No comments about LA Frontera: The United States Border With Mexico.

No comments about Robbery under law: The Mexican object-lesson.

No comments about The Explorers: Nineteenth-Century Expeditions in Africa and the American West.

No comments about A Cruising Cook's Guide to Mexico.

5 comments about National Geographic the American Road: Atlas & Travel Planner (NG Road Atlases).

1. I like roadtrips, and since 1999 The American Road has been an indispensable inhabitant of my car. I can't understand why NG quit producing this atlas...That's a bargain for sure.

   It's a very study volume. Mine has started to pull away from the binding a bit, but that's to be expected when I throw it around the car all the time. The plastic-like cover is spill-resistant and extremely durable. No pages have ripped or become unbound. I am very rough on it, and I'm impressed that it's survived as well as it has.

   The maps are readable and accurate. There's not much more exciting than that to say about a road map. They cover all of North America, though Mexico receives no detailed coverage, nor does northern Canada (where there are few roads anyway).

   Aside from the maps, the atlas includes descriptions of every region of North America (Mexico is treated as one region, and Canada as two). These are really interesting, and they get the wanderlust flowing. There are also descriptions and pictures of all the major US national parks, a handy mileage chart that includes lots of cities, city/population indexes organized by state, and a comprehensive and balanced list of scenic drives around the country.




2. We use this great road atlas all the time! We keep it in the car and refer to it as we travel quite often across the USA. One of the best we've seen...wish they would publish an updated version!



3. I've owned this atlas for five years. It is BY FAR the best I've ever had. I travel a lot of miles every year in some of the remotest drivable areas in the U.S. This collection has never let me down. When WILL they put out a new edition?!



4. This is certainly the best road atlas I've ever come across. I've owned my own copy for about 7 years and absolutely love it. The binding is very durable, and I take it everywhere with me. In addition to accurate and clear road maps, it also contains a ton of additional useful information for people interested in pure vacationing. I've crossed at least 30 states with this atlas. I just hope NG continues to offer revised versions of this atlas in the future. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



5. I've had this atlas and travel planner since it came out and I love it. We've toured across the United States several times and this book is always my companion. It has so much more to offer than just maps. The suggested scenic road trips and the national park information is helpful. The pictures are exceptionally good and the color finish on the maps is so much easier to look at and read in the front seat of the car with the sun glaring in. I, too, wish they'd publish an updated version. I highly recommend this for road travelers.

5 comments about Soldier of Aquarius: 1969-1970.

1. One day, when the cultural wars are done and the human soul is freed, I'll be able to say with full conviction, "This is a great Day to live."
   
   SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS is a great place to step out into a new way of life, with a fascinating literary hero.
   
   As is obvious from my discussion topic (in the Amazon Shorts forum) toasting John Cassell's HELL'S QUEST: 1971, I've been reading this author's collection of novels for the past few months, following a surge in literary exploration which has caused that forum to evolve into a commentary on each of those novels, as well as into a seminar on novelists talking about their work and writing techniques, including how ghosts, poltergeists, and possession of an author by a quickened character are related concepts.
   
   For the past several years I've been reading mostly mystery novel series as I enjoy the literary depth and continuity there. I escape into novels so thoroughly that I go through a minor grieving process when I finish a good one. Being able to follow a character through several books is a boon to that type of psyche, and to an author like me who also writes books in series.
   
   Prior to becoming addicted to the unique voice of Cassell, I had made a study of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series, reviewing each novel in that series, then moving into his two other mystery series. Through Spenser I enjoyed comparing the 70's to present day, and following various details of the evolution of cultural change beginning in the 70's then pushing heatedly through the 80's, 90's, and 00's.
   
   That craving led naturally, almost uncannily into Cassel's novels, which focus on the 1967-1973 seeding pivotal point of the huge number of philosophical, psychological, sociological changes which we're still sorting through today.
   
   My problem with some of The Literary Classics has always been that reading them depressed me. I was usually left at the end of a read feeling that the best next course of action would be to leap off a cliff. I was always disgusted that such amazing literary skill, such exquisite syntax, such blood-rich character development, such balsamic plot complexity was used to elevate either the artistry of ennui or of horrifying tragedy... concluding with, "Is that all there is?" or "Life is NOT a bowl full of cherries; it is The Pits of Terror and Torture." The GREAT GATSBY was one such. The wordsmithing and storytelling ability in that novel are almost insurpassable. Yet, I feel nothing but an empty, horrible depression when I get into that book or movie. Even so, Gatsby is one of my favorite examples of a truly good novel.
   
   Too many of the Classics, for me, are the perfect promotions for Prozac. Given a choice, I'd rather read Parker or Cassell and keep my natural chemistry intact.
   
   What I like about that pair is that both authors provide engrossing entertainment, then leave me as a reader with a feeling of being well grounded into reality, including the dark sides, yet ready to work even harder to get what I want out of life and to spark others to do the same with their lives, through my writing.
   
