American Levels and their Makers (Volume I, New England)

Don Rosebrook

Reviewed by:

Bob Nelson

It is important for a prospective buyer to note the subtitle of this book. The book does NOT provide complete coverage of all American made levels - only those made in New England. This is the first of a planned series of three or four volumes which, if/when completed, will cover all U.S. makers. Rosebrook's exhaustive research and attention to detail have dictated this multi-volume approach for reasons of both time and book size. This first volume will make anyone with even a modest interest in levels thirst for those to come. As might be gathered, this reviewer gives this book a strong thumbs up.

Besides the data presented by Rosebrook, much credit for the book's appeal must be given to Dr. Dennis Fisher who took the multitude of pictures in the book.

The chapter layout of the book may be somewhat confusing at first. Some makers have complete chapters to themselves while others are grouped together in one chapter. Makers from one state are grouped into a series of chapters, but are not necessarily in alphabetic order within that group or within a single chapter that combines several of them. Use of the Table of Contents and/or the Index is required if seeking reference data on a particular maker. Besides its excellence as a reference source, most of this book invites one to sit down with it simply for a good read. There are, however, some spots where the level of minor technical details is of more reference than reading interest.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will note that this reviewer is listed among those who helped Rosebrook with the book. That's not really true. I have shared some levels and data with Don that I hope will help some of his future volumes, but nothing for this one.