No comments about Frommer's Los Angeles 2008 (Frommer's Complete).

5 comments about 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington, 3rd Edition (100 Hikes).

1. I have lived in Oregon for twenty years, I bought one of the first editions of this book, found it on my shelf yesterday. I can say its the best hiking book around, reading it was a trip down memory lane. I have done a lot of hiking, biking, kayaking over the years. Bought a new copy , time to redo a lot of my favorite hikes, Hamilton Mountian, Dog mt.
   This edition is improved, the flower guide is really nice.
   The best feature of this book is the small sctech maps showing the elevation and trails. No, it does not replace a real map, but its nice to have a viusual. ( years ago I was doing the Ramona falls hike and I meet a couple backpacking arounf Mt. Hood without a map! and they were lost!)
   If you want an guide to the best day hiking in the Portland area,this is it .



2. This updated NW Oregon hiking guide is an ideal daypack essential for visitors and residents alike. Bill is a peripatetic author whose slide shows I attend as often as I can, and this third edition was the subject of one of those. He's a friendly and most genial speaker/writer/ hiker whose words and pictures literally 'pop' from the page and propels the casual reader to 'take a hike'. The 2nd edition was good, but this edition's colorful photos of landscapes and wildflowers, plus traveler-friendly easy-to-follow directions and (new!) campgrounds/cabins listings puts it into the 'must-have' category. As a frequent hiker on Friends of the Columbia Gorge outings, I rely on his impeccably accurate descriptions of each hike. I also recommend Timberline Press Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest plus Moon Handbooks Columbia River Gorge for things to do before and after your explorations!



3. If you live in the Portland area and like to hike, this book is a must own. Sullivan's reputation as the definitive source for hiking information is well deserved. And this wonderful, well-researched and incredibly detailed book is the only item I need when I am out hiking (aside from food and water)!
   
   Not only does it serve as a clear and accurate guide to the hikes of the area, the book makes you feel as if you need to hike all of these hikes.



4. Typically, I buy Falcon Guides, but in this case I would recommend this guide. Not that the Falcon Guides of this area are bad, but this book is preferred. The author's living in the area shins through. His recommendations on hikes are excellent, and I found the book easy to use.



5. I checked the first edition of this book out from the library and then I didn't want to return it I liked it so much. A lot of other hiking books are hard to read and don't have pictures to help you visualize where you're going. When I saw the new edition with COLOR PICTURES, I had to buy it. This book is great-- it gives good directions, it has a picture for each hike, it even tells you if there is a campsite to say overnight or if you should expect crowds. Trail etiquette is also a good thing to include; hopefully people actually take it to heart. I love the handdrawn sketches of the trail; they do a great job of showing the topography of the hike. If you live in Portland and like getting out, this book should be at the top of your list. So many beautiful places so close by. There was one beautiful hike that was literally across the river from my favorite campsite, and I never would have found it without this book!

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

1. All the books Indian in the Cupboard series are good, but this, the latest, is one of the best. I liked how Omri's dad finds out about Little Bear and the others.



2. 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



3. 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.




4. 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.



5. 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 comments about West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. I bought the Atlas and Gazetter for WV and MD. These books are essential equipment for getting out and enjoying the back roads. The topo info tells you if it will be flat and sunny or hilly and shady. I am really impressed with the detail of the maps. If they could make it in a water proof edition it would be perfect.



2. I bought this West Virginia Map and Gazetteer in order to help my husband and I find our way through WV. We're most interested in the topography - elevations, rivers, creeks, etc. I would recommend using this book map in conjunction with a regular road map, because there isn't quite enough detail for smaller roads, but it's a great place to start.



3. This atlas fills a void because it gives a very clear picture of the terrain as well as roads. I like having these atlases along to give the context for hiking excursions, as well as showing the back road ways to get there. The section on special sights to see in WV is very helpful as well. There is no substitute for more detailed topographical maps for actual hiking trails, but this atlas is a necessart intermediate step between topos and road maps.



4. This book provides complete and thurough topographical maps for the entire state of West Virginia. If you enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, exploring in this great state, you need this atlas. At first I was surprised at the details provided in this book. I was able to find even the smallest of streams and geographical features. Now, after using it so many times, I would be surprised if a stream is not on this map.
   
