5 comments about Insiders' Guide to North Carolina's Outer Banks, 29th (Insiders' Guide Series).

1. Went to the Outer Banks recently, and bought this book and took it with us. The book turned out to be indispensable for our three-family vacation...from fishing to creating stain-glass mosaics, this guide has a description of it all!
   
   Highly recommended!



2. The Insiders' Guide to North Carolina's Outer Banks was the best book I found for our trip there this summer. Every source we used from the book was accurate and helpful.



3. This book is fantastic! It gives a very detailed description about everything you'd need for a wonderful trip to the Outer Banks.
   
   I especially like the way it's laid out, with each section going "north to south". For example, the restaurants section starts at the north end of the islands and works its way down to the very south. Same with accommodations, etc.
   
   It also definitely gives you a "feel" for the place - telling the type of vibe each community has and what the general demographics are.
   
   Highly recommended!



4. When I bought this book I was not sure if it would really be helpfully for us and our first trip to the Outer Banks. It was great! We used it everyday. Before we went somewhere we looked at it as reference. It helped us eat everyday in the Outer Banks plus do a little shopping. I am glad I bought it now, it helped us have one of the best vacations we ever had. I can't wait for the next edition because I think we are going back again and again to the Outer Banks and a updated version will help us prepare for any changes since our last visit.



5. This guide is full of information and was extremely beneficial on my first trip to the Outer Banks. The chapters and index are well organized and easy to navigate. Have also used the Charleston book from the same series.

5 comments about Grinding It Out: The Making Of Mcdonald's.

1. It has been several months and i have still not recieved the book. i tryed to contact the vendor with no success. I highly recommend using a different distributor.



2. This is a great book for all entrepreneurs who are starting out and a good reminder for established ones. The title fits the book very well since it does show that Ray did make a lot of gambles to make it all work out and he started out an average middle income citizen like everybody else. Lessons like:
   - Sweating it out
   - Constantly trying new things
   - Learning from mistakes
   
   Very good lessons in business and life.
   
   Although the first few chapters on his biography do not have much to do about business.



3. There's a lot to say about McDonald's, or about any business. But this isn't a book about McDonald's, it's about the life of the man behind it. It's a quaint book. It doesn't tell you about the pathos of the man's life; he mentions his daughter I believe just once throughout the whole book. Instead, we're given a nostalgic rosey-colored view of what got this man up in the morning, the ideas that chewed at his mind, and his drive to achieve them.
   
   Ray Kroc didn't even become interested in McDonalds until he was in his 50's. In fact, the autobiography is most interesting when discussing the series of events leading up to his making the acquaintance of the McDonald brothers, who had a small family-owned venue which was able to pop out hamburgers for a nickel a piece. Before this time, Kroc worked various odd jobs around the city, during prohibition he even played piano at an illeagal salon. He eventually settled in as a sales-rep, eagerly hopping from one product to another, from one costumer to the next. It might not be the ideal life, but Kroc's enthusiasm sure makes it seem that way. At one point he was truly excited about marketing some type of outdoor fold-in chair that his friend had made - he was positive that it was going to take the world by storm. And later he gets into marketing a product called a multi-mixer, which can make six milk shakes at once! This, he thought, will really bring in the dough.
   
   In the meantime, he hauled from one business to another, trying out various ideas. Some days he would hardly sleep - in one passage in the book, he talks about his tricks for getting to sleep as quickly as possible after his head hit the mat. That way he wouldn't lose valuable time trying to fall asleep.
   
   There are a lot of fun anecdotes in the first third of the book. But what brings the book to the next level is the description of how he stumbled upon the McDonald's brothers, and made their business (unfortunately, without them) one of the most successful businesses of the century. Kroc applies the same raw enthusiasm and smarts, but the scale of his business keeps exponentially increasing. In this section, the nature of the anecdotes changes - they're more like what you would expect, with meeting so-and-so who now has millions of dollars, and striking a deal with so-and-so who is now stinking rich. And then there are still the more humbling stories, which match up with the folding-chair experience above - like the creation of the HulaBurger, a fried pinapple with cheese and fixins in a bun. Kroc thought it was the best thing he had ever tasted, how could it ever fail?
   
