5 comments about Great Plains.

1. Frazier's book portrays the middle of America truly and entertainingly. He basically condenses his wanderings through the plains region of America into several vignettes, historical personages and occurences that convey a sense of this place. Most of what passes for "American" these days comes from the much more populous bi-coastal regions. But there is still a core of small towns, farms and small businesses that exists in our collective memories and Frazier found the real-life remnants of this culture.

   This book is well-written and entertaining. The small events that Frazier uses to illustrate the great plains region of the US are excellent vignettes that portray a deeper meaning than just the event itself. For example, the author is attending a community get-together in Nicodemus, Kansas where diverse groups of people are enjoying each others company and experiences a joyful epiphany. "This democracy, this land of freedom and equality and the pursuit of happiness -- it could have worked! There is something to it, after all!" I hope everyone has one of those moments occasionally and it is a joy to read Frazier's retelling of his.

   Frazier does a great job of examining controversial events without throwing in snide sarcasms that seem to pass for commentary these days. Case-in-point is his stories about Crazy Horse and other plains Indians and Custer and the whites who interacted with them. He assigns equal doses of blame and credit to both sides. I loved his pages on Crazy Horse and also the pages about an exuberant Custer who loved the plains region just as deeply as the Indians. The quote Frazier uses "For bringing us the horse we could almost forgive you for bringing us whiskey" sums up the fine edge that Frazier balances on so well. Frazier is at his best condensing various historical sources to develop an entertaining story.

   Frazier does display despair about the negatives of the Great Plains - the alcoholism of the Indians, the environmental issues of mining and the depletion of the aquifer, and the spectre of nuclear war that hangs over the northern great plains and its missile silos - but I still finished the book feeling both entertained and educated. The nearest book I know of to this was Dayton Duncan's "Out West" and this one is better. In short, this is a solid piece of regional travel writing that is a joy to read.




2. Let me add just these two things to the remarks of the many other reviewers: Ian Frazier's rhapsodic discussion of the joy the Great Plains engender (like the mysticism of deserts and the melancholy of moors) is good reading. Sitting Bull, though not an eyewitness, reported that Custer fell laughing in his last battle. Frazier expertly uses this intriguing anecdote to discuss the joy he connects with the Plains.
   And that last page of the book! This is some of the best and most evocative prose I've read anywhere. It's worth the price of the book to read that one page. It's nearly hypnotic and I hope soon to memorize the entire ending.



3. Mr. Frazier gives a pretty good litany of historical facts, but his haphazard presentation leaves one to wonder whether he was totally coherent during his two years on the plains. His style is reminiscent of someone who never quite grasped the finer points of high school English composition, and the entire description of his travels seems to reflect someone who is permanently mired in a 1960's-era drug trip. I grew up in northwestern Nebraska and am intimately familiar with the region and its history, so I expected a more thorough, considered discussion in this book. Boy, was I disappointed!



4. While reading this book, I found myself compelled to read parts aloud to my husband: about where tumbleweed came from, facts about different Indian tribes, Bonnie and Clyde, Crazy Horse, and "In Cold Blood". I found the book totally fascinating, and I learned many things I never thought of even wondering about before. This is the first book I have ever read by Ian Frazier, and I will now look for his other books, he's a very interesting author.



5. Wallace Stegner has written beautifully of the northern Great Plains (specifically Saskatchewan and Montana), and some small sense of similarity will occur naturally when reading this book. But Stegner had a deeper personal connection to the landscape and the writing here is better compared to Edward Hoagland's. Like Hoagland, Frazier visits and observes landscapes and cultural communities that are not his home, but that fascinate him. He enters a landscape and then 'paints' portraits of its physical features, its recent history, its lore, its natives, its foreigners, its itinerant dreamers, its meteorology, its bigness, its diversity and its sameness.
   
   Garrison Keillor said that the book "makes me want to get in a truck and drive straight out to North Dakota and look at the prairie," and it had the same effect on me. Frazier's style is more laid-back than Stegner's or Hoagland's, and the writing might seem effortless (in a good way) except for the obvious fact that the work required a fair amount of research. Frazier sketches the personalities of the plains with just the right level of detail. Diverse personalities: Crazy Horse, Theodore Roosevelt, Lawrence Welk, random farmers, rangers, American Indians, local history buffs, nuclear missile silo personnel. Cultural characteristics of native tribes are sympathetically but colorfully explained: "The Comanche, who probably killed more settlers than did any other American Indians, made a distinction among whites between Texans and all others. Then, as now, it was possible to tell the difference. . . The Comanche hated Texans the most of all."
   
