No comments about Moon Chesapeake Bay (Moon Handbooks).

2 comments about Along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

1. This is a book I've turned to often as an inspiration for photographing the Blue Ridge mountains. The writing is very good and informative. The pictures are stunning. A good introduction for someone who is thinking about going to the BR Parkway and needs some guidance.

   A pleasure to own this book.




2. The text relates the history of the Blue Ridge Parkway, from initial conception through to completion, which actually didn't happen until 1983 with the opening of the Linn Cove Viaduct. That is interesting enough, but the real merits of this book are in the gorgeous photographs, which stretch all along the length of the Parkway and cover all seasons and moods. Organized in milepost order, they brought back fond memories of the places I've visited (Peaks of Otter, Mabry Mill) and hopes to visit all the rest someday.

No comments about Adc's Street Atlas of Prince William County: Virginia (Prince William County (Va) Street Map Book).

No comments about Stations, an Imagined Journey.

2 comments about The Height of Our Mountains: Nature Writing from Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley.

1. The book's title is a quote from Thomas Jefferson, "The
   height of our mountains has not yet been estimated . . .".
   Jefferson's essay is among the 70 reprinted here, from
   1612 to 1948. This historical material is fun to read
   and is a great resource for children and others studying
   Virginia's history and geography.



2. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in the natural and human history of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley region. It contains over 70 essays from authors such as John Smith, Thomas Jefferson, John James Audubon to Edwin Way Teale and Annie Dillard, spanning nearly 400 years. The book has a highly informative, if somewhat didactic, introduction (which itself can be read as a brief history of the nature, culture and literature of the region) and many fantastic maps and illustrations. Preceding each essay is a short description of the author and the source of the selection (which I like very much), and there is also a thoroughly researched and meticulously organized bibliographical essay.
   
   One can bring it along on a hiking trip in the Blue Ridge and read a few essays on a sunny meadow or a rocky summit, or use it as a portal to the rich literature about this region.

No comments about West Virginia State Road Map.

1 comments about Virginia & the Capital Region Smithsonian Guides (Smithsonian Guides to Historic America).

1. A friend from Massachusetts was coming to visit us in Virginia and borrowed this book from her local library. It is wonderful. It is clearly written and full of accurate information. We used it a lot both to decide where to go and for reference as questions came up as we travelled. As soon as she left I went immediately to Amazon.com to get a copy of my own. The photographs are beautiful but the information is the best ever. There is a lot to cover in Virginia and this book does it well.

No comments about Virginia Off the Beaten Path, 9th (Off the Beaten Path Series).

1 comments about Blue Ridge Music Trails: Finding a Place in the Circle.

1. I'll begin by saying I'm probably biased in favor of this book right from the start. (My name's in there!)

   I've known that this project was in the works for some time, although I didn't know what the outcome would be. I got my copy a few days ago and was thoroughly impressed. The book is broken down by regions, all of which follow the Blue Ridge Parkway through North Carolina and Virginia. The musical culture highlights of each of the regions are covered in interesting detail, and often focuses on individuals who have been an important part of the musical heritage of the Blue Ridge.

   The only downside to the book is that there are a few minor mistakes, such as events or venues being listed in the wrong regions. This is not a major problem, though, unless you actually intend to use it as a "guidebook." In this case it would be advisable to call ahead before making the trip. Hopefully these inaccuracies will be rectified in future editions.

   I grew up listening to (and playing) bluegrass music and I'm always hungry for any new publications that covers the music I love. This one whets my appetite.

1 comments about A Good Place to Live: Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia (The Bristol Sesquicentennial Series).

1. Bud Phillips has done an excellent job in this history of the first 150 years of Bristol.