No comments about Fishing Ohio: An Angler's Guide to Over 200 Fishing Spots in the Buckeye State.

5 comments about A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons.

1. I am a student of Bio-Anthropology, and I have to say that when it comes to bio-anthro, especially my specialty- Primatology- the textbooks NEVER tell you everything you need to know in order to be a good Primatologist, but Robert Sapolsky does in "A Primate's Memoir."
   
   Sapolsky delivers a narrative that is at once fanciful and credible. Too bizarre to be taken as anything other than reality. The experience of the author as a budding scientist in the Kenyan Serengeti, coming of age amidst the incongruous corruption and stark beauty of the African continent, as he works his way through the American Academic Dominance Hierarchy while conducting a long-term study on Savannah Baboons. He mixes cross-cultural social commentary with humorous storytelling. It is literally a laugh-out loud kind of book, particularly for the budding anthropologist. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the field. In a way, it is like the primatological equivalent of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," except that is all true. A brilliant book, which every anthropologist should read.
   
   BTW, all anthro textbooks should have chapters dedicated to the trials and tribulations one must endure while living among other cultures, dealing with third world corruption, and knowing how to negotiate the African social arena. I feel more worldly for having read this masterpiece.



2. This is a beautiful, poignant, fascinating and enlightening read. It's also a bit heart-wrenching. Despite the fact that it is ostensibly about baboons, each sentence within this book contains more humanity and feeling than a typical week of day to day living on our strange modern worlds.



3. This is a fun recollection of Sapolsky's experiences in Africa.
   
   Somebody looking for data might want to avoid it as the information is more about things that struck him through his observations with his baboon troop. Some would be reminded of Goodall's earlier books when he writes about his interactions with the baboon.
   
   There are many chapters on what he went through and the people he meet and interacted.
   
   Some are great such as Thomas who had the great ability to pull endless fish out of a river but it was offset by his other great ability to attract buffalo. As Sapolsky wrote: "Buffalo would scamper in from miles away to nail Thomas, toss him over their shoulders, and send his fish sailing into mudholes, thorn bushes, high into trees." Sapolsky comments about looking for him and find him cursing and spitting and cackling at some buffalo, threatening it with his trademark an astounding pelvic grind, as the monster approached.
   
   That whole imagery made me laugh.
   
   His own personal reflections of living in Africa are rather interesting as he interjects himself into the community. Some of his comments bring another picture to the Masai who many times are pictured as the noble warriors and yet they do questionable things.
   
   Probably one disheartening thing is the corruption that existed and probably still exists. As he prided himself on being a New Yorker; he finds himself being conned and regularly pressed for bribes. And yet, he himself takes to conning people when his money runs out.
   
   An outbreak of Bovine TB ravishes a Baboon troop and eventually hits his troop. Sapolsky finds himself unenviable task of killing Baboons as he tries to discover what is killing the Baboons and where is it coming from. Eventually, he figures it out and it involves corruption and the Masai. He can't even tell people about it because wealthy British hotel owners are against it and the local government is against it as it would hurt the tourist trade.
   
   One thing I thought was interesting was his comments about Fosse. He is not a fan.
   
   Overall it's a fun read.



4. This book is an excellent insight into the 20 year life of a biologist who grow as a person while studying baboons and navigating the up and downs of life in Kenya.



5. This book is hard to classify: Is it autobiography? Primatolgy? Travel adventures? Humanist philosophy? Humor? Basically it is all of these and more. It is a real page turner. Sapolsky has a truly marvelous sense of humor that includes knowing how to laugh at himself. I rank it with in the top 10 favorite books I've ever read. Bravo!

5 comments about Three Weeks with My Brother.

1. This book was a wonderful way to get to know Nicholas Sparks and his family. It was very interesting to go on the adventure with he and Micah, but I loved the childhood stories and finding out what Nicholas Sparks is all about! Read before you read any more of his books! You won't be disappointed.



2. This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. I couldn't put it down. Fantastic tale of two brothers and their stuggles in their life. I say this is a must read. You will fall in love with the book and the family. I totally recommend this book.
   Thanks



3. I own every Nicholas Sparks book there is, so I really enjoyed this book. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who has never read his books. I was interested in the type of person who could write such interesting books and I wasn't let down. I definately had laughs and tears with this book. If you like his books, read this one. It makes you appreciate all his other works much more.



