5 comments about Hiking Yosemite National Park, 2nd (Hiking Guide Series).

1. This is an indispensible guidebook for any hiker who loves Yosemite. I use it almost daily during hiking season and it helps in selecting hikes, planning them, reaching the trailhead and gauging whether a hike will be worthwhile. Each hike contains an accurate, though brief, description of the rigors of each trek. Occasionally I quibble with the authors ranking of a given hike, but usually they are on the mark.

   A few cautionary notes: there are no detailed maps in the book, except general maps which introduce the hiker to each specific place. Te map for the John Muir trail, for example, is very basic. Don't expect detailed maps for each hike because there are none. The descriptions of how to reach each trailhead are excellent, unless you have little experience with Yosemite.

   My favorite part of the book is that the Touloume Meadows High Country area is not neglected. Swedo has various categories and list the hikes they think are best suited to be placed in every league and the valley floor is not the only area of the park that is stressed .If you spend any time hiking in Yosemite, this book is essential!




2. I spend all winter planning my hikes for the summer. I own and have used most of the titles for Yosemite. Hiking Yosemite National Park has most of the most popular trails but two other books do a better job: 100 Hikes in Yosemite National Park and Lonely Planet Hiking in the Sierra Nevada.

   My main complaint is the incomplete descriptions, too short and too vague. If you get off the trail you'll run the risk of getting lost because there are no "big picture" maps. A topo is absolutely essential if you want to understand your location.




3. I bought several yosemite books before my visit, but this is by far the best book I found for the many hikes now that I am here. Perhaps there are better ones, but this one is quite good. One great feature is that for most hikes it gives a 2D elevation change cutaway map for the entire route so that you can judge for youself the level of difficulty of the hike. Many books seem to disagree on this point. (You can see the big spike at half dome for instance as a comparison.) The maps even have GPS coordinates. The maps do have rough topographical shading as well (though color would be better for this).



4. This book is just what you need when visiting Yosemite National Park if you do any hiking at all. It is thorough, well written, acurate, and easy to use.



5. This book is very easy to navigate through & the author gives great topgraphical maps for each hike section. I've been using this book to plan my trip this year & it will let you know what to expect on the terrain mile by mile. Each trail has a difficulty rating, appx. travel time, seasons best to hike, GPS compatible, and some VERY basic info on contacting the park.
   
   I would recommend buying a complete map to Yosemite which will help to plan your entire trip. I've recently purchased National Geographic Destination Map & it will give you all the additional info you need. It gives much more info on campgrounds, how/where to purchase permits for the backcountry, driving distances within the park & other accomodations.

No comments about Linking Up: Planning Your Traffic-Free Bike Trip Between Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, DC - 3rd Edition.

5 comments about Vintage L.A.: Eats, Boutiques, Decor, Landmarks, Markets & More.

1. I saw this in the bookstore yesterday and read the whole thing in one sitting. It's perfect for anyone who isn't typical, and likes the cooler things in life.
   I grew up in LA and while I knew MOST of the haunts in the area, I still discovered a couple new facts in this great book.
   You won't be disappointed. Trust me.



2. Knowing a good deal about book design and something about near-history, I can say that this book is a perfect package. From the gorgeous full-color pages saturated with great photography and vintage postcards to the colorful language used to illustrate this opulent city of dreams, Vintage LA is the magnum opus to Los Angeles. Anyone I know who has read this book recalls sitting down in the evening to crack the spine, and a few hours later they were finished, and ready to buy plane tickets to LA. It's a beautiful book!



3. Hats off to Jennifer Brandt-Taylor, the vintage queen! Her new book VINTAGE L.A. is a well-crafted homage to the delightful assortment of styles and flavors which comprise the identity of Los Angeles.
   
   It is an extremely well balanced and thoughtfully compiled collection of reviews, photos, tidbits of trivia, and other ephemera which sparked my interest in revisiting the town in which I live.
   
   Collecting vintage is one of my true passions. Finer men's attire of bygone eras is my own calling, so when Jennifer referred to the boutique Playclothes I was obliged to investigate. What a treat! I left with 2 deadstock silk scarves from the Edwardian era and some other treasures for well below market value. Thanks, Jennifer!
   
   The love which the author has for her hometown is apparent in her features of the magical haunts and classic splendor of old Hollywood. Two of my absolute favorite places to soak up some genuine Tinseltown are the Magic Castle and the Beverly Hills Hotel. Hands down the finest establishments in which to imbibe.
   
