Guides and Directories Books

This book in my opinion is the best book on introducing people to nudism. The author used a straight forward approach to all aspects of clothing optional recreation. The author, who is on the cover, passed away as the book went to press but contributor Marilyn Lovell works and plays a big role at the clothing optional resort Avalon in Paw Paw, West Virginia.

About the book:

He's a curmudgeon and declares himself one in the introduction, even if he doesn't use that term. The writing style is crusty, earthy and very easy to read, even though he has more then a few axes to grind.

With the caution of telling them it is a overview and one man's opinion, I would give this book to someone new to the nudist lifestyle. He does not go into details with many of his comentaries, so I don't really consider it a guidebook or manual. In many ways it really the story of his moving from a city highrise apartment to a trailer in a quiet resort.

4 out 5 stars for the lack of detail.

About the writing:

It would be possible to critically rake this book over the coals for much of its style and flow, but as it was written in the brief time Mr. Penhallow had left in his life, many of its sins can be forgiven. However, I do wish that Ms. Lovell had exercised her editorial/rewrite control as there are several dangling references and repeated comentaries that needed to be completed or removed.

Also don't let the title fool you, anyone who has trailers at 2 different resorts, a 5-ton truck to move the "essentials" between the 2 and 4 microwaves, cannot be called parsimonious and barely be called frugal. ;)

This book is great. Since I have gotten it I threw away all of my drawers and trousers. I am nude all of the time. I really like to sit on my head like the guy on the cover. I do it alot. And then it hurts. I have to ice my head down after. When I do it, somethimes people walk by and go "wooooah". It is pretty awesome. Then they sometimes say things like "we should do that". When I am standing on my head I also like to pretend that I am a space-man with upside-down eyes.

Living Naked serves as a valuable handbook for those seriously considering nudism or for nudists pondering moving to a nudist park. Although this book was composed while author Paul Penhallow was terminally ill, he and Marilyn Lovell avoid the pithy sentimentality and stay on-task by guiding the reader through the pros and cons of a decision to live nude. The non-gratuitous profanity relays the author's conversational tone and authenticity. Like the various publications of Naturist Life International, such as the NLI quarterly magazine, Living Naked states a strong case for the benefits of nude living.

Since i read this i have thrown all of my drawers and trousers out the window. I now have no clothes and act like the dude on the cover. I love to stand on my head. It hurts after awhile. Then I ice it down. While I am on my head, however, it is pretty cool. All of these people walk by and they are like "wooooaaaahh". It is pretty funny. Then they say something like "we should do that". It is definitely worth getting good at. I also like to pretend I am a space-man with upside-down eyes.

This is a "real" guide. It has been carefully compiled and includes all the information which any water-borne visitor will need to know when visiting the Windward Islands., These are (in the order they appear in the book); Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Bequia (pronounced Beckway), Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Palm Island, Union Island, PSV and Petite Martinique, Grenada, Carriacou, and, of course, each of the passages between these enchanting islands.

In an informative introduction, which gets anyone who is sitting in a cold house during an American or European harsh winter (like I am!) wanting to reach for the phone and book a flight, we learn something about the local land and the customs of the people who live there. There are also a number of helpful suggestions on any topic from "what to bring" to sunburn - and it's all useful stuff, even for the seasoned traveller.

Then it's on to the cruising information with notes on weather and navigation as well as more general information about scuba diving, flora, fauna and even the flags of the different countries visited. From now on we get down to cases in the order of march already mentioned.

Telling people how they should navigate their boat is a very responsible undertaking. Forget to include that, otherwise well known, underwater obstacle and you can guarantee at least 3 boats will have hit the darned thing within the first 24 hours of your book being published. This book, however, is a professional work and I doubt any yacht or other small boat travelling to and from these small islands will be without a copy.

NM

If you are planning a trip to the carribeans (Grenadines/Windward Islands) - this is your #1 reference. Excellent! Very complete, in colors, pictures...

I used this book more than the charts. The information is up-to-date and accurate. Don't go sailing with out it.

J. Lemke

Doyle's info was very good and the color arial photos and mini charts are very usefull. The book is 9 inches by 6 inches and has 400 pages, however if you were to remove the advertizments and touristy photos you would probably end up with about 275 pages of usefull info.

This is one of my favorite travel guides, ever, period. Even though this book is aimed at sailors, it has plenty of helpful information for land travelers too. Plus it has a lot of information I've never found in another travel guide. The best example is this. One beautiful night as we sat on our terrace enjoying the 180 degree view of the southern skies, I turned to my travel partner and said, "Did you print off those star charts so we can identify the southern cross?" His response. "Uh oh, I never got around to that."

