2 comments about Frommer's Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine (Frommer's Complete).

1. Frommer's guidebook provides an excellent overview of the sights to see, things to do, and places to stay in the three Northern New England states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. The overviews are very accurate and provide a good description of the places, making the book an excellent way to decide where to go in the areas, and a good guidebook once you arrive.

   The biggest problem with the book is that there is not enough individual descriptions of each area. Chances are most tourists are not visiting several regions in all three states, but are choosing one or two to explore in-depth. For example, I went to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine, an area that was given around 20 pages of coverage. Therefore, more research on the specific areas you plan to visit will probably be necessary to help you get the absolute most out of your trip!




2. What's worse than a guide that doesn't know his way? A guide that leads you far up the wrong path. Imagine buying a map where the streets and roads led you into all the wrong places.
   
   According to the ad copy: "...avoid tourist traps. Frommer's Portable Guides help you make the right travel choices...Outspoken opinions on top attractions - what's worth your time and what's not...The best hotels and restaurants in every price range, with candid reviews...The expert guidance you need to take charge and travel with confidence."
   
   The haughty tone of this particular edition would make you think the author(s) were steeped in expert knowledge about the history and traditions of the long-standing established hotels and attractions in the region. And this illusion is effective until you arrive at more than one location expecting to find a rural paradise only to discover that it has become a gated community/housing development. So what do the authors actually know other than what they seem to have compiled from the hotel brochure you find at McDonald's? Not a whole heck of a lot.
   
   For several of the hotels reviewed in this "guide", the reviews were obviously at least two years out of date and completely unrepresentative, to the extent that there was an impression that the guide was protecting the interests of the establishment being described, or should I say, advertised. So, am I actually paying for a compendium of advertising?
   
   Any guide can draw a fine line between objective "candid review", favoritism and deceptive promotion. Many aspects of this guide fall into the last category. Someone's not doing their research, which is why a reader may actually pay for a book, or perhaps, someone is getting some money under the table. This guide is inaccurate and deceptive. Check their reviews at their Frommer's site on the Internet. Then check what's actually going on at sites like Tripadvisor or other travel forums. In this aspect, print is dead.

1 comments about Foghorn Outdoors New Hampshire Hiking: Day Hikes, Kid-Friendly Trails, and Backpacking Treks (Foghorn Outdoors).

1. The writer really knows what he's talking about and has some great practical advice. The book's layout made it easy for me to arrange hiking trips with my friends, since it tells me the difficult of each hiking trail. Very informative and invaluable.

2 comments about 50 More Hikes in New Hampshire: Day Hikes and Backpacking Trips from Mount Monadnock to Mount Magalloway, Fifth Edition (50 Hikes).

1. I found this book to be extremely helpful. It makes planning a hiking agenda easy. Great maps and detailed overviews. This book gives you the confidence to allow you to explore more of New Hampshire. No matter which trail you decide to take on...you will know what to expect. Even gives guides to "rainy day" hikes. The only drawback is that you will want to pack it with you!



2. I have over a dozen books on hiking in New Hampshire (my favorite state and place to climb) but this has to be one of the few that really gets detailed on the trail's good points and bad ones and what to watch for.
   The trails are varied, some long and more of 'getting there' attitude and some short but very scenic. The authors really let you know about spots to stop at and why and other neat things to watch for.
   I have done at least 12 of the 50 and plan on all if I am able in this short life, lol. No complaints about the descriptions. Also very pleased with the accurate info on parking and directions to the trailhead, which is confusing in some other books.
   This is the second book to the 50 Hikes series for New Hampshire, both are unbelievable and invaluable in their information. This one takes us from Barrett Mountain in Southern NH (which by the way is impossible to find informative hiking information on)through the Whites and even one in the Far North. There are quite a few essential 4,000 footers in here, so don't miss out!
   
   Tracy Talley~@

3 comments about 50 Hikes in the White Mountains: Hikes and Backpacking Trips in the High Peaks Region of New Hampshire, Sixth Edition.

1. This book is a font of information -- everything you need to know about hiking in New Hampshire! The hiking trails have been well-researched, and the author evaluates the difficulty of each trail. Makes a great gift for the adventurer in your family!



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 Cosos Trail, the 200+ mile hike which runs from the border of NH to he Canadian border. My one slight criticism is the maps, which could be of better quality, but the text, route descriptions and ancillary material are of high quality. The descriptions of day hikes around Pinkham Notch are excellent!




3. I used this book last weekend. The trail descriptions are very easy to follow, and the introductory write-ups make it easy to select appropriate trails for your skill/desired effort level.

1 comments about AMC Presidential Range Map, White Mountains, New Hampshire: Includes detailed map of Northern Presidentials and hiking information (Appalachian Mountain Club: White Mountains Trail Map).

1. Part of the Appalachian Mountain Club's White Mountain Trail Maps series, this particular map covers the Presidential Range in northern New Hampshire. One side of the map displays the area south of Route 2, including the Great Gulf, Mts Madison through Washington, and the area south and east of Mt. Jackson. An inset provides detail on the plateau around the top of Mt. Washington. The back of the map provides a close-up look at the northern Presidentials, including the myriad of trails that run down from the ridge between Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Madison down to Route 2.
   
   The map is printed in color at 1:42240 scale for the large map and at 1:20000 or better for the two insets. The map sheet is waterproof, tear-resistant, and just the right size to be stuffed into a pocket or rucksack. The detail is excellent, including distances on major trail segements. This map is intended to be used with the detail trail descriptions in the AMC White Mountain Guide 28th edition.
   
   This map is absolutely essential to safe and purposeful hiking in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, where weathers conditions can take away visibility and reduce hikers to careful route-finding by map and compass. It is very highly recommended to hikes and other visitors to the Presidential Range.

1 comments about Hidden New England: Including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (Hidden Travel).

1. Like the book My wife and I like going to new places for a weekend .

No comments about Vermont, New Hampshire, & Maine (Best Hikes With Kids).

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.

No comments about Living and Working in New Zealand, 4th Edition: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in New Zealand).

1 comments about Best Hikes With Dogs: New Hampshire & Vermont (Best Hikes with Dogs).

1. I had been looking forward to this book's publication since a New Hampshire bookseller told me this summer it was coming soon. I live in Vermont 7 months of the year, and New Hampshire the remaining 5. I own a 4-year-old shepherd/black lab mix, Diamond, who loves to go hiking with me. So this book is perfect for us to plan new adventures.
   
   The author has selected hikes which are safe and suitable for dogs, as well as delightful hikes for their human companions. I was glad to see some of my favorite hikes are included in the book, and there are many others I look forward to doing with Diamond.
   
   The hikes are rated from one to four paws for difficulty, and dog regulations specific to each hike (proof of rabies, leash laws) are given. I am impressed with the detailed topographic maps, especially since the maps in my two "Best Hikes with Children" books, by the same publisher, are a bit disappointing.
   
   I was glad to see that the author details many safety-related and ethical issues pertaining to hiking with dogs. The ten essentials include gear one should carry for dogs (leash, water, portable bowl) as well as obedience training (to be done before the dog goes hiking). The ten canons of trail etiquette are guidelines to ensure that your dog won't offend other hikers, and that you won't lose the privilege of hiking with your dog on the trails.