4 comments about Frommer's Cruises & Ports of Call 2007: From U.S. & Canadian Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii & More (Frommer's Cruises).

1. I have cruised many times before and found this book to be quite honest in its observations. We are sailing to Hawaii and I was able to find the information I wanted. I think this is a great resource for anyone considering a cruise vacation.



2. I have always turned to Frommer's for honest reviews of just about any destination. Their website is full of great info too



3. These books are great tools. I have cruised many times and I still consult them before every cruise. I would say they are must haves for first timers. They summarize the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, as well as many debarkation ports. What I find most useful is the information provided on each of the cruise lines and cruise ships. If you are unsure which ship would be best for you and your family this book will definitely help you decide. I would caution potential buyers visiting very small or less popular islands. Places like Anguilla, Trinidad and Tobago are noticeably absent from the book.



4. Great book to throw in your backpack and take with you on the cruise. You can bone up on a bit of the history and it will get some ideas ffor excursions or places to visit on the islands.

5 comments about Retro Chic: A Guide to Fabulous Vintage and Designer Resale Shopping in North America and Online.

1. I think the mark of a good guidebook is one that can tell you new things about your hometown. Retro Chic is a *great* guidebookbook. I purchased my copy at home in Seattle, and was pleased to see that my favorite retro sources were included -- as well as several new favorites I hadn't heard about before. The information on online resources is also quite helpful, and introduced me to a whole new way of shopping for unique resale fashions. I took Retro Chic with me on a business trip to Los Angeles last week, and was able to do some wonderfully affordable consignment shopping in a city that's completely foreign to me. What a fantastic resource!

   This DOES NOT appear to be a book in which the authors were paid for reviewing particular stores. The information is well organized, up-to-date, and gives plenty of clues about the stores it reviews. Listings are honest and cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from price scales and credit cards accepted to the kind of merchandise available.

   This book is a great resource for anyone with a retro fetish, and a no-hassle way for people new to the "scene" to find great resale outlets in their home town, on vacation, or online. I highly recommend Retro Chic and have bought copies as gifts for two friends who recently moved across country.




2. What a fabulous resource for lovers of vintage clothing! I have learned about stores in Toronto that I would never have found otherwise. The detailed store descriptions are wonderful - it's interesting to learn about the history of the stores, as well as about their owners.
   And what a helpful book when travelling to other cities in North America! Thank you!



3. I LOVED this book, not only was it extremely informative, but it was very practical-the $ labels were the best! I used it on a very important project and it didn't let me down once! This resource was very helpful. It is a book for anyone who has been bitten by the vintage-shopping bug. Happy shopping!



4. This book is basically just a list of resale stores in some bigger cities. The same information could be obtained in twenty minutes with some basic research.



5. This book is fabulous. Not only does it explore (and I use the word "explore" because these listings go way beyond mere addresses and phone numbers) about 500 vintage and contemporary designer resale stores all over the U.S., Canada and Online, but with the information offered on each store (what kind of merchandise is carried, price range, return policy, store owner's personal collections, description of the store itself, etc.), I feel much more confident about shopping for my newest passion, vintage clothing (almost like the authors are holding my hand and walking me thru). I also found the section that describes designers from the '20s to the '80s, along with an explanation of what was going on the world during those times, fascinating. The glossary of fashion terms is also helpful, and I loved the listings of vintage expos all over the U.S. The quotes from costume designers, and learning about vintage pieces worn by Hollywood celebrities, is definately a fun bonus. Bravo!

5 comments about Walker of Time.

1. The book I've read is called the "Walker of Time". The reading level is not too hard and not too easy. I would recommend this book to the people who like reading adventure books. As you read through this book, it gives you a good atmosphere and you will feel like you are in the story. This story is based on time travelling. The main character is called Walker or Wayma in Hopi language. Walker had to travel and confront dangerous situation. He had to travel to find out about the time travelling. As he travels through in the story, he finds new companies. Such as when Walker was blackout because of the thunderstorm and when he woke up the first thing he saw was this white American called Tag. After that he met flute maiden and more like white rabbit and the eagle. This story is like "Wizard Of Oz" because as he travel he met new friends.This book is kind of a gentle, flowing of ideas.After all, if you are a real adventure book reader, you should get a copy of "Walker of Time".



