Travel Books

Two books that I'd like to recommend if you're headed Maui way for the first time: Maui Trailblazer and No Worries Hawaii. Both helped us scale down our vacation expenses. We arrived knowing exactly where we wanted to go and never had to resort to organized tours. Budget hotels and restaurants are listed.

Guided around by following the highway milepost markers was brilliant and we never missed a turnoff. They also tipped us off to not leaving anything on our car seats and not parking where we saw broken windshield glass. The Keanae Arboretum (free) and Twin Falls (free) were two favorite stops. There's a nominal entrance fee at the Maui Swap Meet but it is also a must do.

These are not your typical guidebooks. The graphics are clean and the information is easy to get to. There are tons of photos. If you like to travel independently, even if you're not on a budget, I recommend these popular books.

The places we did get to check out were awesome. I know we wouldn't have found the "aquarium" without this book and that was our favorite snorkel spot. I wish we had more time in maui to explore.

Where this one shines: compact and to the point, definitely our style. It covers all of the island and the hikes they list inside Haleakala Crater and near Hana were terrific. Bring your binoculars for the whale and windsurfer action. We had several guides with us, but the most consistent useful information came from this one.

Friends asked us how we saw and experienced so much in just a week and we attribute it to doing our homework first - mapping it all out with the Trailblazer.

The book scales the island down in a very nice way and is easy to follow. Heed their water safety and driving with "aloha" tips. Squirts out all the best things to do and made our daily itinerary decisions slamdunks.

Take it with you on the road. I strongly recommend seeing the Hana Highway in a convertible. Our twisty ride out there in the early morning was awesome.

We decided to visit two islands because we had heard how different they were: Maui and the Big Island. We chose the trailblazer books to guide us since they were both crammed with incredibly helpful information. For hikers and snorkelers and sightseers they are a gold mine. They are written in clear language and the outings are well arranged with accompanying maps.

The tips for getting out to Hana were treasure trove status and put us out in front of the chain of cars we saw heading out at 2pm. Leaving at 7:30 am before the tour buses made all the difference. We could have used another few days on Maui and regret taking only one hike down into the crater. We plan another visit in 2009 and our first order of business will be watching the sunrise on Haleakala and taking a helicopter tour.

Thanks Trailblazers for sharing and demystifying wowie Maui.

I love the whole series and I recommend it for anyone ages 11 and up. Meg Cabot is my favorite author and this book WOW'd me more than any other book I've read by her! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I read these books a few years ago from the library, When a friend picked them up at a bookstore recently, I decided to flip through them again. It wasn't long before I had to buy my own set and re-read them.

Darkest Hour is my favorite in the series as it introduces some interesting new characters and serves as a pivotal turning point in Susannah's relationship with Jesse. The storyline is very intriguing, and humorous, as always. There is plenty to keep the pages turning.

I recommend this series for any girl who likes her love stories a little more unconventional and less Disney. =D

THIS WAS THE BEST OF THE FIRST 4 BOOKS!! Seriously, my favorite!! From the beginning to the end is amazing and very surprising. I didn't want to stop reading. Im a girl of 13 years old and I seriously recomend the series to grade 7 to up.

My daughter got me hooked on this series and I was surprised at the great writing.

I love this book , and I love the character Jesse. This book is nothing but nonstop action and thrills , and some parts are so sad , and how Suze does to get Jesse back is certainly is unexpected. Although the new character Paul is very intriguing and I like his character , I can't wait to read the next book to find out about him.And I love the ending . Meg cabot really undone herself this time!

This is a very moving book. It gives us a glimpse into the suffering around the world and motivation to help.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY ON ANGELINE JOLIE AND A LOG OF HER TRAVELS FOR THE UNITED NATION. VERY INTERESTING. JM

These extracts from Angelina's journal provide a unique insight into the plight of refugees all over the world. It is heart-wrenching to read about the terrible ordeals these people have faced during war & continue to face even after the fighting is over. The courage they show during such adversity is humbling & inspiring to the last page. A must-read book if you have any interest in the plight of your fellow man.

Angelina Jolie has a very personal connection with those who are in hard circumstances like the poor in Africa, one can speculate why but cannot realistically claim it is not sincere. She spends a lot of her time and money there and writes with warmth and humility. She expresses appreciation for those things in other areas that help keep poverty and related problems at bay. A good read as a eyewitness account of what people are going through but also a meaningful social commentary, most of all I find this book an inspiring example of how to bravely contribute whatever one can.

