Laird R. Blackwell's Books

Wildflowers of California

A Month-by-Month Guide

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Wildflowers of California

A Month-by-Month Guide

By: Laird R. Blackwell

In this photograph-driven field guide to California’s spectacular wildflowers, Laird R. Blackwell expertly provides several ways to find them in bloom: by month, by place, and by flower. The month-by-month descriptions—found in no other statewide guide—suggest what to see and where to go throughout the state during the blooming season. The author also supplies more than 300 locations arranged in 10 geographical regions, highlighting 67 of his favorite places with detailed driving and walking directions and difficulty, blooming times, and lists of predominant wildflowers as well as a featured flower. The guide contains more than 650 color photographs by the author, including 600 species arranged by flower, with natural history notes and places and months to find the flower in bloom. Throughout, experienced wildflower guide Blackwell shares his love of the beautiful places and flowers he has visited throughout California.

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Page Count

588

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520272056

ISBN 13

9780520272057

The Supernatural and Fantastic in Short Detective Fiction

A Survey, 1841-2000

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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The Supernatural and Fantastic in Short Detective Fiction

A Survey, 1841-2000

By: Laird R. Blackwell

Although fantasy and supernatural literature have long and celebrated histories, many critics contend that the fantastic and the supernatural have no place in the logical, rational, world of the detective story. This book is the first extensive study of the fantastic in detective fiction and it explores the highly debated question of whether detective fiction and the fantastic can comfortably coexist. The "locked room" mystery--which often uses the fantastic as a red herring to eventually be debunked by reason and logic--has long been among the most popular subgenres of detective fiction. This book also explores stories featuring almost supernaturally gifted detectives, stories where the supernatural is truly encountered, and stories with ambiguous endings. Close to 500 detective stories from 1841 to 2000, in which the fantastic or supernatural plays a central role, are discussed and analyzed. Although not all the stories are judged to be successful as detective tales, in the great majority, the fantastic enlivens the tale and deepens the mystery without weakening the detective elements.

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Page Count

215

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476639450

ISBN 13

9781476639451

Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

By: Laird R. Blackwell

Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) was--with his partner Manfred Lee--the creator of the Ellery Queen detective novels and short stories. Dannay was also a literary historian and critic, and the editor of the renowned Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Queen--both a pen name and the fictional protagonist of the stories--was also a vital force behind the continuing popularity of crime fiction in the early to mid-20th century, after the deaths of Arthur Conan Doyle, G.K. Chesterton, Melville Davisson Post, and other Old Masters of the genre. This book presents the first critical study of Ellery Queen's role in the preservation of the detective short story. Many of the writers, characters and stories EQMM championed are covered, including such celebrated authors as Allingham, Ambler, Ellin, Innes, Vickers, and even William Butler Yeats.

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Page Count

227

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476676526

ISBN 13

9781476676524

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

H.C. Bailey's detective Reggie Fortune was one of the most popular protagonists of the Golden Age of detective fiction. Fortune appeared in nine novels yet it was in a series of 84 short stories that were published from 1920 to 1940 where he truly shone, combining elements of several popular archetypes--the eccentric logician, the forensic investigator, the hard-boiled interrogator, the psychological profiler, the defender of justice. This critical study examines the Fortune stories in the context of other popular detective fiction of the era. Bailey's classics are distinguished by well-clued puzzles, brilliant sleuthing, vivid description and social critique, with Fortune evoking images of Don Quixote and the Arthurian Knights in his pursuit of truth and justice in an uncaring world.

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Page Count

188

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476670692

ISBN 13

9781476670690

Wildflowers of California

A Month-by-Month Guide

By: Laird Blackwell

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Wildflowers of California

A Month-by-Month Guide

By: Laird Blackwell

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Page Count

589

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520951476

ISBN 13

9780520951471

Clues from the Couch

Psychology in Detective Fiction from Wilkie Collins to Winspear and Penny

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Clues from the Couch

Psychology in Detective Fiction from Wilkie Collins to Winspear and Penny

By: Laird R. Blackwell

The detective story--the classic whodunit with its time-displacement structure of crime--according to most literary historians, is of relatively recent origin. Early in its development, the whodunit was harshly criticized for its tightly formula-bound structure. Many critics prematurely proclaimed "the death of the whodunit" and even of detective fiction altogether. Yet today, the genre is alive, as contemporary authors have brought it into modern times through a significant integration of elaborate character development and psychology. With the modern psychological detective story emerging from the historical cauldron of detective fiction and early psychology, the genre continues to develop a complexity that reflects and guides the literary sophistication needed. This book, the first of its kind, analyzes over 150 whodunit novels and short stories across the decades, from The Moonstone to the contemporary novels that saved the genre from an ignominious death.