   From a rise in a dirt road near Beach, North Dakota: ". . . all you'd need to paint [the] landscape would be gold for wheat and blue for sky."
   At a civic event in Nicodemus, Kansas: "At one o'clock the parade began. It was like a parade in someone's living room. Its front was followed closely by its back."
   In a restaurant in Lincoln, New Mexico: "The menu featured home-baked bread and sole; New Mexico is like the Vermont of the West."
   
   Like a stretch of prairie road, the book invites the reader onward. It might easily be read in two or three sittings, but that's not what I did. I habitually keep a book in my car, to keep me company at lunch, and this is how I read Great Plains. A few paragraphs or pages at a time, with a burrito or a Jamba Juice, it was quite tasty.

No comments about Frommer's South Florida: With the Best of Miami & the Keys (Frommer's Complete).

2 comments about Everything American Presidents Book: All You Need to Know About the Leaders Who Shaped U.S. History (Everything: Travel and History).

1. After recently watching a wonderful 4 hour show on the Presidents on C-SPAN, I realized how much I had forgotten or never learned over the years. I was seeking a book that was interesting, quick and yet easy to carry for my bus ride to work. After looking at all the books available in Borders (ones that didn't have an obvious agenda), I would say this was a great choice. For me, I just wanted a review in chronological order that wasn't too elementary.



2. I'm British,but spend every vacation in the U.S. I thought it was about time I got to know as much as I possibly could of the country I visit so regularly. I decided to purchase Everything American Presidents Book: I found the book extremely interesting and informative and loved the little nuggets of revelatory facts that few people would know about. I have no hesitation in recommending this publication to anyone who wants to learn more about the men who have helped to shape the social and economic history of the greatest country on the planet.

5 comments about The Civil War Battlefield Guide, Second Edition.

1. I took a group of college students on a "civil wargasm" last spring---to Gettysburg, Antietam, and dozens of sites in Virginia. We took a parcel of books and maps. This is the one we referred to more than any other. By laying out the battle over a modern map, this guide makes it easier to understand what happened where, and definitely enhances a visit to any site, large or small. It is especially useful for stops at battle sites that are only commemorated by historical markers, and for sites that have nearly disappeared under freeways and housing developments. If you plan to visit Civil War sites anywhere, this is the first book you should buy.



2. I bought this book because i was working for a battlefield in the Park Service this summer and I had some free time to see other Battle fields in the surrounding areas: Richmond, Cold Harbor, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Harper's Ferry, Malverin Hill. And this book is just what I needed, because sometimes the best thing is just a concise history to understand with great detailing maps for comprehension and this has it. I value mine on a Civil War Battlefield trips



3. I do not live near many of the major battlefield sites, and I have never had this guide in my possession when visiting any battlefields so I cannot comment on its "real-time" usefulness, but I can say that having this guide has been quite valuable in personal study. The maps cleverly overlay the North/South troop placements and movements on modern topographic renderings that include today's highways and other developments. So, before or after a live visit to a particular battlefield, these maps will help you to place the precise historic details in the context of, say, the visitor's center or other modern landmarks (like roads) that can be recognized. I have also found the narrative descriptions to be both brief and comprehensive enough to supplement my readings for particular battles. For instance, I am reading Cozzen's difficult study now about Chickamauga. Having this guide at hand, I can refresh myself on the overview of the battle, and thus better absorb and enjoy the expert details of the book that I'm reading. The chronological order of the battles also provides a great overview of the entire war at a glance (in case, for example, you're not sure how the two Bull Run battles fit together, or how Chickamauga relates to Chattanooga, or how either of these relates to Gettysburg or Vickburg). Lastly, this is just a great book for browsing if you are interested in the Civil War.



4. This is one of the best books to have to study the civil war locations, and tour the battles. It has superb topographical maps of the battle area's.
   
   It also has more information on the battles and different topic's on the civil war.
   
   I have never been to any of the battles back east, since I have lived in the Midwest and Arizona, so I wish the book had more pictures of the area's then and now. I have talked to a few people and it is sad that we are losing some of these battlefields to land development



5. The Conservation Fund's title "The Civil War Battlefield Guide" in my opinion is an invaluable tool for understanding the flow and troop dispositions of several Civil War battles.
   
   In all, there are maps and troop movements for around 60 Civil War engagements and range from smaller battles such as Cloyd's Mountain to major engagements like Gettysburg. Another important feature of the book is the inclusion of modern-day roads included in the maps so the reader and battlefield visitor can better understand where the battle was fought in relation to where he/she may be standing at the time (assuming, of course, that the reader is on the battlefield at the time).
   
