North America Books

Mr. Stachura has once again proved to have impeccable command over the English Language. I was particularly touched by his dedication and acknowledgement section (in the back of the book). I don't know how this one has remained #69,497 on the best seller list.

Mr. Stachura has once again proved to have impeccable command over the English Language. I was particularly touched by his dedication and acknowledgement section (in the back of the book). I don't know how this one has remained #69,497 on the best seller list.

This is the greatest read I have come across with respect to America's storied golf courses. Mr. Stachura has a wonderful command over the English language, and does a superb job of describing the rich history of these wonderful designs.

I would recommend this book for anyone serious about the game, in addition to all business travelers who get the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to any of these wonderful creations.

Mr. Stachura, I have two words for you: Gor geous. You are the most handsome author of golf courses that I have ever laid my eyes on. If you ever lose that wife of yours, please be sure to call me.

Hands down, one of the best guidebooks I've had the pleasure to read cover to cover. I truely couldn't put it down. Thank you McRoberts'.

This guidebook sets the standard for other guidebook authors to follow. Clear, concise and accurate information at your fingertips! Good Dirt rocks!

The authors actually thought of everything in this book, aside from GPS points. It has it all, comedy, details and more details. I've read many guidebooks over the years and this one is definitely one of the best. From tons of rides in every ability level, to lodging, camping, eats and extra curricular activities. Don't think about, just buy this book and go to Sun Valley mountain biking!!

This book is laid out well with concise and accurate information about many wonderful mountain bike trails. The rating system, general description and mile by mile directions are very good. The only reasons I don't give it five stars is that the trail names in the book don't always match the trail names on sign posts (we got lost). Maybe they've changed the signs since the book was published. Also, the grid indicating elevation gain is a bit misleading. You can't compare one ride to another using their grid system. We used this book for 4 different trails in Sun Valley and one near Stanely and really had fun. Believe them when they classify a couple rides as "abusive".

Brian Fagan first published this book in 1987 and an undated version was published in 2004. You want the updated version as it summarizes new developments and changes in thought in an introductory chapter.

What has not changed is the eternal dispute about when man first arrived in the New World. The conservatives, among whom one could probably include Fagan, say less that 15,000 years ago. The dissenters say 20,000 to 50,000 years ago. In a book for the general reader Fagan undertakes a careful summary of the evidence. He looks at the spread of Homo sapiens from their place of origin in Africa to the rest of the world. He examines the archaelogical evidence for man in Siberia -- the jumping off place for the New World -- and in Beringia, the now vanished land that linked Siberia and Alaska during the last Ice Age. He evaluates migration scenarios for paleo-Indians from Beringia south to the Americas and the archaelogical evidence from a multitude of ancient sites. Along the way, he illustrates the relevance of things such shovel-shaped incisors and linguistic theories. A thoroughly fascinating presentation!

The author has no ideological axe to grind but the weight of the evidence he presents supports the conservative view of a Paleo-Indian arrival in the New World about 15,000 years ago and a rapid dispersal reaching as far south as Chile by 13,000 years ago. But the evidence is thin and dissenters will find theories more to their liking also evaluated by the author. My opinion hardly matters, but I stand among the conservatives, However, I have a nagging doubt. How did those people get to Chile so fast? Is the famous Monte Verde site there mis-dated? Does hope still exist for for those who believe paleo-Indians arrived in the Americas 20,000 years ago?

Unlike many archaeologists, the author doesn't get lost in fascination with pottery shards or chopper blades, but keeps his eye on the goal of presenting a comprehensible, reasonable, scientific, and interesting tale of how the Americas may have become populated.

Smallchief

I enjoyed this very readable book. I first read it in 1988 and after doing so, actually went out and bought the thing. The author has some very nice theories as to the peopling of North America and is quite well able to back them up. The book is easy reading and logical. While not all may agree with the author's explanations, they do give food for thought. Recommend you add this one to your collection.

