No comments about Insight Guide North American & Alaskan Cruises (Insight Guides).

1 comments about BOSTON POCKET GUIDE, 3rd Edition.

1. I bought this guide because I didn't want to lug around anything heavy and that couldn't fit in my pocket while walking around the city. Berlitz did a really nice job providing key information and a good overview of Boston for travelers.

4 comments about Indiana Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, and Other Offbeat Stuff.

1. You'll enjoy this book even if you don't live in Indiana -- and you'll definitely enjoy it if you do. Packed with the odd and unusual, this book was filled with surprises even for me, and I've lived in Indiana for almost 20 years. Strange things you'll see along the road, folks who collect or build wierd stuff, bizarre legends and history... Dick Wolfsie explains them all with both wit and respect, and turns in a first-rate book that you should have with you on any daytrip you take around the Hoosier state.



2. This book is really intersting and funny! It offers so much information about IN--things you never knew that are great trivia! Great for planning day trips in the state, too!



3. This book is amazing! It has many pieces of "useless" trivia - unless you stop and think about the uses of this knowledge. Did you know that a town in the Hoosier state seceded from the Union at the state of the Civil War? I didn't till I read this book - and I'm a major in that field with a wealth of knowledge on Indiana and the Civil War.



4. Indianapolis TV personality Dick Wolfsie is well-known in Central Indiana for finding fun, interesting human-interest segments for his station's morning show. Wolfsie continues this theme by digging up oddities from all over the Hoosier state that would interest any traveler who wants to stray from the beaten path. Wolfsie provides a description of the curiousity, organized by region and alphabetized by the town in which it is located. The book covers five regions and includes a map of that region that labels every town mentioned in that section of the book, no matter how small the town.
   
   Examples include the RV museum in Elkhart, a jar museum in Muncie and the site of John Dillinger's first official crime in Mooresville.
   
   Wolfsie includes addresses, phone mumbers, websites, e-mail addresses and contact names (some are only available through appointments). Rough directions from Indianapolis are included.

5 comments about Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad.

1. This book has wonderful pictures that captures the "facts" from actual photographs and transforms them into scenes of "fantasy". I really enjoyed the background information that accompanies each picture. A real treat of Jackie fans.



2. "Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a beautiful book. The illustrations are lovely to look at, and the book is fun to read. A good choice for anyone to add to their library; especially recommended for those interested in the Kennedys and Jackie in particular. Evokes the fun mood of Jackie's scrapbook written with her sister Lee, "One Special Summer".



3. Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad is an adorable little book filled with colorful Fauvist-like illustrations. Anyone who likes Laura Stoddart's simple-chic illustrations for Kate Spade will probably enjoy it. Fans of the recent exhibition at the Met that highlighted Jackie's White House clothes may appreciate it too. The commentary is kept to a minimum and black and white photos from Mrs. Kennedy's travels are included, but the focus is on French artist Duheme's amusing miniature paintings that capture Jackie in all those great pink sleeveless dresses and crisp suits in Paris, India, London and Italy.
   
   As a side note: Duheme and Jacqueline Kennedy became friends who shared similar painting styles, and Duheme was invited to Cape Cod to give the First Lady an art lesson.



4. As an ardent admirer of Mrs. Kennedy for the past 40 years, I have read every book on her that I could get my hands on. "Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad" is a refreshing change from the repetitive narratives and recycled photos that are the mainstay of so many other books about her life. Ms. Duheme's illustrations are elegant and sumptuous but also embrace a childlike purity and simplicity which capture the essence of Mrs. Kennedy's persona and mystique. The commentary has the simple charm of a beautifully written children's book. It is obvious why Mrs. Kennedy chose Ms. Duheme to accompany her on her more memorable trips abroad as First Lady. A truly enchanting book.



5. I interviewed Jacqueline Duheme when she was promoting this exquisite book, and one thing remains in my mind that she said about "The Grand Dame, Jacqueline" - that she could have been a painting woman!!!

2 comments about The Brewpub Explorer of the Pacific Northwest.

1. A Must buy for Microbrew lovers living in or planning a trip to the pacific northwest. Contains maps, brew descriptions, type of food, children allowed or not, hours of operation, and history, etc. Well worth the investment



2. You're much better off just searching the web for breweries. This book was probably great long ago, but now it's so outdated you'll do all the work online anyway.

No comments about South of Haunted Dreams.

2 comments about Shipwrecks in the Americas.

1. This is not a book for the casual reader -- the text on underwater archaeology can be somewhat dense and technical, and the listings of shipwrecks are encyclopedic, not narrative. However, if you are a wreck diver, shipwreck enthusiast or archaeologist, this is a useful reference volume. Marx's knowledge of the subject matter is obvious, though put to more enjoyable use in his books on the underwater excavation of Port Royal.