   My only real complaint is that some bloody battles (Franklin, Nashville, etc.) were left out. However, the book does an overall good job of including most of the major engagements.
   
   An excellent read and valuable battlefield tour aid. Read and enjoy! Recommended.

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 Hidden Montana: Including Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, and Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

1. Braeking the state up into sections, the author does an excellent job of describing and presenting the various highlights of each. Equal treatment is given to popular and off-the-beaten-path areas, with sufficient detail for each. It made my recent visit more enjoyable!



2. Hidden Montana appears in its third edition to cover inns, tours, drives, and outdoors explorations throughout the state. From Glacier Park to Yellowstone, this is packed with lesser-known byways. Recommended.



3. This book was a wonderful guide to the areas of Montana we traveled through. There were several things we would not have seen if it hadn't been for the suggestions in the book and some excellent restaurants we wouldn't have stopped at if they had not been recommended by the book. We plan to get another "hidden" book for our next trip.



4. I took my family on a driving trip through Montana, and this book proved to be an excellent resource for discovering the somewhat undiscovered, as well as guiding us through the more mainstream sights, attractions, restaurants, and accommodations throughout the state. A must have if you are traveling through the great state of Montana.

5 comments about Exploring the Boundary Waters: A Trip Planner and Guide to the BWCAW.

1. Exploring The Boundary Waters: A Trip Planner And Guide To The BWCAW is a no-nonsense guide written especially for canoe enthusiasts with an interest in the one million acres of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Offering an overview of each entry point, meticulously detailed accountings of one hundred routes covering difficulty level as well as pros and cons, fifty-one maps showcasing major waterways, portages, and designated campsites, and much more, Exploring the Boundary Waters is the resource to consult before planning a canoe getaway in the BWCAW. Written by a frequent visitor and Boundary Waters expert Daniel Pauly with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service, the Minnesota DNR, and local outfitters, Exploring The Boundary Waters is a "must-have" resource on everything from obtaining a permit to maintaining the ecological integrity of the wilderness to planning one's route, discovering historic sites on one's trip, and much more. Highly recommended.



2. Very detailed and accurate route descriptions. Portage difficulty and lengths were helpful in planning for "trip newbees" we had on our recent trip. Many geologic points of interest usually missed were well described.



3. This is a good place to start planning your trip. The author has actually been to almost all of the areas reviewed.



4. This book has given me the tools I need to plan my first wilderness canoe camping trip with my family. The maps and route recommendations have been particularly valuable. Its not the only piece of information I'll collect, but it is a great, comprehensive start.



5. Seems very thourough... very excited to go test out the advice in the boundary waters!

1 comments about Florida Off the Beaten Path, 9th (Off the Beaten Path Series).

1. This is the second book that I have purchased in this series. I previous had the 1993 edition but while planning a trip to Tallahassee-St Marks recently, I realized that the area codes had changed and a recommended restaurant (Posey's) washed away in a hurricane a few years ago. The short coming of this book is that it's too small.

2 comments about New Mexico, Rio Grande, and Other Essays.

1. If you ever read books of Tony Hillerman, be sure to take a look at this book. His love of the state of New Mexico is well known by readers of the Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn Mysteries, but this book is about the overwhelming beauty of the state. The vast open spaces, the silence and the history. This collection of essays together with the outstanding photographs is a must.



2. If Only!

   If only this book had been printed by the National Geographic Society, or Arizona Highways, or somebody who specializes in scenic calendars. The fabulous photos in here deserve top quality printing, and they didn't get it.

   However, I heartily recommend this book to all my fellow Hillerman fans, *anyway*, because the essays are great, and the background information on some of the events that inspired scenes in certain of the novels is priceless. If you loved 'A Thief of Time' as much as I did, you'll very much enjoy the descriptions of the actual site that inspired it. Hillerman's 'travelogue' down the Rio Grande is also wonderful.

3 comments about Day Trips from Houston, 12th: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler (Day Trips Series).

1. This book is a real disappointment. Basically it mimicks public information that is readily available on-line and the restaurant recommendations are really suspect since I know of one that no longer exists and another that is dirty at best. I was expecting some seasoned "insider" info on things to do and see and eat. I wish I had my $$$ back to pay for the gas for my next day trip!!



2. As a newcomer to Houston, I thought this book was a great introduction to all the neat things to do in the area. Rather than spend time looking it all up on the internet, I have a great guide right in front of me. I like it!



3. very useful, nicely written, good information with ideas to egt you out of your normal ways without being too crazy. Get it (and watch for the new edition)