3 comments about Hiking New Hampshire, 2nd (State Hiking Series).

1. This is a fine book, with much to offer the novice and dedicated hiker alike. Pletcher's work offers guidance for hiking throughout the state of NH. He has somehow managed to narrow his analysis to 100 fine hikes, which promise adventure into all levels of hiking. While it in no way matches the depth of pure trail knowledge one finds in the AMC guide, it instead offers unique, intimate and eloquent analysis of 100 hikes. Each hike is highlighted with its own map, as well as a chart to graph elevation gains. Also, each trail's difficulty and length are assessed and special attractions unique to the hike are noted. Pletcher is clearly proficient in his knowledge of these trails and, more importantly, adept at putting that knowledge into compact summaries for the benefit of would-be hikers. A must addition to one's hiking library. Ernest M. Berube



2. Living in California, I don't get a chance to hike in New Hampshire as often as I would like. But when I do, I always take this lightweight guide along in my car and in the pack. The best part about the guide is that hikes are described in detail and directions to each trailhead are given in exhaustive detail. This is especially important for out-of-towners who aren't familiar with the back country roads. The authors have hiked each of the trails and they offer pithy comments on trail conditions, the possibility of seeing wildlife and other pertinent information.

   There is a separate section on the magnificent Cohos Trail, the 200+ mile hike which runs the length of the state. My one slight criticism is the photos, which could be of better quality, but the text, route descriptions and ancillary material are of high quality.




3. The author's descriptions of the hikes and directions to the trailheads are very good. He also has done a good job narrowing down New Hampshire's many hikes to the 100 best but you need to supplement the book with a topographical map. A few times, distances were inaccurate and the elevation changes are misleading. Also, the photos could be better.

No comments about The New Girl: Girls' Culture in England 1880-1915.

5 comments about Heavenly Weekends: Travel Without A Car: 52 Daytrips, Overnight and Weekend Getaways Near NY (City and Company).

1. This is the most enjoyable travel book I've read to date! I enjoyed just reading it & can't wait to plan some of the trips! As a resident of New York City, my access to a car is limited. I love the idea of not having to worry about getting a rental car, paying for it, or having to return it! Not to mention, being able to start my vacation immediately rather than waste time sitting in traffic! To the authors: Keep up the good work! I'm waiting for a follow up!



2. I picked up this book not too long ago. I loved it I have already begun planning my travels. I want to start with the firt place mentioned. I would recommend it to anyone!



3. This is a very helpful book for people wanting to take a day or overnight trip from New York City without a car. I find that for a short trip, taking a car adds many hassles. Just driving out of NYC can be so time consuming not to mention aggravating. Here is the perfect book for people who want to concentrate on looking out the bus or train window on the way, and using their legs a bit when they get there. I've used this book to plan trips to Southbury, CT (wonderful place!), Red Bank, NJ (great antique browsing and/or collecting), Rhinebeck, NY (fantastic inn), and Sag Harbor, Long Island NY (beautiful town) to mention a few.



4. When I first saw this book I fell in love with it. First of all, it has a very lovely cover and I love the fact that you don't need a car for any of the trips listed in this book. Because of a personal dilemma I had, I felt a need to leave the city and I needed to leave right away, but I didn't know where to go. I grabbed this book and breezed through it to find the right place for me to go. I went online to check the bus schedule, packed my bags in 20 minutes and left! I felt the urge to leave the city quickly; this was my most spontaneous trip and this book helped me to do that. I enjoyed my weekend trip (arrived there friday evening and left sunday afternoon) and felt refreshed, with a renewed outlook on life.



5. It's not that this book doesn't offer some decent ideas for where to go for a weekend away. There are some. But what the book lacks is variety of type of escape and colorful, insider-info writing. Written by two moms who met on a park bench while their kids were playing in the sandbox, all of the trips tend to take on a girls-weekend-away feel, combined with soft, gushy writing about delightful places to have lunch, quaint towns, and cute places to stay. I was turned off by several places that just seemed too precious and longed for more variety in the types of places to visit.

No comments about New York City 5 Borough Atlas: Large Type (Hagstrom New York City Five Borough Atlas).

5 comments about Unravelling.