The next day we looked all over the Island of Bequia for a star chart. We were laughed out of stores, some of which even catered to sailors. At one point I suggested maybe the Sailors Guide we have back at the villa will have a star chart. We agreed it was not likely but hot and tired, we decided to go back and see. We get back, look, and sure enough there it is - a star chart of the southern skies along with a date and time table for determining where everything should be and when. Oh my goodness. We had a chart all along. Thank you Sailors Guide!!

We used that star chart every night for the rest of the week and had a blast locating and identifying all the constellations we could see. It was fascinating watching the southern cross gradually rotate around the point in the sky where the south axis of the earth intersects with the southern sky. Ah, the pace of life on Bequia and the joy of a guide book that delivers way more than expected.

This book was useful on my trip!

I was supremely disappointed with the book, particularly in light of the rave reviews seen on this page. There are no recommendations beyond what could have been provided in a brochure. While the spas are rated, there is no explanation provided on how the rankings were determined. The first section also seemed to indicate spas could get listed simply by sending in material. I was hoping for some indication that someone had actually visited the spa or spoken with someone who has, thereby confirming the information and adding value with meaningful comments about specialities.

This Guide cuts some of the homework for Spa Travel

This 420 page spa guide is EXCELLENT! It includes a huge list of Invigotry, health, and fitness spas, rating each from "tourist guide" to "deluxe". I was most impressed with its well written reviews- especially the one on the Amadeus Spa. Read it and find the spa best for you!

From the moment you receive your copy of Spas - The International Spa guide, you know you've entered the blissful universe of health, fitness and lngevity spas. All the information you need in right here in this book. Do something good for your health, body and soul. Get your copy of Spas - The International Spa Guide now!

This is especially helpful for my son and I trying to determine the colleges that will best for him considering every aspect.

Thanks.

Jim

As someone who has been through the process, personally and for children and nieces and nephews etc, I have this advice: Get an encyclopedia guide for colleges. There are a few great ones and each has strengths over the others. But, basically each is good enough and complete enough where owning one will do the trick. Your choices are Fiske Guide to Colleges 2007 (Fiske Guide to Colleges), Best 361 Colleges, 2006 (College Admissions Guides) and this book. You must have one!!!!

Then, if you want to learn more about schools and the process of college -- and believe me it has drastically changed in even the most recent decade -- buy any one of the following: Colleges That Change Lives : 40 Schools You Should Know About Even If You're Not a Straight-A Student; A Is for Admission : The Insider's Guide to Getting into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges (Paperback);The College Admissions Mystique (Paperback) and Pope's classic Looking beyond the Ivy League : Finding the College That's Right for You; Revised Edition (Paperback).

That list is all you need. Avoid the "How to Write an Essay that Gets You Into Harvard Even Though Your Grades and Scores Stink" books; avoid the "I Can Get Anybody In" books, avoid the "This is the Trick to Making Up for the Last 4 Years of Slovenly Laziness" books.

In the end, you will realize that you will constantly go back to the encyclopedia college guide as it is there where flashcard fast facts often accurately depict the social and other aspects of the school which "make or break" your child's decision in applying to that school.

If you choose this encyclopedia -- it will be money well spent. It has as many if not more details than the others and offers some insights into the character of the schools: something which the other encyclopedia college guides also provide -- but in a different manner.

Very good alternative to the Barrons and Princeton Review books. Great and useful rankings. Very relevant advice and supplemental features. Definitely the #1 college guide, but b/c there was no CD-ROM that I thought would help, I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

Good book. Almost too much information. Can be confusing if your just searching for a college without prior direction

There are many, many college search guides and books out there. The Princeton Review has a couple of good ones. But if you are at the very beginning of the process for your son or daughter (as I am currently with my daughter), you should absolutely take a look at this book.

"Ultimate College Guide (2006 Edition)", issued by US News & World Report, "the leader in college rankings", is a mammoth 1739 pager, which basically lists all colleges and universities alphbetically, state by state. This book is not a subjective evaluation on which schools are "the best", but rather a "just the facts, ma'm" type of book. It provides detailed information on everything from tuition and room/board costs, how many applied, were accepted and actually enrolled, what the average scholarship grant is, etc. etc. My daughter, who is starting her junior year when school resumes after the summer, has spent a lot of time flipping through this book (which she has not done with some of the other college guides we've gotten).

