2 comments about Weird Indiana: Your Travel Guide to Indiana's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (Weird).

1. This book says the late Sandy Allen was the tallest woman who ever lived. While Sandy certainly was one of the tallest women who ever lived, she was not THE tallest. These authors should have done their homework -- a simple Google task. Here are 3 giantesses taller than Sandy:
   1. Zeng Jinlian - Tallest Woman ever at 8' 1.75". Died at age 17 in 1982.
   2. Jane Bunford - 7'11", died in 1922.
   3. Yao Defen - Claimant as current tallest living female at 7'9" but not confirmed by Guinness World Records.
   Sandy probably holds the "tallest" record for the most consecutive years in the Guinness Book, from 1975 to 2009, minus the year Zeng Jinlian had the record.
   Interested in a new book about Sandy Allen? Please visit [...].



2. Who would have thought that the heartland of America would harbor such a wealth of weirdness? Not me, until I read this book, that is! It's a fascinating look at the oddities of a state that I always assumed was just cornfield, cornfields and more cornfields. Just goes to show how wrong you can be if you judge a book by its cover. This book, like all of the others in this Weird series, is an intelligent, witty and well written survey of the creepy, eccentric and bizarre aspects of Indiana's strange sites, unique history and many unexplained mysteries. Indiana weird? Believe it or not, it really is!

No comments about Fodor's Washington, D.C. 2009: with Mount Vernon, Alexandria & Annapolis (Fodor's Gold Guides).

5 comments about Top Secret Tourism: Your Travel Guide to Germ Warfare Laboratories, Clandestine Aircraft Bases and Other Places in the United States You're Not Supposed to Know About.

1. No wonder the publisher or author doesn't offer a "Search Inside This Book" link. If you were able to read the table of contents of this book you would see everything you've probably already seen or heard of and lots of large military installations that aren't really secret or hard to find at all. Being an Air Force brat my entire childhood and then serving in the Army myself for six years, I've been to over a dozen of the installations listed in this book and not only are they widely visible and accessible to military members and their families, they also give tours to the public and have a large civilian workforce inside them. Been inside "Cheyenne Mountain", been underground at the former "SAC headquarters" and even to this very day I do work in and around various naval facilities including a nuclear submarine base, only having to show my drivers license, signing in, letting them search my vehicle and getting an I.D. tag. Next thing you know I'm 50 feet away from the flight line or looking inside an F/A-18 hanger. No "top secret" clearance or elusive James Bond tactics necessary.
   
   There are tens of thousands of places across America that have restricted areas regardless of what they are or what activities they do. Our local utility company's headquarters building for instance has very tight security, many restricted areas and armed guards to protect from sabotage, terrorism and people pissed off about their electric bills but that doesn't and shouldn't automatically qualify it as a "top secret" destination. There's nothing new or exciting listed at all in this book unless you haven't watched the Military or History Channel or have been without internet access for the past fifteen years. There's absolutely nothing, not one thing like, "the dark brown building downtown by the post office and next to the river, the one with no windows or markings, it's actually a top secret munitions cache and surveillance center". No under your nose type stuff that the book's description implies. Instead you get stuff like what's in the "Florida" chapter of the book. There's only one entry for the entire state of Florida and it's the "Wackenhut Corporation", nothing else period. Most any Florida resident, military, civilian or even a rest stop janitor could and would point you to better places like Eglin AFB, CENTCOM or the military section of the Kennedy Space Center instead of a "rent-a-cop" headquarters.
   
   Buy it used or even better, do a Google, Wikipedia or search any property appraiser's website for any US city for this kind of stuff and you'll get better results. Example, the current Rachel, Nevada (Area 51) official home page (Amazon doesn't allow posting links) tells you there's no gas sold anymore in Rachel and that some entrepreneur is about to build a private "for profit" prison there. Do your own homework and you'll come out ahead, trust me.
   
   And since I totally expect the author to cry foul about this review, maybe even write himself another 5-star review (anyone else notice that?) I challenge him to post the table of contents online and let you, the would be consumer decide.



