3 comments about Monadnock: More than a Mountain.

1. This book is great for everything Monadnock. I have lived in view of it for years and didn't know most of the stuff in the book. There are a few parts of the book I don't really care to read, so i just skipped over those and didn't miss out on any back story later on, which was great!



2. Like another reviewer I lived at the base of the mountain growing up and there were many things I wanted to know (where the caves were etc.)but never got to know and this book is answering so many of my questions. I have bought it for my 2 sisters and know that they will enjoy it. I reccommend it to anyone who has climbed this mountain and fell in love.



3. Having read and loved the 1930's Alan Chamberlain book, Annals of the Grand Monadnock, I see Brandon's book as a very welcome new chapter to the history and legend of the mountain. The Chamberlain book, while a great treasure in its own right, is more like a reference book than something you can sit down and read. This book is the best of both worlds -- a reference I will have for years to come, as well as a book that I can sit down and read cover to cover in a week or so.
   
   Having found the Pumpelly Cave about 8 years ago (great adventure - 6 or so trips to the mountain), this book has re-kindled my desire to go explore. I am heading there this weekend to go looking for other fun and obscure places! Happy hiking.
   
   Note: This is the first book I have felt strongly enough to take the time to write a review on. If you are a lover of Monadnock, please buy this book!

No comments about Massachusetts Map (Rand McNally Folded Map: States).

2 comments about Foghorn Outdoors Vermont Hiking: Day Hikes, Kid-Friendly Trails, and Backpacking Treks (Foghorn Outdoors).

1. This guidebook helps so much in planning a weekend getaway hike. Really, I don't know how I would have started without it. It's extremely useful and tells you about all the trails in the state! One of my favorites is the Robert Frost trail!



2. Easy to understand, good ratings system, and lots of great kid-friendly trails. (also more difficult ones). This book has something for everyone and is well written, and concise. Also helpful tips for hiking preparation.

1 comments about AIA Guide to Boston, 3rd: Contemporary Landmarks, Urban Design, Parks, Historic Buildings and Neighborhoods (Aia Guides).

1. Boston, America's London, is such an awesome ensemble of urban architecture that any author is presented with both a formidable task and the enjoyment of endless variation. With such an enormous canvas, the resulting work can be either a sloppy, undisciplined patchwork or a masterpiece. This little book is a masterpiece.
   
   What can I say? It's exactly what an AIA-sponsored architecture catalog should be. The selection of sites is diverse, interesting and distinguished. The essays for each site are complete: They're long enough to be instructive and short enough to keep your attention. The photographs are all monochrome, but they're large, numerous and of revealing composition as to add real value to the text. There's no long introductory essay, but a simple preface to introduce the city and the book, and there's a nice set of simple, functional maps in the appendices.
   
   The binding and the pages are sturdy to allow for hands-on field work as well as browsing. In many ways, this book resembles the AIA Guide to Detroit, which is also a benchmark for the AIA-sponsored series.
   
   As for the architecture... Anyone familiar with Boston and the surrounding towns knows that there are thousands of noteworthy sites. This book captures about 600 of the best of them, and your favorite sites are sure to be in here, be they buildings, parks or public artwork. Since historic sites play such an important role in Boston's urban cohesion, they are appropriately represented here. Important modern structures aren't neglected either. In fact, Boston includes a real critical mass of fascinating modern buildings, all appropriately included as well.
   
   Surprising to me is that Boston contains less colonial and Federal architecture than one might expect from its reputation and history as a colonial metropolis. There are few dense areas of unspoiled colonial or Federal urbanism, Beacon Hill and Charlestown being the obvious exceptions; rather, colonial and Federal sites tend to be widely distributed throughout the modern city. Maybe I'm just stating the obvious, but the city doesn't have the cohesive historical atmosphere and quaint sensuality of places like Charleston, South Carolina and Providence, Rhode Island, for example. It's more like Washington, DC, with its historic enclaves at Georgetown and Alexandria. That's not a bad thing, of course, but just an observation. Boston has its share of fire, neglect and urban renewal nightmares too, as this guide carefully notes. Two inexplicable omissions: Harvard Business School and the Radcliffe College buildings. Fenway, with its mindboggling cluster of important institutions, gets a bit of the short end as well.
   