One of the most treasured books in my home library, Angie's courage and compassion for those less fortunate comes alive in every page of this book. This book is very inspiring and very humbling at the same time. My respect for Angelina has increased a thousand fold from reading this gem...plus she is donating all her proceeds to the UNHCR! I hope she writes more books!

This book has lots of good ideas in it.

Well worth the money.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this book. I was amazed at how well thought out the "hacks" were and the authors take the time to explain the why of the "hack" with plenty of detail. Their handling of the different topics are from the perspective of what they found works well, but they take the time to address alternate viewpoints and the relative merits of each (an example is their handling of the red-dot sight vs Telrad vs Rigel Qwikfinder debate, some very useful information there!).

This is a definite "must have" book for any telescope owner (they handle dobs extremely well in this book), and is the second book you need to buy after choosing a good observing guide.

My wife gave me a decent telescope for Christmas and by luck got one that's pretty good. This book makes some specific recommendations that would have been useful to have read first.

A must have book for anyone getting into astronomy, whether with binoculars or a telescope. It's also a good to buy and read before you buy binoculars or a telescope, as it helps you decide what need to get. I was very impressed with it, and couldn't put it down, which says a lot about a technical book.

Gazing at the night sky is part of our nature. Whether for scientific and/or aesthetic purposes, we humans are fascinated by the enormity and beauty of the heavens.

The authors explain how astronomy gives them an "unchanging framework that places us in context within the universe. We look at the Great Orion Nebula, for example, and realize that the light we see tonight began its journey about 1,550 years ago, when the Roman Empire was in its final days."

This book is a comprehensive (almost 400 pages) guide to getting the most out of your nocturnal viewings. It will be useful for the complete amateur, the hobbyist and even offer some tips for the seasoned astronomer.

Don't be frightened by the word "Hacks" in the title. Like other O'Reilly Hacks books, this is not a compilation of illegal or unethical computer programs. It is a reclaiming of the original meaning of the word "hacks." Before the media started using the term hackers for everyone from mischievous teens to dangerous criminals, a Hacker was someone who used a creative workaround or discovered a more elegant, or quick-and-dirty, solution to a problem.

You probably won't read this book from cover to cover. Depending on where you are starting from and where you want to go, you will find sections that pertain to your interest and experience. Early in the book is a guide to choosing binoculars and telescopes. I like the hack that explains how to measure your "entrance pupil size" using Allen wrenches. This will suggest the optimal telescope for my eyes.

The book also gives tips, guidelines and even etiquette for venturing out alone or with others on an observation trip.

There is some solid information as to how our eyes function in the dark. If you are eager to see stars, you can skip some of this but I found it interesting. Especially the explanation of why all cats are gray in the dark.

After about 100 pages you will get into star identification and cataloging. It begins with the Bayer Catalog, (Johann Bayer published the first comprehensive star atlas in 1603) and then includes more modern catalogs.

The authors provide lists of, say, the 88 modern constellations and include a pronunciation guide so you don't sound like a newbie.
As an "urban observer" (about 8 miles from downtown), I have different equipment needs and techniques than a country dweller. There is a whole section dedicated to Urban Observing Skills.

For the adventurous, there is a game plan to complete a Messier Marathon (seeing and logging all 110 Messier Objects in one night.

Astronomy has long been linked to photography and there are a lot of hacks dealing with taking pictures of the images you observe.

Those who have gone beyond the beginner stage will appreciate all the hacks and modifications you can make to your telescope and other equipment to improve your experience. And the book concludes with hacks to make your PC a better tool in your observations.

This book provides a nice starting point for people interested in the night sky. But it's not a beginner's book. As your skills and interest grow, you will continue to uncover new and useful ideas from this book.

The best book on bodybuilding if you're a beginner! I bought the book and it's got more info jammed in fewer pages than anything you'll ever read. The different methods of training, technique, and the importance of rest and recovery. The specifics on nutrition alone is worth the price. The author shows examples of diet planning and how to manipulate your metabolism for maximum muscle. The author does not focus on worthless supplements, he simply pushes good nutrition and pumping iron. I am constantly referring to this book after three months of reading and re-reading. There are plenty of pictures and advice regarding how to avoid injury.
The only negative about this book is several errors in grammar.
But the stuff is so practical and easy to read who cares! A great compact easy to carry book that I still keep on my nightstand.
This author is showing what one bodybuilder did to build real muscle and compete to win the big prize. Whether you're just looking to tone or build muscle, this book will help you look good naked!