   The bottom line is that you need this atlas if you enjoy the West Virginia outdoors.



5. Once again this series of maps has been outstanding. The ease in reading and applying the info to the road is way above par. And for railroad enthusiasts, this is the only map published with railroad details that are current and precise.

2 comments about Frommer's Utah (Frommer's Complete).

1. Frommer's Utah was great! we spent the week after christmas skiing at Alta- rated one of the best by Frommer's and i'd have to agree. the second week of our trip we spent in moab, and the book gave great hiking, camping, and driving directions for canyonlands, arches, dead horse state park, natural bridges national monument, and monument valley. what a trip!!!



2. The book is very helpful, but does not have all the required details for a full trip. I had to do addtional research on the net.

5 comments about Looking for Alaska.

1. The most remarkable thing about Peter Jenkins is how he got so many "real" Alaskans, often a highly reclusive lot, to open up to him and tell their life stories. Granted, his residual fame as the author of "Walking Across America" opened a number of doors for him, but very few people could, for example, trustingly follow a bush veterinarian and his family to the shores of frozen Chandalar Lake, fit in with them so well and paint such a vivid, affecting portrait of their lives. Mr. Jenkins is not only a good storyteller, but he also is a quite extraordinary collector of stories, due to this sense of trust that he seems to engender with his subjects.
   In a genre rife with either "carpetbagger" authors who don't really get Alaska, or with indigenous writers lacking top-notch skills, Mr. Jenkins finds an effective middle ground. He did actually reside in Alaska for a time, and tried to live as the locals did, so he at the very least scratched the surface of what the place is all about. And, while he made a few silly factual mistakes, and his prose is not the most sparkling I've ever seen (I actually think that his daughter Rebeccah is the more lively and interesting writer), he is nonetheless effective in communicating the stories of those Alaskans whom he genuinely admires. Another five years or so up North, and I think he'd have truly gotten it right.



2. I have thus far reviewed more than 100 books. Of the 112, this is only the third audible book review I have thus far posted. That should tell you this book is special - it joins my review of Stephen King's On Writing and T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom as the best in its class. At surfreviewandreport dot com I will name this book as the 2006 Audio Book Extraordinaire - Bill Anderson.
   
   Initially I found the monotone a bit of an annoyance. I wondered, "Why didn't he inject some emotion?"
   
   Later I figured out why. Peter Jenkins correctly chose to have his words, not his voice, emphasize the the beauty and freedom that once predominated America and now exists only in Alaska.
   
   I found his inclusion of brief statements by those whom he visited and of the honey-rocket to add unimaginable value! A literal stroke of genius!
   
   Hobo Jim - I have been fortunate to listen to some of his music before. He reminds me of a cross between Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen and John Denver, seasoned with a dash of Arlo Guthrie and and of Phil Ochs. Aside from those guys and Sam Hinton, no other musician I have ever heard has made me so proud to be American nor more frustrated at how often each of us falls short of our potential to improve our world. Oh, but I digress. The little bit of Hobo Jim's live voisterous audience yodeling was far too short.
   
   I do have two serious complaints: This book is far too short. I could listen to six months of this adventure. Also, it needs more interviews and sounds of Alaska.
   
   Yes, the included audios of people and nature made this book my absolute all-time favorite audiobook. This book also is in my Top-10 list for books on Alaska and also for Adventures In The Far North, and it probably will be in my Top-10 Adventure Books list.
   
   I found myself swelling with pride to hear that people in Alaska live a lifestyle intent on the old values of people and nature without the trappings of prejudice and demands for conforming to other's expectations that permeated America during the 50s, 60s and 70s, yet that also does not vilify or censor those who are not politically correct.
   
   In other words, it seems Alaska is what America could have been if only we'd possessed the need for a honey-rocket and a rebellious Che-inspired balladeer who yodels and sings songs of heroism about guys named Redington.
   
   Confused? Get download the audiobook and get listening!



