Camping Books

This book arrived in A-1 condition, and in a timely manner. I recommend this seller.

This book is not for tent users even though it pretends to be. The focus is mostly on RV's and fishing.
Also, it is frustrating how inconsistent the information is...for example on some campgrounds he mentions how much shade is available but on others he does not. So what am I to assume about the ones that he doesn't mention the shade at all? Also, with some he comments that there are mountain views but others he doesn't. How can the reader know if there are no mountain views or if he just didn't care to mention it that time or didn't have the space to do so in the book? I feel that editing for space has ruined this book.

Don't trust this book! He gives "Rogue Elk Campground" a score of 8 out of 10 for the scenic rating and he doesn't mention it's proximity to a medium traffic highway. We drove all the way there to find that it is basically on the side of the highway. The highway dropped the scenic rating down to a 2. The highway gives Rogue Elk Campground a ton of light and sound pollution and makes it feel unsafe. Stienstra didn't mention any of this.

Untrustworthy, inconsistent book!

The maps and lay out of the book are nice and user friendly though.

My husband enjoy going on camping adventures, and we use all of Tom Stienstra's camping books like bibles. I have noted only one mistake on his California book, but on the whole they are useful and informative.
We plan a trip up the California coast to Oregon, then to Washington.
We plan to tent camp all the way using his books. We did it before a few years ago and it worked out great. I strongly recommend this book or any of his books to anyone who wants to have fun, cheap, exciting adventures camping!

As indicated by reviewers of earlier editions, the Moon Outdoors (previously Foghorn Outdoors) series of campground guides is not without flaws. Even so, we know of no directories which do a better job of addressing campground aesthetics than these wonderful guides. In our experience, the look and feel of a campground is often the single greatest factor influencing the quality of a camping experience . . . and the factor totally ignored by nearly all other campground guides.

There are a number of directories which rate facilities, provide directions, tell you how to make reservations and give you an idea of the cost for a night's stay in a specific campground. This series gives similar basic information and then goes beyond that. This guides from Moon Outdoors actually gives you a feel of what it is like to stay in a specific campground - a bit of a narrative description and a "scenic beauty rating" for each campground plus information about nearby recreation opportunities. We like that a lot.

Have we found instances where we liked a campground more or less than the book's author? Of course. Tastes differ and things change over time. Even so, we would rather have an admittedly subjective rating of a campground's intangibles than to have nothing to go on but a recitation of facts and figures.

Are the Moon Outdoors Guides the only ones we use? No. But they are ALWAYS the first place we turn when selecting a destination campground.

If you camp this is the book to have, espcially if you tent camp and want to find all the small campgrounds. I love finding all the tent campgrounds, this is the definite book for the NW.
five stars is not enough for the work that went into thsi book.

I read this book on the strong recommendation of Iditarod champion Jeff King, and it was well worth the read, well worth it. Norman Vaughan truly lived a life of adventure in a time the likes of which we are not likely to see again. He did what most people dream of doing, but the difference was attitude and determination. He often comes across as confident, cocky, perhaps, a bit arrogant and pushy, but overall he is a likeable, even admirable guy, especially in his later years. Attitude. That what makes the difference at any age, especially old age. Norman Vaughan qualifies as a great American adventurer. He had the Spirit that made America great, even into his later years. At age 89, to climb a mountain named for you, now that's something. Good read, quick, easy read, and, in the end, quite inspirational and motivating. Ought to be required reading for the AARP crowd!

I had the opportunity to hear Norman Vaughan speak and to meet him as well. After hearing his accounts, reading the stories he has are amazing. This book is well written and easy to follow. I have read it twice, and passed it on to many friends, I would reccomend this book to anybody who loves the outdoors or simply reading about others' travels.