2. I expected a lot more from this book. It's not really a travel guide, although it does give crude maps and textual directions to each place. There are very few pictures, and most of those are for Area 51. The text is very entertaining though, but not very useful. Each site gets at least a couple pages, but there's nothing in-depth about any site. I'm not sure how much of the information comes from the author's experience visiting the sites and how much is just hearsay. He told only a few stories about his own experience, and I would have liked to read more of a travel diary about the author's experience going to each site, even if just to look from far away.
   
   Although the book presents nothing that you can't legally get on your own, I would have liked to see an appendix listing the source material, contact information for public affairs officers, websites, and so on. There's no bibliography for further reading on any particular site. The book's best use is its table of contents. You're going to have to do more research on your own anyway.
   
   At times the language is coarse and I think the book would have been better served without sarcasm, but I think the author was pandering to his audience. Some naïve politcal commentary creeps in as throw-away jokes, and might have been more appropriate if the author fleshed out the history a bit more.
   
   Despite being disappointed in the marketing and categorization of the book, I did have a good time reading it, just like I occasionally need to watch a UFO show on TV.



3. When looking at the description before ordering the book I was expecting more of a "hands-on" travel guide. By this I mean more of a personal journal of visiting (or attempting to) the sites. The book is more like a series of 2-3 page encyclopedia entries with a few photographs and black, line art type maps. Most entries lack even a photo which was disappointing.
   
   I actually was amused at the tongue-in-cheek style and was not put off by it. The lack of even a basic list of sources renders the information suspect without further investigation yourself. Despite this, I took the history and anecdotal stories at face value and just enjoyed the quick read.
   
   I would say the book serves as a quick overview that may entice a reader to dig on the internet for more information about the sites. I had already heard about most sites listed so there was little "new" information contained inside. What was "new" is, as mentioned above, not backed by any sort of source so it takes some of the shine off the book in my opinion.
   
   If you want a book that is easy to read in short sections and does contain some unusual tidbits of history about these places and are not put off by a bit of coarse language then you'll get what you pay for. If you are looking for actual accounts of a personal visit to each site with lots of pictures you are looking at the wrong book.



4. This book covers the places like area 51, army bases and the fenced off area the goverment owns.It is scarey what goes on there and a few of the goverment programs that went on and what they cost, like when the govermentdecided to see if they could use atomic bombs for excavation and the insane results a normal person would expect .They did it more than once!!!!!



5. I've read this book a few times through, and I can't help but come back to it often. If you want a no-fluff read, where you can quickly jump from location to location, this is the book you've been looking for.

5 comments about The Key to the Indian (Indian in the Cupboard).

1. We enjoyed reading this book. However, we thought it was a bitconfusing in the beginning. We recommend that you read the Indian inthe Cuboard before reading The Key to the Indian. END



2. Will this be the ultimate Going Back adventure for Ormi, the brave and clever boy who discovered the secret of the Indian--and a special cupboard? There is a twist this time, however, as Omri's father is in on the secret and the action. But Time Travel is hazardous even for adults; there are serious dangerss both to the travelers and those they visit in the Past.

   
   Little Bear's people are threatened with annihilation by American colonists; can 20th century British allies help them--or should they even try? It's an ethical dilemma: to balance respect for the integrity of the Past with loyalty to one's friends. In this fast-paced story the author examines the grim history of Native American vs White relations, allowing the
   reader to make the final judgment. But is it fair to exclude patient Mom--who passed on the family Gift to her son? And how to keep his meddling brothers in the dark as well? Family dymamics are both amusing and thought-provoking in this tale of honor and treachery, selfishness and altruism. Thanks to its deftly developed plot, THE KEY lives up to the promise of the first book in this delightful series. It's a story of Miniatures offering Maximum enjoyment. Kids of all ages will be immediately hooked.




3. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was hard to understand at sometimes, if you had not read The Indian In The Cupboard. The adventure that Omri and his father go on is very exciting and suspenseful. If you liked reading The Indian In The Cupboard or any other of the sequels to this to this book, I'm sure that you will enjoy reading The Key To The Indian. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the thrilling adventure that Omri and his father go on. The book also includes historical features, relating to Little Bear and his bout with the Europeans trying to conquer the new land. I recomend that anyone who enjoys reading Lynne Reid Banks' work.



