California Books

This is a MUST HAVE for anyone who grew up in Southern California. It is a marvelous trip down memory lane. The pictures are a treat and the information reminds me of all the good things of my childhood. I have given several for gifts and everyone has loved the book as much as I do.

You don't need a team of NASA scientists or H.G. Wells to go back in time.All you need evidently is $22.05.That is what this gem cost at the time of this writing.For the price of a large pizza with everything you get a treat for the mind and heart.I defy anyone over 40 to read this and not feel as if their soul has not been dipped in chocolate and coated with sprinkles.I know that this world would be a better place if their were more people like the Master of Mid-century memories....Charles Phoenix.

For any one hooked on The Atomic Age this book is a "sun - fun" trip through Southern California - when Southern California was younger and more innocent. The book is filled Interesting bits of history and fabulous photos of an era long gone. Charles Phoenix obviously did his homework and researched the material extensively. The wonderful trip down memory lane takes you through some of Southern California's most famous attractions, including a brand new Disney Land, Knott's Berry Farm, and an Ocean themed amusement park that once stood at the Santa Monica Pier. Also on the trip are malls, housing developments, zoos, and themed restaurants. You won't be disappointed with this truly delightful journey.

Our library just added this book to their collection and I began reading it out of curiousity. It's fabulous - filled with great pictures and chock full of unique facts. Reading it made me feel like I stepped back in time. Great coffee table or gift book.

This book is, well, fun for anyone with a Los Angeles childhood, like me. However, for anyone who loves kitsch and Californiana, this book is well worth the price. Sun, Fun and Fantasy" takes an indulgent, loving look at a time and place that's largely been torn down and paved over. The author gets more than five stars from me for his accuracy--I couldn't find one error, based on my memory, my extensive reading about California, and yes, my picture postcard collection!

My hope is that this author will produce follow-up volumes from the '60s and '70s.

In the last three years, I have watched 500,000 acres of San Diego county burn. I came to M. Kat Anderson's book after we nearly lost our home, which is neatly tucked between two pieces of reservation land; I got infinitely more understanding than I thought possible. She has given us a timely, well researched work, that gives homage to the people who came long before us.

This book will sit on my shelf, next to "1491" (another must read, Americas before Columbus). The land nourishes all of us, regardless of race, color or creed. We need to learn from the past practices, to better care for the land. Many environmentalists use "pristine" when describing wilderness, and it is a misnomer. Without fire, there are no sprouting redwoods. Controlled burns are necessary. But try and tell your local political leaders that.
Buy this book, read it and understand.

Kat,
its wonderful!!! Long live the Wendell Berry Club.
Miss ya,
Joseph and Linda the cattail botanist!

This book is covering ground not found elsewhere about the way of Native Americans in California interacted with nature to actually improve the health of forests and wild life. I am thrilled to find it.

This book should become required reading for all High School and University students, teachers, and researchers with an interest in North American anthropology, ethnobotany, botany, biology, historical ecology, fire history, forest management, and history. It will be of particular value to readers with an interest in cultural and natural resources management, agricultural sustainability, and federal Wilderness policy, among other topics.

The book is excellently written, organized, and indexed, for both general reading and specific reference uses. It is a wonderful addition to Anderson's other major contribution to science, Forgotten Fires.

This excellent book written about the management of California land by the native people in the past, is also a textbook of what we will need to do in the future to survive. M. Kit Anderson has written a revolutionary book. The wealth of information on how Native peoples managed the California landscape in a sustainable way finally does justice to these people and their way of life - a people who were so cruelly treated by the Spanish and American invaders. The author explores the ecological management skills of California native peoples without romanticizing them or ignoring mistakes that they made.

The modern environmental movement created the myth of the unspoiled wilderness untouched by human hands. Tending the Wild debunks that myth and levels some well earned criticism towards those environmentalists who failed to appreciate how the California native peoples were successfully and actively managing the California landscape, as were other indigenous people around the world.

