Outdoors Books

I found Tom Hedrick's, "The Art of Sportscasting", extremely informative.
It provides tips for those just starting out in the business as well as for 30-plus year veterans like myself.

We all know that you really learn about being a sportscaster by actually
performing whatever the job is, but this book gives you hints on HOW to go about performing that task.

It doesn't matter if you want to go into radio or television, this book will be a big help to you. I just wish it had been available back in the mid-70's!

I bought this book because it was a textbook for a sportscasting class that I am currently taking. The insights and working wisdom in this book are phenomenal! I can see why the professor, an ESPN alum, chose to use this as his textbook. The interviews are well written and explain not only the subtleties of sportscasting, but also hammer home the basic fundamentals of good sports broadcasting. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to broadcast, from little leagues to the pros.

Len Clark station manager of WUEV-FM, A Practical Guide for Success for Beginners and Professionals Aspiring to the Next level Tom Hedrick and Diamond Communications have published the ultimate text for students interested in pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, and for practing broadcast professionals. This step by step guide offers insight and advice to help individuals each and every step of the way.

Probably the best primer on breaking in. I use this text in a course I teach. Well recommended by other collegues.

If you are just starting out in the business , this is the book for you , due to its insight on not just the game itself , but the before (preparation) , during (working with others) , and after (reviewing your work) aspects of the job. For those who have been in the business , but are looking to take that next step , this is the book for you. My first time out after reading this book , my interviews were crisper , my work with others was more professional , and the end result was a more solid product. If you are serious about sportscasting as a career , this book will give you the insight to help make it happen!

In years past, I have read several of John Gierach's books. Out of all the fishing books I have read, his thoughts and writing lingered year after year. I picked up his audiobook, At the grave of the Unknown Fisherman, for a 16 hour drive across Wyoming, Utah and Neveda and another 16 hours back home. He (and John McPhee) were companions of the best kind, feeling a connection as if you'd been his fishing buddy for many years. Without a doubt hugely interesting, knowledgable, humorous and uplifting. The book contains philosphies to clear your busy life, realizing the comfort of the fisherman's trance, re-discovering the true fisherman in you and references to improve your fishing skills. The writer lives in CO and writes about his intimate knowledge of his home water; yet, many of his stories are about fishing WY waters, my home water. He includes fishing experiences in PA, Missouri and Canada. His descriptors are so real and grounded, you can almost close yours eyes and feel the wind pressing against your back. You find yourself driving along unknowlingly ducking gently as your subconscious imagines a heavily weighed fly zip past your ear. This is one for anyone's fly fishing library.

John has a great way of describing the attitudes and demeanor of he and his friends as they fish the Rocky Mountain front. As much fun as being on the water fly fishing. Read it!

I very much enjoy John Gierach's writings and this is one of his best works. I learned much about life and fly-fishing reading this book ... and can think of no higher praise.

Highly recommended.

I've read almost all of Gierach's books and this is another great collection of fishing stories told in his naturally witty style. He's still fishing with his old friends like A.K. Best. He still writes about his affinity for bamboo rods, carp, grayling, bass ponds, Green Drakes and the good ol' days. He still writes mostly about fishing in Colorado, and the neighboring states around his home. And, his writing always contains a slew of witty Zen philosophy one-liners and this one is no different. What's new in this book is his explanation of his move from his old cabin along the St. Vrain River to his new home three miles away. His old cabin was a pretty common subject in his past books and it was a little sad to hear about it's demise. He also updates the reader about his new work in the local paper the "Redstone Review" which his new girlfriend publishes. If you didn't know any better you would think that the good ol' "Trout Bum" was settling down a little and getting a little sentimental in his later years.

Well, whatever you want to call John Gierach, "trout bum", or "avid fisherman" there is no doubt that he is a fine fisherman. He writes about fly fishing in a no nonsense kind of way. He doesn't sugar coat anything. You get a meat and potatoes image of fly fishing that's wry, funny, sentimental, and informative. As a Midwesterner, I really relate to his blue collar style, which is one of the reasons why Gierach continues to be my favorite fly fishing author. You're more apt to read fishing stories that involve old beat up trucks rather than fancy SUV's. If this is your first Gierach book and you like his style, I suggest you also read "Death, Taxes, and Leaky Waders", which is a compilation of his favorite stories from his previous books.

