5 comments about Streetwise Manhattan (Streetwise).

1. I use these maps on every trip I go on! They are so accurate and easy to use. The map is durable for every type of weather and small enough to stick in a small bag. There is a streetwise map for every major city we have gone to and we love them! It's a great "memory keeper" as well.



2. This is a great map of the city, easy to carry around. It's plastic, a big plus when it starts raining or if you spill anything on it. My only complain is that it does not include a Subway Map. It has Subway Routes in the map but with all the streets, etc it get a little difficult to make out.
   Overall, great map. A must have for tourist or anyone new to the city.



3. I purchased this map to use on a short trip to NYC. Although it is laminated and folds up to pocket size, there were better maps in the guide books I purchased. On the trip, I didn't use it very much.



4. Never having been to New York, this map was a really big help in navigating the City. It even helped before I left home by letting me see where my hotel was in relation to the places I wanted to see and how I would travel to see them.



5. HAVE NOT ACTUALLY USED IT YET BUT KNOWING NEW YORK CITY A LITTLE THIS PRODUCT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL BE GREAT!!

2 comments about The Good Red Road: Passages into Native America.

1. I found this book to be a moving experience. It graphically illustrates the current condition of our Reservations, and how the People persevere in spite of living in absolute poverty. It is a story of hope and inspiration. I recommend it highly.



2. An great book anyone interested in Indi'n life and their beliefs will love this book. I am from the author's home town and what is writen is real and true.

4 comments about Mountain Bike: Florida : A Guide to the Classic Trails (North America by Mountain Bike).

1. not to bad. directions could be better. missing a lot trails. where is the nearest bike shop, store, lodging? maybe I should write a book? .... I am.

   Larry Wolfe




2. This book is a good beginners guide to mountain biking in Florida. The book is divided into sections of the state which make it easy if you are just looking for a place to ride close to home. Also included is a map of the state with ride location marked on it. There is also another helpful section which lists the trails according to type, for example, beginners, advanced, family, scenic, etc. Each trail has a sketched map layout of the trail along with information on the general location, elevation change, aerobic and technical difficulty, scenery, hazards, services along the way, rescue index, and how to find them.

   If you live in Florida, it isn't difficult to find the trails. If you are not a resident, a regular map of Florida and the author's directions should point you in the right direction. To find the trails in the parks, most state parks and trails have maps of the park at the ranger stations. Since the book is about the trails themselves, you will not find information about hotels in the area or where the local bike shop is. However, if the trail is in a park and camping is allowed or, as in the case of the Pinellas Trail, the trail has places to eat, shop, and stay over night along it, the author has noted this.

   The only thing we noticed was that the author didn't seem to be from Florida. For example, in a park in our area, he talked about how he biked late at night and regretted doing so. Every Floridian knows better than to brave the bugs & the wildlife at night in a state park on a bike so to us this information was more humorous than helpful:) Otherwise, a good book if you are looking for some ideas on where to ride.




3. This book covers most of the popular trails in my area (panhandle) with detailed information about each. I especially like the authors descpritions on his personal rides. I do have one complaint however. The author gives general info about rescue and local services, but leaves out specifics like local bike shops, hotels, maybe even restaraunts. It would be nice to have this type of info if you are planning on traveling some distance to one of the listed trails so that you could plan accordingly. Otherwise a great book and an interesting read for early evenings when you can't actually be out on a trail tearing across a single-track.



4. The problem with the book is that there are not many great mountain bike trails in Florida and the few which are available are spread across the state. If you are a frequent mountain biker with intermediate skills you will get to know about the right trails in the bike shops and online.

1 comments about Frommer's Walking Tours: Washington, D.C. (Frommer's Walking Tours).

1. I purchased this book with the intent to complete one or more of the recommended walking tours on my most recent trip to DC. However, I found that it made an excellent read for my flight and that the places, people, and events it describes served generally to whet my appetite for actually experiencing the adventures.

   During my trip, I happened to complete parts of a couple of the walking tours, but I didn't set out to follow any of them step-for-step. (With so much to see and do in DC, I like to wander from sight to sight.) Because I had read most of the book before I was there, I was able to quickly refer to the page describing the building I was in front of at the time. For me, this was a near-perfect way to enrich my tourism experience.

   I heartily recommend this book. You will find its clear directions and concise descriptions handy to have as you tour our nation's capital (and Capitol).

1 comments about The National Trust Guide to New Orleans.

1. I have probably twenty New Orleans books in my library. This one is essential--one of the 5 best. I am ordering extra copies for European business associates I met with in New Orleans.

