Mountain Books

If you're going down this Trail or even part of it, you'll want to read this little gem and take it with you for interesting info, tidbits and route directions. Two other wonderful Trail books are: Walking the Trail, One Man's Jounrey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears, in which the author WALKS the 900 mile route of the Trail of Tears (by Jerry Ellis) and On the Trail of the Pony Express (by Jerry Ellis.) Walking the Trail was nominated for a Pulitzer.

Now in an expanded and updated bicentennial edition, Traveling The Lewis And Clark Trail by travel author Julie Fanselow is an invaluable and "user friendly" resource that modern-day enthusiasts can use to retrace the route of the two famous early American explorers commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after acquiring the Louisiana Purchase from the French. Filled with from cover to cover with authoritative information concerning activities, attractions, recommended itineraries, maps, black-and-white photographs, and more, Traveling The Lewis And Clark Trail is a comprehensive and enthusiastically recommended guide for any vacationer seeking to retrace footsteps of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their companions.

Traveling The Lewis And Clark Trail served as our family "bible" for retracing the Lewis and Clark trail (July 2004). While we had several guidebooks, we constantly asked "What does Julie say ... ?" Her recommended itinerary was very useful and served as the starting point for our planning. Overall, we found it very clear and accurate. While the book does not focus on "roughing it," we were especially pleased with the coverage of camping and hiking options along the trail.

We enjoyed having Julie along. (She was voted honorary member of the family.)

With Julie and a copy of Lewis and Clark's journals, you'll be ready for your own Journey of Discovery.

As others have noted, a well researched and well organized guide. There's now a competing publication endorsed by Stephen Ambrose, whose book "Undaunted Courage" sparked renewed national interest in Lewis and Clark. After browsing that one, published by Montana Magazine in a magazine format, I can report that 1) it has advertising, and 2) it omits details found in Julie Fanselow's book. Stick with Julie.

I do hope she has an updated edition in the works for the upcoming Lewis and Clark bicentennial. A few points of information need to be added or changed to keep pace with developments. For instance: starting in 2003, access to the Lolo Motorway, the L&C route from Montana to Idaho, will be by permit only.

This is an excellent book if you are planning to drive the trail. It lays out a daily schedule with places of interest, miles to next stop, and how long it should take you. I was very happy with the purchase.

This well written book delves into a largely unexplored but important aspect of mountaineering. Curiously, despite its obvious dangers, few who partake in the sport ever truly examine the impact it has on their families and close ones, or even their own complex feelings about it. This book does not have all the answers for those who are plagued with the climbing addiction, but it does succeed in laying bare the huge costs the sport involves, most of which are borne by the family and friends of the climber, and that continue to reverberate and exact their terrible toll on loved ones for decades after tragedy has stricken. If you are a climber, this book is worth reading. You may learn something about yourself, some of the reasons why you are drawn inexorably to the high places, and what your family goes through each time you leave. I would like to say I have quit climbing, but in truth know I won't -- just as the book explains people like me never do. This book will sit heavily on my mind for some time to come.

My friend Arlene Blum (Anapurna: A Woman's Place) climbed in the Himalayas and elsewhere and lived to tell the tale. She now leads treks into the world's remote and wild regions, but she once rendered me speechless with her offhand reply to my horror at one hair-raising tale she told of crossing an ice bridge about a million miles up a some scary mountain.
"Why on earth would you do that?" I had asked, when I recovered my voice. And another unspoken question hung right behind the first: Having done it once and survived, why on God's green earth would you do it again? And again, and again.
"Oh, it's not really dangerous," and she poured me another cup of tea.
Not dangerous. Yeah, right.
Arlene had already lost a lover and several friends to accidents in high places, and others have died cold and lonely deaths since then. Not dangerous? I mean, what??
But there will still be those who MUST climb mountains. Some of them will die, and their survivors often are quoted as saying, "He died doing what he loved best," or the feminine equivalent. Maria Coffey's book, Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow," chronicles the naked underbelly of the experience of this particular kind of loss. It looks behind the public quotes into the hearts and bleeding souls of the survivors, and I believe it's a story whose exposure is long overdue. The personal costs of extreme adventure are too often dismissed for the thrill of reading about the adventures themselves. Coffey handles with grace and delicacy the stories of wives, husbands, lovers, friends, and children left behind my someone who just had to climb yet one more mountain - for reasons the rest of us armchair travelers can't even begin to imagine.

