5 comments about Yellowstone Treasures: The Traveler's Companion to the National Park.

1. This is a good book to have with you in Yellowstone. I especially liked the road logs. It is a good resource that brings together information that would otherwise need to be gathered from multiple resources and is sometimes not even available elsewhere. Combined with T. Scott Bryan's "The Geysers of Yellowstone", it was very well used on our trip!



2. Highly recommend this book. Well written explaination of what you are seeing. Much better than the park service materials.



3. We purchased this book for an upcoming trip to Yellowstone and it is exactly the kind of book for which we had hoped. It is signifcantly better organized than many of the other books that we looked at about Yellowstone.



4. At first my man thought it was stupid of me to purchase this book. I say at first because after he started to read it he said, "Hey that book you bought is really good!" Anyway we used it quite a bit while we were at Yellowstone and also Grand Teton National park as well. A great purchase and an item we will be sure to use many times in the future.



5. I brought this book for my family RV trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton last month. It helped us plan our routes, learn bits of history and science, and pick camp sites. The mile markers and corresponding information bits were very useful as we stayed mostly on the grand loop. I highly recommend this book, particularly to first-time visitors.

5 comments about Streetwise San Francisco Map - Laminated City Street Map of San Francisco, California - with integrated BART map including lines and stations - MUNI lines, bus routes.

1. great map to quickly find your way around SF and to avoid you admitting you're totally lost. And being plastic, it can play with water (it rains seomtimes in SF...) and will not tear, whatever your level of frustration is.



2. I have a few of these for various cities and they are all very good and great for residents, new residents or even vacations or as a gift for someone moving to a new place.
   
   It provides laminated clearly written and very detailed for it's size. It provides, buses and subway lines, landmarks and tourist attractions for many major cities.



3. These "streetwise" laminated maps are the best there is to get you around any city. Walking OR driving. We wore this one out on our recent trip to San Francisco.



4. I stayed at The Red Vic in Haight-Ashbury, a little off the beaten path. This map and my weeklong muni pass paid for themselves a gabillion times. The map worked great; I was never lost. The way they depict the touristy section of Lombard Street makes me giggle.



5. Handy map, with excellent info on bus routes and all manners of public transit!!!! Can't do without this map if you're on your own and want to use public transit!

5 comments about Moon Glacier National Park (Moon Handbooks).

1. The Moon Handbooks guide for Glacier National Parks was one of just a few books I could find when searching for help planning a recent trip there. While there may not be many options, it turns out that none were needed because everything I needed was right here. The book begins by briefly introducing the geographic areas of the park, and then offers a few sample itineraries. Once the preliminaries are out of the way, the author proceeds to get down to the real detail of exploring each geographic region in detail. A guide to exploring the sights, recreation options, accommodations, and food are included for each region. The book closes with some more basic information like the best ways to get to Glacier and some history of the area.
   
   I found the information in the guide to be helpful, accurate, and fairly complete. It's description of the two hotels I stayed in were spot on for both the positives and negatives. We didn't spend a lot of time in restaurants on the trip but from what I saw this part was also accurate. About the only flaw with the book is that it is printed and obviously can't be constantly updated. When I arrived at Glacier, I learned that a large section of Going-to-the-sun road was closed for the next several weeks and this included the Logan Pass area. I say this not to blame the guide but to encourage people to check with the park rangers in advance to see if there are any road closures that might affect your desire to go.
   
   This book is a definite keeper for those planning a trip to Glacier National Park. It also contains information on Waterton for those interested in making the drive up to the Canadian side (and I would encourage readers to do it if at all possible). It's writing is concise and clear, and the information is complete and accurate.



2. I found this guide to be well written and very informative. It is nice to have such a good base of usable information contained in one source. The author did a great job in pointing out the highlights of the park.



