No comments about Bicycling The Pacific Coast: A Complete Route Guide, Canada To Mexico.

1 comments about Monhegan: A Guide to Maine's Fabled Islands.

1. This is a fabulous book. For decades, everyone who loves Monhegan has expressed the wish that there was a good book which they could show friends and neighbors "back in the States" when they rave about this wondrous isle 10 miles off the coast of Maine. But no book, no website ever came close to capturing the magic of Monhegan -- until now. This is the book every Monhegan-oholic has been been waiting for. Even people who think they know everything about Monhegan and who think they have seen everything there is to see on Monhegan will discover new secrets within the pages of this marvelous book. This is THE book.

No comments about The Naturalist's Guide to the Southern Rockies: Colorado, Southern Wyoming, and Northern New Mexico (Fulcrum Guides).

5 comments about Florida Keys Paddling Atlas.

1. This guidebook has it all! Spot-on nautical charts that lead you through some of the best paddling the Keys have to offer, including mangrove-lined lagoons, sea grass beds teeming with wildlife, and shallow tidal flats that change form with the rise and fall of the ocean waters; brilliant pictures that draw you into this unique and magical natural habitat; and pointers on where to rent, where to launch, and, most important after a long day of paddling, where to eat!
   Grab a kayak and share the adventures of Bill & Mary Burnham as they navigate this aquatic paradise.



2. I just received my copy of this high quality guide book. I live in the Keys and have paddled many of these sites but in just glancing through this book I realized how much I have missed. Very complete and a must for visitors and locals alike.



3. As a guide and avid paddler I found this book incredibly useful and informative. Anyone that will set out to explore the paradise of the Keys will find their way to many areas that would never be found without this book. Bill and Mary obviously did their homework with the ultimate guide book for all paddlers enjoying the beauty of the Keys. Nice job guys.



4. I have worked in a few paddle shops, and I've seen many a paddle book. This one by far tops the list. Actual color charts, not hand-drawn diagrams with no reference points and no way to gauge distance on them, are on virtually every page of this book. Excellent information on locales, paddling routes, points of interest, Keys trivia, paddle-friendly lodging and restaurants, instant indexing, simple buoy/compass/gps navigation points, full color photos, and on, and on......This is the most definitive paddling atlas of the Florida Keys I have seen. Well worth the cash--especially if you are new to paddling in the keys--launch points are sometimes hard to find, and navigation gets tricky in some areas. Old Keys salts will also find something new in this book. I am impressed!



5. This is one of those heavy-paged colorful books that are a joy just to hold and smell! Fifty-two charts illustrate the stunning water world from Key Largo down to Key West and out to the Dry Tortugas. Using colors and symbols, each chart (at a scale of about two inches per mile) details water depths, habitat, markers, fishing and snorkeling spots, put-in locations, hazards, camping areas -- everything you need to know. It's the perfect guide for not only paddlers, but fishermen and boaters too, and also the less adventuresome who want to explore the Florida Keys as they drive US 1 -- poking around hidden spots, wading in the shallows with their cameras. The book is heavily illustrated with relevant and beautiful photographs. Along with Bill Keogh's Paddling Guide, this book is a must for those who want to truly know and experience the Florida Keys.
   
   Marsh Muirhead, author of "Key West Explained - a guide for the traveler."

No comments about Fodor's Around San Diego with Kids, 1st Edition: 60 Great Things to Do Together (Around the City with Kids).

2 comments about Desolation and Gray Canyons River Guide: Green River, Utah, 2003 Edition.

1. If you have purchased a river guide book or two in the past chances are you were disappointed. Mr. Ramptons book gives you just what you want; USGS maps with camps and rapids marked, hikes, history, geology all sprinkled in the right amounts.