From the time he was a little boy, Norman Vaughan knew he could never be content with a mundane, conventional life. He and a friend constructed their first dog team by tying two mutts to a Flexible Flyer sled. At fifteen, Norman obtained his father's grudging permission to spend a week living off the land on a beach. Upon entering college at Harvard, he found himself bored. He knew it wasn't the life he wanted. So when Norman heard of the upcoming Antarctic exhibition, to be led by Admiral Richard E. Byrd, he lost no time in contacting the admiral. He managed to win himself a spot on the team. From that moment on, Norman Vaughan has lived a life full of excitement. I read my mother's copy of this book, which is signed by the author with his personal motto: "Dream Big and Dare to Fail." For his entire life, Vaughan lived by those words.

Returning from Antarctica, he felt depression creeping back, and he knew he could never live a "normal" life again. He dropped out of Harvard. Vaughan joined the army and spent years doing search-and-rescue operations by dogsled. He became known for his hair-brained schemes, such as dropping dogs by parachute into locations too remote to reach otherwise. But by and large, his schemes always seemed to work. When he left the army, it wasn't the end of his adventures. He returned to Antarctica on several occasions. Vaughan also entered the 1,000+ mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska 13 times. And on 16 December 1994, three days before his 89th birthday, Vaughan climbed the Antarctic mountain that Admiral Byrd had named for him 65 years earlier.

For anyone with an adventurous streak, or even those who simply dream of such a life, this book is a sure winner. Norman Vaughan is one of the most inspirational human beings this world has seen. Most of his ambitious ideas met with much resistance from those around him, but not once did he give up. Sometimes he spent years fighting for what he wanted, and almost invariably he would win out in the end. When he was not invited to participate in the 50th anniversary trip to commemorate Byrd's 1929 expedition to Antarctica, Vaughan called every person he could think of who was involved. Eventually he was offered a place on the team.

I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing autobiography. There are a couple of awkward grammatical and punctuation errors, but they are few and far between. For the most part the book is written in easy-to-read language. What did irritate me was that Vaughan consistently mis-spelled the name of Joe Redington, Sr. (he added an extra "d" every time), the founder of the Iditarod. But this is a very minor quibble, and since most people have probably never heard of Redington to begin with, it doesn't make much difference in the end. The last chapter of the book is actually written by Vaughan's wife, and recalls their climb to the top of Mount Vaughan. Also included is a selection of black-and-white photos of Vaughan on his different adventures throughout his life. On the whole, this is a delightful and inspirational book, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Norman Vaughan is an inspiration to all that know him. I am honored to fall into that category. His up-beat, gracious, and determined view of life have enabled him to achieve goals only dreamed of by a few. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys outdoor adventures and believes that age should be no barrier to continuing to set and achieve lofty goals. "Dream big and dare to fail" is Norman's motto. He always dreams big. He rarely fails. Norman is a most unique individual. This book faithfully portrays over 70 years of world-class adventures as well as giving an insight to the internal drive, amiable personality, and unpretentious view of life that are his trademarks.

Colonel Vaughan has done things most people only dream or read about. Like many of us, the mundane, everyday life of living did not excite him. He embarked on many adventures, the likes of which have killed many people. He lived through them by using his head and depending on common sense and his innate skill to survive. He helped numerous people and made friends all over the world. He is now in his nineties and still going strong. Young people who can't find anything to do, should look to this volume. Perhaps they could find inspiration in what Norman Vaughan has done in his lifetime.

If you live in San Diego and interested to know more about mountain bike trails in San Diego County, you must have it.

This spiral book is fast replacing any other guide I have tried in the past for finding places for outdoor adventures in San Diego because it's so user-friendly! Pleasantly written with humor and style, it misses nothing!!! The maps are great, the sections include great quizzes to keep the reader involved, it is well organized and indexed, these guys knew how to please a reader!!! Especially one with a passion for the out of doors. This book is a MUST HAVE for me!!!

Just the book I was looking for! I feel as though I have rediscovered San Diego with insight to all the cool trails.Every destination had informative little-known-facts as well as the history of that specific area. Down to earth style of writing with a splash of humor makes this user-friendly book about the outdoors of San Diego my favorite.