3. Good book for beginning overview of park. This book helps you plan if you have a limited time in the park.



4. This was a great guide for my trip to Glacier. It proved to be invaluable. It detailed hikes, routes, accommodation, dining and wildlife in the park very accurately.Pretty much everything could be taken as fact, such as the overcrowding at Logan's Pass and the side of the car you should sit on if you're nervous of heights whilst on the Going-to-the-Sun road.
   In fact, at Glacier it was the ONLY guide book I could find on the park (although I'd bought mine on Amazon!).
   If your planning on visiting Glacier get this book in advance. It's really interesting as it tells you histories related to the park and lets you in on events that happen throughout the year, as well as good tips as to view the wildlife.



5. Very easy to follow. Like the way it was set-up in sections according to the park locations.

5 comments about Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon.

1. I bought this book when it first came out. At that time I was living and working in the park. It is amazing how many people don't use common sence when on vacation. I think that the 1st chapter should be handed out at the gate as a warning to all tourist who enter the park!



2. I could not put this book down...It is like one dramatic story after another..Most of the tales are just unimagineable..I love the Grand Canyon and this book is an eye opener....You will not believe what you read..The Canyon not only holds awesome beauty its holds many other tales...You have to read this book!



3. I don't know why I was attracted to this book...I've never even seen the Grand Canyon. I guess we all are fascinated by fate and death and bizarre stories while we are sitting safe. I enjoyed this book at first and then as the chapters went by, I started to do a bit of skimming. Each chapter has a theme (falling, suicide, murder, etc.) which was intriguing. However once I read a few stories of each, I felt that I could skim the rest and move onto the next chapter. I did like how at the end of each chapter they listed all the stats of the poor people who lost their lives. What are the odds that two large airlines would collide over the Grand Canyon??? What a way to go; poor souls.
   
   I did like the writing and the humor, despite the sad topic. I do know that if I ever go to the Grand Canyon, no one is getting me to back up to take my picture!



4. I have been to the Grand Canyon more than once. In fact, I bought this book from one of the stores in the park on the rim. I too, could not put it down. I have told numerous people about the book and recommended it to friends and associates and anyone visiting the canyon for the first time. This book is NOT fiction folks, it is the real deal. It absolutely amazes me some of the ways people have died here. EVERY conceivable way is mentioned. It , in a way seems morbid to some degree, kind of like reading detective magazines or something, like my Grandpa used to do. But once into the first few pages you realize, that it is not just about death , but about living too. People that have come to see the awe of the Grand Canyon and its life and their lives intermingling. What's unfortunate is the complete utter disregard some people have for what is so obvious. Granted, some of the deaths are COMPLETELY accidental, but some are beyond stupid. One that I will mention here is the park WORKER, who had a few drinks , decided to get up on the wall , and fell to their death. The episodes that also got me, are the people who take a bottle of water in the SUMMER in ARIZONA and think they can walk twenty miles of very rough country with no problem...well, many of them found out , or were able to look down from heaven and realize what a bad mistake they made. While shocking , this is also an instructional manual for anyone who goes. Moms, Dads, Kids...please think twice before posing for that picture with your back to the Canyon...and be EXTRA careful where you place your feet! GREAT READ.



5. I was at the grand canyon when I bought this book-I didnt want to buy it,but a stranger had told me about it,and not wanting to tell a lie in case I ran into this person again (which I did)I picked it up and glanced at the first few chapters-within minutes I was hooked-it is an unbelievable read - to even think about what some of those victims must have gone thru was terrifying-yet it is one of those books that once you start to read it,you can't stop!It made me respect mother nature even more and appreciate the safety rules and regulations the forest service puts up,no matter how trivial it may seem to be.

5 comments about The Scrambled States of America.