   McDonald's didn't change Ray Kroc, it's clear that the business came straight out of a person who knew what people wanted. Throughout the book, Kroc is solving problems, working his hardest, observing human nature. The ideals you see in a young piano-playing or door-peddling Ray are the same ideals that created the double arches. By connecting all of these dots, this autobiography depicts a very inspiring man, albeit from rose-tinted lenses, along with the values of remaining honest, genuine, and business-like.



4. A very good book, a definite read for anyone looking to learn more about start up business or true entrepreneurship.
   
   Although, I think it's very important to look at the fact that things are much different now of days then when Ray Kroc started up Mcdonalds. It is very inspiring though to find out how old he was when he started this business. Though, it's nice to read of all these young kids starting up business, it's also nice to read about a man in his 50's finally doing a start up that he'd dream t of.



5. It is not often you unearth a business biography that starts your stomach rumbling with hunger while maintaining your attention. No matter what your perception of the fast food hamburger industry, Grinding it Out provides a pleasant look into the origin of franchising and fast food. One will also find some gratification discovering the extent to which Ray Kroc put quality and integrity on an equal basis with profit; something possibly unexpected to those with prior negative perceptions of the mogul due to his abundant wealth.
   
   Anderson provides a wealth of detail outlining the business dealings behind the growth of the McDonalds franchise. This book will be of interest to those with a curiosity towards the making of an industry. I recommend reading this book but suggest doing so with a full stomach.

2 comments about Frommer's Washington, D.C. 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

1. This was the first guidebook I purchased when planning a trip to Washington, DC. Frommers always covers the bases and this book is no exception. Hotels, restaurants, local attractions, and more are all covered here. I also found the "Best" lists that Frommers always includes to be useful. It helps me zoom in on the best of the best experiences when time is short on a trip.
   
   The problem I had with the book is that the level of detail for many of these entries was lacking. Hotels get a nice write up but the vast majority of those covered are above the budget for a typical traveler. The information on the tourist attractions also seems fairly comprehensive... until you compare it to the The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. (Unofficial Guides) and realize how much more clear and complete that guide is. While I used this guide for the early stages of planning, it was my frustration with it that prompted me to look at other books and I ultimately stopped using this one and didn't even bring it with me on the trip. The Unofficial Guide has roughly 100 pages of additional content and none of it is filler.
   
   In closing, this is not a bad guidebook for Washington, DC. Most of the basics are covered competently and I'm sure a lot of people have used it and been satisfied. Once you read the Unofficial Guide, however, you'll realize just how much useful information is left out of the Frommers Guide.



2. Excellantly laid out with invaluable "tips". Could not have planned my 6-day vacation without it.

2 comments about Not for Tourists 2008 Guide to Seattle (Not for Tourists Guidebook).

1. Amazing breakdowns of the neighborhoods - color maps, lists and locations of businesses and more. Nice glossy pages and more info than a short-term visitor could ever use - we bought it as a relocation guide and it has paid of in dividends for us! It helped us decide on which neighborhood to live in, helped us find businesses and services, and showed us fun places to eat and hang out. Use it for visiting but remember that it is also a fantastic book full of info to help you move to Seattle!



2. I gave the book, 'Not for Tourists' as a gift and it was received with much interest and delight. The book is very informative, covering various districts in and around Seattle. The information is very detailed and acurate, with good readable maps, great information about the many areas that it covers and a fun book to browse through. I've lived in Seattle for many years and it was great fun reading through this delightful book. I will be purchasing 'Not for Tourists' for my self.

2 comments about Woodall's North American Campground Directory with CD, 2008 (Woodall's North American Campground Directory).

1. I pre-ordered the Woodall's North American Campground Directory with CD, 2008 and received it the day after Christmas. The book is what you expect from Woodall's--an extensive listing of campgrounds with very little information on each, buried in page after page of ads, hard to use but useful for finding and doing the initial screening of campgrounds which you then have to call to get the up-to-date information you really need.
   