It is amazing that John Gierach can keep putting out interesting books on essentially the same topic without getting very repetitious. This is another compilation of essays in a long series chronicling his fishing life and the issues that have impact upon it.

His first book, Trout Bum, established his persona...a trout-obsessed fly-fisher who puts everything in life second to the sport. Whether or not this is actually true we don't know, but I suspect that it is pretty much accurate. Unlike most of the bums that I've known(ski bums, golf bums, bass bums) Gierach has managed to make a living from his obsession. I guess that this is a good thing for him...it certainly is good for his readers!

I cut my outdoor teeth in the high peaks region back in the late 70s & early 80s. The beauty and unpredictability of the weather in this region are unmatched.
My spine tingled as I read the harrowing stories of people caught in the clutches of bad situations, and fighting to make the best of it.
I've been a Search & Rescue team member in Kern County Ca and Monterey county Ca, and been in some truely frightening situations, but none as scary as a severe thunder & lightning storm on the top of Giant Mountain. This book brought back the rememberance of my primal fear...feeling my hair stand up from the static building before the lightning strikes, the screaming of both me and my trailmates, as the thunder boomed, reminding us of how frail life really is.
What a great book!

I was born and raised in the Adirondacks, and I must admit that learning the details of some of these triumphs and tragedies was just riveting. Mr. Bronski has done an incredible job of bringing these stories to life and making you feel that you actually know the people involved and you are actually in the midst of all the drama, storms etc. I never looked at the Adirondacks as "dangerous", but the title says it all, "At the Mercy of the Mountains".

Could not put it down and did not want it to end. Gave me a greater appreciation for the Daks. Really inspired me to get out there and hike!

My mother is from this area, and I have gone up my whole life (mid 40s) and this is the BEST book I think I have ever read about this area of the Adirondacks. A wonderful book - cannot recommend enough!!

Peter Bronski's collection of survival stories is riveting. Beginning with an introduction discussing the unique history and characteristics that are the Adirondacks, Bronski sets the tone for some amazing and harrowing true stories.

The infamous 1995 `blowdown' (derecho) is witnessed by several campers, where tornado-like microburst combined with thousands of lightning strikes terrifies the region. The storm leaves campers stranded in a mix of tangled trees piled like matchsticks. Four young men on a winter hiking trip suddenly experience a fast regional thaw and watch as several feet of snow turn to slush, suddenly flooding their lean-to and leaving them to hike over treacherous lakes and rivers that can't hold their weight. An experienced pilot and his wife crash their small plane into a mountainside, barely surviving, only to find themselves miles from nowhere.

These are just some of the stories that the author brings to life, some old and some recent. The most striking aspect this collection is the emphasis on search and rescue (SAR) in conjunction with the survivors ordeals. There are numerous missing persons mentioned over the years, some found and some lost forever. Instead of dwelling on morbid or gory descriptions, Bronksi focuses on the survivors and those that risk their lives to save others. Sometimes remnants of a lost hiker are found years later. Sometimes the family never gives up the search. This book is an instant classic and a must read for any outdoor enthusiast, especially if they travel in the Adirondacks.

We are generally car campers, but do venture into more adventurous terrain from time to time. I picked up this book on a whim and think its one of the best of its kind that I've ever read. Its realistic as to what is possible to bring with you and the time you are willing to spend, yet her recipes and techniques are still focused on getting the most flavor and enjoyment for your efforts. I enjoy reading through it from time to time just for fun.

This book contains recipes for camp meals that are tastier, larger portioned, and much, MUCH cheaper than the packaged alternatives available at camping stores.

Using a dehydrator and cleverly utilized items from the grocery store (e.g. the sour cream powder from a box of dried potatoes as an ingredient in a very good beef stroganoff) you can assemble a delicious menu for your next outing.

The book is geared towards wilderness camping, with an emphasis on light and dehydrated ingredients, all of which can be economically made in a dehydrator, or bought at a regular grocery store.

The recipes are very nicely classified by complexity of preparation, and length of cook time. The author's loves for cooking and wilderness camping combine wonderfully in this excellent book.

