Travel Books

This was worth the time to read if you are or ever will be interested in how to open a pizzeria. It has every detail on how to run your business to include a checklist on whether you are the right person for the business. The included CD ROM with all the lists and pertinent information in the book was an awesome addition. The business plan was also very helpful.
All in all a good book if you are new to the pizza business and looking for a map to opening your own.

Shri L Henkel and Douglas R. Brown have produced a phenomenal book on how to not only open a Pizza and Sub Restaurant but on how to be successful financially in starting this type of business.

Great details have been provided in every phase of the business process from research gathering to the actual operations of the business including how to budget and control your costs, techniques on marketing the business as well as being aware of governmental requirements whether federal , state or local.

This book of instructions and guidelines will assist anyone in becoming successful in the Pizza & Sub Restaurant business if they are willing to follow the suggestions and advice the authors provide in this book. The CD included with the book is an added plus in that it provides all the necessary forms that are mentioned in the book. What better way to provide Readers with something they can use in the start-up and progress of their business.

There are plenty of books on the market which cover how to open a general restaurant and a few which even address high-class establishments; but pizza and sub venues are different and need the close inspection of a subject-specific treatment. That's why How to Open a Financially Successful Pizza & Sub Restaurant stands out from the crowd: with its companion cd-rom of all forms in the book plus an editable business plan in Word, it offers the specifics neeeded to tailor a plan to such a venue, from incorporating a wood fire stove into a structure to sales analysis and successful employee relations. A 'must' for any would-be pizza or sub shop owner or franchisee.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As a business owner who has looked closely at opening a restaurant, I find Henkel and Brown's book to be the best single-volume insight into that process. The authors take the reader from the typical but business-flawed dreams of restaurant ownership through each step of the process. Those painstaking details, which are so accurately and thoroughly presented in the book, are truly invaluable for anyone considering a career as a restaurateur.

Most importantly, the authors have already conducted their readers' market analysis: by limiting their analysis to a specific type of restaurant, they provide readers with information that is specific to their concerns. The book's twenty-three chapters cover every important aspect of the process, from buying a shop, to bookkeeping, to marketing, and to dealing with the local food and health safety officials. The CD-ROM that is included with the book features an editable business plan.

In short, this is a must-have for anyone even remotely considering opening a restaurant. Buy it, learn, and be successful!

This is a great book whether you really want to open a pizzeria or just want to know what goes on behind the counter. I fall into the second category - I'm always interested in how other businesses are run.

The first few chapters will help you understand if owning a pizza restaurant, or indeed any kind of business, makes sense for you. It clearly lays out the skills and talents you need and the first steps to make your business successful.

Read it from cover to cover. Every little detail is in here. What kind of oven should you buy? How should your menu look? Will you offer delivery? How will you evaluate employees? There are even about 70 recipes to get you started.

Most people who go into the pizza business probably won't read this book. Reading it will give you a leg up on the competition. They may have good recipes and a strong work ethic, but they'll struggle with bookkeeping, marketing, and so on. Meanwhile you have the answers from this book, or you know where you get them (from resources listed in the book). It includes a companion CD-ROM that includes all the forms, worksheets, and recipes.

I highly recommend it.

We live approx. 3 hours from KC and like to visit about once a year. This book is packed with useful information. It's a great buy even if you plan on visiting KC only once.

I am a resident of the area and was impressed with the ideas given to have a vacation without leaving the city.

THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO KANSAS CITY is a wonderful book. It tells you where the best neighborhoods are on both the Missouri and Kansas sides; the best school districts; the best health care; and virtually everything you need to know about this area. Of course, it could talk about the shopping malls in more depth, like some other books in this series, and some radio station listings are inaccurate as to category and should be taken like the humor in AMERICAN WEDDING, SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS, HARVARD MAN, DRIVE ME CRAZY, 13 GOING ON 30, PRETTY WOMAN, MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, FRIENDS, DATE MOVIE, and/or the two GARFIELD movies featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt (for example, KRBZ belongs in the Rock/Rhythm/Soul category, not the Contemporary category, while KLZR is not even a Kansas City station but is based in Lawrence and belongs in the Contemporary category, not Rock/Rhythm/Soul, as does KFME, which is now KCJK, and moreover, KNRX is now KMJK- an adult urban contemporary station- and is located about 45 minutes away, in Lexington, MO), as should the listing of Countryside as a separate city (it merged with Mission in 2003), but overall, if you're interested in different metro areas, you'll crave this book.

