Outdoors Books

We were in the Grand Canyon in August 2008 and must concur with the other reviewers - this is an excellent guide that gives you all the information you need to hike the North and South Kaibab or Bright Angel Trails. The maps are well done, the elevation map / trail profile is invaluable (distance and altitude cross-section), and the description of each section of each trail (including facilities or lack thereof) is precisely what we experienced.

The book is easy to carry along in the backpack or fanny-pack - my only suggestion would be to make the actual binding and paper a bit more pliable / fold-able (a minor nit).

I had also purchased the Grand Canyon Trail Map (Schulte) but did not use it (actually gave it away to a group we ran into on the trail). There is nothing wrong with the map - it was easy to read, seemed accurate on the primary trails, had a useful elevation guide, and was printed on excellent paper - but we found the Hikernut guide more insightful on the 3 trails it covers. Note the map was much more thorough and included several trails not mentioned by Lane in Hikernut though we did not explore any of these other trails. If you do not plan to go beyond either of the two Kaibab trails or the Bright Angel Trail, hard to go wrong with this book.

Highly recommended.

The book is just what I was looking for. Basic, concise, to the point. Ready to put the information to the test!

Brian Lane presents clear and concise information on hiking in the Grand Canyon. The fact that he has focused on the Bright Angel, South Kaibab, and North Kaibab trails--the popular trails to Phantom Ranch--is a boon to anyone going on their first backpacking trip in the Canyon. With his book you learn the necessary info to have an enjoyable and successful journey into the mile-deep gorge. His detailed and easy-to-read text provides info from his years of experience about your drinking water requirements, protection from the sun, conditioning prior to the hike, and desert safety. Lane's beautiful photographs of many of the scenes along way is a pleasant bonus--his fine art quality photos are stunning. Lane has created a classic backpacking guide book with the specific aim to get people into the Canyon--and back out again--while having fun.
Grand Canyon: The Vault of HeavenThe Fun Guide to Exploring Grand Canyon National Park (Grand Canyon Association)Grand Canyon Map and Guide[[ASIN:189386099X

Excellent book, answers lots of questions ranging from temperatures, sunrise/sunset times, elevation gain, appropriate equipment and trail conditions to what to eat (and avoid eating) and how to avoid health problems and how to treat them if they occur. Although for a trip to Phantom Ranch (our plan) one wants to consult a number of sources, this is the best I've seen so far at answering questions. Practical, easy reading and worth more than the price.

This little book is packed full of useful information for anyone planning to hike the Bright Angel Trail (as we are) or other Grand Canyon trails. It is well written, has some great pictures, and provides excellent advice. I really liked this book!

I have so many landscaping books that I never opened again after the first week I bought them. This is not one of those books. It's by far so much better than most of the other ones out there. It's well organized for info, and the plans are numerous and easy to follow. Not just for beginners. a really great book!

It's great the way these books are customized for each individual climate area here in the U.S. Saves a lot of wasted planning with the wrong plants and materials.

A neighbor showed me her copy and I had to get one for myself. Great layouts, great plant selections, this book offers great ideas and variations and is FULL of information! I showed another neighbor the garden I am planning and now I'm buying her a copy as well. We are going to have a GREAT looking street!!

I recently became interested in gardening (now that I have a yard in which I can plant). This is one of my favorite books on gardening and landscaping. Great resource for those of us living in the northeast. Full of wonderful photos, explanations and illustrations. It gives many ideas for addressing certain areas of your yard (i.e. front entryway, patio, rock wall). Explanations are excellent; I learned a great deal from this book. Very well written. Highly recommended.

Home Landscaping: Northeast Region is a very informative book filled with beautiful photos. I don't think I will need another book while doing our landscape planning. Landscaping designs, expected sizes of plants and trees and shrubs, different colors and species, how to's, this book will cover all your landscaping needs if you live in new england.

I absolutely love this book....the recipes are unique, easy to make (if you have a food processor) and tasty as it gets! Highlights....jerk marinade, amazing glaze, thai bbq. A must have for BBQ enthusiasts!

H. Carpenter's focus is fusion/Asian: Therefore, if your idea of BBQ is some meat and a bottle of prepared sauce....forget the book. If, however, you like Asian foods and don't mind assembling your own sauce, you will be rewarded with some sensational flavors. They get ready to get the rest of his "Hot" books. I had several cooking lessons from him and really enjoy his style.

