No comments about Family Adventure Guide: Utah.

No comments about Chrome Horse Chronicles: One Man's Motorcycle Travels Through North America.

3 comments about American Waters: Fly-Fishing Journeys of a Native Son.

1. Treat yourself or someone you know who likes to relax and thumb through a fine fly-flishing book. Since this comes from a big publisher, our little anti-catalog didn't get sent a review copy. But when we did get our hands on the book we were awe-struck. It rivals some of the $50-60 books out there this holiday season, but with a much smaller price tag. The book begins with the birth of a fisherman on his home waters in the famed New York area-Catskills, Adirondacks, Delaware-and travels the country from the west to midwest and southeast to Montauk. Each fly-fisher will find waters he's fished and his dream waters described in pictorial photos and entertaining editorial prose.
   
   The author, Peter Kaminsky, grew up in New Jersey, graduated from Princeton University in the early 1970s, and moved to New York, where he promptly became a cabbie. He left hackwork, went to graduate school and began writing for National Lampoon. Then, he discovered fishing: "Fishing was the greatest thing I ever did and it took over my life".
   
   Between television projects largely in the comedy field, he has worked with Jerry Seinfeld, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, and John Candy. Kaminsky currently contributes to the New York Times and outdoor magazines such as Outdoor Life and Sports Afield, writing about his fishing experiences. He also likes to write about food and you'll find many tantalizing recipes scattered throughout the book.
   
   The publisher has been perfecting their art of quality gift books for decades. They publish the traditional home building, cooking, and gardening books to books for the Natural History Association and Smithsonian. They've also done highly-illustrated children's tales; photo books from puppies to grandmothers; and the life's work of musical greats, John Lennon and Sinatra. It is apparent that they pride themselves on creating masterpiece books on a wide variety of subject matter. They don't disappoint us now. Make sure to take a peek underneath the dust-jacket. I have seen very few with a book cover imprint as beautiful.



2. The book is both graphically and verbally exciting as the author conveys the art of fishing and experiencing life on the water. One gets the feel of fish as well as the taste, with the recipes as part of the adventure. Many of the locations are part of my dreams as a fisherman to experience, and many of the experiences, especially in salt water mirror my own excitement. The photos are spectacular. Coupled with the design of the book, the writing places you in the adventure with real people experiences, visually giving the sense of the water, the fish, the aesthetic of nature. The same tone of the excitement of fishing off Montauk, or Montana continues throughout the book, allowing envy on the reader's part to sharing the adventure.



3. Real life stories matched with stunning photography and mouth watering recipes makes me want take a few months off and live this book just the way Peter did it. I've ordered a few of these books as they make terrific presents even for the non-fishermen amongst us.

No comments about Ohio Place Names (Ohio).

No comments about History of the Central Brooks Range: Gaunt Beauty, Tenuous Life.

1 comments about Rocky Mountain Life; Or, Startling Scenes and Perilous Adventures in the Far West During an Expedition of Three Years.

1. Lively, realistic and down-to-earth descriptions of early 1840's life in the Rocky Mountains. Sage ventured west in 1841 for "love of adventure, curiosity, health and to acquaint myself with the geography of unexplored regions." What unfolds is a truly absorbing and realistic account of what life was like back then vagabonding from place to place throughout the west. A very accurate and descriptive writer of mountain men and Indian customs, geographical landforms, speculations on future agricultural and economical possibilities, along with his own theories of language evolution between the Indians and Romans many centuries ago, stories of the "White Indians" (Munchies) of Arizona, his curtailed involvement with the Texan army in attempting to seize control of Sante Fe, etc. An excellent book.
   The reader should have access to an atlas if not familiar with western geography as there are no maps included in the book. It is also too bad that Sage did not include more names of the people he met along the way, as this would have significantly contributed to further historical documentation of other people, places and events. This book would be an ideal candidate to edit, footnote and tear into as our scholarly historians Merrill Mattes, Bernard DeVoto, Leroy Hafen, David Lavender and others have done with their respective endeavors.

3 comments about Chesapeake Bay Chartbook Atlas: Seventh Edition.

1. This is a valuable tool for anybody who cruises the Chesapeake. I keep a copy at home for easy reference and at the boat. I use it extensively to plan cruises and for actual navigation on the Bay. A copy is always handy in the cockpit of my boat when underway; even for a day sail in familiar waters. It eliminates the need for seperate charts by packaging the entire Bay in one book. It is water proof to a point; my boat copy is starting to show water damage after exposure to several squalls in the last two years. (I don't mean that as a criticism - I'm suprised that it has held up as well as it did!)The only negative with the charts is that they are so cluttered with Loran lines and fishing spots that they are sometimes hard to read. Some people use this information, but I find it distracting and useless. Also, the water proofing makes it impossible to write notes (eg personal observations) or layout tracklines with anything other than grease pencil which wipes of too easily. (There's a trade off in there somewhere...)