Losing a friend or loved one is never an easy process, but it becomes even more tangled when they leave for a mountain adventure and never return. I first experienced this in the early 70's when 3 close friends were killed while attempting Mt. Elias in Canada. Maria Coffey examines how climbers and their families and friends cope with the devastating losses that shadow this sport.
She begins with a search for why people climb in the first place, and in particular why they continue after close calls; without becoming banal, she quotes Jim Wickwire, "One of the addictive aspects of climbing is that it allows you to be in the present moment in ways that are impossible in ordinary life". Similar thoughts come from Csikszentmihalyi's concept of 'flow' - which finds that the "enjoyment of risk comes not from the danger itself but from managing it, from the sense of exercising control in difficult situations." And then, there's the ultimate mountaineering existential futility of Camus' Sisyphus facing an "unspeakable penalty in which the whole being is exerted toward accomplishing nothing... Each atom of that stone , each mineral flake of that night filled mountain, in itself forms a world. The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart".
The bulk of this powerful book interviews the survivors and comrades of lost climbers. At times, its difficult to read, but the feelings expressed range from acceptance to anger and denial. In most cases, there is a community of shared experience and values. Whether you're an active climber or arm chair mountaineer this book gives a much needed balance to the hyberbolic tales of expedition climbing. And for those of us who have lost people to the mountains it offers, not comfort, but a stoic acceptance.

A terrific successor to Fragile Edge by the same author. That book was a personal journey - a quest for answers - followed by the author after the death of her famous mountain climber boyfriend on the slopes of Everest.

This book looks at the effect of following this most dangerous of passions on the partners left behind and some who sometimes accompany their loved ones. Even more interestingly, Maria Coffey looks at the point of views of those who have no choice in their relationships with those whose addiction seems as self-serving and as inevitable as any other addiction - parents and children.

I really liked Coffey's earlier book, and I recommend this one as much. I believe she has matured as a writer as well. She has the knack of addressing very large picture issues yet not losing sight of the personal and `small moments'.

Some of the personal testimonies about coming to terms with loss and dealing with grief are true not only for losses under such circumstances, but there are some universal truths particularly for anyone who has had to deal with death and the "loss of a future", rather than a mere celebration of a life fulfilled (as many older person funerals have become in my culture in recent years).

An understated but important subtext for me is what this has to say about gender relations. It is no accident that most of those off risking their lives, and the fur=tures of those around them are male. Ms Coffey does touch on this, and especially the unusual circumstance of women with children who still pursue the apex of whatever mass of rock and ice they have their heart set on. However, she never table thumps an agenda . . . you are lft to ponder your own conclusions.

A remarkable achievement.That Ms Coffey has the confidence of so many associated with the pursuit is a testament to her insight and empathy.

I rate this alongside Ed Douglas's book "Chomolungma Sings The Blues" as my favourite books discussing ethical and spititual concerns about mountaineering.

I loved this book, but probably not for the reasons of most other readers. It reminded me of the Darwin Rules website and books celebrating the ways in which people find to remove themselves from the gene pool.
Surely this applies to mountaineers! This is my conclusion after reading Maria Coffey's engaging book. She relates harrowing tale after harrowing tale in which these absurd risk takers try again and again to kill themselves. Eventually they all seem to succeded.
It becomes hilarious after about the fourth chapter.
Coffey does not try to make us feel sorry for those left behind. This is a wise ploy as it would only soften the impact of what she has to say, which is that these people cannot be helped, but perhaps understood.

