2 comments about The Lobster Gangs of Maine.

1. I live here in the midst of the coast of Maine, and this book is factual, absorbing, entertaining (to me, anyway), and historically significant. The world of the independent lobsterman is rapidly changing, but these guys are competent, tough, and they have their own code of discipline. If you want to understand better this unique part of America, this book is for you.



2. I was looking for a book that broadly covered lobstering. This book is very much into the people who do lobstering and how they relate to each other and to strangers and newbies.
   
   It's obviously a very detailed study if that is what you're looking for. I found it somewhat boring.
   
   I found this book much more interesting: "The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean"
   Trevor Corson

5 comments about Moon Handbooks Tennessee (Moon Handbooks).

1. I'm a lifetime Tennesseean, and I couldn't put Mr. Bradley's book down. I know Middle Tennessee and the Smokies fairly well, but as I got into his marvelous book I couldn't believe one author could capture and capsulate so much in such limited space. I've garnered information about my State- so much new to me- that it just blew me away--some info right at my doorstep, so to speak. About locales I know fairly well his presentation is right on target. I especially value the boxes about history, personalities, buildings etc. Don't hesitate. Buy the book!



2. I have the first edition of this book, and I've raved about it to my circle of friends. I heard this third edition was vastly improved, and I doubted this, but figured I couold always give it as a gift.
   This book is going nowhere but to a choice space in my book shelf!
   It covers more material, has a format which invites digging deeper into a topic at hand, highlights special topics, has a clearer type face, and is simply loaded with URL's for further cyber digging. I got out my Tennessee Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme mapping, a topo coverage of Tennesee, my state, and put a "mark" by all the towns and villages Mr. Bradley covered. Not a page without copious markings. What a living history exprience.

   He begins in the East as our state did, moves west, and brings out information about people, about the locale, gives historic facts and loads of human interest materal. He covers the Civil War as it progresses in various locations and is in fact more historical than a course or two I've had in Higher Eduction. And READABLE!! His wry, delightful humor graces most every entry. And as you follow this through the topo maps you SEE how history unfolds. Now I know where the Cumberland Gap is, I know where the mysterious Melungeons 'are', I've followed the tragic trail of tears, I know where to find barbeque all across Tennessee etc etc. I know where that terrific meteorite hit Tennessee, where biggie dinosaur fossils are found etc. .
   What a book! What a marvelous travel companion, what a history of my state. And I have a store house of "stories and tales" I'll make good use of.
   If you have an interest in Tennessee and can get only one book: THIS is it! Hands down. I'm grateful to Mr Bradley for doing it.
   Hap Eliason




3. If Mark Twain comes back from the dead to write a guidebook of the state where he was conceived (in Jamestown, as Bradley explains on p. 196), then buy that. But old Sam Clemens would be wasting his time, because in Moon Handbooks: Tennessee, Bradley's already written the "Life on the Mississippi" of Tennessee travel guides.

   Like "Mississippi," Bradley's "Tennessee" is so fascinating in in its details and anecdotes that I kept finding myself reading far more than I "needed" to for the travel at hand. And like Clemens, who clearly wrote from a genuine love of the river and the bygone steamboat days that he wanted to capture on paper, all of Bradley's local lore and country cookery reviews and sidebars on everything from roots musicians to the development of the the atom bomb in Oak Ridge...well, these all swirl together to create a sort of love song to the author's native state.

   Bradley isn't afraid to criticize where criticism is due--look at his coverage of the outlandish developments near the Smokies. But even then, it's clear his concerns are not based on some disaffected political agenda, but from a genuine, familial concern for a cousin who has lost his way. Consequently, Gatlinburg doesn't "outrage" Bradley, it breaks his heart because of its failed potential. And even then, Bradley doesn't just sneer and proceed into the pristine National Park, shaking Galinburg's dust from his feet. Just as any good family member will make a point of telling you that old yellow-eyed aunt Ruth used to knock 'em dead at the USO dances and can still cook a mean casserole and belt out a showtune, Bradley lingers and explores Gatlinburg on its own terms. He points out its cherished place in many Volunteer hearts (including his own) as a childhood wonderland, and shows that he's not above enjoying the small simple pleasures of a candy shop, or even the more garish wonders of Ripley's aquarium.
   If you don't know Tennessee, you won't find a more comprehensive introduction to the entire state. And if you already love Tennessee...you'll find all of the states most endearing qualities captured between the covers--and in the spirit--of this book.




