Travel Books

Walter Port and (Arnold) Eric Sevareid took an amazing trip that they started by skipping some of their high school finals so they could get the boat they could afford. Though the project appeared to have been Port's pet, it was Sevareid who came up with the way to fund it: writing about it for the Minneapolis Star. It was clear that once the project began both of them were truly enthralled by it and could not be put off. The tale is told simply, but with a clear affection for all of the people who helped them try to reach their goal, even though few of the people who helped were confident that these young men could make it or were even very encouraging.

The book is written from the journals that were kept along the trip. It is clear that this is a book of its times written by a man who was still quite young. While I would strongly encourage any teens to read this book to realize that they too can give themselves a goal that is worthwhile if only for being difficult, I would also encourage their parents to be ready to answer some questions about the wisdom and risks of such adventures and about some of the attitudes of the past. There is a casual acceptance of the bigotry against Native Americans that was common at the time and Sevareid was not yet the mature thoughtful man that we may remember from the CBS Evening News.

Still, the fact that a reasonably literate student was able to take, and appreciate, such a grand adventure while trying his best to bring it alive for us was a remarkable feat. Twain, at his best, gave us better feel for river adventure, but he had the advantage that he could embroider the story whenever necessary, while Sevareid was already writing and thinking as a journalist. This is a quick read that almost anyone, from a child in middle school to an adult whose days of imagined adventure are long past, can enjoy.

Enough youthful daring and preparation on a wonderful journey which showed the better nature of people for the exploits of two tough and bright young men. A wonderful journey, with some historical photo's that help illustrate the accomplishment. A wonderful quick read.

2250 miles in a canoe - a great adventure and a book worth reading. I can't add much that isn't already perfectly described in this book.

At the start of the trip during a brief stay in Fargo, North Dakota, a friend and doctor named Frederick Gronvold sets the boys on their journey in a proper frame of mind. "Don't let anyone, no matter who he is, convince you that your trip can't be completed. You have youth and strength, and courage too, I hope, and with a little common sense you can do it."

When the journey finally ends and the boys share their tale with the adults at York Factory, they are asked why? Bud responds simply, "Oh, for pleasure, I guess." A journey simply for the sake of the adventure. It is an idea lost on some of the adults listening to the boys. "Pleasure! What a jolly funny kind of pleasure!" Better yet, maybe the idea isn't lost. Colonel Reid continues, "Oh well, that's youth. Things look different when you're young, I suppose. My word, I almost believe I envy you."

Enjoy the beginning and the end; enjoy the pineapples and everything in between. Enjoy the journey simply for the journey; it's an adventure that is perfect for any reader of any age!

"Eric Sevareid made his name as a CBS news correspondent. But at a young age, Sevareid experienced an adventure most only dream of. Sevareid detailed the journey in his book "Canoeing with the Cree". Now to mark the 75th anniversary of Sevareid's journey, two Minnesota men plan to make the same trip." Tim Post

In 1930 two young men paddled their way from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay in Canada. A trip of 2200 miles. Everyone told them it could not be done. Eric Sevareid, then a 17 year old, fresh graduate of high school, and his best buddy, Walter Port, planned the entire trip. They garnered financial support, collected supplies and a canoe and paddles and off they went. Five months later after trials and tribulations, they made it to Hudson Bay. Their journey is documented by Eric Sevareid, who gathered the weekly diaries he sent to their local Minneapolis paper, and in 1935, he wrote this book.

I stepped back in time to the 1930's when life seemed to be more innocent and the world a safer place to be. Sevareid who went on to become one of the most revered journalists of our time, wrote in an unpretentious manner, and we can feel the excitement of their adventures. They traversed unknown land and water. No one, it seems, had ever accomplished this trek. Even the best canoeists in the country failed. How then, did these two young lads accomplish this journey? Intelligence and good luck, I'd say. They questioned everyone they met, took upon themselves to digest all of the information and made decisions based on their best judgement. And, most of the time they were correct. They had no radio, no maps( this was uncharted country), little preserved food except for hardtack, but they had their ingenuity and the assistance of all of the people they met.

The North Country was mostly woods. Camps, small towns and two larger towns had been established for hunting and trapping. Most of the humans they met were Indians who were kind and generous. As a matter of fact, most of the people they met were in awe of their journey and shared whatever food, equipment and conversation they were capable. The trip was amazing when we look at the obstacles they faced. Water, roaring cold water, sometimes rapids, sometimes falls, no maps, only the word of mouth of strangers, and cold brutal weather at times. Or hot humid weather with flies and gnats. They discovered all sorts of wild animals but were never in real danger. They had their tent, two paddles, food, water, ponchos and several blankets. This seems like a story of new adventurers discovering a new world, and in fact this is what they were. Two 17 year old lads set out on an adventure and one day after another they found one. Extraordinary when you think about it.