2. A few years ago my mom got me this book for my birthday, and I thought I'd try it out. It turned out to be the best book I have ever read, and I am not exagerating! I have read it every year since I got it, and I strongly suggest you read it, and realize what I'm talking about. The adventure and suspense is great, as well as the dialogue and strong characters you will want to meet. Take my word for it, once you pick it up, you'll never want to put it down!



3. My dad bought this book for me a few years ago and I didn't think i would like it but i tried it out anyway. it was the best book ever. i lent it out to so many people that i never got it back but everyone who read it loved it.



4. I have just read a book called walker of time and it was amazing.
   I would recommend it for people aged from 10 to 50.

   It is about a Hopi indian boy called Walker who travels back in time 600 years. While he is travelling back in time a young white boy manages to get zapped back as well. Walker knows he's been sent back for a reason, but what??

   It is half an adventure and half a sad story.




5. I picked this book up for a little bit of light reading when I visited the Grand Canyon last week. It is a "teen" reader, but I found it really enjoyable. It's an easy read like a "Harry Potter" novel. It's a definite page turner.
   
   I enjoyed the novel because it explores the questions to why the Native Americans who lived in the cliff dwellings of Walnut Canyon left and where they may have gone. Shortly after finishing this novel, I visited Mesa Verde National Park and explored the Balcony house. The ranger's talk explored many of the same theories that the book's story is based upon.

1 comments about Lighthouses of the Great Lakes: Your Ultimate Guide to the Region's Historic Lighthouses (Pictorial Discovery Guide).

1. Lighthouses Of The Great Lakes is a simply fantastic showcase of historic lighthouses of the Great Lakes region. Full color photographs by Daniel E. Dempster of virtually every structure combined with Todd R. Berger's informative text revealing remarkable true stories behind each fill this amazing tour through history. A treat for lighthouse aficionados, and a joy to page through for virtually everyone else, Lighthouses Of The Great Lakes is the next best thing to driving for hours to see each great, life-saving lighthouse personally.

No comments about Best Streams for Great Lakes Steelhead: A Complete Guide to the Fish, the Tactics, and the Places to Catch Them.

1 comments about Wyoming Topographic Recreational Map.

1. These are great reference maps for generalized recreational activities. Not as detailed as a topo map, but still packed full of outstanding informatin. I have one for every state and I don't leave home with out them.

5 comments about North America the Beautiful (Journeys Through The World).

1. I have been a fan of Galen Rowell's work for years, and I had been anticipating getting a compendium of his North American work for a while. If you want to see some of Rowell's best from a technical standpoint, then by all means grab a copy, but be warned that this is some of the worse image quality I've seen in a photography book published in the last 10 years. Most pictures are overly grainy, there are some major pixel problems where colors blend (particularly in colorful sky shots), and color casts often don't match his originals. With the technology as good as it presently is, this is inexcusable for such an expensive book. Rowell deserved better.



2. I love this book! I'm in to landscape photography and this book is some of the best examples out there.



3. This is a beautiful book of photography done by one of the most outstanding nature photographers America has ever known. The photos from all over N. America are outstanding. A wonderful coffee table book. Also an inspirational book for photographers or anyone desiring to be amongst the glories of nature. Galan Rowell knew what to look for in a great photograph.



4. I bought it as a gift for my husband who is into photography. He's really enjoying it. It arrived before Christmas too even though I got an email that said it would be late. I've had good experience w/ amazon on book orders.



5. This book is packed full of breath-taking scenery with every page, from front cover to back, presenting exquisite photos of North American treasures. It is a picture book filled with eye candy for the nature lover, world traveler, and science enthusiast. I highly recommend this book to inspire your soul, renew your mind, and lift your spirits.