   When I read I seek a spirit lift. I get enough daily drains on my life force from reality. I can't see welcoming them into my mind when I'm wanting the regenerating factor of an escape into an enthralling world created in my mind by another healthy mind.
   
   Somewhat in contrast to all the above, I've been thoroughly drawn into the benefits of the Amazon Shorts program as a way to develop my readership, and to find additional authors I might want to explore. Through reading the short stories and nonfiction essays in the Shorts program, I've discovered that I can sometimes enjoy a "short" break from my usual diet of novels and series. The authors in the Amazon Shorts program are indeed impressive. If not for Amazon Shorts, I might not have discovered the author who has become my favorite, rivaling Ayn Rand's ATLAS SHRUGGED.
   
   Who is John W. Cassell?
   
   I hope to find other authors whose books possess anywhere near that level of ability to enhance the soul. It'll be a while yet, before I've come to the conclusion of indulging this wallow into the works of a great author stepping out.
   
   I'm honored to say that my blurb has been included in this novel's publication, in good company with other authors raving SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS.
   
   Soon, I hope to be able to compose and post separate reviews on each of Cassell's novels available here on Amazon. Until then, I'll post this overview to stand in admiration of literature worth reading and rereading.
   
   Linda Shelnutt
   
   Morning Comes: the Pre Dawn Blues - Part 1
   I'm rereading my own novel available in a 10 part series of Amazon Shorts, MORNING COMES, which holds uncanny thematic parallels to some of John's books, especially AN AQUARIAN TRAGEDY, which I'm now reading, having now read all of the current Cassell collection.



2. One needn't read far along in this action-filled dramatisation of coming of age in America's counterculture of 1969-1970 before realising they are holding a soon-to-be classic in their hands.
   
   Written a scant six years after the fact, this book places the reader at the very centre of the action in 1969-1970,when the protagonist faces the end of a highly successful four years at university and now must decide what next.
   
   Whilst working through this decision, the young protagonist finds himself at the very knife edge of the war then afoot between old and young: the expectations of the older generation; the yearnings of the younger. What follows is a tempestuous two years of life in the counterculture. This is the counterculture of drugs, free love, war protests and anarchy that had this country as close to revolution as it would ever get.
   
   Within those two years are packed all the triumph and defeat one could ever hope to find as the young man's saga touches three continents and just about every emotion one couldst label. These two years are re-experienced as a flashback on an airline trip to Albuquerque in April of 1977. A trip with a very special, emotion-laden purpose...a purpose from which there is no going back. Indeed, the young man has only purchased a one-way ticket.
   
   Those days are long gone as a matter of history, but they come alive once more through the riveting writing ability of Mr. Cassell, a man whose talents as one of America's best storytellers are just beginning to achieve the recognition they have long deserved. Five Stars awarded by Perry Carver



3. SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS is a great place to step out into a new way of life, with a fascinating literary hero.
   
   As is obvious from my discussion topic (in the Amazon Shorts forum on the USA Amazon site) toasting John Cassell's HELL'S QUEST: 1971, I've been reading this author's collection of novels for several months, following a surge in literary exploration which has caused that forum to evolve into a commentary on each of those novels, as well as into a seminar on novelists talking about their work and writing techniques, including how ghosts, poltergeists, and possession of an author by a quickened character are related concepts.
   
   For the past several years I've been reading mostly mystery novel series as I enjoy the literary depth and continuity there. I escape into novels so thoroughly that I go through a minor grieving process when I finish a good one. Being able to follow a character through several books is a boon to that type of psyche, and to an author like me who also writes books in series.
   
   Prior to becoming addicted to the unique voice of Cassell, I had made a study of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series, reviewing each novel in that series, then moving into his two other mystery series. Through Spenser I enjoyed comparing the 70's to present day, and following various details of the evolution of cultural change beginning in the 70's then pushing heatedly through the 80's, 90's, and 00's.
   
   That craving led naturally, almost uncannily into Cassel's novels, which focus on the 1967-1973 seeding pivotal point of the huge number of philosophical, psychological, sociological changes which we're still sorting through today.
   
   My problem with some of The Literary Classics has always been that reading them depressed me. I was usually left at the end of a read feeling that the best next course of action would be to leap off a cliff. I was always disgusted that such amazing literary skill, such exquisite syntax, such blood-rich character development, such balsamic plot complexity was used to elevate either the artistry of ennui or of horrifying tragedy... concluding with, "Is that all there is?" or "Life is NOT a bowl full of cherries; it is The Pits of Terror and Torture." The GREAT GATSBY was one such. The wordsmithing and storytelling ability in that novel are almost insurpassable. Yet, I feel nothing but an empty, horrible depression when I get into that book or movie. Even so, Gatsby is one of my favorite examples of a truly good novel.
   
