2 comments about The Hidden Coast: Kayak Explorations from Alaska to Mexico.

1. The author has experienced many paddling adventures all over the West Coast of North America and down into Mexico. A fantastic photographer, Rogers jams this book full of beautiful and inspiring photographs along with interesting narrative. From the pounding surf off the Washington coast to warm, quiet lagoons in the Baja, Rogers takes you along for quite a trip.



2. I am so bummed that this book is out of print. I read it in the summer of 1995, while houseboating at Lake Powell. Even though I'm not a kayaker, I love being out on the water, and this book really made me want to take up kayaking. The pictures are fabulous, the stories are wonderful! I especially remember the stories about kayaking with the ships off the coast of California, and with the orcas in Alaska. If this book ever comes back into print, I want a copy of it. In the meantime, I guess I'll just keep watching the used book stores!

1 comments about Manhattan: A Pictorial Souvenir.

1. This book contains great artistic pictures from the greatest city of the world. I used this book in my first trip to NY and it gives a good image of the city main touristic places. Pictures are, as I said, very good, but some do not have good quality. Pictures are sometimes too artistic. However, it is the perfect book for tourist and people who admire great buildings and big cities. Do not consider this book a complete tour guide, because it's not. If you're a tourist, this book helps you decide what places to visit, but it does not contain a classified list of restaurants, etc. If you buy this book, you'll be happy to see beautiful images of the places you've seen on TV. I hope you enjoy this book.

No comments about Appalachian Trail Guide to Southwest Virginia With Maps (Appalachian Trail Guides).

5 comments about A Snow Walker's Companion: Winter Trail Skills from the Far North.

1. I cannot snowshoe very often in Tennessee (hah ha) but this book makes me wish I could. I had read Garrett's Beyond the Paddle and loved it so I got this book and was blown away. I would reccomend it to anyone who likes to camp-out in woodland areas in the winter. Every view in this book is perceptive, inciteful and entertaining. Do not pass this one up. It ranks up there with the works of Bill Mason, Cache Lake Country and works by Calvin Rustrum.



2. This book is first-class! It has the attention to detail that only the Conovers, both Maine Guides, could bring to it.

   It covers snowshoes, bindings, moccasins, boots, toboggans, tents, stoves, food, clothes, and travel by snowmobile. There is even an excellent discussion on the psychology of winter camping.

   The emphasis is on winter traveling the way Native Americans have done and are still doing it -- in a safe and comfortable way.

   The sources of equipment and further information at the end of each chapter are very valuable.

   I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in winter wilderness travel and camping or in the material culture of the Native Americans of the Sub-Arctic boreal areas.

   Rich Howe




3. Garrett and Alexendra Conovers' "A Snow Walker's Companion" is an interesting compilation of information about living in far northern climates. It works best as a historical record of the traditions, techniques, and lore of Inuit and Cree peoples that enable them to live simply and comfortably in harsh climes. To that end, it is a reverent and important book. The book's weakness is the implicit message that the cold-dwelling hand crafters of wooden snowshoes are morally superior to the poor urban dweller trying to live a balanced life by juggling work and children with occasional forays into the woods or up the mountains, on aluminum Sherpas, clothed in fleece and Gortex. The Conovers, who live in a walled tent in Maine and are respected wilderness guides, seem not to understand that their chosen lifestyle is possible only because most choose not to live it. For readers who are truly considering a move to or extended travel in far northern territories, "A Snowwalker's Companion" is unique and indispensible. Most winter adventurers, though, must satisfy their love of the outdoors with day mountain hikes or backpacks of several days duration. For them, a book such as "Winterwise, A Backpacker's Guide," by John M. Dunn, or any cold weather book by the Appalachian Mountain Club, New Hampshire, is apt to be more useful and far less grating.



4. The newest edition of the book previously published as "A Snow Walker's Companion" and "The Winter Wilderness Companion" is hot off the presses and made it's sales debut at the 6th Annual Traditional Winter Camping Symposium near Eau Claire, WI this past weekend.
   
   "Snow Walker's Companion" by Garrett and Alexandra Conover, published by Stone Ridge Press, will be available on Amazon and other outlets in time for Christmas/Chanukah shopping. The book now includes a color photo section and updated information on equipment sources as well as titanium stoves, GPS and sat-phone use and other improvements since the 2001 edition.



5. I bought this book when it was called the The Winter Wilderness Companion: Traditional and Native American Skills for the Undiscovered Season this original edition has been revised as the new Snow Walker's Companion: Winter Camping Skills for the North, with new plans for a traditional wooden toboggan and more trail-craft tips.
   
   I've used the plans to make my own mukluks and mittens with great success and can throughly recommend this book for both beginners and experienced outdoors folks alike.
   
   For those who are really serious about learning winter skills, it would be worth checking out the Conover's website at [...]
   