   Great color photos in this new version of the book as well. I have to say that Desolation Canyon is a terrible place, dont go there. I have been over a dozen times so I know what I am talking about :-)




2. After our 2nd day on the river, we had to seriously wonder if Mr. Rampton had ever actually been down this stretch of river. The camps he had marked didn't exist, and we discovered some great areas never mentioned in the guide. I realize rivers change, but after using various guides for the Grand Canyon, Gates of Lodore, San Juan, Rogue and Snake Rivers, this 2003 edition was one of the most inacurate guides I'd ever had to use. Thank goodness others on our group had the older Belknap's guide and had actually been on the river before.
   
   The color topo maps were nice, but printed on too large of a scale to be easy to follow. You also have to flip back and forth between the mile-by-mile description and the maps in the back, so the book binding takes a beating. Both front and back covers had fallen off before the end of the trip. The most entertaining part of the guide was by far the description of the author's solo trip entitled "Solitude". The narrative provided hours of laughter as we read and reread the passages and even expanded the story, using his crazy, descriptive style.... "Raindrops seemed like intelligent missles that would guide themselves through any opening...."
   
   There's some good, basic info in this guide, but don't let it be the only resource you have.

5 comments about The Enduring Shore: A History of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket.

1. The amazing deluge of tourism each summer truly ignores the elaborate history of some of New England's most beautiful coastline. For many of us who live or travel there when time and traffic allow there is this fine book to fill in the grey areas.

   Unfortunately, regional history is not as popular to most readers as a spy novel or biography. This book bounces between the author's journeys in Kayak along the islands and coastline and the chronological history of travellers and settlers to the coast. There are humorous accounts of indian encounters, misguided settlers and an all too unpleasant tale of life aboard the Mayflower. Not all as we had once been told in grammar school.

   The endnotes are substantial and the book can at times seem more academic than entertaining. However, I passed this on to two friends and we have laughed and shared our favorite stories over beverages. A good book and a nice read.




2. I thought that Schneider attacks this book with the best of intentions and scores on many points, specifically the history of the Naussets, Champlain's adventure on the Cape and early whaling ships (including the Essex). Where he failed was in the telling: too often he jumped from event to event in a disjointed history or re-related events in a clumsy narrative. Too skimpy to be history, too spotty to cover the entire Cape, I liked this book despite its problems because it gave me some great historical perspectives of the beaches and sea where I live.



3. This is an excellent book about the Cape and its history.
   There are lots of nuggets of interesting and original information. The book, however, suffers from its rambling and discursive format. It really is a ramble.



4. As a regular visitor to the Vinyard - I grabbed this book to get more depth in understanding the local history. I was pleasantly surprised to find a book that provides insights into early American history that would be of value to any one with interests in the topic.
   
   Undermining the "myth" of the "new" world's "virgin forests", Schneider's description of the impact of European explorers on the native populations and the profound consequences of these early interactions a good CENTURY BEFORE the Mayflower -- explodes the simplistic history still understood by many. His description of the robust, healthy natives whose populations were devastated long before the sickly, weak European's began settlements - will turn history on its head for many. It provides a great complement to anyone interested in books such as "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond. I also found his descriptions of issues such as the early development of the whaling industry to be of interest to a far broader audience than one would assume for a "regional" history book.
   
   I found his writing style engaging and was frequently amused with his turns of phrase - which was a plus I did not anticipate from on local history book.
   
   Though others have been critical of how he weaved his personal, contemporary experiences with the historical narrative - I found it rather engaging -- though these parts of the book may be of more interest to local readers and less engaging for those with out a personal tie to the region.
   
   In short, I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in early American history - especially with an ecological/anthropological bent. Especially if one has never been exposed to ideas presented in books such as "Changes to the Land". If you are traveling or live anywhere near the southern/central New England coast or have an interest in colonial history of the northeast - this is a must read for you.



5. This is the perfect book to take with you on your Cape Cod vacation. It offers lots of interesting tales and stories about life on Cape Cod and the Islands from pre-Colonial times through the present, and also is one of the few books that actually treats the Native Americans in enough depth to provide the reader with an appreciation for how essential the natives' contributions were to the survival of the early European settlers. It also makes it quite clear that the natives no doubt regretted their helpfulness in short order, having been kidnapped, stolen from and otherwised abused by the newcomers very soon after they landed.
   