When I read this book I felt like Katie was personally showing me KC. It was like she was holding my hand as we explored the neighborhoods and hot spots.

As a local, who takes the city for granted and continually revisits the old haunts, I am enormously grateful for this comprehensive insight into what MY city has to offer.
Katie has sparked the "adventurous" in me and now I am ready to hit the road. This is a book meant for every local's library not to mention all visitors to the city. Most of us are unaware of the myrid options that Kansas City offers. This guide gives us the opportunity to explore and enjoy everything that is available. We are also prepared when, when they come, to enlighten visitors as to everything that Kansas City is about.
Thank you Katie for making all of us who have the book "insiders." The book is a must.

If you live in the US or Canada, I would imagine that you would be in the minority if you say that you have never been to Niagara Falls. According some sources, over 2 million people visit the Falls every year. But what you see is just a small portion of the area. Ginger Strand, in her book, Inventing Niagara, shows you Niagara Falls and the surrounding area in a way that no travel guide will; She debunks the myths, shows you the environmental damage, takes you behind the scenes of the massive power plants, and introduces you to the many people that have shaped the area. And when I say "shaped," that is exactly what you see - men who have turned a natural wonder into something fake. At the end of the book, you have to wonder if Disney had something to do with the Falls, as what you see is manufactured realism.

Contents:
Introduction: Down the Memory Hole
Chapter 1: White Man's Fancy, Red Man's Fact
Chapter 2: The Eighth Wonder of the World
Chapter 3: Skipper the Two-Legged Dog
Chapter 4: The Other Side of Jordan
Chapter 5: Free Niagara
Chapter 6: King of Power, Queen of Beauty
Chapter 7: Sentiment in Liquid Form
Chapter 8: The Bomb and Tom Brokaw's Desk
Chapter 9: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Epilogue: The Voice of the Landscape
Sources and Acknowledgements
Index

Starting the book with a critique of the "Maid of the Mist" mythology, Strand moves along to other historical figures such as the early explorers, the indigenous Indians, and the developers. One of the stories that amazed me was the spectacle of the schooner Michigan, which is curiously omitted from all current guide books. In 1827, two businessmen contracted to have the schooner Michigan towed to currents above the falls with a crew of caged animals. At the appointed hour, the schooner was cut loose and a crowd of up to 20,000 watched as it plunged over the falls and was smashed to bits. Only a bear and a goose survived the ordeal. As time moves on, things don't get better for the area. As men realize the unlimited hydroelectric potential of the falls, water is diverted from the falls, reducing the flow to the minimum for the tourists. The resulting factories dump their toxic chemical and radioactive waste into the Niagara River. Or they create Superfund sites like Love Canal (Love Canal is but one Superfund site in the area, there are many others). Or they create giant landfills. The memories that travel guides omit are brought to the light by Strand, made more compelling by her interviews with people that actually lived on the land or worked in the factories.

From the opening pages, you understand that Strand has an obsession with Niagara Falls. And it is a good thing, too, as she has written a very good book on the dark side of the falls. While 99.9% of those 2 million visitors only look at what is in front of them, enjoy the casinos, or the tourist mecca that is Clifton Hill, there is much more to experience and know. Not all of it equals a happy and relaxing visit, but it is a view of the real falls. The fact that only a small percentage of the Niagara River flows over the falls and is controlled and manipulated very carefully by the power authorities is just as amazing as the history of Goat Island and the American Falls. You finish the book realizing that what you see isn't real, it is man-made. This book hasn't deterred me from visiting again, it has shown me some sites that I would like visit. And it puts into context why you see what you do. Knowing that, I can still have a pleasant visit, but it will not be spent only on the Canadian side of the falls. There is too much to do on the American side and it will be important to share those sites with the family. I can't wait to relate to the family the history of the Robert Moses Parkway or how a small band of Indians lost their land because they didn't do anything with it (this is a point that probably has some merit in today's society). The only issues I had with the book are probably trivial: Strand's overuse of the word "sublime" and the casual tone. But it is a very enjoyable, interesting book.

Be sure to read the Sources and Acknowledgements. Strand adds more personal tidbits amongst her sources, especially an anecdote concerning Norm Stressing, supervisor of operations at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant.