This is a superb compact cookbook for those who enjoy the outdoors and like eating home cooked eat'en while enoying the great outdoors! Well organized with easy read rating icons, this book lets you know at a glance what and how much preparation is needed to cook and serve each dish, the best and alternate cooking techniques, required grocery store ingredients, or baked at home recommended instructions. I enjoyed this book because we camp alot and I'm always looking for ways to cut down on our baggage, clutter, and weight. This book was worth it's weight in gold! It benchmarks most of it's recipes on dried foods or powder substitutes. It suggests premeasuring and placing in marked baggies ingredients to meal preparation. Weight cutting measures, such as, using powdered milk, powdered eggs, and dried ingredients can dramatically size down the amount of uncut or bulk items! This cookbook would be best matched with someone who owned and master a dehydrater, altough, it isn't necessary for most of the recipes. One can pick and choose the ingredients to dry and supplement based on their space or carrying capacity and purchase those ingredients at a grocery store near your camping location. The recipes included are basics and should give you enough to work with to possibly create your own renditions! Included are rehydrating techniques to use at camp for those lightweight dried ingredients to bring them back to life at the campsite. This book is compact, it does have a few pictures, some color, but small sized to accommodate the hand size of this must have trail and camping cookbook.Don't miss these selected picks I've found to be worth the purchase, Campfire Biscuits, Upside-Down Sloppy Joes, Grits With Egg And Cheese!

RECOMMENDED!

I read many reviews and purchased a couple of books on camp cooking, and if I were only allowed to have one, this is it.

When looking for books on camp cooking, one must align their type of camping with that addressed by the book. This book is subtitled CAMP COOKING FOR CANOEISTS, HIKERS AND ANGLERS. The rather varying needs of these types of people are well addressed. The canoeist, or someone camping by car, will carry more pots and pans than the hiker, but with over 150 recipes, all can find something. My wife and I currently only camp by car, but hope to start camping by kayak, and this book was right down our alley.

The recipes are good and are rather "normal" foods like you'd have at home. (Some camping books promote some pretty strange things.) The emphasis is on preparation at home, using ingredients that are light, easily packed and travel well. Most of the recipes require a little more preparation time and are more sophisticated than what you'll find in other books. (If you want quickly prepared, but plainer (stranger?), meals for hiking, see BACKCOUNTRY COOKING by Miller.) The opening chapters discuss the selection of camping food ingredients, and includes a substantial description of home drying which rivals the information in books devoted exclusively to the subject such as HOW TO DRY FOODS. You will probably find having a home dehydrator will be beneficial to get the most from this book. The author describes selection of camp cooking equipment such as stoves, cookware and eating utensils, and briefly discusses camping over an open fire, or with some of the camp ovens available, although most of the recipes are for a camping stove. Then there are ten chapters of recipes, such as "Soups," "Breakfast," "Main Dishes," and "Beverages." Each recipe is marked by icons indicating how many pots are needed, if the ingredients are readily available at grocery stores, whether it requires home drying, or if it requires canned foods. Clear black and white photos are interspersed throughout the book, and there are two sections of color photographs.

I found the first part of the book to be very valuable on its own. By knowing how to prepare ingredients for camping, such as clarifying butter, you can adopt your own recipes or dry mix foods for camping. I tried the upside-down sloppy Joes and beef stroganoff, and later, my wife informed me that mixes were available in the grocery store, so rather than collect all of the ingredients called for in the recipe, I adopted the prepared mixes. Unlike some other camp cook books that rely heavily on freeze dried foods sitting in some general store in the wilds of Colorado somewhere (or require mail ordering), most ingredients are available at the average supermarket (although despite seemingly having EVERYTHING by Knorr, my local Publix does not seem to have the mushroom SAUCE [not GRAVY] called for by the beef stroganoff recipe!).

If you only want one book on camp cooking, want to be rewarded with a satisfying meal, and don't mind a little preparation in camp, this is the book to have. It will take many years of camping to try all of the recipes in this book that interest us.