As to those rankings, if you think they don't matter to schools, think again. We recently did a campus visit and tour of Vanderbilt University. In the presentation, the Vandy rep highly touted the fact that Vandy's ranking in the last couple of years has risen from 21 to 18, and hoping to crack the top 15 within 3 to 5 years. We later checked it out in this book, and yup, there it is: ranked 18 among National Universities...

The new 2007 edition of this book comes out in October, and we'll probably check that out as well, just to get updated numbers on tuition and room/board expenses. Meanwhile, the 2006 edition will do. Highly recommended!

This book is well laid out with many photos. There is a big fold out map included of all the Texas State Parks. The parks presented are grouped according to their regional location. Desriptions of the types of campsites, amenities and contact information is provided. It's a basic, easy to read, Texas State Park reference book.

I ordered this book, but was immediately surprised at two things when it arrived: 1) the format is larger than I'd hoped for. 2) It's black and white, with a section of color photos in the center that are often vague about locations.
I've been to 2 of the locations that were listed, and yes, the details are accurate. However, I was hoping for more: what to do in the area for day trips, and color photos of each park for example. Those was lacking.

Although it includes many commercial campgrounds also, this book is superb for selecting, contacting, and describing the many state parks in Texas...we have found no better!!

I live in Texas, and I have so for all of my life, but it is sure is surprising to find out how big Texas exactly is. In this book you get, in detail, a listing of state and national parks and forest for the 4 regions of Texas. Being that Texas is so big, each region tends to have all different types of camp sights compared to some of the other regions. The nice thing about this book is it gives you information about OTHER parts of Texas, perhaps that you haven't visited yet. I love to camp but tend to stick to those areas near me, or that I visited as a child. This book should give you enough information to maybe visiting some new sights.

I operate a year round therapeutic camp for teen boys. The camp goes on many trips, from day trips to extended trips. This book by Mickey Little is an invaluable resource in planning the trips for my staff and 30 boys. Lots of maps, descriptions on campsites and group sites, and of course, activities for the kids once we get there. I would'nt plan a trip without Mickey.

In true Frommers style this book is well written, thorough and well researched. The problem lies in the fact that contrary to what the desciption would have you believe the properties listed in this guide are for the most part in the very expensive range. Now in some respects a "hideaway" needs be a purposely found hideaway location that warrants the high price for privacy but I was disappointed that more off-the-beaten track, unusual/quirky, hidden gem sort of accomodations were not mentioned. If you are seeking a honeymoon location, in cognito vacation or splurge than this book is for you, but if you are looking for something not found in those full page vacation sell-off ads - get a different book.

Keown has personally selected and reviewed more than 150 unforgettable choices in the Caribbean in all price ranges to provide travelers with the low-down on the perfect island getaway. Maps.

What a WONDERFUL guide to the Caribbean!! This specialized Frommer's Guide is not the usual travel book ... it delivers the romance part of the equation, as promised. Not only are the descriptions detailed enough to make some intelligent choices, the overall organization of the book is fantastic. And, the author's first-hand experience, over decades - not a few months, makes this a must have resource. I can't imagine going to the Caribbean without this in my bag!

This book will seduce you into quickly booking your next vacation. It is simply GREAT! Lots of pricey suggestions, but several less-expensive gems too. Buy it, and you will be travelling soon.

For me (and others who really travel the caribbean) this is the book!! These are the very best places to stay with excellent commentary , room suggestions, descriptions etc. I have traveled to almost all of the suggestions and Ian is right on the money. Do NOT buy this book if you like all inclusives with lots of party games - it is not for you. This is an escapist manual. I would trust his suggestions for the trip of a lifetime - everytime! I have both copies and it is obvious the new edition was not just a rehash - everything is updated. Worth every penny and more!

Another book in the Costume Society of America (CSA) series, this guidebook has the familiar format of a tourist/visitor guide. The more than 2600 entries are by state with addresses and phone numbers. Hours, type of institution (e. g., historical, state), types of items in the collection, and a general description of these are found with many of the entries. For example, the Missouri Historical Collection in St. Louis has more than "16,000 pieces of clothing and textiles, dating from the late eighteenth century to the present." This collection's strengths include women's clothing and accessories from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Such helpful notes are one benefit of having editors with such extensive and deep experience as Queen and Berger. All historical ages, parts of the world, and many ethnic groups are covered by the numerous collections. For the majority of entries with no annotations, websites are listed where applicable; and for those which do not have a website, phone numbers are listed for obtaining further information.

