Edwards, a lifelong resident of California, is a regional realist whose etchings capture the history and natural beauty of the state. Through this collection, she pays homage not only to the stunning vistas, palms, groves, flora, and fauna that have become icons of Southern California life, but also to the coastal, central, and northern regions of the state.

Palms are tropical miracles. Heinrich Heine, the German poet, stated "Unter den Palmen wandert man nicht ungestraft", i.e., one does not wander unpunished under the palms. It was Professor H.C.D. de Wit who taught me this in the late 1950s, and it is a pleasure to forward this message to the next generation in such an appropriate book. Both authors, as I know them, will bear the punishment of the palms. They will never be without palm nostalgia if and when living somewhere outside this world's tropical and subtropical palm belt. Palm nostalgia goes further than palms alone. It concerns the landscape, the short but splendid sunsets and last, but not least, the tropical people. Their elegance of living, structured in subtler ways than managers will ever understand, their laughter which may be a more decisive weapon against the troubles besetting the tropics than mere economics, and their unique life force erupting on festive as well as sad occasions under the palms will always remain with those who w3)ldered beneath these trees. I know. I was there.

The most popular story in all of India and a classic of world literature is summarised in 728 verses in the great epic Mahabharata. Intended for independent study or classroom use for students of various levels who have had a basic introduction to Sanskrit, this fully annotated edition of the Ramopakhyana supplies all the information required for complete comprehension. It contains the Devanagari text, Roman transliteration, sandhi analysis, Sanskrit prose equivalents to the verses, syntactic and cultural notes, and the English translation, and word-by-word grammatical analysis.

Southern California's highest and most rugged mountains are in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto ranges, in a unique region where desert cactus and pine trees, plus snow-capped peaks and palm oases, are found in close proximity. With the Pacific Crest Trail weaving its way through the mountains and desert, there are endless opportunities to explore Southern California trails. After more than 40 years in print, San Bernardino Mountain Trails remains the bible for Southern California hikers. This updated guide by veteran hiker and author David Money Harris contains new trips as well as old favorites -- 100 hikes that traverse San Bernardino National Forest, the Santa Rosa Mountains, and the San Jacinto Mountains. This edition brings John Robinson's classic guide up to date with the latest trail conditions. Eight old trails, especially in areas that have become overgrown after fire damage, have been replaced with recently built or more heavily used trails. San Bernardino Mountain Trails is noted for its comprehensive coverage of the San Bernardino, San Jacinto, and Santa Rosa Mountains and its meticulously researched history of the ranges.