Since the time of Eric and Walter, several other duos have made the trip by canoe. However, they had maps, food that could be kept for months and the best of camping equipment. This is not to lessen these young men's courage, but to think 78 years ago, this was accomplished with such primitive arrangments and care.

This was an exciting read and one page after another flew by. The book was difficult to put down. Easy, simplistic writing. but some of the most important writing I have found. The boys parents and friends did not hear from them often and at times, I am sure the parents were worried. But the two lads persevered and the trip was taken.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-26-08

Not So Wild a Dream

The Eleanor Roosevelt Story

There's really only two things worth doing in Minnesota: One, canoeing the Boundary Waters/Quetico during Spring, Summer, and Fall; Two, THINKING about canoeing the Boundary Waters/Quetico during Winter. For the latter, this book is the gateway to paradise. Sevareid and Port have the true spirit of adventurers, the love-bug for the North Woods and her bevy of streams, rivers, and lakes, and Sevareid effectively tells his now-classic tale of how he and his friend drank deeply of all her treasures--complete with the axiomatic mistakes, mishaps, surfiet of discomfitures, and, alas, irresistible beauty that she provides to all who avail themselves of her wonders. Like St. Augustine, let us "Take up and read."

Richard Bondurant arranged a great trip to Moorea and Tahaa for my wife and I for our 10 year anniversary. This spectacular book is a great memory of our trip to Tahiti, and does an outstanding job of detailing all the exotic recipes that we jotted down on bar cocktail napkins while sipping fabulous drinks and sitting in the sun. I need to stock up on a few obscure ingredients before I can make all these wonderful drinks, but while it's snowing here for the winter, it's nice to just sit back, look at the amazing photos, read some of the trivia about Tahiti, and dream of going back someday soon. Thanks again Richard, for another great time!

The format of the book is very well done. Makes you want to go to Tahiti.

Wow! What a great book! We received it as a gift, which was perfect since my husband and I spent our honeymoon in Tahiti. Several things make this book great. First, the information about Tahiti is factual and entertaining to read. Second, the photos are amazing. Third, not only are the drinks easy to make, they are awesome! Kudos to Richard Bondurant.

Not only does this book have a wealth of information on a destination we long to travel to, but it offers a wide variety of fun and DELICIOUS drinks.
We love to entertain and it has been great having 'Cocktails in Tahiti' out at our parties...quite a conversation piece! Everyone loves the stunning photos of Tahiti, the scrumptious drinks, and the intriguing facts of the islands. Thank you!

Always looking for new and exciting cocktails to try, I purchased this book. Each page became more interesting, not only for the drinks presented but for the knowledge that Mr. Bondurant shares about Tahiti, it's culture, local accomodations, etc.

The photos are exceptional and each drink I have mixed has been better than the last. I have bought several as gifts for coworkers and friends. You won't be disappointed!

It is a helpful book for first timers and newcomers. For someone who has been in the field for 6 years it isn't very good. It is just reading the same things over again. I would reccomnd this for anyone just trying to get something togther and not wanting to hire an event planner. The info is good and doesn't miss much. Just do not buy it for a refresher if you have done this time and time again, it won't help

If a reference to planning events is needed you can't do better than Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning, a pick for planners and public libraries alike. Here's all the basics for planning all kinds of events, from seminars, receptions, weddings, dances, reunions and retreats. From money-saving tips and identifying and reaching target markets to choosing dates and designing events, it covers all aspects from budget to set-up and beyond. A few other guides cover this topic lightly - if you want the depth, Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning is the item of choice.

This is a great high level overview of event planning. I am still looking for a reference with more detailed checklists and events of a more civic nature. But it was great to get the accompanying CD to use to start making your own checklists. And a great way to see all the possible areas that could be involved with planning events, especially large ones.

This book is a fount of knowledge. Its simple to read and easy to follow. I thought it would be a person spouting about how great they are and not alot of practical information. But I was wrong. This book is helpful in many ways: for the beginner it provides a practical guideline to get started; for the intermediate planner it provides further ways to improve what they have begun; and for the advanced planner it hones their skills with the latest ideas and information.

For myself as an advanced even planner, it confirms that I am right on track with the trend for event planning. The CD with the forms and such are very useful and easy to customize for each planner or event.

I have already recommended this book to a large organization to use to train other event planners!