1. This book was fantastic for my 2nd grader to learn the names of the states. We started each state lesson by doing the Melissa & Doug USA Map 51-Piece Floor Puzzle. Then we would read "The Scrambled States of America" while the puzzle was made, so we could check where each state is located that the book mentions. After a day or two, my son loved to put together the Melissa and Doug USA puzzle, because it wasn't just pieces. Each state had a personality. So instead of just putting together a puzzle piece, the pieces would talk to each other. Nevada would be in one hand, and Mississippi would be in the other. "I love you", "And I love you". "I'll write to you every day. Bye" "Bye". Then he would put Nevada and Mississippi in their respective places. I should make a video of my kids doing the puzzle. It is hilarious. Even my four year old would get into it and talk about how Nevada and Mississippi were in love, and Arizona did not like the ocean ruining her hairdo.



2. A hilariously told and illustrated story heart about appreciating where you are from and what you have. 'Scambled is a unique take on being in a state of discontent . Each State has its own (harmlessly and comically stereotyped) characteristics-- Wisconsin loves cheese, Texas hollers "YEEEHA!" The illustrations playfully keep your eye moving (the spreads are FULL of tiny side jokes) and the story keeps the pages turning. Lost along the way (and maybe why it's so successful) is that the reader will have learned some geography along the way. What an entertaining, engaging way to present fact and nonfiction to a child! A perfect companion to kids who are starting to learn about our country.



3. This is a fun book and is a good way to get familiar with the States. My son enjoys reading it.



4. My daughter told me that my young grandchildren love this book and the humorous way it was written. I found it through the reviews in here and wholeheartedly agree with the good ones and thank everyone for posting them. I haven't gotten to read it myself, as they are in another state...but I can assure you, it is a book to include in your little one's library! :D



5. My alumnae group read this book to 3rd graders at an inner-city school and the kids loved it! We had a map and games to go with it and the program was a big success. I highly recommend this book for teachers.

5 comments about Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways..

1. Turnpikes and superhighways have improved much about our lives, making commutes to work and other vital travel easier and faster. Sometimes, though, it's great to just slow down and enjoy the scenery - and that's just what Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways helps all of us to do.
   
   In this book, you'll discover plenty about out-of-the-way places that can be reached by traveling on two-lane roads in the United States. Discover lesser known monuments, museums, restaurants and roads, and enjoy the offbeat sites that you'll see. It's likely that you'll even learn something new about your own state or hometown.
   
   Road Trip USA recommends places to eat and stay and it provides survival guides to some of America's most intriguing cities. If you've fallen into a vacation rut, this book will break you of it, as at least one quirky destination - and probably many more - will grab your attention and cause you to go on your own road trip rendezvous.



2. Bought this for my recently retired parents for Christmas. They loved it. Kinda of a nudge out the door to experience life....



3. This is a wonderful book. The detail and how it is divided into areas makes it an easy read and easy to locate the information you want. I am extremely pleased with my purchase and I recommend to everyone whether you are going to travel or not.



4. I recently completed a series of road trips around the U.S. with one of my children. We found Road Trip USA to be an indispensable guide to each section of the country we visited. The book was full of accurate recommendations and suggestions of what to see and what to avoid.



5. Extensively researched and very well written - good humor makes the exhaustive details easy to read. Over the years, I have driven many of the roads travelled - and I wish I had this book with me in the past. I read through it and say "Oh yeah, now I get it" about many of the sights I have seen. Going to enjoy bringing it with me on future travels - this book gives me far greater insight than other such books I have read. Well laid out, great index and cross-references.

5 comments about America In Space: NASA's First Fifty Years (Nasa).

1. This was a Christmas gift for an individual that had worked for NASA. He was very appreciative and has enjoyed the book. It is large-coffee table size book.



2. This is a beautifully produced coffee table book with photos covering those exciting years of the space program. It is especially meaningful to anyone who participated the program since you'll find many colleagues and friends in the pictures.



3. It's a BIG book that worths every penny. The pictures are great, some of them are well known, some where not that widely published before but the fun of having all of them in one big book is not spoiled. It's a great book even if you're not a fan of space exploration.
   From the cover to the last page, this book offers unique views of earth, space, moon and mankind, describing in few words and lot of pictures Man's greatest adventure: exploring the Final Frontier, despite all odds.



