2 comments about Fishing in Oregon's Best Fly Waters.

1. This book first came to my notice on the public library shelf, but I was so impressed after reading it, I had to have it and purchased it on line through Amazon. This is an extremly informative book, for both beginner (such as myself) and advanced fisherman. It tells you where to go and what time of year is best for that spot, also what flies are best suited for what is in that particular river. It sure beats trial and error. I especially like the lists of trout fly patterns and fly shops. There is also a list of guide services which I hope to utilize in the future.



2. I managed to pick up a copy of this book and have been very impressed. The book covers a selection of the top Oregon destinations and provides excellent maps and straightforward suggestions on what to use and where to use it. Good general advice is also interspersed throughout the book. I feel that with this guide one could approach a new river or lake in Oregon with a higher level of confidence. His writing style is informal and enjoyable, like a day on a river with a guide who you are comfortable with.

1 comments about Ghosts Critters and Sacred Places of Washington and Oregon II.

1. This book is informative and entertaining. Unfortunately, it is poorly written (many non-sentences and incorrect grammar). That and the numerous typos are distracting.

No comments about South Oregon Coast - Coos Bay / North Bend / Brookings / Florence Street Map.

No comments about Insiders' Guide to Portland, Oregon, 6th: Including the Metro Area and Vancouver, Washington (Insiders' Guide Series).

1 comments about Oregon on My Mind.

1. I first saw this book in the waiting room of my dentist's office. As I browsed through it, I became immersed in the photographs and began to reminisce about places I had been, and found others I have yet to visit. The astounding beauty on each page and the poetic words of reflection convey a sense of dreaminess and awe at the experiencial opportunities that our State has to offer. The pictures in this book do a marvelous job of taking us there.

No comments about 100 Hikes in Oregon.

No comments about Rand McNally streets of Beaverton & Hillsboro, Oregon.

3 comments about The Insiders' Guide to the Oregon Coast, 1st.

1. Finally, a comphrensive book about the Oregon Coast. This book has everything you could ever want plus MORE. It has detailed, information about bed and breakfasts as well as other coastal attractions. This book also has an in depth parks and recreation chapter that covers the entire coast. I found this book a great read about the history of the coast and also as a great reference for schools, newspapers and other media.



2. I had a week to travel down the Oregon Coast and every where I went this book came in handy. It's nice to have recommended places to stay and things to do. The Intro. is a great read in itself. It is funny and entertaining. This book is packed full and I want to say "Bravo" to Falcon for producing books that make new comers to the coast feel at home. As an end note, the Index is AWESOME! I would highly recommend this book over all others I've seen about this area.



3. Don't waste your money on this book. The pictures are terrible as is the advise on what to see and where to go. The book's style and look is as if it were written forty years ago. You are better off using another source for your Oregon travel information.

2 comments about Secret Portland (Oregon): The Unique Guidebook to Portland's Hidden Sites, Sounds, & Tastes (Secret Guide series).

1. Having greatly enjoyed Secret New York and Secret San Francisco from the same series, I was looking forward to reading Secret Portland. But this one doesn't stack up to the other two. I confess that I am a Portland native (now living in San Francisco), so may be more picky than a visitor reading the book, but it does not have the same insider flair that the New York and San Francisco books have. The other two were written by people who live in the cities they wrote about. It is obvious that this author does not live in Portland and has not spent much time there. The information is standard for any guidebook of the city.
   
   In addition to only covering the "sites, sounds, & tastes" that you can find in any hotel room visitors' guide, this book is full of several small, but irritating, errors. For example, while the book includes a truly secret Portland gem, Martinotti's Italian cafe and deli, it misspelled the name as Marinotti's. Another, more confusing example: under "Secret Luxury," the author praises the RiverPlace Hotel as "small, elegant, personal . . . more like a posh home than a hotel" and, under "Secret Al Fresco," describes the hotel's restaurant Lucere as "European" and "chi chi." But under "Secret Rooms with a View," the author describes the same hotel as "a fairly standard, but pricy, modern hotel" and misidentifies the restaurant. Even more confusingly, several listings misidentify the neighborhood, for example, listing many downtown locations in southwest Portland as being in the "Buckman" neighborhood -- a neighborhood across the river in southEAST Portland.
   
   The nail in the coffin was the author's tip on how to pronounce the name of Portland's river, the Willamette: "Want to sound like a local? Make sure to pronounce it "will-uh-met," with the accent on the "uh." Wrong-o! As any Portlander will tell you, it's Will-A-mitt, damn it!



2. I have to agree with the other reviewer that mentioned too many mistakes. I picked up this book, and it fell open to "Secret Dog Friendly", with the information that "only two city parks allow dogs to run off the leash." Wrong! There are many parks in Portland with off-leash areas, and there were at least 4 at the time this book was published (2003). On the same page, under the heading "Secret Driving Rules", the author writes, "Don't you wonder every time you visit a new place whether you can turn right on a red light?" What?? This has been the law in all 50 states since 1980!! Where has she been for the last 20+ years? The fact that I found these 2 errors/bizarre statements on the FIRST PAGE I looked at do not bode well for the accuracy of this book. And then I flipped to the last category, "Secret Yurts", where the author writes, "You'll find them in state parks in the Portland area as far south as Coos Bay..." Coos Bay is 220 miles from Portland- a pretty loose definition of "the Portland area". It's as if she wanted to include this category because it was cute or funny or offbeat, regardless of whether or not it fit in this book.
   
   Her definition of "secret" is mystifying, at best. Let's take a look at "Secret Waterfalls"- the first one listed is Multnomah Falls. Oh, you mean the MOST POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION in Oregon?? That secret?? Or under "Secret Libraries"- Multnomah County's Central Library. The #1 ranked library by circulation IN THE COUNTRY? Do you think maybe this library is not really much of a secret?
   
   Finally, again just flipping around in the book, I came across "Secret Personality", and find this statement: "So beneath the ponytails, beards, Levis and tie-dye,..." Well, I didn't even want to finish the sentence! Talk about stereotyping- sheesh. Did this author even VISIT Portland? I would love to see a native or long-time Portlander write this book- I think it would be really interesting.

1 comments about The Sum of Our Past: Revisiting Pioneer Women.

1. The Sum Of Our Past: Revisiting Pioneer Women strives to answer the question: who were American pioneer women, really? True stories of the lives of courageous women, whether determinedly standing their ground or secretly confiding their weaknesses, assemble a composite picture of both the hardship and the joy of daily frontier life. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this memorable tribute that does not overly idealize pioneer women, nor stereotype them as Hollywood media tends to (in the "submissive but sturdy" civilizing woman category, or the "drinking, smoking, cursing" Calamity Jane category), but rather offers an extensively researched yet thoroughly readable portrait that will connect women readers across America with their roots. Highly recommended and rewarding reading, The Sum Of Our Past: Revisiting Pioneer Women is ideal for collegiate level Women's Studies supplement reading lists as well.