Having to plan an event? First time or old pros needing a refresher go no further than this book. Shannon Kilkenny has outdone herself here with step by step instructions and tips to walk you through the whole process of planning and executing even the most difficult event you've ever faced. I found the charts, lists and forms both in the text and the copies on the CD ROM for easy print out to be the most beneficial.

I think the best thing about this book is that you can take away something from reading the whole book cover to cover. But you can also take away information from individual chapters if the whole book doesn't apply to you. The best example of this I can give is that my mother was panicked last week over trying to plan my little sister's 16th birthday. I told mom that while I'd only read this book last week for a friends baby shower that I thought she might want to take a peek at it. When I came over the day before my sister's party to help with setup my mom said that the book had more than paid for itself. It had shown her a much less stressful way to do what she was trying to do. She said that she skipped the chapters aimed at event planners but that a lot of the later chapters helped her immensely in avoiding disaster or over planning for the party. This is a definite read for anyone trying to plan an event from the smallest birthday party to a large banquet or conference.

Great book to read! Mr Jorgenson had me laughing throughout the book. I really enjoyed his insights to traveling over in Europe, and his humor is just the best!

This book received an EVVY Award for humor and it is easy to see why. The author clearly loves to travel in Europe and clearly enjoys the people and places he visits and helps us enjoy them along with him. I love the line "Can I help? I speak a number of languages badly."

I read this book while traveling around Italy by train. I laughed out loud! Kregg, Thank you for sharing some of your travel experiences. I especially liked the Amsterdam rental-car-counter story. While waiting in line at the Uffizi Gallery, we witnessed someone with a similar "klein komommer" complaining to the entrance guards. Katherine plays a great straight-man!

Kregg has a great way of finding the humor in things that we might not catch otherwise. Makes a great read while sitting at the terminal waiting to depart on your next trip.

Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Passing Through, had me at "Hey! This looks cheap!" Couldn't put it down until I read the entire book. Funny (hilarious actually), witty, smart, and just enjoyable all around. I can't wait to go back to Europe with a whole fun, new perspective. GREAT BOOK!!!

If you are already amazed with the animals that share our planet, your enthusiasm will be rewarded and expanded when you meet Amelia , her chick, and their neighbors on a tiny isolated island in the Hawaiian chain. If you are beginning an interest in the natural world, this is a inspiring place to begin. Pure science meets pure poetry in one wonderful read. The Eye of the Albatross is an important book, and a beautiful one.

Carl Safina possesses a rare combination of talents: he a scientist who also writes beautiful descriptive prose. He vividly captures the spirit of the ecosystems and animals that he is describing, while staying factually informative.

This is a great read. It made me appreciate the open ocean in ways that I had never considered.

This is a stunning description of an even more stunning creature. Part scientist, part poet, part mystic: Carl Safina is an albatross's best friend. The reader is instantly and forevermore smitten. Read this book! You will fall in love with the world's most magnificent long-distance flyer-glider. You will not think of wind in the same way, nor gravity. You will become a more patient diligent steadfast joyous courageous human being.

Brilliant, poignant and often painful. A must read! Beautifully written tale of the various species of albatross, whose survival is increasingly vulnerable to modern conditions and the willingness of homo sapiens (so-called) to change their behavior so that others may live. The story is one of struggle, hope, the power of sheer persistence and of life's resilience under increasingly bleak conditions. More generally, the book is an overview of the devastation of the ocean environment. "Eye of the Albatross" was the well-deserving winner of the 1993 John Burroughs Medal for distinguished natural hitory writing.

Safina's latest piece of natural history brilliance is "Voyage of the Turtle: In pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur" (2006). Safina is president of Blue Ocean Institute, which he co-founded in 2003, so he's putting his prodigious talent to work to make the world a better place.

By Kyle Gardner, author of Medicine Rock Reflections

How would you feel at the sight of a weary seabird coughing up a plastic toothbrush while trying to feed its chick? Carl Safina observed this while studying the Laysan Albatross. After cruising the North Pacific for days, soaring over thousands of kilometres seeking forage for that hatchling, one of bathroom utensils was the proferred dessert. To Safina, it means "No place, no creature remains apart from you or me."

