5 comments about America 24/7.

1. This is an amazing book. It captures America at its finest and also not-so finest, but thats America for you. "They" say a picture says 1,000 words but there are so many pictures in this book that capture life at its fullest and these pictures say a million words. I rented the book from the library for the longest time and kept renewing it because I enjoyed looking at it so often, and finally I bought my own- and several others like Missouri 24/7, California 24/7, florida 24/7... etc. This is something that should be sitting on your coffee table, or at least something you look through once.



2. EXCELLENT!!! I ordered several 24/7 books new and used.
   Then ordered covers from the 24/7 web site with pictures of family members.
   Many with old candid long forgotten pictures.
   These were given to family members from Coast to Coast. Even though
   I wasn't with my family for the holidays I was a hit at every gathering.
   For the uniqueness and the thoughtfulness of the Gift..



3. We were aware of the content prior to ordering, so we knew what we were getting. However, two of the four covers were torn. Since all were for gifts, we were disappointed that they were damaged.



4. Very happy with the book itself. However, I am disappointed I was not notified prior to purchasing TWO for Christmas presents that you can no longer personalize the front cover. It should be noted for all customers to see. Also, never heard back from the company when I emailed my disappointment.



5. If you'd like to have a book itself, that's fine. But if you, like me, want to have a costome cover, it is not available after January 2007. So you can not get the cover...It should be noted, so it deserve just 1 star.

5 comments about Savage Dreams: A Journey into the Landscape Wars of the American West.

1. Solnit's juxtaposition of the insidious nuclear poisoning of Nevada to the making of Yosemite National Park (that she shows has been "loved to death" since it was first discovered by whites more than 150 years ago)makes this book a must for all environmentalists. Solnit deals directly with themes of conquest and redemption in historic efforts to both tame and use these lands. Readers gain specific understanding about two places that are, after all, national icons. However, the deeper themes so well-developed in this book are being played out no less dramtically all across the country.



2. This book is classic eco paganistic 1/2 truths and full tripe. Solnit carries on a dreamy and irresponsible massive 'feel good' opinion piece about the handfull of people harmed by our successfull development of our deffensive nuclear weapons. The author fails to note that our development and limited use of our weapons saved millions of lives.
   If you are currently a eco pagan, here is more for your religion. If you want a full account of the history of our deffensive development of nuecs, don't waste your time reading this novel. However, if you want further insight into the basis that drives our planet's new pagan eco religion, then this book will help you to understanding their factualy fictionist journey into politics.



3. If you have an open and inquisitive mind, no matter what your political outlook, you will enjoy this exploration of western America and our relationship with this unique landscape. Solnit weaves discussions about the settlement of the west by Euro-Americans, native American rights, nuclear testing, and other critical issues, with ruminations about H.D. Thoreau, John Muir, country music, landscape painters, and other intriguing topics. This is an excellent book about an important subject that will delight you if you let it.



4. If people would really read the TRUE history of Yosemite Indians they would find something interesting. First the Miwoks in the area were friends and workers for James Savage and Charles Webber, the founder of Stockton. The Miwoks had a working relationship with both white men and they dug gold for them. The real Indians of Yosemite were Mono Paiutes who tried to fight off the invasion, and not Miwoks. They were allied with the white invaders and they called James Savage "White father". I am a descendent of the original Indians of Yosemite and there is a problem. The defintion "Some of them are killers" for Yosemite was fabricated in 1978 and is not the original meaning of Yosemite. The real meaning was "The Killers" or "The Grizzlies" because the Miwoks were afraid of the Ahwahnees. It was Chief Bautista and Russio, who were helping the Mariposa Battalion, who coined that term "Yosemite" for the Indians in Yosemite Valley which they were afraid to enter. It is because the Miwoks were once enemies of Chief Tenaya and the Ahwahnees. 30 years Yosemite National Park Service hired a person named Craig Bates who was married to a Miwok woman and had a 1/2 Miwok son who created that new defintion. So it is increble that ONE person changed the meaning and defintion of one of the most important and well known parks in the whold world...and no one noticed. The Miwoks were actually the scouts and guides for James Savage and the Mariposa Battalion, but you would not know it because the information was controlled by the "Indian expert" at Yosemite, which causes wrong information to be written...like the actual defintion of Yosemite. For the real story read Lafayette H. Bunnell's Discovery of the Yosemite to find out the truth.