Absolutely the best, most accurate and most user friendly book ever published on worldwide ski resorts. Wish they would print an updated version but this is still worth purchasing.

This was an invaluable guide for going to europe and enjoying some classic and wonderful skiing. The book was so worth the cost that I packed it with me to review plans for the next day while we ski bummed through the french and italian alps. The book pulls together the information you can find and gives a real experience feel to it. It also allows you the freedom to be able to travel on your own without a group, it also allows you to take a trip to europe for less than a resort in the US! Great book, great time.

Trust me on this one folks. If you have gotten this far, pulled up this ski guide and are reading this review, just save your time and order the book immediately. While on sabbatical from a corporate job last winter I skied in Europe at 28 resorts over 4 months and used this guide exclusively. It was simply invaluable for the complex decision making required when laying out a ski trip especially if you have flexibility in choosing resorts. The layout and design of the book is first rate and gives 1 to 5 star ratings by resort for snow, size, terrain (expert, intermediate, beginner), food, liftlines, scenery, resort charm and off slope activities. The uncannily accurate judgement of the editors on these many points really clinches the value of this book. (Why are you still reading?) The book is about 70% Europe, 20% USA, and 10% rest of the world. There is an enlightening write-up on Europe vs. US ski experience differences. There is a synopsis of the skiing peculiarities of each country. There are useful high level road maps showing the geographical location of each resort. In the front section of the book there is an excellent matrix synthesis of the top 100 or so resorts for a high level view of where you might want to go. There are just enough small but clear trail maps to be useful but not cluttered. There are some accomodation listings with punchy accurate quotes from recent visitors. Because of the high efficient layout and design, all this info is easily accessible and clear.

The book is missing pricing info which is a bit of a gap but everything else is done so well its hardly a complaint. There are some real bargains to be had, especially in Italy and Austria, and less so in Switzerland and France. ... The pricing gap can be resolved by calling the local tourism boards for the resort you are interested in or accessing the local websites. Most of the tourism contact info is in the book also.

The guide is even aesthetically pleasing....very much so.....with nicely placed original small high end (whew!)photographs from some of the resorts giving a pleasant intuitive feel for the area you might be choosing. If you are planning a ski trip in N. America or Europe, buy this guide. Highly Recommended

With all the resources on skiing available on the web, printed guidebooks have almost become obsolete. Resort web sites and ski portals such as DCSki typically provide most of the information found in guidebooks. Web sites also contain up-to-the-minute information on weather and conditions plus timely reviews and firsthand accounts for just about every ski resort on the planet. Finally, many web sites are true communities of practice, places where devotees to snow sports come together and exchange information and ideas.

With that being said, I must confess that I have finally found a guidebook worth purchasing. Where to Ski and Snowboard Worldwide is the ultimate reference for those contemplating a ski trip to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The book features full length chapters on every major destination resort in Europe plus additional chapters covering major resorts in the rest of the world, including the U.S. and Canada. Within each chapter, a reader will find a general review of the resort; a description of slopes for each ability level; and a guide to accommodations, dining, and aprés ski.

Readers will appreciate the no-nonsense candor of this book. At the beginning of each chapter, the guide provides a 1-5 star rating for various aspects of the resort ranging from slopes to aprés ski, and also a quick list of pluses and minuses for each resort. The authors, for example, give Courchevel lots of stars for snow, slopes, and lifts, but only two stars for charm. In its plus/minus matrix, the authors note that Courchevel has "extensive, varied local terrain to suit everyone from beginners to expert," but then notes in the minus column that the resort is "expensive," and that its villages are "soulless." In short, Where to Ski calls the shots where it sees them, offering both compliments and criticisms for each resort profiled.

Where to Ski also offers a nifty "Mountain Facts" sidebar in each chapter that allows one to quickly compare resorts by benchmarks such as skiable vertical in both meters and feet, number of lifts, and kilometers/miles of trails. There is also a "resort ratings at a glance" section at the beginning of the book that brings together the ratings the book gives to each resort in an easy to read table format. If that were not enough, the book provides 200 resort photos, 125 full color trail maps, 70 scale village plans, and general maps for most of the world's major ski regions.