But the wealth of detail the book provides on how the Native Americans successfully managed the California landscape is also a model of sustainable living that has much to teach all of us. We learn an alternative to the destructive environmental, agricultural and development practices of our time. Practices that are destroying our ability to not only preserve the beauty of the landscape but to use the landscape wisely to provide for our needs in a sustainable way.

Anybody who is interested in sustainable living should also explore books on Permaculture by authors like Bill Mollison, David Holmgren and Toby Hemenway. Permaculture is a modern attempt at designing for sustainable living. Permaculture designers have studied the sustainable methods agriculture, horticulture, building and community of indigenous people from all over the world. As world oil production peaks and as the effects of global warming are felt, we will need all the help we can get to re-learn how to live sustainably on this planet.

To my excitement, I recently found a pristine copy of the original hardcover edition of this book. I am a huge fan of Bugliosi's other work in "Helter Skelter" and "And the Sea Will Tell". This book is less known, but does not lack the sensationalism of the cases in Bugliosi's other books. Until the end of the book, it is well paced and creates suspense in the reader's mind. Bugliosi's decision to included his entire closing argument as the last 1/3 of the book drastically slow the pace.

Allan Palliko's crimes included attempted murder against his first wife, murdering a lover's husband, and murdering his second wife. While the first murder seems clear, the seemingly impossible time frame makes the second murder likely to have been committed by another. Yet when the deaths create income for Palliko, some eyebrows are raised. Could the prosecution gain a conviction despite a lack of physical evidence? The circumstantial evidence and motive of insurance money seem to point in the direction of Palliko's responsibility. Yet the unpredictability of a "jury of your peers" makes the reader wonder if the unlikely conviction is possible.

The book is slowed to a crawl when Bugliosi decided to include his entire closing argument. While the argument was well done, Bugliosi could have better summarized it for the purposes of this book. With the exception of this flaw, "Till Death Us Do Part" is another outstanding read by Vincent Bugliosi.

Absolutely wonderful! I first read it in 1978, and have reread it at least a dozen times. (Something I rarely do) Well-written and constructed, and just as riveting as Helter Skelter. Five stars for Mr. Bugliosi!!

I've read everything Bugliosi has published that I'm aware of, and find him to be the very best non-fiction law/crime writer out there who I have encountered. He was also apparently a very good and thorough attorney, at least to hear him tell it. This story, like his Manson book, concerns a highly publicized trial on which he was the prosecuting attorney. In Hitchcockian fashion a man had been killed by an unknown stranger while the wife was 200 miles away with a perfect alibi. Insurance claims were modest and eventually paid, and probably nothing would have come of it had not one of the dismissed suspects suddenly become a widower himself, and the 21 year old missus hardly died of old age. Lots of courtroom drama, detective work, and personality studies ensue. Very hard to put down once you pick it up. Compelling without ever being gory, and informative without being pedantic. Very well written and a very unique story.

I just started reading this book and so far I haven't been able to put it down just like all his rest so he has not disappointed me there. I just read And The Sea Will Tell and that was a fabulous book also. The dealer I got this book from was great, I got the book in record time. I would recommend reading this book if you enjoy true crime and legal stuff

Neither did I, but if you enjoy seeing someone squirm as he gets caught lying under cross examination, you'll like this. The crimes are sickening. Mr. Bugliosi includes a big helping of law for the layman --very interesting stuff! The murderers were actually prosecuted on circumstantial evidence.

Korean-American executive protection expert Allen Choice has doubts about his failing romance with Hispanic reporter Linda Maldonaldo while concerned with his weak business. The adrenaline that fueled the beginning of his relationship with Linda (see OVER THE SHOULDER) is gone along with the thrill. The lack of executive protection clients in the Bay area has forced Allen to accept sleazy sleuthing that he knows is way below his skill level, but allows him to eat.