This book is very practical and easy to follow. It gives preperation instructions for grilling, smoking, and baking for each recipe. It also give instructions for steps you can do in advance. The only reason I give this book a 4 is because it uses some comercial products, such as plum sauce and green tobasco. I prefer to make everything from scratch. Otherwise I would recomend this book.

The outdoor grilling & barbecuing season where I live is far too short. As such, I take every opportunity I can to fire up the grill. I've made many of the entrees in this book & have sometimes used the marinades and/or glazes for cuts of meat or kinds of seafood other than those specified on the recipes. All have been quite good. In some instances, I have increased or decreased certain ingredients but, only due to personal taste and not due to any shortcoming of the actual recipe. I also appreciate the suggestions for sides and desserts although there are no recipes for those.

A few cooks may be rather dismayed with some of the long lists of ingredients. However, the labor isn't really that much & the returns on that labor are worth it. Further, many of these marinades, sauces, glazes, chutneys, etc. can be made from a day to a few days ahead. Most even benefit from having been prepared in advance so that ingredients marry well!

Tips abound on do-aheads as well as the requisite grilling and barbecuing how-tos. Altogether, an easy-to-use, foolproof (well, unless you forget you've got something on the grill) and reasonably-priced book of some fine, tasty grilled/barbecued dishes. Tonight, it's teriyaki salmon and Thai-high barbecued shrimps with a side of yellow rice!

This is one of the barbecue books that you need to own. I have a few burger/barbecue books and this one as well as burger meisters are the best.

Good book. Worth getting.

Boy, this one really brings back the memories! But it also gives one pause for reflection on what real martial arts training is all about.
A wonderful book. I've already read through my copy several times...

Kris Wilder has put together an excellent book of anecdotes and learnings he has gained from the floor of his karate school. These lessons are important philosophical approaches for all martial artists, but they are also great lessons for life in general.

I read the whole book in a single sitting, and recommend it highly to all martial arts instructors and practitioners.

Kris Wilder shares his hard won wisdom through a collection of poignant tales and pithy vignettes. This is a book I can pick up for a few minutes or a few hours and gain something new each time. It is thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read yet thought provoking and profound. I recommend it without reservation.

This book is about so much more than martial arts. It has something to offer anyone seeking wisdom, insight and shared knowledge. I am not a martial arts fan or practitioner but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and will reread it for the gems of wisdom it bestows.

I almost fell over in my chair when I found this book was still selling. I believe I purchased it over 30 years ago. It really is an amazing book and leads one to believe they really could live a relatively simple lifestyle.

My life in the intervening 30 years has not been simple. For some reason, one of the main things I remember from this book was after delivering your baby through natural childbirth, which I did in a hospital, you can either bury the placenta or cook and eat it to restore your strength. It really takes one back to another era, a time when we all thought everything was possible. Then the 80's came upon us and it was all over.

For anyone who is interested in sewing, another of my favorite books of that time is "Son Of Hassele-Free Sewing". It explains in a simple manner how to copy clothing you already own to make new clothes. It is an excellent book, which I still refer to.

Peace.

This is one of the best books EVER written. It has helped me to survive and thrive on this Earth and gives me advice on practically anything I need to know! Perfect for those who need to settle down and be more in tune with their bodies and Mother Nature. Alicia Bay Laurel is an amazing artist, activist, and author that I look up to much indeed.

After waking very early this very morning, I started to read Living on the Earth and was halfway through by breakfast. While I had considered a hand-lettered book to be more difficult to read, I could not have been more wrong.

The hand lettering brought a sense of comfort and the contents reminded me of my childhood in Africa. If you lived in a rural area during the 60s and 70s, many of the items in this book will be very familiar. If you love handwritten letters from friends, then this book will quickly find a place in your heart.

So, there I was stirring a 5-grain oatmeal mixture for breakfast and I looked down and caught a glimpse of my painted toes reflecting in the glass oven door. Suddenly I was transported to the years of my childhood where we build our own tree houses, watched carrots grow, milked cows, raised chickens, learned how to sew, experienced tick bite fever and snacked on friendship cake while walking barefoot on the warm earth.

Living on the Earth is an enchanting read filled with lyricism and whimsy. It is written in a spontaneous style and the topics range from soap making to building rocking cradles out of barrels. Alicia Bay Laurel has illustrated the entire book and it is a completely personal experience.

Some of the highlights include backpacking tips, making hammocks with macramé, making your own soaps, sewing peasant blouses, making your own moccasins, and building a kiln for making pottery.

