5 comments about Inside Mexico: Living, Traveling, and Doing Business in a Changing Society.

1. I've read and re-read this short book, and it has helped me tremendously to understand Mexico and Mexicans. Their culture is different enough from ours that our habits don't always work.For example, in the chapter on manners, the author points out that people often thank shop clerks when leaving a store. I tried this on a recent trip and discovered that it could lead to enjoyable short conversations.

   Published in 1994, I found it very timely in 2003.




2. ...but if you know anything at all about the culture or have visited non-tourist spots you probably know a lot of this stuff already. I'm looking for something more in-depth, so I didn't find this book very helpful.



3. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED--should be required reading for every American so they have a better understanding of our neighbors to the south. I bought this when I first met my wife who is from Mexico. I found it very enlightening and worth every cent. It's easy to read since it is not in-depth, however, it is still very enlightening. It talks about real Mexico and real Mexicans--not the life and culture that surrounds resorts. It may need to be updated (10 years old) cause the youth in Mexico are greatly influenced by media (TV, movies, etc) today just as American youth are--however, it still provides great insight of where Mexicans are coming from.



4. I love this book, as much for its conciseness and economy of words as well as all the sensitively considered advice and invaluable tips.
   Though it is a deceptively thin book, it seems to touch on all areas of likely concern to one who visits or moves to Mexico. I wouldn't travel to Mexico without it, now.



5. I traveled to Mexico with Dr. Heusinkveld as a participant on one of her study abroad trips to the city where she wrote the book. I soon found out that not only is the book a must read for anyone interested in visiting or doing business in Mexico, but that the information that was published over 10 years ago is still very accurate in much of the country.
   
   The book is a very easy read and not long at all. Its small size is very deceptive because the book is crammed with information that one should not go without.
   
   Do not travel to Mexico without this book.

No comments about Insiders' Guide to Santa Fe, 3rd (Insiders' Guide Series).

5 comments about Woodall's North American Campground Directory, 2007 (Woodall's North American Campground Directory).

1. Woodall's is an excellent guide to campgrounds, and it is rather comprehensive. However, I found the print size rather small and hard for me to read. The print size is the reason for a 4 rating rather than a 5.



2. As always, Woodall's reviews are accurate and helpful. At the beginning of each state is a map showing where the different campgrounds are located. As we like to camp "on the fly" this is very helpful. We'll look up and read the descriptions in the area we want, make a phone call and we're off! We haven't been disappointed by a Woodall's review yet.



3. I was hoping this would help me find campgrounds when I was tired and in a strange city with my RV; it was NOT AT ALL USEFUL!!!! There are no free places to park; no cheap places to park; extremely poor directions to the campgrounds listed, and IT DOESN'T EVEN LIST ALL THE PAYING OPTIONS EITHER!!!! This is a lot of money and a lot of cubic inches of wasted space in my RV right now. The categories are useless and hard to navigate, the areas listed are difficult to sort out when you need it, and the whole experience was extremely frustrating.



4. A comprehensive list of many campgrounds and national parks.
   
   Gives you information about how large an RV can be, contact info, and directions (however the directions are often unclear as to where they are starting from)
   
   A useful companion on the road (when you don't have internet access)



5. I have been using Woodall's for many years. It doesn't list all the campgrounds in the US obviously, but it sure has helped me in a pinch. I always look for a campground in Woodall's because I trust their judgement. I have never been disappointed yet.

1 comments about Call of the Colorado.

1. This book is an encyclopedia of Colorado River runners. As such it's not as riveting as any number of books out there regarding the many river expeditions mentioned within its covers. Think of this as a quick reference to river runners or a good directory of places to continue your search of Colorado River history.
   
   Roy Webb also wrote a book called "If We Had a Boat" which I found much more enjoyable - as it tells full stories of early Green River runners.
   
   If you're into Colorado River history - this is an important book, if you're just wanting an adventure read, other books would be better.

1 comments about Sweet Medicine: Sites of Indian Massacres, Battlefields, and Treaties.

1. I recently bought this book for myself on-line. I had not seen the book in real life but I was not disappointed. The photographs are stunning. They are all black and white and bring an erie reality to how I pictured a lot of the places shown. I have been reading a lot of Native American history and it is nice to have photos of a lot of the places I have read about. The narratives are well written, although a little general in nature. Overall - a good coffee-table type book.

5 comments about Moon Handbooks Cabo: LA Paz to Cabo San Lucas (Moon Handbooks : Cabo).

1. Although this book contains lots of good information, it has too many inaccuracies. It looks as though the author has not updated his database of accommodations. I found too many wrong phone numbers, wrong mailing addresses and wromg email addresses. I know these things change, but if they have all really changed this much, there should be a disclaimer or they should not be included at all.