5. Wow, take a moment to read the other reviews of this book.
   
   I picked this book up off a bargain table, and months later happened to take it with me when I was visiting Yosemite without knowing 1/2 the book was about Yosemite. That was kind of a thrill.
   
   Solnit's historical and writing skills, her ability to build a world stage of activity and its interconnectedness with her narrative are extraordinary.
   
   As a landscape artist and photographer, I find this book to be a great resource. Understanding the history of Yosemite is frankly consciousness shifting.
   
   As the other reviewer says, nuclear weapons are our oyster.
   
   Indians, big bangs, Central Park, Fremont and the Heart of Darkness. How about that.

5 comments about Frommer's New York City 2007 (Frommer's Complete).

1. If you are looking for fancy pics, this is NOt your book. But if you want to have a peek to New Yorkers life, do purchase this book. Plenty of text and good advice beginning with how to get a taxi from where you can find best burgers in the city. If you are flying over Atlantic, you have plenty of time to get through with this book. Pair it with some more traditional tourist guide with pics and you have a working duo. Little minus from the fact that there are some old info, like the book is for 2007 and there's some info that some places will be closed in 2007.



2. When I plan on traveling somewhere I haven't been, or somewhere I'm returning to, I am always sure to have the newest version on Frommer's handy. Actually, even the older versions are still a good resource for information, too. I cannot say a bad thing about this guidebook.



3. The most helpful part of the book were the maps and the restaurant information. I was really looking for a Rick Steves type of guidebook for New York. This was not it!



4. If this is your first or your tenth time visiting NY, you'll definitely enjoy this excellent guidebook. An incredible source of information complete and up-to-date. The map is a plus and...it's a very good map too! This is a guidebook with an attitude. A guide written by a new yorker hence not too fond of the sometimes typical tourists attractions. But even so he manage to give full details on every little thing, like it or not. And Amazon was superb once again and I got my guidebook at the speed of light!



5. I decided to try something else than Lonely Planet for a change and I am happy. It definitely lacks (more) photos which catch the eye in LP! Other than that I have no complaints. I've found some great tips on what to do in NYC and what to skip. The info in the book is in my opinion the same as in the LP editions, you only need to get adjusted to a different layout (info on, say, entrance fees is usually at the end of an entry and not at the begining as in LP).

5 comments about Frommer's Las Vegas with Kids (Frommer's With Kids).

1. I highly recommend this book to anyone headed for Las Vegas with the kids in tow. It paints a very complete picture of the city and answers questions you'd never even think to ask.
   
   This book was published just as we were planning a trip that includes a stop in Las Vegas. Our three kids (ages 10, 8, 6) love to travel, but we have learned that you can never do enough research when it comes to planning a trip with kids.
   
   Having been to Vegas more than a few times without the kids, we have a pretty good feel for the place. Even so, a vacation with the kids along needs to be a very different type of trip, so we still found ourselves with many questions. Happily, this book answers them all!
   
   Very specific information on everything from hotels, restaurants, and attractions (including which places are NOT kid-friendly). Also includes info on side trips, shopping, etc. Everything is broken down into price categories (from very expensive to inexpensive and everything between). Definitely written by someone who understands that kids are not just miniature adults.
   
   I only wish I could get hold of such complete information for all our destinations!



2. This is an incredibly detailed book that has a huge amount of information on what to do, see, and avoid in Vegas if you are traveling with children. The section on which restaurants and buffets to eat at for families that are on a budget is more than worth the price of this book. This book, along with "The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas" by Bob Sehlinger will make planning your trip to Vegas fun and informative. Both are highly recommended!!