4. You don't have to be planning a trip to Tennessee to appreciate Jeff Bradley's book. If you are, don't leave home without it. Bradley not only tells you what you must see if you have the time, but he frankly tells you what might not be worth a visit, or at least what to be prepared for that you might not expect, such as the bumper-to-bumper, big-city-like traffic in the Smokies, especially in the fall when the leaves begin to change. He also provides interesting facts and historical details you won't find in other travel books. I grew up about 50 miles from Bean Station in East Tennessee but didn't know until reading Bradley's book that a tavern there was the best place between Baltimore and New Orleans to get a bottle of wine back in the stagecoach days. Almost every page is enriched with little-known facts, insights and advice, and the book is organized in a way that takes the frustration out of trying to find what you're looking for.
   
   I once had a job that took me to every one of Tennessee's 95 counties, but I moved away several years ago and my children, unfortunately, know little about this beautiful state that is as geographically and culturally diverse as any in the union. I brought the fourth edition of Bradley's book when I began planning a cross-Tennessee-and-back trip my 22-year-old son and I decided to take this summer in a rented convertible. Taking Bradley's advice, we chose many roads now less traveled (since the interstates were built), visiting places like Jonesborough (Tennessee's oldest town, first capital and home of the National Stortelling Festival) in East Tennessee, Lynchburg (exactly like the Jack Daniels' ads portray it, except for the abundance of shops on the town square selling things Gentleman Jack would never have imagined, as Bradley points out) in Middle Tennessee, and Grinders Switch between Nashville and Memphis, which I had always thought was a figment of Minnie Pearl's imagination. Our trip, thanks largely to Bradley's book, was as much one of discovery for me, a native, as it was for my son, who grew up in the Northeast.
   
   You will enjoy Bradley's book not just for its contents but also for his writing style. As the "About the Author" page notes, this Tennessee boy has been a stringer for The New York Times and taught writing at Harvard, so he knows a thing or two about sringing words together. He writes from personal knowledge of the place with respect but also with wit, honesty and a good measure of irreverence whenever he feel so moved, which is often.
   
   Buy the book or you'll never know how far in advance you need to make reservations for lunch at Miss Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, how to get to the Lovelace Motel Cafe outside of Nashville for the best country ham and biscuits, where to find worldclass white water and bluegrass music in East Tennessee, or that the Talbot Heirs Guesthouse is one of the best and funkiest places to stay in the funkiest part of Memphis, a stone's throw from Beale Street, darn good barbecue and sweet potato pancakes you'll never forget.



5. We recently completed a trip to Eastern Tennessee and brought along several guidebooks. After a few days, it became apparent that one guidebook was head and shoulders above the others: Moon Handbooks Tennessee by Jeff Bradley. It is both comprehensive and concise. It contains lots of local color without drowning in it. And it is spot on in its evaluation of sights. (We didn't have any occasion to use it for lodging or food.)
   
   Full credit to Jeff Bradley for a writing syle that is one of the best in the business. He keeps things lively without neglecting the basic facts that need to be conveyed. In almost every instance his entries were more interesting and more complete than other guidebooks, while being about the same total number of words. He seems to know just when to insert a clever turn of phrase or an offbeat tidbit while still writing in a very direct style.
   
   The book covers all of Tennessee. It starts with general information about the state's natural history, settlement history, and culture. It then covers each region of the state. He does a good job of conveying which sights are most worth seeing in each area without neglecting second tier sights. He weaves together a complete tapestry that puts everything in the larger context of the region and the state. Throughout, there is a pervasive sense of the joy of travel in this interesting state. This guidebook is the real McCoy!

3 comments about Frommer's Maui Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day).

1. We enjoyed this handy guide to Maui on our trip. Easy to carry with lots of little information on Maui. While many of the locals provided excellent tips, this book kept it handy for us!



2. Maui Day by Day is the one guide you should put in your travel bag while in Maui. It has a great map along with all the information you could possibly want as you spend your time vacationing. There is no need to wade thru pages as it is well indexed. Time in paradice is short no need to spend all your time reading about it....BE THERE!



3. This was a great lil guide to throw in your bag. The foldout map was AWESOME and worth the purchase. We used this item daily on our 2 week honeymoon. This book and the 50 Thrifty Maui Restaurants were such a great resource; one to get you around, the other to get you well fed. I highly recommend both since everytime we used them we had a better time for it :)

5 comments about Off the Beaten Path (Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More Than 1,000 Scenic).

1. This is an excellent travelogue with hundreds of pictures in
   full color. The lithography is spectacular. Over 1000 scenic
   places are fully described and many are depicted. For instance,
   the Ute Indian Museum is shown. The famous Taughanock Falls
   State Park of Ithaca is shown in full color. The National Bottle
   Museum is shown and fully described. This book would be
   excellent for a history or geography project in early or
   middle school.