This guide provides valuable information for costume scholars doing research and seeking collections. But more than that, enthusiasts, collectors,(of quilts or flags, for example), or just people interested in seeing clothing housed in museums will find this state-by-state guide easy to use and informative. Even if you can't travel far afield, you can take an armchair tour and enjoy the photographs and other material in the guide. Even though I consider myself fairly knowledgeable, this guide has revealed collections I didn't know existed. This guide is bringing to light many hidden treasures that deserve to be seen and appreciated.

This is an invaluable tool for researchers studying any type of textiles, from flags to clothing. The book is about as comprehensive as it gets, listing historic sites, museums, and other collections. There is nothing else comparable for those interested in this topic. Important details are included for larger collections, along with contact information for each listing. This is a wonderful book that was written to promote research and facilitate contact among those studying textile collections.

Robert M Dunkerly
US National Park Ranger
Kings Mountain National Military Park

College-level holdings strong in costume history will find CLOTHING AND TEXTILE COLLECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES: A CSA GUIDE a fine survey of the collections available - the first such guide in print. Over 2,600 American collections are included in listings that hold location and contact information and often descriptions of holdings. From drama producers and museum directors to students of textiles and costume history, CLOTHING AND TEXTILE COLLECTIONS IN THE U.S. is an excellent guide.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As a travel guide book it is quite comprehensive. At leaste so far as I thumbed through it. Even found the little house museum in my tiny little home town. And it does give notes in regard to what collections include. It is NOT however, a photo book that PICTURES the items in said collections. I didn't read carefully enough I guess, and had deluded myself into thinking it would have color plates. If you are fortunate enough to travel to see these museums, this would be an invaluable book. If however, you are like me, and can only afford to order the books published by the people who have seen the collections. This book will only make you wish you had a bottomless bank account and a car that didn't threaten to fall apart at the thought of going farther than ten miles!

This book came very quickly from the seller and is in decent condition. The price was absolutely terrific, and I am very happy. This is a good book for people exploring the idea of embarking upon an environmental career, or people looking to change or expand their career to something environmentally related. Thanks!

I suppose this is what you get when you order online. Every once in a while you don't get what you expect and I think it has a lot to do with not having the book right there in your hands before purchase. I just got this book in the mail yesterday and although I haven't got through a lot of it (50 pages or so) I can easily tell it was before Lil' Bush Jr. stepped into office and started rewriting environmental law in favor of big business favor. The book also talks (obviously) about predictions and trends in the field that may or may not still be true. I find myself reading saying "oh thats interesting, i wonder if its still true.

I know much of it has to do with me not noticing the pub. date but when you have a book with 21st century in the title I guess I kind of took it for granted.

This is THE book to buy on careers in the environment. It details almost any profession you can think of, from science to social work. There are clear decsriptions off all the various careers, case studies (ie" a day in the life of John Doe, Botanist")and tons of contact foe everyone from the high school student to a PHD. I bought three books on the subject, and this one coveres all the information that was in the other two, plus it gives hints on how to go about preparing for and engaging in the job search. I am now well on my way to finding a job, and I have a clear sense of direction thanks to this book. BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT- YOU DON'T NEED ANY OTHERS!

Starting a career the day after you graduate from college is one thing. Selecting a career track before you start college is another. This book, The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century, is a helpful step in crystalizing your thinking.

With the explosive growth of the worldwide web, there are many, many resources available to help in this major selection process. However, this book focuses on the natural resource careers, and is fairly unique in that regard. I read the chapters dealing with my area of expertise (wildlife), and I thought the coverage was adequate, but a bit too generic. Picky, picky. I still found myself agreeing with what I was reading. I also liked the introductory chapters, and appreciated the focus on getting experience through internships and volunteering. I'd like students to do some exploring in their selection of courses, and "cross-train," or become multidisiplinary. Most students change their major at least once in their college careers, and many change their major several times. Be well grounded, and flexible in the courses you take.

Don't forget, however, that experitse is critical for success. It is not the degree that will propel you along your career track. It is what you know, how well you know it, and how you apply this information that will shape your success.

Most importantly, if you DON'T like the careers discussed in this book, switch majors now!

This book is a superb guide to what is often a confusing jumble of environmental career paths. From forestry to hazardous waste management to environmental education, the authors at the Environmental Careers Organization give detailed information about 11 major fields of work. In each field, they discuss major trends, career niches, salary ranges, appropriate educational background, and mini case studies. Introductory chapters have excellent advice on the job search. The annotated listings of professional assocations and other resources at the end of each chapter are by themselves worth the price of the book. Anyone considering a career in environment should have this book.