3. This book really helped us decide what to do in Las Vegas. We do not gamble so we wanted "other" things to do. What we found is Las Vegas is not "family" friendly and you have to take your children into the gaming areas of most casinos to see the attractions. The book did offer suggestions that we did find helpful. Like how to avoid certain crowds and what shows are appropriate for kids. Much better than some of the other books out there.



4. Loaded with helpful info for planning a family trip. Maps, phone numbers, drive times, etc.
   
   If it had pictures I would have given it a 5.



5. I really liked the book, and the only reason I gave it 4 stars is because a good part of the book talks about hotel accomadations and booking flights, etc. and I had already done that by the time I bought the book. So half of the book was of no use to me, but the book had good recommendations.

1 comments about Haunted Places in America: A Guide to Spooked and Spooky Public Places in the United States.

1. THIS BOOK TELLS YOU A LOT ABOUT THE HISTORY ABOUT THE HAUNTINGS, WHICH THAT IS INTERRESTING. THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD BOOK

5 comments about The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest: A Romantic Travel Guide, 9th Edition (Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest) (Best Places to Kiss).

1. This is a terrific travel guide for true romantics. I have used it on many trips and have never been disappointed. A great companion book to take along is The Romantic's Guide: Hundreds of Creative Tips for a Lifetime of Love.



2. As the contributing editor for "Oregon" on Suite101,com, I'm always on the lookout for great books about Oregon. Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest is great for what it includes and should probably be broken into three separate books so that more places in Oregon, Wasington, and British Columcia can be featured.

   I agree wholeheartedly with the picks included. There are just so many great restaurants and B abd B's that are missing.

   An entry in Bend, Oregon states that Bend is known better for outdoors kissing spots than cozy restaurants, yet I can name Kayo's Dinner House, Le Bistro, and McGrath's Fish House right off the bat that are left out.

   In addition, I don't know if this would be considered a best place to kiss in other people's books, but growing up in Bend, the two best kissing spots were on top of Pilot Butte (might be closed to cars now) and Pioneer Park. Neither were included.

   In Washington, Centralia's got a very cozy B and B I'd love to go back to visit (no Centralis entries) and Ocean Shores isn't even mentioned.

   That said, the most annoying factor of the book is its organization. Within each section, (e.g., Vancouver and environs) towns are listed all higgledy piggledy! Ladner comes after West/North Vancouver, which is followed by Tsawwassen, then Point Roberts. It took me longer than it should have to find what I was looking for.

   The write-ups are fair and show little bias. It is very journalistic, without any real personal stories. I really wanted to know why each spot was chosen.

   What's there is good and even great for some areas. It's too bad there are gaps.




3. If you read Best Places: Northwest you do NOT need to buy this book, which is far inferior. Many of the same locales are covered, but the author chooses to stick to the same term throughout: "romantic." Seldom does she choose another adjective. It didn't inspire me to kiss my new husband any more; it angered me that I had bought a dumbed down version of the Northwest books I already have.
   Looking for less expensive places to have a "romantic" interlude in the NW? Don't look here. I don't know about the rest of the US, but my honey and I can't go to $$$ or $$$$ places.
   Re-write the book to include real people who want to know things we haven't already read in your other books.
   Don't buy it. Check it out at the library, but don't waste your hard-earned cash. And come up with true romance that doesn't cost a fortune. That should be the focus.



4. On checking the local listings, I had already been to every place listed in this book and the winery listings are very out of date. The Jewel this book listed for Prosser, ,WA is probably the ugliest winery in the Yakima Valley.
   
   Other listings appeared to be fairly accurate but not very well researched. Overall the book would still be pretty useful. Title should be changed to *Good Places....* because the Best Places aren't listed.