5 comments about Hiking the Southwest's Canyon Country.

1. This is an unusual guidebook, in that the author lays out a series of suggested itineraries for the Colorado Plateau country, sized for a 2-3 week vacation. This would be an ideal guidebook for a first-time hiker-visitor to the US Southwest. But old hands won't feel left out, or condescended to -- Hinchman writes clearly and directly, and knows her stuff. She notes that her guidebook is directed towards the "non-jock" reader.
   
   I've been to many of the places and specific hikes that she recommends, and I saw no errors, though I haven't yet used her guidebook in the field. The cartography, by Hannah Hinchman, is unusually good for a small-format guidebook. About the only flaw I noted was that about half of the color photos are poorly reproduced. The text index is sketchy, but the index maps are excellent. Previous Mountaineers guidebooks have been sturdily-bound and hold up well in the field. Highly recommended.
   
   Happy hiking--
   Peter D. Tillman
   Desert Rat



2. This guide is excellent in many respects: the maps are well-drawn without drowning in detail, the multi-day itineraries are useful (but by no means necessary and can be broken into day trips), and the descriptions of the trails and the many photos let you know that you are on track. (Never underestimate the utility of a good photo to help you get your bearings.)
   
   This is a hiker's guidebook--thick paper and glossy covers ensure it can handle occasional moisture and repeated stuffings into packs. The book's strengths are is comprehensiveness and its detail. The focus is on the southwest canyon country--a large area indeed, but nearly every worthy hike is discussed and each with enough detail to ensure no highlights are missed.
   
   Finally, the author provides a good summary of the archaeological finds--including the amazing, ancient petroglyphs and pictographs--you will see along the way. If you are going to be hiking in the canyon country of the southwest, this is the book to have.



3. I got this book at my local REI, it was the best they had on the four corners area. That said, it falls short of the standards set by many other hiking or travel books:
   
   1. I wish the maps were better. It made me think that most of the famous arches in Arches NP were in the Fiery Furnace area, while in fact they are not there -- just the map is rather crude.
   2. I wish it had better overall area maps with clearly marked areas of interest etc. Something to help better plan your trip if you only have a long weekend at your disposal. The book is organized instead in multi-day linear itineraries which seemed at best arbitrary and useless to me.
   3. Does not mention (beyond a couple of sentences) some obvious top spots like Antelope Canyon and other slot canyons in Arizona.
   4. No ratings of hikes according to scenic-ness. Many other books do this and I appreciate it. Although the SW is usually great, some hikes and sights are way more impressive than others.
   5. Black-and-white photos of the colorful Southwest (almost a crime!), and no photos of many of the landmarks...
   
   In a nutshell, you should already know where you want to go (from reading on internet etc) and then pick up this book to glean some more detail. And then go again on the internet and search some more to determine if the specific sights are worth it.
   
   UPDATE (July 2007):
   
   After my second consecutive trip to the Southwest, I am impressed how comprehensive this book is. If something is worth *hiking* it will be in there, and sometimes the directions to the trailhead will be better than the "official" ones in the BLM / NPS leaflets. So my opinion of the book is somewhat higher, plus its idiosyncrasies grew on me.
   
   That said, the weaknesses remain:
   
   - organization is abysmal (although the index in the back helps a bit)
   - maps are relatively bad
   - not enough photos, B/W mostly, quality is rel. low



4. The best characteristic of this hiking book is that it is more focused on the day hiker than the backpacker, describing an abundance of shorter and easier hikes than the average hiking guide catering to the young and strong. Longer hikes are here; but there's plenty also for the duffer, i.e. yours truly.
   
   Hinchman describes 160 hikes in the deserts and canyons of the Four Corners region of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, including the Grand Canyon and several magnificient National Parks in Utah. Along the way she also points in the direction of other lesser known walks. For example, despite my familiarity with New Mexico, I never knew that Petroglyph National monument just outside Albuquerque had good short hikes. I'll visit there next trip.
   