Adding to his depression is his feelings of guilt for not being there when Linda's brother died in a drug-related car crash. To ease his remorse Allen travels to Malibu to be there for his girlfriend. Already feeling like a fish out of water, instead of finding a family mourning a tragedy, Allen walks into a nasty Internet child pornography venture that could leave him as the next accident victim.

Readers who took delight in Allen's first tale will enjoy this story, but will quickly realize that it is not quite on a level with its predecessor. Perhaps it is the change of location, but Allen seems out of place in Malibu because he fits so well in San Francisco. Still readers will appreciate his self-deprecating doubts about himself and Linda, and enjoy his latest investigation just not the first choice.

Harriet Klausner

Wow. I was up all night reading this. I loved Over the Shoulder, and found Underkill to be equally engrossing. Chang does an incredible job of writing literary fiction (his use of language is just gorgeous) that's propelled by a real, page-turner plot. I wish more books combined being this well-written with being this suspenseful.

Choice makes a great reluctant protagonist, and his thoughtful, candid narration is enough to make this book worth reading by itself (even without the raves, car chases, and gun fights!).

This series is turning out to be one of the best and most interesting ones I've read, and I've read a lot of them. I love Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane and Sue Grafton and a bunch of others, and this one definitely ranks up there because Allen Choice is a very realized and intriguing character. I was trying to tell a friend about this series and found it hard to describe because it's so centered on the character instead of just the mystery. It's almost like this is a regular novel about an investigator and so there's naturally a mystery because it's his job, but it's not about the mystery...it's about the guy himself. The writing is awesome.

This is a series that continues to improve and reward the reader. Leonard Chang is writing some of the best current detective fiction now available in these books. And it doesn't hurt that he's also able to address issues of race and alienation at the same time. _Underkill_ brings back reluctant investigator Allan Choice to look into the apparently accidental death of his girlfriend's younger brother. The investigation takes Choice into the underground rave scene and competition between ecstasy dealers, which may have had something to do with the death. At the same time, Allan's relationship with his girlfriend, Linda, seems to be unravelling and try as he might, he can't figure out how to prevent it. This is an excellent, fast-paced mystery that left me wanting more--Bring on Book #3!

I'm a literature grad student, and I've had the opportunity to follow Chang's writing for some time now. His first two novels were clearly attempts to delineate the racial dynamics in America (Asian/African American as well as class issues), and with this Allen Choice series he seems to be trying to write about Korean Americans in a similar but almost subterranean way. He is writing about an Americanized Korean American man as a Private Investigator, a man who looks into the grit of American lives (Korean American lives in Over the Shoulder, and now the L.A. Underground and ecstasy scene in Underkill) all the while investigating his own life, both external and internal life. Allen Choice has no ethnic or racial ties--he's afloat and alone. He actually has NO ties (familial or relationship), which on some level echoes Chang's previous novels. The archetype of the PI is the isolated man, and here Allen Choice is isolated on so many levels it's dizzying, because family, race, profession, and now relationships have served to separate him from conventional society. Chang has taken the model of the PI and used this to exploit his other themes of alienation. This takes not only mystery fiction but Asian American fiction to new levels. I highly recommend this series for readers looking for exciting, well-written stories with a bit more substance than the usual genre entertainments.

Really well written book. Found alot of friends and family members in the book in the era of which it was written. Very true to it's nature. Purchased 2 books.

It is often common to find in magazines reports: "Carlos Santana. The man who created the latin-rock", as if he had create this sound by his own in a chemical laboratory. Instead, in this book, Jim Mc Carthy gives credit to a lot of people that put their little grain of sand to make this style born and live. Each musician is analicize by a very human view, but always in relation with the musical stuff. The pictures are incredible, and the Glossary... ¡re-grosso!. ¡Aguante el Rock-Latino!.