1. Aimee Slater lives on a farm in New England, but she's got a modern girl's desire for a bigger life. Against her parents' wishes, Aimee goes to work in the mills of Lowell, Massachusetts. What happens between then and when we see her again in her 30s living alone in the woods with only 2 other outcasts for company forms the meat of this utterly simple and graceful story.



2. I recommend this book, paired with Judith Rossner's "Emmeline." - I don't believe I can read either book without the other, now. I enjoyed "Unravelling," but can't help but compare it to "Emmeline," which is also the story of a girl sent from home to work in the Lowell mills. "Unravelling" is beautifully written, but "Emeline" gives the reader a better sense of the time period, and a more realistic impression of the repercussions of the heroine's similar plight.
   
   Aimee's sensibilities are too modern to ring true. The shocked reactions of others involved in her life are experienced at such a distance, that Aimee seems to exist in a vacuum, her world feels at times unreal, nor is Aimee completely shunned by the siciety she lives in, as one might have expected. Most of Aimee's suffering is internal, it seems, and her reactions are those of a twentieth-century woman, rather than one brought up in the 1830's and '40's. But Graver's style is vivid, memorable, and her words are carefully chosen. The characters are alive--and the facets of the mother-daughter relationship in this book was its highlight, with the growing tenderness between Aimee and Amos coming in a close second. One of the things I like so about this book is the way the secondary characters are as fully formed as Aimee herself is; we aren't only given a narrow view of events. Half of the story is theirs as well.



3. I can appreciate this novel, despite not always liking what the character of Aimee undergoes or what she actively does. It's a sad novel in many ways and nothing is completely fleshed out, so that you are left feeling somewhat dreamy and haunted yourself. My favorite character is not Aimee but rather Plumey, who I think is a great creation, very real. The parts of the book I enjoyed deal with motherhood in various forms. My only complaint is that Amos isn't well developed. But perhaps that was the author's intention.



4. Elizabeth Graver should be very proud, this is a beautifully written novel, she is an amazing story teller.
   
   It is the tale of Aimee Slater, who is 14 years old in 1843, and longs for something more than her mother's life. She and her family, she has five siblings, live in rural New Hampshire. They farm. Aimee wants to go to the city to work in the textile mills. She dreams about seeing the world.
   
   It is the story of her wish to be alone, the story of her loneliness and the story of her relationship with her mother. Her struggle to be near her mother and her longing to be separate from her.
   
   It is the deeply moving account of a young girl's innocence, sorrow and guilt and how they shape the path of her life.
   
   Have the tissues handy for this one.



5. Unraveling is one of those extremely frustrating tomes you come across every now and then. I will stipulate that Graver can write. I will admit that the overall concept of the story is viable and of some interest. It's just that, for me, this thing never got off the ground. To say it is deliberately paced would be generous--plodding is another term that comes to mind. The characters are--or would be-of interest if they were ever fleshed out. The back - and - forth between childhood and adulthood irritates rather than informs.
   
   As one can tell from the other reviews, there are many who found the book absorbing. I did not. That may say more about me than the book but, on the other hand, I seldom have this reaction to a book I've assessed a bit and found interesting enough to buy.
   
   It's not so much that the book is bad, it just never seems to get anywhere. And, given what it might have been, that's a shame.

2 comments about Canoe Camping Vermont and New Hampshire Rivers: A Guide to 600 Miles of Rivers for a Day, Weekend, or Week of Canoe Camping (Backcountry Guides).

1. This book's title is misleading, and provides next to no info about camping. Its information about water conditions and white water classifications is pathetic (and unsafe) as well. More information is available about the rivers the author chose to include in the DeLorme Vermont Gazeteer and Atlas. I wish I didn't order this book, it will become camping toilet paper or an emergency fire starter.



2. I liked this book and used it for some paddling & camping in NH. It gave nice descriptions of the water conditions and paddling descriptions. I agree that it's not a 'how to' book on camping. It's a reference for people who know camping already and are looking for rivers to paddle & camp along.

1 comments about Rock Climbing New England (Regional Rock Climbing Series).

1. Let's get this straight, "Rock Climbing New England" is one of those select guidebooks. Author Stewart Green picks out 15 areas in all of New England and only describes certain climbs in each. That said, there are almost 750 climbs detailed, not at all an insignificant number, and from what I can tell most are done quite well.