I grew up in Niagara and still visit about twice a year. This book covers a topic I know very well and I still learned a lot. Not only is it a great read but this book really captures Niagara.

Niagara of course has great physical beauty: The falls themselves, the islands in the upper Niagara River, the lower Niagara with its gorge and rapids, and of course the great lakes of Erie and Ontario are all spectacular. However, this book also captures the darker side of Niagara. Maltreatment of Native Americans, Love Canal, disposal of toxic waste and Niagara's major role in the Manhattan project are all discussed here. Many other lesser known but important and fascinating aspects of Niagara Falls are described here.

If you are looking for a detailed scholarly history then this is not the book for you. This book does not deliver extensive explanations of Niagara's geology or natural history. Nor does it give deep technical explanations of the engineering behind the modern day harnessing of Niagara for power.

The author visited Niagara and became fascinated with the place. She started learning more about it and discovered Niagara had a rich, layered and sometimes bizarre history. In this book you accompany the author as she peels off the layers of the history of Niagara Falls.
The focus here on the American side of the falls. Niagara's history is tightly interwoven with American history as a whole. Niagara has a major role in the French and Indian war, war of 1812, Underground Railroad, WWII, industrialization and urban renewal.

If you want to learn more about Niagara Falls, its history and why it is the way it is today should read this book. Anybody planning to visit Niagara would be well served to read this book as well. For that matter, it is a good read period.

P.S. Go to the author's website for more photos and information: www.gingerstrand.com

In "Inventing Niagara:..." Ginger Strand writes a comprehensive albeit brief history of the Niagara Falls region without once mentioning Lockport Dolomite. She explores some myths, including the Maid of the Mist and Love Canal. For a non-native, she shows a real fondness for the area. The book is a good introduction to the area. Ms. Strand's style isn't academic, but she includes an extensive bibliography which gives the reader a path toward further study. She's done her homework but doesn't show off. As an engineer, I might have liked more technical discussion of the chemical and power plants, in lieu of the red-hat stories.

The history of the area is rich with dreams, schemes, scams and characters. In about 350 pages, Ms. Strand brings them to life. You root for the area, but like Wile E. coyote's plans, things never seem to go as designed. You see the area go from frontier gateway to commerce center to crucial wartime (1812) site to industrial mecca to tourists' paradise and back and never quite getting it right. All the time there's some true believer guiding the Michigan on its course.

The single reason to (buy and) read this book is for Ms. Strand's interviews and interactions with the locals. The funniest bit, that doesn't quite happen, is when she gets the Power Vista manager to shut the Falls off, because he can. Through her, you get to see the passion that the area inspires in people. From historians to preservationists to ex-Linde workers people want what they believe is best for the area. You get a feel for the power that the area holds over people. Sadly Ms. Strand didn't get to interview Robert Moses. That would have been entertaining.

If you plan to make a pilgrimage to Niagara Falls, I recommend this book before coming. After you watch water fall over rocks for 10 minutes, the book might inspire you to look further.

If you're an aspiring civic planner, I recommend this book. Think of this as the Goofus (of Goofus and Gallant) book.
I would also recommend this book for schools and home-school libraries, especially in Western NY.

-30-

This book tells us of the REALITY of the destruction of Niagara County NY. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought a copy for all my family members who are still living in the area. Many of them had no clue of the environmental damage going on around them. This book is a MUST read for anyone living in Niagara County NY.

The book reads like a movie and you can "see" all that is happening throughout the time periods. Then when you hit chapter 8, your mouth will literally hang wide open when you see what greed, and ignorance has done to such a beautiful place. I was born in that area but I am sorry to say I will never return to it. Now I understand why so many people are dropping from cancer back there. There is a saying in Lockport NY as told to me by my sister and it is; "Everyone knows someone with cancer."

Nothing will change back there until the people are educated and informed about their surroundings but the powers that be hide reality. So I'm hoping this book gets into the hands of the people back there.

This is an eye opening reality. I recommend it to everyone no matter where on this planet you live. The things that happened in that area are still happening all around the world. We are killing ourselves.

Thank you Ms. Strand for writing a book that takes us through history, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Excellent!!!!

