1 comments about Backroad Bicycling in Western Massachusetts: 30 Rides in the Berkshires, Hampshire County, the Mohawk Trail, and the Pioneer Valley, First Edition.

1. I have just received my copy of this book and wanted others to know that the roads described as 'backroads' are not necessarily so. Route 116, Damon Road in Northampton, Old Deerfield, Route 9 through Williamsburg...they are all fine roads, but some are actually quite heavily traveled. These are not the dirt roads shown on the cover! Though the rides may be fine for some (even most) they are not as quiet and safe for children as you might be expecting.

2 comments about The Historic Shops & Restaurants of Boston: A Guide to Century-Old Establishments in the City and Surrounding Towns.

1. The title gives the impression that it is about Historic shops and restaurants. It is more about shops and restaurants once at historic locations. Stoddard's dates back to the early 19th century but there is nothing historic about its present store in a suburban mall. New Balance is now a modern sport shoe company, but began as a shoe repair shop. Shreve, Crump & Low moved. Long's jewellery has gone. Necco moved from Cambridge years ago.
   
   Many of the places mentioned are NOT in Boston but in Concord, Lexington, Revere, Milton and other towns.



2. This is a delightful book, rich in the history of establishments in and around the city. My parents are from Cambridge and I remember walking to Masse Hardware with my grandfather. I didn't know about the origin of the business until I read it here, it made sense that my Canadian immigrant grandparents were comfortable with this merchant.
   
   Later on my parents moved out to the suburbs and we would shop at Wilson's Farm in Lexington and dine at the Colonial Inn in Concord, two establishments that I learned more about in this book. This is an important documentation of these businesses, it is informative and entertaining. With each listing there is an address, phone number, directions and hours of operation making it easy to locate and visit.
   
   This is a great size to carry around and dip into and makes a great gift.

No comments about Exploring the Chesapeake in Small Boats.

1 comments about New England Weather New England Climate.

1. Being from central Connecticut and a budding weather hobbyist, this book is fantastic. Besides being easy to read and well organized, it has a wealth of relevant information.
   
   There are six parts: 1) what makes New England's weather and climate unique; 2) causes of change in New England's weather and climate; 3) diversity of New England's weather and climate -- from the mountains to the beaches; 4) seasons of New England; 5) the weather events that influence the lives of New Englanders; and 6) changes over time.
   
   Each part shows both the experience and research of the author. I could have lived with fewer quotes from Mark Twain and fewer mentions of Mount Washington, but everything else more than makes up for it. A very professional book. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Me And Mr. Darcy.

1. This book is mostly fluff, but it's a fun and a quick read. It does deal with at least one major issue: women in relationships and why they choose who they do. I haven't decided yet if the book ends in a copout. Suffice it to say, the book takes what could be construed as an anti-feminist take on relationships. Think My Fair Lady or (obviously) Pride and Prejudice. However, it's a love story and as we all know, life and love rarely turn out like a treatise on the perfection of the female psyche. Take it for what it is and you won't be disappointed.



2. I've always loved Jane Austen, but she only wrote six novels and I can only read them so many times. So what's a gal to do? Pick up a novel related to Jane Austen. Still waiting for the next Jane Austen mystery novel by Stephanie Barron to be published, I picked this book up on a whim. It seems to be a cross between chick lit and magical realism.
   
   The other reviewers on Amazon made some good detailed points about the novel's weaknesses regarding the characters: Emily is rather sarcastic and the third leg of the love triology is a foul-mouthed, slovenly journalist. However, these characters are in line with the theme of the novel.
   
   Emily discovers that romantic characters are fun to dream about but real people have real flaws, whereas, imaginary characters belong to an imaginary world. It was fun seeing the author's vision of Mr. Darcy transported into the modern world and how his romanticized faults may not play out so well in the real world. (I won't detail them and spoil the read.)
   
   There is some rough language in this novel and modern-style romantic relationships, which may offend some readers who prefer the chaste behavior of the Jane Austen novels. But if you want a fun beach read, a book which could take a little sand or suntan lotion spilled onto it, you might find this a different perspective on Mr. Darcy to consider. And it might cause some single women to consider whether they are looking for a real man to have a relationship with--or an unachievable illusion.



3. I am a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice - I have read the book every summer since it was on my summer reading list in high school and I own both the BBC and Keira Knightley DVDs. No one can ever compare to Jane Austen! That being said, I thought Alexandra Potter's book was thoroughly entertaining and perfect for summer reading - it's fast, it's funny and I really liked Emily. As far as some reviewers comments about why Darcy would like her - he's apparently somewhat of a figment of her imagination - she wouldn't dream up someone who doesn't like her!
   I thought the other characters were also engaging - in a fluffy summer-reading sort of way. Stella, Freddy, Rose, Maeve. Miss Steane was a quirky addition, too. There were portions of the book that I was laughing out loud - much to the annoyance of my daughters!
   I wasn't reading this book expecting "GREAT LITERATURE" like Pride and Prejudice, and found a humorous, engaging story that I will recommend to my friends.