* LATIN * ROCK * MASTERPIECE *, June 27, 2005
Reviewer: derjenrogers from WILTHIRE
l found long ago, a very special sound,but no one was around totell me about it, no one knew anything, only that the music was so powerful it WOULD change your life. My soul has been searching for 30 years untill Jim McCarthy came and spent four years of his life, writting, hundred of interviews, to bring to life an utter MASTERPIECE, documenting the raw,uncensored passion to the roots of LATIN ROCK. Authenticity and powerful emotion drips off every page,forcing the reader to collect it and greedily drink
down this strong, pungent,wonderful nectar to fill your unknowing soul with THE KNOWLEDGE!

All the peoples names (which i only use to just read on the back of album covers) all come to life and i feel that they are close
friends,as so many are backed-up with the huge amount of photographs in this wonderful book.l now, no longer feel left outside, without The Knowledge, but part of global commune, full of love, warmth and unashamed greed for LATIN ROCK.
Jim McCarthy has pulled off a monumental task with getting to grips with the truth behind the roots of the music to some of the greastest latin rock bands of all time.
Their music will be here forever, as indeed this book will be.

THIS BOOK IS A TOTAL MUST FOR ALL LATIN ROCK LOVERS
DISCOVERING IT'S ROOTS,HISTORY,IT'S MUSICIANS. THIS
MASTERPIECE WILL FOREVER HAUNT EVERY BOOK SHELF ALL OVER THE WORLD, AS THE ONLY TRUE AUTHORITIVE VOICE IN LATIN ROCK

Reviewer: derjenrogers from UK
l found long ago, a very special sound,but no one was around totell me about it, no one knew anything, only that the music was so powerful it WOULD change your life. My soul has been searching for 30 years untill Jim McCarthy came and spent four years of his life, writting, hundredS of interviews, to bring to life an utter MASTERPIECE, documenting the raw,uncensored passion to the roots of LATIN ROCK. Authenticity and powerful emotion drips off every page,forcing the reader to collect it and greedily drink
down this strong, pungent,wonderful nectar to fill your unknowing soul with THE KNOWLEDGE!

All the peoples names (which i only use to just read on the back of album covers) all come to life and i feel that they are close
friends,as so many are backed-up with the huge amount of photographs in this wonderful book.l now, no longer feel left outside, without The Knowledge, but part of global commune, full of love, warmth and unashamed greed for LATIN ROCK.
Jim McCarthy has pulled off a monumental task with getting to grips with the truth behind the roots of the music to some of the greastest latin rock bands of all time.
Their music will be here forever, as indeed this book will be.

THIS BOOK IS A TOTAL MUST FOR ALL LATIN ROCK LOVERS
DISCOVERING IT'S ROOTS,HISTORY,IT'S MUSICIANS. THIS
MASTERPIECE WILL FOREVER HAUNT EVERY BOOK SHELF ALL OVER THE WORLD, AS THE ONLY TRUE AUTHORITIVE VOICE IN LATIN ROCK

i love this book it,s about time a book like this came out i love all the old pics of the bands and of the mission district now people will know the history of san franciscos latin rock and salsa sceen all the bands they mentioned on here like malo santana and sapo azteca tower of power el chicano i grew up listening to them

Okay, this guy named Robert Liparulo decides he can write thrillers. He gives us some great page-turners, then thinks that qualifies him to write YA books, as well. I figure I'll give the series a try, and I speed through book one, "House of Dark Shadows."

Well, this pesky Liparulo fellow leaves me hanging, so I pick up book two right away--which I rarely do when reading through a series--and I race to the end of that one even quicker. Yeah, this writer's that good.

Starting where book one left off, "Watcher in the Woods" churns through more adventures, more conflicts (with police, Civil War soldiers, and WWII tanks), and troubles between the King family members. We also meet a mysterious stranger, who tends to spy on the Kings from the neighboring woods. The Kings have moved into an old home, but find themselves caught in a whirlpool of portals into history. They've lost something very important, and they must figure out how to get this precious thing back without losing their trust in each other.

