By all accounts this is the finest work on the lower Shenandoah Valley of Virginia ever written. In common with the best county and regional histories, Norris' treatment of the Shenandoah Valley counties of Frederick, Berkeley, Jefferson, and Clarke begins with an examination of the early explorations and settlements in the area, describes the outstanding topographical and geographical features, and then goes on to give an account of the settlement and organization of the various towns, villages, and cities of the region, their respective institutions, their settlers and early residents, their participation in the various wars, and notable events in their history. The final third of the work, a full 250 pages, contains genealogies of hundreds of Valley families and biographical sketches of notable and representative figures.