There may be many reasons for going to Niagara Falls. Sure, you have to be awed by the spectacular falls themselves. You might go to start up a marriage, or to re-start one. You might go gamble. "I went to Niagara Falls because I wanted to laugh at it," says Ginger Strand, author of _Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies_ (Simon and Schuster), and she finds plenty of the historical and regional environs funny. But wanting to laugh was the reason she went there during her college years, just to smirk at the tackiness and kitsch. She has been going back, though, over and over since then, because "I do love hydroinfrastructure - water tunnels, reservoirs, canals, sewers, aqueducts." She finds it inspiring, but she also finds that the natural wonder that everyone loves about the falls is not natural at all. It has been used, changed, prettified, trivialized, exploited, and poisoned. There is thus a great deal of amusement in this wide-ranging account, but a good deal of loss and sadness as well.

"Niagara Falls as a natural wonder does not exist anymore." It is originally hard to believe this. It is not surprising that the water does not fall exactly as it did three hundred, or three thousand, years ago, but it is surprising how much people have made the changes happen in recent years. This is not entirely because of using the water for hydroelectric power, although this is certainly one cause of the change. The waterfall has hours of operation. In the summer, and during the daytime, when people come to see the falls in action, the water gets turned up to maximum flow. At night, it gets dialed back "like a fancy massaging showerhead" so that more electricity is generated. No more than half the water that could go over the falls actually does so, and an engineer assures Strand that yes, if they wanted, the power companies could divert all the water to the generators with none for the tourists. The effect on the scenery of the reduced flow has been minimized by huge engineering projects, tinkering with the flow and diverting it so that it goes evenly over Horseshoe Falls, for instance. The fall of the water is not all that has changed, of course. The "Free Niagara" movement, guided by the famous landscape architect Frederic Law Olmsted, proposed to make the surroundings of the falls to be picturesque and spiritually elevating. Strand writes that this was questionable social engineering. Worse than that, it hid the hydrodynamic and chemical exploitation of the area as industry sprang up to take advantage of the water's power. Only later did atrocities like the toxic dumps of the Love Canal come to light. There is a long history of utopian dreams for the region, but few of them have come true.

Much of Strand's book is therefore distressing. Humans have tried to do what they always try to do, take control of nature for reasons esthetic, and especially commercial, and whatever successes have come are inextricably linked to failures. The pessimism does not mean that Strand's book is preachy. There are stories of shrunken heads here, and Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy, and fake Indian legends, and of course the peculiar thrills of those who go over the falls in barrels. There is a great deal of fun here. Strand writes, "On every level, Niagara Falls is a monument to the ways America falsifies its relationship to nature, reshaping its contours, redirecting its force, claiming to submit to its will while imposing our own upon it." There is plenty of documentation here of this theme, but Strand still travels to Niagara every chance she gets. She is continually amazed at the landfills or the other examples of disharmony with nature, but that's not important. The real amazement, and she writes about it heartily and endearingly, comes from the big, green spectacle of water, falling. Anyone reading this entertaining account will understand how well-placed is her obsession.

I am traveling to Ireland soon, and found myself in need of a Rough Guide-- because no one else does it better. So far its been instrumental in planning my trip: from arrival in the Southern port cities to a trip around the Ring of Kerry to our planned stay in Dublin, its the starting point in accounting for lodging, restaurants, and activities. No guide can encapsulate the entire country they're "guiding" you through, but the very best give you a great sense of where and how to begin engaging with the country or countries in question and the Rough Guide typically does this with aplomb. I'm also headed to Britain on this trip too, and trust-- I've got the Rough Guide for Britain, too. Laurence West

This is the first Rough Guide I've purchased, and I'll be looking for more in the series. I like the way the guide is structured, by county and town/smaller area, with attractions described in detail enough for a reader to decide whether or not to see them.

I used this book for a 10-day driving trip around Ireland with my mom. My mom had brought Frommer's and Fodor's guide books, and we kept coming back to the Rough Guide. I'd used my first Rough Guide in Ecuador and loved it. What I love is that they cover everything, not just the tourist traps that the "mainstream" guide books do. The book's recommendations are right on and they have information on even the most out-of-the-way places. The book's best suggestion was climbing Mount Errigal - quite a hike, but so worth it.

Even the maps in the book are excellent. We ended up using the Rough Guide maps combined with a tourist map we got at the aiport for a large-scale view of the country. The Michelin driving map we brought ended up being too complicated to use.

After several great experiences with them, Rough Guides are now my guide book of choice. You won't be disappointed with this one!