I started wilderness camping a few years ago and I have used this book for wonderfully tasty meals. When weight and space are an important consideration (portaging can be ugly) this book makes me look like a pro. Dehydrated store-bought food can be expensive and disappointing in taste and portions. This book has a simple approach to everything. I like the ease of preparation rating system, suggestions for packing the recipe as well as preparation in camp. Pictures make it easy even for a novice. I usually make a copy of the recipe and put it in the baggie with all the ingredients for the recipe. I like this book well enough to give it as a gift to our friends.

Briefly: This is an absolutely amazing collection of travel writing, perhaps the paragon collection of the genre. Honestly, there are no duds here (and there are a lot of essays here), with stellar writing and captivating stories across the board. A fantastic travel companion that, like one reviewer said, is a bear to read: though it's "only" 400-some pages, they use a tiny font and almost zero margins, so you get an incredible amount of reading, and it's all superb. I've read nothing better in the genre.

I concur with all of the previous glowing reviews. I have a beef with the publisher; the text is too small. I guess the font to be an 8.

Years and years ago an office-mate brought in a copy Outside magazine with an article on "Ferret-legging," and read to all of us. By the end of it we were dying with laughter. I made a xerox, which I saved for years, until I finally made the mistake of loaning to a friend (ex, now, obviously) WHO DID NOT RETURN IT.
Now this compendium of Outside's comes out, and blessed Mary mother of God, it includes the ferret-legging piece.
You must buy this, flip to "King of the ferret-leggers," and read the piece. You'll thank me, honest you will.
And I'm told there're some other stories in here as well. Think of them as gravy.

Thanks to Outside magazine, which has been systematically cultivating a stable of fine writers for years now, we have a collection of what I'll call the "nouveau adventure" genre. Yes, there are traditional, edge-of-your-seat adventure stories by familiar names like Jon Krakauer, Sebastian Junger and Dave Roberts, but to me the real pleasure of reading this book is derived from pieces like Ian Frazier's "Keeping America's Trees Safe from Small-Curd Bubble Wrap," and Randy Wayne White's "Why Do We Fish?" Their topics are just a bit off the wall, poke gentle fun at the human condition, and still manage to offer some real insight into subjects that most of us would never have thought of.

I have also savored the several pieces in the anthology that touch a deeper chord. "The High Cost of Being David Bower," a sensitive portrait of a man literally driven by the urgency of his dream, and "The Blackfoot Years," dealing with the importance of a river to the lives of a family that has had to cope with tragedy, are two favorites.

Here you will find adventure of all kinds, insightful social commentary, high risk moments, and just enough oddball humor to keep you entertained for hours. Like other readers, I find myself returning to this collection just for the fun and pleasure of rereading my favorites. Many thanks to Outside for having the vision and sense to give these authors a home in print.

I must have re-read this book for the twentieth time by now. And I already have this whole stack of Outside magazines on the shelf! Every time I read this book I would discover something interesting and new between the lines and in the stories -- whether it's emotional, descriptive or implied. I feel terrified when I read Krakauer's take on the Everest accident; inspired by the story on David Brower and his environmental stand; and I laughed myself silly with The King of the Ferret Leggers. In short, this book take me through the whole gamut of emotions. It's a great compilation and an even greater buy.

The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings, edited by Jim Joyce (Satya House Publications: Hardwick, MA, 2007), is a delightful compilation of short essays on cycling (some humorous, some inspirational, some amazing) and cartoons. Whether you have just a few minutes (before someone else arrives at your cycling meet point, perhaps?) or a full hour to devote to reading (how many folks won't look for an excuse to get out of detailing the bike for one more day?), this book can provide a pleasant distraction from our hum-drum everyday lives, and place us right back on the saddle.

Joyce covers a fun gambit, from how cycling is the fountain of youth (Law 6 in Gianna Bellofatto's "An Invitation to the Open Road & the Laws of Cycling"; "The Next 30 Years? How about the Next 50?" by Chip Haynes), to helpful mechanic hints ("Bits and Bolts from Ask the Mechanic," by Andy Wallen), and everything in between.