4. There is apparently no end to the Jane Austen craze. We have had prequels and sequels to 'Pride and Prejudice' to say nothing of Bridget Jones and her ilk. It seems that any aspiring author can find an audience and make a couple of bucks by trading on the Austen name, the Austen characters and the Austen plots. All that is lacking is the Austen talent.
   Following on the success of 'The Jane Austen Book Club,' now comes Alexandra Potter with her modern "chick lit" take on P&P. I bought this book at Washington National Airport for a flight to Fort Lauderdale and had finished it well before the pilot told us to switch off all electronic devices for landing. Did it make me laugh? Not really (maybe a half smile on a couple of occasions). Did it make me cry? No. Did it make me feel anything at all -- sad, happy, amused, diverted, stimulated? No, none of the above. Did it prevent me from falling asleep? Barely.
   Feisty New York bookstore manager Emily albright, who thinks she's plain but will discover she is really beautiful, takes a Jane Austen tour of England with a group of older women and one dashing British reporter called Spike (yes Spike!)Among his attractive traits, he smokes and has a beer belly. But he has a lovely British accent. (So do I, where are you Emily?)
   Oh those lovable Brits driving on the wrong side of the road with their quaint language and their villages and weird food! Much merriment is to be had from observing their strange customs. I laughed and laughed.
   Emily soon finds herself reliving the plot of Pride and Prejudice, a witty conceit. At the same time, she has occasional weird flashbacks to the year 1813 where none other than Mr. Darcy himself is waiting to woo her. Who will she choose? The adorable Spike in our own times or the stiff but devastatingly attractive Darcy back in the Napoleonic era, who we discover to our horror is a sexist who disapproves of women working outside the home? The suspense is killing and far be it from me to spoil the tense climax for any reader who picks up this book.
   The more people try to copy Austen, the greater her genius seems and the paler each imitation is by comparison. The particular example seems to me an especially cynical and exploitative effort. It's writing by numbers. It's predictable and pedestrian -- but I could forgive that if it were even mildly amusing or romantic. But it's not. Sorry!



5. There are very few books that I have enjoyed (or would even bother picking up) in this new Jane Austen kick that seems to be sweeping people away. Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge Austen fanatic! And this is one of the few books where I felt like I could just sit and relax with a fellow Austen fan. You can't be expecting a great piece of literature from this book...but as chick lit goes, the character was endearing (and not over the top like a lot of chick lit main characters tend to be) and the plot was cute enough to make you continually smile and turn the page. I absolutely recommend!

No comments about Needham (MA) (Images of America).

4 comments about My Love Affair With the State of Maine: By Scotty Mackenie.

1. In my youth, I often vacationed in Maine and happened to find this book in the local library during one trip. It was truly inspiring for me as a young girl, both to appreciate the great state of Maine and to go on to write memoirs of my own. I would recommend this classic to any would-be memoirist, as a great example of how a well-written life story can transcend time.



2. This book written about the trials and tribulations of two young girls who quit their jobs in New York and took up running a grocery store in Goose Rocks. Scotty does a fantasitc job at taking the reader to Maine. She captivated me and I truely could not put this book down. I want read it again right away!



3. I often don't get a chance for much pleasure reading so many books that I start never get finished. This book, however, grabbed me in from the start and like the other reviewer said, I could not put it down. It truly transported me to Maine, a state that I love to visit. However, even if you aren't a Maine fanatic, I think you will enjoy the book and it's ability to take you away from your everyday life. In addition, the strong, independent women who play the lead roles in the book are truly inspirational, especially considering the time period in which they were asserting this independent spirit. Seeing their willingness to jump in to a business that they knew little about and to set it up successfully in a short period of time has really awakened in me the belief that anything is possible -- you just have to be bold enough to go after it. This book is a wonderful read and one that I will surely pick up time after time. I highly recommend it.



4. I've read it twice now and loved it each time. Agree with the opinions above. People who enjoy this may be interested in "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich, also entertaining humerous look at life in Maine.

5 comments about Knight Errant (War of the Roses).

1. Rodrigo Garcia Y Robertson's "Knight Errant" offers many pleasures -- an admirable and humourous heroine, an intriguing premise, and a well-researched travelogue through 15th-century England. Despite its charms, "Knight Errant" loses some steam over the course of its 470+ pages -- one can imagine this being a fantastic novel had the author chosen a leaner, more focused approach.
   
