Colorado Books

I bought this new book as it came out just in time for my photography journey through the four corners area of Colorado and New Mexico. I've seen some of the same sites before but Martres gave routes I've never known existed or was possible. Hence, I have new photos from angles I've never known I could get.

This book is great and a must-have for photographers in the Southwest area!

If you're planning a tour of the American Southwest these brilliant books are simply the best possible guide to what to photograph, and how. In three volumes Martrès guides you to all the photographic highlights of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. At the well known tourist spots he tells you what and when to shoot for best results, but he's also not afraid to take you off the beaten path to some less frequently visited scenic gems.

I've just completed a photographic holiday following roughly the traditional "grand circle" route, and I couldn't have got some of my most successful shots without these books.

The author provides consistent, detailed instructions for each location, including guidance on lenses and timing. Sometimes he even tells you which rock to stand on! Follow his instructions carefully, and you'll usually get good results, although some instructions require careful interpretation.

It's also great fun shouting "snap!" when you realise the only other souls in some lonely location are also clutching a copy of the same book.

All three volumes have recently been updated, with high quality colour photos throughout, and a comprehensive index of locations including ratings for accessibility and scenic and photographic value, invaluable if a tight schedule means making difficult choices.

I'm already planning my next trip using volume 3! Highly recommended.

This book is a fabulous guide to photographing the natural sights in Utah. Martres provided specific information on where to be for the best shots and also gives basic photographic advice. While you read, you need to remember what he says at the beginning of the book: he photographs the southwest in autumn due to the heat and light. So, use common sense when Martres says, "early afternoon is the best time to photograph..." If you are there at other times of the year, you'll need to do a little research about when the best light is available.
loved the book and will buy more of his work!

I bought all three books from the series Photographing the Southwest by author Laurent Martres. I'm preparing for 2 weeks trip to USA next year. I found these books very useful. All provide very valuable information about the best time and conditions for all the people having passion for taking fotographs at most famous places all over Southwest. Simply must have.

This series belongs in the library of every nature photographer traveling to the Southwest. My one complaint with the first edition was that it was so comprehensive as to be difficult to pick the great from the meerly good sites. The second edition offers a solution to this problem by having a comprehensive table in the back of the book rating every site for natural beauty and photographic value on a scale of 1-5. So with just a quick glance You can identify all the 5 star places and research them. Then all he 4 star sites and research them, and so on. In the same table he gives lots of practical information like road conditions. The color photographs are also a big improvement over the black and white in the first editions. Over all, a tremendous asset to anyone exploring the Southwest.

Not that more to say than the title... This book contains many great photos made by a master, and the print quality makes justice to them (well, to confirm another review, there is one image that went too far on the reds, and has a deceptive burnt look - while many are great, and the splitND use is far more unobtrusive than Rowell's eg, with due respect ;o).
Page layout is more conservative than in other Muench books I have (I think to Primal Forces, great images but layout on the kitsch side), and that suits me well.

This is the first David Muench book that i've purchased and because of the beautiful photos inside it will not be my last.

Besides the several landscape books from Muench, I have collected quite a few other landscape books from other famous photographers. By far, this is the one I like most (together with one by Apse called "New Zealand Landscape"). The photos in the book fully demonstrate that one can always breathe new life to old scenes with enough skill, perception and perseverence.

This is a gorgeous book of southwest photographs. It has many examples of how to take great photographs. An interesting feature is the photographers comments about each photograph, found in the back of the book. There are only a few flaws in my humble view. Some of the photographs were printed with very exagerated color saturation. This is painful in some cases. Another problem is Mr. Muench's use of a split density magenta filter for several of the photographs. He tries to give the scenes a warm glow but the magenta color looks totally fake, especially when one sees it only across the top of the photograph. Please throw that split density magenta filter away and let the southwest present its beauty naturally. Still a great and valuable book to own.

This book offers a breathtaking view of the Colorado plateau. The full-page color photos are so incredibly vivid they almost jump off the page. It really makes you feel like you are there.

You get a look at towering mountains & magnificent nature made stone sculptures. Cascading waterfalls, meandering steams, peaceful snowscapes, brilliant autumn leaves, beautiful flowers & endless skies take your breath away.

Muench is a master at capturing detail and light, and this setting shows off his talent to the maximum. A narrative by James Lawrence provides a history of the area and conveys the feelings inspired by this natural wonderland.

Some images have small quotes & poems under them. In the back, each photo is shown in miniature with comments from photographer and technical details. This book provides a beautiful world to get lost in.