A very good book that delivers what it promises. The book is intelligently broken into topics that cover the exercises, the grouping of exercises into workouts, how often to exercise, how many reps to perform and nutrician. Each section is written to cover people who what only to tone up, people who want to loose weight and those who want to gain weight/bulk up.

His advise on all this really is 'realistic'. He stresses the basic exercises (bench presses, squats, pull ups, etc) to build a good foundation before progressing onto the more specialized exercises like cable crossovers. He points out that suppliments are not only expensive but aren't necessary if you simply eat the right foods at the right times.

Although the end of the book covers various aspects of competing, I think the book is best used by beginners to intermediates. It is the only bodybuilding book that I will need buy.

I think this is the book for working people who want to build muscle/tone them/loose weight etc. Most books seem to be considering that the reader is into professional body building. So, even if you start the program, you end it soon because it is just too much effort. This however is really a realistic approach and thus, you can continue it and getting results. I started with Arnold's book and the 5 set approach. That was just too much as I never had enough time for the same. Eventually after a month or two, I left the program. Then later on, after several years, I got this book and this was a no-nonsense approach, which I can adopt easily with my extremely busy work schedule and part-time graduate degree even!

This book is the best bodybuilding/weight training book I have read. It is a no bull approach that gives you the straight details without all the frill. This is not a catalog of grunts posing, it is a real book for real people who want to get into weight training.

Melfa is direct and honest on what you need to do. The nutritional information is the easy to understand and gives you a complete break down of how to eat for either muscle building or fat loss. I found the nutritional section to be much more consise then most other books. Considering that eating right is more the 50% of weight training, I don't know why so many other books have skimped on this section. The excersises are consise and clear. Melfa explians all aspects from beginner up to advanced competive training with clear photos and detailed examples for performing each excersise.

I've checked out just about every book in the library about body building and this is the one I wanted to buy. I am constantly referring to it, any and all questions are addressed. If you want glossy, full color printing in a large bound book so you can gawk and dream, then don't buy this book. If you want to be serious about getting into a training program and progressing, this is the book to buy.

I have lifted weights on and off for 25, sometimes pretty seriously, occasionally achieving quite a lot of bulk and definition, but this book finally gave me a real plan suited for guys like me - athletic nerds who want to be in shape.

It really is realistic; it is complete (diet, "dungeon" (basement) workouts, and - importantly - safety, are covered thoroughly), easy to follow, and the pictures are great. Many times, the author says "Look, I've done this excercise tens of thousands of times, and this is how you really have to do it. Watch out for X, Y, and Z, and don't fall into the various traps of bad form that can result in injuries, slow development, or uneven development).

The writing is friendly yet never verbose. The reader is encouraged at every step of the way, and the sample workouts and diets make things concrete.

King arthur flour company offers some of the best baking cookbooks around. I have never been able to make good bread untill now. They have the best (foolproof) bread recipes you could possibly imagine. There cookies are also excellent. I made the cheddar pepper biscuts yesterday and they are all gone. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this and all the other king arthur books!

This is one cookbook I have not regretted buying, it's well written and very well illustrated. Exceptional recipes.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. It not only has great recipes in it but also explains the whys of baking. Want to know WHY you don't stir muffins or brownies too much? Want to know WHY your bread dough sometimes doesn't rise right? This book has it all. A great read along with the recipes. Plus, it was $10 cheaper through Amazon than from King Arthur itself.

If you haven't taken time to look this one over, if you're a serious baker, you're missing out on some of the best recipes and information about quality baking! I've been baking for more than 30 years and this is a terrific addition to my cookbook collection that I'll use frequently!

I received this book as a gift this past Christmas, and it is by far the most-used cookbook I own. I have a special penchant for baking, but am only still learning (before this cookbook, I'd only ever really baked cookies).

I can say, then, that this cookbook is excellent for the learning baker. This is the book I used to learn to bake bread (like their delicious and easy Vermont Maple Honey Bread, and the much more complex but oh-so-worth-it Crostini with Basil, Chevre, and Sundried Tomato), and bagels, and the Simple but Perfect Pancake.

The only possible criticism I can muster is that sometimes I cut down a little on the salt and sugar (I don't like things very sweet), but I think with every cookbook you have to learn the writer's taste so you can adjust them to yours.

