2 comments about New England: A Pictorial Souvenir.

1. Masterfully photographed, and printed on high quality paper, this book is a must have for any armchair traveller.
   The book provides a map of the region on the inside cover, and then follows a brief and informative historical overview, which introduces the region to the reader. From that point onwards the book consists of one splendid photograph after the other, very often on a full page, or even spread over double pages, all with short descriptions to accompany them.
   I am also the proud owner of Ireland (Photographic Tour) by the same author and photographer and as such, I can highly recommend any one of the books in this series.



2. I expected this book to be filled with beautiful shots of the New England countryside, scenic lighthouses, and historic sites. While there are certainly some fine photos here, there are way too many shots which are nondescript at best. The first twenty pages are devoted to brief history and old b/w photos from from 1890's and this section is enjoyable. Unfortunately, its downhill from there. I was not looking for photos of the Kennedy birth home, a full page devoted to an 8-yr-old girl sunning on the beach, a two-page spread of a rusty "junk shop", a full page showing only a boat shed with buoys hanging off it, single photo spread of a barge on the river (yuk), two pages allocated to a diner in RI, etc. The photography is sharp and colorful and the few photos of the NE countryside, Sturbridge Village, and the like are stunning. Unfortunately the less interesting subjects prevail.

3 comments about Frommer's Virginia (Frommer's Virginia, 5th ed).

1. Concise, up-to-date and useful descriptions of attractions, hotels and restaurants around Virginia. Not a tremendous amount of depth of information on any one spot, but if you're traveling around the state, this is a good guide.



2. A very comprehensive guide for the state of Virginia. Even though I am a frequent visitor to Virginia, I found many new interesting places to add to future itineraries.



3. in it that you'll never find all in one place. I used it and was pleased with it

No comments about Romantic Days and Nights(R)in Seattle.

No comments about The Ancient Mayas: Adventures in the Jungles of Yucatan 1934.

5 comments about Not For Tourists Guide to Boston 2006 (Not For Tourists).

1. I bought this book off Amazon and was a little ticked off when it came because:
   A) It was so small
   B) Half of it was maps
   
   However I have come to love this little book for precisely those reasons. It's the ultimate walking around the city book. It's small enough to fit in your pocket, yet the maps are detailed enough to show every street. The authors accomplish this two ways: there are a lot of map pages, and the guide doesn't try to cover too large an area. If you live in Medford or Arlington, you're out of luck. Somerville is as far north as the guide goes.
   
   Since each map page covers such a small area, you have to turn pages fairly often, but this is not a big deal because:
   A) The authors let the map pages overlap considerably, so it's easy to orient yourself on the new page.
   B) The maps cover neighborhoods, using logical boundaries. For example, one map page will stop at the charles river, and the next will pick up on the other side.
   
   By devoting three map pages to each neighbourhood (essentials, entertainment, and transportation), the book can convey a lot of information without being cluttered.
   
   Since it fits in your back pocket, this guide is best suited to those taking public transportation. It covers probably ~85% of the T's network (some outlying areas are excluded) and also includes bus routes.
   
   I have been using Rand McNally's street guide boston when I drive around. It's great in the suburban areas. Since its pages are big and is spiral bound, I can keep one page open in the passenger seat. However since it uses a grid system, the positioning of the page boundaries is arbitrary. Since there is no overlap between the pages, navigating around the page boundaries can be a pain.
   
   If you move to Boston, you will need some type of map. There is no rhyme or reason to the streets here.



2. As a new Bostonian this book has saves me a million times already. If you are newly moved to Boston, this book is a definite must have. There is no rhyme or reason to the streets of the city. Boston was made before the grid pattern existed. Streets constantly change names and directions. Half of the time there is no street sign, and if there is it is microscopic. This perfect compact book fits nicely in your purse or pocket so it is extremely portable and easy to carry with you. It is filled with maps of all areas of Boston and also includes some surrounding areas. It is mostly a map book but also lists entertainment, nightlife, schools, liquor stores, grocery stores, restaurants, banks, etc. Has multiple maps of each area including a public transportation map and a key map. Maps are very user friendly and easy to read. I have gotten lost multiple times and this book has always helped me find my way. There is a street index in the back and an elastic band that you can use to hold the page you need. A small price to pay for your sanity while navigating the city!



3. This guidebook's title is right on: it's not for tourists. It's for those of us who are moving to Boston and need good maps, information on T-stops and bus lines (very helpful, as no other guidebook I've seen shows bus lines), restaurants, bars, etc. We don't need information on fancy hotels and the Freedom Trail- for that, a different guidebook might do. But this is the one worth buying and keeping tucked in your purse or bag when you're out and about in the city.



4. I first picked up the NFT guide for New York City in May of 2006 when I was looking for a tourbook for a long weekend trip I had planned. I now have the Chicago and Boston books as well.
   
   These books are the ultimate guide to a city and are not just for people new to the cities. They provide EXCELLENT coverage of the public transportation systems and numbered nieghborhood maps. As well as the locations of resturants, coffe shops, bookstores, edcuational instutions, hospitals, shopping and more.
   
   The design of the books; compact with a black elastic band to either hold your place in the text or to keep items secure within the book, easy to read, and somewhat sarcastic demeanor; is a joy.
   