I was weaned on the Blue Guides when I first did international travel. I loved the detail about towns and historic sites in those guides along with the suggested tours. The Rough Guide lived up to this standard for me. It provided a good level of detail to enjoy our touring with an organzization of the information that made sense.

This was the 3rd "Rough Guide" I've used, and in my opinion they are the best resources for travel to new countries. They not only cover the "standard" areas and sites in detail - including a good range of lodging and dining options - but also take you off the beaten track, exposing nice gems not covered in other books.

If you like to really EXPLORE a country, rather than find the next good shopping area or find the most economical place to sleep, this book and ALL of the "Rough Guides" are for you!

This is my second Islands calendar. After visiting dozens and dozens of islands it is fun to flip a page a day and see so many familiar sights. The photography is superb. I am sure that I will buy my third Islands calendar next year.

Received the two Calendars in great shape and sound packaging.
I really enjoyed the one from last year.
So for this year I got one for the office and one for home.
Last year's was on a heavier card stock.
Now I need to be careful about putting the day behind, so that it does not bend.
May I suggest that they make next year with a separate Saturday and Sunday.
As so many of us work 6 days a week.
We loose out on 52 pictures.
I plan on getting two for next year, so please keep them coming.
Enjoy the daydreams too.

I keep my gallery calendar at work where I can look at the wonderful island scenes any time I need a little break in the day. The paper quality of this calendar is exceptional, whoever, the photo quality of the 2006 calendar is superior to this year's (2007) version.

I was not only impressed with my new calender & its amazing photos, but also with the reliable & superior service...my order was processed/delivered in no time & arrived in perfect condition-thanks again!! :)

This is very nice. It was hard to find an item like this for my wife for Christmas.

I consider myself a well-traveled individual and was very impressed with this book. It is very well-written and is a fabulous resource for anyone who flies, whether or not you have a child with you. On the other hand, if you are traveling with a child, it is a "must read". The author has researched so many different avenues to assist the reader in traveling with little ones and has many wonderful ideas as to how to make the trip a smooth one. I highly recommend this book!

Safe travels,
Mary
San Jose, CA

This book gives a lot of good information about traveling with you kids. Things that I would not have thought about otherwise. Some of the information made our trip a LOT more convenient and smooth.

Jet With Kids completely prepared me to travel with my two young children! As promised...it took the "fear out of flying" with them! I highly recommend it!

Jet With Kids is not just a list of what to pack (though you will be hard pressed to find a better checklist anywhere else). Nor is it a 'best of' of parent advice. It is rather a combination of personal experience, aggregated data, professional input, practical advice, and frank honesty.

It is written one parent to another, and difficult to put down once it's picked up! It is well organized and easy to find just what answer one is looking for. I highly recommend this book for parents and Shae by Air for their toddlers.

I am a retired flight attendant (36 years) and am so pleased that this book is out. I spent a lot of time on the airplane educating parents regarding the safety of their children while flying. A large number of parents just didn't know how to travel with their children or what to expect. It even took me time to figure out the best way to travel with my own children! This book covers all the areas I can think of that need attention before traveling with children. Well done Anya Clowers!

Renee Taintor
Retired Flight Attendant

I read this book when I was 7. I loved it! Buy it for your kids and read it yourself, too! I'm so glad I read that book. It is about two friends, Jim & Luke, who live in this teeny tiny island. It was so tiny, that one of the people that lived there (i think there were 5 people, including Jim & Luke) would have to leave the place. Luke felt bad and he took his little train and left. Jim went along with him, and they had so many fun adventures together (in one of their adventures, i learned what a mirage really was). In the end, they came back home, with a little surprise. Read the book to find out.

I've read this book as a boy and it stuck with me - I remembered it fondly enough to track it down and re-read it as an adult. I am not a big fan of Ende's work, but this is really a charming little tale and a fine example of children's literature - full of imagination, adventure, and with two (actually three if you count the train) very sympathetic main characters. I warmly recommend it.

I love this book, I mean, my little daughter, 6, loves it :-)

Michael Ende was a master, perhaps "the" master would be more accurate, at crafting children's books that give the parents something to think about as well.

The most important thing about Jim Knopf (I've only read it in the original German) is of course that it's FUN. I can't imagine any kid not being totally engrossed in the story once it starts. Chapter for chapter, the story moves very quickly from one adventure to the next, always building up just the right amount of tension and suspense without ever becomming gratuitously shocking.