4. The writer is talented but should be embarassed at her fictionalization, inaccuracy, and stereotyping of American Indians. As a Native woman, I am appalled and ashamed that this book was a reading assignment when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. This book didn't make me feel good then, but I lacked the words and tools to vocalize it. This book should be read only with a follow-up lesson that clarifies the inaccuracies of this book



5. All of these stories by an English story teller are about
   historical events of plastic action figures like G.I. Joe?
   The magic of the box and the key are here transfered to
   a car key and father and son save Little Bear's band of the Mohawks
   by sending them north to the hard cold Canadian reservation.
   The admission that historically the British have been treaty breakers
   is probably good. Many an American knows that the Indians
   or Native Americans have been treated badly, even shamelessly
   by both individuals and government.
   The team of Omri and his father nearly die when white
   American settlers attack the Iroquian longhouse where they are staying.
   A well told story with a moral is worth many "magic adventures"
   in my book.

5 comments about Weird Massachusetts: Your Travel Guide to Massachusetts' Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (Weird).

1. I really liked this book, although it was a bit of disappointment to learn that there isn't really anything that spooky about Spider Gates! ha ha I learned a lot of things about my own home state that I didn't even know, this was a great book. Each story is pretty short, so you can always investigate the stories that really interest you further on your own.



2. I was so sad when I got this book. I love the "Weird" series and live in MA, so I could hardly wait to learn some juicy tidbits of weirdness. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I think I would've liked this better if I didn't already own "Weird New England" of which some of the info is taken from. Honestly, there really isn't anything new here. I mean, Salem? Lizzie Borden? Plymouth Rock? Between that and seeing the exact same info (sometimes the exact same pages) from "Weird New England" I was just really disappointed. Too much info that you can find elsewhere. It's still a good series of books though.



3. I'm from New Jersey but go to school in Mass., so when this book came out I snatched it right up--and I'm very glad I did. It is not only a great addition to the series as a whole, but also a must have companion to the Weird New England book published a few years back. Sure, the obvious stuff is covered here--Salem, Lizzy Borden and so forth--but you really couldn't do a book called Weird Massachusetts and NOT include those stories. It just wouldn't be complete. Even so,the author does a great job of retelling the few obligatory stories that are included here, and somehow manages breathe new life into them through his energetic writing style. But the real tastey meat of this book lies in the material not covered in any previous volumes: like the terrifying stories of Dudley Road, the little know odd finds buried deep in the woods like Deed Rock, and the just plain quirky entries like the story of Sheila Shea's grave (it actually reads "who the hell is Sheila Shea?" In addition to that, there are some chilling tales from some of MA's abandoned place. Sure, most people know of Danvers, but what about Worcester State, Northampton State, and Medfield State hospitals? All are explored here in their creepy and forlorn glory! If you are into Weird and want to know more about its presence in the Bay State, this book has it covered. What more can I say?



4. Weird Massachusetts is a fun, silly, enjoyable book enjoyable to read for anyone who enjoys good ghost stories, local legends and other weird events. Of course they are not true but like most people we all love to be scared and left with the question of "what if?" This book is highly recommended for people who enjoy a good fright and love to read stories about ghosts and goblins and want to share those with others around them.
   
   Read this for some good, scary, fun!



5. I don't have much attention span for lengthy books, so this one is perfect! It contains enough info to keep the reader interested, while not overdoing it. Makes a GREAT gift, too!

No comments about Rand McNally Harley Davidson Ride Atlas of North America: U.S., Canada, Mexico with Map.

5 comments about Honeymoon with My Brother: A Memoir.

1. . . .you might enjoy this.
   
   Same sort of premise--a big life change precipitates world travel. In Eat Pray Love--a divorce, in this case, a canceled wedding.
   
   Wisner does think a bit about his circumstances, but in general this book is more about the travel than the introspection, which I enjoyed. He does examine the rediscovery of a relationship with his brother, which added a level of personal examination to it.
   
   You could call this the man's Eat Pray Love.
   
   If you dream about the idea of taking a year off and seeing the world, hang out with Franz and his brother for a couple hundred pages.