Under the Eye of the Clock is the autobiography of Christopher Nolan, the talented young poet with cerebral palsy. He can't walk or talk or write in the usual manner. Since Nolan lacks the use of his hands, this book like Dam-Burst of Dreams, the book of poems that preceded it, was written by means of a typing stick affixed to his head. The book succeeds both as pure artistry and as a window into the world of the disabled. Nolan has re-named himself Joseph Meehan and told his story entirely in the objectivity of the third person. This brilliant stroke allows him to avoid excessive self-pity while making his sufferings and triumphs real and deep. Nolan's use of language had earned him comparisons with James Joyce, Yeats, and Dylan Thomas. Nolan stretches the meanings and implications of words, rearranges their spelling, and even invents new ones to communicate his moods and perceptions and illuminate life, his own and those he observes, with his unique poet's sensibility.

As a college English and literature instructor, I intend to make this book a required reading if it becomes available in print again. It should bless all readers because it becomes a reminder that NO matter what the circumstances, people should still be respected, loved, and appreciated. And, with this in mind, the reader may receive a self-esteem boost when being reminded of inner-personal value. I appreciate this book so much. I have three copies and continually loan them out.

Christopher Nolan's "Under The Eye Of The Clock" is an autobiographical account of his incredibly awe-inspiring and miraculous life. Born a cripple, he could have been consigned to the rubbish heap but instead and against all odds became a celebrated writer of this Whitbread Book winner, "The Banyan Tree" as well as an early book of poems. Without taking anything away from Joseph Meehan (a self portrait of Nolan), he couldn't have overcome his debilitating handicaps to scale the heights he did without the steady support and tender loving care of his family. A father, mother and sister who are such warm and emotionally intelligent human beings anybody would be blessed and proud to have them as family. The school principals, teachers and fellow students who accepted him, nurtured him and gave him the chance to prove himself equal to the best among physically whole human specimens are themselves shining examples of humanity who deserve as much recognition in Nolan's lifestory. Although it has been compared with James Joyce's "Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man", it is in reality nothing like it. Whereas Joyce's work is for the most part depressing and full of pain and harshness, Nolan's story is so morally uplifting you almost forget its grave subject matter. Nolan's dazzling and inventive writing style is also unique and something to relish. He coins and mints new words which have a yet found a conventional meaning but are so emotionally accurate you know they're right. Read this if you're feeling down and need something to restore your faith in mankind !

To learn about such an exceptional poet who, without the faith of his family, would never have been revealed to the world, gives the reader a new view of people's limitations. I bought 12 copies of this book (when it was in print)and somehow have given them all away over time.

I found my way to this book after I had read "The Banyan Tree" by Christopher Nolan. This was a book that I read and reviewed back in February, and ever since I have been mystified why the book never seemed to gain the wide acceptance of readers. All of the reviews that have been posted by readers for "The Banyan Tree" have been 5 star reviews, and the same is the case for "Under The Eye Of The Clock".

If you read you understand how difficult it is to write anything, much less a full book, and then have it selected for and win a prestigious award. In the case of the book I review now it was the 1987 Whitbred Award that was awarded to Mr. Nolan. All very impressive, but that's just the start.

This is an autobiography written by a very young man who next wrote the book "The Banyan Tree" and would take 12 years to do so. This is a painfully candid, but uplifting book about a man with the support of a wonderful Family overcomes extreme realities that are his life to become an Author of international renown.

Mr. Nolan cannot speak, he can barely move at all. He types with what he calls his "Unicorn Stick" that he wears on his head, and even then his head must be supported while he works.

An Autobiography is a courageous work if honestly presented. When you add Mr. Nolan's additional challenges he faces as a writer, and as a person living with his physical issues it becomes an extraordinary autobiographical book.

I hope more readers find Mr. Nolan, he is a unique writer of immense talent, and if you pass by his work you deprive yourself of great literature.

If you ever lived in Denver, loved the Broncos, stomped your feet until they hurt and the stadium swayed, sat in freezing weather through winless seasons, but never gave up hope...this is the read for you! Terry Frei nailed it. The 70's in Denver after graduating from CSU were amazing, and nothing was better than the Orange Crush. We all looked terrible in orange, but we wore it all and often. I still have some Crush t-shirts and wear them proudly down here in Cowboys country. All the memories of Elitch's (the old, real one), greyhound races, and more came flooding back in time. I have read the book twice from front to back and especially like the chapter about "where they are now." I guarantee you it's worth the money. Go Broncos!!!