The story itself is about as original possible, it's all Michael Ende's imagination and there are no clichés, no "been there, done that" material. Of course, I can't speak for the english translation, but the language used by Ende in the original is a little advanced for really small kids. Personally, I see it a chance to "smarten up" as opposed to the usual "dumbing down" found in most (all?) modern children's books.

Like I said above, there's more to Jim Button than is first apparent. One example, among many: the Dragon City. I don't know how it's expressed in the English version but in the original, the dragons are mean and cruel and dirty and... UNHAPPY. Their secret wish is to be "saved" from the evil of their city and to become re-born as the "Golden Drangon of Wisdom". They are literally awaiting a "Saviour" and Frau Mahlzahn (the dragon that held the children captive, don't know her english name) is not so much "captured" in the way a superficial reading of the book would suggest but rather saved. She is transported through the cleansing waters of the Yellow River where her fire goes out and her evil spirit is extinguished. This is a baptism, and on a very grand scale.

Another: The "Scheinriese", the Giant who apears bigger and scarier the further away you are from him. When I read this part to my daughter, she said, "It's sort of like my swimming class". I thought, "Huh, how'd you get so smart?". She made the connection herself. Her first two swimming lesson have been horrifying for her, even though they're really completely harmless fun and the instructors are wonderfully gentle and patient. So, she recognized that sometimes things seem a lot scarier before we actually confront them and that most fear exists in our imagination and it can overcome. Rarely is anything as bad as we think it's going to be.

Michael Ende was in a class by himself. He wrote serious literature that also appeals to children. He invented a genre and he was the master. Although his other books are more "mature" than this one, Jim Button and Luke remain my, yes, my :-) favorite.

This maybe the finest story for children ever created, the events in this story are fictions indeed, but they are no complicated which demand you to think hard. Michael Ende created a "light" fiction story, because of that this story flies easily to your heart. And he also created all of his characters totally very humanly especially the two main characters: Jim and Lukas, ther are truly uniques: every person they meet, they help him, every bad situation they fix it in one way or another. All of these features, made this magnifient book a book of a life time! Michael Ende - your book is delightful - Bravo!

Ask readers what they connect with fantasy books for children, and most will come up with the answer Harry Potter. But there were fantasy books before Harry came. The German writer Michael Ende is one of the many writers who have written wonderful stories, both for children and for grown ups. The story about Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver is one of them.

Luke lives on a tiny, tiny island together with just a handful of other people. One day the postman arrives with a very special delivery, a small packet containing an even smaller little boy. The boy remains at the island and gets the name Jim Button.

Everybody loves Jim, but when he growns bigger the island becomes too small for the people living there. Luke decides that he is the one who has to go, toether with his tank engine. Jim goes with him, in secret, and from here on the adventures of the two friends starts.

The book is a wonderful tale of friendship and love, and also a story to teach children to overcome their fears, to believe in their own strength, and still be allowed to show your weakness. I have read the book together with my six years old daughter, and it has given us many great reading hours. Actually we are still enjoying being together with Jim and Luke, now reading the sequel to the book.

Britt Arnhild Lindland

My 4-year-old loves this! He has been through every train book at the library, and I am always on the lookout for a new "angle". Well, this had it!! Much of the lingo was new to him, so he learned a lot. The pictures are both fun and informative. We love this book!

This delightful picture book will thrill young boys and girls alike as they race down the tracks with an ole hogger on engine 417! They'll meet colorful characters along the way, from Ole Joe, the ashcat, to Mabel, the merry-go-round operator, as the illustrations perfectly capture the lingo of this fast-paced E ticket ride. Kids will absolutely love it!

This beautifully illustrated book about the glorious days of steam railroading is one which all proud grandparents will enjoybuying for and sharing with their grandchildren. Grandfathers especially will enjoy the old railroad lingo and the opportunity of sharing what it was like long ago. It isn't only granmothers who read to the children!

A definite must for your home library! Kids love the detailed watercolors and the almost-musical text. Who knew railroading slang was so fun? Pretty soon your kids will be asking for their milk as "whitewash" and telling your their "trick is up" at bedtime. Train enthusiast of all ages will enjoy this trip down the main line.

CAN YOU HEAR THE WHISTLE BLOWING? . . .ummm, yes, you sure can! It's coming down the track, coming down the track, coming down the track!

Patricia Newman delivers a zesty read about the world of trains. Told from the point of the engineer, you will learn train terms, facts, and just a fresh appreciation for the chugging world of transportation.