Outdoors San Diego: Hiking, Biking and Camping 2004

Tom Leech and Jack Farnan's crisp, clean descriptions of our region's out-of-doors is an excellent reference book. It's all there: maps, history, descriptions, photos, graphics and regional resources all wrapped up in a new spiral-bound notebook about San Diego's spectacular outdoor places.

The authors provide enlightening details on hundreds of sites including up-to-date tips on hiking, biking and camping in popular as well as lesser known destinations. The layout is divided into five major eco-regions: coastal, urban, inland, mountain and the backcountry. Each section is laid out in a consistent pattern for easy referencing. I believe they have left no stone unturned in the entire county!

I was particularly impressed by the inclusion of historical sites such as the old missions and battlegrounds. Regional events and other unique features of each place are highlighted. The section on Special Outdoor Adventures has great tips for accomodating those with special needs. Areas which welcome household pets are listed as well.
The book makes a great gift, can be included in visitors packets or given to friends who need encouragement to explore our bountiful, spectacular, bio-diverse county. Ellen Shively, Outdoors leader and Conservation Chair, San Diego Chapter, Sierra Club.

This book has plenty of good info on places to hike all over SD (from short urban hikes to mountains to the desert), but the camping section is limited to contact info for campgrounds. You can get better info (w/pics) on the net. The biking portion is limited, and is 95% routes for road bikes. I was expecting some mtn. bike trails.

I really hope the APA asks Mr. Tracey to speak at the next convention as this book is one of the best I've read about how mental illness impacts a family--the range of emotions from survivor's guilt to denial, anger and fear. Who will be next to fall from the family tree and how can we save them?

I prefer this memoir over the McCourt memoirs for its intellectual and introspective pursuit of knowledge via Irish history and science. I get the feeling that in another life, Mr. Tracey would be the scientist who unlocks the genetic code that solves the mystery.

I am so thoroughly enjoying this book, even though my heart breaks on each page. Tracey has researched farther back than I could even fathom tracing my own family tree. His tales about his family are interesting and so well told that I can see the houses. I feel as if I know the great-grandmother, I can almost feel her pain.

He describes schizophrenia in words that I have never heard before. It has opened another level of understanding. The horror that is losing someone in the blink of an eye, having them replaced with a different person, is terrifying. I found myself checking my age versus the statistics, wondering if my own children are safe.

My heart goes out to him for all of his tragedy. But I do so appreciate his ability to put it into words and on paper for everyone to experience.

This is an engrossing book about a disease that strikes when least expected. A fantastic read--insightful, deeply felt, poetic in its imagery, colourful, and fully engaging as we travel with the author during this incredible journey.

For Patrick Tracey, madness is the genetic legacy from his Irish immigrant forbearers. Severe schizophrenia struck down his grandmother, his uncle, and two of his four sisters. In this deeply personal and fascinating memoir, Tracey travels to Ireland, exploring the myths and history of madness on Irish shores, tracing its roots, incarnations, and finally the hopes for future treatments.

This is the heartbreaking story of Patrick Tracey's family history of schizophrenia. So many times when an introduction to a book review starts out saying its "heartbreaking", the ending of that sentence normally will also say "uplifting". Unfortunately that is not the case here... but in the place of uplifting... the story is definitely the next best thing... EDUCATIONAL. The author's Irish family on his Mother's side has been cursed with this dreaded disease. From his Great- Great Grandmother Mary Egan, to his Grandmother May Sweeney, to his Uncle Robbie, and to his two sweet and loving sisters, Chell and Austine. The reader will be taken on an educational and scenic trip from Boston to Ireland and back. The reader will... if not shed tears... will definitely feel pangs of sadness and dread in the gut of their soul... as names of victims become real to you... and you can feel the actual utter helplessness... that healthy family members... are reduced to. Along the way you will learn about the tragic speed in which this mind controlling, life-changing, dreaded, curse of a disease attacks.