This is a great book for those seeking advice, suggestions and useful information on any performing arts major. It ofers suggestions, tips and a lot of very useful information for this specific area of study.

"Creative Colleges is very informative and it would have been so helpful to my daughter as a high school senior (she is now in college). It is much better to know about the things that are in this book well in advance. It is very helpful for parents and students starting the research. Also, there is very little information out there like this."

I only wish this book was around when I was researching colleges in NY! It's very comprehensive, simple to understand for any high school senior, and all of the information is up to date. Most other books hardly touch on the creative student- this book specializes in it. I recommended it to all the high schools in my area, and I'm pleased to say that they all love this book!

As if being a student in the college search and application process is not challenging enough, student actors, artists, dancers, and musicians are presented with additional and different sets of options and challenges. Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers by Elaina Loveland is a great resource for creative students, the parents of creative students, and the counselors who work with creative students.

The information in Creative Colleges is clear, practical, well researched, and well presented. Students will get help with decision-making and advice on applications, auditions, portfolios, essays, resumes, and other aspects of the process. They will also get a feel of what different colleges are like.

Much of the tips and advice is quoted directly from admissions professionals, professors at creative colleges, and from creative students who went through the college search and admission process.

The author is a former editor of the Journal of College Admission. In Creative Colleges, she combines that experience with her background as a writing student and writer and her experiences as a dance student and dancer. The author's experience and empathy for and understanding of the creative student are evident throughout the book.

Creative Colleges is a book that can be a great help every to every high school junior and senior who wants to pursue acting, art, dance, music, and writing at the college level.

This reference book helps in choosing creative type colleges or conservatories by providing the facts we need to know before we choose the school, such as how many apply/audition and how many are chosen each year. It lists the department activities, degree concentrations, number of full time faculty, prices, enrollment, scholarships, entry requirements, and prominent alumni.

While certain colleges have been chosen to have in-depth profiles as described above, most creative schools have been listed by state under their specialty(acting, artist, dancing, music, writing) without in- depth profile for you to further investigate on your own. The biggest down fall of the book is that not enough colleges have been chosen for in-depth profiles on their creative departments.

This book also provides examples of creativer resumes and audition / portfolio requirements.

So the book is a starting ground for creative school investigation but must be used in conjunction with other information sources and books that outline creative schools. Use this in conjuction with Peterson's College Guide for Performing Arts Majors.

This book allows you to zero in on a college that gives out scholarships. Merit scholarships are the most plentiful and this book outlines what each college expects and also gives the amounts each college will award. Most other scholarship books I found a waste of time and money. This book does need to be updated though.

Overall the book was comprehensive enough in the sense that it covered about 360 summaries on individual colleges and the types of unique financial aid that they offer. It also acts somewhat in part as a college guide because the author separates the colleges according to the most competitve, the highly competitive, and the competitive ones while also listing their individual acceptance rates. There is also significant info on FAFSA and PROFILE forms and a history on the federal government's policy on giving financial aid. The only thing that I warn potential readers is that the deadlines listed regarding the colleges are dreadfully outdated in many of the universities included here. Also, it would've been helpful if he had included the average financial aid package per college or the address of the college just for reference. This is a pretty sufficient book though for those who want to get the whole scheme of things and a little bit more, and for those who want to get a head start on the financial aid game. When I applied for financial aid to my colleges, I always had this book handy - so the money spent in buying this was overall not wasted.

This book is divided roughly in half between a savvy analysis of recent trends in college finance and financial aid and thumbnail sketches of over 300 of the top colleges and universities in the country. The balance seems about right. When one's eyes begin to glaze over from the sheer volume of acronyms and hair splitting definitions of "need-blind" and and other terms of art, one can always flip to the college profiles and read a refreshingly frank exposition on, say, the difference between Wesleyan, Amherst and Williams. The fact that no one description exceeds one paragraph makes for exceptional doctor's office or short sit reading.

This is a precise, insightful reference for people seeking relevant information in readable form about the complex topic of financial aid. It has been a popular resource among our high school seniors. Highly recommended!

I was impressed by the amount of information in this book. Wish it had been published last year when we were going through the admissions process. It is a book I will highly recommend to my online parents group who have students in the college admissions process. It is great to have a book that addresses school specific scholarships.