3. I read this book before a trip to Alaska, and admittedly, ours was only a small boat cruise in the inside passage, so I knew I would experience only a part of Alaska from a tourist's vantage point. I wanted a bigger view of this remarkable state and hoped Jenkins would deliver that in this account of his family's 18-month residence in the state. It did - most of the time. I felt Jenkins took me to places I would never be able to go and gave me a true sense of the state. His was a journey based on the day-to-day interactions, discoveries, struggles and surprises of one who intends to know a place and its people more deeply. Jenkins creates a vision of the landscape and the people, and in its richest moments, this book is almost as good as the real thing.
   
   But - it is too long (editing would have cured this), and poorly written (editing would have cured this as well). More than once, I puzzled over sentences that I wanted to correct. When speaking of the caretaker near a family living in the bush, we read this about the neighbor's disposition: "If the current one, Dave, was a bit grumpy one day, he'd try to tell Mike and Pete how to snow-machine the winter trail, except he'd never done it." Or this for example: " In the early morning, the kids' chores began. Eric wanted Mike and Pete to go across the lake about two miles. I went along to help; we were going to retrieve some doghouses to keep the team in."
   
   I am quite willing to labor over a complex but beautiful sentence to get at the essence, but his is just plain bad writing. Too many examples like this slow the pace and distract the reader. At 434 pages, strenuous editing could have achieved more with less.
   
   That aside, when Jenkins lets the landscape and the people speak for themselves, the reader gets a sense of the real Alaska. On the whole, I enjoyed it and felt it prepared me for the little bit of Alaska I was about to see. Just allow yourself enough time to wade through the verbal bush.



4. We've been to Alaska twice and are planning our third trip soon. This is an extraordinarily capturing and surprising place. Our trips there avoid the touristy cruise ship or resort hotel thus allowing us to stay in towns much like Jenkins did during his 18 months there. This style allows you to be with and enjoy Alaskan residents.
   
   What Jenkins did was is to involve himself far more deeply than our experiences and that made this book remarkable for us. I liked his writing style as it made for a comfortable read. Yes, there are errors, but they are few. What's memorable is that each of his chapters highlights some adventure or someone's personality. It's been some time since I finished it and yet I still think back on this work and recall much of it. Peter Jenkins left a series of images in my head that are going to be there for a long while. My only regret was that we missed Hobo Jim. An interesting guy (check out his web site). He will be on our agenda next trip.
   
   I'm on the Amazon site as I am ordering some copies for friends. Looking for Alaska is a terrific book and a must read for any of you with a sense of wonder for the wilderness. It is easy to not only tout Jenkins's book but Alaska as well. Destination and book are tops.



5. I am still in the process of reading this book but what I have read so far is really great. I am looking to travel to Alaska in 2009 and a travel consultant I have been talking to recommended that I read this book.
   
   The book really gives a great insight into the ordinary every day Alaskan lives which has just made me want to see Alaska even more.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone whether you want to see Alaska or not. It is just a great read.

5 comments about The Pine Barrens.

1. I'll keep this short and sweet: McPhee's The Pine Barrens is an entirely outstanding, fascinating look at the unique area that is the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. McPhee covers Piney culture, the unique ecological nature of the region, its history, and its hidden treasures. The writing is poetic and rich, the people interesting, and the information detailed, thorough and never dull. A really great read that anyone living in NJ should get.



2. I have read many of John McPhee's works. They are all excellent and captivating. He writes on so many subjects, it is amazing that they are all great. No wonder he teaches at Princeton, or did as I remember.



3. My wife gave me this book in 1978, and I devoured it in one evening. I have since been all over the world, and no matter where I go, the pines are always the reference point for me. My teen years were spent in the pines, with my good friend Tom, where we would travel its dirt roads, canoe its streams and fish its lakes, and hike its trails and roads. Mr. McPhee weaves a story that is so true, so historically rich, and for me, so reminiscent of the years of my youth. Please read this book, and then go and make your own memories.



