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• A SHEPHERD'S LIFE [LSI]

  $16.95 $10.17 0 review(s)

  
  

  This is W. H. Hudson's classic narrative of rural life in Wiltshire, England, in the late 1800s. Originally published in 1910, this remarkable book transports the reader to the vast downs of the Salisbury Plain--the domain of the shepherd, who lived a life that had changed little for centuries, yet was now confronting the inexorable approach of the modern world. This work vividly captures life at that particular time and place, and is primarily centered around telling the tale of a particular shepherd, Caleb Bawcombe, and relating his many anecdotes. Seemingly every subject related to a shepherd?s work and life, from his beloved sheep dog, to his often strained relationship to the local landowner, is discussed.

• MURDER BY THE BAY

  $14.95 $8.97 0 review(s)

  
  

  Murder has a long and distinguished history in San Francisco. The homicides chronicled here have been selected because a convergence of personality, circumstance, character and geography makes them particularly San Franciscan.

• MURDER IN THE GARDEN, VOL. 2

  $18.95 $11.37 0 review(s)

  
  

  Subtitle: "More Famous Crimes of Early Fresno County." With a foreword by William Secrest, Sr. Presenting 16 famous cases from Fresno, California, set mainly in the first part of the 20th century, author Scott Morrison -- a long-time detective in the Fresno sheriff's office - brings to life fascinating cases of murder and mayhem from Fresno?s past. The book introduces memorable figures such as Fresno?s ?Old Broom Man? and ?Black Widow,? and one chapter focuses specifically on all the men from Fresno County who have ever been executed by the State of California?s justice apparatus. ?Murder in the Garden, Volume 2? offer commentary that compares these sensational past cases to current high-profile criminal cases. A consideration of the changing face of crime, this history reveals a modern upswing in child abuse, multiple murders, and kidnapping cases and highlights the extended nature of the current legal process as compared to the open-and-shut character of the early 1900s.

• DARK AND TANGLED THREADS OF CRIME

  $15.95 $9.57 0 review(s)

  
  

  He came to California with the great Gold Rush, but instead of riches, Isaiah W. Lees discovered his great talent for solving crimes and catching criminals. He captured stage robbers in Missouri, tracked con men to New York and caught the notorious eastern bank robber, Jimmy Hope in the middle of a San Francisco heist. San Francisco in the 1850’s, was the gateway to the gold fields, a city filled with adventurers, outlaws, con men and desperadoes of every description. In 1853 Isaiah Lees was appointed the first Chief of Detectives on the new Police Force and during nearly fifty years he acquired an amazing record. An innovator of police methods, Lees easily eclipsed such legendary lawman as Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp. When he retired as chief in 1900, the San Francisco Chronicle stated that “in point of service, no one has ever equaled the record of Lees.” He was the right man, in the right place, at the right time, and this is his exciting, true story, told here for the first time.

• SAN JUAN BAUTISTA: THE TOWN, THE MISSION & THE PARK

  $19.95 $11.97 0 review(s)

  
  

  Step into the vibrant past of San Juan Bautista and encounter gentle Mustune Indians, hardworking Franciscan Monks, fierce outlaws and a host of other fascinating characters.

• THE CALIFORNIA SNATCH RACKET

  $16.95 0 review(s)

  
  

  Subtitle: "Kidnappings During the Prohibition and Depression Eras." In California in the 1920s and 1930s, kidnapping—nicknamed the “snatch racket” by a cynical newspaperman—was the most booming criminal enterprise around. Driven by greed, desperation and sometimes plain stupidity, ransom artists preyed indiscriminately on Hollywood socialites, wealthy heiresses and even poor people who couldn’t pay a dime. Every new disappearance sold more newspapers, but for both the kidnappers and their unfortunate victims, even the simplest caper often went tragically wrong. “California Snatch Racket” brings this dark and forgotten era into shockingly vivid life. Richly illustrated, “California Snatch Racket” reflects newspaper, police, court and prison accounts of the times written in a style that places the reader on the scene. Avoiding supposition and sensationalism, the book offers true accounts of the crimes and the people. These 15 bizarre, often ironic tales illustrate the complex cruelties that flourished in the Golden Era of the Golden State. A modern city rises and lynches a pair of kidnappers. A victim begs leniency for his kidnapper in a case where a technicality demands the death penalty. A couple of college kids imitate the Leopold and Loeb kidnapping to prove their intellectual prowess and famed evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson fakes her own kidnapping to cover up an affair. “California Snatch Racket” recounts its stories in the manner of the times, while leaving judgment to the courts and the readers.