There is also information on how to make candles, bamboo flutes, bean bags, clothing, rose petal jam, organic diet soda, vanilla extract, dried fruits, nut butters, ice cream, sunflower milk, miso, roasted soy beans, smoked fish, bread, beef jerky, sour dough starter, steamed acorns, plum pudding and herbal tinctures.

As I sit here with my lovely cozy heated blanket and fluffy slippers I can dream about living out in the wild as my washing machine swishes about with the Seventh Generation laundry soap I recently found at a health food store. This book has many ideas you can incorporate into your normal home life. You don't have to live in a commune to enjoy the information about essential oils, nature-inspired products or environmental issues. The author recommends things like hemp paper and explores the many uses of apple cider vinegar and pumpkin seeds.

To say the least, I was intrigued. This is definitely a must-read book for everyone interested in natural remedies. There are recipes for making herbal tinctures and you may find yourself looking for "myrrh." If you love to cook you may be intrigued by the recipe for Plum Pudding.

Alicia Bay Laurel is writing a modern sequel for the global family. "Still Living on the Earth" will be published in 2005. This book was updated in 1999 and is filled with useful addresses and websites. I loved the list of "more books that are still valuable 30 years later!" A helpful index completes this fun guide to living on the earth.

I loved reading this book! While reading you may find yourself becoming nostalgic, enthusiastic about hiking or even making lists to buy a variety of herbs.

~The Rebecca Review

I discovered this book in a book store about a week ago. It was $18.95 and sold out! I went home to Amazon and found them here for $5.99!! I bought 15 copies for X mas presents and a few just to have for emergency purposes. This book is not only filled with amazing ways to live a better life here its also filled with beautiful illustrations. This is one book I will use forever and pass on for generations to come. No matter if its 1969 or 2069, this hippie bible will always come in handy!

Amazing to think that she was a teenager when she began writing this "Bible" of natural living. Not only does it still hold up after 30+ years...but it makes even more sense now in the 21st century.
I would give it to my children or grandparents with equal enthusiasm.
Alicia Bay gets the ultimate hippie chick award!

Wow, I loved this book. I remember reading an excerpt from it somewhere online several months ago and I was so engrossed in it that I finally had to buy the book recently. And I was not disappointed - the entire book was incredibly easy and engaging to read. The only minor exception was that the last third of the book kind of got away from what made the book so interesting the first 2/3, but overall I would still give the book five stars without a thought. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed reading a book as much as I did this one.

the only few words i can use to describe this book is that it was a truly....inspirational and fantastic read. great book, i was so engrossed in it that i finished it in two days. runners and non runners alike can enjoy it. running for women has come a long way. i have read it once and will read it again. go ahead people buy it....you will never regret having this book in your collection.

As a woman born in 1980, I really had never grasped the concept of what the generation before my birth had done. I never really understood what the world believed about the abilities of women. Katherine Switzer's story is powerful and amazing. I'm so glad I could grow up believing that I could do anything. The book is well written and powerful.

This was hands down one of the most inspiring running books I've ever read. Kathrine's foresight into the sport of running amazes me - we can thank her not only for bringing the women's marathon to the 1984 Olympic games but also for today's modern marathon "comforts" that didn't exist when she first hit the streets of Boston.
I read this while training for a marathon and her story kept me going during those long and painful runs. This book is a must-read for any runner, male or female.

If ever there was a real-life Wonder Woman, it's Kathrine Switzer...whose brave pursuit and promotion of running events have benefitted countless millions who want to similarly express their joy for the sport. This fun-to-read, fascinating autobiography beautifully communicates the voice of its author: enthusiastic, funny, passionate. It's a must-read for marathoners and entertaining for anyone else who's ever shared in the excitement of witnessing and/or participating in a sporting event.

As a physician and member of the Montrose Search and Rescue Team in Southern California, it was with great anticipation that I picked up a copy of Dr. Van Tilburg's "Mountain Rescue Doctor." Little did I know that I wouldn't be able to put the book down! His vignettes of exciting and harrowing rescues are undoubtedly great reading. However, it was reading about the "human side" of rescues, the personal feelings, the camaraderie amoung rescuers, and the affect on rescuers and family alike, that really took his stories to a whole new level. On some level, it was just like being a part of a great rescue: excitement, mixed together with some very personal emotional responses. Thanks to Dr. Van Tilburg for putting down in ink what so many of us in the rescue business struggle with regularly.

Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. In less than 24 hours, I devoured it and wanted the sequel. I am not in the medical field but the book inspired a personal interest in Wilderness Medicine. It is full of details yet easy to read. You won't be disappointed.

A fantastic insight to the what the Search & Rescue volunteers go through to aid and assist the common and, not-so-common, adventurers. Exciting read where every chapter addresses a different rescue, different aspect, and different experience of Dr. Van Tilburg's.

With this insider's view of mountain rescue and wilderness medicine, Chris van Tilburg takes the reader along on some exciting missions. Along with the gripping tales, Dr. van Tilburg has included many thoughtful discussions of the issues involved, such as how some of the victims ended up in trouble in the mountains. He also shares a personal view of how he balances mountain rescue, medicine, and family life with a wife and two young daughters. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in mountain rescue, especially as a member or potential member of a rescue group. For doctors and other medical professionals who are interested in wilderness medicine, this is a must read.

I read this book in less than a week. Even though I am not part of the medical profession, rescue profession, or familiar with mountain climbing, I found it both fascinating and entertaining. Dr. Vantilburg relays his experience as a rescue doctor in a manner that is technical and interesting, but not too weighty in medical jargon. The stories are fascinating recounts of local rescues that balance tension with eloquent descriptions of natural beauty. I wanted to keep reading after the last story ended.

Our community is fortunate to have the Crag Rats as a rescue team, and I am grateful Dr. Vantilburg made me aware of this fine group of men and women. The book carefully describes the dedication, skill, and fitness each member must maintain so that we can be a little safer exploring the wilderness. It also brings to light the ongoing discussion as to who should be financially responsible for rescues that tax local resources and funding.

I recommend this book to anybody who is interested in outdoor recreation as it captures the wonder of the outdoors, but also delivers a cautionary warning as to what can go wrong if one is not prepared.

Excellent book. I am not a golfer, but admire Phil Mickelson because it has always seemed to me that he has his priorities straight. His wife and his children are uppermost in his list of what life means to him. Must confess that I merely skimmed the details of the hole to hole play in the Masters tournament being described since I had purchased the book to read about his personal life. However, my husband, who IS a golfer, very much enjoyed the "play by play" in addition to more information on the personal side of Phil. This is an athlete children can look up to and admire without parents fearing an ugly, hidden side. That simply doesn't exist in this athlete. I have always enjoyed watching him play; now I will enjoy those tournaments even more.

This was a very personal book that brought you very close to the life of Phil Mickelson. When he describes his final round at the 04' Masters you feel like you were there with him every step of the way.

It was so good I got a audio copy for my husband.

i find this book very good , iam a golf player and i think that every golf player will enjoyed to read this book , phil mickelson biography is very interesting for a golfer , phil teach : thinks can do when you work hard .

If you are a golf fan, this is a must read. My wife read it too and she doesn't even like golf but she loved it too. Great insights into Phil's personal life, family, and values. Definitely worth the read.

There is so much more to Yellowstone than can be seen from the roads and boardwalks. "A Ranger's Guide to Yellowstone Day Hikes" guides you to trail heads you may not find on your own and out into the park revealing the incredible diversity that is unique to YNP. Each hike is rated for difficulty and the ratings are generally accurate. The book fits easily into a day pack and the topo maps let you know what you're getting into elevation wise before you set off. I strongly recommend that you include this book in your planning of a Yellowstone adventure.

This guide was a birthday gift along with "Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks Road Guide." We used the two of these books nonstop during our nine days in the park. This book offers acurate information regarding the trails and rankings. Understand that not ALL trails are listed. I picked up "Best Easy Day Hikes Yellowstone" but it's trail rankings were not as acurate. If you are purchasing one book on trail hiking in Yellowstone, use this one.

We have been hiking the National Parks in the West for almost 20 years and this is the most valuable trail book I own. The information on each trail is completely accurate with respect to distances, maps, directions, etc., and the naturalist notes are very informational. We have completed 75% of the hikes in this book and have enjoyed every single one - some have even been done two or more times. The book is small enough to carry in a fanny pack. I have thrown away all of my other Yellowstone hiking books as this has become affectionately known as "The Bible".

We bought this book before a trip to Yellowstone with our family. The book was very helpful in helping us find trails that our whole family could do. The pictures and discriptions were very helpful in the planning and telling our kids what to look for.

This is an excellent guide to relatively short day hikes in Yellowstone. Provides good descriptions on what you will see on the trails and it's small enough to take along on your hike.