I was 10 years old at the time and my family lived in the heart of Denver. Benton street was filled with kids growing up knowing only 1 thing. The Denver Broncos were for real and Craig Morton was the real deal. If you have had any exposer to the lure of Bronco-mania you have got to check out this book. As I was humming through the pages I could almost smell the smog and feel the hope of a Superbowl victory for our mighty underdog team. Looking back I do believe everything I owned was Orange and it's a fact that Orange Crush pop was invented in honor of the team. About every trip to the mall meant meeting another team member and it was nuts how accessible these athletes were.

...and this book has allowed me to re-live the memories in more detail than I ever had access to. It was a wonderful romp down memory lane and reminded me that as a young boy living in Denver was truly special. If your from Denver or have ever seen it on the map and like the Broncos this is a must read! Totally enjoyable and complete this book delivered. For me this nugget of time and how the authors captured it struck pure gold in the heart of a great city.

This a great book about the 1977 Denver Bronco's. The book gives a history of the season from training camp to the Super Bowl and profiles the players that made it all happen. It also provides information about what was going on in Denver during this time and how the town was caught up in Broncomania and the Orange crush defense.
There are some black and white photos in the middle of the book and there are stats at the end which summaries the season. The book gives a behind the scenes look at what happened in the 1977 season from the prospectives of the players and coaches. There is much detail including a nice description of the player revolt that let to John Ralston's firing and Red Miller's hiring.
At the end of the book there is a summary of each player that tells what they did after 1977 and where they are now. Overall, this a very well written book. If you are a football fan of the 1970's, or the Denver Bronco's in general, this is a must read.

When I first heard about Mr Frei's upcoming book and the subject, I knew I had to have it. I received the book for Christmas and couldn't put it down! I have been recommending it to friends and family alike.

This newest book is a must for Broncos fans everywhere! Reading this book took me back to '77 and the excitement that the Broncos generated across the entire state, but it's not just for those who lived through that glorious season. This book will give current Broncos, and football fans in general, a fascinating look at the moment the Broncos became a "big league" team and the City of Denver evolved into a "big league" city.

Having been a Broncos fan for years and years, I was captivated by the the manner in which Mr Frei wrote about the backgrounds and histories of the players and coaches of that team and then filled us in on what those players and coaches are doing with their lives today. He also provides an inside look at the sports scene in Denver as seen through his eyes as a young reporter.

Mr Frei helped me re-live the moment and also catch up with the lives of those players who gave Broncos fans thrills for years and years!

A definite read for football fans everywhere.

If you are a Denver Broncos fan, this is a very fun read, and if you lived in Denver in 1977, then you have to have this. It brought back so many memories of that time, and the special feeling of the city that year.

Highly recommended.

So glad this type of book, filled with very helpful information and insight, has been published. Can't wait until Craig writes a book for each state and then tackles Europe. Sent an autographed copy to a good friend, a double amputee who truly appreciates the author's ability to advise most accurately.

"Congratulations to Andy Jehn and Craig Kennedy for having the foresight and creativity to publish a much needed resource for the State of Colorado. This publication will draw attention to the programs that already exist to make the Rockies accessible and inspire others to focus on breaking down barriers for the disabled. Thank you."

Amanda Boxtel is the paraplegic Co-founder and Director of Special Projects for Challenge Aspen, an all-seasons non-profit adaptive recreation provider for Aspen Mountain and the surrounding area. Formed in 1995, it has become one of the premier adaptive outfits in the country for people with disabilities.

"Written from the heart, Craig Kennedy and Andrea Jehn have managed to paint a vivid picture of adaptive programs at Colorado Ski Resorts. Descriptions are filled with specifics and "how to" tips that will get you where you need to go. It's more than just the usual maps, websites, phone numbers and lists. Their words make you want to become part of the ambiance, the experience and the fun of winter recreation. This book is a must have for anyone with special needs!"

Johanna Hall, after many years of working with and running the ski school at Vail Mountain in Colorado, has moved to Steamboat to take over as manager of the Steamboat Ski & Snowboard School. She has been an avid outdoor enthusiast and skier her entire life.

"As our communities begin to make accommodation for those who can benefit from program and facility adaptation and expansion, it becomes increasingly important to publish this vital information to those who would benefit from it. Information contained in Access Anything: Colorado has been carefully researched and validated by the authors in such a way to be presented in a realistic and practical fashion. There is thoroughness to the material, which is of value to most anyone of any level of disability. No literature can be the end all resource form any single person with a disability. This resource guide does present information in a way the reader can make an appropriate distinction as to whether or not any given subject resource within the contents would merit further exploration. This is an excellent effort to make information of value known to persons who would benefit from consideration for accommodation."