   I always enjoy reading books about the places I visit while I'm there, so The Enduring Shore was perfect for my vacation to the outer Cape earlier this month. Schneider's discussion of the geology of the Cape is fascinating, and I will look at its cliffs and sandy beaches in a more knowing, deeper way henceforth.
   
   I like to have two or more books going at once, usually one nonfiction and one fiction. A good complementary novel to read in conjunction with The Enduring Shore is William Martin's Cape Cod, which offers an abundance of useful and interesting facts about the Cape while delivering them in the context of a family saga that is perfect for beach reading.
   
   I reecommend The Enduring Shore for anyone who is interested in how the Cape got that way and why it matters to so many of us today.

3 comments about The Birdwatcher's Guide to Hawai'i (Kolowalu Books).

1. This is not a field guide with pictures to help you identify the birds. It is a wonderfully insightful reference to the diversity of birds that may be found within the state of Hawaii. It is far more than just a birdwatching guide. It gives one a feel for the plight of the native Hawaiian birds and the beauty of the state and its avifauna.



2. Rick Soehren knows Hawai'i and its birds, and this site guide is a great help to visitors. Soehren describes, island by island, where to find Hawai'i's birds, and in the process gives the reader some of Hawai'i's avian history. The book is illustrated with good black-and-white photographs. I have used the book on Hawai'i and Kaua'i and have found it clear, accurate, and very useful.



3. Before our first visit to Hawaii I searched to find something that would serve as a useful guide for a trip that would permit only casual bird-watching. This book is really best for someone able to dedicate time to exploring the recommended hikes. Having said that, my main complaint about the book is that the illustrations are of little use to someone from the North American continent who is unfamiliar with Hawaii's birds, as the majority of readers probably are. After all, which would be more useful, good color photos of Northern Cardinals, or a photo of the 'Apapane? A photo of a Black-crowned Night Heron, or a photo of the 'I'iwi? The Birdwatchers Guide has very good photos of a male and a female cardinal and the heron, which are close to ubiquitous in the mainland USA, and none of the latter, which are totally unfamiliar to mainlanders. There are lots of black and white photos of things like people looking through binoculars, road signs, and trails, none of which are terribly useful to birdwatchers trying to ID unfamiliar species...

5 comments about Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006 (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration).

1. An amazing publication: covers Vostok-1 (Gagarin) to Soyuz TMA-9. Tons of info for each flight: International designation; launched; Launch site; Landed; Landing site; Launch vehicle (for the shuttle you have the tank number, the SRB set and the SSME engines); Duration; Callsign; Objective; Flight Crew; Flight Log and finally Milestones. Also three chapters cover respectively: Reaching the heavens (access/method; Space flight methods/launch systems); The Quest for Space; The orbital programmes (Vostok, Mercury, Apollo, Shuttle, Salyut, Shenzhou etc..).
   An outstand reference works for anybody who is interested in the history of spaceflight!
   A must have on one's bookshelf.



2. I was really impressed by the Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006.
   Simply the best !!! A book with many details of each manned space mission since the Gagarin's flight. Highly recommended. More than 820 pages rich with any type of information.



3. This one is big as a medium size telephone directory - around 820 pages - but it has to be. Chronicling some 250 space flight since April 12, 1961 up to September 29, 2006, and the participants from Yuri Gagarin to Anousheh Ansari, in lucid prose and memory-stirring photographs, this is a worthy follow-up of the Tim Furniss earlier chronicling of the first 103 space flights. That milestone was passed in April 1983. We tend to equal "space flight" with "flights to Earth Orbit" or "Flight to the Moon", but suborbital flight to more than 80 kilometres - 13 in the X-15 rocket plane and 3 in the comercial "Spaceship One" are included as official flights that reached space. Aborts during launches are also included, as are the incredibly sad listings of the crew of STS 51-L, where Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe attained only 1 minute of spaceflight experience, before that ascent was so cruelly - and unnecessarily - terminated.
   The Authors have visely chosen to present all the numerical data in both metric and imperial measurement. If I have to search for something missing, I would wish for an alphabetic index of persons, who participated in which flight style, but then the size of this volume, already in that class which seriously hampers the compulsory bed-reader, clearly would have grown quite out of hand. Let us be thankful for the mass of facts we already have got here.
   For the veteran armchair astronaut this volume brings back a lot of memories, and still succeeds in serving up a plethora of data that has slipped the memory over those 45 years. For the young reader, this presents the scope of Mankinds first forays off our planetary shores and trips to the offshore island of the Moon. It's an incredible history after all, and it's all here.



