Park Books

For anyone who enjoys hiking in the high peaks of the Adirondaks this is a must have companion. Informative with wonderful photographs enables even the novice to learn a great deal about the flora of the high peaks

This is a comprehisive trail guide to the best areas in the parks. Along with its companion "95 Hikes in the Canadian Rockies: Banff, Kootenay and Assiniboine Parks" you have the whole area covered. Each trail description is accompanied by a black & white photo, hand drawn map and important trail statistics, eg, distance, elevation gain, etc. Written for hikers by hikers. Without this book I feel lost in the Rockies no matter how many other fancier guidebooks I have with me. It is a shame that these books have gone out of print.

This is a comprehensive trail guide for the serious hiker/backpacker. Along with its companion "94 Hikes in the Northern Canadian Rockies" hundreds of miles of hiking trails are described in detail. A black & white photo accompanies each hike along with vital statistics eg. distance, time, elevation gain, etc. Not fancy but essential; without it I feel lost.

This book has lots of photos and basic facts about the Acadia areas wildlife. The book also gives readers locations and best viewing times info to help both tourist and area resident find the animals they want to see. The perfect quick fact field guide.

All winter our hearts are on Mt. Desert Island, 750 I-95 miles north of us. All winter, with Steve Perrin's book, we take virtual hikes on "our" island. Come summer (well, in July anyway) when our hearts and bodies are actually in Acadia we can stroll those trails we now know are compatible with my two aging knees and Margaret's greatly dimished vision. Steve's words are more valuable than he knows: we teach people to be "audio describers" for folks who are visually impaired or blind so their ears can be their eyes in theaters, museums, and yes, for television. Steve's writing is truly audio description. This summer if we meet him again on the Shore Path we'll tell him in person. Until then, thanks, Steve.

Now, there's no empirical way to prove the above statement, but given the dominance of social-science conventions in writing on African history, "Magomero" is an obvious front-runner. Landeg White is a gifted literary stylist, and this book often reads like a novel (when someone says that, make sure they're not thinking of "Finnegan's Wake"). It is a study of a village in southern Malawi (colonial Nyasaland) over 100+ years, but it is much more than that too.

White's sense of drama is aided by some highly dramatic personages who figure prominently in his story. The most famous is missionary-explorer David Livingstone, a perennially fascinating, complex and influential shaper of the continent's destiny. He visited Magomero, site of the ill-fated Universities' Mission to Central Africa, frequently on two expeditions in the 1850s and 1860s. White perceptively examines the ambiguities of Livingstone's antislavery crusade, not least the paradox of purchasing slaves in order to free them---thus inadvertently stimulating the market. But John Chilembwe is just as interesting: a Malawian Protestant minister and protonationalist who studied in the USA, founded an independent mission, and eventually died leading a doomed rebellion against British rule in 1915. The later chapters are not as event-oriented, but the lucid accounts of cash cropping and womens' work are probably more representative of daily life in the colonial era, and a major contribution to social and economic history.

"Magomero" does not have detailed source notes (they tend to scare off the mass audience White aims for here), but references to scholars' names without the titles of their works ensure that only specialists can swiftly identify White's sources. The other problem is that the author's own account of villagers' accepting his presence and explanation of his research is awkwardly unconvincing; it would be more credible in the words of Malawians themselves, without assuming that they care about associations with long-dead muzungus (Europeans). These minor faults aside, this is the most enjoyable scholarly book I've come across in nearly 20 years in African Studies. For more on the area's history, see E. Mandala, "Work and Control in a Peasant Economy" and M. Vaughan, "The Story of an African Famine." G. Shepperson & T. Price, "Independent African," a classic on Africa, tells the Chilembwe story with great depth and sensitivity. For an authentic Nyasaland account based on oral data from participants in the Rising, see G.S. Mwase, "Strike a Blow and Die."

Paul Jamieson is a legendary Adirondack writer and this collection of stories seem to encapsulate all his wonderful, romatic experiences in a fifty year period of living in the Adirondacks. Not only does the author write of his personal adventures, but manages to give a clear insight into the history, geology, literature and surreal folklore of the region. It is fascinating to read about ecological concepts from people living at the turn of the century and read Jamieson describe how the vision and theories of these folklore legends has continued and influenced the character and destiny of our entire country. A collector's item; it is worth seeking out at any cost.

This is a beautiful photo collection and short history of the Adirondack mountain wilderness area, including its early inhabitants, whose native American name the area still bears today: Adirondacks means: those who eat bark.

White men first came to the mountains late, however, after the Rev. John Todd found the wilderness in its raw and natural state, in 1845. For much of the region, the way Todd found things is the way they remain today, thanks to the work of preservationists and New York State.

There are two parts, including more than 18 chapters. There are lovely illustrations and a lot of information about identifying plant and animal species.

Gary Randolf has done a remarkable job of splicing natural history, Americans and psychical beauty into one great book. Traveling through time and seasons, the reader feels the words and witnesses the beauty of the Adirondack mountains. It's not just full of incredible landscape shots (both subtle and grand) but is matched with a moving narrative that warns us this island paradise will always be in danger.

Time for the world to take heed, especially in a period of history when our government seems to feel that acid rain is so irreversible here, that we can actually lower emissions standards? That the damage is already done? It's not too late, and Mr. Randorf reminds us with every page.

The Adventures of Elliott Parks 1st book, Elliott Wants A Puppy, was adorable and heartwarming. Elliott Parks is a very lovable little boy. The Adventures of Elliott Parks 2nd book, Welcome Kim Lee, is also a heartwarming story. It's a story about adoption. I love how this book teaches children that the most important aspect of a family is love. As a mother, this story melted my heart. I think families who adopt children are special and I think adopted children are special because they were chosen. My daughter loved this book!