New Hampshire Books

In my naivety, I believed the blurb on the front of this book, "every budget" and "off the beaten path"- but when I received it I learned that this obviously refers to every budget upper middle class or better, and off the beaten path only because only about 5 people can afford to eat in restaurants where the main course is $40. Not only do I feel excluded as a social worker and a budget traveler- but the highlights on things to do were practically absent- the section on Burlington, VT is only 3 pages long, with only 9 or 10 hotel and restaurants combined listed! Hello- I've never been there and I know there's a lot more going on. That's one other thing- I personally dislike having dining/lodging listings combined- I mean, they're certainly not the same thing, and in my world food always deserves it's own listing. So, if you're a well to do bunch who's looking to spend some money and not do much else, this is the book for you. Enjoy!

The book's scattered organization and weak index make it difficult to weed through its often already outdated entries. Some of its listings had been closed for a few years before the book was even published. A guidebook for things to do with kids is needed in NH where you often have to stumble upon things to find out about them, but even in this book you have to stumble upon entries.

I have not read this book in it's entirety, although I have spent the better part of the last three days re-doing the research in this book which was done by Phyllis O. Longver. This data was entered into the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War's National database as it was entered in this book. We have found that the research was incomplete and in some cases incorrect. We are now in the process of correcting this data. While the men listed so far are in the cemeteries that they are listed in, some of their names are incorrect and no grave information is used with the exception of the cemetery name. To complete your research please visit our web-site at www.suvcw.org and click on our national database to search for the veteran information which you need. Here we will provide all unit information for each veteran, as well as some personnal information. If you do buy this book please know that it is not complete.

A so-so reference book. The maps can be inaccurate when it comes to location of ramps and roads. The text is good but the updated version varies little from the orginal. A good book for the price, but there are better ones out there, ie. Clark's fishing guide.

Sixteen-year-old Olivia leaves her Berkley home for rural New Hampshire to give her father, a man she has never known, a chance to make amends. One year later she returns to the home she inherited from her father upon his untimely death to make a symbolic journey on bicycle, following the path her father had annually taken. In this act she proves that she is worthy of inheriting his legacy, and of being his daughter. This realistic fictional account about the relationship between a father and a daughter takes place in the modern day. Apporoved for ages 12+ and appropriate for a study on relationships. Not much action and rather slow-moving.

Compared to other trail guides I've read, the author of this book is obviously not writing from too much first hand information or did not fully research each ride before writing about them. I would recommend this book only as an overview of SOME of the trails in NH, but would not recommend that anyone head out on a new trail relying only on this book to get you back.

My wife & I bought this book last year to find some new rides close to our home. We finaly made it out to New Hampshire this past weekend and chose a ride listed as "Beginner" in the book. What the book called a nice ride, turned out to be nearly impassible single track riddled with boulders & roots,not to mention swamp & knee deep mudd. We spent the majority of the 12 mile ride actually walking our bikes. By the end of the trail, we were covered in mudd & exhausted. I can't imagine that the authors actually rode this trail before writting this book.

why fall into the trap i did... why purchase a news article of someone's list of credits.. not much else just credits...

The Eastern Frontier: The Settlement of Northern New England, 1610-1763
A totally rambling and worthless account which has been written in a total historical vacuum. A discredit to the university that published it.

This book has lots of details about the region, but its advice about boots and backcountry hazards is, shall we say, incomplete. They imply that if you have strong ankles (I do) that you can wear "lightweight boots, somewhat more sturdy than sneakers" or even sneakers if your legs and ankles are strong. So I wore running shoes. The trails are rarely walkable paths but are more often "sight paths" between cairns across thousands of sharp and abrasive rocks- rougher than most trails I've encountered in the Rockies and Sierra Nevada. Sturdy boots are therefore a must, but this book does not say so. Regarding the backcountry hazards, not a word is found about the high winds. On the 2nd day of summer, we found ourselves on an exposed ridge with hurricane force winds, fog, and 34 degrees. In some places we had to crawl else the wind would knock us over. If you're blown off the ridge, the steep slopes and cliffs of the ravines are there to "greet" you as you take your final plunge. A revision of this book is urgently needed- one that will provide proper warnings about this very dangerous area and that will give better advice about boots and other gear.

Starbuck's interpretation of archaeological data at Canterbury Shaker Village is self-serving -- simplistic at best, and in fact, nothing new. His book is an effort to put a sensationalist spin on the archaeological evidence which he interprets as indicating that the Shakers were more "worldly" and materialistic than popularly thought. He all but states that the Shakers were a community of hypocrites.

In fact, the Shakers were not perfect, but the story is much more complex than Starbuck presents. No one ever denied that the Shakers were involved in dynamic commercial relations with the World - they were not self-sufficient and were not adverse to applying new technology to make their work more efficient. They were also, however, tempered by a very strong faith that called for moderation. They were human and balanced their lives as best they could.

But Starbuck jumps to immediate conclusions. In his self-centered analysis, he very briefly mentions that other theories have been brought forth to explain the archaeological evidence, but unfortunately, he immediately passes these off as "sentimental." To offer one of a number of examples, he blatantly fails to take into account that the Shakers, a celibate order, sustained their population by conversion, and, as a communal group, those entering the Shaker life brought all their worldly goods with them. In the spirit of economy and thrift, what else could be expected than that the Shakers would then put those goods to use and throw them away when they were through with them? They certainly would not have carted off and secretly buried the refuse that would make them appear more worldly to future archaeologists!

He would do well to consider the archaeological evidence in light of extensive historical documentation and other theories than his own.