No comments about Night+Day London (Pulse Guides Cool Cities Series).

1 comments about Quiet Water Canoe Guide: Massachusetts/Connecticut/Rhode Island: AMC Quiet Water Guide.

1. This is a excellent book. Bought after recently buying a kayak. New to kayaking. The book made me want to go to the local lake right then and there. Very descriptive of ponds and lakes with maps. Wish it had a few more entrys. Although I do agree with the authors selection process.

No comments about The Hamptons.

No comments about Delorme Maine Map and Guide: Detailed Road Map, Travel Information.

3 comments about Frommer's England 2007 (Frommer's Complete).

1. Apart from the 2 chapters about London, this book is useless as it doesn't provide much information for other major cities in England.



2. It's probably too much to ask any one book to cover all of England in detail. But Frommer's has packed this 784-page monster with all the information they could in an attempt to do just that. Did they succeed? Mostly. For starters, they offer over 20 "Best of" lists that help you zero in on the finest the country has to offer in all sorts of categories ranging from museums to pubs and everything in between. Basic travel information is offered for those completely new to the country to help you start off on the right track. There's even a short offering to help you learn a bit about art and architecture so that you can better appreciate what you will see on your visit. And, of course, there are four suggested itineraries for complete trips. Finally, the remaining 700 pages detailed information on the various geographic areas of England.
   
   Without diminishing the rest of the book, I found the "Best of" lists and the itineraries a great starting point because it helped me zoom in on the part of England that I would most want to visit. From there, I started worrying about the specifics of what I would do there and that's when the rest of the book started to come in handy. But I also purchased the The Unofficial Guide to England (Unofficial Guides) and found that I often went back and forth between the two. For information on the Cotswolds, Lake District, and some other aspects of the trip, I found Frommer's to be the most helpful. At the same time, when it came to reviewing the sight-seeing attractions in London I preferred the content and format that the Unofficial Guide used. It's not that Frommer's didn't cover it at all, or that the coverage was poor. But comparing the two, I definitely found the Unofficial Guide easier to use for touring London. Leaving London aside, Frommer's has certainly put together the most comprehensive guide you will find on England. It has every city you could possibly be interested in as well covering the Lake District, the Cotswolds, and other rustic areas of interest to tourists.
   
   In summary, I found the Frommer's Guide to be highly useful and I certainly recommend it to anyone planning a trip to England. I also believe that no one book will have everything when covering a place as diverse as England, so don't limit yourself to just one book.



3. Comprehensive, no frills, gives you what you need to know, but somehow more dense and less flashy than other books of this type. It's informative, but a bit like some sort of catalog. Good to get and read but I don't think it's the best choice on the market or one you'd want to take with you after you've gleaned everything in it you want to know.

1 comments about Vintage Vermont Villainies: True Tales of Murder & Mystery from the 19th and 20th Centuries.

1. John Stark Bellamy II's "Vintage Vermont Villainies: True Tales of Murder & Mystery from the 19th and 20th Centuries" contains 12 stories of disappearance, mishap, manslaughter, and murder, all of which are straight out of the annals of Vermont history. If you're familiar with the area it's a tad chilling recognizing so many names of towns, newspapers, roads and so on, but even if you aren't the stories are quite compelling.
   
   Bellamy worked with cases at least several decades old and sometimes more than a century old. This gives the entire book a gothic, antique feel, much strengthened by Bellamy's style of writing. It's clear he did quite a bit of reading from period newspapers and journals, and that he allowed the old styles to infuse his work. This creates a beautiful and oddly enchanting hybrid of real-life and an almost otherworldly feel, rendering his subjects quite captivating.
   
   Bellamy deliberately chose cases based on the odd and inexplicable personalities involved, or the unusual events. Many of these stories do not have clear endings. The disappearances weren't always solved; the guilt or innocence of the perpetrator wasn't always proved beyond a shadow of a doubt. We can only guess at the thoughts that went through the heads of victim and attacker alike. These stories do have a few things in common, however. They're fascinating. They're a window into another time, one we're often tempted to think of as far simpler--but which held plenty of its own dangers. They're a stark look at some of the failings and triumphs of the justice system, as well as the ways in which attitudes of the time (particularly with regard to gender and insanity) shaped justice.
   
   
   [Review copy courtesy of Countryman Press]

4 comments about South of the Northeast Kingdom (National Geographic Directions).

1. "Aren't those Vermonters cute ?" "Aren't I profound ?" This collections of anecdotes, snippets, and name dropping sure doesn't sound like the people of Cabot, Vt., that I know. In Tom Wolfe's 'Bonfire of the Vanities', Wolfe left out writers. Keep watch on Mamet. If this book really expresses his thoughts, he should self-ignite soon.



2. I live just north of Mamet's hometown of Cabot, Vermont, and know many of the places and some of the people in the book (I've never met Mamet himself). For most of us who live in or close to the Northeast Kingdom, it is a beautiful, but gritty place to make a go of it. There is much to exult about and much to damn. Mamet's take is mostly dead on. While some of the book romanticizes life here, other passages criticize both himself (directly) and others (obliquely). I found myself agreeing with much of his analysis and many of his honest portrayals. Those inhabiting the right fringe of the political spectrum might find some of Mamet's opinions distasteful, but they have it coming.
   Although the word "vide" was used too often, I like a book that stretches one's vocabulary. Keep a dictionary close by if you buy this book. I also like a book whose whole is greater than the sum of the parts and that reads, at times, like poetry. The evocative black and white photos help capture this unique vision of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. I look forward to rereading this book.



3. I spent several years in Vermont and still go back as often as I can. Mamet captures much of the simple magic about the state and its people. The chapters are disconnected fragments, but that is fine. The impressions combine to give a good picture of life in this curiously unspoiled place.
   I have read 3 volumes in this National Geographic Discoveries series and have just ordered 3 more. They are short, insightful and written by some of the best writers out there. The whole series is worth a careful look. If they sold them on subscription, I would sign up. Someone good is doing the commisioning here.



4. A friend who lives near Cabot just sent me a copy of this and it is divine! I couldn't resist reading it to my husband in bed since we're both from Central Vermont although now transplanted to Massachusetts where there are a few more jobs. We finished it in one weekend night and were disappointed it was over so soon (not my husband's typical reaction to a book I like, trust me).
   
   I've read some of Mamet's other books (of course, I've seen more than a couple of his movies, too) and this is my favorite, by far. He writes well as you would expect.

No comments about Where to Wear London 2006: Fashion Shopping Fron A-Z (Where to Wear).

No comments about Quiet Places of Massachusetts: Country Rambles, Secluded Beaches, Backroad Excursions, Romantic Retreats.

No comments about Eccentric Oxford (Bradt Mini Guide).