I LOVE to bake, and I love that just about anything I could want is contained in this book -- along with extremely detailed commentary so that you understand what you're doing, instead of just following directions.

It's those very clear directions, interesting facts, and the indispensable elaboration on specific ingredients in the back of the book that make this a book from which you learn not just recipes but actually how to bake.

So good job, King Arthur Flour -- I'm incredibly grateful I received this book!

This is a great book and it came in two days - way earlier than we anticipated! Good shape , great product!

This is a fascinating look at how people all over the world live. My children have enjoyed thumbing through it, & our realtor gives it out as gifts to his clients! A unique project indeed.

This book was created from pictures taken in the early 90's, so it is s bit dated, especially in the more developed nations. Things like computers and other tech is obviously missing. I know that many destitute Africans now even have cell phones, not shown here. Otherwise, this is a great book and is very educational. After reading it, I got to wondering what my possesions on the street would look like...

I thoroughly have enjoyed this book, looking at the people from around the world and their possessions and realizing how different I live from another. It was amazing to see each family so proud, of either how little they have or how much they have, and to have all that they own on display (from in the dead of winter to floating on a boat!).

This book is absolutely a wake-up call for many people out there who think they don't have enough! Beautifully put together. Outstanding.

I read this book many years ago, and I don't remember much about about it other than the following: Its one of the best books of science fiction I have ever read, has one of the bests plots about time travel, and finally is one of Asimovs bests. So I highly recommend it if you like science fiction, time travel and/or Asimov.

Harlan is a technician and works for a political sort of organisation called The Eternals. They minister to time over tens of thousands of centuries, and try and keep it running with a minimum of adjustments.

People being what they are, Harlan decides to make a minor fiddle because of his feelings for a woman.

I probably first read this classic sometime in the late 1950s; certainly, it's the earliest time travel novel I can remember reading. Andrew Harlan, a native of the 95th century, is a Technician in Eternity, a member of a corps of self-appointed guardians of reality that exists outside of ordinary time. It's a highly stratified society and Harlan is a member of the caste that actually effects changes by making the "Minimum Necessary Change" at the selected point in time and space. Then he meets a woman outside of Eternity with whom he falls in love -- sort of -- and takes it upon himself to protect her from a Change planned for her continuity. Of course, it's a far more complicated matter than that, as Harlan finds out the hard way. In fact, the very existence and survival of Eternity is at stake. But maybe it ought not to survive. The writing seems a bit sappy now, a bit turgid, but styles and tastes change. The basic "time patrol" theme, however, has been riffed on by scores of subsequent novels and short stories. Some points seem rather naive to us now: The enormous size of the "computaplexes," even thousands of years in the future, a voice recording device that's still large enough to require a storage case and a separate microphone, and so on. (It's always surprised me how many Golden Age authors failed to anticipate the minute size of electronic devices so short a distance in their future.) But ignore all that and just enjoy the story for what it is.

Isaac Asimov has written a brilliant glimpse into the fragile psyche of man. In our neverending quest for knowledge and to seek the unknown, we take chances. In Asimov's future we have The Eternals to keep us safe from ourselves. The Eternals manipulate the timeline by altering any dangerous situations that may harm mankind in the long run. This creates a dichotomy as mans adventurous and sometimes self-destructive basic need to break free clashes with our conservative desires to play it safe. Asimov explores the end results of this clash with the central character Andrew Harlen. Harlen is the catylist as he unwittingly is played by both sides in a fascinating chess match of truly epic proportions. Some of the aspects of this story were later explored in Spielberg's "Minority Report", as in preventing future events from happening before they can do harm. The best Science Fiction is the kind that really makes you think and this book most assuredly does that.

Time travel is a great, speculative sub-genre of scifi. Although mildly dated this is book highly worthwhile. Asimov's storytelling and imagination are legendary due to works like this.

What a great escape. I felt like I was on the bus with Doreen, her husband,
and assorted critters. She described many places I've visited and many
I've yet to see - with wonderful out-of-the-box humor. "Queen of the Road"
is a laugh out loud escape from everyday pressures. A gem like this should
be savored and shared. Doreen - give up your practice and write more books!

A witty, fun read with travel tips, cocktail recipes and relationship recipes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Doreen has the abilty to poke fun at herself with just the right balance of self deprication and seriousness. It was great to see how she opened herself up to people from all walks as she and her husband went on their journey. I am keeping my fingers crossed for more reads from Doreen Orion.