Then there are the cartoons, decorating the pages like your favorite bike accessories. You'll find yourself laughing at which sign of the cycling zodiac would represent you (Neal Skorpen's "The Cyclist's Zodiac"), or picturing bicycles for other animals than those captured (Skorpen's "Bikes of the Animal Kingdom" and "More Bikes of the Animal Kingdom")--of course the lemur's bike doesn't have any brakes; what does that say about our fixie crowd?, or even the cycling crest (Skorpen's "Human Power"). You'll laugh at how Bonkerz describes the cycling bank bandit (Bonkerz is Bob LaDrew's character who appears in the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club newsletter).

The book ends with some inspirational tales of wandering on the bike--ever think about riding across the Sahara? John Stuart Clark and his wife have done it ("Saharan Margins"). Riding Across the USA? I know some of you have done that. Check out Rhonda & Dave Fritsch's "Cross Country Tandem Trip: A Journal." Or, for the most vivid images I've had evoked by words in a long time, surrounding a storm the author could not outrace, check out Clark's "Desert Storm."

The editor, Joyce, also authors some pieces in here, in the "Wanderings" section. Who hasn't survived a ride because of a mentor's wisdom? ("Remembering Hank") Or gotten help exactly when you needed it? (brother Bill Joyce contributes "California Angel") Joyce was a TOSRV vendor this year, and I enjoyed jawing with him as I made my purchase. Hmm, I wonder where my piece on night-of-TOSRV repair jobs would fit in this book?

Please note, Joyce plans to donate 15% of his royalties to several worthwhile organizations: League of American Bicyclists; SoldierRide.com; and the United States Association of Blind Athletes.

Jim Joyce's "The Bike Book--Wit, Wisdom and Wanderings" is for gearheads, travel loggers, illustrator illumines, comic junkies, physics freaks, folksy fanatics, Garrison Keller cheerleaders, economics evangelicals, humor twirlers, news "nosies", philosophical philanders, "roadie" raconteurs, and commuter commodores.

The perfections and imperfections; the certainties and uncertainties; the knowns and the unknowns possess real life metaphors expressed through the eyes of these essay cyclists. No matter if you are a recreationalist or a hardcore dirt-ragster, there is something in this collection of essays written with two-wheelers in mind. As Gianna Bellofatto (a great name for a bike frame), a contributor to this book, says, "Life is a Bike". Damn right there!

It can be read in an afternoon when the wind is too strong and the rain too hard. When finished, you will feel like the sun came out, the sky opened up, and a light breeze blew in from the South.

This book is a Stocking Stuffer for yourself, and a relaxing point-to-point ride from your easy chair!

Gianna Bellofatto, a friend of a friend, turned me on to Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings, a collection of cycling stories, articles and cartoons, edited by Jim Joyce. I knew from Gianna that she was contributing to this book and I was happy to read her articles and discover many new ones.

First, let me say that it is a relatively small book, 149 pages, but it is packed with interesting material. So interesting that, although small in size, I have not yet worked my way through all of it -- preferring instead to parcel it out in small doses to make it last longer!

I recommend this book to all of you, for yourselves or as a gift to a fellow cyclist. It's a celebration of the bicycle by people who love to ride, packed with original stories and illustrations from a talented group of writers and cartoonists. One cartoonist I was already familiar with was Bob Ladrew, whose work has always amused me in the monthly magazine of the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club.

Gianna's essay series, "Life is a Bike," is described in one review as ever clever, pleasantly quirky, and always an American original. I certainly agree and especially enjoyed "Romancing the Bike".

There are articles to satisfy the "gear heads" amongst us and a very interesting interview with Coach Chris Carmichael. There are also a number of articles I look forward to in anticipation, having not yet gotten to because, as I said above, I don't want the fun of reading it to end too soon.

The editor, Jim Joyce, is the founder and editor of the online magazine, The Bicycle Exchange ([...]), and also a contributor of articles to the book. He plans to donate fifteen percent of his royalties from this book, divided equally amongst the League of American Bicyclists, [...] (a program providing cycling tours for wounded soldiers) and the United States Association of Blind Athletes.

To me, this book sounds like an ideal gift. Buy one for yourself and one for a friend.

This book is one of the best $14.95 investments I've ever made, full of wonderful essays and cartoons, such as:

--John Stuart Clark, a Scotsman who describes riding through a violent storm in Wyoming and then his adventures riding with his wife through the Sahara.

