Straight Dirt: New York’s Premier Landscape Designer Tells it Like It Is.
Straight Dirt is Steve Griggs’s “tell all” book about the inner workings of a landscape design firm in the TriState area. Griggs has been designing and installing residential backyards spaces in affluent areas in and around the New York metro area for the past thirty-five years. Straight Dirt is not a “how to” book on doing your own backyard. Rather, it gives expert insight on how to work with designers and contractors to create dream backyards and rooftop terraces in New York City. It includes segments on design and execution, with special sections on Grigg’s favorite plants, dos and don’ts for pools, and an invaluable list of tips on how to deal with your landscape contractor in “What Google Won’t Find For You.”
Griggs combines an artist’s sensibility with a commitment to client satisfaction. His passion is contagious and tell-it-like-it-is attitude gets the job done. He transforms every environment from ordinary to extraordinary, and the book is a masterful reflection of his work ethic (“Do it Once, Do It Right”) and attitude, (“Anyone can shower you with roses. I bring the thorns…and the cutter. Translation: Don’t believe the B.S. I tell it like it is” ).
Loaded with pictures from six showcased homes and stories from a handful of clients, Straight Dirt not only illustrates the various elements of landscape design and construction, it also gives the reader insight into how clients should feel at the completion of their project: “I had spent much of my life dealing with designers and contractors. Steve is very much unique. He is an artist and is someone who tacks on pride to what he does. What he created for us is extraordinary. We are grateful.” —Linda and Regis Boff
Straight Dirt is to the point, oftentimes funny, and the reader will never look at your backyard the same again.
Struggle for the Union
Connecting the Causes and Conflicts of the American Civil War
Paperback – September, 2023
[maxbutton id="2" text="Paperback | $29.95" url="#"][maxbutton id="1" text= "eBook | $9.95" url="https://hugohousebookstore.com/product/struggle-for-the-union-updf/" ]
How “United” was the United States of America before and after the Civil War?
The Civil War was a defining moment in our history. It’s not just because the North won and slavery was abolished in the South.
The struggle for the Union is as alive today as it was in Lincoln’s time. The intense differences of opinion between North and South about the role of slavery in the nation eventually brought the South to secede from the Union to protect its economic interests. But those in the North, loyal to the Constitution and a united America, resisted the demands of the South, which led to the Civil War. It was a conflict of irreconcilable differences that nearly cost us our democracy.
Struggle for the Union: Connecting the Causes and Conflicts of the American Civil War takes a deep dive into social history, looking at what people thought about the war at the time.
Some questions the book makes you consider:
Why did the Civil War happen? Was it about slavery? Or states’ rights?
Was Grant a drunkard? Why did the Union lose so many battles until Grant took command?
Why did the Battle of Gettysburg cause the most casualties of any single battle in U.S. history?
How important was Grant’s defeat of the fortress at Vicksburg, Mississippi?
How did Grant win the battles against Robert E. Lee in 1864 and gain his surrender at Appomattox, ending the war?
How did Sherman’s March through Georgia break the will of the Confederates?
There are still pockets of resistance to embrace fully-integrated African Americans into our social order, but in order to heal, it is vital we understand the political differences that led a nation to fight against its own countrymen.
Sandra Zink has written an account of the American Civil War that is organized by year and the battles that occurred. The book is easily understood but can also be used as a scholarly reference to understand the complexities of the events and the generals of the war.
Struggle for the Union
Connecting the Causes and Conflicts of the American Civil War
Paperback – September, 2023
[maxbutton id="1" text="Paperback | $29.95" url="https://hugohousebookstore.com/product/struggle-for-the-union/"] [maxbutton id="2" text= "eBook | $9.95" url="# " ]
How “United” was the United States of America before and after the Civil War?
The Civil War was a defining moment in our history. It’s not just because the North won and slavery was abolished in the South.
The struggle for the Union is as alive today as it was in Lincoln’s time. The intense differences of opinion between North and South about the role of slavery in the nation eventually brought the South to secede from the Union to protect its economic interests. But those in the North, loyal to the Constitution and a united America, resisted the demands of the South, which led to the Civil War. It was a conflict of irreconcilable differences that nearly cost us our democracy.
Struggle for the Union: Connecting the Causes and Conflicts of the American Civil War takes a deep dive into social history, looking at what people thought about the war at the time.
Some questions the book makes you consider:
Why did the Civil War happen? Was it about slavery? Or states’ rights?
Was Grant a drunkard? Why did the Union lose so many battles until Grant took command?
Why did the Battle of Gettysburg cause the most casualties of any single battle in U.S. history?
How important was Grant’s defeat of the fortress at Vicksburg, Mississippi?
How did Grant win the battles against Robert E. Lee in 1864 and gain his surrender at Appomattox, ending the war?