   Through some surprisingly logical time-travel magic, helpfully explained and abetted by some modern-day English witches, our heroine, Robyn Stafford, finds herself whisked away to 15th century England and thrust pell-mell into the Wars of the Roses. Not only that, the "Lady Stafford" has instantly developed a romantic attachment to teenage Edward, Earl of March and a medieval template for future Harlequin Romance book covers. Witchcraft, siege warfare, jousting, and other medieval delights await Robyn as she becomes more and more intertwined in the tapestry of medieval history.
   
   Despite being a fantasy, the author has done his research, as olde England comes alive. In true Hollywood form, Robyn is a sarcastic gal, and she makes many pithy, humorous observations about medieval life . . . although she quickly sees that life in the Middle Ages has its benefits, including falling in love with a handsome future king. (Although there are pitfalls, too, including becoming acquainted to the 15th century version of the 21st Brit with whom she had a torrid affair in L.A., only to fly to England to learn that he has a wife. Oh, yes, his 21st century wife is also in the 15th century -- sometimes you just can't win.)
   
   Despite containing quite a few action scenes, "Knight Errant" seems overlong. A large cast of characters, numerous villains and allies, and several jaunts back and forth in time are a lot to keep track of, and with Robyn as the outsider telling the story with more than a wee bit of detachment, several passages just don't seem to have any sense of urgency. And, inexplicably, most of the villains are denied even a strong comeuppance -- the reader just wants to see some of these guys get theirs. (Even the author acknowledges during the final passages that certain romantic events have been a long time coming.)
   
   Entertaining, to be sure, with a few laugh-out-loud moments (although not nearly as funny as other sword-and-sorcery novels, such as "Sir Apropos of Nothing), "Knight Errant" is a fun read that, although long, is worth the investment of time. Here's to hoping that the Mr. Garcia Y Robertson can find the discipline to cut a few of his well-crafted scenes and find the heart of story.



2. The first few pages grab my attention however the story involved far too much historical information and description.
   This writer loses his reader by not bringing the hero back into the story almost at the end of the book after a long absence. The hero was the main reason I bought the book in the first place, he didn't reappear for almost three hundred pages later.



3. Robertson's series is rich with history, intrique, romance and time travel.
   This is a fabulous series with lovable time traveler Robyn at the center of it all along with her prince charming, Edward. Robyn meets Edward in a field as he's being chased down by the bad guys. Not thinking he is truly not of this time, she plays along with what she thinks is an intricate delusion of a very handsome young man.
   Robyn travels back in time to meet the young Edward and they fall in love immediately. She works her way through this era making friends and even more enemies. She is rightfully accused of being a witch and her escapades in the tower of London are so frightfully realistic you can almost smell the stinky dungeon she's occupying.
   The entire series is amazing and I miss Robyn and Edward.
   I am anxiously awaiting another book in this series.



4. I have read the first two books in the series and loved them. The third one is also interesting, the characters likeable, but the ending left me wondering. I really hope this series will have a fourth book because there's some serious questions that must be answered. And fans don't want to be left feeling dread for the main characters. Has anyone heard anything about this? The series was so good, it would be a terrible shame to end it on this note.



5. I didn't expect to enjoy Knight Errant at all. Much to my surprise, I did - enormously. I agree with other reviewers who commented that it drags in the middle, there's too much setting, the character of Edward doesn't seem at all like his real historical self, the witchcraft is all a little bit too convenient, etc etc. But somehow I found myself unable to put it down.
   
   I found Robyn and Edward very sympathetic and likeable characters - it's a real shame that Edward is off-stage for much of the novel. He's only 17 - very young, but older in the Middle Ages than it is today! The American tourist/time traveller Robyn's age is never given, but seems to be early thirties or thereabouts. I suppose it is pretty implausible that a 17-year-old, the most eligible bachelor in England, would fall instantly and irreversibly in love with a woman so much older, who's a complete misfit in his society. But what the heck, it's a fantasy! Edward is everything a medieval hero should be, brave, chivalrous, courteous, romantic, loving, caring, and of course very handsome.
   
   There are arguably far too many descriptions of places, not really needed in the story, but I'm from England and I liked seeing my country described in so much detail. :) I've been to many of the places Robertson describes, and he's extremely accurate.
   
   All in all, I found Knight Errant rather silly, when looked at dispassionately, but wildly entertaining. It's the kind of novel where you really have to suspend your disbelief and ignore all the crazy implausibilities. Just go with the flow, and you might end up enjoying it as much as I did!

No comments about The Maine Dictionary.

5 comments about Above London.