2. I ordered this volume anticipating that it would be as interesting as it's sister volume "The Most Scenic Drives in America" which I would recomend highly.
   "Off the Beaten Track" would be of interest to someone who perhaps hadn't done as much domestic travel as we have. For someone who's looking for a guide for unique sights and items off the beaten track I would recomend "Road Trip USA" by Jamie Jensen as a more valuable and interesting resource in this regard.
   It's typical Reader's Digest high quality printing and presentation with just a bit too "plain vanilla" content for this traveler.



3. this book is great for people who want a starting point when looking to travel in and around the 50 states. It gives you a brief description of each point of interest, both beautiful and/or historic and a detailed map of the state to help plan a travel route. It is a little big and heavy, but I think worth the look through.



4. This book has some really good places to visit if you don't like doing the tourist bit. I plan to take it when we travel and to refer to it wherever we happen to be. The book is has great pictures. I bought a companion to it called, "The Most Scenic Drives in America," which I will use to plan our trips around.



5. This book is full of priceless information about places you would otherwise never hear about. It is not to be missed.

5 comments about The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons (Penguin Classics).

1. Anyone who is enthralled by the beauty of the Southwest, or as Powell defines it - the Colorado River watershed, should read this book. It's not the same now as it was in his day. For one thing, Glen Canyon, which he named, is now submerged under Lake Powell (could any name be more ironic?). No one today can feel the same kind of wonder and awe as Powell and his companions did as they pushed their boats into the raging rapids of the muddy Colorado without having any idea of what was ahead. Even the part of the Colorado watershed that has not been developed, and there is a considerable extent of land under protective status, today has nothing like the remoteness that Powell experienced. Everything has been mapped and carefully scutinized.
   
   Yet, anyone who has spent some time sizing up the immense water-carved rock canyons, can still feel something of the sublimity that Powell felt. It requires more imagination; it is true, but anyone who is determined to make more of a commitment than just standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon can still experience the really sublime features of this landscape. How much more difficult will it be in the future? Will these wilderness wonders become more degraded?
   
   The book describes by daily journal entries the historic river run of 1868 starting at the Flaming Gorge in Wyoming and ending at the Virgin River as well as a follow-up expedition the next year. Powell does not overdo the apprehensions and hardships of himself and companions, nor does he make mention that he accomplished the physical exertion of climbing the canyon walls and navigating the boats with one arm: but largely confines himself to descriptions of the events and the incredible landforms. The extent of the journey and all the spectacular features that he finds and names is impressive. That Powell's group experienced hardships there can be no doubt.
   
   One of the more interesting parts of the book to me was the way Powell approached the Indian tribe that killed his three companions, who decided to abandon the expedition and hike out of the Canyon. In those frontier days, it was the accepted norm to meet violence with violence. But Powell, I thought here, really showed himself to be an exceptional human being. He had a inquiring mind and a sincere desire to learn everything he could without inflicting retribution.



2. I got this book to read while I was rafting the Grand Canyon. It was well worth it. John Wesley Powell's description of his unbelivable expedition helped me put into words the spectacular scenes that makes up the Grand Canyon. I recommend this book to anyone who is considering traveling down the Colorado River.



3. After I've been down the Colorado through the Canyon 3 times and after having read Stantons "Colorado River Controversies", I had to read the original Diary of Powell. This guy, though daring, did not stick fully to the truth in his diaries, but the descriptions are overwhelming and I loved every word. After all, he was still a youngster in those days - a daredevil. We seem to forget this, as we only know the picture of him in his old days. But I like his guide Sumner better.
   
   How can you rate such a classic?



4. Although this one-armed Major from the Civil War has a tendency to marginalize the dangers, turmoil, and strenuous labor that was required to forge the uncharted waters of the Grand Canyon in 1869, you definitely "get it". His descriptions are more of a nuts and bolts account, never waxing poetic nor adding philosophical banter. Through trial and error, they learned how to read the geology and how they could predict what may lie ahead by the types and angles of the strata that formed the river's edge. However, knowing what was ahead only added to the tension and they still had to make crucial last minute decisions, sometimes too late. I was totally enthralled with this adventure and couldn't put the book down.



5. I started reading this book while on vacation in Mexico and was enthralled from the moment I picked the book up.
   
   The writing style is a tiny bit hard to digest in the beginning, but clears up and gives you a very thorough, easy to follow narrative of the Colorado.
   