2. Whether or not you like this book depends entirely on your ability to tolerate the voice of Franz "the Wiz" Wisner. This memoir covers a two-year trek around the world taken by Wisner (adored by all) and his brother after Wisner is dumped by his fiancée right before his wedding. The two men are true world travelers in that they journey to some of the most remote and exotic locales in the world often as backpackers without guidebooks or set itinerary. The problem I had with this book is that given the depth of their travels, the writing and insights are sophomoric.
   
   The book reads like a high school student articulating his eye-opening experiences after his first trip abroad: "Your best experience will be something spontaneous. Travel is the only investment with guaranteed returns.... ...poverty doesn't equate to unhappiness." Four months spent in Africa constitutes only 32-pages. Perhaps this is because it is the one continent Wisner did not have any sexual conquests to share. Considering these two men are in their thirties, their level of immaturity and self-absorption is astounding. Most of the book served as a platform for Wisner to expound on his many great accomplishments, his list of loyal friends, his sexual prowess, and his personal witty commentary. I continued reading the book in the hopes that Wisner would evolve over the course of his travels, but no.
   
   The second star is because I did actually finish the book and because some of it was amusing--although I think unintentionally so.



3. My book club just finished "Honeymoon With My Brother" and we just loved it. It was adventurous, funny and sad. If you are in a bookclub just e-mail him he is just wonderful. Two weeks ago we had bookclub and I called him and he presented over the phone to our club his book. Last night we had bookclub and I called him and we were on speaker phone for at least 45 minutes to a hour. I just can't say enough about the book and Franz.



4. Loved the idea, but the writing disappointed me, and bored me in the second half. Too much annie rambling (grow up franz, sorry), and too much about himself, conquests (care factor : 0) and not enough about the countries visited in those two years.
   Those places and people met deserve a better travelogue than this. Three stars is to oppose the current rating, i did enjoy the read but didnt found this an exceptional book.



5. This book is absolutely phenomenal!! I bought the book with Franz and his brother came to the UC Davis bookstore (and they both signed it for me!) but didn't end up reading it until 2 years later while I was on holiday in Japan and Shanghai.
   
   I didn't have a highlighter with me so I decided to dog ear any pages that stood out to me...the whole book is pretty much dog eared!
   
   seriously - it's a really FUNNY memoir of his travels.. and I think it definitely hits home more for anyone who has traveled (even if not to the extent they have!). He points out nuances about traveling that you will totally understand and you'll chuckle to yourself when you realize how TRUE everything he says is.
   
   Definitely a must read!

5 comments about AMC White Mountain Guide, 28th: Hiking trails in the White Mountain National Forest (Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide).

1. This is the first edition of the WMG that I have owned, but owners of previous editions have pointed out that the maps in this edition are superior to theirs because the new maps include mileage on every single trail in the White Mountains. It is too bad that they are paper and not Tyvek or some other waterproof material, because they are already falling apart. If you are an avid hiker in the Whites, I suggest getting the Tyvek ones sold seperately.
   
   The guidebook itself is exhaustive and lists every detail of every trail, which is useful if you already have a route picked out but not if you are trying to find a good hike and aren't sure where to go. For that, I recommend Michael Lanza's New England Hiking or New Hampshire Hiking from Foghorn Outdoors.
   
   This 100th anniversary edition of WMG comes in a box that came unglued fairly quickly and then again after I reglued it. I would get rid of the box altogether except that the book doesn't have a pocket in the back for the maps like other AMC guidebooks do and I don't want to lose them. I hope that future editions of this guide will do away with the box and go back to the pocket.
   
   If you do not have your own copy of WMG and are looking to purchase one, this is definitely the product to buy. If, however, you already have an older edition of this book, I would suggest buying the Tyvek maps seperately and wait for a few more editions to be published before replacing your book.



2. This is a great set of maps and trail descriptions, though its not much for planning or suggesting anything in the white mountains. The trail maps are very well detailed, complete, and having the mileage on them directly is a nice addition. The book is a hard to use for planning, though it works for simply looking up a particular hike and reading some about the difficulty and anything you need to know to not get lost.