How did Sherman’s March through Georgia break the will of the Confederates?
There are still pockets of resistance to embrace fully-integrated African Americans into our social order, but in order to heal, it is vital we understand the political differences that led a nation to fight against its own countrymen.
Sandra Zink has written an account of the American Civil War that is organized by year and the battles that occurred. The book is easily understood but can also be used as a scholarly reference to understand the complexities of the events and the generals of the war.
Struggle on the High Plains
Hardcover – August 16th, 2022
[maxbutton id="2" text="Hardback | $37.95" url="#"][maxbutton id="3" text="Paperback | $29.95" url="https://hugohousebookstore.com/product/struggle-on-the-high-plains-paperback/"][maxbutton id="2" text="eBook | $9.95" url="https://hugohousebookstore.com/product/struggle-on-the-high-plains-UPDF/"]
Colorado History has a Forgotten Corner
Ever wonder what happened to the Colorado Sugar Beet Industry—or remember when tractors drove down main streets in small towns across Eastern Colorado in the 1970s?
The story of Colorado’s eastern plains is one of ongoing efforts on the part of farmers, families, business and community leaders to achieve security and prosperity in the face of harsh economic and climatological conditions. The enduring struggle has been playing out over the nearly two centuries since the first settlement by Europeans.
Struggle on the High Plains chronicles this region’s overlooked economic saga, a rich if neglected part of Colorado’s history, that extends from founding of Bent’s Fort in the 1830s through siting of the massive Rush Creek wind farm in the 2010s. Highlights include:
- The surge of homesteaders in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- The large irrigation projects in the Arkansas and South Platte River Valleys
- The Dust Bowl in southeast Colorado and its influence on the lives of plains citizens.
- The entrepreneurs, adventurers and rogues who left their mark on the regions’ economy.
The book combines analysis of the episodes of prosperity and decline in the plains economy with stories of their impacts on its communities and their people. It is an invaluable study of the Colorado plains region’s history and will serve as an indispensable resource for students and researchers.
Struggle on the High Plains
Paperback – August 16th, 2022
[maxbutton id="1" text="Hardcover | $37.95" url="https://hugohousebookstore.com/product/struggle-on-the-high-plains/"] [maxbutton id="3" text="UPDF Ebook $9.95" url="https://hugohousebookstore.com/product/struggle-on-the-high-plains-updf/" ] [maxbutton id="2" text="Paperback | $29.95" text= " url="#"]Colorado History has a Forgotten Corner
Ever wonder what happened to the Colorado Sugar Beet Industry—or remember when tractors drove down main streets in small towns across Eastern Colorado in the 1970s?
The story of Colorado’s eastern plains is one of ongoing efforts on the part of farmers, families, business and community leaders to achieve security and prosperity in the face of harsh economic and climatological conditions. The enduring struggle has been playing out over the nearly two centuries since the first settlement by Europeans.
Struggle on the High Plains chronicles this region’s overlooked economic saga, a rich if neglected part of Colorado’s history, that extends from founding of Bent’s Fort in the 1830s through siting of the massive Rush Creek wind farm in the 2010s. Highlights include:
- The surge of homesteaders in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- The large irrigation projects in the Arkansas and South Platte River Valleys
- The Dust Bowl in southeast Colorado and its influence on the lives of plains citizens.
- The entrepreneurs, adventurers and rogues who left their mark on the regions’ economy.
The book combines analysis of the episodes of prosperity and decline in the plains economy with stories of their impacts on its communities and their people. It is an invaluable study of the Colorado plains region’s history and will serve as an indispensable resource for students and researchers.
Struggle on the High Plains
UPDF – August 16th, 2022
(NOTE: To download the UPDF click on link inside front cover of downloaded PDF)
[maxbutton id="2" text="Hardcover | $37.95" url="/product/struggle-on-the-high-plains-paperback/"][maxbutton id="1" text="UPDF Ebook $9.95" url="#" ][maxbutton id="3" text="Paperback $29.95" url="/product/struggle-on-the-high-plains-paperback/"]
Colorado History has a Forgotten Corner
Ever wonder what happened to the Colorado Sugar Beet Industry—or remember when tractors drove down main streets in small towns across Eastern Colorado in the 1970s?
The story of Colorado’s eastern plains is one of ongoing efforts on the part of farmers, families, business and community leaders to achieve security and prosperity in the face of harsh economic and climatological conditions. The enduring struggle has been playing out over the nearly two centuries since the first settlement by Europeans.
Struggle on the High Plains chronicles this region’s overlooked economic saga, a rich if neglected part of Colorado’s history, that extends from founding of Bent’s Fort in the 1830s through siting of the massive Rush Creek wind farm in the 2010s. Highlights include:
- The surge of homesteaders in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- The large irrigation projects in the Arkansas and South Platte River Valleys
- The Dust Bowl in southeast Colorado and its influence on the lives of plains citizens.