   The drawings in the book give you an insight into what they sw along the way, and made the book a truly great read.

4 comments about Rockhounding California.

1. This book really is solid. It's got some of the best information on everything you'll need to be right in the middle of all that this great big state of California has to offer. I have traveled to 14 sites so far, and almost all of them have been productive and well worth the trip. What I like most is the extra types of information given; like the best season to look for gems and minerals at a particular site, and the specific tools you'll need. Especially appreciated are the alternate maps that are recommended, like the USGS and the BLM, which match up right to the book. Way to go and thank you very much!



2. A friend of mine recently got me interested in rockhounding and we went and purchased this book... Anyway, we went to a random site and the maps, although detailed with mileage, don't show distance to site from areas in california. Example, distance from Barstow to Ludlow? YOU have to go there to see the mileagle sign. Secondly, there needs to be better markers on where to turn for these dirt roads. A few sites were passed due to not being where they "should be". I really would hate to take some unmarked road for 10 miles only find it leads nowhere and then have a problem getting back. The lore and history of the sites was nice along with hints of how to dig or uncover rocks but the maps do leave a bit to be desired. Finally, and most annoyingly, all of the photos were black and white and of low quality. How can one tell what green jasper looks like with a black photo? Blooodstone? Rose quartz? This one portion of the book really was what made me not want to purchase my own copy. Maybe future editions will have better maps and at least a few color photos of the rocks,etc. Thanks for your time, Dean



3. got the book last night, found crystals the next day. I am going for jasper tommorrow. great book!



4. Well this is a pretty cool book with some great general descriptions of various areas in the big california district. Another key buy would be gem trails of socal more focused on the socal region.

No comments about Christ Our Hope: The Papal Addresses of the Apostolic Journey to the United States.

1 comments about Benchmark Arizona Road & Recreation Atlas - 6th edition.

1. As an avid off-roader, I look for remote, under-the-radar types of places. Fortunately, my home state is one of the best places for 4x4 wandering. Anybody can hook up with some Glamis types and rip-it-up a local sand dune. For me, wilderness means getting far out of Phoenix, driving long distances on dusty back roads and eventually finding that perfectly lonely camp site. Enter the Benchmark Maps' "Arizona Road & Recreational Atlas." For browsing alone, it has been the impetus for multiple back country trips. When used with Google Earth and a guidebook, this tool has been perfect for triangulating locations and showing routes. The DeLorme Atlas is the obvious comparison. The DeLorme is also a really good atlas, but I really appreciate the "readability" of the Benchmark. The colors are in harmony with desert esthetics while better expressing elevation. Unlike in previous editions, the 6th is split into two main sections. There is a landscape map section and another for public lands. Most folks won't need more than the conventional landscape maps. If you're doing a week long trip into an unknown section of back country, it's always helpful to know if you're on private property or public lands. Given that you're allowed to do different things on the lands of different agencies, it's helpful to take a glance and know if you're in Grand Canyon National Park, the Hualapai Reservation or on good ol' BLM land. This atlas shows tons of back roads, GPS grids, a recreational guide for the newbies and legends that are clear to read. As an added plus, it shows additional maps for getting around in urban Tuscon and Phoenix. When exploring the desert or getting around in the city, the 6th edition of Benchmarks' atlas is about all anyone will need to get around in the Grand Canyon State.

5 comments about A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.

1. Very informative, well written, nice layout. Looking forward to much more future use! If I find gunkholing the Gulf Isl by same author next, I'm buying it!



2. I bought the "A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands" by Migael M. Scherer for an upcoming trip to the San Juans this summer. The guide has lots of information and beautiful pictures from the various inlets and towns of Puget Sound and the surrounding areas, but I was a little disappointed with the charts, which seemed to be just reproductions of USCG nautical maps. I think this guide tries to do too much, and would have benefited by concentrating on one locale or area. Some more defined charts would have been helpful also. Nonetheless, anyone who is a sailor will appreciate it, and I would recommend it to someone who is sailing those waters.



3. This is a must have boaters book if you live in the Puget Sound area. Very detailed in the points of interest, each one is clearly described and rated. Some charting is included for difficult harbors, approaches are described. This gives us (new boaters and new Washingtonians) a great place to start in our explorations. Highly recommended!!!



4. I bought this for my Dad who just got a new boat. He read it all the way through and it looked like he book marked every page!



5. Excellent guide book with great information (docking, fuel, eateries, malls, to do lists) for cruising the Puget Sound area. It has become part of the boat library.

No comments about PassPorter's Disneyland and Southern California Attractions 2009: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (PassPorter).