Sam Andrews has been a Craig Hospital employee as director of Therapeutic Recreation and Volunteer Services for many years, specializing in spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. Craig Hospital is one of the leading spinal chord and brain injury rehabilitation centers in the country.

"Craig and Andy have really done their "away from" homework in creating this bible for the wheelchair traveler. Thanks you for this great guide."

Steve Ackerman is a long-time resident of Colorado, a National spokesman for Freedom Ryder Handcycles, and owner of a medical supply company for people with disabilities.

A definitive work on the phenomenon of petrified wood. Ancient Forrests focuses on the science of petrified wood. It has an amazing wealth of photographs. Many focus on the grain patterns and the amazing detail that can be found in the many different species of petrified wood. There are also many whole specimens and overviews of famous wood collections such as the Murphy collection at the Rice Museum in Portland Oregon. If you are at all interested in Petrified wood, this is a must-have book, Beautiful!

This is a magnificently produced book with splendid photography of petrified wood. It is like the earlier book, but more so (it has a narrower focus, on wood only, and is a lot bigger). Essentially this is a coffee table book on a grand scale.

It does include information on wood identification, but of present day wood only.

This is a wonderful book. A photographic and scientific masterpiece. The print quality is excellent.

This is a great book for information on petrified wood. We found it very valuable in identifying several of our specimens.

American Forests and his earlier book Petrified Wood are amazingly beautiful books. I have seen a few of the petrified wood samples in museums which are shown in these books, and the photoimages correspond to the authentic samples. I have two other petrified wood photo books that I have loaned out but I don't remember their titles (mostly chapters by German authors). Daniels two books are the very best. Howard McPherson

Not being a real fan of the shoot em up variety of westerns I found this book to be everything I wanted it to be. Mr Hyson is obviously a "real" cowboy and it is my guess he is putting a lot of his own life experiences into this novel.The book gives a taste of what real "cowboying" was ( and in many cases ) still is all about. It mixes fact and fiction in just the right doses, to make this an interesting and informative read.

Hyson's novel is a curious mixture of tell-it-like-it-is cowboy life and melodramatic fiction. The setting is ranch country in the far northeast corner of New Mexico, and the time is the 1950s. The story is told by Frank Dalton, a half-breed from Oklahoma, with the name of a famous outlaw. There are numerous plot threads, most of which can be found in other cowboy novels - including the saving of a ranch, a bitter father-son relationship, and the education of a young cowboy into the ways of "the calling," or cowboying. There's also some Southwest history, dating back to Spanish colonial settlement. There are mysteries to solve. And there is not one but two love stories.

The romance of Frank and Roberta is an unusual storyline for cowboy fiction, where women rarely intrude into the all-male world of working cattle. The two characters fall in love and into bed without much complication, and Hyson describes the intensity of their love affair without embarrassment. For once, an author has written about a cowboy who doesn't reserve all his affection for his horse.

While the various threads of plot hold the story together over the length of its many pages, what may interest readers more are the factual descriptions of ranch work, like the process of feeding cattle in the winter, the breaking of a horse, working a deal with a cattle buyer, and the way a team of men goes about branding calves. A section describing how a rodeo comes to town, the lives of rodeo cowboys, and the author's inside tips on bull riding make the novel come to life with a vividness and immediacy that do not come so easily on other pages. Also contributing to the realism is a surprising candor in the cowboy talk, often bawdy and humorously coarse.

I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cowboys, ranching, and the Southwest. Readers will also enjoy MacKey Hedges' novel, "The Last Buckaroo."

The books starts well and continues telling the every day life of a cowboy in New Mexico and the people he associates with. It is a history, a love story, a geography study of New Mexico. It is not a real fast read - it just stay interesting throughout.

I loved this book. Hyson really gives a tenderfoot like me the taste for the cowboy life. In it he also gave me a mystery, romance, and a number of really hard laughs! (RC really cracks me up!) I really enjoyed the book and recommend it. It is a really good read.

Even though it is a fictional story, I suspect there is a lot of truth in "the way things were" in this novel. Hyson, having lived the life of a rancher/cowboy, allows much of his own experience to influence his writing. I believe this book to be an authentic depiction of ranch and community life in Northern New Mexico during a particular time period. "The Calling" has it all: romance, adventure, mystery, and binding human relationships. This story would make a great movie along the lines of "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Horse Whisperer."

We were very unhappy we bought this through Amazon.The seller was asked to please put a RUSH on this book because our trip was planned in two weeks. We did not receive a response from the seller indicating it would be longer and we didn't receive out book before our trip to Colorado. It was a big disappointment. Never again.

