1 comments about Vermont Nature Guide: A field guide to birds, mammals, trees, insects, wildflowers, amphibians, reptiles, and where to find them.

1. I was very pleased with the condition of the book and very surprised how prompt it was delivered.
   
   I will be more than happy to purchase from Amazon again!
   
   Thanks again,
   Bonnie

No comments about Good Night Vermont (Good Night Our World series).

1 comments about In the Land of the Wild Onion: Travels Along Vermont's Winooski River.

1. In The Land of the Wild Onion by Charles Fish is one of those rare and special books that educate and entertain us at the same time. It is filled with the same kind of wit and wisdom we find when we read Thoreau, and this comparison of Fish to Thoreau is apt. Both writers are great scholars, but good friends to us. They never talk down to us, but always educate us. When we put down their books we feel incomparably better for having shared their company. It would be better to talk with them in person sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking Walden Pond or the Winooski River, but reading their books is an experience that can be repeated again and again, with notes taken, and thoughts tucked away for reflective observation.
   
   In The Land of the Wild Onion we meet trappers and hunters, fishers and farmers, friends and neighbors - all Vermonters and all with a story to tell. Fish brings them to life so truly and lovingly that we come to know and like them almost as much as he does. His book is not a novel - far from it - but Fish writes so well that we forget we are reading a history of Vermont's Winooski River and get lost in the story of some of the people he meets in his adventure canoeing and portaging down the river from its source to Lake Champlain. It is a leisurely journey with plenty of time to discuss the origins of the river, land, animals, and people.
   
   A Vermonter reading this book will respond with pride because Fish loves his state and shows why it is such a special place. The rest of us will want to head to Vermont for a long visit, perhaps in the fall when the trees and mountains that fill the state are in their autumn glory. Then, as Fish suggests, we can leave our troubles behind and take a deep breath as we attend to the beauty revealed in nature that is missing from so much of our busy lives. Fish tells us: "In its own meandering way, my book has been an attempt to attend." More than this, "We are the caretakers of the planet; we must attend. It is our fate."
   
   In the Land of the Wild Onion is a book once read not soon forgotten. Highly recommended.

No comments about Exploring the Appalachian Trail Hikes in Southern New England: Connecticut Massachusetts Vermont (Exploring the Appalachian Trail).

4 comments about The Photographer's Guide to Vermont: Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them.

1. If you enjoy photography, especially in Vermont, then this is the book for you. I have enjoyed Mr. Middleton's photographs in Vermont Life and found the photos in this book to be even more fantastic. Vermont is a beautiful place and this book will tell you the best spots and the perfect times in which to photograph there. If you need further inspiration take a look at the authors Nature of Vermont, which is an exceptional book as well.



2. Say you decide to do photography in Vermont and you dont know where to start. Dont look furthur. This books will save you tons of time. I used this book to chart my 6 day trip. It worked out great and I am so happy that such a book exists. The book can help you to plan your entire trip. The only think I found was it dint have a lot of hidden road information. If the author can add that it would be great. I had to pick that up from the Vermon Fall Forums on the internet. I got the other book describing Maine and now I am planning to get the oregon one. I hope the author will have one out for Alaska and other states.



3. The book served as a useful companion on my trip to Vermont in October 2006.
   It helped me do the groundwork which turned out be a great time saver .
   It seems that the book needs editing as some of the landmarks appear to have changed.I would like more details to help locate Farms around Woodstock which is one of the prime reasons photographers travel to Vermont.
   Another thing which adds to the difficulty is that you are mostly driving on back roads which are not be very clearly marked .



4. We recently returned from a week in Vermont. Unfortunately, the weather was variable, but we did manage
   to visit a number of locations suggested by David Middleton in his "Photographers Guide to Vermont". The
   book was well-written and very helpful. The images included were wonderful. David's pro tips and side
   trip suggestions added another dimension to our trip. The book was very readable with some touches of
   humor.. We look forward to our next trip to Vermont, where this book will be one of
   the first things we pack. We are members of a competitive camera club, always on the lookout for great picture locations. It was almost like having our own guide. Thanks, David.
   Barbara and David Pike

2 comments about Frommer's Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine (Frommer's Complete).

1. Frommer's guidebook provides an excellent overview of the sights to see, things to do, and places to stay in the three Northern New England states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. The overviews are very accurate and provide a good description of the places, making the book an excellent way to decide where to go in the areas, and a good guidebook once you arrive.

   The biggest problem with the book is that there is not enough individual descriptions of each area. Chances are most tourists are not visiting several regions in all three states, but are choosing one or two to explore in-depth. For example, I went to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine, an area that was given around 20 pages of coverage. Therefore, more research on the specific areas you plan to visit will probably be necessary to help you get the absolute most out of your trip!