   Although the book is evocatively written with phrases like "...frosted hair makes long haired women look like fairy-tale damsels and bearded men like hoary old walruses..." there is no lack of attention to detail, with meticulous research and dirt-time experience. The Conovers are arguably some of the most experienced winter travel guides around, and this book is testament to that.

5 comments about Gene Kilgore's Ranch Vacations 6 Ed: The Complete Guide to Guest and Resort, Fly-Fishing, and Cross-Country Skiing Ranches in the United States and Canada.

1. My wife and I have been on six ranch vacations, and over the years purchased three edition's of this book. There is no better starting point in planning a ranch vacation than this guide. It allows the reader to narrow his search to the type of dude ranch one is looking for.



2. Gene Kilgore's Ranch Vacations is what all travel guides should strive for. Gene succinctly provides critical information on almost 200 ranches. He's identified and presents information on the major features that are important to ranch guests (number of guests, season, cost, closest airport and medical centers, activities, children's programs, accommodations, dining). He introduces a little history/background on each ranch (which largely seems to be taken from ranch brochures) but he also includes his own capsule summary with each review that accurately captures the essence of that ranch. Ranch Vacations allows the reader to easily compare ranches to one another to find that perfect vacation destination!

   Gene also cross-indexes the ranches so it is easy to narrow down ranches that offer cattle work, fly fishing, English-style riding, or those that are adults' oriented, resort-like, and wheelchair accessible. The guide also contains wonderful black & white and color photos of the ranches.

   While I've done a lot of ranch searching on the internet, and use Gene's ranch website extensively, I always come back to my Ranch Vacations guide. It provides fingertip access to side-by-side ranch comparisons - something that is still difficult to do on the internet!




3. Gene Kilgore's 'Ranch Vacations' should also be called America the beautiful because his various editions create a veritable smorgasbord of panoramic delights.

   This is the quintessential America-the great ranches of the Great Plains states - and a whole lot more, including Canada and even the eastern regions of USA.

   The vastness, colour, scenery, atmosphere all leap out of the pages of these books-enough to make this Aussie want to pack his bags and go a ranchin' tomorrow.

   The only problem is determining location -there are just so many choices available in so many states.

   While more information can be found on the web Kilgore's book has the advantage of easy cross reference and is transportable.

   In this age of terrorism the beauty, tranquility and grandeur of America stands in ample contrast to those who wish to destroy the Great Republic.

   Unlike those who seek to wreck and destroy, the people in this book, including the author, seek to build by offering the best hospitality and advice possible-and in doing so reveal an authentic part of America to both the reader at home and abroad.




4. Gene runs a web site which we reviewed, and we read his book as well. We booked a ranch -- Wit's end--based on his book review, and the great web site for the ranch. It was a bad experience. It is impossible, so far as I can tell, to write and post a negative review on Gene's site. It appears he takes commissions for booking people into the places he writes up. So beware. The mystical person who appears on the cover of the book likely does not exist. It is a sales document, so that he can get commissions booking people to the ranches. Go back and read the book and you will see there is not one negative comment in it, just as there are no negative comments allowed on his web site.



5. Ranch Vacations contains great information about dude ranch vacations. Lots of pictures.
   
   Kilgore also maintains Ranchweb <http://www.ranchweb.com> which features even more pictures and details about the dude ranches for those who are seriously considering a vacation on a dude ranch.
   
   The book is a great starting point.

No comments about Rail Ventures, The Comprehensive Guide to Train Travel in North America.

1 comments about Oscar E. Berninghaus, Taos, New Mexico: Master Painter of American Indians and the Frontier West.

1. What an exquisite book! Not only is it an informative and interesting read, but it made me want to move to Taos and take up oil painting! In fact, I'm signing up for painting classes this week! The plates are magnificent, and the subject matter, Taos, and Taos Pueblo Indians, are filled with beauty and dignity from a time gone by. Highly recommended for all lovers of the Southwest, native cultures, and landscape and oil paintings.

1 comments about Alliance (OH) (Images of America).

1. As a transplant from NY to Alliance, Ohio I shortly realized what I missed most was a sense of history with my new surroundings. This book was so interesting and informative about our new hometown.

1 comments about Scats and Tracks of the Great Lakes: A Field Guide to the Signs of Seventy Wildlife Species (Scats and Tracks Series).

1. What I like best about this book is that it is simple enough for my 3 year old to put into use. He loves hiking and even going in our backyard and trying to match the pictures in the book with the tracks in the snow and mud. Very useful, filled with great information for myself.

No comments about Sunday in San Francisco, 2nd Edition: 1,638 Relaxing, Uplifting, Caloric, Historic, Hip and Romantic Weekend Things fo r Locals and Tourists to Do in the Bay Area (Fodor's Sunday in San Francisco).