The major weakness of the guide is that it is very Eurocentric. The majority of the 400 resorts covered in detail are in Europe, primarily in the Alps. The book devotes a mere 38 chapters to resorts in the United States, and only four East Coast resorts receive chapter-length treatment: Killington, Smugglers' Notch, Stowe, and Sunday River. I nearly returned the book when I did not find a single Mid-Atlantic venue listed in the table of contents. Shame on Reuters! How can this book devote a chapter to ski resorts in Romania and not mention the great skiing of West Virginia and Pennsylvania?

On the plus side of the matrix, what the books lacks in its North American coverage, it more than makes up for in its coverage of Europe. Furthermore, the guide does a superb job of comparing skiing on both continents with an introductory chapter entitled, "Transatlantic differences." From it, I learned that few resorts in North America possess skiable vertical greater than 3,330 feet whereas some of the biggest European resorts offer verticals of over 6,600 feet. The large resorts in Europe also dwarf the biggest resorts in North America in terms of ski terrain. On the other hand, it snows much more in North America, and North American resorts have far more advanced and comprehensive snowmaking than anything found in Europe. There are many other differences that this book describes, but you will have to purchase the book to get a complete rundown.

Whether or not this book will be useful to you depends on what type of skier you are. This doesn't mean what ability level, but whether or not you cherish the same things that the writers of the book do: good snow, good trails, good atmosphere ("charming village"), and most amusingly, good lunches. (Maybe it's because they're Brits, but these guys love a serious meal in the middle of their day and will mark it as a real minus if the resort has bad food!)
Basically, the book is fantastic. It's well organized, well laid out, and crammed full of carefully researched descriptions. If they don't have info about a particular aspect of a place, for example, the ski schools, they will say so upfront. But this is a rare occurance; usually they have clear, concise and dead-on accurate information about resorts literally worldwide. They know their own preferences well enough to state them clearly, so that you can easily figure out how your take on things compares to the authors'.
As another amazon reviewer suggested, reading the reviews of resorts that you've skied will give you a standard from which you can guage their perspective. They review trails for all levels: beginner, intermediate (see below) and expert. They are particularly good at breaking up that catch-all term "intermediate", and describing trails at different resorts as appropriate for the "aggressive" intermediate or "timid" intermediate.
I would not suggest reading this book on the fly; there is just too much information in there. Read through it before you plan your trip, if you want to get the most out of your time and money.

This is my third copy of the Cosmic Ray book; the other copies have been "borrowed" and not returned. The maps are amusing, and it fits into a jacket pocket pretty easy...Good book if you like a cartoon type picture.

I have both hiking books--Best of Phoenix and Best of Flagstaff/Sedona. In fact, I am on my second copy of both as I have lent my first Phoenix copy to a friend (it disappeared) and wore out the first copy of my the Flagstaff/Sedona book. The maps are easy to follow and the topographical maps are awesome. Whenever I go hiking, I have two little girls (ages 1 and 4) in tow, so it is necessary to know the terrain inside and out before ever leaving home... Cosmic Ray is so detailed and so accurate that I never worry about being misinformed. Buy a copy for yourself and buy one for a friend... That way yours won't go missing!

Just got back from Arizona- and we used this book extensively as it was easy to read, the maps accurate, and the book is quite entertaining. My 6 year old son stated that the Lava River Cave trail "changed his life" (in a good way). The trail trips turned out to be the highlight of our trip!! The authors advise is excellent and the designation of level of difficulty is on target.

This is it...look no further...

Trail maps and information as well as local business area beta....covers all the well-known hikes and even some of the lesser known...

A must hiking guide for Northern Arizona.

Both Sedona and Flagstaff are covered....the book is stout and put together very well; this sturdiness provides needed protection in your pack!!