Although I, just like the story's teenaged Xander, got impatient with the family's plodding approach toward their problem, I began to understand the father's reasoning. Maybe Liparulo just had me tied into too many knots to believe that anyone could approach something so emotional so logically. Either way, "Watcher in the Woods" sucked me along in a few short readings, and left me hanging once again in anticipation for book three, "Gatekeepers."

Phaw! And that Liparulo guy thought he could write YA books. I'll have to keep reading these things until I can prove him wrong.

This story picks up as if it's just the next chapter of "House of Dark Shadows." That's good, if you had "Watcher in the Woods" handy, because you're going to want to go from one to the next asap. That's also the drawback, when you finish "Watcher" you're even more so going to want the next installment - and it comes out in January 2009. Write faster, Bob! Just kidding, I'm sure he's doing everything he can to keep us going.

I have come to really enjoy this family - they bond and grow together throughout this book, and they way they pull together seems to be the antithesis of the disfunctional family we all read about.

The adventures in this book become more recognizable by period and character, and I really look forward to the next 2-3 books as I'm sure you will if you buy these books.

I couldnt wait to read this after reading the first book and was not disappointed in the least. This is another great book for adults as well as the YA crowd. The king family lives in a house with strange rooms that change and take you to different times. This time someone strange is watching the family and wants to run them out to get the house for themselves. Will they be able to figure out what to do before another family member goes missing. Again a must for fans of liparulo and for suspense fans in general. Also go to [...] to enter a contest where robert liparulo might use your idea in a future book in the series.

Watcher in the Woods is the continuing story of the King family.

David King, 12-years-old is facing huge traumas while attempting to keep the outside world from destroying his chance of happiness.

Grasping hold of the King family legacy of bravery, David dives into the unknown to save his family at great cost to himself.

From the first word to the final "not the end" I cheered and cringed for the Kings.

I hope the next book releases very soon. This is book two in the series I'm going to recommend regardless of age or gender. I'd also love to see it turned into a movie.

Easily frightened readers might struggle with the intensity, otherwise, this is a powerful story well told.

The second book in the Dreamhouse series is as good if not better than the premier book.
The story of how a family pulls together during a major crisis has many twists and turns and holds your interest to the last page.
Although the book is labeled as Juvenile Fiction, the story telling is anything but juvenile. Liparulo's plot line keeps you always wondering what is going to happen next.
Like the old time movie serials you have a hard time waiting for the next installment.

I read a book a week on average and this is by far my favorite in a long, long time. The author is a master of history and story telling. Nora is the most lively, complex and funny heroine. The story moves fast and is full of surprises and humor. Nora is refreshingly real and it is so much fun to watch her struggle with various moral issues while doing her best to be true to herself. I have recommended "Woman of Ill Fame" to two of my clients and they have both told me they tremendously enjoyed the read. I can't recommend buying this book enough. I am eagerly awaiting Erica Mailman's next book. Wish she'd write a follow up to "Woman of Ill Fame. " I'd love to see the next chapter of Nora's life.

Vivid description of San Francisco during the Gold Rush, but the story was disappointing - the character, her love interest - too predictable and fairy tale. Too much sex - not of the good kind. Somehow, it just seemed unbelievable that the main character, Nora, was having such a rockin' good time as a prostitute. The author seems promising - I'll give her another chance and look forward to her next book, but I hope that her fiction can develop a little more. She's obviously a great researcher, and can craft a basic story, but it needs a little more work.

Here in the Bay Area, Erika Mailman is a very popular local author for her fabulous history column and many historical publications based on Oakland, CA. A departure from her nonfiction books, "Woman of Ill Fame" is a her first published novel and this book was such a delight to read that I am compelled to post my first review on Amazon. I simply couldn't put this book down and stayed up to the wee hours reading twist after turn in this enjoyable and gratifying story! Mailman's novel has a little bit of everything: sex and romance, murder and mystery, as well as, a historical sense of place and a unique cast of intriguing and endearing characters.