   The catalog stays largely focused within the Boston city limits, but there are nice, (almost) complete excursions to Harvard, MIT and the neighborhoods surrounding those important institutions. Each chapter begins with a brief essay describing the history, general character and orientation of the particular neighborhood, and many important historic streets and public spaces are discussed within.
   
   If you're an architectural historian, architect, preservationist, serious enthusiast or cultural tourist, your architecture library is incomplete without this one.

No comments about Vermont, New Hampshire, & Maine (Best Hikes With Kids).

5 comments about White Mountain Guide.

1. You may rail against some of the trail descriptions after finishing a bruising hike that had not been described as such in the Guide.Many breathtaking views are described matter-of-factly. Still, no serious New England hiker, beginner or fanatic, should be without the AMC's White Mountain Guide. It is unmatched for thoroughness and save for a few gaffes, accuracy. Moreover, unlike the also fine "50 Hikes" series by Backcountry Publications or "New England Hiking" by Michael Lanza, the AMC Guide leaves enough unsaid to allow for the best kind of discovery - your own on the trail. There is more than adequate information, though, for planning and safety. I have only two complaints stemming from unfortunate changes made in the most recent addition: (1) the book is larger and no longer fits neatly into a backpack - an odd choice for a hiking book; (2) southern New Hampshire hikes, many fine half day choices, are now covered in a separate book, the "Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide." Despite the AMC's tinkering with what wasn't broken, the AMC Guide still serves the N.H. White Mountain hiker better than any other book.



2. This is indeed the bible of White Mountains hiking, and is particularly recommended for anyone attempting a multi-day hike and/or a hike above treeline. Not much I can add to what others have said, except that for casual hikes and dayhikes you should really check out White Mountains Map Book of New Hampshire and Maine (Hiking Maps and Guides) by Steve Bushey, Angela Faeth (Illustrator), Steve Smith (Editor), which has a superb map and brief descriptions of the most popular day trails.



3. i actually read this book for fun. my copy is extremely dogeared and annotated. it is my guide to life.



4. I have three books in my cabin. The Holy Bible, The Complete Walker, and The White Mountain Guide. They are all you need.



5. I just returned from my first trip to the White Mountains, and this book was the best thing I took with me. I stuck to day-hikes only, and found the information in the book to be the most helpful guide I had. The beginning gives an overview of the region, and tips for anyone planning to hike in the White Mountains. I'm glad I bought the book before I arrived, so I was able to make sure I had the necessary equipment to keep me safe and comfortable on my hikes. Experienced hikers may not need the advice, but novice hikers and those not accustomed to the perils of hiking above the treeline will appreciate it.

   The rest of the book is devoted to trail descriptions. Lots of them. Although I carried the book and the maps with me on every hike, I found the information was most useful when I was planning my hikes. Once I found the trails (with the help of the guide), they were so well marked that I didn't need to consult the maps. I also used the maps throughout my trip, even when I wasn't hiking. I didn't need to purchase a road map since everything I needed was included.

   After I had hiked a trail or two, I learned to "interpret" the descriptions, and figure out what would be the challenging sections of trails. The description of the first hike I choose didn't sound too tough, but I found myself hanging onto a boulder with only one hand and calling my husband back to help me. The description of this section is simply: "leaving the trees, it climbs over open rocks.." There are a few trails that come with serious cautions, such as the paragraph devoted to the Huntington Ravine Trail on the side of Mt. Washington.

   The one odd thing lacking from the book is the fact that AMC operates shuttles that can take hikers down from the summit of Mt. Washington (for a fee, and providing the summit isn't closed to auto traffic). I descended on foot, but it seems strange that an AMC book overlooks an AMC service, especially since all of the other AMC operations are mentioned.

   The book has a few suggested hikes for each area of the White Mountains, broken down into easy, moderate, and hard. Since this was my first visit, I stuck to these trails. I found them all to be enjoyable.

   I can't wait to return, for more hiking. This book makes it possible. Anyone going to the area should purchase it prior to arriving, and keep it handy at all times.