As a transplanted Montanan, I don't trust much advice on hiking in Arizona. I thank you for the Favorite Hikes book. I used to hike in the Glacier and Bozeman area but have been out of the action for a few years since moving to Flagstaff and having a baby. I have found this guide to be accurate and reliable when planning hikes with my son and/or dog. Thanks again. Buying this book is the best 10 bucks I ever spent.

REALLY, REALLY liked this book. There are 52 chapters with 52 great weeknd adventures. This is a perfect book for someone new to Arizona like me, but I'm sure locals will get some good use out of it too. The maps and all the extra information are really useful. The color photos are spectacular. Much, much better than other Arizona guides out there.

The authors do a really good job of motivating readers like me to get off the couch and try something new. After I bought the book, our first weekend escape was when I took my wife hot air ballooning in Sedona. Then about a month later, my wife and I contacted one of the outfitters listed in the Grand Canyon hiking chapter, and we took a long weekend 4-day hiking trip down to Havasupai. When we got there, we couldn't believe we're still in Arizona with the beautiful waterfalls and all the incredible scenery. Plus we saved about $$$ thanks to one of the coupons in the back of the book -- this coupon alone paid for the book and then some. Thanks! (Great idea! I figured the least I could do was write a thorough review.)

I'm looking forward to the winter so we can go try a weekend of dogsledding... Who would have thought dogsledding in Arizona! Thanks a lot guys. Great book!

This book is great for anyone who lives in Arizona and is looking for some exciting things to do on weekends. The book is set up by season and the degree of difficulty for each adventure, so there is something for everyone. The pictures are beautiful and the directions are really great. If you are going to visit Arizona and would like to try some different activities this book is for you.

Great book. Tons of amazing pictures that inspire me to get off the couch and get outdoors. I lived in Phoenix for 3 years and never knew that all of these awesome adventures were right at my doorstep. Writing is informative and entertaining. I would highly recommend this book.

I really liked the book alot! It's pretty hard not to come up with something to do when you have 52 options. We've had the book for just over a month and and when we bought it, we decided to go have some fun this year.

First, we went Paragliding on Lake Pleasant and had a blast! Plus saved money from the included coupon. Then last weekend we hiked Peralta Canyon. It's amazing what's out there.

This book is the ultimate guide. You are not an Arizonan unless you have experienced its glory, and this book will get you there. I moved here from New Mexico and now feel more at home than the few natives I know. I can get out every weekend and enjoy my life, and it's not expensive. In addition I can save with the coupons.
Recommend: Go try the Parasailing and the Hummer Tour! (Coupons!)

This is an interesting sea story that will certainly entertain sailing enthusiasts for a long time. The story focused too heavily on the rather idealized but troubled life of a friend of the author, and at times suffers from too much speculation as to the mindset of the sailors eventually lost at sea. These literary shortcomings, however, are a reasonable trade off for the authors vast experience and knowledge of sailing. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in sailing.

I picked up this book at the independent booksellers' convention in Atlanta after hearing John Kretschmer speak. His talk was so enthralling, I couldn't resist his book. It is riveting and well written. A must for anyone who seeks well-presented thought-provoking entertainment.

I just finished reading this book. It sat on my book shelf for a good while. I had forgotten about it. I picked it up today and never put it down.
I live on the island of St. Maarten. One of the sailors in this book was a resident here. I am familiar with the waters around here and I lived through Hurricane Lenny, so I was particularly interested in this book.
I was not prepared however for the intensity. I feel like I lived this tragedy with these sailors. This is a well written, well researched book and one highly personal for the author, who was a good friend of one of the sailors.
I highly recommend this book. It is well worth the read and if nothing else, it will make you appreciate the raw power of hurricanes and the sea.
My sympathies go out to all the families who lost their loved ones in this hurricane.