I first came across this book in 1990. I have read this book 4 times since then. The book is very easy to read and comprehend.

The saga of how Asians came across the land bridge following the mega fauna is very interesting. Based on speech and dental patterns, the history of at least two waves of people moving into North America and southward is unfolded.

Fagan explains how the evidence of the nomadic cultures was discovered and how this evidence shows how these people survived. From this discovery of Clovis points to group kills of now extinct species, Fagan tells a fasinating story of how the native Americans arrived here.

The extinction of the mega fauna, the land bridge, and ice age's impact on the peopling of North America are interwined into a good reading book.

I wish all anthropolgy books could read so smoothly!

Updating an older book on a broad and varied topic is a risky enterprise. If much work has been done in the ensuing years, a complete rewrite is usually in order. Too few results can fail to justify the reprise. Fagan's original effort on the peopling of the Western Hemisphere was an excellent survey. This edition is essentially that first account, with an explanatory chapter inserted at the beginning of the book. That technique has the advantage of warning the reader what to look for while going through the text. And while much new information has come into view, Fagan reminds us that the underlying questions about where "Native Americans" originated, and when, remain unanswered.

The human diaspora begins in Africa, some five million years ago according to Fagan - [recent finds emerged too late to appear here]. Unique among migratory species, Homo sapiens sapiens moved in but one direction. From our origins on the savannah, the author traces our path into north-eastern Asia. When conditions permitted, glacial ice having trapped enough water to reduce sea levels some 300 metres, these ancient Asians moved onto a lost continent now named "Berengia". This link between Asia and North America must retain evidence of human occupation, but retrieval from the sea bottom is difficult. Fagan describes the intense research into climatology, palynology and other fields to explain how the data has been accumulated over many years.

Hidden evidence provides opportunities for speculation and controversy and the studies of ancient Americans is rife with both. Fagan describes what research has revealed and reviews the suppositions drawn from the scattered and inconclusive evidence. Fagan examines the various theories of when humans entered the Americas and what dispersal paths they followed. He lists the dig sites with the opinions derived from the evidence, weighing the contending arguments with care and a considered detachment. Where dating is flawed or suspect, he resists ill-considered judgment, calling for further investigation. A few anomalous sites, such as Monte Verde in Chile and Meadowcroft in Pennsylvania receive extra attention. He's quick to praise diligent methods while readily disparaging hasty proclamations. The Pedra Furada site in Brazil, once extolled as "challenging ideas on the First Americas", is given a lengthy description, but is dismissed as poorly investigated and reported. As Fagan notes, tracing the movements of humanity in ancient times is a detective's work, with clues assessed only with extreme care.

Some points of contention the author passes over with summary evaluation. After his presentation of Paul Martin's thesis that the disappearance of large mammals was due to human predation, Fagan dismisses it. Climate shift, he states, changed the nature of plant life leaving these prey species bereft of fodder. Yet Tim Flannery, in two books published since the original edition of Great Journey, demonstrates that browsing and grazing species would have adapted to climate change. The timing of human occupation and megafauna extinction is too proximate to be ignored. The prime example of Maori hunting of moa species in New Zealand is symptomatic and well documented. Martin may have been wrong in details, but his basic thesis has withstood criticism.

These flaws don't negate the exceptional worth of Fagan's achievement in this study. It's a powerful and informative narrative of Western Hemispheric archaeology, its practitioners and their results. Starting with early views of the first European invaders, he explains how improved scholarship, better technology and disciplined approaches have clarified the picture of Native American life. Fagan provides photographs and maps for additional support of the text. This remains a valuable book, easily read and understood. It has not been replaced and will keep its well-earned reputation. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

If you're looking for information on the lighthouses of the Great Lakes, you will find no better resource than this book. It covers every single light out there, and yet there is still plenty of room for interesting stories and great photographs.