4. Those of us from the Northeast know that wilderness can be found if you're willing to hit the road and search for it, and also that it's precious and worth protecting from the onslaught of industry and sprawl. But even those familiar with the region's wilderness offerings will be surprised by the natural bounty and remoteness of New Jersey's Pine Barrens area. The masterful essayist John McPhee published this travelogue and study of the area back in 1967, when the depths of the Pine Barrens still offered genuine seclusion form the outside world, with hardy folks still living off the land by picking berries or making charcoal. And this beautiful area was surrounded on all sides by the most urbanized and industrialized blight on Earth. Things aren't quite so rustic there anymore, but reading McPhee's engaging treatise on the area should make modern folks wish to both visit the Pine Barrens area as a valuable slice of nature, and to protect it as a precious and dwindling resource. That's what makes this short but lovable book from the great McPhee a timeless classic for nature lovers. [~doomsdayer520~]



5. This time John McPhee turns his hand to one of those
   anomalous natural treasures that has survived in
   spite of intense urbanization. The Pine Barrens are
   two-thirds of a million acres-an area the size of
   Yosemite that sit beside a major artery of the most
   developed region in the country. With the New Jersey
   Turnpike to the west and bustling, chintzy Atlantic
   City to the East, it's hard to imagine that this great,
   weird wilderness could be so little known.
   
   McPhee is the perfect guide to the Pines. He is as
   sensitive to the natural history as he is to the
   culture. He has a sympathetic ear for both the natives
   and the outsiders who wander in from time to time. He's
   a writer who can focus on a detail-a threatened fern or
   the quality of water and then pull back to the big picture.
   
   A thoroughly entertaining book.
   
   
   --Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
   the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

1 comments about Zagat 2008 Philadelphia Restaurants.

1. It's a ZAGAT product; the name alone speaks for itself. If you are buying a ZAGAT product you know you are getting a first class item!!! I gave this as a holiday present that the couple will use all year!!!

3 comments about Beyond Disney: The Unofficial Guide to Universal SeaWorld & the Best of Central Florida (Unofficial Guides).

1. Complete and informative guide to the attractions in Central Florida arrived in new condition and on schedule, as it was ordered before it was available. It's up-to-date information makes it very useful for the tourist and resident alike. It's amazing to see what all is available in our area.



2. This book helped us navigate the Orlando experience minus Disney. the tips in the book let us breakfast at Sea World before it "officially" opened. We saw more of the shows and the animals because of the great directions in this book. I tore the pages for Sea World right out of my copy of the book, so I could have the information with me at the park without the problem of carrying the big book.
   
   Kudos to the author and his research!



3. Beyond Disney is meant to be used as a second guide when planning a trip to Orlando. They assume that you have purchased The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2008 (Unofficial Guides) or something similar and are using this one for the other theme parks in the area. This is a good idea but there are some problems with it. First, the Universal Parks are already covered in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and that material is largely dropped in here with no significant changes. So if you have the Unofficial WDW book, then you don't need to see that again here.
   
   The main value in this book lies in the coverage of Sea World and Busch Gardens. Both are major theme parks and get full coverage here. I found the Busch Gardens information especially helpful. Busch has so many attractions that you can't possibly enjoy every one in a single day and this guide will help you focus on what you might enjoy the most. This is the only book in the Unofficial Guide series where you'll find material on Busch and Sea World, and many of the other publishers ignore those parks completely. If you are interested in attending either park, then I highly recommend Beyond Disney. If you plan to stick to WDW and/or the Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure area then you can safely skip this.

3 comments about Backroads of the California Wine Country: Your Guide to the Wine Country's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures (Backroads of ...).

1. There are other books on touring California's wine country, but BACKROADS OF THE CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY: YOUR GUIDE TO THE WINE COUNTRY'S MOST SCENIC BACKROAD ADVENTURES has journeys even residents may not know about. One-day excursions for weekend travelers and wine lovers chart some of the lesser-traveled routes of the wine region from central California through Santa Cruz and north to Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties. Gorgeous black and white and color photos pack a bright treatment which details wines, scenery and other attractions - all beyond the usual tourist routes.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. I lived in the Bay Area for several years and to be honest, the Wine Country is not really my cup of tea. However, the images in this book by Gary Crabbe are amazing and makes me feel as if I were there and enjoying myself. It takes a truly dedicated photographer to make such a wonderful collection of images of Wine Country. Many photographers have published photos of the Wine Country but these are some of the best photos I've seen from there.
   