   But the CD won't load on my Mac (OS X Leopard 10.5.1) as advertised. I called the 800 number on the CD case and got an "...extension 492 is invalid..." message so I hit "0" and got a very nice operator. She listened to my problem and then said, "Let me switch you to Lance." After leaving voice mails over several days, I finally got Lance on the phone and he immediately decided that I had received a corrupt CD. He overnighted one to me but I got the same error with it. I'm now leaving voice mails again in hopes that he will solve my problem.
   
   So, the book is mediocre, the CD won't work, and support is..., well, I'll be nice and just say that it's lacking. Two stars is generous, in my opinion. If I don't receive satisfaction soon, I'll return the package for a refund.
   
   ***Added on January 16, 2008***
   
   Well, at least they've fixed their phone system. I got through to Lance a week ago and he said there were problems with the software on Macs with the latest version of Leopard (OS X 10.5.1). He advised me to watch the CDROM Web site (not their main site--see CD package) for an updated version. Nothing yet. My disappointment continues.
   
   ***Added on January 29, 2008***
   
   Lance now says that they're not sure they'll be able to get the program to work on a Mac with Leopard OS X. He offered to refund my money. Bummer. Oh, and their 800 number is again going to an invalid extension. Kind of makes you wonder.



2. This book is a grest help to all campers, especially those with large motorhomes or 5th wheels. This reference helps us find campgrounds listed as"big rigs welcome" for us larger rigs.

5 comments about 101 Places You Gotta See Before You're 12!.

1. Don't know what to do on the weekend or short vacations with your kids? Here are some great and some simple ideas that your children will delight in. It was fun going through the book with my 10 year old grand daughter and identifying what she had done (quite a few of the things) and what things she wanted to do in the next 14 months before she turned 12. There is a check off list which is usually appealing to a preteen. Also it was fun to recollect the many things the family had done together. We had been to a pig pen and a working farm, dug for fossils, spent hours in a cemetary, the state capitol, an aquarium, a waterfall, backstage and so on. Among things to do: a jail, courthouse, working port, antiquarian book store and a few more things. I will give it to my other grandchildren on their birthdays. Great Gift, great fun, great learning experieinces, and great price.



2. I bought this for my 12yr old, and we've had so much fun looking through it over and over, for all the fun places to go. You really dont have to travel far to do most of them. There are terrific photos, and I love the reference in the back with web addresses and info. on places to go. I plan to purchase several more as gifts for nieces/nephews!



3. Books that encourage one to aspire to see all the world great sites are inspiring, but it not realistic for everyone to see the Taj Mahal and Patagonia.
   
   This book brings adventure closer to home, and is wonderfully flexible and practical. Everyone can and should see a Migration Path, a Fort, a Working Farm, a Street Market and the House Where Their Parents Grew Up.
   
   Besides, who doesn't want to recapture those elementary years?



4. This is a great book for a person of any age provided that they are interested in getting off the couch. This is the second time I have purchased this book but probably not the last. This purchase is for a Christmas gift for a nephew. The last purchase was for a birthday gift for a different nephew. I'm not sure if the recipients love it as much as I do. I wish someone had given me a book like this when I was younger. Two big thumbs up!



5. I bought this book for a 9 year old girl for Christmas. She LOVES it!!! She spent quite a bit of time looking at it and placing the included stickers on the places she wants to go. Then, she and her mother sat together and talked about places to visit. It was a great gift and I highly recommend this book!

5 comments about Top 10 Seattle (EYEWITNESS TOP 10 TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. We took a few days off before attending a business meeting in the Seattle area. I wanted a short-and-sweet guidebook that would direct me to the places I most needed to see (expected destinations like Pike Place Market), as well as a few less obvious places to go. Since I couldn't spend very long in town, I wanted something small and portable enough to stuff in my purse. Top 10 Seattle did a good job at this goal.
   
   In addition to the top ten overall spots, and in some cases the top ten at each spot (such as the most important places to see at the aforementioned market), the book covers each of the major neighborhoods, with recommendations in each one. Not all of them are "tourist" spots, either; for instance, it directs you to walk a few blocks off Broadway (where I was staying) to check out the architecture of area homes. That was good advice, and I wouldn't have ventured that way on my own.
   
   Each neighborhood gets restaurant recommendations, too; we relied on it for one or two meals and were generally pleased. There's also shopping recommendations, though I didn't explore them as much.
   
