5 comments about PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line: Easy Access Vacations for Travelers with Extra Challenges (PassPorter).

1. This book provide great information on everything in Disney World. They provide it on Resorts, Dining, and Theme Parks. They did not update it fully for this year. For example it goes up to 2007 for the yearly celebration or Hollywood Studios' new parade but it included Toy Story Mania. The book hardly contained anything on Disney Cruise Line. It should contain more information on entertainment and food and activites onboard and Castaway Cay and prices but it did not. It should be called "Open Mouse for Walt Disney World" without having Disney Cruise Line added to the title.



2. I think this book has valuable information. It is a good book. I am a person with health considerations and a big Disney Fan. I found this book and the Walt Disney World with Disabilities both very helpful. Since they are both good references for my needs with their own style and quality I used them both.



3. Although we have visited Walt Disney World many times, the information available in this book was genuinely helpful. We're also looking into the cruise/park vacation packages, and there seemed to be a lot of information there, too.



4. I got this book and was so impressed with it my sister got it to. its one of the best books you can have for WDW. I give it 10 stars.



5. If you or a family member suffers from food allergies, motion sensitivity, mobility issues, fears, or any other special needs or challenges, this book and show how you can have a fantastic time at Walt Disney World!
   
   This book has a lot of the information from the PassPorter's Walt Disney World combined with additional information for those with travel disabilities and allergies.
   
   My only reason for not giving it 5 stars is that it really doesn't cover the Disney Cruise Line all that much.

1 comments about Rosemary Beach.

1. This book offers an attractive photographic portrait of Rosemary Beach Florida, a Duany Plater-Zybeck (DPZ) designed community. This beautifully executed tome shows the charm and character that can be achieved in a new community when the principles of good urban design are followed.
   
   For anyone who decries the fact that they are no new porches being created on streets where kids can walk to neighborhood schools, this book is proof positive that you just aren't buying property from developers who have a proper view of the potential of new construction and good planning.

2 comments about Florida Spring Training, 3rd Edition: Your Guide to Touring the Grapefruit League (Florida Spring Training: Your Guide to Touring the Grapefruit League).

1. I am a Florida resident, who absolutely loves spring training. Every spring I load up the car on the weekends and heads all over the state to different parks. I have recently gotten into the autograph act, so now when I go to the games I am seeking autographs as well. The book is very informative and from what I can tell quite accurate in its description of the parks, food, and autograph opportunities. If you are thinking of heading to spring training for the 1st, 2nd or even if you are a seasoned spring training vet, this book is definitely worth the price. It even includes some sample week long itineraries.



2. I gave this book to my boyfriend for Christmas. He is a 50-year-old baseball fanatic, and he loves the book. When you give a gift you hope it will make the recipient happy. This book did that with flying colors. He is the expert on the subject and I trust his response.

5 comments about River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida's St. Johns River.

1. As the author states, we are all students in this great shared learning experience of life, and we can see the river not only as a conveyer of water but also as a great lesson in ecology. Very true. This is a fascinating exploration of the St. Johns river and surrounding areas in Florida, much of it still largely unspoiled wilderness. I have been to one of it's (small) tributaries , Juniper Springs, twice while canoeing, and it is a beautiful wilderness I can attest. The author, Bill Belleville, takes readers on a leisurely tour of the St. Johns river system starting in his own backyard and neighborhood, and from the marshy headwaters in an airboat, and later a kayak down river to a houseboat, and finally to the ocean, sometimes written in a dreamy poetic style, but still with lots of river lore and information. The St. Johns river is steeped in tons of history and Bill navigates it to great effect. By reading this book you can learn a lot about geology, history, plants and animals, ecology and conservation, evolution and natural selection, the beauty and value of nature, why it is important to preserve our wetlands, and along the way meet several interesting folks.

   At the back of the volume is a list of access points on the St. John river and near it, a list of public and private agencies, and also an extensive bibliography. Finally, I want to add that the part in the book where Belleville was floating past that tavern next to the river that was blaring out the Patsy Cline song "Crazy" (p. 140), in light of the history associated with that area, well, I laughed so hard I almost broke a rib!