Be aware, however, that if you're looking for a book that you can tuck in your back pocket and take with you on a trip, you will need to look elsewhere. The book is too big and heavy to carry around overly much.

the best lighthouse book we have seen, and we have several excellent books, this is concise, easy to read and laid out so you can make a lighthouse color tour.

This book provides more information about the lighthouses of the Great Lakes, past & present, than any I have read before. It is an outstanding resource.

This is really a great lighthouse book. It has beautiful pictures and a lot of information about the history of over 600 lighthouses of the Great Lakes. It even has information on lost lighthouses such the Kalamazoo River Light near Saugatuck, Michigan. I know of no other book which has more comprehensive coverage of all of the Great Lakes lights and has it all in one volume. And my copy was a real bargain purchased a lower price here than any of the bookstores in my area.

I cannot be objective when it comes to the majesty and danger seen through the eyes of this man, Captain Ray McGrath. I live on the Great Lakes and cannot begin to have experienced, both good and bad, what these often mysterious lakes hold for those who are dependent on their "goodwill" for a living.
Captain McGrath not only signed some copies of his book, but also added illustrations that are not only charming, but understandable to the person of average intelligence (such as myself)more so than any actual "schematic" of a ship, which would have little meaning to those of us not engaged in the shipping/sailing life.
I recommend this book to those who have been on the lakes, those who are entertaining a career on the lakes and anyone, like me, who loved the "vicarious" life I led while turning each page.

My Father sailed the Great Lakes with Captain McGrath. Their careers paralleled for many years. Captain McGrath's account of his experiences was very informative and enlightening.

This book will appeal more to the great lakes enthusiast who has an interest in Great Lakes and the ships that traverse their waters. This book is a compilation of several stories that Capt. McGrath lived out during his long and fruitful carreer in the great lakes shipping industry. If you are interested in the shipping industry, the great lakes, and the history of those two things, this book is for you!

My father has worked on the Great Lakes for years, but as a Midwest Gal, my knowledge of the area and its history is limited. My dad handed me a copy of Captain McGrath's book over the Christmas holiday, and I had a difficult time putting it down. The stories are full of humor, irony, and much history. It's an enjoyable read for anyone, even if you aren't associated with the Lakes.

It is May 1823 and an early volley in the Civil War is about to be fired. Not through militant action, but rather in a Thoroughbred match race with the best runner of the North matching strides against a Southern challenger.

Author John Eisenberg brings to life what was more than just a race from the start, as 60,000 fans jammed into a New York race course to watch the best-of-three series - each race a grueling four miles - featuring Eclipse (North) against Henry (South). There is more riding on the race then hefty bets and prize money; the winner will bring a major public relations coup to the economic and social standards of one region.

Slavery is a primary focus, as it is the blood, sweat and tears of those in bondage who enrich the southern plantation owners, which gives them the financial resources for stables of Thoroughbred runners. It is also slave grooms and jockeys who are responsible for the racers, with the consequences oftentimes very severe if they don't bring home a winner.

Eisenberg weaves the story through the horse owners, jockeys & runners, the business interests which pushed hard for the race and the controversial early years of Thoroughbred racing in this nation. He does an outstanding job in explaining the nuances of racing and the historical dynamic of the times.

The book is a classic exploration in the storm clouds that form when sports meets politics and the consequences which no pundit could have predicted.

This book resurrects the long forgotten story of the first national sports event in the new United States. After the race, Sam Purdy was as famous as anyone in America. He was never again allowed to pay for a cab ride in New York and was buried with honor in the Churchyard at St. Paul's Chapel on Wall Street. His son, who went on to become California's first elected Lt. Governor, recounts the familiar story of the race years later in his biography. Although Mr. Eisenberg appears to take some liberties with the thoughts and emotions of the principals (and it would be nice to know how much is based on the record and how much is artistic license), it is a great story well told. The significance of the event in the America of 1823 is beyond doubt. The huge wagers and the systems of flags and riders to carry news of the outcome back to the City reflect the enormous public interest in the race. Although many have noted the rivalry in the North-South match races prefigured the Civil War, at the time the race caught the public's imagination not because of what it would lead to, but for the same reasons that national sporting events do today. John Eisenberg brings us back to the rail of the Union Course and captures all the excitement of the great race.