   The book also has very clear maps, which was definitely appreciated, though I'm not sure how helpful they'd be if you go outside their major areas of focus.
   
   Where the book falls down is in the details. Not the info on each site (it's tiny, that's what I wanted) but in logistics. If it's 10am on Sunday, which of these places will be open? Should I go downtown on the off-chance that the museum is open? The book gave me no guidance.
   
   Nonetheless, this was a good book to carry along on a short trip. I'd do it again.



2. If you need a quick answer for places to go and enjoy in Seattle, this book will be a good and low cost reference guide. Am planning to go to Seattle, will take it with me.



3. We have been fans of all the Top 10 books...Washington DC, NYC, et al
   
   It provides money-saving tips for budget-minded travelers of one, two or family with children(food, accomodations, etc). The book helps you be time-wise for sightseeing for one, two or family with children. Definitely recommend to all travelers. We look forward to our Seattle trip. Will be our first time in the great North West!



4. Seattle is a great cosmopolitan city. The books in this series are usually excellent. This one is sub par, it doesn't do the city justice. It's o.k. if you want info concentrated on one city, but you'll gleen as many insights from the Chamber of Commerce visitor information.
   
   I was disappointed in the book, not the city.



5. Invaluable tool for our trip to Seattle over New Year's. Helpful info and pictures, fit our tastes to a tee.

5 comments about Photographer's Guide to Yellowstone and the Tetons.

1. A caveat: I am a total amateur who takes pictures only during the one or two annual vacations using very simple equipment!
   
   I just came back after 5 days at YS and GT parks. I was very impressed by how accurate Joseph's suggestions were -- in terms of the preferred times, angles and such to take pictures from. For example, Joseph had suggested taking pictures of the Old Faithful NOT from the benches in front of the Inn, but from the lodge side or from another angle which would include some colorful runoffs in the picture. I managed to pick up a rainbow with the waterfall from Uncle Tom's trail in my video (my still camera did nt pick it up). Other suggetsions also turned out to be as accurate and useful. More importantly, it is absolutely free of fluff and hence you can read it in a 2 hours flight to YS!
   
   When I first looked at Joseph's pictures, I felt like there was probably a tad excessive use of filters to exaggerate the contrasts (the blues appeared to me to be a bit more blue than what would have been real). I never got to verify this as the sky was grey in YS and GT when I was there! Anyways, it is just a matter of taste. If you like Joseph's results (they are stunning), you can use the detailed input he provides on the use of the polarizer and the filters. Even otherwise, his suggestions on just the spots and times to take pictures from make the book very valuable.
   
   The book is organized based on features -- waterfalls, geysers, animals and so on. That is probably useful for many. However, for family vacationers, coverage by location (Norris, West Thumb,...) would probably have been easier to use. I had to correlate the suggested times for photography from Joseph with the info I got on how to cover each location from another excellent book (YS Treasures by J Chappel).
   
   Overall, I strongly recommend the book.



2. I bought this book to take along on a vacation trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons in mid-June 2007. I found it to be a great source to take photos of often photographed natural icons at different views and angles as well as some shots that the average traveler would not know about without this book. For instance I would not have known about the great shots that can be taken of the Mormon Row Barns with the Tetons in the background without this book. Perhaps more seasoned photographers may know about these different places but I for one would not have had a clue. I would have ended my vacation with the same shots of Yellowstone and the Tetons that everyone else has. The book took me off the beaten path where I got some great shots and expierenced the pleasures of getting away from the main road.
   
   Other valuable information was the instructions on what time of day is best to shoot a certain shot, tips about exposure, and valuable tips about using filters that made my pictures stand out.
   
   The book was concise, accurate, and very easy to follow and understand for an novice like me.



3. I would have given the Photographers Guide to Yellowstone & the Titons a 5 Star Rating if there was an index in the back of the book for easy reference while out in the field. It is difficult trying to remember what page the subject that your looking at is on. That being said, it is still a good reference book on the area and I do not regret buying it.



4. Good pointers for each geographic location.
   
   Could be updated to add digital photography tips, but my long experience enabled me to accommodate for that.



5. This is a very helpful book when photographing Teton and Yellowstone. I was able to decide exactly what equipment to pack prior to the trip and it was exactly what I needed.