As a historical researcher, Mailman's knack for rich detail makes Gold Rush era San Francisco just spring to life from the pages of this book! Mailman deftly captures the Wild West atmosphere with gritty realism (e.g. in one scene, the protagonist Nora describes, with historic accuracy, the tragic fate of young Chinese sex slaves caged in Opium dens). At the same time, Mailman conveys a realistic sense of opportunity that "uncivilized" California afforded so many early settlers. It's no surprise that California granted women the vote long before the rest of the Union. Mailman's tact for era-appropriate dialogue is also worth noting - it's the perfect balance and never feels contrived. If you enjoyed similar elements of realism in HBO's series "Deadwood," you will enjoy this book - pick up your copy today!

One more thing: Like many of the novels characters, the story's protagonist Nora Simms is refreshing and quirky. At times while reading this book, Nora's internal dialogue on gender relations literally made me laugh out loud! Mailman doesn't rely on overdone hooker cliches and presents young feminist female readers with a character that we can identify with. With a deconstructionist lens, this exploited Gold Rush era sex worker becomes a strong, sexually empowered, and financially independent multi-dimensional character, who is reluctant to relinquish her feedoms for marriage despite the social stigmas of her day. Nora feels very human - complete with flaws and rationalizations, moral flexibilities and insightful wit. I hope we'll see Nora Simms again in a sequel by Mailman!

For as many books are written on the subject, you expect that every prostitute on the market has a heart of gold. Since such homogeneity is unfeasible, if not downright reductive--the population of soiled doves is surely as diverse as any other of society's phyla. Nora Simms, the protagonist of Erika Mailman's new novel, Woman of Ill Fame, is one of the kindest--and strongest--ladies of the evening in recent memory.

Nora's most memorable trait isn't her kindness, however. It's her frank acceptance of her situation, and her desire to make the most of it. She isn't squeamish about sex, takes pride in her physical gifts, works hard, and tells white lies to protect those she cares for. Arriving in San Francisco just after the Gold Rush has turned the city into a boomtown, Simms is shocked to discover a connection between her and a rash of murders. With considerable acuity she manages to protect her fellow prostitutes, duck the moral judgement of her landlord, elevate her status, find a suitor, all while trying to track down the vicious murderer.

Mailman seeds her historical research carefully, letting it bloom in just the right moments and measures. Woman of Ill Fame is a compulsively good portrait of vice, virtue, and early California.

These days, if you were to hear the expression "ill fame," you might conjure up the Us Weekly mug shot of some wannabe celebrity. But in the San Francisco of 150 years ago, terms like "ill fame" and "frail" were slurs branding a woman as a prostitute -- and, as such, crop up with colorful frequency in Oakland author Erika Mailman's seductive debut novel, Woman of Ill Fame.

Mailman deftly transports us back to a crazy boomtown San Francisco flooded with fortune seekers who indulge in the city's notorious sex scene and wince at the outrageous cost of housing. That might call to mind the dot-com silliness of the late '90s, but it's also a fair depiction of the city during the gold rush of 1849.

Woman of Ill Fame's narrator is 18-year-old Nora Simms, who sails into town from Boston to mine the miners of their paychecks by selling them a few minutes with her body. Don't expect any angst or apologies for this, though. Nora is no hooker with a heart of gold, and Mailman doesn't try to apply the mainstream, modern-day view of prostitution to a time and place whose inhabitants lacked our compassion -- or squeamishness. Instead, we're rooting for Nora as she starts at the bottom of the local sex trade in the disease-infested row of working-girl stalls nicknamed "the cowyard," daydreaming of the time when she'll ascend to an upscale parlor house where the women wear ornate gowns and adopt bogus French accents.

Nora's ambitions hit a snag, however, after the trunk containing all her worldly possessions is stolen. Worse still, the bodies of butchered prostitutes begin turning up around town, and each of the victims is found wearing an item of clothing from Nora's vanished trunk.