The Great Match Race is a pleasing combination of a compelling, little-known story in the hands of a gifted writer. John Eisenberg immerses the reader in the early 19th century, long before spectator sports were in vogue. This is truly a story where truth is more powerful than fiction. A Hollywood script writer would be hard pressed to come up with a better story. There are enough plot twists and suspense to keep most readers totally engaged. You don't have to be interested in horse racing to enjoy this book. Eisenberg said he used his author's license to fill in some of the blanks pertaining to the events surrounding the race. He has, however, seemingly done so with restraint, which I believe makes the book better. This book deserves more recognition than it has received.

This is a terrific book, it has all you want; excellent horseracing history, create characters, fast-pace, edge of your seat urgency, and great historical background. These two horses ran the equivalent of NINE Kentucky Derbies in ONE AFTERNOON! It's really unbelievable, when you consider how pampered the breeding industry has made our thoroughbreds now. I bought five copies of this- will give it to horse fans, history fans, AND my Dad for Father's Day!

The book arrived as promised in like new condition. I am very pleased with the delivery and the sale process.

This book's central thesis is that Classical Maya civilization collapsed as a result of a drought in Mesoamerica extending throughout the 9th century AD. This particular drought was the local manifestation of Northern Hemisphere weather patterns that the author asserts have been repeated frequently over shorter time periods for thousands of years, even into this century, and which nearly always produce drought in Mesoamerica.

Once you accept the author's evidence for Mesoamerican droughts and their regularity, that evidence provides a parsimonious explanation for the end of Classical Maya civilization. After reading this book, I think many people will accept the evidence and the explanation.

More complex hypotheses, including overpopulation, warfare between Mayan city-states, external invasion, disease, over centralization, exhaustion of a stable environment, and peasant revolt are not needed to explain the collapse. This does not mean that such factors, if they existed, did not influence the course of the collapse, just that the collapse would have happened because of the drought whether or not other factors existed.

To support his thesis, which is clearly stated clearly at the beginning of the book, Dr. Gill takes the reader on a tour of a multitude of scientific disciplines. Each discipline studied adds information about the importance, frequency, possible causes and consequences of drought in Mesoamerican and on civilization and population trends throughout the world. Any one of these tours alone is worth the price of the book, since they are extremely well written and provide the foundation for further study on each topic covered.

In a chapter titled "Geology, Hydrology, and Water," the author describes the geology and hydrology of the Yucatan and the Maya highlands and the major drainage basins, and provides an extensive discussion of the water supply problem and how it was managed in the pre-Columbian period. The basic geology is the standard stuff: seasonal rainfall, permeable limestone, karstic drainage, deep underground fresh water usually inaccessible, except in the north through cenotes and along the east cost from freshwater lakes or lagoons. But, this chapter also explained how the Maya adapted to this environment. For example, the author describes natural surface depressions used as water reservoirs and known as aquadas. The Maya paved many of these small depressions and some were provided with chultunes, bell shaped chambers excavated below the aquada bottom to capture additional water when the aquada was filled. (A single chultun could hold 30,000 liters of water, enough to comfortably supply drinking and cooking water for twenty-five people for one year).

In fact, Mayan city-states and even smaller settlements were designed with water management a primary consideration, with central reservoirs, residential reservoirs, canals, and the terrain and pavement of the city itself all engineered to facilitate the collection and storage of water during the wet season. This was important, because, as explained in a chapter on "Paleoclimatology," small-scale (relative to the great final calamity) droughts were endemic to the Maya area as shown both by Maya water management strategies and more recent evidence from sediment recovered from the bottom of lakes. Records during the Spanish colonial period point to further famines on a regular basis after the conquest. In fact, during the colonial period, population looses from drought in the Yucatan ranged up to 30 or 40%.