- The entrepreneurs, adventurers and rogues who left their mark on the regions’ economy.
The book combines analysis of the episodes of prosperity and decline in the plains economy with stories of their impacts on its communities and their people. It is an invaluable study of the Colorado plains region’s history and will serve as an indispensable resource for students and researchers.
Surviving the Second Tier
Paperback RELEASE date – January 18th, 2022
[maxbutton id="1" text="Ebook | $8.95" url="/product/surviving-the-second-tier-ebook/"] [maxbutton id="2" text="Paperback | $19.95" url=#"]“Sicily “Sis” Jones is the only undefeated college athlete in the Amateur Fighting Association (AFA),
but her spotless record is running her life. She’s living on pennies and nursing a debilitating injury. Her teammates have their share of struggles, too. Striker fights to support his struggling family. Rip has a secret. Cal harbors a grudge.
Topping it off is their cut-throat coach who pushes them beyond their limits for the sake of his own career.
It’s a new order in the world of college athletics. After a financial crisis, the AFA had to salvage its profits. Fighting became the only sport, a brilliant and violent solution to the economic collapse. But at what cost to the athletes?
Sis and her teammates have made it through nearly four years together at their little second-tier university. But all bets are off when the AFA puts Sis against one of her own. Will the Association survive the aftermath?”
Surviving the Second Tier
NEW Universal* Ebook, Kindle and Epub – January 18th, 2022
(*NOTE: Download UPDF then Click on link inside front cover)
[maxbutton id="2" text="Ebook | $8.95" url="#"] [maxbutton id="1" text="Paperback | $19.95" url="/product/surviving-the-second-tier/"]“Sicily “Sis” Jones is the only undefeated college athlete in the Amateur Fighting Association (AFA),
but her spotless record is running her life. She’s living on pennies and nursing a debilitating injury. Her teammates have their share of struggles, too. Striker fights to support his struggling family. Rip has a secret. Cal harbors a grudge.
Topping it off is their cut-throat coach who pushes them beyond their limits for the sake of his own career.
It’s a new order in the world of college athletics. After a financial crisis, the AFA had to salvage its profits. Fighting became the only sport, a brilliant and violent solution to the economic collapse. But at what cost to the athletes?
Sis and her teammates have made it through nearly four years together at their little second-tier university. But all bets are off when the AFA puts Sis against one of her own. Will the Association survive the aftermath?”
Take the Lead
Paperback – March 30th, 2012
[maxbutton id="1" text="Ebook | $7.99" url="/product/take-lead-ebook/"] [maxbutton id="2" text="Paperback | $17.95" url="#"]Do you ever find yourself wondering, is this really the best that we can do together at work?
Too many of us are tired of feeling frustrated: no matter what position you hold, from the top of the organizational chart down we’re either a child or a parent at work, we’re never doing enough, we’re always finding ourselves disappointed in each other. There is help for these “same-old, same-old” blues — Take the Lead! Full-Throttle Engagement Powered by Coaching
What is full-throttle engagement?
It’s recognizing the fundamental and very important role you play in your organization — no matter what your position is, It’s caring about other people’s success as much as we do about our own—
It’s accepting responsibility for building and growing ourselves and each other
Regardless of your title, your position, your salary, or your grade level, you are not just a ___! Find out what it means to “lead from your seat”—and find out how fulfilling a work-day can be when you Take the Lead!
The Absurdity of Compromise
Paperback – January 2, 2019
[maxbutton id="1" text="Ebook | $9.95" url="/product/absurdity-compromise-ebook/"] [maxbutton id="2" text="Paperback | $19.95" url="#"]People think compromise is a good thing.
Can anything be “good” that pushes everyone involved to sacrifice something they value?
Compromise has long been accepted as the preferred way to resolve our differences. We do it at work, as entrepreneurs, to settle squabbles between spouses, or when a mother battles a teen. No matter the problem, we go for the compromise. You ever wonder why?
In The Absurdity of Compromise, Donald Grady examines the drawbacks and challenges of conflict and explodes the myth that compromise is the win/win it’s proclaimed to be.
- Avoid the pitfalls of talking past other people
- Learn to listen intelligently and empathetically understand the perspective of others.
- Stop fighting and compromising to everyone’s mutual dissatisfaction.
Want better results but haven’t quite figured out how to get there? This is the book for you.
“Today’s practices often present antagonists with one-sided solutions, leaving each feeling like losers. In Don Grady’s peace-building schemata, everyone comes away a winner. I recommend this lively book to anyone enmeshed in the field of conflict resolution, foreign or domestic.”
Robert W. Farrand
U.S. Ambassador and Deputy High Representative,
Bosnia-Heregovina, 1997-2000