4. A very comprehensive account of manned space flight. The book contains a time period overview of space travel plus a detailed account of each flight. Enjoyable reading. A must-have for all space buffs!



5. Awesome book with a lot of information. It could be made better by
   having a hardcover, color pages, and maybe made into two or three books(U.S. Spaceflights, Soviet/Russian Spaceflights, Spaceflights of other
   nations) with even more information. Need a book on unmanned
   spaceflights.

5 comments about The San Fernando Valley: America's Suburb.

1. For those who grew up in the Valley, this book provides a wonderful mix of 'answers-to-trivia-questions' and a solid background in many aspects of its history. For those who've never lived in the Valley or never been there, Kevin Roderick's book will tell you that your culture is far more shaped by the Valley and the people in it than you ever knew.



2. As someone who was born and raised in the valley, this book is a great look at the history of the San Fernando Valley from the pioneers who settled it on to modern day. Contains many wonderful photos as well. A fine read for anyone living here who would like to discover a little of it's past and for those of us born and raised here it is an essential look back on the place we call home. Much of the photos will make you say " I remember that!" It did for me upon seeing Lucy and Desi in their home which was located at Devonshire and Tampa and is now a gated housing complex. I grew up in the Porter Ranch area and that home and land are always part of my memories of the area.



3. Very enjoyable. I grew up in the west end of the San Fernando Valley; Van Nuys to Canoga Park. A good friend's grandfather was William Paul Whitsett. She would tell me interesting stories about him. It saddens me to see the condition of the Valley now. I remember the orange groves and horse ranches, but now nothing but houses, houses, houses. Can't go home again, but this book takes me back to a better time and place.



4. A great book on the history of the valley. For those of us that grew up in the 60s and 70s this book lacks pictures and stories of that time. If you are looking for memories this book will not bring them back.



5. During my stay in the United States more than a year and half ago, while doing my errands, I happened to arrive at the end of the MTA Orange Line bus on its westbound extremity, in a station called "Warner Center". I jumped out of the bus and started strolling with no specific purpose in mind. Seriously, this place I've arrived at has absolutely no touristic appeal at all. Not much people walking around, traffic wasn't intense (I guess this was because it was around 10 in the morning - the rush to work was over), green yards, large boulevards and peacefulness all across. Definitely, this was not a typical Los Angeles neighborhood like Hollywood, Echo Park, Eagle Rock and Venice, much less like South L.A. and Watts. What I saw was a world apart not so far away from the "original L.A." mess, though this was also a Los Angeles neighborhood, with a different atmosphere, aiming constantly to reach perfection.
   
   Even missing that touristic appeal, I thought this was the best spot I've been in during my Southern California trip. No kidding. Laugh at me if you want to. Even the paradisiac beaches which were so close to me wasn't that special. The impact of being at SFV hit hard on me. I know this place has the typical problems that any other major area also has, but it's still enchanting. This fascination led me to purchase this book so I could learn more about it.
   
   Just finished reading the book and my advice is:
   
   This book is simply a "must-have" for every Southern California native or lover who wants to know about the history of San Fernando Valley. Kevin Rodnick did an excellent job describing nicely and in chronological order the happenings that made this once empty space where Spaniards settled in the 1700s the most representative icon of the America's suburb and a - why not - peaceful refuge in the so-troubled Los Angeles area today.
   
   Get it!