In another chapter titled "Volcanoes and Weather" Dr. Gill argues that there is a strong correlation between the eruptions of large volcanoes around the world, and the worldwide weather patterns that lead to drought in Mesoamerica. This particular chapter not only provided evidence to support this correlation, but evidence that the volcanoes may have been a forcing mechanism for those weather patterns. Volcanoes and weather are a topic of some interest to me, and until I read this book, I had trouble finding a good introduction to the study of volcanoes, and to the relationship between volcanoes and weather. Now I have.

To save space and my own energy, I am not going to discuss the chapter on "Thermohaline Circulation." Except, I will say that that I learned enough in that one chapter on North Atlantic deep water formation and three dimensional ocean circulation models for all of the world's oceans to help me understand an article on the subject recently published in the journal Nature. I will also skip lightly over the early chapter titled "Self-Organization" which discusses, among other things, the overall flow of energy in a civilization, and the important roll of exporting entropy to the environment by a civilization to reduce the potentially disruptive entropy in the civilization. I will also skip lightly over the chapter titled "Famine and the Individual" which describes how famine can rapidly lead to the complete collapse of social norms and the massive disruption of "normal" energy flows in any civilization.

Probably the most important or challenging single assertion Dr. Gill makes is changing the timing of the collapse of Chichen Itza. Traditionally dated around 1150 AD, and cited as an example of the ability of some Maya cities to survive the Classical collapse, the author re-dates this event to the 9th century based partly on re-interpretation of inscribed calendar dates attributed to the period after the collapse. This particular assertion is probably one of the most controversial in the book and is critical to the author's basic thesis. I suspect that it will be the focus of considerable argument. In support of this claim, the author provides a new interpretation of the relationship between Chichen Itza and the Toltecs, which itself is probably worth a fair amount of discussion.

I strongly recommend this book to just about anyone with an analytical mind. If you are interested in the general flow of Maya civilization this book has a lot to offer. If you are generally interested in the interplay between climate and civilization, this book also has a lot to offer. If you are just somewhat interested in topics such as global meteorology, volcanoes, tree-ring records in Europe and America, or the debate between uniformitariansm and neocatastrophism in the early study of geology, you will still find useful information that is readily accessible.

Dr. Gill has truly broken new ground with this startling theory on the demise of the Mayan Empire. Why no-one heretofore considered drought as the primary cause of the Mayan disappearance now seems remarkable. His premise debunks the previous and long-held concepts on the mysterious demise of these ancient people and literally re-writes a major chapter in the history of Mexico. Thank you, Dr. Gill for finally shedding light on this dark topic and providing a conclusive answer to what has long been a nebulous and even divisive black hole in the anthropologic annals of North America.

Although The Great Maya Droughts by Richardson Gill is a very impressive collection of information, it's not quite what I had expected. Given the title I had expected an archaeological account of recent finds and what they tell of the decline of Maya civilization. Instead the bulk of the book, eleven chapters of it, deals with a wide variety of scientific information having to do with a number of fields: physics, oceanography, complexity theory, meteorology, geology, hydrology, paleoclimatology, and volcanology among them. Not until the last two chapters of the book, and then mostly in summary form, does the author really discuss the archaeological data. For the average reader interested in the Maya and/or in general archaeology this might be a thirty dollar disappointment. Some of the material is rather complex, and although one might be able to work ones way through it on just the explanations the author gives of each topic, it would probably appeal more to those who already have at least some background in these areas. This having been said, though, I have to admit that I loved the book.

The author's primary goal is to introduce the theme of what he terms an energy failure as the cause of the Maya demise. To do this he approaches his topic as a physical scientist. Modern archaeology has come a long way since W. M. Flinders Petrie and A. Layard, and there is as much "hard" science involved in this discipline as digging in the sand. In fact with funds for excavations difficult to come by these days, there is probably far less digging in the sand going on now than there was in the past. Gill seems to be a model of the new archeologist/scientist. Steeped in what E. O. Wilson calls "consilience," the author calls upon data from a variety of fields to supply him with the building blocks he needs to reinforce his thesis.