   Along with all the good, I have a complaint that the guide is somewhat difficult to use, divided as it is into six different, sometimes overlapping "tours." I had to search for a while to find hikes in Mesa Verde which were placed in Chapter IV rather than Chapter V which seemed a equally logical place to find them. Once you get the hang of the author's methods and madness, however, the guide is easily usable. An improvement would be a map showing the location of hikes described and a less complex numbering system.
   
   Smallchief



5. This is an excellent book for planning trips in the Southwest. My wife and I used it for a three week tour based in Albuquerque and going on excursions that included Petroglyph, NM, Acoma Res., El Malpais, El Morro, Canyon de Chelly, and Chaco Culture NHP. We found the time estimates in the book to be far short of the time we spend touring an area and/or a destination. Unless you do "New York Minute" tours you will need to double many of the time allotments in the book. That said, the book is excellent for an overview of things to see and do in an area. It can serve as the one book to plan your trip and to take along with you.

5 comments about Streetwise Atlanta Map - Laminated City Street Map of Atlanta, Georgia.

1. I really hate this map.
   It does not have all teh areas of Atlanta.
   I like the Rand Mcnally map coated with plastic one.
   Dont buy this one.
   It just doesnot have enough details.
   Buy the Rand Mcnally plastic coated one.

   Also dont buy Rand Mcnally paper map if you llive in Atlanta. It will get torn very soon.




2. It is ok for the traveler, but probably you will never will use it. If you have to, you are really lost..



3. Unless you are looking for a detailed map of only a narrow strip of central Atlanta, you will find this map just about useless. I wanted a map to help me find my way around the city and this map does not include very much of Atlanta. It is very narrow in scope. On the flip side of the main map there is a smaller map (about 6"x8")of the metropolitan area which includes the Interstates and main arteries but little other detail. This map is a waste of money if you want to see all of Atlanta. I do not recommend it and wish I had not wasted my money on it.



4. Streetwise maps do not present many streets so they are not very wise regarding streets or anything else. Avoid. The older Gousha Fastmaps were by far the best laminated travel city maps available but no longer seem to be produced, so we're stuck with Rand McNally EasyFinders, which are better than the Streetwise maps--but it would be hard not to produce a map better than those.



5. I LOVE Streetwise maps, but they are best for tight, walkable cities like London or Montreal. Their detailed formula is great for the pedestrian. The trouble with Atlanta is that it's so spread out, all of the interesting neighborhoods that a tourist may visit are not necessarily close together. So what you get is a large map on one side that's not detailed enough to be useful (and honestly still not large enough to encompass all Atlanta offers) and a map of Downtown, which is woefully inadequate since Downtown is only part of the typical Atlanta experience. It's just not a useful map.

3 comments about North American Indians (Penguin Classics).

1. George Catlin is certainly a man to admire, as is this book.Catlin lived amongst the Native Americans for many years and writes carefully of his experiences.This is an interesting read and provides another dimension to the subject of American Indians.The book is fascinating in as much as Catlin portrays himself as a wordly man and a friend of the Indians ( And he certainly was)but despite that you can still find evidence of his ignorance within the text.Nevertheless he was a fascinating man who had a fascinating life,his artwork allthough basic in my mind, is well worth a look.My only critiscm of this book is that quite some time is spent describing the scenery whereas I would have prefered even more writing on the Indians themselves,that is my personal viewpoint, others may find that intruiging.The book is full of facts and personal experiences and that in itself adds to the validity of this book as musthave for your collection



2. This takes place some 30 years after Lewis and Clark... Excellent documentary of the North American culture just before the BIG change. Its evident Catlin realizes this change and through his travels, he meticulously describes the native civilizations from an eyewitness account. In the final chapter, he makes a bold hypothesis concerning the origins of a particular tribe: the Madans. Fascinating!



3. I have always been extremely interested in North American Indians and own many books on the subject. I rate this one at the very top! George Catlin traveled among the tribes before their way of life was ruined by civilization. This book contains some of his journals, illustrations, and drawings. I wish there were Volume II!