--Ella Lawrence's observations of the various multinational fans attending the Amstel Gold Bike Race in the Netherlands.

--Gianna Bellofatto's "Life is a Bike" series on life, love, and bicycling.

--Rhona & Dave Fritsch's account of their 3710-mile cross-country tandem journey from Washington State to Ocean City, NJ.

The Delaware County Bicycle Club's "Bonkers" cartoon character's two-wheeled adventures (and misadventures).

"The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings" is a must for any bicyclist's library!

Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings is a collection of stories, cartoons, essays and interviews that address all aspects of bike riding. It surely belongs in the collection of everybody who ever set foot to pedal.

The wit in the title is abundantly demonstrated in six essays by Gianna Bellofatto (aka Joan Reid, Feature Editor of The Nyack Villager) and author of the column, Life Is a Bike. In one of her essays she hands down the Laws of Cycling: "Fourth Law: You can never get lost while riding a bike; your ride is merely extended. ... Sixth Law: You always look younger on a bicycle."

Other contributions include sports writer Scott Roberts' interview wth Lance Armstrong's coach, a husband and wife's journal of their tandem bike ride from Washington State to New Jersey (3,710 miles accomplished in forty-seven days), Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Hylton, with his thoughts on bicycle-friendly communities. There are predictions on the future of bicycling and thoughtful commentary on the sport and pastime--even tidbits for non-bikers; we learn that cyclists affectionately refer to their bikes as wire donkeys and each other as gear heads.

This book is a treasure for the cyclists on your holiday gift list.The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings

This is by far, the best cookbook we own. It is huge, and contains every recipe you could ever want or need for rubs, marinades, sauces, every kind of meat, great sides, and even cocktails...this book is like a textbook for grilling because it teaches you so much about every which way to use your grill. We have given it as gifts and everybody has loved it and even bought it for their friends and family as gifts! Buy this book and you can throw away any other grilling books you own.

Have not by any means read, or tried, the whole book. But the section on equipment is very helpful. The entire book looks really very good, as are all of their books. This is one of the 2 weeks of the year in which it is nice, as opposed to cooking ON the sidewalk sort of heat where I live. So outdoors is great.

I was just a tad disappointed in the pizza and bread section. The reason was strictly me, I am sure. But I have been really into hand making bread in particular for about 30 years. I usually bake them on a pizza stone in the oven. I recently saw a wood fired pizza baking BBQ sort of thing at the barbeque store- and I have tried to convince my husband to build me one, for my now once-a-month loaf, for 15 years. No luck. So when they mentioned this device in equipment, I was hoping they would check it out and try some. Perhaps for the next book?

This book was written to clear up some misunderstandings about grilling, and it exceeds in a winsome and delightful fashion!

Many wrongly think anything on a grill = grilling. This is dispelled and corrected with this book, so get it to learn on!

It is about flavor at the right temp to match with the ingredient being cooked, and here is the full range of methods and equipment: planking and big-pot frying and boiling and charcoal and gas and fire-pit and rotisserie and smoking and deep frying, et al.

It is a big collection well done! Idea is to dine and cook together outside and enjoy, so exploring new recipes, new methods, new equipment, will inspire and delight the cook and the fed, plus there are recipes for sides and desserts which require inside type preparation. It's almost 600 pages of advice and inspiration to take the journey.

From the plethora of offerings here thus far, I've sampled only a few but they were outstanding: Salmon Fillets with Chile Honey Butter; Grilled Lamb Chops with Dill Yogurt Sauce; Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches;

The pleasure from trying these mouth watering delights is the vast untried collection that now awaits.

This is truly nice addition to the seasonsed griller as purchase or gift, as well as for the novice or in-betweener. Only downer which would have spiced up this offering is some color photos.

To say this book is complete is an understatement. I bought this book after using their "Smoke & Spice" book for several years. "S & S" is strictly about low and slow cooking of beef and pork, while this one is much more broad, with excellent recipes and ideas for entertaining. If you're mainly concerned with making great BBQ pork and beef, I'd start with the "Smoke & Spice" book. The rubs and sauces recipes are super. But my guess is you'll soon graduate to this book if you like outdoor cooking and like to entertain.