4. Given that this is a coffee table book, the book is almost exclusivly photos. The entire history of the space program is detaied in stunning imagery right up to the current day with excellent captions to go along. This book is an excellent gift for any space history buff.



5. This book is nicely done with a large number of photographs. It primarily covers the manned space program from Mercury to the space shuttle and the international space station. Limited coverage of unmanned vehicles is provided with a focus on the more dramatic programs such as the Mars explorers and the Hubble telescope.
   
   The biggest shortcoming, in my mind, is the very limited number of photographs showing the hardware, the delvelopment of which was in many ways the real achievement of NASA. Instead, photographs of the astronauts predominate with many being rather ordinary publicity or training shots. Launch photos are very limited, and in-flight pictures are not as common as I would have liked to have seen. The large format of the book was wasted on too many mundane photographs, when it could have been used to depict more spectacular and interesting subjects.
   
   While this book falls short of its potential, it is still worthwile if you have an interest in the U. S. manned space program.

5 comments about The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America.

1. Having been to many of the places Bryson visited in this book, I find myself wondering how he could possibly have had such an apparently unpleasant time. Bryson's wit in this volume is not just biting, it's acidic, even heartless. This book will make you chuckle, but even most of the laughs leave a bad taste in the mouth. I have greatly enjoyed three other Bryson books, but I can't really recommend this one.



2. I honestly cannot put Bryson's books down. They are good reads - I've just ordered three additional Bryson books and can't wait to recieve them.
   
   This being said - I need to re-read this book and keep a running total of just how many places he starts to go to and doesn't - because of a steep entrance fee, because of traffic, because of a plethora of reasons. I'm guessing the tally on the 'intended to' side might be greater than the tally on the 'actually experienced, as a bona fide ticket holder / road traffic warrior'. Yes, I understand what he's trying to say about Americans being easily parted with their money. However, the 'lesson' becomes annoying, and comes off as an excuse he uses to just not see many important sites first-hand.
   
   Also, try to develop a tough skin before reading this book if you are a resident of the South - or any small town anywhere in the country that could with any stretch of the imagination be considered 'backward'. My conclusion of Bryson's absolute distain for certain places, primarally but not limited to the South, is that it is so much easier to pull comedy out of the negative than the positive. Also, people are, by nature, inclined to notice the bad before the good. Bryson, especially but not limited to this earlier work, goes with the easier cliche slam against whole peoples.
   
   Don't get me started in his bizarre anti-elderly people stance. He goes on rants about Americans not recognizing national treasures. He's referring to architecture and landscape for the most part. And shows complete distain to the elderly. It reflects either a genuine over-zealous dislike, or an attempt at humor gone too far and repeated much too often.
   
   All being said, I'm still gonna read his work. It's entertaining!



3. As has been pointed out by everyone else,
   Mr. Bryson whines and complains through the
   whole book. BUT, it still has a lot of laugh
   out loud moments, getting me strange looks from
   everyone several places where I happened to be reading it.



4. Bill Bryson drives aimlessly around America by himself and complains. Not his best work. Anyone who tucks into chicken fried steak every night doesn't get to critique restaurants. If he bothered to study about any culture other than Anglo-American, he might enjoy some of the areas he traveled through. He manages to use racial terms I honestly have not heard in three decades.



5. Actually, 3.4 stars. I am always up for a good American road trip book and I have very much enjoyed Bill Bryson's other books. What I got was early Bryson before he found his heart and an America that was beginning to go to seed on its own indifferent overindulgences. If you have not read anything else by Bill Bryson, do not start with this. He got much better in a hurry and wrote some unmissable books, which you might not be inspired to go for if all you've read is this and ended up with a mild case of indigestion. And that would be a shame.
   