The whodunit aspect makes Woman of Ill Fame a page-turner, and Mailman manages to keep the reader guessing. Yet it's the depiction of early San Francisco that propels this thriller above its genre, in the manner of historical fiction such as Caleb Carr's The Alienist. While the serial killer plot fuels the ride, the rich historical details take command of our senses, transporting us backward in time to step in the muddy streets and smell the stench of a city newly born.

As the author of two local-history books, Mailman has done the homework necessary to paint this vivid portrait. And as a fixture of the local writing scene, she has quietly and doggedly been honing her craft for more than a decade in places such as the San Francisco Writers Workshop. Now all that hard work is beginning to pay off, with Mailman emerging as a San Francisco author to watch. A second historical novel, The Witch's Trinity, is scheduled to come out in time for Halloween on Random House. Going from obscurity to two published novels in nine months is quite a feat -- and virtually unheard of. Clearly, Mailman's publishers are betting they've discovered new gold in San Francisco. *

[...].

i just had to go out and buy this book after reading the reviews on it, my son is ten months old and just gone down for a nap, and i am reading through the book and getting so excited about all the places we can now go and see. We have only been in california 1 year and i am a new mom in a new place not knowing where to go and what to see for my toddler and this book is going to be just perfect and we want to go exploring now. i have a couple of other books but the activities are for children a little older but we need to explore now. Thank you to the parents who bothered to review this wonderful book, and I hope this review helps other. like someone mentioned most of the places are either free or very inexpensive. - its going to be perfect.

Baby's Day Out in Southern California provides a wide range of age-appropriate excursions. Crammed to the bursting point with places to go, things to see and do, special events, ideas for activities and related reading, this excellent book is one of the most innovative, detailed and practical guides around.

Although the contents are arranged by type of place (i.e., museums, aquariums, farms and ponies, flying), it also offers site maps, making it easy to plan a day around a particular location or a specific interest. Listings include physical and Web addresses, phone numbers, directions, what to see and do, hours, parking, admission and membership information, related locations, nearby places and blank space for your own comments. Additional sections contain events by the month, packing lists and road games.

Its most valuable feature is its ability to look at potential places from a child's perspective. Among the 224 sites listed in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Santa Barbara/Ventura counties are fire stations, school bus yards, museums, libraries, gardens and nature centers, truck stops, farms, theaters and convention centers.

This is one of the best travel reference guides you could acquire if you have young children.

Finally there is a Southern California tour guide especially geared towards parents of babies and toddlers. Your children learn best through first hand experiences and Baby's Day Out is chock full of great places for the young (and not so young) to experience the things they love like animals, trains, parks, aquariums, tide pools, hands-on museums and more. My 10 year old and 61/2 year old twins still love to visit many of the places listed in JoBea Way's comprehensive guide. They also have a list of many new places for us to visit as well.

The book is broken down into eleven chapters covering major areas of interest for young children: Museums, Our City, Gardens and Nature, The Zoo, Aquariums, Trains and more. There are over 224 separate sites reviewed. Locations covered include the expected Los Angeles and San Diego Zoos as well as many less well known places like the Goodyear Blimp Airfield, Tierra Rejada Farm and Pasadena Unified School Bus Lot.

The book includes many helpful tips for making outings more enjoyable and each review contains a concise description, directions with Thomas Guide page references, and cross references to both similar sites and nearby attractions. Easy to spot icons let parents know if the locations can accommodate single and or double wide strollers (most do), and whether gift shops, snack shops or picnic areas are available so parents can plan accordingly. I love the lists of children's books on topic related to each entry and the special pages with simple graphics of animals or things that go, etc. These pages are designed for young children's use before, during or after their visits. For example, the first picture pages are of cars and trucks children might see on the way to their visit.

The final chapter includes a month-by-month "Things to Look For" section featuring holiday, special events and seasonal changes to watch for geared to Southern California. There are comprehensive listings of Fourth of July displays, Holiday lights, Farmer's Markets and more. These lists alone are a great resource whether you have young children or not.