   In some cases Green repeats information already available in Webster or other guides. Still, it does have some of the new climbs on Cathedral and Whitehorse, like George Hurley's great 10c addition to the Cathedral Ledge North End, Bailsafe. The coolest thing is that Green includes information on areas that to my knowledge have never been included in any guidebook, like Rose Ledge in central Mass and Owl's Head in New Hampshire.

   Sure there are those who will find fault, there always are. But in spite of having set a very lofty goal, "Rock Climbing New England" succeeds. If you can only afford one, or just want the only available info on one of those obscure places that you have only heard about through the grapevine, this guide will be well worth the investment.

5 comments about The Cocoanut Grove Fire (New England Remembers).

1. Like the author's other book "Boston On Fire," this story is almost impossible to put down once you start reading it. When you read the details of that tragic nightclub fire, it's difficult to believe it could even happen, much less happen so fast that hundreds were killed. But the recent fire at the Station Night Club in Rhode Island is so similar it's scary. Everyone likes to think they would figure out a way to escape such a fire, but some blazes, like the ones at the Cocoanut Grove and The Station Night Club move so fast that they are more like explosions. The author makes the reader feel as though they were actually in the fire. She also goes into the shady history of the nightclub's mobster owner and why so many exit doors were locked. The reader will never again look at revolving doors in the same way and they will always check out the locations of the nearest exit to where they are seated. This is a great read, but maybe not for just before going to bed. The struggles of some of the survivors bring tears to the eyes of the reader. The fire did prove many new techniques for treating burn victims worked. This book makes one believe in fate, luck and just plain good fortune.



2. Excellent research presented in a very readable format. It's not too long, but still has a lot of content. Well done!



3. Book came in the time frame and in the condition specified.



4. This book is short, and lacks much in the way of substance. If you want to read about this historic disaster find a book better suited to the topic.



5. I grew up hearing my parents talk about the Cocoanut Grove fire but never knew the whole story until I discovered this book.
   The real facts of how the fire started will never be known but the causes have been narrowed down and, as with so many tragedies, medical breakthroughs in burn treatment and building safety have resulted from the disaster.
   This book draws all the known facts together without speculation. It's an intense, terrifying and sorrowful story.

3 comments about Northeast Home Landscaping: Including Southeast Canada (Home Landscaping).

1. I live in the Northeast and am a novice gardener. This book is great because it gives you a lot of different garden plans, and let's you see what plants look good together and work well together in similar conditions. I also like that it shows a lot of the garden plans in different seasons, and in some cases shows you what your garden will look like when you plant it, then in five years, or ten years down the road.
   
   The book has a great index so you can cross reference and see the same plant in different gardens, and there's a great reference section at the end that tells you all about each plant. It also has one of the best sections I've seen on preparing your garden for planting.



2. I poured over my mom's copy of this book for several weeks, and after returning it to her, decided it was time to buy my own. I'm a new homeowner who would love to beautify the yard with low maintenance plants that will thrive in my climate. This book is filled with lots of sample plans, pictures of plants, descriptions, and tips on how to care for / prune plants. I love it!!! I've developed my own plan for the front of the house based on ideas from the book, and I feel like I now have a decent idea of what plants to buy and how to group them to make a beautiful front yard. I highly recommend this book.



3. I am currently in the midst of a major home landscaping project (the installation of terraces, shrubs, flowers, tall trees and irrigation combined with masonry and outdoor lighting) and had no idea what my landscape architect was talking about until I purchased this book. It's a simple and easy reference guide that really gives a novice a thorough education of home landscaping. This book will tell you "what" to have planted "where" and "why". The garden design layouts are also very helpful for anyone seeking site design guidance. My landscape architect was very impressed with my newfound knowledge of plantings and it's completely due to this book. This is a must purchase if you're looking to do any type of landscaping in the Northeast!

1 comments about The Field Guide to Lighthouses of the New England Coast: 150 Destinations in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

1. After the title, the cover mentions 150 destinations... While the information contained in this volume is accurate for the lights that I am familiar with, at the same time, the volume is not nearly as comprehensive as the recently published "The Lighthouse Handbook - New England" by Jeremy D'Entremont, which also lives on my bookshelf. Elinor's book is a nice companion to Jeremy's and it is certainly worth having both. Elinor has information on when individual lights are open, telephone numbers, etc. broken out into colored boxes, which makes this information readily spotted, whereas Jeremy's Field Guide has the same information contained in the text pertaining to each light.