   There are one and a half pages of what the author calls "Useful Web sites", but they are not very useful and he does not include any web sites for the many listed accommodations and resorts that have their own web sites.




2. We found this book to be a pretty good overview of the Los Cabos region. You can pretty much get to anywhere you want to go using this book. Most of the hotels and restaurants are detailed, but not enough detail is given. If you are looking for recommendations, they are hard to find in this book. For the most part it just describes what the establishment offers. The author does cover all of the areas. We found details on the East Cape region lacking in other books. Although not extensively covered in this book, it did have the best information we could find. To be honest, this area is fairly simple, and this guide does a good job at telling you what you can expect where. I would recommend this book for travelers to the region, but it could use more reviews of the many dining and lodging options, could use some updating, and would benefit from a more comprehensive mapping of the various regions. Please check out the detailed trip report at diveatlas.com for more details.



3. I thought this book was highly accurate in its description of restaurants and hotels in the main places people visit in Baja California del Sur. It even has info on places you mainly just drive through from one larger place to another with information on the tiny town's history, places to eat there, etc. You can rely on the information in this book. I'd not hesitate to buy another travel book by this author.



4. My family just returned from 2 weeks in Cabo. During this time we used the Moon guide (3rd ed.) extensively. We visited San Jose, Cabo SL, Todos Santos, and east cape as well as various remote points in between and found the book accurate every step of the way. This book is very well researched and complete - although pricing was a couple of years out of date. I assume the 4 th edition corrects that. This book is a "must have" for travelers to Cabo who want to do more than just stay in a pre-packaged all inclusive resort.



5. This concise guide covers the bottom quarter of the Baja California peninsula from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas. It's chock full of useful data and advice cultivated over four editions. The sports and recreation sections are admirable, and there's good information on the local food and drink. The hotel listings are useful too, although exact room prices are not quoted for some reason. Instead there are price ranges with "under US$25" the lower end category. Restaurant meal prices are also missing - "moderately priced" can mean anything - but opening hours and menu descriptions are provided. None of this will be a real problem for the vast majority of visitors, but low-budget backpackers will be left guessing at times. I found the coverage of city bus services skimpy, although inter-city buses are adequately described. I sought and didn't find tips on getting too/from the airports on the cheap (US$14 per person for a colectivo to cover the 12 km to/from La Paz Airport doesn't sound like the cheapest option to me). Maybe Cabo just isn't a shoestring destination the way Thailand is - and I know Joe Cummings is very familiar with Thailand. Joe has plenty of helpful hints for motorists, but I couldn't find anything about parking. Is free, secure parking so universally available around Cabo that's it's not even worth a mention? Travelers who have used the Moon Handbooks series in past will be impressed by the resigned format exemplified in this volume. Cummings himself took most of the black and white photos, and I like the way sites are clearly labeled on the maps and not listed in cumbersome keys the way they are in Lonely Planet. However, 18 maps in a 288-page guidebook seems too few to me. These minor caveats aside, Moon Handbooks Cabo is value for money and it will serve the independent, adventuresome traveler well.

No comments about New Mexico.

No comments about Fodor's New Mexico, 7th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

No comments about Vintage Baja: A Gringa's Adventures in Lower California.

3 comments about Hidden Coast: Coastal Adventures from Alaska to Mexico.

1. I would have liked to write a favorable review of this book because I enjoy kayaking and being out in nature. Unfortunately it fails to convey the sense of high adventure, wonder, and splendor that are a part of every kayak outing in such remote and pristine locations. Instead, it laments the loss of ancient ways and cultures, and scolds modern man for his intrusions.

   I'm all in favor of no-impact camping and preserving pristine shorelines. As I started each chapter I hoped this would be where the book got interesting! But alas it disappointed.




2. Just a counter-review to the latest. The first edition was chocked full of page-sized award winning pics. This is NOT a how-to or narrative. It is essentially a picture book including some words by the author introducing and explaining the pics and area. If you want to be inspired to paddle the west coast of Canada and North West US....pick it up, fantastic look/read.



3. Joel Rogers is well known in the Pacific Northwest for being an excellent photographer, with a strong interest in sea kayaking. Many kayaking calendars and rowing calendars are photographed by Rogers. He's also a decent writer. This book is quite a beautiful description, in words and Roger's excellent photos, of kayaking trips from the Seattle/Tacoma area all the way up into Western Canada, including stops at locations not usually seen by man. Quite an interesting, quintessentially Pacific Northwest travel book -- provided that travel is on the water.