Hey, this book is the closest thing to actually seeing Riverdance live or on video...but I definitely prefer to see it live!

I first saw an advertisement when "Riverdance" was showing on PBS, and I wanted a better inside look at this amazing show. I then looked it up in the library. I discovered a real look at how it really began, and how it spread to Canada, the United States, much of Europe, and most recently Japan, among many other places. If you want to discover exactly how much work is involved in putting together a dance show, I recommend this book to you.

It gives wonderful insight of the influences and origins of traditional Irish music and dance. It also tells the story of how Riverdance developed and became a theatrical phenomenon. It is filled with pictures from the the stage and behind the scenes. I enjoyed this immensely it helped provide me with inspiration and insight of the works. I would recommend this to any fan.

"Riverdance," the exuberant Irish dance phenomenon that's sweeping both sides of the Atlantic, has swung its way in a scant few years from a seven-minute interval sequence in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest to a record-breaking stage spectacular. It's an audio, a much-in-demand video, and now a glossy richly illustrated book. Riverdance: The Story opens with a comprehensive history, an account "of an ancient Irish tradition in which dance and music are celebrated as a metaphor for life," then segues into the creation of Riverdance: The Show. Virtuoso Bill Whelan, who has written original music for 15 W.B. Yeats plays, ideated the piece - selecting a river's life as his overall theme, with the male lead dancer representing the land, and the female star embodying the river flowing through the land. He then composed the score for the original sequence and came up with the name "Riverdance." Neither John McColgan, director, or Moya Doherty, producer of the segment, dreamed of the reception it would receive: "It was seven minutes that shattered the hermetically sealed world of television, seizing the attention and igniting the imaginations of 300 million viewers." As the last note rang out the 3,000 member audience (made up of delegates from 25 countries) leapt to its feet, led by the usually staid Irish President, Mary Robinson. Tumultuous cries of "Riverdance! Riverdance!" filled the theater. The rest, to use a fatigued phrase, is entertainment history. The abruptly dissonant departure of audience-pleasing star Michael Flatley is not euphemistically described by the author . When Flatley did not renew his one-year contract, mediation was unsuccessful. A final volley from the multi-talented first generation Irish American is described as demanding control of the show. "I would like complete control over all that I do and all that I am involved with in this show," he wrote. "This includes what I wear, when I dance, and which dancers I choose to dance with." Finding his conditions unacceptable, the decision was made to replace him. Twenty-seven year old Colin Dunne learned only 1 day before curtain time that he would be taking over the starring role. That night the show received a standing ovation. Flatley went on to form "Lord of the Dance," an extravaganza enjoying enormous success. Nothing is overlooked in this meticulously conceived volume - themes, music, cast, production, and predictions for the future all receive studied attention. Author Sam Smyth, a columnist with the Irish Independent newspaper in Dublin, has filled his book with stunning full-page photographs of the phenomenon that has won millions of hearts and imaginations. "Riverdance" fans will love it. - Gail Cooke

This terrific book begins with a history of Irish music and dance, which are "celebrated as a metaphor for life." Included in this background was information about the 17th century cake dance (the dancers ate the prize) and the 18th century emergence of the solo or step dance. This was the most important development in Irish dance history. In the late 1700s dance masters traveled around Ireland teaching complex steps. The Gaelic League was formed in 1893 to promote Irish culture. The first ceili (dance event) was held in London in 1897.

The second part of the book was about Riverdance (the show)-- the original story is based on the life of a river: small and quiet at its source, then feeding and nourishing the lands it passes, and finally rushing out to sea at the estuary. The show was planned to have a soft choral opening and a big finale. It was designed as a seven-minute interval during a Eurovision song contest and got a standing ovation from a roaring audience. Thus, Riverdance "the phenomenon" was born in a Dublin theater in 1994.

From there on, it was expanded and developed into the stage show as we know it today, complete with a premier Spanish flamenco dancer, a six-person troupe from the Moscow Folk Ballet, African American tap dancers, and a choir from Atlanta, Georgia. It also made stars of its first two principal dancers, Michael Flatly and the beautiful Jean Butler, both Americans. Flatly, in fact, was the first American to win the World Irish Dancing Championships.

A "great swell" of national pride resulted from Riverdance's exploration of the internal and outward journeys of the Irish people. Riverdance rescued Irish dancing, reinforcing its sensitivity with simple costumes while utilizing generations of skills and traditions.

A lovely and beautiful book.