This is a most excellent book which will sure become a sailing book classic. It tells the story how the paths of an American, an Australian, a Frenchman and a Brazilian in three different vessels crossed each other in the eyes of hurricane Lenny. With the insight of someone who seems to have lived their lives Kretschmer sketches us why they were sailing, what they loved about sailing, and why they were there when the hurricane struck.

The story is told by someone well-versed at sailing, but one who doesn't forget to explain the technical terms to newbies, but also does not bother experienced sailors with long explanations. It seems details have been researched painstakingly.

If you have ever dreamed about sailing the oceans, read this book.

This is a well written and gripping tale of three sailboats caught in a Caribbean Hurricane. As their paths and stories converge, the tension gets tighter. We know how it ends, but finding out how it gets to that point keeps the reader from putting it down.

If you haven't been to UT, you need to go. Colorado seems to get all the hype when it comes to mountains, but UT is better for an assortment of scenery and things to do in the mountains. Benchmark Atlases are the benchmark from which all other road atlases are measured. My GPS nav system, as well as Google maps, will direct me to take dirt roads as part of a 'shortest route.' This is not an acceptable route on my Goldwing. These detailed maps clearly and precisely show the type of road from interstate to 4-wheel drive. It has helped me avoid bad routes numerous times.

The Utah atlas is very detailed and through the only thing I wish it had the milage on the highways like the New Mexico and Arizona do.

I own both the Delorme Utah Atlas & Gazetteer and the Benchmark Utah Road & Recreation Atlas and the Benchmark Atlas seems to have a lot less clutter when trying to find something. The roads stand out a lot better as do the terrain features due do the shading almost giving a 3D effect. This is why I use the Benchmark Atlas when traveling to Utah. I also have the Benchmark New Mexico R & C Atlas and it is also excellent in my opinion. I do, however always have Delorme Topo 6 running on a laptop computer and it is indispensable on road trips.

If your're going to Utah and plan on doing any driving there,whether your're staying on the main roads or driving on the back roads,Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlas is the book to buy.It lists the scenic byways,the backways and points of interest along the way.This book covers just about any recreational activity you can think of,from amusement parks to fishing,boating,sking,rafting and lots more.It's also very good for finding many of the hiking trailheads in Utah.I find it very informative,well oganized and easy to read.Well worth the money.A great book!!!!I highly recommend it!!!!

Benchmark are absolutely the best road atlases out there. I have the AZ, UT, OR, and CA maps that I have purchased for trips (I use my CA one all the time, but I live here) and find them invaluable. I can always find my way when lost, and they really do a great job of showing detail that you wouldn't expect, even in metro areas. They show the most random and remote Forest Service or BLM roads, and points of interest on those roads that you would otherwise need specialty maps to see. If there's a dirt road or otherwise going there, these maps show it. Highly recommended!

All dog owners could use this but for the Berner owner it is great...

We just purchased a new AKC BMD and we utilize this book often. Good purchase...

I heard this was a great book, and I ordered it May 1st . . . Amazon asked me twice over the next 2 months if I still wanted the book because it was taking so long to ship. The order was finally cancelled in July! I would certainly buy this book if I saw it in a bookstore - Amazon's "usually ships in 12 to 14 days" just didn't hold true for me.

Great foundational book for someone looking for useful information on living with a Bernese Mountain Dog. Well written, easy to understand and can be a quick reference.

Our kennel gives one of these books to every puppy buyer.

Anyone needing more info than this book offers.

This book is a general guide for all breeds and does have some photos of bernese mountain dogs and it covers all types of health problems, training, and puppy info and other important issues in owning dogs, however it is in general covering all dog breeds and I would recommend "Bernese Mountain Dogs by "Amy Christiansen". However, these are two of the top books that I would give to anyone who has an interest in the Bernese Mountain Dog. I presently own both books.
Garret DeGraff
Newton, NJ USA

If you enjoy good story telling, colorful characters and just plain fun. Buy this book. As a female living in high-desert country I really appreciate the every day facts L'amour weaves into his tales. Plus, I just really like Louis L'amour.