2. This is a fantastic book about the St. Johns River in Florida. Many people see this river every day but few people experience the river the way the author did. To read this book is to undertake a journey down the St. Johns as people did in the 1800's, from the headwaters to the mouth and all points between. After reading this book I realized what I was missing and determined to go back and really see the river again for the first time. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates what is left of the true Florida or who is even the slightest bit interested in the real world. The author's style is casual but compelling and you may have a hard time putting it down except to rush out, load the canoe, and head to the river! A must have book for anyone who lives near the river, nature lover or not.



3. This nonfiction book was selected by the Orlando Public Library for the 2005 Fall Central Florida Reads. The author is an "award-winning journalist, a documentary filmmaker and a veteran diver." (Orlando Sentinel)
   The book profiles the St. John's River, which is Florida's longest river.



4. If you've ever dreamed of spending time on the St. Johns River, this is definately worth the read. It is obvious that Mr. Belleville not only knows the river but is absolutely enchanted by it! This is a well written, easy to read, wonderful book that inspired me to pack my kayak and spirit of adventure and to spend countless days exploring places I never knew that I never knew.



5. Summoning the spirit of William Bartram, Bill Belleville offers a description of the lands, people, water, wilderness, and animals around the St. Johns River in Florida. Belleville clearly likes to identify with Bartram, even refering to him as "Billy" based on a single letter from Henry Laurens to Bartram's father. Belleville is an excellent writer and offers a compelling narrative.
   
   Yet there is much that I find disturbing about this book. Belleville's grasp of history is not very strong. While he gushes about the French Hugenot colonial experience, he seems to have little to say about the Spanish. The French were in Florida for the better part of two years; the Spanish were in Florida for well over two centuries. Belleville seems to have little to say about the black experience in Florida either. No record survives of what happened to the slaves "Billy" Bartram abandoned when his plantation went under. Maybe "Billy" was not the saint that Belleville seems to think.
   
   Worse, Belleville seems to have little use for a lot of people. He does not like toursits. He does not like the city of Jacksonville. He resents development and so on. All well and good. But the tide of humanity, both past and present, are some of the strongest factors in what makes the St. Johns unique and it's something Belleville does not seem to fully appreciate.

5 comments about On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean.

1. This is the best adventure book I have ever read. I didn't want this trip to end. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.



2. A wonderfully informative, yet intense adventure read. Scott's travels around the Caribbean will make you want to go exploring. His simple, yet very seaworthy means of travel allows him to explore places that boaters in larger craft can only steam by while seeking the nearest marina. Well written. I highly recommend this book!



3. At no point did I become board with the adventure or find it un interesting.



4. Reading Williams' On Island Time, you can almost feel the waves lapping over the bow of the kayak and feel the shark bumping you from below. If you can't afford to take off for months to the Carribean, this book is the next best thing.



5. I usually love escapist books of this nature. With this one, I find myself vaguely disappointed. While the writing itself is not bad, some areas are breezed over, and details vary, depending on Scott's memory, most likely. I suppose the biggest disappointment is that the Carribean is now almost exclusively private or government property, and there is almost nowhere to go anymore to discover anything new. He describes a few spectacular coves and tiny islands he explored, usually with others, but 80% of the content deals with avoiding private property and bribing foreign officals with rum from the folks he's hitched a ride with over most of the journey. In all, the book doesn't make me want to go adventuring, to see "what's over that horizon" because everyone has already been there. At least, not without a world class bank account.
   
   The Eagles said it best, "Call someplace Paradise, kiss it goodbye."

3 comments about The Conch That Roared.

1. Key West secedes from the Union, declares its independence -- and it's not fiction, it's history. King captures the quirky heart and spirit of Key West and reports from the insider's view the events that led to revolution. I was in Key West to celebrate the secession anniversary a few years ago. This book brings the story to life with a lot grins along the way. It is fun to learn the strategic thinking and ingenuity that went into the battle with the US government -- a credit to Key West islanders and a tribute to the American way! Pick it up, put on Jimmy Buffet and enjoy the ride.