In this exquisitely written account of how the mysterious albatross lives, we learn of those fabulous flights, how the bird manages its energy budget, and of the many perils it endures throughout a life nearly as long as that of humans. Centred on Tern Island, a tiny atoll halfway along the Hawaiian chain, research teams are studying the Laysan Albatross, turtles and sharks. Safina recounts the work and the conditions. Among other tasks, ten Laysans are tagged at nesting time, allowing satellites to track their wanderings. Safina dubs one female "Amelia", describing her flights into the North Pacific. Nesting birds must accumulate resources because offspring are demanding. The parents will lose up to 20% of their body weight in supplying the chicks. Once hers has hatched, she and her mate, who have shared incubation duties, now take turns fetching breakfast for the little squawker. Safina, who has watched these birds, remains in awe of Amelia's abilities to navigate. The maps he provides display ever greater distances travelled and Amelia's obvious skills in locating fodder. He notes than in a lifetime of half a century, a Laysan may cover nearly six million kilometres of oversea flight.

Within his sojourn on Tern Island, Safina makes a couple of jaunts of his own. One is much further west to Laysan Island itself. There, invasive species events have led to unusal security. The introduction of a destructive weed not long before has forced the stipulation that not only must ALL clothing be brand new, it must all be frozen to kill any organisms. Safina describes the donning of frozen underwear as an "interesting" experience. Yet, the importance of the need is revealed when the research team on Laysan describe their clean-up efforts.

The cold underwear should have helped condition him for his next trip - on a fishing boat in the Aleutian Islands. Mark Lundsten is an innovative captain of the "Masonic". His "novel" idea is how to fish in ways allowing a sustainable take. Lundsten is a campaigner among his colleagues for adopting methods to protect birds and turtles from becoming "by-catch". Safina uses the visit to discuss the perils of long-liner fishing, what safeguards are being introduced and how well they're being accepted by fishers around the world. As the episode of the toothbrush demonstrates, it's not only fishermen who threaten the wildlife around us.

The book, while seemingly targeting an audience interested in long-distance commuting seabirds, is a volume we must all take up and learn from. The real point of it is that we must spend more in time and money in developing an understanding of what goes on in the world around us. Among other issues, shark "attacks" on tourists in Hawaii bring immediate and vigorous response by Fisheries and the Coast Guard. One of the teams Safina visits demonstrate that shark movement precludes any likelihood that the slaughtered sharks are the "guilty" party. That shark has almost certainly moved on to a new location. Imparted in sterling prose, with reasoned judgements and a careful balance examining needs, wants and available resources, Safina has produced a superb account. Take up this book to see how research is done and what it can achieve. It may help you in making decisions that will affect your life and that of your children. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I am fairly new to building in clay, and I found this book a treasure trove of ideas and techniques by masters of the art. The book is beautifully illustrated, and each of the artists describes their personal vision with regards to their work and then gives a detailed description of the process and techniques used in creating a piece along with formulas for their clay bodies, glazes and firing techniques. I found this book very helpful and inspiring.

A rich and exciting collection of wonderful artists and a never ending wealth of inspiration. My favorite book of contemporary ceramic art

I've been wanting to get into ceramics for a while and this book was just the thing to get my creative juices flowing. It has many (500 actually) beautiful pieces to admire, with such a wide selection of styles. I love that it has a both beautiful and grotesque figures revealing so many artistic view points. It's definitely not a "how to" book, with just enough info to get a basic idea of how each piece was created but the beautiful photographs and wide variety of sculptures makes it well worth purchasing.

I have always wanted to do large scale figurative sculpture. There are not many books specifically on this subject. I found this book and said, "Yes, this has exactly what I want to know". I find it a wonderful resource. Vicki Stone-artist

Beatiful pages. It seems easy sculpting. It is not. If you can do it, this book does not really help you, but if you don't, you really feel sorry that you can't. It's good anyway to see how some artists work.

I listened to the entire CD throughout my last 5-hour flight and was delighted about the effect it had on me - I was actually relaxed. Whenever turbulence would rock the plane, I would go back to a specific section that helped me relax and go through the breathing exercise. I can only recommend this CD if you are anxious during and even before the flight (there is a great section to prepare for your flight while you are still at home).

I really enjoyed this cd...I have taken a fear of flying course which was great but this CD was just something extra to support how safe flying really is and I felt even more relaxed and confident after listening to this CD...I def. recommend it!

What could be easier than popping the CD into the player, sitting back and relaxing. KRS has a confident soothing voice and the background music helps to keep things calm. For those of us with flying anxieties, FLY WITHOUT FEAR is a great tool to help settle the nerves.

An absolute must have for those suffering from aviatophobia (fear of flying). I bought this cd about a week before my flight and I didn't start using it until the day before my flight. I took it with me and listened to it while waiting to board the plane, waiting for take-off, in-flight and landing. It was excellent! I just downloaded it into my IPod and listened to each track as I needed. The total CD is about 73 minutes but just listen to the track that you need the most and repeat it as needed. It totally soothed my nerves and calmed me down. For the first time, I didn't feel my stomach in my throat! I highly recommend it!