5 comments about In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits.

1. This is truly one of the great books of people pictures, a treasure chest of images truly deserving the self-imposed subtitle of "greatest portraits".
   
   Trust me on this. Having spent almost 40 years in the news business as a reporter, photographer and editor, I have some experience in recognizing good pictures and hiring people who can produce good pictures. By any standard, these are great pictures.
   
   A "great picture" hinges on an intangible called the moment of peak action. Let me explain that by referring to a photo not in this book; the angry defiant look of Sir Winston Churchill in the portrait by Yousouf Karsh of Ottawa, Canada. Churchill was angry because Karsh had just taken away his cigar, which Churchill had just lit of relax after a speech to the Canadian parliament. It's probably the most famous portrait ever of Churchill.
   
   Had I taken that picture, instead of the angry portrait I'd have waited and asked Churchill to "smile". As everyone knows, it would have been a lousy picture of a great man. Karsh had the genius to recognize the precise moment of peak action; likewise, in picture after picture in this book, I saw the same superb talent in capturing the most evocative expression of the subjects. This is the heart of great photography; I think I can recognize it, just as an art critic can recognize a great painting without being able to do it.
   
   Photography is the most accessible of the arts; every parent wants "great" pictures of their children, every lover wants "great" pictures of their beloved, every tourist wants that memorable vacation memory. This book is a superb course in what great pictures look like; it's not just a museum of the finest, it's also a teaching example of "here's what a good picture is like" for anyone who takes pictures. This quality can inspire your quality.
   
   If we are to learn, we might as well learn from the best whenever possible; if we are to enjoy great art, we might as well have the best. This book is an example of both; the price is incredible for such a treasure trove. It's awesome.
   
   Buy it; it'll improve your pictures, and your life.



2. This book is gorgeous! The images are amazing and the stories/articles are a wonderful accessory to the photography. AND, what a bargain!!!! It is hard back and HUGE...well worth the money.



3. I got this as a gift for my cousin who had just finished getting his B.A. in Photography. I had gone to Barnes & Nobles to get it and I was going to buy it and ship it to him but b/c this book is so heavy, it would probably have cost me twice as much. I found it here on Amazon for less and shipping was included!!!



4. I bought this for my 20 year old daughter by her request. I glanced at the pictures and they really get your attention



5. highly recommended for any amateurs seeking ideas for portrait photography, very informative with little sections written out for history as well as organization into time periods of photography!

5 comments about Doctor Dealer: The Rise and Fall of an All-American Boy and His Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine Empire.

1. FROM START TO FINISH YOU KNEW PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE BUT THIS DID NOT STOP ME FROM PUTTING THE BOOK DOWN. WAS AMAZED WITH ALL THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTS DETAILED WITHIN THE BOOK AND THE WORK THAT WENT INTO GATHERING ALL THE REQUIRED INFORMATION TO MAKE THIS BOOK A TRUELY GREAT READ..



2. Not Bowden's best (I give that honor to Killing Pablo), but still a page-turner. I wanted to meet Larry Lavin after reading this. Has a bad guy ever been portrayed so well? He had charisma, intelligence, charm, and even worked in a job where he helped people. It doesn't even seem like Lavin was the type to intentionally hurt people through his "other" business. Bowden almost has you cheering on Larry as you progress through the pages. Perhaps it has something to do with how complex Larry is, and Bowden captures it magnificently.
   
   They say "truth is stranger than fiction" and this book proves it. I can't believe they haven't made this into a movie yet.
   
   If you're a fan of Bowden, this is a must-read.



3. I think this book was better than Killing Pablo!! It is a great read. Don't miss it.



4. a good book to read, could have used that 30 page block of pictures you would find in most of these books, Bowdens writing is very visual, talking alot about people's looks, and mannerisms, so some pictures would have really tied it together I though... he did it in killing pablo, and it really sank home some of his points.



5. The book is about Larry Lavin, a dentist, family man, and cocaine dealer on the side (!). The book is well written. Moves along very nicely. This story goes to show what greed and discontentment can do to a person. Here you have a guy who has a lot going for him, but risks it all by dealing cocaine.