   The text by Karen Misuraca is well-written as well. It's informative going over a touch of history without over doing it and takes you on a literary road trip through the heart of the Wine Country. The photos and text compliment each other well and the book has a fair amount of both. In 160 pages, it's packed with meat as it works both as a photo book and travel guide.
   
   If you'd like a personally signed copy, Mr. Crabbe is selling them through his website as well.



3. When many people visit California to tour wineries, they head for Napa Valley on the weekend and sit in traffic jams for hours on route 29. Realizing that everyone in the slowly moving train may not be totally sober, the visitors think about how much they would like to be someplace else. A little known fact is that there are back roads into virtually every wine region in California that offer stunning vistas, gorgeous greenery and constantly changing scenes around every curve.
   
   Backroads of the California Wine Country is a great resource for those inexperienced visitors. Otherwise, these well-meaning travelers will miss the best of what the wine country has to offer: Scintillating scenery!
   
   The photographs do a great job of picking up on the amazing sights. Here are a few of my favorites:
   
   p. 6 -- The moon rises over vineyards in Napa County's Carneros region
   
   p. 11 -- A dramatic sunset over Napa Valley wine country
   
   p. 13 -- Cirrus clouds float above the hills of the Redwood Valley of Mendocino County
   
   pp. 18-19 -- The early morning sky glows orange in the hills above Ukiah
   
   p. 22 -- Orr Springs Road twists and turns through some of the most pristine and dramatic landscapes in wine country
   
   p. 30 -- This lovely tree-lined drive leads to Fetzer Vineyards, a wholly organic winery and the sixth-largest premium wine producer in the country
   
   p. 31 -- The warm valleys around Hopland offer an ideal climate for growing grapes as well as apples and pears
   
   p. 34 -- Mount Konocti, illuminated by the setting sun, looms large above this Lake County vineyard
   
   p. 35 -- Peaceful at sunrise, Clear Lake State Park
   
   p. 35 -- The vibrant flower gardens of Tulip Hill Winery
   
   p. 38 -- A distant moon sets beyond a winter vineyard in the Valley of the Moon
   
   pp. 42-43 -- Vineyards stretch across the Alexander Valley in northern Sonoma County
   
   p. 47 -- Downtown Geyserville is lined with charming buildings
   
   p. 83 -- A rainbow forms
   
   p. 90 -- Hot air ballooning
   
   p. 94 -- Winery at Groth Vineyards
   
   p. 99 -- Grape vines and mustard plants
   
   Nice work, Mr. Crabbe!
   
   The text is equally inspired with a nice mix of California history, wine background, local features, and suggestions for activities you can enjoy. The text is also well endowed with maps to show you the directions of the backroads that you are being encouraged to pursue.
   
   Here are some of the unexpected materials:
   
   p. 24 -- Seabiscuit's home in Willits
   
   p. 36 -- Organic farming methods
   
   p. 45 -- Cyrus Alexander's founding of the Alexander Valley
   
   p. 61 -- Jack London in the Sonoma Valley
   
   p. 89 -- The soil of Rutherford
   
   p. 108 -- Apple Hill, east of Placerville
   
   p. 117 -- The Gold Rush
   
   p. 125 -- Covered bridges
   
   p. 133 -- Steinbeck's world
   
   Here are the areas covered:
   
   The Redwood Valley in Mendocino County
   Anderson Valley
   Hopland and the McDowell Valley
   Lake County
   Alexander Valley
   Dry Creek Valley
   The Russian River Valley
   Green Valley
   Valley of the Moon
   Sonoma Valley
   Northern Napa Valley
   St. Helena
   Eastern Napa Valley
   Yountville
   Oakville
   Mount Veeder
   Town of Napa
   Wooden Valley
   Los Carneros
   El Dorado County
   Shenandoah Valley
   Calaveras County
   Santa Cruz Mountains
   Carmel Valley
   Salinas Valley
   San Juan Bautista
   Paso Robles
   Edna Valley
   Santa Barbara County
   Santa Ynez Valley
   
   Nice work, Ms. Misuraca!
   
   Don't miss this gorgeous volume. It'll transform your life if you follow its advice.