   It was a true inspiration flipping through the expertly layed out pages. My eyes were led along from page to page as if a kid in a candy store had been turned loose on a shopping spree. A plethora of colors and styles was arranged like a bouquet, enticing the reader to dive in and experience the finest this American epicenter of culture has to offer.
   
   One thing I absolutely loved was her interspersed features of vintage lovers from all walks of fame in their respective environments. Catching a glimpse of how these zany characters live and reading their own reflections on the things which keep them inspired was a fascinating allusion to the eclecticism of Los Angeles.
   
   If at all you are interested in planning a trip to Los Angeles, please do yourself a favor and let Jennifer Brandt-Taylor be your guide to the stars!



4. This book covers just about everything I like about LA -- the good old-timey stuff! It's beautifully photographed, typeset and laid out from cover to cover, looking and reading like a Disneyland brochure from the '60s. The author leads you to historic walking & shopping destinations in every neighborhood in and around LA, with a special focus on all things glam and baroque. The photos are spectacular and the descriptions are fun, first-person, non-snooty and truly evocative of the wonder of visiting these groovy underappreciated relics. You'll want to visit each and every spot, and the more of them you experience, the more your view of LA will change from the unfair stereotype of a dumb, violent, smoggy wasteland to a true love of this lovely, historic fantasyland left behind by dreamers of the past.



5. Vintage L.A. is like a magical treasure trove - filled with historic gems from Tinseltown past, endearing & insightful interviews with sparkling locals, dazzling photographs and endless riches to behold! It is apparent that the author, Jennifer Brandt-Taylor, is a true fan of Hollywood history and the City of Angels. She takes the reader on a whimsical "insider" tour, with many surprise stops along the way. Jennifer Brandt-Taylor does a wonderful job at inspiring the reader to look closer, to find divinely decadent inspiration in something that most pedestrians would pass by without a glance. I read this book in one sitting, and then placed it on my art-deco bookshelf alongside other favorites, "Eve's Hollywood" and "Weetzie Bat." I will make sure to leave enough room on that shelf for Jennifer Brandt-Taylor's next book...

2 comments about National Geographic Guide to the State Parks of the United States, 3rd Edition (National Geographic's Guide to the State Parks of the United States).

1. I did not understand the definition of "state park," so the entries are more limited than I expected. For example, the Adirondacks is not included in the New York State section. Overall, there is much information, but I still will need to check the internet before departure so that we do not miss the kinds of areas we would like to visit. That is what I thought I was avoiding.



2. This book has a great deal of information but it doesn't list the parks I wanted to find. For the state of Florida only five are written up! Since there are over 40 Parks in the State, I found this Ludicrous.
   This book picked the top 200 state parks and completely ignored all the others. I was expecting a list of parks in each state with codes for facilities and a few highlighted with more information.
   I bought the book so I wouldn't have to look up each state on the internet. Not only did it not meet my expectations, but I thought it was very expensive. It was a big disappointment. Save your money and just use the internet.
   .

4 comments about Good Night San Francisco (Good Night Our World series).

1. This is an engaging, yet simple board book that shows different scenes in the city throughout the day, starting with Good morning (sea lions, GG Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, etc.) and moves onto Good Afternoon, Hello, Good Evening, and Good Night to some other scenes (kites, Cliff House, Seal Rocks, Golden Gate Park, children playing at the beach, submarine, historic ships, fishing boats, Palace of Fine Arts, Coit Tower, Pacific Ocean, city lights, and more). My kids (and 2 and 4) enjoy seeing the sites in the book of this city they know and love. The story asks questions through out that always prompt a response from my kids. When the book says good evening to "The Thinker" it asks, "What are you thinking about?" or at the Exploratorium, it asks, "Don't you love to discover how things work?" The books highlights some of the more popular attractions, but also includes lesser known attractions such as the Conservatory of Flowers, Stow Lake, Exploratorium, Aquarium and more. After many years of living in the city, I have never gone to many of those places, but this book is a great reminder of all the fun places to check out in the city with my kids.



2. This delightful little book is an excellent teaching tool for introducing young readers to the wonderful city of San Francisco, the Gem of the West Coast. Readers get to meet and greet sea lions, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Park and other delightful sites in the Golden City.
   
   An ideal companion book is Good Night Boston (Good Night Our World series) because it is about the Gem of the East Coast and this one is about the Gem of the West Coast.



3. We love this book about our city. My daughter especially loves the page on the Exploratorium. It makes a great gift for out-of-town friends with kids.



4. This book covers a number of interesting San Francisco attractions, but the stylized illustrations don't do them justice. The book would've benefitted from more realistic and detailed drawings.