4. I am a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks. I have every book he has written. I used to read his early books and wonder why sometimes they seemed so sad. Now I understand. I read this book in two days. I could not put it down!



5. Warning. Don't read the front cover flap of this book. It is a plot buster.
   
   This book is for anyone who ever had a brother or sister or ever wanted one. It describes a trip around the world in three weeks to some of the oldest buildings on this planet. While it seems like they spent more time on the planes than actually in the countries, and they saw more museums than they could handle, they also stood in awe of the world's greatest man-made treasures. Interspersed with the stories of old buildings, there were stories of old relationships: between two brothers, to their parents, to their sister, to their spouses and to their own children. In short a great read.
   
   Just don't read the front cover flap before reading the book.

5 comments about Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris.

1. Beautifully produced book with superb use of 19th century & current photos to show changes in Paris locations pre & post Haussmann. A great read for anyone who loves & knows Paris, and doubles as an "advanced" and specialized walking guide for those lucky enough to be on site.



2. If you love Paris (and who doesn't?) you'll appreciate this book. It takes us over well-trod streets, past ancient buildings, and brings them alive by examining their past. Atget documented Paris as it was; this book predates that.



3. Whether one takes the recommended walks or just reads the words, this is a great little book, full of wonderful then and now photos (I especially like the photo of the people in the boat on Rue Jacob during the flood of 1910--see the hats!) and interesting discussions of how Paris came to be what we see today, how sections of the city were saved by those who loved them, and how other sectors were changed and updated. I have a number of walks-around-Paris books, some written for Parisians themselves, and I think this is the best and most interesting. It entertained my husband when he recently spent a week in the hospital. It is not especially touristic, and not a book for those dropping in for a day or two to see the highlights of Paris. This is a book to wallow around in. I found the English version first, but will look for the French, as I'm suspicious of translations.



4. I received the book in very good condition and came very well wrapped and quickly. I am very satisfied with it.



5. Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris
   
   This is a wonderful book, except for one thing. It is so small that the maps are almost unreadable, and the print is not so easy to read either. I've been to Paris twice and walked through all four areas in the book before, but the book opened my eyes to a lot of history and details I'm looking forward to seeing first hand. I am taking it to Paris in a couple weeks, and I'm looking forward to the walks, but I'm going to have to blow up the maps so I can read them without a magnifying glass. This book would be far more enjoyable in a larger format.

5 comments about The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Travel: Tips, Technology, Advanced Techniques.

1. I have been planning on taking long trips in the near future and this book should be every long distance rider's bible. Lots of great info on what, where, how and why you should do things in order to travel long and comfortable. Covers every aspect about traveling on a motorcycle. Why not prepare well for a trip and enjoy? What you don't know do due lack of knowledge may ruin your trip. "Motorcycle Travel" will take care of all the possible problems. Written by those who have already done it, and know what to do and not to do. Ride smart, buy "Motor Travel".



2. For anyone seeking information about motorcycle travel, this is THE book to have! Dale does a great job of covering many aspects (dare I say All?) for traveling by motorcycle, and then some. Everything from weatherproof riding gear, GPS, suspension, campers, tents, seat cushions to suggestions for wiring new equipment into your bike can be found in this comprehensive guide. The book is loaded with full color photos. I've been riding a number of years now, and thought I'd kept up on the latest gear and travel info... until I read this book. I've learned a few things and found a few new gadgets to look into. Highly recommended for someone just beginning to travel my motorcycle, or the seasoned rider.



3. If you are even just thinking about motorcycle touring a must read. I read this book as I was planning a long trip which helped on what to take, how to pack and what to expect on the trip. The information is top notch and I will read it again before my next trip.
   
   A good companion to this book would be:
   Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well
   by David L. Hough



4. The book was bound with the pages out of order!! Cheap China manufacturing, no quality control from what used to be a trusted publisher.



5. If you only read one, read this one. I have been out of motorcycling for 26 years, owned four in my earlier day. I wanted to tour then but never did. This time I am doing it. I wanted to start out right so this was the first book I read. Extremely informative. It covered just about everything I needed and more. If there is any negative maybe I could ask for more guidance on which motorcycle. However, as I found in researching motorcycles, there are just too many factors. You must know what kind of travel you'll do, set your requirements of the bike, do the research on the bikes, sit on all of them, ride if allowed, settle on the one for you, take a motorcycle saftey course, buy and have fun. Don't go too small or too big, it must fit you. Dr. Fraizer's book is good too.

