just about every piece in the house: plumbing, countertop material, HVAC, security etc. It also talks quite a bit about proper design, such as: which way a door should swing,; when to use pocket doors; where to put the dishwasher (better yet: where NOT to put the dishwasher); how to vent the dryer; what size kitchen hood to use; etc.

As I mentioned, he writes one or two pages on nearly every visible or finish piece in the house (notable exceptions: framing materials and foundation). His primary focus is functionality and user-friendliness of the house, followed by quality and durability of the materials.

Buy this book BEFORE you decide on a floorplan. It will help you spot design flaws. As you move through the building process, refer to it often as you are required to make decisions on materials, surfaces and appliances. A great reference source but not a "how-to" or "construction timeline" book.

A Must read if you are building a home!!!.......2004-06-28

I've been nothing but impressed with this book! It gives you a complete comprehensive guide of what and what not to do when building a home. The author discusses HVAC types, stove vents and their installation, where to place the light switches, types of doors and why and a complete breakdown of the kitchen from cabinets to dishwashers just to mention a few topics. (He covers it all) The things you honestly wouldn't think about and items often missed or ignored by a builder. If you are planning on building your home give this a read, it could save you a ton of money and certainly squash quite a few common mistakes that make a big difference after you move in.

Linoleum isn't vinyl.......2003-12-07

Hey Michael Bird - learn what linoleum is before talking about it like it is vinyl. There is a big difference.

Bible For Building My Home.......2003-04-08

Read this book with a notepad by your side and take notes on every chapter. The main focus is to show you how to build a home that is convenient for you with the knowledge that sometimes this can be inconvenient for the builder. It talks about hundreds of little details that most people aren't aware of when designing a home. Room sizes in relation to furniture, light locations in relation to tables, materials, door swings, vents, heat lamps, and on and on and on...

Might save you from bad planning, but it leaves a lot unsaid.......2002-07-25

There is a lot of good information in this book, but there is also a lot missing as well as some misleading information. I'd recommend this book to someone that was planning on building or remodeling with the caveat that they also read from other sources or better consult with established professionals in each and every trade on the project.

The strong points of this book include good discussion of doorway layouts, spacing in kitchen and baths, things to look out for that could be problems and good questions to ask or things to consider when planning. Pointing out problems and potential problems that a homeowner may face in the future makes this book worth the money, after all, if after reading this book an owner solves or prevents just one simple mistake, the book has paid for itself many times over.

The weak points of this book are why I suggest reading elsewhere or consulting with professionals. I am an electrician by trade so I read the chapter on electrical first. It wasn't that any of the information was really bad or mistaken, but simply that I felt it didn't mention a lot of things that could and should be brought up when planning.

The author makes a point (several times) about having three conductor wire run to any potential ceiling fan location. While this isn't bad advice, it's incomplete. Many of the top of the line fans use remote control switching and don't require an extra wire. The best fans I have installed use a remote that is battery operated and the ceiling fan itself is wired to a two conductor wire that isn't even switched. If an owner picked up one of this fans they would now have a switch on the wall that did nothing or worse a switch that if turned off would cancel out the auto temperature function of the remote.

While pointing out the importance of having an extra outlet outside for things like Christmas lights, he fails to mention the nice addition of eve high outlets wired to a timer.

There are many reasons to consider timer switches, especially for outside wall and path lights. The best is a 7 day 24 hour electronic timer that fits in the space of a regular switch. These can be programed to go off at various times through out the night, a nice feature when on vacation or simply for added security.

The use of lighting controls, dimmers, timers, etc. is barely touched on or not discussed at all. While these systems can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, all but very meager budgets such at least consider the options available because for some applications the extra money can be justified.

The use of dimming xenon lighting for undercabinet use instead of fluorescent is not discussed. I believe it is a much better option.

I also noticed some problems in other trades. The use of insta hot water heaters is mentioned as a good way to save energy in the kitchen because the hot water doesn't have to travel to get there. I am not sure what the author was basing this information on, but it isn't correct. First off he implies that an insta hot can supply water at the sink but he doesn't mention that there are two kinds of systems. One is the insta hot that keeps about a gallon of near boiling water for use in making coffee, tea and instant soups and oatmeal. While this is great for people on the go or someone that doesn't want an elderly member of the family turning on the tea kettle and perhaps forgetting it; it is not an energy saving device. The second kind of insta hot is a small unit that doesn't store any water, it just heats up the water as it passes through the unit. It is really only designed for one purpose only hand washing. In the discussion on supplying extra or insta hot water for bathrooms, the author mentions that planning for the space and supplying electrical or gas are the considerations. But what about venting the unit if it is gas? This is a big consideration and would make adding a second unit not very cost effective. The best solution would simply be to add a circ pump and if necessary increase the size of the water heater. The way the information is laid out in the book would probably just confuse the non-professional.

The biggest problem I had in my reading of this book was when I read the author describe linoleum as the floor of choice in the kitchen. I nearly quit reading right there and then and threw the book in the trash. To his credit he does mention that in certain parts of the country tile is the way to go and if you live in those parts it's ok to go with tile. I happen to live in Southern California where linoleum is the flooring used in apartments and condos and cheap o tract homes. I can't believe anyone would recommend linoleum over tile. Tile stands up for years and if one breaks, which is unlikely, it can be replaced with another tile. If linoleum rips, which it's easy to do when moving appliances around, it is not as easy to fix as replacing a tile and regrouting, it will have to have a seam and seams tend to come apart after time. Plus linoleum over the years tends to get dull with wear while tile can be cleaned and resealed, linoleum is a print on paper and once it wears out or is ripped or scratched it can't be taken back to it's pristine state. While I personally hate the current trend in fake wood floors (laminates) because I think they look fake, I think a compelling argument could be made to use them over linoleum. The author of this book obviously doesn't mind linoleum, which is fine, but he fails to make a case for the other options as well as he could have and should have so that the reader could make informed choices.

Finally I would like to say that despite my misgivings and the problems I found, I'd like to reiterate that anyone going into building or buying a new home wouldn't be hurt by reading this book and even a simple suggestion or solution to a problem would pay for the cost of the book, but don't stop with just this book. It leaves too much out.

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