"Schizophrenia is the hearing of voices, but the hallucinations can be seen, felt, and smelled as well as heard. It's fright night for life for many, an all-consuming terror that never ends." The author's healthy Grandmother, May Sweeney went out one day and came back late. Her husband was worried sick. When she came back to their house, he met her at the gate, "her slow grin says it all: every tooth has been wrenched from May's head - her gums a swollen and bloody mess." "What has become of your damn teeth?" "May it turns out, was nobody's victim. She had gladly paid for the dental surgery, she said, to stop the voices in her head. The voices had grown in power and strength until she could no longer bear them. The voices told her they would go, happily, if she would free them from her dental cavities. Whether extensions of her mind or enemies in her head, these strange voices lied, though; they were still chattering, her empty gums still bleeding, as May collapsed into my Grandfather's arms."

After schizophrenia attacks his Uncle and his two sisters, Patrick decides to depart on a trip to his ancestral homeland in Ireland, to try to trace down his family tree and investigate possible causes of his family's medical and mental dilemma. Along the way many myths are refuted. The author delves deep into the effects of the many famines in Ireland... he investigates the effects of alcohol... explores the mysterious and magical "fairy-caves"... and he visits the sights of old and new mental institutions... which held patients that not too long ago were openly called "LUNATICS". His investigative journey brings him upon a Dr. Dermot Walsh an epidemiologist "whose work, with Dr. Kenneth Kendler, led to the discovery of the first-ever schizophrenia-gene-link. Walsh reveals that questions of causes and cures still tax him. Despite his press, and all the excitement about the abnormality in the dysbindin gene, he is nonplussed. "Yes", he says of the gene marker, that's our discovery. But it's quite clear that its effect, like some other genes that have been discovered, is quite small and you will only get this effect in a small proportion of individuals. How it works and how it operates is another day's work. We don't know much about it."

"OF COURSE, IT'S NOT JUST GENES," HE SAYS. "THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AS WELL - AGAIN, ABOUT WHICH WE KNOW VERY LITTLE - BUT WE HAVE SUSPICIONS ABOUT THIS OR THAT OR THE OTHER. BUT OVERALL, IT'S PROBABLY TRUE TO SAY THAT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORIGINS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA IS STILL QUITE LIMITED."

There are a few "main" types of delusional schizophrenic characteristics; one of which is "religious-delusions." Patrick asked Walsh: "ONE OF MY SISTERS HAD IT IN HER HEAD THAT SHE WAS MARRYING JESUS. WOULD YOU KNOW WHY?' "NO, WE DON'T. WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHY PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES."

The author sadly summarizes: `THE FUTURE IS UNIMPRESSIVE, WE NOW CAN SAY. SCIENCE CAN LOOK BACK THIRTEEN BILLION YEARS TO THE BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSE, BUT IT STILL CAN'T HEAR THE VOICES IN MY SISTERS' HEADS. SOME THINGS TAKE MORE THAN A LIFETIME TO KNOW, AND IT MAY BE THAT I'LL NEVER LEARN THE NATURE OF THIS DARK THING THAT MUGS US."

At the time of the publishing of this book there are 35-40,000 schizophrenics in Ireland and approximately 2.4 million American adults, or about 1.1 percent of the population age 18 and older in a given year, that have schizophrenia. After reading this book... I will never look at one of those poor tortured souls... talking to themselves on a street corner... in the same way again.

Summer rules is a good book about a boy named Bobby Marks who goes from rude to tolerable through getting a job at Happy Valley Day Camp. He has to deal with little kids all day. He gets paid less than he should. He also meets a hot girlfriend.
My favorite part is when Bobby gets drunk. He tries to play pingpong and is in hysterics for the night. Eventually he gets in someones car who drives him home. He gets grounded when his dad finds out he's been drinking.
I would recoment this book to anyone who has read the first books in the trilogy, the first being One Fat Summer. It is also a very easy read and I would recomend it to anybody who needs a book to read for school that is quick. The book is small paged, big printed, and thin. You don't really need to read the first books to understand it, because it was very informational. I would recomend it to anyone.