5 comments about City Secrets: New York City.

1. Great guide to quirky shops, less well-known sports and odd bitss of history. A joy to read and to guide your explorations.



2. Every winter I spend a week in NYC -to attend the opera, theater, concerts, museums, etc. I hoped this book would offer me some unexpected, relatively undiscovered places to explore. Not so. A waste of my money.



3. This book has some good secrets but i found some not very useful or interesting or yet non existant (or so secret they change the adress regularly). Depending on your profession look in the collaborators index for a person of whom you think you identify with or you like their resume and try looking at their secrets its the easier way i found to get some useful and intersting secrets (some colaborators are simply ill-chosen are i don tknow why they were found to be useful to adress in the book). BUt mainly if you are the 7 day vacation turist go for a amercian express ou rough guide to the city and you'll get just fine!



4. I was soooo looking forward to getting this book - but I have to honestly say that the layout is so utterly boring that I just can't get past it. The book is full of beige, beige, and more beige (other than the black on white text that is).
   
   For an individual that is "directionally-challenged", I would have difficulty locating where I'm supposed to be in the city based strictly upon written instruction. Plus, frankly, I love to look at the beautiful photography that can be found in some guidebooks (and some imagery would help determine if a particular walking tour was a good fit to the reader). I really think if the layout were made more appealing that more people would get into this book.



5. I have an armload of NYC guides and this one is a delight to read. It is a love affair with the big apple and a great addition to a standard get around the city type book

4 comments about Hiking Grand Teton National Park, 2nd (Hiking Guide Series).

1. Having read this book and just spent a week using it in hiking in the Tetons, I found it generally useful and accurate. The maps and directions for finding trailheads are good, and the mileage counter provided gives a good indication of progress on the walks. I would make several recommendations for changes, however. First, I disagree with the level of difficulty ranking for some of the trails. For instance, the Amphitheater Lake trail is clearly more strenuous and difficult than the Holly Lake trail. Second, there should be numerical figure giving the actual elevation gain in addition to the useful elevation profile graph. Finally, the book did not include the excellent Hanging Canyon trail, which though unmaintained, is still a great climb. I found the book Day Hiking Grand Teton National Park by Tom Carter to be equally useful and much more packable based on its small size.



2. This book gives a pretty good summary of the hiking trails in Grand Teton National Park. My one complaint would be regarding the trail for Granite Canyon/Rendevous mountains (Chapter 3). The elevation map showed the trail being flat at the end. You actually ascend a bit at the end. I wish I had known that before because I was pretty tired at the end. Other than that, I found the book accurate, and a a great guide to hiking in the area.



3. This guide lists 35 trails, organized by region. Unlike (say) the Yellowstone guide it does not sort the trails into short, medium, and long hikes. Like other Falcon guides, it provides maps of each trail and valuable information about elevations and steepness. Each listing include elevation diagrams that are very useful for letting you know what you are getting yourself into.
   
   This is probably the best all-around guide to hiking the Grand Tetons. It's especially useful for finding good hikes while sitting at home. Bill Schneider writes well and does a good job describing the hikes so that you can decide which ones are best for you. Like other Falcon guides it has a chart listing best flat terrain day hike, best wildlife viewing, most strenuous, best scenery, and so on.



4. This book covers only Grand Teton Nat'l Park, which is great beacuse most trail books throw GTNP in with Yellowstone trail books and those never seem to give the attention GTNP deserves. I have vacationed and hiked GTNP several times over the past ten years and purchased more than a few of these books looking for details on the longer hikes while being mindful of the abilities of my children (pre-teen and early teen). This book allows you to plan for both. The author provides elevation profiles for each hike as well as the usual distance and difficulty rating. Like most people, the ratings are always a bit hard to match with one's ability and stamina. The elevation profiles give you a real sense of what you're in for! In addition, each hike is described to you in detail: what you experience, what you'll see, what to watch for, how much time the hike will take, and offer some options for shorter or longer combined hikes. Excellent! If I had to recommend only one of the dozen or so that I have read about GTNP, this would definitely be the one!

3 comments about Universal Orlando 2008: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure (Universal Orlando).

1. This is such a great book if your trip to Orlando is going to feature a trip to the Universal Parks. It is so hard to find a book that has quality input on any park other than Walt Disney World. For the families who are planning to venture beyond that park and into the world of Universal Studios, this guide book is a must. It has exciting descriptions of all of the rides, great input on dining and lodging, and will get you pumped up and ready to go!!