I've used KRS'CD for pre-flight and on-flight jitters. This CD is one of the best relaxation aids I've found for flying discomfort. The meditations are right-on, every sentence supporting the strength we have inside, while dissipating nervousness. I love her voice and her no-nonsense style.
Highly recommended!

The reviews in this book were perfectly on point. We found ourselves trying to schedule in more time to eat so we could continue to try the recommended restaurants. This book is a keeper for our next trip.

A very helpful, organized tour of Florence for foodies. As many times as I've visited Florence, the abundance of great places to eat is overwhelming. This book lays out great places to eat in the various neighborhoods and their nearby tourist attractions. It also helps define where the locals like to eat. Very helpful.

I found this wonderful guide while preparing for my return to Florence this past Fall for more research on the sequel to my novel, The Giuliana Legacy The author's helpful and concise reviews were amazingly accurate in every case. Moreover, she helped us to find wonderful restaurants, cafe bars and wine bars that will be much-loved favorites for years to come. There are fabulous tips on restaurants in every price range, but we especially enjoyed the small inexpensive local spots we might never have found on our own, like the charming and delicious Casalinga in the Santo Spirito. We returned there again and again, and once home, wished we'd gone there every single day of our all too short stay in Florence.

Ms. Wise Miller, the words "Thank You" cannot begin to convey our gratitude for your splendid little book. I have already bought several as gifts and will continue to buy them for all Florence-bound friends and family. Brava!

This book was the only book we needed in Florence. Emily's reviews were spot on and we never had a bad meal. We were often the only "tourists" in the eating establishment and garnered some looks from locals as in "how did you find this place!" We walked 2 miles outside the city to have the best pizza we've ever tasted and then 4 miles to spend Sunday lunch with Italian families eating "Spaghetti della Casa." I am extremely picky about food (being Italian and a chef for 15 years) so I cannot rave about this book enough...it made our trip!

You cannot go to Florence without this book! I was in Florence for five days and I wore this book out; I ate exclusively at places from this book and have never had a better culinary experience in Florence! Emily Wise-Miller takes you to the hidden gems and out-of-the-way places that tourists dream about! Writing this review is making my mouth water and my heart beg to go back, just so I can eat more delicious Florentine steak, pasta, gelato and drink the wine!

If you are planning a trip to Florence/Tuscany or simply want to learn about the culture and history of of Tuscany's culinary roots, BUY THIS BOOK! You will not be disappointed!!

I found this to be a very readable book; there is a lot of information presented both concisely and clearly. Well worth a read for anyone planning on spending time in other countries, or anyone who interacts with those from other cultures. Which makes it useful for pretty much everybody.

I wish I had read this book a few years ago. Working at a foreign-owned company with a completely different cultural bias has been difficult, but this book clearly explains the characteristics of other cultures. I use the lessons taught in this book daily to help understand the cultural differences between myself any my co-workers.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about living or working in an environment culturally different from their own.

Concise. Very insightful. Good stories. Easy to read and memorable. The summary section at the end of each chapter is helpful for triggering the key points in your memory.

Nothing I've seen is more clearly and heart warmingly convincing of the advantages to understanding other cultures. The person who reads and rereads this book will have keys to life skills that will serve them in all professional contexts, all relationships, all cultures.

This is profundity made accessible and simple.

Every one should read this book. No matter who you are or where your from it's an eye opener.

The photos take me back to the French countryside where I enjoyed painting landscapes in the late afternoon light.

Beau Morgan

Exactly what I was looking for...an engagement calendar that keeps us on schedule from week to week, and has the added advantage of lovely photos from France that remind us of our trip last year. Only thing I would like to see added is a monthly calendar view at the beginning of each month.

Book arrived in excellent shape. We have purchased this calendar in previous years so the content was not in question. Excellent purchase.

I have been buying these diary/calendars for years and love them. Their layout is excellent, the photographs are charming, and they are easy to work with. Merci mille fois.

I have been getting this calendar for at least 4 years now, and the beautiful photos of life in France always put me in a dreamy mood. There is one for every week. They come up with all new photos every year, too. I am always amazed. The cover pattern reminds me of the fabric of Provence and is alway colorful and looks lovely on my desk. It comes in a similarly patterned cardbord sleeve, which I cut up and use as bookmarks, as I can't bear to throw it away.
The paper quality is also good and it even feels special when you write on it. My pen just glides. I don't know how I could start a new year without it!