   Too many of the Classics, for me, are the perfect promotions for Prozac. Given a choice, I'd rather read Cassell, Parker, and Jack Engelhard (THE BATHSHEBA DEADLINE, see my review) and keep my natural chemistry intact.
   
   What I like about those guys is that they provide engrossing entertainment, then leave me as a reader with a feeling of being well grounded into reality, including the dark sides, yet ready to work even harder to get what I want out of life and to spark others to do the same with their lives, through my writing.
   
   When I read I seek a spirit lift. I get enough daily drains on my life force from reality. I can't see welcoming them into my mind when I'm wanting the regenerating factor of an escape into an enthralling world created in my mind by another healthy mind.
   
   It'll be a while yet, before I've come to the conclusion of indulging this wallow into the works of a great author stepping out.
   
   I'm honored to say that my blurb has been included in this novel's publication, in good company with other authors raving SOLDIER OF AQUARIUS.
   
   Linda Shelnutt
   
   Shelnutt is the author of several Amazon Kindle books and Amazon Shorts, including Myrtle's Ultimate Mystery, Full Moon Rising (The Books of Gem), and Molasses Moon. Her trade paperback, The Rose and the Pyramid has become a collector's item, and is now available on Kindle The Rose and the Pyramid (The Books of Gem).



4. One needn't read far along in this action-filled dramatisation of coming of age in America's counterculture of 1969-1970 before realising they are holding a soon-to-be classic in their hands.
   
   Written a scant six years after the fact, this book places the reader at the very centre of the action in 1969-1970,when the protagonist faces the end of a highly successful four years at university and now must decide what next.
   
   Whilst working through this decision, the young protagonist finds himself at the very knife edge of the war then afoot between old and young: the expectations of the older generation; the yearnings of the younger. What follows is a tempestuous two years of life in the counterculture. This is the counterculture of drugs, free love, war protests and anarchy that had this country as close to revolution as it would ever get.
   
   Within those two years are packed all the triumph and defeat one could ever hope to find as the young man's saga touches three continents and just about every emotion one couldst label. These two years are re-experienced as a flashback on an airline trip to Albuquerque in April of 1977. A trip with a very special, emotion-laden purpose...a purpose from which there is no going back. Indeed, the young man has only purchased a one-way ticket.
   
   Those days are long gone as a matter of history, but they come alive once more through the riveting writing ability of Mr. Cassell, a man whose talents as one of America's best storytellers are just beginning to achieve the recognition they have long deserved. Five Stars awarded by Perry Carver



5. I have read this novel three times & will read it again.
   All of John Cassell's novels are superbly written. The stories
   are gripping & sure to please readers of all ages.
   If it were possible to earn a ten star rating this Novel deserves it!
   >
   Soldiers of Aquarius 1969-1970 was a return to a wonderful, yet painful era in American history. Cassell takes you back to the days of "Make Love Not War","Peace" and "Hell No We Won't Go!" You get to travel with him from Atlantic City, New Jersey to Albuerque, New Mexico, then on to California and back. Many times with little or no money, through hot desert country and freezing cold. He lets you taste starvation,arrest, torture,loneliness and the confusion of youths living in those wonderful, stormy and often frightening days.

No comments about Southwest Camping Destinations: RV and Car Camping Destinations in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah (Camping Destinations series).

2 comments about New Mexico, Rio Grande, and Other Essays.

1. If you ever read books of Tony Hillerman, be sure to take a look at this book. His love of the state of New Mexico is well known by readers of the Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn Mysteries, but this book is about the overwhelming beauty of the state. The vast open spaces, the silence and the history. This collection of essays together with the outstanding photographs is a must.



2. If Only!

   If only this book had been printed by the National Geographic Society, or Arizona Highways, or somebody who specializes in scenic calendars. The fabulous photos in here deserve top quality printing, and they didn't get it.

   However, I heartily recommend this book to all my fellow Hillerman fans, *anyway*, because the essays are great, and the background information on some of the events that inspired scenes in certain of the novels is priceless. If you loved 'A Thief of Time' as much as I did, you'll very much enjoy the descriptions of the actual site that inspired it. Hillerman's 'travelogue' down the Rio Grande is also wonderful.

No comments about Baja Camping - The Complete Guide: Featuring Every Campground from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucos, Including 1,000 Miles of Shoreline (Foghorn Outdoors: Baja Camping).

1 comments about Moon Acapulco, Ixtapa, and Zihuatanejo (Moon Handbooks).

1. This might be one of the worst travel books I've tried. There is very little detail provided about the supposed sites of interest and there is rarely any information of how to get somewhere, where to purchase tickets, etc... I tried to get the hotel staff to help me out but they just wanted to sell me expensive packages for day trips. I also found distances to be off. Overall just not helpful at all.