2. Mr. Marx has written a wonderful book, which should be of value to anyone interested in sunken treasure. It is a labor of love, by a man who has lived an exciting life searching successfully for both treasure and historic material.

   The book begins with a wonderful and very detailed history of the Spanish treasure fleets - and their impact on Europe, based on extensive research by the author. This is a most impressive and detailed scholarly effort, and alone justifies a read by anyone interested in the conquest of the New World and the effects of this newfound wealth on Old Europe.

   The book then discusses modern salvage techniques and provides the would-be treasure hunter with helpful advice on how to conduct a search. I believe that anyone considering actually conducting an operation would be well advised to read this material and follow Mr. Marx's excellent advice.

   The rest of the book consists of an index of known shipwrecks off the coasts and islands of the Americas, by location, and a brief history of each.

   Many brave souls are asleep in the deep, and Marx has created a wonderful testament to them.

2 comments about Stephen Long and American Frontier Exploration.

1. The authors do justice in refuting the many pessimistic views of Stephen Long's career as an explorer in this great little book. Long received a plethora of negative criticism, especially after his 1819-1820 expedition across the plains to the Rocky Mountains. Some of this may be justifiable, such as not searching out the sources of the Platte, Arkansas and Red Rivers, which he had orders to do; or his nomenclature of "The Great American Desert", referring to his return trip from the Rockies. The scientific contributions from his expeditions speak for themselves. Along with publications by Long himself, there were innummerable papers and a few books from the likes of Thomas Say (zoologist), Edwin James (botanist), William Keating (geologist) and art work from Titian Peale and Samuel Seymour to vindicate the efforts of these early nineteenth century explorers. The book was easy to follow and comprehend, and a total pleasure to read.



2. 
   It is for scratching three words on a map of the southwestern part of the country he had recently explored, along with writing a short descriptive paragraph of the same area, that has condemned Stephen Long in the annals of western history. Those three words were Great American Desert, and the description said in part that "this section ... is almost wholly unfit for cultivation and [is] uninhabitable ...." Nichols and Halley try to correct, or at least shed a less damning light on, this harsh view of Long's opinion (for one thing, Zebulon Pike had pretty much the same impression after visiting that section of the country 10 years earlier). Long was also much criticized for not finding the source of the Red River, and the authors deal with that brouhaha as well. But they are not trying to make a wronged saint out of Long either, and are quick to point out his inefficiencies as an explorer, i.e. not exploring the headwaters of the Platte River and going into the Rockies.
   
   After a brief summary of Long's apprentice years (1784-1817), the authors recount his major explorations: the 1817 exploration of the Fox and Minnesota Rivers, the 1818 exploration into Arkansas and the founding of Fort Smith, the 1819 expedition to the Rockies, the longer 1820 exploration of the plains along the South Platte and the Front Range (Long's Peak being named and Pike's Peak first climbed) to the Canadian and Red Rivers (this being the Great American Desert voyage), and the 1823 exploration of the upper Minnesota region. Their narrative of Long's life and career does not go beyond the Minnesota expedition.
   
   The authors are impressed with what Long's expeditions accomplished, but believe with better organization and leadership could have done more. They place much of the blame on Long himself, but feel there "is little evidence upon which to base an examination of his personality or character traits," though at times he quarreled bitterly with his men and more than once subordinate officers refused to obey his orders. But details of these incidents are lacking. Their book is clearly written and fairly presented. It's an excellent, straightforward account of Long's explorations and their contribution to the scientific development of the country. Highly recommended.

2 comments about Grand Canyon Country: Its Majesty and Its Lore.

1. This NG guide is rich with photos of the canyon's majesty, vegetation, and wildlife, but short on history. Much of the book detailed the author's voyage down the river. Having bought this book at the Grand Canyon I can say with authority that the photos in no way capture the beauty and magnificence of the Canyon. While there I couldn't stop staring into it and walking around to various views. The light of the day changes everything and gives a whole new perspective. Looking down into the canyon calls you to explore. One day I'm hiking down there.
   
   There is much more mystery and intrigue to the Grand Canyon than is contained in this book. Overall, just OK.



2. The National Geographic guides suffer from a desire to be all things to all travelers. As such, they provide an appropriate introduction to the areas they cover. There are, however, better guides with better photography available; better books of history of the natural wonders of our country. This volume is no exception. It makes a good coffee table book and, if you're only barely thinking about traveling to the canyon, may very well whet your appetite.

1 comments about The Early American Wilderness: As the Explorers Saw It.

1. This book was wonderful, and telling all the stories of how this land was before man put their fingers on it. I feel like I am there when I read this book. Just going to the Smokey Mountains every year makes me look around and see how it was before man started filling up the earth and tearing a lot of the natural world apart.
   This book is wonderful and i think any one who would like to read about early America would enjoy this book. I found this book at our local library.