1 comments about Fodor's New England, 27th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. Fodor's "New England" travel guide is an excellent introduction to a diverse region offering historical attractions, great scenary, and multiple recreational opportunities. All too many folks know no more of the Northeast than can seen from the I-95 corridor. In fact, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine have hundreds of years of history and a vibrant present to show visitors.
   
   Fodor's surveys each state, covering the major regions, noting scenic routes, sites of tourist interest, recreational opportunities, and suggestions for accomodations and dining. Skiing in Vermont, hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, historical Old Boston, and the beautiful coastlines of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine get their due emphasis. Fodor's provides a variety of maps, including diagrams of the downtown areas of some of the major cities and a detachable driving map. Insets highlight items of local history or interest. Commentary on travel to and within New England, along with brief weather and safery considerations, is included.
   
   Fodor's eschews pictures in favor of more data; those looking for photographs for a sense of scale must look elsewhere. Inevitably, a survey-level guide for a large area must skim the surface; readers needing more information about a particular area or location can consult the listed web-sites or refer to other publications.
   
   This book is highly recommended to tourists planning their first vacation the New England region.

No comments about Karen Brown's New England 2008: Exceptional Places to Stay & Iteneraries, Revised Edition (Karen Brown's New England Charming Inns & Itineraries).

3 comments about First Light: Acadia National Park and Maine's Mount Desert Island.

1. This book is superb. Packed with spectacular photography and interesting essays regarding Mount Desert Island's history, geography, and ecology. The print quality is first rate; kudos to the publisher. A very inspiring volume which reminds us how important it is to have places like Mount Desert Island and Acadia. Highly recommended from a resident of Maine.



2. I took this book with me last month when our camera club went on a January trip to Acadia National Park. The photography is outstanding and inspirational to say the least! We visited many of the places shown in this book and were able to take wonderful pictures ourselves. This book inspires one to visit Acadia at any time of the year and I highly recommend it to any photographer or persons who are planning a visit to Mount Dessert Island.



3. As the owner/operator of Sea Venture Custom Boat Tours here in Bar Harbor I was pleased to be chosen to provide water transport for Mr. Blagden during the creation of this book. Needless to say, I was eager to see the end result. When I finally did I was blown away! A wonderful book chock full of breathtakingly beautiful photos that show a sensitivity to Mount Desert Island's natural beauty that is rarely encountered among those attempting to record its manifold beauties on film. Having conducted bald eagle research on Mount Desert Island for a bit more than 30 years and having hiked every trail, snowshoed every mountain slope, sea kayaked, sailed, and motored more than 100,000 miles worth of watery highways, I am a bit more than familiar with the area. And if anyone has ever done a better job of portraying Acadia's mountains, coastline, streams, forests, meadows, and pathways it must have escaped my attention. Bravo! for a job more than well done.

1 comments about Wild Maine.

1. This great 96-page book with 100 photos including the covers, starts with a tribute to the author/photographer Bill Silliker, Jr. Unfortunately, Bill passed away suddenly on October 13th, 2003 from an apparent heart attack while leading a photography group in Baxter State Park, Maine. The tribute includes memorials by several of Maine's Environmental leaders including Buzz Caverly, Director of Baxter State Park (one of Bills's favorite haunts). Buzz writes, "Bill's dedication and personal interest - as demonstrated in his photography, his writings, and his publications - have inspired all of us as we share the natural beauties of Maine."
   
   Bill's last book Wild Maine is limited to the state's birds and mammals by design. He explains in his introduction "to be more productive, wildlife photographers need to focus - literally - on once species at a time." Further he explains the purpose of this book is to relay some of the "enchanting encounters" he has had with the wild inhabitations of Maine's north woods. "The stories of those experience and a look at the animal species that provided them are what Wild Maine is all about," writes Bill. "Perhaps through these words and images, the beauty and fascination of "what's still out there" will color your dreams as they have mine."
   
   This is an inspirational book for anyone who is interested in wildlife photography and will inspire you to get out into the field and create some of your own enchanting encounters. It has both great photos and great stories.