2 comments about The New West: Landscapes Along the Colorado Front Range.

1. The return of this beautiful book is as inspiring as the book itself. Never having seen the original however makes it hard to compare editions but as I am a BIG Adams fan the work is stunnning, the neat categories help the beginner to understand Mr Adams and where he is coming from.



2. The New West is one of the most significant works of photography in the 20th century, presenting the reality of the western landscape in harsh contrast to the mythology of the other Adams... The pictures cut straight to the bone, showing the damage done to a landscape by our progress, but always the light is perfect, the skies brilliant, and the distant horizon intact. This work is a challenge to photographers, to see the world clearly, and to others, who struggle to live with the earth, rather than on it.

5 comments about Annapurna.

1. A marvellous book. Remarkably written, griping, and inspiring. A must for all mountaineers.



2. Wow! This is one of those real life adventure stories that has you wondering how much more the people can endure before they collapse and die. These guys climbed one of the world's most difficult mountains with old climbing technology. What they lacked in modern equipment, they made up for with strength and fitness. The more I read about mountaineering, the more I agree that it is 75% mental and 25% physical. Being in the best physical condition possible definitely gives you a better opportunity for success on high ground. If you liked this book, I encourage you to read my book "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection". Best wishes on your adventures in life!



3. Reading the other reviews of this book, I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favorite, although little known Sean Connery movies, where he plays an Arab pirate. At one point Connery says to his second in command: "It is good." "What is good?", replies the other man. "It is good to know where we are going," answers Connery. Alas, Herzog and his men didn't know where they were going, and spent a month wandering around looking. It would have been good to send out an initial recon group to find the mountain before they started out. Or, to paraphrase an english adventurer, "to lose a pack animal is unfortunate; to lose an entire mountain seems downright careless."



4. Herzog provides a detailed perspective of the famed Annapurna climb that has inspired numerous high altitude and arm chair climbers.
   
   Suffering frostbite and unimaginable suffering, Herzog has made a statement, worth reading in his epic account. No other sport has it's center pieces so open in sharing their innermost feelings.
   
   The b/w photos were relatively scare and of only fair quality.



5. This book may have began a genre of climbing/adventure accounts because it was written some time ago, and this, more than the content (in my opinion) is the reason this book is the number 1 mountaineering book of all time; at over 11 million copies sold.
   
   The first part is a bit slow and sort of parallel's the teams slow slogging through the land to get to the mountain. Overall, this was a harrowing and heroic feat, and gripping to read. It also opens the door to following books which dispute Herzog's point of view.
   
   Good, not great. And there are some great books about climbing.

5 comments about The Outermost House: A Year of Life On The Great Beach of Cape Cod.

1. I particularly enjoyed this book as it is set in an area that has a large simularity to where I grew up and I particularly liked the lonliness and bleakness that I identified with.



2. Note: I made some Mormon reader angry over my negative reviews of books written by Mormons out to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews.
   
   Your "helpful" votes are appreciated. Thanks.
   
   This wonderful book doesn't need a long review. "The Outermost House" is Henry Beston's account of his year on Cape Code in the 1920s. It's a classic of nature writing and worth reading just for the poetic lines. Here is an example:
   
   "For a moment of night we have a glimpse of ourselves and of our world islanded in its stream of stars--pilgrims of mortality, voyaging between horizons across eternal seas of space and time."
   
   I hope you agree that this wonderful line makes my short review worth reading.
   
   Highly recommended!



3. The Outermost House is a marvelous book; one of my all-time absolute favorites in the whole world. It's not, by the way, about outhouses, as one of my children wondered aloud upon hearing the title. Monsieur Beston has a terrific eye and an interesting style; his affection and respect for the interrelatedness of the natural world and concern that we humans forget our connection to it is akin to Thoreau's.
   
   This edition has a lengthy introduction by Robert Finch. Highly recommend skipping the intro until AFTER you read the book. Mr. Finch probably meant well, but he quotes extensively from the book - thereby spoiling some of the best parts - instead of giving us just enough to further pique our curiosity about the book or limiting himself to biographical information about Monsieur Beston.



4. This was one of my winter reading books. I enjoyed it very much because the writing was very clear and vivid. Henry spent a year on Cape Cod writing about the nature and how the season changes the land and his surroundings. He writes about a lot of the birds that migrate in and out of the region and raises some important environmental concerns about the delicate nature of our actions on the wildlife. I appreciated the light hearted feel of the writing and it stuck to the middle of the road as far as imposing any of his personal opinions about all and any subjects, which I thought was safe and perhaps is the one of the negatives I feel for the writing. It was written with a modest sense of pleasure and feeling. It was in any sense, a very nice read and very indicative of the northeastern way of life.