   Anyway, in the late 1980's, Iowa native Bryson, who had spent his adult life to date living in England, returned stateside after his dad's death to rediscover America in much the same way his childhood vacations always went--a ramble by car through the heartland. He envisioned stopping in those small town motels with neon signs that had pots of flowers outside and a nice courtyard pool. He envisioned dining on decent local cuisine in a corner restaurant and later shambling about town on foot, discovering its pleasantries. He headed southeast from Des Moines on the first half of a figure eight shaped path that would hit 38 of the 48 contiguous states before he was done, in his mother's old Chevette. After a promising start in Pella, Iowa, things mostly don't go perfectly. He is often bored, the food and food service often not good, and he finds Americans mostly fat and leading unexamined lives while their heritage slips through their fingers.
   
   Bryson makes a lot of bratty jokes and it is obvious he is writing more for his audience in England than here (when he describes the size of a place, for instance, he compares it to Shropshire). He reminds me of people who say they are licensed to tell Polish jokes because they are of Polish descent. That said, the reason I did not demote this more stars is that he was not wrong and not overly cruel about our unexamined lives circa 1987-88. Looking at his picture in time, America was an accident ready to happen. Now obesity is an epidemic, as is the wanton development and lack of municipal planning that has emptied our small towns and ringed our national parks and historic sites. It seemed to him then that we had lost an incredible amount of our cultural heritage already but for those of us who had progressively absorbed it daily without really paying attention, it is really hitting home now.

5 comments about High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House 28).

1. While I appreciate that this is a popular series, as an elementary educator from Hawai'i I would like Amazon customers to consider not buying this particular installment of the Tree House books. It perpetuates the most ridiculous stereotypes of Hawai'i and Hawaiians. It makes Native Hawaiians out to be ignorant and indebted to a boy for his superior knowledge -- this is simply a repetition of the old story that Pacific Islanders needed to be saved by the West. At the risk of being cynical, how about a book that explains how the kids did not save Native Hawaiians from the near genocide that followed contact with the West? There are many good books for kids set in Hawai'i, written by people who know the Islands, its history and traditions. Please look for books like these -- The Fish and Its Gifts/Na Makana a Na I'a, Bon Dance in Hawai'i, To Find the Way, or Mr. Miyataki's Wonderful Machine.



2. My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!



3. My children have several books in this series (Magic Tree House). I bought this one for my 9 year old. This one is about going back in time and learning about friendship. It's a nice story.
   
   The only part I didn't like was the peer pressure for one character to surf (a child who was afraid to surf) with no lessons or safety info. At least they did show some danger in doing so later on in the story. (I don't think you should stop kids from learning new sports but there should be parental supervision, "how to" lessons and safety instructions.)
   
   Overall, I feel this is a great book.



4. I read a story that will take you to Hawaii! If you want to go to Hawaii, Magic Tree House book #28, High Tide in Hawaii is waiting for you.
   
   Jack and Annie are solving rhymes and this book is the last rhyme. Jack and Annie will learn how to surf and dance.
   
   The rhyme from Morgan le Fay (the long ago Librarian) is to "build a special kind of ship that rides the waves, both high and low, on every kind of trip".
   
   There is trouble by tsunami, but you have to find out in this book!
   
   I love this book because it makes me laugh. Just like this, Jack was trying to stand and surf but he kept fell down. Hawaiian friends ( Kumu and Boka) will help him stand.
   
   I recommend this book to people who love Magic Tree House series and people who have been to Hawaii before. Go ahead and check this book out!



5. Our 4 y.o. loves this series (we also have the audio) he can listen to them for hours. When a child would rather listen to books than watch tv, it's a winner! To the educator from Hawaii, GET OVER IT. It's a series about Jack and Annie, they go around helping/saving everyone. Jack saving 2 Hawaiian kids and his little sister from a devastating tsunami, you found that offensive? Now if you want to criticize the book how about the lack of research, there is no B in the Hawaiian alphabet. Kama would have never been allowed to climb a coconut tree, in ancient times women did not gather or prepare food until after menstruation ceased. Boka would not have been making kapa (aka tapa) that was women's work. Lastly, poi is NEVER made with fruit juice! But what she did get right makes up for the mistakes, she captured the Aloha Spirit. Reading this story with my son makes me miss home!