With 850 recipes, including 200 sauces and rubs, big and thorough are the operative words for this James Beard Award-winning team's latest (after "Good times, Good Grilling").

They begin with solid definitions of the various outdoor techniques. Grilling, for instance, is always done over direct heat, with the cover up. Does that mean you can't make beer can chicken? Sure you can, but don't call it grilled. Actually in the Jamisons' version it's smoked and takes leisurely hours.

Then there's rotisserie roasting, planking, and big-pot frying (corn dogs, catfish, fried Oreos) or boiling or steaming (blue crabs, lobster). But the majority of receipes employ their favorite cooking method - grilling. There's even a skewered grilled cheese sandwich appetizer and grilled fruit parfaits in addition to authoritative instructions on grilling burgers, steaks with mouthwatering sauces, suckling pig, ribs, game, and poultry of all kinds and cuts.

In addition to Smoked Beef Tenderloin, Ground Lamb Kebabs with Black Olive and Lemon Relish, and Planked Salmon, the Jamisons also include chapters on drinks, vegetables (Middle Eastern Peppers with Pomegranate Sauce, French Fries, Lacquered Tofu and Vegetable Skewers), breads, salads and desserts.

Geared to entertaining, most recipes serve six or more. The tone is opinionated, knowledgeable and friendly and we amateurs are encouraged to be creative and reflect our own flair and taste as long as we can refrain from doing anything scandalous, like flattening burgers with the spatula.

There are menus scattered throughout as well as boxed party tips, variations, and sidebars. Recipes cover an international gamut and all occasions from holiday parties to backyard picnics. A primer on grills and smokers explains what to look for and even includes brand names.

Dare I say it? This could be the only American outdoor cookbook you'll ever need.

--Portsmouth Herald

I bought this book for my grandfather who is retired and just wanted to know about all the different birds and so now he knows everything.

I like the book because it has close up actual pictures and good descriptions of the birds which is vital in identifying them. So far I have found all the birds I've been looking for. I also like the size of the book. It's better than the Audubon Society's version of the book.

The book was sent in a timely manner and it was in the promised condition.

I love this little book. Birds are listed by color and then size. It makes for very easy and quick IDs. The color photos of each bird are also immensely helpful in makeing IDs. I have already ID four different birds that I have been seeing in my back yard for years but haven't found in other books. If you live in Oklahoma, this is the reference guide to have!!!

This is a great book for our family. We are novice bird watchers, but placed bird feeders around our home and have identified several birds using this book.
It's simplicity makes it so usable. The birds are classified by color first then shape or activity. The pages are "tabbed" by color so you simply turn to the appropriate color tab and determine which bird you are looking at.
We also have the National Audubon book and find it more difficult to use. Their system is to categorize the birds by shape or activity first and them color. We find that the bird is long gone by the time we figure out whether is shaped like a "perching bird" or a "swallow like" bird.

It is just simpler to begin with the obvious - what color is the bird? and then turn to the corresponding pages. The book is easy for older children to use. We find that the more success we have the more we remember to open the book and identify that bird at the feeder.

I think I stuck this book in someone's stocking one Christmas, but we have all enjoyed it!

Excellent! The proof is in the pudding. I plan to build the T-2, one of the proas covered in detail. Only the book is needed to complete several proas from start to finish, including sails. Each boat also has options as to material and rig. There is plenty to ponder including the author's website and links. I was looking for something light weight, fast, and different. An outrigger should attract some attention on the boat ramps here in Maine. Paul

If you're interested in building a sailing outrigger or have simply always wondered how these somewhat mysterious boats work, this book is a "must have" and contains a tremendous amount of information, especially for the price. People who have read my book (Canoe Rig) know that I place great value on plenty of top-notch illustrations. Gary's book is crammed full of them and does an excellent job of showing you exactly what he's talking about in the text. They also inspire the reader to build one (or maybe even all three) of the boat projects illustrated, just because they're beautiful boats. Toss in the bonus that they're light, fast and relatively easy to transport and store in the off-season and the become even more attractive. The "Ulua" design, in particular would also make a great paddling hull in case you aren't interested in sailing all the time. Building procedures and options for all three designs are well documented and discussed. This is, after all, a boat building book, not just an explanation of the types and principles of outrigger canoes (though you'll learn a lot about them as you read and build). In short, this book will be a great addition to any conoeist's library and any or all of the boats illustrated should be a very nice and unusual addition to your fleet.