This is the third book in the trilogy of "One Fat Summer". It is about a kid named Bobby Marks who needs a job so gets one at a daycamp that his sister works at. He has a very packed summer by working for less than he hoped for, meeting a hot girlfriend, straightening out a very bad kid, and late night partying throughout the season.
My favorite part of the book is when Bobby gets drunk. He walks around camp all happy and smiley and tries to play pingpong. He gets in a car whos owners drive him home. His dad is not happy about it.
I would recomend this book to just about everybody. You dont need to reed the rest of the trilogy to understand it. Iskipped the second one and still understand it, so it is an easy read. The book is thin, short, and small paged. Anyone who has read the first books should read it.

I liked this book because it talks about a rude and inconsiderate boy who turns into a sensible and serious man. Some good things in this book were that the story plan,plot and setting were really planned out and good. The story also showed how "Happy Valley Day Camp" helped in Bobby's metamorphosis from a smart mouth boy to a sensible man. Some bad things were that they were some embarrassing or disgusting parts in the story. But overall the book was very nice and well written and I enjoyed reading it.

Bobby Cheng

I choose this book because I read the book One Fat Summer and it was a good book. Summer Rules is a sequel to One Fat Summer, so I thought it would be good too. However I really didn't like Summer Rules. It was confusing at some parts and I didn't like the word choice. There were a lot of
Swears.

It's about a sixteen year old named Bobby Marks. He goes to Happy Valley Day Camp and has
a bratty ten year old kid to watch out for, but he can't be mean or strict because it's the camp owner's
son. Bobby meets a girl that he likes. It is confusing because there are so many characters, it is hard to keep track and it swears too much.

If you like the way the book sounds, you can read it. But if you read it you might not like it because
It's too confusing or it swears too much.

I liked this book because it tells a story about a boy was changed for the better by going to a summer camp. At first he a was sarcastic boy that made alot of wisecracks. He played with people with crime records. Then he became a honest boy and was serious. I really enjoyed this book even though it did had a bit too much swear words.

This is a great book, especially if you're in the 5th or 6th grade. I wish they would reprint it again. It is beyond great. It's super-great.

This is plain and simple a good book. This is the book that brought me into reading all of the time. I read this book for the first time about 5 years ago, when I was 11. I've been looking for it everywhere, but this is a hard book to find. Then I surfed over to www.amazon.com, and OF COURSE, they had it! I can't believe I didn't try here before! I recommend this book to everyone, especially pre-teen and teenager guys

I find it so tragic that this wonderful piece of my life - one that has kept me company on the sunny summer days when my mother was at work and friends were off doing other things, and on the rainy winter days when school was getting too much to handle and I was bursting in anticipating for the warmth of spring to arrive - is going out of print (along with its may-even-be superior sequel, Upchuck Summer's Revenge).

What kind of world are we living in where a publisher will not keep these masterpieces on bookshelves for newer generations to fall in love with?

To this day, whenever I am asked what my favorite book is, Upchuck Summer is always the first utterance from my lips. That's all you need to know. Buy the book.

I am a 27 year old woman. I read Upchuck Summer maybe 17 years ago. Perhaps even longer, but I'm not sure. If there's one thing that I remember most about this book is that it certainly made me laugh. Having spent many summers at sleep away camps, this book certainly captured a lot of those memories. It's sheer fun. And 17 years later I distinctly remember how much I treasured it. Every kid should have a copy. How dare it be out of print!!!

I have not read this book. Indeed, how could I? The title and cover illustration are extremely offputting.

This guide is well-written & concise. As a medical professional, I found very helpful suggestions in each chapter's "Backcountry Hints" section. Most procedures explained by Weiss are simple enough for anyone to perform. However, many of them also involve some sort of medication, equipment (bandages, ointment, etc...) and occasionally a little prior healthcare knowledge. It seems to be geared toward treating emergencies until you can get adequate medical care. So, it is not really a "survival guide" in the sense that it does not address long-term illness/care or desperate conditions when there are no supplies at all. This book is ideal for a hiking group with an average first-aid kit on board. It is a good buy: handy, small, packable and would be useful in some First Aid courses.