2. I was getting so tired of stories on Miami. I had almost decided that Florida was now permanently off my personal "place to visit" list. That was before this delightful story, TRUE story, THE CONCH THAT ROARED arrived at my place. The well researched (and well illustrated) book took me on a magical if not bizarre journey to the end of Highway 1 in an explanation of how Key West became the Conch Republic and proceeded to seceed from the Union. Obviously author Gregory King is not only well verse with the place but also a most erudite interpretor of its story. He has made me want to drive (at least once) to Key West and experience what makes these folks so special. A word of warning though: you might have to use the recipe in the back of the book for Key Lime Pie to munch while reading this story. Or maybe drinking the Cuba Libre would be more appropriate?



3. The Conch That Roared is a must-read book if you're traveling to the Florida Keys or are just an armchair reader! Why? This is the only book available which gives the visitor/reader a taste of the real flavor of Key West...and I'm not talking just key lime pie and conch fritters (both recipes and more are included in the back of the book).

   Author Gregory King must have visited every bar up and down the the scenic area... from Key West, past Key Largo and to the Last Chance Saloon as well as the politico's to write with such flair and flavor. He captured the essence...the soul and spirits of those citizens who declared war on the United States.

   This is a great gift to give to someone visiting the Key West. Include a bottle of Cuban rum (which presently is illegal), two cheap glasses, and Coke, as well as Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice. 1/2 pund of minced conch, or an equal amount of clams. This will make a great going-away gift as well as provide ingredients for wonderful Key West entertaining when your friends return.

   Put on your favorite Jimmy Buffett album and read the book.The characters in King's book are delightful and colorful enough to make a movie. King did a wonderful writing job of introducing them all to the rest of us! Thanks for taking a bit of history and bringing it to life for the rest of us conch-heads!

3 comments about Gladesmen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners, and Skiffers (Florida History and Culture).

1. This book is a fascinating study of fishing, hunting, and working in the Florida Everglades. Most of the activities that are described are set in the 1930s. Most of the book consists of stories and descriptions of live from Glen Simmons, a boat builder who has lived in the Everglades region all his life. The stories are intriguing accounts of the everyday events and the extraordinary happenings that form the stuff of history. Readers of this book will find interesting encounters with a colorful cast of characters, learn about Florida wildlife, and discover how a unique style of boat is built. This book is annotated with well-written introductions by Laura Ogden and illustrated with a wide variety of period photographs that make the rich descriptions even more vivid.



2. it is with great honor that i speak of this book that was wrote by my friend, who lived all his life in the glades. his grandfather was ducan brady the founder of flamingo and his parents were the keepers at waddell grove on cape sable. this book is testimony to the hardships that our pioneer familys endured in a land all but gone.hell westerneralvin in naples



3. I highly recommend this interesting book. The details about Florida history are fascinating as Ogden presents some terrific stories told by Simmons. There is rich information about alligator hunting, bootlegging, and boat building. I am especially interested in Simmons' boats as the type of skiff that he makes is characteristic, if not unique, to the 'glades.
   This portrait of Florida is vivid and harsh, and the book provides a richer, more nuanced, view of the state than most imagine.

1 comments about Insiders' Guide to the Florida Keys and Key West, 11th (Insiders' Guide Series).

1. This is the 11th edition of this book on all info that is the Florida Keys and the glorious Key West. I have the 10th edition and only out of laziness did not return this one.
   
   I frequent Key West often and many changes that have taken place there at guesthouses or restaurants are not documented in the least. The book is basically a word for word of the last edition. One restaurant moved locations over a year ago and they still have it as listed at the old location.
   
   Key West is a beautiful, eccentric place and all walks of life mingle together here in a virtual paradise. It is very liberal and the authors are definitely very conservative. The reviews are definitely written with their bias.
   
   As an average overview of restaurants, lodgings, shopping and history the book is ok and I would review it as such but when I know of changes that are very clear if in Key West and they aren't here - then I must reflect the laziness of the author in this review.
   
   She supposedly lives in Key West and it seems she only noticed the changes in places she frequents. This book is not an excellent overview for all.
   
   There are other and better books. Also, if you have a previous edition then definitely think twice before buying this one.

No comments about Good Night Florida Keys (Good Night Our World series).

1 comments about Naples, Florida: A Photographic Portrait.

1. I wanted to see the area and this book is very small for the money. The quality is very good and the pictures are beautiful. I feel there could be forty or fifty more pictures for a book at this price.