Perfect resource for a transportation unit in the classroom.

I also love the title. . .and I LOVE THIS BOOK!

I very much enjoyed Michelle Caffrey's honest and fresh account of the agony and ecstasy of barge life. Being a fellow bargee, I can well relate to both the fears and the exhileration she writes about in her account of their first year of barging. It also made me long to cast off the ropes of my own barge and go travelling again - something I will be doing very shortly too. Thanks for a fun and inspiring read, Michelle.

This review was posted on Amazon Canada by Jan Rehner:
You don't have to know anything about barging or boats to love this book. All you need is a desire to learn about Burgundy France from a unique perspective. Michelle Caffrey tells her true-life story of buying and refitting a lovely barge and lets you drift with her along the tree-lined canals of one of France's most beautiful regions. Textured with fascinating characters and the rich detail of food, wine, and countryside, this book lets you "just imagine" an intriguing and peaceful life style--with a good measure of surprise and humour mixed in.

Like many of us, the Caffreys have a gipsie hidden deep in their soul. They were able to set theirs free. I'm extremely jealous. I've lived in Europe before and would love to find a way to return for extended stays. Barging is a recent lifestyle discovery for me and Just Imagine, has shown me the way to return to the old country and free my inner gipsie.
As something of a technical geek, the descriptions of the boats they looked at and the buying process they went through to find Imagine was of most interest to me. I now have a better idea of not only what kind of boat to buy but how to go about finding one. I did enjoy reading about the places and people they met but I'm also an explorer at heart, looking forward to my own discoveries. Their sense of entrepreneurship in starting Barge and Breakfast was also of interest as my wife and I both are involved in teaching entrepreneurship at Colorado Mountain College. My exposure to Roma people in Eastern Europe taught me that if you are going to be a gipsie, you also better be an entrepreneur. Sharing my boat with strangers in close quarters is not my idea of fun but it works for them. Proving that there are many ways to fund your dreams if you are creative. Seems like that is what "Just Imagine: New Life on an Old Boat" is all about anyway.
If there are any criticisms of the book it would be that the closer I got to the end of the story, the more grammatical mistakes I found. Not serious stuff but an indication that maybe barging is really more fun than writing about it.
Sail on friends. Some day we will gather by a campfire on the same riverbank to share a bottle of fine wine and a story or two.

Most books of this nature are re-hashes of the same story, but "Imagine...." goes a few steps further. It is well written and, for me, it was a good one-day read; not because I couldn't put it down....because I wouldn't put it down. It was that enjoyable. If you have ever thought about owning a barge, a boat, or even an RV, you will be able to enjoy this tremendously. This is a story of their first year. I hope there is a follow-up coming.

John Hardman

I have been to france many times and Michelle's story brought it all back to me. Her descriptions of the trials and tribulations made me wonder if I could ever be as brave as they were to take all this on. It was fabulous as her words helped me to remember the beauty of the landscape and the thoughts of the food and wine made my stomach growl. What a great story and a very easy and fun read.

My first Leslie Lafoy, and I loved it very much! Now she became my favorite author. This is must-read for any time-travel reader. I highly recommend this book!

What a fabulous read! Once I started reading, there was no putting it down. Fast paced action, compelling characters, and a wonderfully intricate plot. And suspense up until the very last page!! It just doesn't get any better than this. Congratulations, Ms. LaFoy! I'm your reader for life. Please give me more!

My first Leslie Lafoy, and I loved it very much! Now she became my favorite author. This is must-read for any time-travel reader. I highly recommend this book!

I have read both of the books Leslie LaFoy wrote and I absolutely love them. She has fantastic characters. The women are strong, self reliant, but still hold on to their feminity. The men are strong and with great personality. I love her writing style....I am dying to read the next book she wrote. Leslie LaFoy...don't you ever stop writing, you are talented, clever, and have definitly found your calling! Mindy

When the bus pulled into the depot from my commute to work I was terribly dissappointed. I wish I had hit 2 hours of traffic becuase I did not want to put this book down. The story of Carrick and Glynnis was a delight to read. The fast paced, witty conversation, easy quips and light banter had me laughing with the characters. I had some idea how Ms. LaFoy was going to end this one, but I didn't care. I now have to go out and buy the previous book - the story of Carrick's parents, something tells me it will be worth it!!!