As I am the air wing commander & president of Malheur County Sheriff Search & Rescue, with M.C.S.O. in Oregon, our service area consists of over 10,000 sq. miles of lakes, rivers deserts & mountians. We have 40 to 50 members & after buying & reading Wilderness 911 by Eric A. Wiess, M.D. I was so thrilled with its easy to read format, its step by step process & its laymen terms & the fact its outline is on "improvised" care in the back country, where we live when we are called out, was a must have item for us. We now have A Wilderness 911 book for every member to carry in there 24hr &48hr back packs as standerd equipment. We also are going to incorperate parts of it in to our monthly training. any hunter or person going anywhere remote needs to take this with them, it may be the most valuable item with you when you need it. Sincerly Danny L. Cone president of Malheur County Sheriff Search & rescue. Vale Oregon.

There are books that might change your life, ... this book could save your life or someone close to you. This is also a great book for anyone who lives in California where an earthquake can delay 911 help by hours or even several days.

Anyone who has studied Wilderness Medicine knows Eric Weiss, M.D. as one of the leading experts. As the Associate Director of Trauma and an emergency physician at Stanford University Medical Center, Board of Directors of the Wilderness Medical Society, consultant to the National Geographic Society, Army Special Forces, American Red Cross, and the medical editor for Backpacker Magazine, he offers practical advice that is easy to understand.

The author has also published A Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness and Travel Medicine which is another book that every backpacker should have since it is small enough to have in your backpack or emergency supplies.

These are books that we recommend for persons in the Hiking for Fun and Fitness Class. See hp22f.webjump.com for more details.

This is a great first aid book to have around the house, not just in the outdoors. It also has alot of problems that are more specific to the outdoors, like information about the different tick-borne diseases, snake bites, etc. Read it all the way through or just use it as a reference, it s avery helpful book.

I am currently teaching a high school class on first aid and emergency medicine. I found the information in this book to be very helpful. I am a Emergency Medical Tech and thought the author had many good ideas from personal exprience.

This is a cute book with pretty illustrations, but the story line seems a little strange to me. Angelina and Henry get left out alone all night while camping after they wander away from their campsite. There is a big storm and they get soaked. Pretty traumatic. But they just head back to their site the next day and things seem back to normal! I was waiting for a little more discussion after they returned...and maybe some warnings about not wandering away when you go camping!

My six year-old daughter writes:
Angelina and Henry were going on a camp out with Uncle Louie and there was big cat. Angleina and Henry got lost in the deep dark forest and they saw the cat's ears, eyes, tail, and mouth. They were scared and they could not find their way. Uncle Louie came and found them. It's a good book for four to eight year olds. The pictures are very nice. The mice show a lot of courage.

My 2 1/2 year old daughter just loves this book and asks to be read it again and again. She enjoys all of the Angelina Ballerina book but this is one of her favorites. Because she herself if little she identifies with Henry and enjoys any books that he is in. She also likes the references to "Big Cat," the scary character in the book who may just be part of the imagination's of the young mice. This book seems to be just scary enough to thrill her while not being so scary that she cannot tolerate the storyline. I do not know how an older child would feel about this book, but my daughter loves it.

This is a different Angelina book, when she and Henry have an outdoor adventure camping with Uncle Louie. After wandering into the woods, Angelina and Henry have to face their fears after dark. If your child is an Angelina fan they'll enjoy another story with Angelina and Henry. If they are new to Angelina, start with the first story Angelina Ballerina.

This book is well written and does a good job of covering SF Bay Area backpacking trails. However, while reading the sections on hikes I am intimately familiar with, I find some misinformation. For example, Camp Herbert on the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail has been closed for well over a decade, but sadly, it is discussed as if it were still open for trail camping. So be sure to make some phone calls and check out the facts before you commit to a backpacking trip from this book; it could save you much frustration. This is still a good addition to any hiking library, unfortunately, you'll need to double check it.