1 comments about Rand McNally New York Easyfinder Map (EasyFinder).

1. I love the Easyfinder laminated maps from Rand McNally. They are extremely durable, meaning I won't have to repurchase a map that gets torn, spilled on, or just plain worn out. Even better, I can mark my routes & destinations on them with dry erase marker, then just wipe off when no longer needed. Map detail is top notch, as you would expect from Rand McNally. 5 stars, definitely my favorite maps.

2 comments about Great American Rail Journeys.

1. This companion to the PBS program is a fine armchair read for any fascinated by railroads and travel: it takes a cross-country trip behind the scenes of American roads, presenting eight chapters which celebrate multi-day rail journeys. Rail history and scenery alike are presented in colorful, photo-packed chapters.



2. TRAINS Magazine says this book is top-notch reading for anyone who has heard the call of the rails, and I have to agree.
   The rail adventures profiled in this volume celebrate the beauty, history, and romance of railway travel. View coastlines, canyons, mountains, rushing rivers, Native villages and world-class cities. This book is for anyone who has a passion for riding the rails and for the curious. Come take an armchair ride on The Alaska Railroad, The Adirondack, view Copper Canyon, The American Rockies, The Canadian Rockies, ride the West Coast's Coast Starlight, ride the rails through the American South, and thrill to the narrow gage Gold Rush Train out of Skagway --
   enjoy your own Great American Rail Journey. GREAT GIFT!

3 comments about Hiking South Carolina Trails.

1. Everyone who lives in South Carolina (walker or not) should have this book for its wealth of historical anecdote. De Hart describes over 200 trails in the Palmetto State giving directions to each trail, the trail's length, walking time, and difficulty (similar to volksmarching ratings). He includes commentary on the area's history and animal and plant life. You will find plenty of illustrations and maps plus an appendix full of useful contacts. "Hiking South Carolina Trails" is indispensable for South Carolinians and worthwhile to visitors.



2. Allen de Hart has been describing trails in the southeast for many years, and his writing style and expertise are well respected. He is not, however, always timely, and the book's continued lack of maps for most trails is disappointing.

   The book's biggest shortcoming is the lack of maps. De Hart provides maps of the Foothills Trail, Kings Mountain Trail, and four national forest trails. But maps are absent for the remainder of the hikes, leaving guide users fully dependent on narrative descriptions of routes.

   It is unfortunate that the fourth edition of "Hiking South Carolina Trails" still contains some information that was accurate when the author began his South Carolina series 14 years ago, but which has since changed. Examples include directions to fire towers torn down years ago and alterations in trail routes. On the other hand, Swamp Fox Trail errors contained in the 1994 edition have been corrected. The problem of outdated material could be partially alleviated if the author would at least note the dates upon which each of his first person narratives are based.

   Despite an impressive 200 trails described, de Hart's books omits some of South Carolina's best, including the Lake Moultrie Passage of the Palmetto Trail, Bear Island, Donnelly Wildlife Management Area, ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, and the Anne Springs Close Greenway. Conversely, a large number of the 200 trails which are described are really pathways of very short distances, often less than a mile.

   The strengths of "Hiking South Carolina Trails" are de Hart's first person, journal-style of writing, in which the author's warm, folksy personality shines through, and his knowledge of the plant life he encounters. And even though many of the trails described in the books are of questionable interest for serious hikers, a collection of narratives of over 200 trails of any type is impressive.




3. This book has has three distinct shortcomings. The most significant is the paucity of maps. I do not understand having a guidebook without adequate maps for guidance. The second is that although this book is written in the first person in a journal-style manner, no dates are given for the hikes. It is difficult to ascertain the freshness of the material, some of which has been in print in earlier editions for over 15 years. Third, the book is not organized by geographic location, but by ownership of the property, which is not exactly user-friendly.

   On the other hand, DeHart covers a heck of a lot of trails, from very short to very long. And the author's description of vegetation is impressive.

5 comments about Golf Digest's Places to Play, 5th Edition: The Latest Player Ratings of More Than 6,500 Public and Resort Courses in the USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Islands (Special-Interest Titles).

1. A great book which allows you to book tee times all over the U.S. Information is correct and reviews are interesting. Reviews seem to be very accurate in the courses I have played. A book a true golfer cannot survive without.