   If you like to travel, these books are a must.



5. You cannot put a price on how many hours this book will save you! Has every possible side street. You will never get lost!

No comments about Amazing North Carolina: Fascinating Facts, Entertaining Tales, Bizarre Happenings, and Historical Oddities about the Tarheel State (Amazing America).

1 comments about CONDE NAST JOHANSENS RECOMMENDED HOTELS, INNS, RESORTS AND SPAS - THE AMERICAS, ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN, PACIFIC 2006 (Johansens Recommended Hotels Inns and ... North America, Bermuda, Caribbean Pacific).

1. No, I did not purchase this because my last name is Johansen. This is just THE book if you are looking for THE best, most unique, boutique type loding in the USA.

No comments about Ancient Treasures of the Southwest: A Guide to Archeological Sites and Museums in Arizona, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

2 comments about A Journal of Travels into the Arkansas Territory During the Year 1819 (Arkansas Classics).

1. Thomas Nuttall traveled through Arkansas on the White river and described what he saw in great detail. He actually named many of the plants that he found on the trip. The drawings in the book depict landscapes that anyone from Arkansas would recognize yet devoid of all the manmade features.



2. This is the journal of Thomas Nuttall who, in 1819, with $200 and a residual case of malaria,traveled from Philadelphia down the Ohio and the Mississippi to the Arkansas River and various of its tributaries. His journey extended as far west as the current site of Oklahoma City. His account of the plant and animal life, the geology and the streams of Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma are accurate, jargon-free and, in many cases, still definitive. His portrayals of the European and Native Americans he met are objective, unsentimental and unprejudiced. Througout the considerable dangers and difficulties he faced, he maintained, and conveyed, a refreshing sense of wonder at the natural world he explored, an attitude of realistic compassion for the people he encountered and a sense of the historical significance of what he witnessed. The journals are well-edited by Prof. Lottinville whose notes identify sites described by Mr. Nuttall with their current names and provide historical context for various events discussed in the book. This book is a great find for anyone interested in the land, history and people of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

3 comments about Kansas: Off the Beaten Path (3rd Edition).

1. The book is interesting, but seems to have a number of inaccuracies. i.e., the location of the Branding Iron Restaurant (p. 45), the military bridge, "...one of only two remaining structures..."(p. 43)[the bridge was dismantled many years ago (maybe 20 years); "Wealthy old Marblecrest Street .." (p. 42), [I guess this is Marblecrest Drive; I would not call Marblecrest Drive wealthy or old]; the Battle of Mine Creek, "...fought near Trading Post..."(p. 42) [Mine Creek Battlefield is several miles from Trading Post; it is about two miles from Pleasanton.]

   I find the book interesting, but with these inaccuracies in the areas with which I am familiar would cause me to be afraid to trust the book for areas in which I am not familiar.




2. I find "Kansas Off the Beaten Path" (5th edition) to be an interesting guide to Kansas sights and attractions, but it seems to be loaded with inaccuracies.

   Page 4 - "The term Huron is not really the name of a Native American Tribe..." Wrong - there is a Huron tribe.

   Page 7 - "The Great Mall of the Great Plains - Kansas City" This is in Olathe - not Kansas City.

   Page 38 - "Wealthy old Marblecrest Street has a panoramic view of the Marmaton River valley..." Marblecrest is neither wealthy nor old, and very little of it overlooks the river valley.

   Page 38 - "The Good Ol' Days...is a celebration of life from the 1840s through today...." It is the recreation of an 1899 Street Fair.

   Page 39 - "The Bourbon County Fair takes place the fourth week in July..." If you come then, you will miss it.

   Page 41 - "Hollister Wildlife Area, 8 miles southwest of Fort Scott on Highway 69...." It's several miles off Highway 69.

   Page 42 - "...Darnaby's Berry Farm and Country House...." It has been closed for several years.

   Page 51 - The account of the Civil War battle: "...a total massacre of the Fort Scott troops." This is incorrect.

   Page 130 - The account of Squaw's Den Battleground: "Their escape took them through eastern Kansas...." their route was in western Kansas.

   This could be a really good guide to out-of-the-way attractions in Kansas, but I could not trust its accuracy. If there are as many mistakes in the rest of the book as in the portion with which I am familiar, I question its value. A book in its 5th edition should have those inaccuracies corrected. The authors need to recheck some of their information.




3. I've found a number of really great places by using this book. To name a few, there's the chalk pyramids (the directions weren't great, but once I saw the roads I understood why), the Kauffman Museum, and Coronado Heights north of Lindsborg, Kansas, aka "Little Sweeden." This is a travelers guide, and as such, will do a good job of showing people who are unfamiliar with Kansas around the state and to some places that they might not otherwise know are there. I am a transplant from Pennsylvania, and have shown myself around my new state using this book. There are scores of places, events, and landmarks that are quirky, interesting, or astonishing in this book. Had I never gotten this volume, I'd still think Kansas was as boring as I did before I moved here. And now I actually know more about it than most of the people with whom I work who have lived here their whole lives! This book, like all in the series, is worth having, or at least checking out, if you're headed out to the Sunflower State.