1 comments about Museums of the Northwest: Discover the Best Collections in Washington, Oregon, and Lower British Columbia.

1. comprehensive, well organized and a must for any visit to the northwest. highly recommended as a basic source reference or as a travel supplement

3 comments about Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Seattle & Portland, 1st Edition (Irreverent).

1. Though I appreciated its humor, this book was a little lacking on some of the basic necessities in living in Portland. The sections dedicated to parks and recreation, for example, don't mention as much as you would want. On the other hand, it gives excellent background, trivia, and local interest facts. It's a fun book, but if you want something a little meatier, I recommend the City Smart Guidebook of Portland by Linda Nygaard.



2. Being a long-time Seattle-dweller, and even longer-time Western Washington native, this book irritates me. The author hasn't spent enough time in Seattle to truly appreciate the wonderful things about the city, not to mention he consistently dates both himself and the text by referring to events/people/places that are no longer in rapid use in the Seattle vernacular/mindset. Seattle is about MORE than coffee, grunge (ugh.. could that irritating phase have passed more quickly?), Microsoft, Boeing and rain. I'd recommend the Fodor's and Lonely Planet series to anyone who really wants a good feel for the city. Fodor's may be snooty, but at leats it's up-to-date instead of dated.



3. I very recently relocated to Portland, and getting prepared for my move I went searching for guidebooks. Since the title word "Irreverent" caught my eye, I was thinking this book would be a great "insider's look" to Portland and its quirks.

   Now that I am living in Portland, I found that this text lacks severely in the "insider's look" aspect. I would especially NOT recommend this for younger people like myself. This "insider's look" is definitely not geared towards my generation. For example, the flannel and torn up jeans look is so outdated, yet the author writes about Portland fashion like it's a crime to not look like you just rolled out of bed. For much better insider's info, pick up a free Willamette Week when you get to Portland.

   This guidebook does have its merits. It is written more personally than many guidebooks, it's easy to follow, and it has its humorous moments. However, you can find better (and free) technical info (where to stay, how to get where you want to go, best bets for visitors, etc.) at the Portland visitor's website, or at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland. For a good guidebook for "Generation X", and those about to relocate to the Pacific Northwest, I would highly recommend Best Places Portland. It provides much more detail and I find that the price guidelines are super helpful for people like me living on a limited budget.

   Had I relied solely on Frommer's Irreverent Guide to guide me through Portland, I believe I would have been completely lost upon getting here. Save your money for a movie and a beer at a McMenamins theater.

1 comments about Mount Vernon.

1. George Washington's Mount Vernon is not only an American landmark but a landmark of what America is, a warm, welcoming and gracious home. This beautiful book takes you through a four season walk of Mount Vernons spectacular grounds and a detailed and historical tour of the homes interior. With the easy interesting writing and the spectacular color photography all guided by the expert hand of Wendell Garrett, we learn and understand Washington's love and devotion to his beloved home. For anyone searching for detailed information on colonial interiors or historical gardening ideas, this book will be a welcomed addition to your home library.

1 comments about Hidden Hikes in Western Washington.

1. There are stacks of hiking books available for Western Washington, and some are even touted as "hidden" hikes (they aren't) but Karen Sykes has written the real thing. These are hikes that for whatever reason don't attract the hordes that commonly hike the most common trails. Many of them are "secondary" hikes that either don't have the splashy payoff commonly associated with the most popular hikes; but many more hikes are special by virtue of their history or their charm. These are hikes for those who miss the adventure of trying the unknown. And because Sykes is safely conservative in her recommendations, the reader can feel assured that the conditions will be no worse than expected.
   
   For armchair hikers, the book makes good reading.

5 comments about The Stranger Guide to Seattle: The City's Smartest, Pickiest, Most Obsessive Urban Manual.

1. After growing up in the Puget Sound Area in the pre_1960`s before the changes took place,I saw the Seattle waterfront as one of the coolest spots on the earth,comparable to the waterfront in Hong Kong.Just a seamy world of offbeat characters& some of the best seafood you could possibly imagine.Paula has disovered all those haunts& more.This is the quintessential guide to the best of the best& I recommened it to locals & non_locals to get the most for your $$& to rediscover the way Seattle as it really was.



2. This book is especially great for new residents of the Seattle area. The descriptions on the hot-spots are dead on. Once in town, be sure to pick up a free copy of "The Stranger" weekly newspaper.

   Advice: Be careful with some of the listings in the book as they are not around any longer. You may want to consult with citysearch (or call) before making plans.




3. With an impending trip to Seattle on the horizon, I ordered this book and some others -- but this one is by far my favorite! Not only is it thorough, scathingly honest in its critiques, and well-organized, but it is an absolute riot to read!!! Seriously, once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down... It is always good to find a travel guide that offers up actual opinions of landmarks, restaurants, hotels, etc., rather than just what seems like a tagline from a brochure -- and this book does not hold back, whether it be to compliment or to criticize...

   I HIGHLY recommend this book if you are traveling to Seattle, moving there, etc... You will be entertained from cover to cover!!!




4. This book was purchased on all the recommendations that I read. I was dissapointed when it arrived. Its a good enough book, but not for a weekeend traveller.

   I thought it was going to be the kind of lonely planet style guide but more.. its not. Its much more of the kind of book you get when your going to spend a week or more, or move there, or have along with a Lonely Planet guide.

   As it happens I had to go get a Lonely Planet guide anyway, so double waste of time.