I bought this book after flipping through it at REI, and I thought it had hiking routes in it. But the hiking routes were actually backpacking trips, with routes to campsites. This was not a disappointment as I was actually looking for a book with more detailed information on overnight trips vs general day hikes.

This book is broken into two parts: camping and backpacking. The camping trips are generally areas that you can drive to and park, where as the backpacking trips require you to hike to your destination. Each half is divided into 3 sections, covering the North Bay, East Bay, and Santa Cruz Mountains. Furthermore, the table of contents has a second organization method, grouping the trips by theme. Some of the themes are waterfalls, wildlife, lakes, and dog friendly campgrounds. This is a great tool if you're in the mood for something specific on your trip.

The part where this book shines is the information included on each park. Take a look at the excerpt provided by Amazon and you will see the type of information given. One of the most useful pieces of data that would be difficult to find on the parks websites would be when the best time to go is. Crowds can put a damper on a peaceful walk in the woods. My favorite though is at the end of each trip's listing, where the author tells you who to contact if you would like to contribute back to the park.

One downside of the book is the limited number of trips. There are only about 25 each of backpacking and camping trips. But if you went on an overnight trip every two weeks this would still be enough trips to last you two years, so that's not too bad.

If you simply want to take day hiking trips then another book might suit you better than this one. But if you would like to go overnight camping in the Bay Area, either at a campground site or in a remote backpacking camp, this book is an excellent place to start. The information provided is well worth the cost of the book.

I visit the San Francisco Bay Area several times a year and am always astounded by the amount of outdoor recreation that is literally at the doorstep of local residents. Yet most Bay area hiking seems to be of the "day-outing" variety. You can stroll through the redwoods at John Muir Woods National Monument, walk along the Golden Gate Bridge, or visit numerous regional parks for an afternoon picnic. But, as it happens, camping and backpacking opportunities also abound within just an hour or so drive of the metropolitan area. To learn about where you can do these activities, just pick up Heid's book.

This book has a number of virtues to recommend it. It is very well organized. Camping and backpacking are in separate portions of the book, and each section is further subdivided into three geographical regions: North Bay, East Bay, and Santa Cruz Mountains, making it easy to locate a camping or backpacking option. Additionally, the book has excellent topographical maps for the backpacking routes. Heid has carefully checked the mileage (trail signs tend to vary) and also provides detailed information on what to expect at the backcountry sites. Finally, Heid provides information on how to "give back" to the various organizations that protect open space in the Bay Area.

I will personally use this book mostly for camping. I like long day-hikes and most of the backpacking routes described in the book can also be hiked during the day. Heid's information on what to expect at the campground (and how far ahead to make reservations) are invaluable, as well as his discussions of area highlights nearby camps. This book was my most valuable purchase on a Memorial Day visit to Big Basin State Park. Everyone who loves California hiking and camping, particularly in the off season, should get it.

Any San Francisco hiker needs a copy of this one on their bookshelf. Great descriptions, from where to park to the hours of the campground pool, this book has it all.

I especially loved the characters in this terrific collection of stories. They were so believable and so touching that I couldn't help caring about their lives. Though often heartbreaking, these stories had nice touches of humor as well. They are the kind of stories that you keep thinking about long after you have finished reading them, and you wonder about the continuing lives of these characters. There is definitely much more I could say about this amazing author's impressive stories, but I have to go set up my tent!

The title drew me to this book. I should have anticipated the undercurrent of saddness, from the unique title. This is a VERY WELL WRITTEN book that kept me drawn to story after story. Unfortunately, I was left with an uneasy saddness after many of the stories and that is not what I want to experience when curling up to a book.

Author Sarah Nawrocki exhibits an assured command of language, not only in terms of style, but also in terms of her sophisticated technique. I couldn't believe this collection was written by a first-time author. CAMPING WITH STRANGERS is an impressive debut; a hint of things to come from this Texas talent.

Every story in this collection resonates with the reader long after the story has ended. Sarah Nawrocki's ability to get you inside her characters is uncanny and oh so satisfying. These are stories to savor, and to read again and again.