5. After another family trip to Chatham I desperately wanted to bring Cape Cod home and preserve the atmosphere that takes residence in your soul when you give yourself fully to its powerful coastal calling. As daily obligations put a layer of fog over my memories it was very cathartic to end the day reading Henry Beston's observations in an Eastham cottage in the 1920's.
   
   Beston is an able writer with a poetic style who is able to capture the allure of Cape Cod. He effectively brings the reader onto the beaches with all the animal and plant life that breathes life into this region. However, he has a tendency to write lengthy musings about specific birds or plant life that can get very tedious. Portions of his observations seem to be nothing more than the ramblings of someone who is bored and in need of companionship other than a group of flittering birds searching for food in the dunes.
   
   In the end, Beston was able to evoke a powerful longing that provided the soothing and comforting effect I was looking for. Recommended for anyone who wants to bring a "peace" of the Cape home, and for anyone interested in solitary observations of nature along the beaches of one of the best places on earth.

No comments about America Eats!: On the Road with the WPA - the Fish Fries, Box Supper Socials, and Chitlin Feasts That Define Real American Food.

3 comments about Vietnam Cambodia Laos & the Greater Mekong (Multi Country Guide).

1. I am not a big fan of Lonely Planet guidebooks as I find they are really lacking in detail but this was the newest guidebook on the region I was visiting so I purchased it. It was decent but definitely lacking. Hopefully one of the other guidebooks will print a new edition for the Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos countries.



2. Lonely Planet has really cornered the guidebooks market but in this case, I feel it's not deserved. I just got back from a trip to Vietnam (a destination I settled on after reading the book and gauging the amount of time I had) and all the information in there was outdated and inaccurate. I also had Rough Guides a friend gave me last minute and I much preferred it. The print says it was last updated a year or 2 ago and I understand that's the nature of the beast but it was still disappointing.



3. Don't purchase this book...if you do, you're essentially throwing fifteen bucks (US) out the window.
   
   I spent six weeks in Cambodia and Vietnam, and deep-sixed this book when, for one city, "OUR PICK" for hotels was a place costing $200 per night.
   
   I can overlook the faggoty carbon-neutral ethos of the LP franchise, which permeates every one of their guide-books--let's face it, that encompasses a healthy percentage of backpackers who buy these books--but TWO-HUNDRED BUCKS PER NIGHT?!
   
   Save that for Fodor's or Frommer's. Why the hell is any LP book even LISTING a place that wants $200 a night...especially in CAMBODIA?
   
   On the island of Koh Rung Samloen off Sihanoukville, Cambodia, I mentioned to the English owner of the Lazy Beach Resort that I had this edition on me. He expressed a desire to see it, and spent an hour laughing at the entries for Sihanoukville.
   
   The LP writer apparently came to Sihanoukville and spent THREE HOURS talking to ONE guy, asking about the hotels, getting recommendations, and so forth.
   
   Some of that information is flat-out erroneous, such as calling the manager of the Oasis bar "professional," when he is, in fact, nothing of the sort. Some of the hotels have been sold, or are under new management, (things are very transitory in Sihanoukville), or are nothing like what they've been described as.
   
   (The Lazy Beach Resort is not listed in this edition, but it is the best place to spend any--ANY--time in the Sihanoukville environs.)
   
   This book was equally useless when it came to Vietnam. I encountered an American fellow at the Bavet border-crossing who told me he'd "jettisoned [this edition] a long time ago."
   
   The Lonely Planet has led me astray before, viz. their Bolivia book, which recommended an unsafe hotel in La Paz, and completely screwed up the map of Sucre, but this book was the inflection point that made me re-evaluate whether they are the best option for independent travelers.
   
   As the owner of the Lazy Beach Resort said, the LP's main utility is the city maps (excepting, of course, Sucre), but their listings are simply one guy's opinion or outright hearsay...and not always accurate when you show up tired and dirty late at night.
   
   I'll still use the LP for future trips, but as one tool among many, not as a Bible.
   
   (The best travel resource for Cambodia--by far--is the Canby website...I used the LP 2005 edition for Vietnam and found it only adequate, relying more on Wikitravel and other travelers' apercus.)