1. Anyone who's ever spent time in London (or any historic and picturesque region) will see the city in a different way with this book of aerial views. Other reviewers have commented on the need for an update (particularly since the Millenium building boom), but essentially, the sweep of London history remains as it was: the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Whitehall, Hyde Park, Hampstead, the Thames, etc. And there's the undeniable thrill of saying "I was there," since virtually every area is covered. This book also adds a dimension to travel that we don't often consider: how buildings and streets really are situated in the places we visit, and our relation to them. After traveling on foot over most of central London, I never realized how much I covered until I bought this book.



2. Robert Cameron and Alistair Cooke teamed up to produce a wonderful visual account of London in the late 20th century, a stunning piece that will serve as a guide for generations of what London was like during this period. I know archaeologists who would sell their souls for such a record of previous historical periods. But, the historic value of such a record is probably not the reason to have it.

   Cameron had produced similar books over San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Yosemite (perhaps more by now). Alistair Cooke (yes, the Masterpiece Theatre host) convinced him to

   '...collaborate on a more challenging project: a new view of a capital city that has neither picturesque mountains nor the dependable climate of Cameron's previous subjects, but one that offers as much variety and as many visible relics of centuries of history as any city on earth.'

   The first plates show maps from the Middle Ages, and the same aerial view today, side by side: one can see some of the same streets and patterns, a bridge in the same location, but also (naturally) great differences. The pattern of Chelsea remains as a framework from the days of the Duke of Beaufort in some ways (including Cheyne Walk), and very different in others. A French drawing of St. James' Park looks very familiar, with the difference being the absence of Admiralty Arch which helped transform the Mall into one of the great processional routes.

   Included is a drawing from the Victorian era that shows the then-new Palace of Westminster; four Frechmen proved the ability to use ballooning to scale new heights (alas, only one survived the ascent to 28,000 feet); in 1886 Wyllie and Brewer went up west of Westminster Abbey to make a drawing, including the smog in which London 'luxuriated' -- as a sign of the energy and prosperity of the world's first port and the capital of Empire.

   Juxtaposing an aerial view of St. Paul's surrounded by bomb damage with the current view, the resilience of London can be seen. London has suffered destruction various times, and always bounced back.

   After the historical tour, the book takes a tour of London by the river Thames, then branches out into the Central City, the South and West, the North and West, and then follows the river out of the city into Windsor and countryside environments.

   One fun section include a collection of aerial views of festivals and 'fun' spots: the Oval, Wembley, Lords cricket ground, the Henley Regatta, Ascot, and, of course, Wimbeldon.

   Each series of photographs is accompanied by Cooke's particularly witty and sometimes elegantly-scathing commentary (one can tell when he thinks that progress was not for the better), such as his commentary on the Wimbledon photographs:

   'There was a time when the All-England Lawn Tennis Club's Wimbledon courts were surrounded by open meadows and a small enclosure for the nobs who owned automobiles. Today the area of car parks is greater than that of 'the action', and during the fortnight of the championship the cars desecrate the golf course in the adjoining Wimbledon Park.'

   A fun and interesting book, one that is deserving of closer inspection. If you've ever been to London, this book will bring back memories and give a perspective that one rarely gets of the city. If you've never been to London, this will inspire you to plan your trip!




3. I am such a huge fan of Robert Cameron, but eventhough I think this book is amazing it in not his best, the photographs just are not as vivid for some reason and though some are spectacular some are not, which is so unusual for a Cameron book. Having said that I still highly recommend this book, even an average Cameron is better than the best of anyone else, he is that good. Though the book is a bit dated it still is worth having in your collection I assure you, it still has photos of things I have never seen photoed elsewhere.



4. 'Above London' by aerial photographer, Robert Cameron and perennial Brit commentator, Alistair Cooke is one of four Cameron photo books of cities I have seen, and I have been to each of these four cities, and I firmly believe that between London, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angles, this is by far the most delightful.
   
   Most of this is probably due to the fact that London is so much more photogenic than those Yank cities, but it is probably also due to the addition of Cooke's commentary.
   
   The star, by far, of this series is Cameron's superb skill with not only the camera, but in the selection of subject and angle of his shots. The clarity of detail is so great that you can literally count the panes of glass in the windows of the Greenwich Observatory from a distance of at least 1000 feet or more.
   
   The aerial point of view of course also adds much to the quality of the book. For example, the infamous memorial to Prince Albert, across from the Royal Albert Hall seems hokey from the ground, but is a marvel of geometric design seen from the air. There are also some things which simply cannot be fully appreciated except by air, such as an overview of the Belgravia district around Belgrave Square.
   
   One who has seen London first hand may get more from this book than those who have not been there, but at least it will be an incentive to go see the city for yourself.



5. This may be suitable only for total London geeks like myself, who pore over maps and photos of the best city in the world. It is very satisfying to identify places one has visited, as seen from the air. It goes a little farther afield than I have personally wandered, of course, and reveals warts and all, but for the price this is a very nice addition to any London book collection.