At first I was a little skeptical of this type of approach, even though I know a fair amount about most of Dr. Gill's supporting subjects. By the time he got to a discussion of the shifting of the ecotomes in Europe during the Roman period (p. 16), I was totally hooked. I had just read a book covering the rise and fall of the Roman occupation in Gaul, and Gill's discussion of it in his work made perfect sense. With his treatment of human culture and its limitations in terms of thermodynamics and its evolution in terms of self organizing criticality, he had completely reeled me in. Like others, I had considered the decay of the Maya centers to be a "multifaceted" problem. Human culture and behavior being as complex as they are-or seem to be-a multidimensional answer to the problem seemed logical. As Gill presents it, however, there is nothing so logical-or so simple-as the destruction of the human animal by a lack of water. As he points out, a person can live for months without eating but only days without water.

The book is well worth the effort, even for those with limited knowledge of the included topics, as long as he/she has the desire to learn something new and isn't afraid of a little work. Furthermore, the bibliography is a mine of useful resources, both books and periodicals. Some are a little old, 1970-1980s, but many are more current. Of the books that I've read from the author's list: Per Bak's How Nature Works is fun, as is Sigurdsson's Melting the Earth. Jered Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel is wonderful, a "must read" sort of book. Both Decker and Decker's Volcanoes and Bullard's Volcanoes of the Earth, though a little old, are interesting and easy to read. Of the journals American Scientist, Archaeology, Nature, Science, and Scientific American should be readily available in most college and urban public libraries. Those like Geology, The Holocene, Hydrobiologia, Hydrology, the Journal of Human Evolution, Journal of Paleoceanography, and Quaternary Research may be available in some university libraries or in their individual department libraries.

For THOSE WRITING PAPERS on archaeology, history, meteorology/climatology, anthropology, ecology, etc. this book would make an instructive source for "how-to-do-it with science." It would make an excellent source of quotes in support of your own themes, a good source for bibliographical material, and a good bibliographical entry for your own paper.

Not an easy book to get through. Certainly not for those who just want an overview of the Maya. Definitely worth it for those with a desire to learn.

I loved this book! I live on the NY/VT border, so I spend a lot of time in southern Vermont, and it was so great to be reading about places that I have been to. It's really interesting to have a mental image of a place because you've been there, and then you learn that this place has a much darker past than you ever could have imagined, and the picture changes, but your interest increases. It's really cool. Citro's books are some of my favorites. He's a great author - I love his writing style.

Joseph Citro's collections of Vermont folklore have become as much a part of the Green Mountain State as sugaring and the Lake Champlain Monster. GREEN MOUNTAINS, DARK TALES continues this series of terrificly readable and enjoyable stories based on Vermont folklore and legend. Anyone who likes the state or just likes a good story would do well to pick up this book. It makes for addictive reading.

Yet again, I have been enthralled, scared and drawn in by Mr. Citro's tales about my home state. He even covered my home-town ghost in this installment, which thrilled me to no end. He is truly one of our master storytellers, and I highly recommend all of his work.

In the tradition of old-time Yankee yarn-spinners, Citro delivers something that's all too rare nowadays--a darn good story. Dozens of them, in fact. I got so wrapped up in the tale called "The House of the Feasting Dead" that I nearly went past my subway stop. This is a hair-raising tour "dark" side of Vermont, a place populated by ghosts, mystics, spiritualists and even a "stone-throwing devil."

I like this book very much. It has all the information I needed for planning a trip to some hot spots. Besides that it has beautiful color photos as well and therefore it is a pity that the paper is rather thin and the size rather small.
But OK, the book had to be a guide in the first place and therefore limited in size and weight, but the book is also nice to watch the pictures.