2. Anyone who spends time fishing and boating around the Chesapeake Bay should own a copy of ADC's Chartbook. The chartbook includes information on the main part of the Bay, plus all of it's tributaries. The waterproof design and spiral binding make it ideal to take along on the boat. The book was updated in 2001 and includes aids to navigation, wrecks and obstructions, artificial reefs, and fishing areas. It's nice to have one book that covers the charts for any area you might be visiting instead of trying to keep up with stacks of charts for various areas.



3. The waterproof pages are such a blessing when we need to have it in the cockpit with rain or spray. We've benefited from it for years, and are here to buy an updated version.
   One point of caution: when the pages get wet, don't put it away for long periods of time without wiping them dry. Mold will have its effect even on these durable pages. Admittedly, ours got wet and then laid untouched for over a year before we realized the damage. So we don't know how long it takes for the damage to occur. SO much better than the old, keep-it-in-a-plastic-envelope chart book!

3 comments about Frommer's 99 Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call (Frommer's Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call).

1. Informative handbook for choosing an Alaska Cruise. Having cruised on 2 ships, we now know how we want to see Alaska, and it's not on a large ship! Many other options are available that most travel agents do not disclose. "The Small Ships" section is invaluable! We will postpone our trip until we can research their listings and find the one that is really for us instead of "joining the crowd".



2. This easy-to-read guide is full of useful information for beginning Alaska cruisers. Can find an answer to any question one might have about Alaska cruise ships, ports of call, land tours, and cruise customs and procedures. Fun reading!



3. After booking my cruise, I ordered and read this book and realized that the ship I chose was not really the type of cruise I was looking for. I hope the cruise is better than by current expectations. This rates the ships, food, services and destinations. It also helps you match your life styles with the ship's ammentities. It covers the the ports but could offer a little more information on side trips and lunch stops.

5 comments about The Roads of Arkansas.

1. A more detailed road map of Arkansas would be hard to find. Very detailed has every interstate and dirt road



2. You'll be all mapped out for road and river travel in the Diamond State -- nice sights and streams previews in front sections also. If you intend an extended backwoods venture by truck, RV, or ATV this will be an essential tool. Hunters and campers will also benefit (and bird watchers, paddlers, big boaters, hikers, runners). Don't leave home without it! Jeff at ARKATENTS -- arkytents@bigfoot.com



3. If you have a passenger who helps keep track of landmarks, this is a great guide. We use it for backroad traveling. But beware, you will put some miles on your vehicle.!!!



4. It probably is very difficult to find a comprehensive map on Arkansas and for backroads, this is probably ok. However, be aware that this book is 13 years old and doesn't even have the airport for Northwest Arkansas on it!!
   We are moving to NW Arkansas and found it difficult to use to get around during our recent tour due to age of map and growth in that area.



5. This atlas is designed for back roads travel. For that it is wonderful. I wish I could get maps like these for other states. I have been using this atlas for over 10 years now. I never go to Arkansas without it.

5 comments about Not for Tourists 2006 Guide to San Francisco (Not for Tourists).

1. I lived in SF for ten years and this book was great at reminding me of fun places I used to go to (and wanted to return to) and new places to try. Great assortment of maps. The book is segmented in a very helpful way.



2. First, the font on this book is so small it is virtually unreadable without a magnifying glass. Second, there is no day tour info or comparisons or restaurant advice or reviews. Book is primarily a collection of maps and listings.



3. First of all, not sure why this book is "not for tourists." I guess the authors are trying to be flippant. But, the book is totally for tourists or locals. That said, the book is a convenient size for putting in a back pack or shoulder bag. But, the print is soooo small. The publishers should include a magnifying glass to help people to read this book. Also, the book has lots of restaurants and cafes and shops listed but no detail on prices, cuisine, quality. I don't recommend this book.



4. This could be a good book for most S.F. tourists but it was not of much help for me. Most tourists go there for current activities; I am primarily interested S.F. history.



5. My wife got this for our vacation because she didn't want to do typical touristy stuff, but really this book is for people moving to this area.
   
   If you're going on vacation, get a Frommer's or whatever. They're much better. This has in-depth knowledge of areas of town, hair salons, video stores, etc. stuff tourists do not really need to know.