I am buried up to my nose in work but I had to come in and give my review on this one. These are great great stories, written by a man who believed in things he told you about and knows how to tell them good. I have not even completed the book, but oh man, it is so good... "By the waters of San Tadeo", "Beyond the great snow mountains", "Meeting at Fallmouth", "The money punch" and "The gravel Pit"...they will leave you to wonder at the versatile man who wrote them and the fact that he is known as a "great western writer" ? Western, my foot! He is a GREAT WRITER - Period ! And oh, for the fans of Jeffery Archer (I am one too) The Gravel Pit,The Money Punch and Meeting at Fallmouth will delight you for sure, although Louis always has his flavour in what ever he writes ( and I am glad of that) And for hard core louis fans - it has a Ward McQueen story too.

I started with Louis L'Amour when I was 13. I'm 50 now and he still gives me immense satisfaction. His books, all of them, grace my small home library and they are somewhat dog-eared from the many times I've re-read them. "Beyond" is a small compilation of short stories that are pure enterntainment and L'Amour at his best. He takes you to places you will probably never visit, introduces you to people and circumstances of intensity and all in the comfort of your favorite reading chair. I look forward to the promised release of several new works.

This review refers to "Beyond The Great Snow Mountains"(Short Story Collection) by Louis L'Amour.

L'Amour fans, this short story collection is fabulous. Ten captivating classic stories that will have you turning the pages, as fast as you can. Each story is a fresh new experience. Adventure, Mystery, Intrigue, Suspense, Action and even a little romance. The action takes place on land, in the air, and on the water. And yes, some Western adventure as well. The main characters and heroes are always charismatic. Some are even based on real life adventurers he knew.

L'Amour's own turn at being a miner and a boxer(as told in the Afterword by Beau L'Amour), is put to good use in some stories revolving around those subjects. The mining story "Under The Hanging Wall", is a suspense packed murder mystery, with all the usual suspects, and the action taking place in an abandoned and dangerous part of a mine. "The Money Punch" is the story of a young fighter with lessons to learn.

In "By the Waters of San Tadeo" and "Beyond the Great Snow Mountains", women are the main character and heroines of the stories. One has a woman trying to escape danger and the other a woman torn between the Tribe she has become a part of and a chance to go back to her home.

The stories range from 10 pages to 40 pages. And in that short time, L'Amour manages to tell great tales. Other works included are "Meeting at Falmouth", :Roundup In Texas", "Sideshow Champion", "Crash Landing", "Coast Patrol", and "The Gravel Pit". A Dedication, and Afterward by Beau L'Amour and a short informative, "About Louis L'Amour" is also included in the book.

I was delighted with every story in this collection. Louis L'Amour fans will love this one.

Enjoy....Laurie

It has been some time since I read BEYOUND THE GREAT SNOW MOUNTAINS, but I checked to see what I wrote on the first page of the book, something I always do when I finish one. This is what I found " some excellant stories" to be excellant in my opinion a story (or book) must have a good plot, good characters and get to the end without losing the reader. These stories I will read again and again.

Not only is this book excellent reading it is so funny. The writer is so true to form. Sherry W. Boone deserves a standing ovation. I have the cassette and laughed from beginning to end. Hope those who bought either or..enjoyed as much as I did.

One word......PERFECT.....
and to Sherry Boone, thanks
so much, write more!!

A bloomin bouquet letters from myrtle is one of the most uplifting books I have ever read. I love all myrtle's letters. The book makes you feel like you are visiting with your best friend. I looking forward to more in the future.
Vivian Greene
Deep Gap, NC

"A Bloomin' Bouquet: Letters from Myrtle" is one of the most uplifting books I have ever read. You need to read each and every letter. Some are funny and some tug at your heart strings. Sherry Boone has such an insight when it comes to people and it really shows in her "Letters from Myrtle." I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This book makes you feel like you are visiting with your best friend. You want the letters to go on and on. I look forward to more in the future.