2. This is a truly excellent guide. I would recommend this to any golfer wanting to try new tracks. Having taken up golf again six months ago and having just moved to Oklahoma from Mass. I needed a solid review book to begin exploring my local environs. This book has come up trumps again and again - providing an accurate overview of courses in my area, throughout the rest of the state, and all over the country. I wouldn't agree with every course review but that is part of the fun, and course conditions and upkeep can change in a short period so it would be churlish to nit-pick. Thanks to this sterling guide (my only complaint - some of the distances form major cities are off) I've played some great courses I would never have come across. Indispensable and superior, by a long, long way, to anything else out there. Bravo Golf Digest!



3. First let me state the obvious: All praise you have heard about this volume is merited. It is truly the "don't leave home without it" golfers' equivalent. Its scope is comprehensive, its selection of comments concise and illustrative. Now for the bad part. From the last edition to this it seems as if all the courses have improved a half-star. Having found the previous ratings dead-on, I was stupefied by the number of "solid" courses being awarded four stars, which in the editor's judgment stands for "Plan your next vacation around it." Sorry, but the ratings are far too liberal this go around.

   Still this book is most impressive for its geographic consistency. Thinking that a course deep in the heart of nowhere can't possibly be examined accurately? Think again. The reviews are always accurate. The negative comments are soft-pedaled, but they are there and after awhile you can discern them quite easily.

   If you have golf wanderlust, you'll become quite attached to this book.




4. First let me state the obvious: All praise you have heard about this volume is merited. It is truly the "don't leave home without it" golfers' equivalent. Its scope is comprehensive, its selection of comments concise and illustrative. Now for the bad part. From the last edition to this it seems as if all the courses have improved a half-star. Having found the previous ratings dead-on, I was stupefied by the number of "solid" courses being awarded four stars, which in the editor's judgment stands for "Plan your next vacation around it." Sorry, but the ratings are far too liberal this go around.

   Still this book is most impressive for its geographic consistency. Thinking that a course deep in the heart of nowhere can't possibly be examined accurately? Think again. The reviews are always accurate. The negative comments are soft-pedaled, but they are there and after awhile you can discern them quite easily.

   If you have golf wanderlust, you'll become quite attached to this book.




5. Compehensive unbiased very helpful guide.MAJOR drawback is next to useless listing by state rather than by city or metropolitan area. Who cares about courses in San Francisco if you're vacationing in Palm Springs!

5 comments about Cache Lake Country: Life in the North Woods.

1. I found the book enlightening and informative. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy and learn from this book.



2. A good book but I didn't think it was as easy to read as friends lead me to believe. A tremendous amount of reference material, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.



3. I have read a lot of outdoor books over the last 40 years, and this is one of the best. I am going to research the author, John J. Rowlands, because he was obviously a fascinating man who lead a very interesting life. This book tells about 12 months living in a cabin on a lake in Northern Onatario. At the time Rowlands was working as a timber cruiser, evaluating forests for use as lumber. He happened upon his ideal lake and was lucky enough to get stationed there by his company. He was also very lucky to have two great friends living within miles (within signaling distance via the various drums, horns etc. they engineered), on other little lakes. Together the three lived every outdoor boy's dream life of independence and adventure. This book has stuff about canoes, wild animals, sled dogs, snowshoes, knives, axes, the history of the lumber camps, and many boy-scout like craft projects. I just wish it was a lot longer.



4. I'm going to be a little less enthusiastic, but only a little, than some of the other reviewers here. I really did like this book, but for some reason it just didn't quite pull me into the time, place, space the way it did some others- although it didn't miss by much.
   
   This is a very unique book-probably reminding me of my old Boy Scout Fieldbook (a little more detailed and survival-oriented than the handbook) more than a typical non-fiction work. The illustrations are great as well as occasionally light-hearted, and if you are at all handy or have an engineering or for that matter, culinary bent, you will find plenty of recipes and blueprints for food, tools, gadgets- even crystal radio sets or birch bark canoes. While some of these you'd probably have to find some supplemental information to make, most come so well described and diagrammed that you could probably build them or bake them directly from the book.
   
   For me the best part is the author's midwest and at times almost cowboy way of describing life. His time around rough loggers in the days when horses and two man saws were still the order of the day especially captured my imagination. Like many readers, I'm a lot hermit, and the thought of life in a cabin in the north woods with nothing but snow, bear, moose, and wind has a certain charm, and I'm grateful to Rowlands for giving enough of a story to enjoy a bit of that charm vicariously. An excellent and unique book, and for some it will probably become a treasured possession.



5. I read "Cache Lake Country" in 1968. I was delighted to find it in print again...like meeting an old friend.
   Thank you.