5. Living in Vancouver, I used this book many times to impress various women and have to say that although the places this book digs up are not inexpensive they are certainly romantic. Without it, I would never have found the most amazing on hill house in Whistler where I was able to propose to my wife to be. I thought this book was awesome and have recommended it to many people.

5 comments about Lincoln's Legacy (Blast to the Past).

1. This is the first book in the Blast to the Past series, about the adventures of a group of kids who travel through time and meet famous historical figures, while learning how little it takes to change history.
   
   Abigail and her classmates always enjoy Mondays at school, where their teacher asks them "what if" questions about historical events. This particular Monday, their teacher, Mr. Caruthers, arrives late at class, looking disturbed. After lessons, he confronts Abigail and a few of the other students with some shocking and disturbing news - he just came back from a trip to the past, where he learned Abraham Lincoln was ready to give up on freeing the slaves after a series of battles that the Union Army lost. Mr. C was unable to persuade President Lincoln to change his mind, but he hopes the kids may have more luck. So he sends them back in time, where they meet President Lincoln and must try to persuade him that he will be successful and it's still worth fighting for freedom.
   
   I think this book would be a good choice for reluctant young readers -- the characters will appeal to kids, and the book is a fast-paced read that teaches history in a fun way. Kids who already love to read and enjoyed books such as the Magic Tree House series are sure to enjoy it as well.



2. I'm ten years old and in my opinion, I think that this book is so much fun to read. It is very educational and exciting. Once I started reading I couldn't stop! It only takes one hour to read it. I love how they put real facts. While your reading it your learning many things. The author has described it with excellent detail. I am sure you will like love this book. Happy Reading!!



3. This wonderful series of "Blast to the Past" books enables children to explore history and to develop an appreciation for the importance of personal courage. Elementary school students can easily relate to the main characters (3rd grade children) as they transition from our familiar world to a time of historical importance, with the help of a time traveling machine. Not only do the authors transport the readers back in time, but they take it one step further by entertaining "what if" scenarios. Readers get to imagine what the world would be like without the important contributions of people from the past. And they get to imagine the personal challenges each person faced before accomplishing greatness.
   
   In "Lincoln's Legacy," the children in the story meet up with Abraham Lincoln as he waits for a victory on the battlefield before issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. The book helps us imagine how tense and uncertain those times were for the people who lived then, especially for someone empowered with so much responsibility for his nation. The children in this story have to find a way to convince Lincoln to not give up. My 8-year-old daughter loved this book and she enjoyed the chance to repeat the phrase "Emancipation Proclamation" until she could say it flawlessly.
   
   As a mother, I like how each story emphasizes the point that great things can be accomplished when we each of us can persevere past our doubts and draw upon our courage to follow our convictions and dreams. The Blast to the Past books are fun to read and exciting lessons in history. More than that, the authors have provided a powerful message about optimism and determination, encouraging future greatness in our children.



4. This book was excellent. I learned a lot about the President. I also liked it because the author was very good at describing what life was like whem President Lincoln was alive.
   
   I recommend this book to people around the ages of 7-10 years old. I have read every book in the series and find they are an excellent and fun way to learn about history. The Blast to the Past books really bring the characters to life. At times I thought I was there. I can't wait for the next book to be written so I can read it at once!
   Michelle J
   Age 9
   San Diego, CA



5. This is an awesome book and series! (there are 7 total and the 8th is out in July, keep reading!) After going through the Magic Tree House stories and the Time Warp Trio series, this book series was a SPECTACULAR time twist on American's who helped shaped our nation. Each book asks, "What if this person quit? Gave up? Didn't do what the history books said they did?" I was looking for a series to get my kids interested in U.S. History and this series kept catching my attention. I couldn't find them in the local libraries and it is ashame! These books need to be on the shelves for all the kids to read. Tell your school library, tell your local library that you want to read them. I can't say enough good things about the book! And by the way, my opinion of this series was formed long before our school was fortunate to have the author visit and talk to the kids. It was a unique experience that has all the kids excited and wanting to read the books. My twin boys could NOT put the books down and went through them as quick as I could buy them off of Amazon! ENJOY THEM YOURSELF! READ THEM TO YOUR KIDS! GET YOUR KIDS INTERESTED IN U.S. HISTORY AND THIS SERIES! YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

5 comments about Frommer's Washington D.C. with Kids (Frommer's With Kids).