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Page Count

249

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476688370

ISBN 13

9781476688374

Great Basin

A Guide to Common Wildflowers of the High Deserts of Nevada, Utah, and Oregon

By: Laird Blackwell

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Great Basin

A Guide to Common Wildflowers of the High Deserts of Nevada, Utah, and Oregon

By: Laird Blackwell

With 350 stunning color images and descriptive text, Laird Blackwell reveals the diversity and beauty of the Great Basin through its wildflowers. This book is a handy introduction to the region's plants for beginners and a fascinating study of the ecosystem that will appeal to experts.

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Publisher

Falcon Guides

Published Date

ISBN 10

0762738057

ISBN 13

9780762738052

The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

A Critical Study of the Father Brown Stories and Other Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

A Critical Study of the Father Brown Stories and Other Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories are widely considered to be some of the finest detective short stories ever published, offering vivid writing, brilliant puzzles, biting social criticism, and metaphysical explorations of life's great questions. This book presents the first in-depth analysis of his works both as classics of the detective genre and as meaningful philosophical inquiries. The Father Brown stories are examined along with Chesterton's less well known fiction, including the short stories about Mr. Pond, Gabriel Gale, Basil and Rupert Grant, Horne Fisher, Dr. Adrian Hyde and Philip Swayne, and the novels The Man Who Was Thursday and Manalive.

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Page Count

189

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476631379

ISBN 13

9781476631370

Wildflowers of the Tahoe Sierra

From Forest Deep to Mountain Peak

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Wildflowers of the Tahoe Sierra

From Forest Deep to Mountain Peak

By: Laird R. Blackwell

In this pocket-sized book, the author combines his poetic appreciation for nature with superb photographs to produce a guide to more than 100 of Tahoe's most common wildflowers.

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Page Count

144

Publisher

Redmond, WA ; Edmonton : Lone Pine Pub.

Published Date

ISBN 10

1551050854

ISBN 13

9781551050850

Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley

By: Laird Richard Blackwell

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Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley

By: Laird Richard Blackwell

A photographic guide to 200 wildflower species from the Central Valley near Sacramento, west up to the peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Each species has at least one photograph, a description and notes on its distribution, native and modern uses, and similar species.

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Page Count

288

Publisher

Lone Pine Pub

Published Date

ISBN 10

1551052261

ISBN 13

9781551052267

Wildflowers of Mount Rainer

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Wildflowers of Mount Rainer

By: Laird R. Blackwell

This guide to 130 wildflower species of Mount Rainier is beautifully photographed with clear, detailed descriptions and notes on common and scientific names, similar species and distribution. 300 color photographs and 7 maps enhance this guide to the magnificent wildflower meadows of Mt. Rainier National Park and adjacent protected public lands. No hiker in the Cascade Mountains should be without this slim and portable guide.

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Page Count

191

Publisher

Lone Pine Pub

Published Date

ISBN 10

155105230X

ISBN 13

9781551052304

Tahoe Wildflowers

A Month-by-Month Guide to Wildflowers in the Tahoe Basin and Surrounding Areas

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Tahoe Wildflowers

A Month-by-Month Guide to Wildflowers in the Tahoe Basin and Surrounding Areas

By: Laird R. Blackwell

With gorgeous, full-color photography and simple, easy-to-use identifying descriptions, this is a guide to nearly 300 of the most common wildflowers of the Lake Tahoe region, organized by the month in which they are most likely to bloom. This book includes driving and hiking directions and tips on the best places to find displays of wildflowers throughout the year.

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Falcon Guides

Published Date

ISBN 10

0762743697

ISBN 13

9780762743698

The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

A Critical Study of the Father Brown Stories and Other Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

A Critical Study of the Father Brown Stories and Other Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Page Count

189

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476631379

ISBN 13

9781476631370

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Page Count

188

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476629587

ISBN 13

9781476629582

Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

By: Laird R. Blackwell

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Page Count

227

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476635617

ISBN 13

9781476635613

Book's by Laird R. Blackwell

Wildflowers of California

Wildflowers of California

The Supernatural and Fantastic in Short Detective Fiction

The Supernatural and Fantastic in Short Detective Fiction

Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Wildflowers of California

Wildflowers of California

Clues from the Couch

Clues from the Couch

Great Basin

Great Basin

The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

Wildflowers of the Tahoe Sierra

Wildflowers of the Tahoe Sierra

Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley

Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley

Wildflowers of Mount Rainer

Wildflowers of Mount Rainer

Tahoe Wildflowers

Tahoe Wildflowers

The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

The Metaphysical Mysteries of G.K. Chesterton

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

H.C. Bailey's Reggie Fortune and the Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

Frederic Dannay, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and the Art of the Detective Short Story

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