5. This is a totally unique look at a city, not from the frame of a large international tourguide company, but from point of view of THE BEST local weekly newspaper for Seattle (a shining star amoung weeklies for the whole nation, in fact). The Stranger paper has the job of pointing you in the direction of happening haunts, good eats, nightlife, shopping, etc, and they've been doing it for years, so who better to write the ultimate guide on the city of Seattle?
   
   This is a great book if you are a brief visitor, if you are relocating, or if you have lived in Seattle and want a terrific reference guide for new things to do out and about.
   
   I like the way the restaurants are broken up: ethnic, quick-fix, splurge, cafes, etc. Bars are done similarly: rock clubs, all ages, taverns, swanks bars, cool places to be seen, dives, dj & hiphop, etc. This makes it easy to find your scene and head on out.
   
   The only drawback is that this was published in 2001 and no updated version is out yet. There might be some things that have changed in the interim, but this is still a good baseline for your visit to Seattle. Pick up this week's copy of The Stranger when you get there!

1 comments about Fodor's Around Seattle with Kids, 1st Edition: 68 Great Things to Do Together (Around the City with Kids).

1. Good Book! Suggestions for entertaining kids of all ages and temperaments. Happy that the food options for kids at each place were listed, as well as prices, entry times, and age recommendations.
   The most important info was highlighted at page tops (great!).
   
   EXPERIENCE MUSIC PROJECT was a hit for both our 8 yr old granddaughter and 11 year old, hyperactive grandson!
   
   This would be a great resource for parents & grandparents who were visiting Seattle for the first time with children.

5 comments about Seattle Adventures.

1. The book is a fun read and reminds me of the things that many men of author's age tend to go through around career, job, family, realization of their children growing to be adults, and how deftly he handled those issues. I wish men in my life could have handled them as bravely and with as much fun as author was able to.
   
   He seems to be a guy who is self-assured, and determined to live his life to the fullest. I keep reflecting back on so many of the points he made and things that he learned and trying to apply them to my own life.
   
   I am convinced that his literary talent is likely to keep his work in print for a very long time. This book is destined to be a best seller, to rise to the top of the list!



2. The book is a fun read and reminds me of the things that many men of author's age tend to go through around career, job, family, realization of their children growing to be adults, and how deftly he handled those issues. I wish men in my life could have handled them as bravely and with as much fun as author was able to.
   
   He seems to be a guy who is self-assured, and determined to live his life to the fullest. I keep reflecting back on so many of the points he made about Seattle and his life and things that he learned and trying to apply them to my own life. His vivid description of Seattle, specially in summers made me plan spending my next vacation in Seattle!



3. Man, this is a great story! Funny, cute, descriptive and illustrated, with pictures adding a thousand words. I got glued to the story once I started reading it, enjoying every detail and only got up once I finished this short book.
   
   Cherubs don't come out of the heavens, but author's happiness at finding peace and acceptance in Seattle comes out pretty clear. So I will say that he was very effective as any other at describing his story of transitioning to yet another land, while also transitioning across midlife.
   
   Highly recommended.



4. Man, this is a great story! Funny, cute, descriptive and illustrated, with pictures adding a thousand words. I got glued to the story once I started reading it, enjoying every detail and only got up once I finished this short book.
   
   Cherubs don't come out of the heavens, but author's happiness at finding peace and acceptance in Seattle comes out pretty clear. So I will say that he was very effective as any other at describing his story of transitioning to yet another land, while also transitioning across midlife.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. This is a memoir of a successful foreign born technology executive who moved to Seattle to work for Amazon.com after spending more than a decade in Silicon Valley. Apprehensive and unsure of what he'd find, he is nevertheless a risk taker, admirable and somewhat naive.
   
   What I found most endearing about "Seattle Adventures" was Kalpanik's sense of humor--it's simple and yet complex, silly and yet sophisticated all at the same time! From page 1, I was drawn into his writing style. He is clear, mysterious, funny and the occasionally poetic and creates a diverse writing style.
   
   I recommend this book, it's wonderful.

1 comments about The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C.: A Comprehensive Historical Guide (Smithsonian Institution Press Publication No. 4829).

1. This book is the definitive guide to outdoor sculpture in Washington, D.C. For each or over 400 sculptures, Goode identifies the sculptor, architect, medium, installation date, etc. followed by paragraphs (sometimes pages) of additional information about the subject, the history of the sculpture, the meaning of allegorical figures, etc. He has divided the city into 14 areas & provided maps of each showing the locations of each entry. This is a great book.

No comments about National Geographic, Trails Illustrated, Mount Rainier National Park: Washington, USA (Trails Illustrated - Topo Maps USA).

1 comments about Afoot & Afloat South Puget Sound (Afoot & Afloat).

1. I have just purchased an updated copy after using my old one to guide me on a boating trip from Vashon to Olympia and back with a number of detours up the many inlets of South Puget Sound. What I like about this series is that the Muellers have created hand drawn "maps" of most of the harbors, parks, inlets and attractions. They don't have the clutter of charts and aren't meant to be navigational aids, but they give you fast, no nonsense tips to approaches, mooring buoys, guest moorage, facilities, sights and activities. Since the books concentrate on a specific area of the Sound they tend to have more in depth descriptions than some others. I have used them in both the car and the boat The books are small, flexible and logically organized. A great guide for anyone exploring the Puget Sound region.