1. This book is an excellent guide for things to do in the D.C. area with kids. We live in D.C. and were looking for new things to do, especially with our 3 year old in mind. We bought the book and learned about exciting locations and activites that we never knew about. For example the Doll and Toy Museum, Naval Observatory and Amazonia exhibit at the National Zoo.
   
   The restaurant and dining guides though are way off, the do not include the best food (including child friendly) nor convenient, fun and affordable hotels, infact they recommend some of the worst! Of course we've gained this knowledge from living here for 6 years, still would expect better form a guidebook...for food dining and hotels I'd recommend Lonely Planet's guide to D.C. area.
   
   Only other downer was driving to the Childrens Museum only to find it was closed until 2009. Still I have the 6th edition and the 7th edition hopefully is updated with this info.



2. I have four editions of this book and I would not consider going to DC without it. It is worth the investment to make sure that you are getting the latest and greatest information. I have NEVER had a problem with the information if the edition is current. A quick flip through the sixth and eighth editions shows how much info has been updated, plus almost every listing provides a web address (in addition to all the other contact information) so you can get more detailed information if you desire.
   
   When we are in DC, this book stays in my backpack at all times. The maps are clear and conscise, and the authors helpful hints have saved us a lot of time. I have all the info from the washington.org and AAA and just about everything that it covered in scores of brochures and booklets is in this book. It truly is the only book you need!



3. I found this book to be very helpful and complete. The humor and affection that the author shows for the area and kids in general was very welcome departure from the otherwise stuffy travel guides I'm used to reading. I found her insights about timing visits, local restaurants to check out, and walking tours to be very handy. Reading her guide was like getting advice from a helpful Mom. It's sold me on the Frommer Kids series, and I'm looking forward to using them on my next trip!



4. This book was a tremendous asset in planning our family's first ever D.C. trip. This was our first real encounter with big city transportation and I felt really sorry for those families who were lined up at the Metro ticket machines trying to decipher them. Also some really great hints for "cheap eats"(Union Station has something for everyone & won't break the bank),beating the heat, and sight-seeing options when the "big attractions" were impossible to get to. This guide was invaluable in planning our days with children who range in age from 7 -16. Purchased Fodor's Around Washington, D.C. with Kids (Around the City with Kids)which was simple for my children to read and enjoy. Using the Fodor's book in conjunction with this Frommer's my family spent many enjoyable evenings over 4 months planning our trip.



5. I would strongly recommend you look at other guides to Washington D.C. as Frommer's Washington D.C. with Kids was not helpful and actually was a hindrance. This book gave us misinformation and was completely out of date. I will just share two of our experiences from our first days in D.C. we disregarded the book and relied on our concierge from then on...
   
   The Zoo: Frommer's emphatically advised to get there early (it 'opens' at 6:00) and that you should stop first at the information kiosk to get a map and the daily schedule for feedings etc. They also stated that the Animal Crackers Cafe was open for breakfast. Well, we got there about 8:00 and NOTHING is open until 10:00....not the information kiosk (so we were without maps or schedules and the place is huge), most of the animals were inside the buildings which were closed until 10, none of the cafes were open for anything to eat or drink until 10. What you WILL see before 10 is zoo employees driving trucks and golf carts around setting things up and watering plants. By 10:30 when the elephants were scheduled for their bath my husband announced that he didn't care if the elephants were going to do the cha-cha, he already done enought walking and was ready to leave. Also Frommer's should have noted that the Metro is a pretty long walk to and from the zoo.
   