For those of you that do get this book, I am so jealous that you still have this experience in front of you. You are in for such a treat. I read this book a couple of months ago and I LOVED it. My husband not so much -- well, he hasn't actually read it, but I kept waking him up giggling next to him in bed while reading about Doreen's misadventures (Hey, I tried to stifle it!) The first 50 or so pages are literally a laugh a page. And it just keeps getting better.

Have fun with this one, guys!

~Bunny

Our library book group read Doreen's book this past summer, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride with her and Tim. It's part travelogue, part love story and totally fun. As an added bonus, Doreen joined two discussions courtesy of Skype, and we came away from the discussions with added insight, a new friend, and inspiration to take our own journeys.

I just finished reading Queen of the Road and laughed out loud through much of the journey. I knew from the first chapter (with the martini recipes) that I would enjoy this book. Doreen and I couldn't be more different; however, I appreciated her sense of adventure, her wonderful sense of humor, and love and respect for her husband and friend. Where did she find a man who cooks, cleans, shops, walks the dog, is handy, and doesn't complain!? As I read on I realized we shared some of the same characteristics - fear of the open road, oncoming traffic, curves, bad weather, and unrecognizable noises. I could so relate to that back seat driver syndrome, that seat griping terror of being a passenger.
One evening as I was reading about a side trip in Alaska, my son (15 years old) ran into the family room to see if I was "all right." "Mom, what' the matter?" he asked as he rushed over to see what those high pitched noises were. It was me - laughing. I tried to explain why tears were rolling down my face, but he just didn't get it. The passage was about the mountain sheep. I delighted in the vision of all of these `bus people' who would run to see the sheep even though they were only tiny specks in the horizon. But when the bus driver, "River," stopped the bus to scan the mountain ridge with his binoculars and Doreen said, "If they're that far away, who cares?" to which Tim replied, "Let me get the walkie-talkie for you!" Buckle your seat belt. You are in for a hilarious ride!

This was the best read in a long time. I compare it to the writtings of Jon Krakauer. Truly an amazing story! So much detail to the little things and no sugar coating when times got rough. I felt miserable when David got rained on, but was cheering him on as he met each goal. Truly an incedible read. Thanks David!!!
Rick

I read less than one book a year and usually at a very, very slow pace. This book was so enthralling I was done with it in less than a week. My only caveat is the book is not what I would label as funny. There are moments of enjoyable humor, but those are far less frequent than I expected having read the product description.

This book has taken my mild interest in thru-hiking the AT and transformed it into a passion. I think not having kids will be my #1 regret in life. Having read this book, not thru-hiking the AT - or at least not making a sincere attempt - could be #1a. I feel indebted to the author for showing me how taking a break from the norm is not only acceptable but should be encouraged. Thank you, David.

The author did what many of us hikers, adventurers do not dare to do.
Tired of his 8-5 job he decided to hike the whole lenght of Appalachian Trail. At that time he had well paid job wife and children. Was his trip a form of middle age crisis? Possibly. But the trip beats getting a sports car, boat or a hair transplant.

The book is well written. It reflects the atmosphere of famous AT very well. It provides vivid description of people, small towns, small hostels with dedicated people running them. It also provides reader with honest facts about glory and guts of long distance hiking.

Read it. You will enjoy it.

I have read multiple books about thru hiking the Appalachian Trail and this one is the best so far. While some good tips are shared, this is not a how to hike the AT book. This book was about the thru hike itself and the writer's associations with other hikers, trials on the trail, and memorable moments on the trail. While reading I got the feeling that the author was being brutally honest about the entire experience and what he was feeling thru the entire hike. An excellent read for anyone who has or is considering a thru hike on the AT.

I picked this book up both for entertainment and because I was interested in learning more about the experience of thru-hiking the AT. Satisfaction was delivered on both fronts. The author provides just enough detail that you're there with him on the trail, while not boring you with constant day to day information which could get tedious. This is not a book for planning a hike, however is still a useful read for anyone who may be toying with the idea.

I won't pretend to know what it's like to be on the trail for 6 months and 2173 miles, but at the end of the book I felt a sense of not wanting it to end. When AWOL speaks of his longing and loss in the months following his hike the reader feels a similar nostalgia. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to spark their sense of adventure.