Todd Bradshaw
Addiction Sailmakers

Congratullations to Gary Dierking for a great book in the art of boat building a pacific sailing outrigging. There is enough writing and a lot of pictures to clear any issues a person may have. This is a great reference book for any amateur or experienced boat builder.

As a sailor, builder, and designer of multihulls, and collector of multihull related books, this one is unique! Dierking presents three simple and attractive designs, from a hard chined plywood outrigger for a first time builder or for a class project; to a strip built asymmetric hulled proa that is also simply described and laid out for a first time builder.
The book also details the construction of amas, akas, spars, and foils; everything is covered. If you are inclined to purchase plans from Dierking, this book would be the perfect primer. Actually, it's a great primer to anyone interested in building a small sailing craft.

Well written and illustrated. Three different designs and their variations are presented. Since I am rabid about proas I read it cover to cover and enjoyed it immensely. I don't think it's enough for a beginner to build a complete canoe just from the tables of offsets and parts diagrams but perhaps an experienced craftsman could pull it off. I still think it would be better to buy the full plans if you're serious about building. The plans will have the construction sequence, tips, instructions, etc. that the book lacks. Thus this book is a long advertisement for Gary's plans but I don't find fault with that. I wish there was more about actually sailing the canoes. I liked reading a little more of Gary's history building and designing canoes. In the end this book is exactly what the title says.

After reading this and realizing I live within minutes of some of the places mentioned it makes me want to try it. It also helps me realize how lucky I am to live here. The book took me to what seemed like another world at times. Although I might not agree with some of his and other caver's philosophy, I still appreciate what they are trying to do with the sport. Maybe, I'll get to meet a member of the tight knit, eccentric, caving family and experience first hand some of the thrill and pain of going underground.

Michael Ray Taylor sends a much needed jolt to the world of cave literature. The book is a celebration of caving for caving's sake, rather than for some loftier goal. Mike is your average guy who has an unusual hobby, one that, in another time or place would remain unfulfilled. But Mike has not only been able to enjoy his hobby immensely, he has been able to weave it somewhat into his career. In his role asa journalisthe has wormed his way onto some of the most interesting trips of the past decade and, on occasion, been present at the making of history. Michael Ray Taylor has given us that rarest of things, real life advenure, told in a down to earth, believable style. In a world of incongruous movies and unrealistic fiction, this book is worth it's weight in gold.

Come visit Michael Ray Taylor's underground world and explore some of the last great wilderness on earth without leaving the safety and comfort of your armchair. This collection of short stories on caving takes you around the world to some of the most exotic caving regions. Michael's easy and casual style of writing puts you right in the action. One can easily imagine how tight the Devil's Pinch must be, and what those rocks felt like as they squeeze you from above and below. I liked how Michael made each account personal by letting you get to know the other cavers and the local inhabitants of the region. This book is for anyone with an adventurous spirit.

In this irresistable book, Taylor shares his passion for caving in easy-going prose that never falters. He takes us all over into all kinds of caving situations, and the result is simply fascinating. What's more, Taylor never falls prey to the immodest "boy-am-I-ever-cool-and-macho" style that afflicts some who write about their awesome adventures. On the contrary, Taylor is disarmingly candid about his occasional fears and breaches of caving ettiquette. His honesty adds to the pleasure of reading this fine little book. Although the book is never quite as lyrical as one might hope, the last few paragraphs are surprisingly bittersweet.

The single significant flaw is not in the text, but rather in the lack of photographs. One wonders how a book in which great pains are taken to describe underground scenes, and in which the personalities and work of several cave photographers are described, could be virtually photograph free. It's strange and a little frustating. But this is still a delightful book.

After finishing this book for the second time, I again felt the pang of loss for having the pages not continue. A blend of caving, philosophy, and caving philosophy, his work gives one pause for finding meaning in one's life. I for one am jealous of the karst regions he has been fortunate to explore. Telling about those exploits is handled with style that doesn't get in the way of the story itself. I'm sure others would enjoy this book. I do.