Fairly complete on where the location is how to get there. Is some-what complicated, although they also inform you exactly where to go (public parking on south side of street). There are two sections dealing with location: 'Directions' and 'Remarks'. The directions are complicated at best but, they make up with the remarks section. However, the directions are listed towards the begining of the article and remarks are towards the end. Should have had them next to each other.
Liked the fact that they give you what you are likely to see, when to see it, and how often you are likely to see the trains. Also, liked that they give you radio scanning codes, places to eat and things to do, close by.
HATED the fact that they could not make up their mind as to wether use page numbers or the 'hot spot' number. The 'hot spot' table of contents lists the spots according to alpha state and gives the page number. No indication as to what the 'hot spot' number is. Then you turn to the map page, and everything there is listed by 'hot spot' number, NO page numbers. So, you are left thumbing through the whole book anyways, trying to find the dang 'hot spot' number. Even then the 'hot spot' number is listed on the inside of the odd numbered pages so you can NOT see the 'hot spot' number. And like I said the table of contents lists only the page so there is NO WAY to associate the page to the 'hot spot' number. VERY DUMB. Map should have used page numbers.
Also, kinda small in size but, i guess that is so you can store the book in your glove box for traveling.

This is a great guide with complete information for the railfan. It includes items such as how many trains to expect at the site, what types of trains, radio frequency the railroad is using to communicate, etc. I bought three of these books, one for me, and one for each of my adult sons to use while traveling, so that they can show my grandsons all about trains.

I like this book very much. It has all the information I needed for planning a trip to some hot spots. Besides that it has beautiful color photos as well and therefore it is a pity that the paper is rather thin and the size rather small.
But OK, the book had to be a guide in the first place and therefore limited in size and weight, but the book is also nice to watch the pictures.

I saw this book in the bookstore and it's really interesteng. So mesmerizing that I couldn't put it down (thus being late to work). I realized just how much I had missed on my first visit to New Orleans. I plan on going again in Spring and I'm taking this book as a guide of sorts. Full of many great odditites of New Orleans.

If you're going to New Orleans largely because you're a fan of Anne Rice's Vampire and Mayfair Witches novels, then this is an essential.

I used it on my first trip to New Orleans. It includes self-guided tours of the French Quarter and Garden District that include Vampire Chronicle and Mayfair sites respectively without leaving out the must-see unrelated sites and experiences. The only caveat is that zoo fans should be aware that the Audobon is one of the best in the country.

Three types of sites are covered - those related to Anne Rice herself, those used in - or speculated to have inspired locations in - the books, and those where parts of "Interview" were filmed.

With chapters on guided plantation, swamp and cemetary tours, as well as restaurants and hotels (the last including descriptions of ambviance that helped me considerably in my choice of hotel), you'll have everything you need to plan your trip and not miss anything like the Ursuline convent where Louis found Claudia and the Gardiner House that inspired the home that Lestat, Louis and Claudia shared.

Best of all, Ms. Dickinson wants us all to be careful out there in a city that can become ominous if you go too far off the beaten track sans tour group - especially at night. As she wittily reminds us, we're not all as indestructable as Lestat, and if an area - even one that contains an Anne Rice site - is unsafe, she doesn't hesitate to tell us so. Following her advice, you'll see everything you want to see and get home safe and sound.

I gave this to my wife as a gift before our recent trip to New Orleans, and she carried this book everywhere. While any book like this is a bit out-of-date as soon as it is published, it was still very useful for finding all the sites and giving us good background information. One important note though is that Anne Rice is selling off her doll collection and the orphanage, so there is no longer any tour. That was really a disappointment.

Last year, for Christmas 97 we had to go to New Orleans to see my father's family, I was having a a horrible time because of the weather. (We went the year before for Mardi Gras, the weather makes my hair go afro-y; it doesn't help to use your normal hair-care products.) We went to the French Quarter the day we were leaving and pow there was this cool book. I had to get it, I've read all of the Mayfair Witches books. I recommend it to anyone that's ever wondered about where their favorite characters lived.