2. For anyone planning a vacation to Universal Studios Orlando, this book is a must! With so many guide books on the Orlando attractions, USO gets only a brief mention. So when I found this book, I was thrilled. It covers everything you need to know when planning - when to go, where to stay, where to eat. It lists each attraction and show in great detail. There is a section on each hotel on the property, which is very detailed and very helpful, as well as a section just on City Walk, the entertainment area of USO. Even if you've been to USO in the past, I think this is a great book to keep you up-to-date on the parks and hotels. Very well written by Kelly Monaghan!



3. We just returned today from our Universal Orlando adventure. We found the book very helpful since we had never visited Universal before. The summaries of each attraction and food/shopping in each park were great. We used it to plan our daily schedule and even to choose our seats on each ride to maximize our enjoyment!

3 comments about Pennsylvania's Forbes Trail: Gateways and Getaways along the Legendary Route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.

1. This book explodes with information, history and suggestions. It was a daunting task, I'm sure, to collect all of the contents, but well worth it. The Forbes Trail is something all Pennsylvanians, and for that matter, all Americans, should explore and relish. It's such a vital part of who we are and how we arrived at where we are.
   
   The suggestions in the book for places to stay, to see, where to eat, things to do, places to explore - all abound, which makes for a rich presentation. There are lots of things to do which are off the beaten path. With this book in hand, adventures beckon. I recommend it heartily.



2. This book provided all that it said it would and more. A must read for anyone interested in the establishment of our great country!



3. I bought this book due to my love and involvement in local living history. This book is extremely informative, and accurate. It is geared toward the beginning history buff, or traveling explorer. It outlines the perilous struggle between the British, and the French for control of North America. Most specifically the Forbes Trail which was hacked out of the "Wild frontier" that was Pennsylvania in 1758. Engineered just three years after the disasterous Braddock expedition, General John Forbes along with his newly arrived 1st Battalion of rugged Highland Scots spearheaded a route through the Ohio Country to capture Fort Duqesne (Pittsburgh). Along the way leaving a wake of forts, outposts, and settlements that would shape the very heritage of Pennsylvania, and history of our nation. Old bed and breakfasts, vacation spots, historical sites, outdoor recreation areas, and annual festivals are just some of the things brought about by the daring endeavor. This book parallels history with modern day recreation, geography, and heritage. It is highly recommended for all history buffs. It is also recommended for those with a daring spirit for adventure and travel. Those who like heritage, history, recreation, variety, and folklore. Enjoy

5 comments about 100 Classic Hikes in Washington: North Cascades, Olympics, Mount Rainer & South Cascades, Alpine Lakes, Glacier Peak (100 Best Hikes).

1. I have read countless hiking books but never have I encountered a preface like this book. Authors Spring and Manning spend many pages going into a diatribe about how the Forest Service has ruined many Washington trails and how ATV's and encroachment has destroyed much of the pristine beauty of the state. I agree with their comments wholeheartedly, but wonder if such "strident" opinions (to some people) are really suitable in a hiking guide. For me, the political opinions were not a distraction, but I want to mention them in case you are expecting simply a typical guidebook with no ancillary commentary.

   Now, to the book itself. Washington is a magnificent and beautiful state to hike. Even without the magnificent hikes in and around the Seattle, there are plenty of other trails to explore and enjoy. This book does it all! It is an exceptionally well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. The photos are all in color and are breathtaking! You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. Every hike also has a brief map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive. There are also black and white photos of each trail, with two color sections.

   Equally pleasing is that the authors take the time to describe each hike in extensive detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

   I have over 50 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete, more photographically stunning or better written guide. From desert to mountains, Washington has it all. I enthusiastically recommend this gem with the small warning about the authors injecting personal opinions about the Forest Service.




2. ...and recommend in its stead : Hiking Washington's Geology, ISBN: 0898865484.

   I live in WA state, and have owned "100 Classic Hikes in WA" for 5 years; I repeatedly "try" to reference for new hiking ideas, but every time end up closing the book in disgust. Here is why:
   1. The prose is terrible (excessively 'flowery' and overblown);
   2. Non-stop negative "preaching" against the forest service, motorized vehicles, horses & dogs on the trail.
   3. Hike descriptions, when not oriented on preaching, are not very descriptive of the specific features as seen on the hike.

   Because of this, the valuable information, such as difficulty of hike, accesibility of trailhead, & attraction of hike (view, flowers, etc) is very hard to extract from the hike descriptions.