5 comments about I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away.

1. With "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" Bill Bryson proved to me that I was wrong thinking that "A Walk in the Woods" was unsurpassable. This collection of essays about the United States of America and the lifestyle and often puzzling habits of its inhabitants is a true gem. Now, I might be biased, because I found a lot of my own experience as a foreigner living in America very similar and therefore enjoyed Bryson's reflections, but his usual sharpness and wit, his ability to ponder on small things and point out details are important factors contributing to the objective value of this book.
   
   Bryson returned to America after twenty years abroad, moving to Hanover, New Hampshire with his British wife and British-born children. He was surprised to see how much the country of his childhood had changed and also, how different it was from what he was used to in Europe. The newspaper column was, however, his friend's idea, Bryson's reluctance stemming from the fact that the column was weekly... Luckily, he agreed and produced the articles collected in "I'm a Stranger Here Myself". The collection spans different topics, from driving everywhere, through food, exercise, holidays (a hilarious piece on the Presidents' Day) to immigration procedures. Bryson criticizes and wonders without prejudice, giving his personal opinions about many hot issues, at the same time writing lightly and in a greatly amusing manner. The loving, tender relationship of the author with his country is visible even in his most scornful and negative remarks, in the cruelest jokes. Because of his great, flowing, casual style, even the most mundane and trivial musings are a joy to read.
   
   As I mentioned above, I found many of Bryson's notes reflect my own feelings about America and my own observations - of course he put them into writing much better than I ever could. It may be because of the specificity of New England (I am sure other regions of this country are different still, as Bryson concludes comparing New Hampshire to Iowa of his childhood), but I loved this book and it convinced me that all Bryson's writings are worth the time.



2. I laughed out loud. Bill Bryson's description of his "re-experiencing" of America is funny, informative, cynical, eye-opening. intelligent, and so relatable. I found myself constantly saying, "Okay, just one more chapter..." I could never put it down!



3. Bill Bryson can look at anything and find the humor in it. His down to earth style makes even the most simple or common situations interesting and fun, and he has an interesting way of making almost everything relevant.



4. Bill Bryson brilliantly weaves in American values and culture into social issues, current events, and daily lives. One of the themes Bryson focuses on is the interaction between the average citizen and the U.S. government. The government, at times, can have an approachable face; his local postal office provides free donuts on customer appreciation day, and a Social Security Administration employee calls him Bill and tells him how to get strawberry pop stains out of his shirt. In most cases, however, the government is depicted as an inefficient and faceless organization that never has a real person on the line when you call its services for help. When there is a problem, people hold the government responsible; therefore there is not a single branch in the enormous bureaucracy to blame because it is everyone's fault. American culture brands the government as a big, clumsy bureaucracy and thus heightens the sense of inefficiency and distrust of the government among the people. We should recognize the fact that the government did not intend to be labeled as an inefficient organization by questioning a five year old girl at the immigration office whether she intends to practice polygamy in the U.S and such; it genuinely attempts to improve the lives of its citizens. For example, it tried to enhance security in Milwaukee airport by training the local sheriff's deputies to detect hidden explosives, which, by the way, failed miserably because the deputies forgot where they hid the explosives.



5. This is my 3rd Bill Bryson book and possibly my favorite of his so far. The super short segments (compiled from past published articles) make this book extremely easy to pick up, put down and pick up again. His writing style is exceptionally intelligent, and he finds hilarity in the most mundane of situations. He has a way of making the reader reconsider just how silly much of our lives actually are, while interjecting a few heartwarming and philanthropical comments here and there. Would love a second edition of this!