   The most blatant example of out-of-date information...The National Geographic Museum: Pages 191 and 192 must be from the 1998 guidebook because the permanent displays, interactive exibits, and videos the book describes have been gone (we inquired) for 9 years. No volcanoes videos, no touch and play mammals kiosk, no tornado to 'feel', no flying dinosaur, no orbital flight, no global access video games that "your kids will have to drag you away from", etc. What was displayed while we were there was China and it was good but not at all resemble what we had anticipated based on Frommer's description.
   
   Save yourself $17 and a lot of aggravation and don't buy this guidebook. We are headed to North Carolina and I'll look at Fodors or Michelin.

1 comments about The New York Book of Shops, 2nd Edition (City and Company).

1. This is the new edition of this book. I loved the first so much I had to have the newest one because I didn't want to miss any new shops that had opened since publication of the last edition. I only get to New York once or twice a year so I want to make the most of my time when I am there. The book lists great shops that sell anything from food to jewelry by regions of the city. You can also find out the nearest dry cleaner or shoe repair service in case of an emergency. The author mentions great sites to have a cocktail and take in a breathtaking view of the city. There are sections on the shopping possibilities in the East Village, Soho, Nolita (North of Little Italy), the Village and Meatpacking District, the Lower East Side, the Upper West Side, the Upper East Side, Tribeca, and Brooklyn, in Williamsburg and South Brooklyn. The shops are indexed both alphabetically and by type, so the guide is very easy to use.

4 comments about Mark Twain's Letters from Hawaii.

1. What is it about the Hawaiian Islands that is so profoundly affecting? Twain was the ultimate skeptic, yet the Islands won him over in a minute. This collection of newspaper columns tells us why, and it is story that remains relevant to Island visitors and lucky residents. Twain was as well travelled as anyone of his day, and had no trouble identifying Hawaii as not just a pleasant place, but a unique place on earth. He hoped to live out his days on the Islands, but never made it back. Modern travellers sometimes wonder about the attractions of the Islands versus other places with warm climates. No one has explained it better than Twain.



2. This book is an excellent and quick read. It presents a picture of Hawaii that, unfortunately, will never be seen again. If you love the islands and/or Mark Twain's writing style, you'll love this book.



3. Having just finished reading Twain's "Roughing It", and having received this book as a gift, I decided to read them back to back. This is a compilation of the correspondence Mark Twain was hired to write from Hawaii (then the Sandwich Islands) for the California newspaper the Sacramento Union. These letters were written before he had published his first book, so he was still young and inexperienced as a writer. Yet all the elements of classic Twain are in here--the humour, the keen observation, the ear for vernacular speech. It is informative to notice that he used much of the material from these letters--at times verbatim--to create the last few chapters of "Roughing It". I would almost recommend reading "Roughing It" instead of these letters because the writing is more polished and edited for more readability, were it not for the fact that the letters contain some very interesting material that does not appear in "Roughing It". Specifically, Twain does an excellent job covering the trade and commerce of the Islands, specifically the whaling and sugar industries (I am a sucker for 19th century whaling stories), and delivers an exclusive report on the fate of the clipper ship 'Hornet', a ship that completely burned while on the open sea, stranding 31 men in open boats near the Equator. One boat made it to Hawaii and Twain was able to get a report off to California, the first anyone there had heard of it. This report later bacame the source for his piece "Forty-Three Days in an Open Boat".

   I would recommend this book to those interested in early Hawaiian, or even California, history and those who would enjoy some early Mark Twain. The subject matter jumps around a bit, as is the nature of this kind of compilation. The introduction by A. Grove Day is very informative and helpful for placing the readings in context. The reading is not always easy but usually entertaining.




4. This book is easy and interesting reading. Anyone who enjoys learning about historical backgrounds will be enthralled by this book. It provides great first person perspective of what Hawaii was like before being tainted by the outside world. I highly recommend it!