F. Mitchell

The detailed and varied information in this book far exceedes other comparable travel books. It is well organized and concise. Especially enjoyable are the historical backgrounds provided about each place. Knowing Colorado better than my home state, as I travel there frequently, I would not go without this book!

The Colorado Guide (5th edition) is exactly what I was looking for in a Colorado guide book. Besides giving your usual guide information for Colorado, it also included some of the more unusual places to check out, like the Wheeler Geological Site for example, near Creede, CO. Wonderful history stories of areas of interest, and food and lodging info/ratings also. I use it to find new ares to explore and as a reference. I highly recommend The Colorado Guide, especially if your looking to explore this beautiful state.

I am a Colorado resident and use this book (and the previous editions) frequently for weekend getaways. In all the many times I have counted on the author's advice, they have never let me down. Excellent book!

Jim in Littleton

This book is a thorough review of things to do, places to see, state history, restaurants and places to stay. In brief, there is not a better guide anywhere!

Each wilderness area includes a high quality, full color picture, one page of background information, a list of applicable topo maps, and several hikes with route details. Whether you're planning a trip or dreaming about getting out, this book is excellent!

A good reference providing an overview of gorgeous Colorado. The book includes a description of each wilderness area and then lists 4 hikes; a day hike, an overnight, a loop and a shuttle hike (2 cars). My complaints are that the maps are poor, and there is no mention of where to camp (for backpackers this is not a problem). There is a beautiful Fielder color photo for each wilderness area providing a glimpse of where you're heading. Overall a very good book, but you'll need a campsite guide book and a good topo map ("The Roads of Colorado" from Shearer is very good) to properly plan a trip.

This book has become my "bible" for exploring the most beautiful and wild areas in Colorado from my home in Colorado Springs. My original copy of the book was destroyed when it was left in a soft-top jeep with the windows off, during a rain storm (while hiking one of the trails in the book, nonetheless). That is why I am back here to purchase another! One word of warning: the author seems to underestimate, vs. overestimate, the trail distances. Be prepared to hike an extra mile or two! This book is great!

I'm a native Coloradan. No matter what I want to do, be it a quick day hike up to a 4 day backpacking trip, this book has it. I own other hiking books, but this one gets by far the most use. I love the historical descriptions of each wilderness area. The maps are good enough to get your bearings and find the trailhead. Plus each Wilderness Area has a "John Fielder's Favorite" hike which always spectacular.

One thing, though. A reviewer below said the maps are inadequate... If you plan on anything more than a day hike, you should have topographical anyway. This is true for most if not all guide books.

As one of the few Colorado Natives, I have seen much of the state. But our local boy John Fielder has seen much more. His ratings, descriptions and maps have been 'right-on' with what I have seen thus far and with the Fielder photography, it provides a great additional perspective on the already detailed descriptions. I 've gotten lost in the book a few times just dreaming of my next outing!

I've read seemingly every 14er guide available. Much of the information overlaps as one can imagine. However, what really sets this (and the companion volume as well) one apart is the truly four season information that it provides. Louis gives you ratings for summer and snow climbs as well as ski descents. None of the other 14er guides I've read give you that. These volumes are often compared to Gerry Roach's books which are excellent in their own right. However, in my mind the information in Louis Dawson's guides is better as many of us climb in seasons other than summer!

I can't say enough about this book. The most accurate and most helpful information of all the 14er books. My favorite thing about it is that it provides info for all 4 seasons. Most 14er guidebooks, like Roach's, only provide info for summer hiking, but I'm not willing to sit around 9 months out of the year.

This is THE BOOK to get if you're looking to climb the 14ers. Buy this one first, then cross reference it with some of the others.

... and get out to the mountains he loves.

He was the first person in history to ski down all of Colorado's fourteeners. He's climbed all at least once and many several times. Among his accomplishments are four ascents up the Diamond face of Longs Peak, so it is no surprise that Longs Peak figures prominently in this text. Dawson began climbing at an early age, and has written several other guide books for hikers in Colorado. His illustrations are excellent, and his narratives are brief enough to keep your interest and meaty enough to provide the information most are looking for.

Having climbed Colorado 14ers for more than 30 years, I've used all available guidebooks. First rule, remember that the info in the book is often wrong -- unless you're willing to think for yourself, avoiding mountains is the best bet. After that, to me Dawson is the best guidebook ever. Roach is good too -- it's good to have both. But in spite of the price difference, Dawson's 2 volumes are well worth it. And please, tread lightly!

Lou Dawson is incredible, not only does he describe summer routes in this guide but makes one want to get out of their "warm" recliner and conquer some winter and spring routes as well. a must have book for Colorado's 14'ers. While you at it, get Vol 2 as well!