2. What's worse than a guide that doesn't know his way? A guide that leads you far up the wrong path. Imagine buying a map where the streets and roads led you into all the wrong places.
   
   According to the ad copy: "...avoid tourist traps. Frommer's Portable Guides help you make the right travel choices...Outspoken opinions on top attractions - what's worth your time and what's not...The best hotels and restaurants in every price range, with candid reviews...The expert guidance you need to take charge and travel with confidence."
   
   The haughty tone of this particular edition would make you think the author(s) were steeped in expert knowledge about the history and traditions of the long-standing established hotels and attractions in the region. And this illusion is effective until you arrive at more than one location expecting to find a rural paradise only to discover that it has become a gated community/housing development. So what do the authors actually know other than what they seem to have compiled from the hotel brochure you find at McDonald's? Not a whole heck of a lot.
   
   For several of the hotels reviewed in this "guide", the reviews were obviously at least two years out of date and completely unrepresentative, to the extent that there was an impression that the guide was protecting the interests of the establishment being described, or should I say, advertised. So, am I actually paying for a compendium of advertising?
   
   Any guide can draw a fine line between objective "candid review", favoritism and deceptive promotion. Many aspects of this guide fall into the last category. Someone's not doing their research, which is why a reader may actually pay for a book, or perhaps, someone is getting some money under the table. This guide is inaccurate and deceptive. Check their reviews at their Frommer's site on the Internet. Then check what's actually going on at sites like Tripadvisor or other travel forums. In this aspect, print is dead.

3 comments about Trout Streams of Northern New England: A Guide to the Best Fly-Fishing in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, First Edition.

1. A nice collection of maps and general info, however, this title doesn't supply much more information than the NH Gazetteer. Can't speak as specifically to the VT and ME sections. Little info on when to fish, just general descriptions of how to get there and what may or may not be stocked. Really just a surface survey.



2. Actually, I would normally rate this book a 4 but I thought the previous rating showing a 2 was too low. I found the book to be very helpful. Not being familar with Maine, VT, or NH, I was able to quicky determine not just where to fish but where not to fish. The book is targeted more toward fly fishermen (I am one of those) and it lists what hatches are on the stream. A familar fly fisherman knows roughly what month such hatches are around. I would highly recommend this book over a Maine Gazette map which will not give you the detailed directions to some popular fishing spots.



3. Looking through the Book, I will keep it with me while on road trips and when planning camping trips. I bought the book to see if I could learn anything more about my area central & northern New Hampshire. It only dedicates about 10 pages to Northern NH and everything that is listed on central NH I already knew.

3 comments about The Carving of Mount Rushmore.

1. Smith writes an engrossing tale about how Doane Robinson decided it would be a good idea to have sculptures created in the Needles of the Black Hills to bring in tourists, and how eccentric carver Gutzon Borglum took his idea over. It is amazing that Mount Rushmore ever was carved, with everyone being most concerned about getting it done their way, and no one paying enough attention to whether or not there was enough money to get it done.



2. The Carving of Mount Rushmore is, quite obviously, about the carving of Mount Rushmore. However, it is much more than this, because Smith discusses the creation of this national monument in the context of its time and through the eyes of the creators. Central to this story is the sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, who was a man possessed by ambition and perfection. His is the name that is generally associated with the monument. However, there were many others who were central in the creation, including those in government, business and the actual men who worked on the carving. Each of these is placed very much in the context of the time and place.
   
   If you have an interest in Mount Rushmore, this is a very worthwhile read.



3. Mr. Smith's book gives the total picture of the dynamics that went into the creating of Mount Rushmore. Beyond just the unbelievable effort of the artist, Mr. Smith supplies us with the many other factors that make an effort such as this possible; support, funding, political, environmental, geography and most important, why the monument was created at this location. Then there are the lives of everyone associated with the project; from the artist to the lowest member of the many teams that are brought into the story to make the reader feel that they were there from the beginning to the completion. The author's inclusion of personal interviews with some of these people provides glimpses into rapidly fading history. The book was so compelling that I want to return to the Black Hills to see first hand all that I missed from lack of knowledge on by previous 3 visits. This is a must reading before visiting Mount Rushmore.

2 comments about The Vermont Encyclopedia.

1. This is a great book! It's an encyclopedia just like it says and it's a good one! I love opening it up and just flipping the pages to find something that intrigues me. If you love the history of Vermont than you'll love this book!



2. The book was perfect for browsing before my vacation. It came quickly and was in good condtion.

1 comments about Best Vermont Drives, Fourth Edition.

1. Good book, we've been on a lot of the roads. Nice to see it in print! Quick response on sending the product, thanks!