   I consider myself an experienced outdoors-person, and hit the trails almost every weekend during good weather. Sometimes I hike with friends, sometimes I take my dog, sometimes I bring the trailer & ride with my horse, and sometimes I take a mountain bike. My point is: these men found innumerable ways to slam almost every activity I do in the mountains: according to their never-ending negativity, the only good trail is one in which only a walking human is allowed.

   My recommendation to the authors is to spend less time 'educating' the public with your incredibly biased opinions and more time on the purpose of the book: educating people on the best places to go in WA for a great hike.

   "Hiking WA's Geology" is a much better book, even if you are not interested in geology for the following reasons:
   1. Hike descriptions are written by authors experienced in technical writing, i.e. you recieve the most amount of pertinent information in as few words as possible.
   2. Many of the trails are 'off the regularly beaten path'
   3. Descriptions give detailed information along each section of the hike, so the hiker knows not only the 'what & why' of what he is seeing, but also any technical challenges that might arise (paraphrased e.g.: 3 miles down the trail, the trail becomes difficult to follow, watch for campsite #22, walk to the left, find the trailhead again).




3. "Ira and Harvey," as my hiking partner and I fondly refer to the authors, are probably the best hiking writers / photographers I've ever encountered. Yes, the book is opinionated; there is no doubt about that. However, that is what makes it special. If you want a book with 1000 hikes and a short listing of facts, this book isn't for you. However, the authors have pulled together their favorite 100 hikes and feel free to tell you exactly why they think they're great. Ira (Spring) was a famous photographer in his day, and I enjoy drooling over his photos of the sites I'll see on the way to hike. We usually preface our hikes from this book by reading the hike description aloud and laughing over Manning's excesses.
   
   My edition is one older than this listing, and in it, as another reviewer remarks, the authors do rail against motorized vehicles. Anyone who's been asphyxiated by a 4-wheeler and coughed for minutes after its departure can appreciate and agree with their rants.
   
   In the edition I have, there is no negative mention of dogs or horses. In fact, Harvey references hikes with his dog fondly. I have noticed in later editions of Mountaineers books anti-dog writing which bothers me - a lot. However, I have never seen that in this book.
   
   If you can only own one hiking book for Washington, this is the one. It's entertaining, informative, recommends fantastic hikes, and has great photos.



4. This is a beautifully illustrated book - I'll certainly give it that. I didn't get into the prose, though, because as I thumbed through the summary description of each hike, I was disappointed to find how few of them are accessible to the casual hiker.
   
   I'm going to Seattle in mid-May and I wanted to take a few hikes while I was there. Of the 100 hikes listed in this book, less than 5 of them are accessible in May, and all of those are either on the coast or east of the Cascades. The weather isn't the authors' fault, but one would hope there would be a few "classic" hikes that would be accessible at other times than mid-summer.
   
   The other disappointment was that a very large percentage of the hikes involve trips of multiple days. I'm sure they're gorgeous, but this borders more on camping trips than hikes.
   
   I found Foghorn Outdoors Washington Hiking: The Complete Guide to More Than 400 Hikes (Foghorn Outdoors) to be a much more useful guide.



5. 
   100 Classic Hikes in Washington is one of the nicer-looking books on trails in the area, and is not a bad first guide to discover hiking in the Cascades, Olympics and Mount Rainier.
   
   Written by Ira Spring and Harvey Manning, I get the sense the guide is a local favorite, although I personally don't like the chatty style and lack of consistent structure in the trail descriptions. For some people, notably armchair readers, or area residents seeking local color and history, this style would be considered a bonus.
   
   As a newcomer to the Pacific Northwest, I would forgo knowledge of Ira or Harvey's personal experiences on the trail, in order to quickly reference, say, driving directions. A more user-friendly book would have that information teased out from the chatty text, so the navigator can easily tell the driver which exit to take before they pass it.
   
   What is nice are the smooth-feeling clay-coated pages (more water and tear resistant for taking on the trail) and the full-color layout. Lots of photos show off alpine lakes and mountain passes, with attractive, although very basic, trail maps.
   
   Spring and Manning take the time to provide information on aspects of conservation and environmental protection for each area - and in most cases, within each trail. The authors make no bones about telling you which lakes it would be immoral to camp at - those either overused or very fragile, mostly.
   
   I also appreciated the information provided on spur trails and the portions of the trails past the intended dayhike destination. I would like to have seen expanded trail descriptions, though.
   
   This trail guide is certainly a step up from some guides that are mainly a collection of trail descriptions lifted straight from the Forest Service handouts.