3. "THe White Mountain Guide" is the Appalachian Mountain Club's 28th and Centennial edition of its popular and indispensible hiking guide to New England's top outdoor recreational area. The guide itself, once past a few introductory chapters on safety and geography, has descriptions of each of the established trails in the region. Each description tells how to get to the appropriate trailhead, a narrative of the trail itself, and a breakdown by distance and elevation change of the major segments of the trail. These trail descriptions, updated for each edition of the guide, are invaluable in planning anything from a day hike to a multi-day trip in the beautiful White Mountains.
   
   The guide comes in a small cardboard box with three double-sided color maps that provide coverage of all the trail routes. The maps are detailed, easy to read, and at a usable scale for the White Mountains. Inexplicably, the maps included with the guide are paper and unlikely to stand up to repeated field use in the conditions often found in New Hampshire. Dedicated hikers are recommended to invest in the waterproof and tear-resistant versions of these maps, also published by the Appalachian Mountain Club.
   
   This guide is very highly recommended to hikers and walkers planning an outing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.



4. If you are going to do The White Mountains, here's your book. Useful, hold that, extremely useful trail maps... If you want to do the 48 4000 footers in NH, this is a great tool to plan your travels!



5. Great product. Great customer service and response time from Amazon.
   I had ordered this product from another vendor and it never came. Thankfully, Amazon came through. I'll remember that next time I make a purchase. Thank you!

5 comments about Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. This atlas is much more detailed that ones like it, such as Benchmark's recreation atlas. With this being said, it not as detailed as one may need in the back country. I mainly use it to provide a general overview of the region I am exploring, and to locate common places.Main forest service roads are visible, yet no all are marked with a name or number. I use it in conjunction with USGS topo quad maps, forest service map, and GPS, and serves it purpose very well.



2. Has everything listed however not in a organized fashion, 3 insets related to 3 other pages are on one page just because they're within 4 miles of the coast. From N to S on a map it doesnt break in a logical way. There are no insets of large cities main roads such as portland, salem, eugene, corvallis. however, forest service roads are listed and named. which is a great help when highways are closed.



3. I have lived in Oregon for twenty years and gotten around with a road map, this is sooo much better, now I need a washington edition. great book. has paid for itsself in just two local trips across the maze of roads from Newberg to Gaston.



4. These Delorme Atlas & Gazetters are wondeful. They show you many features not available through GPS, maps or other atlases. It is a great feature to have the BLM lands marked as well as the back roads. Good resources are also included in each states atlas. A good addition to anyone's travel tools.



5. These Gazetteer's are not your USGS maps but they are certainly better than any road map out there. So as long as you don't require back-country precision have one of these in your car as they are still better than any GPS once you get off the secondary's.

2 comments about Great Lodges of the National Parks: Volume Two.

1. When I saw GLNP on PBS, I was surprised to find that Christine Barnes had yet again discovered more national treasures to share with us all. I have all of her books, and like the earlier ones, she makes these lodges come alive in so many ways. I suggest you only read one chapter at a time, then let the experience sink in overnight. The photography by itself tells a story with a great selection of photos including priceless historical shots. Those who appreciate history will not be disappointed as the author covers each topic in an accurate, but interesting way. Architects will appreciate the detail and early renderings. And finally, for those who are looking for new places for the family vacation, this book is a must. I visited many of the lodges featured in her previous books, both in the US and Canada. I can assure you there is nothing artificial about any of these places. As they say, they are the "real deal" and part of our history we can all be proud of and experience ourselves



2. Fun reading if you are an explorer of the National Parks, which I am. Certainly the most detailed descriptions in general circulation of these historic places. The second edition had a few places in it that I did not know about and have now placed on my list of lodges to stay in. Without a doubt all these places still have great position. For example the Many Glacier Lodge was the most dramatic nature setting of any hotel I have ever stayed in. This includes some really fabulous places in Europe. But the level of the rooms does tend to vary. Check Frommers, AAA, or others to get a sense of what the room quality may be. Frankly with some like the Many Glacier, it did not matter. But to those wanting to stay at a "Four Seasons" level accommodation in a National Park you may not be happy.