The number and variety of places listed is truly impressive. Our family has been enjoying working our way through the book and finding many new favorites. I plan to give this book as a shower gift to all my pregnant friends and think the book is a great resource for parents of school age children and teachers also.

This book is filled with fun things to do at any age and for anyone who has some time to spend in the L.A. area. We visit there often and sometimes we are looking for more to do than just the big theme parks. There are so many things that I wouldn't have known about, much less how and where to find them. A treasure for anyone, local or tourist.

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and never knew about 90% of the places suggested in this book! In addition to the usual spots (Disneyland, parks, etc), the book suggests creative places like the schoolbus depot and construction sites (from a safe distance, of course!). "Baby's Day Out" really made me look at the world through my babies' eyes, where everything is a new and fascinating experience. For example, when I drive on the highway now, I point out the trucks passing by to my kids and they love watching the different sizes and colors. Before this book, I never would have thought about trucks on the highway as a field trip experience. This book is also very practical, providing all the necessary information, including Thomas Guide map pages, hours, prices, parking, everything! As an added bonus for me, Holt even tells me when they're enough room for my double stroller (with twin 18-month old boys, that is a big plus for me). I live in New Jersey now and bought this book while on vacation in Los Angeles. I wish they would write a book like this for us folks in the east coast.

I loved this book! Could picture myself and a few friends doing the same thing! Showed how friendships can be repaired and hearts healed. Anyone in their late 30's to mid 40's could probably relate to one of the characters and enjoy this read. Whether you're married, single, in a strained relationship, etc...this will encourage you.

What an awesome book. It is such a great story of friendship, and what friendship is really about for women. Celebrating all that we are, our differences, our sameness. I laughed, I cried, - A great story. This author does a great job. I'm going to find more of her books. Oh and by the way, a great guideline for turning corners!

Reviewed by Cherri Vanover and Kim Peterson for Reader Views (12/06)

A beach house in San Diego provides the setting for the reunion of childhood best friends Jo, Andie, Molly and Char. A feeling of homesickness while looking at an old photograph prompts Jo to invite the group to California to rekindle their friendship. The women celebrate their fortieth birthdays together.

The friends have all but drifted apart in the twelve years that have slipped by since they were last together at Molly's wedding. Although they feel delighted to reconnect, getting away doesn't bring the escape from everyday life that they expected. Their past link is influenced by their present situations. The once spunky Andie has faded into a fearful, mousy person under the influence of disparaging husband Paul. Molly and Scott are redefining their marriage now that the former stay-at-home mom and pastor's wife works outside the home as a substitute teacher. A single doctor, Jo struggles to keep from drowning her guilt about past career and relationship choices with alcohol. Neglected dentist's wife and mother Char seems to be overly friendly with her next door neighbor, Todd.

While the beach house setting encourages readers to visit, it is John's characters who invite them to stay. Jo, Andie, Molly and Char seem like real women with real problems readers can relate to and learn from in their own daily lives. Upon finding herself in a predicament that she doesn't like yet believes to be God's will, Molly prays, "Change my heart. Please change my heart." As Andie attempts to check off items on her "Adventure List," she hears in her spirit, "All you have to do is let go." John uses her characters' conflicts to share her faith with her audience in a situational rather than preachy way. What Christian fiction often aims at but struggles to do, John seems to accomplish with ease. This conversational style not only keeps the reader turning pages but also empowers readers to consider and listen for spiritual solutions to their own problems.

John creates a delightfully inviting setting, endearing main characters, intriguing secondary characters and a faith-based story with a message that lingers long after the last page. Fans of women's contemporary Christian fiction will find "The Beach House" a satisfying read.

I absolutely loved this book! I could relate to each of the four women at different times in their lives. It reminded me to take all things to HIM in prayer at ALL times.

I have been a long time reader of Sally John's books, and never once have I been disappointed. In The Beach House, Sally John weaves a lovely story of four childhood friends who have just turned 40, but have lost contact over the last twelve years. To celebrate their respective birthdays, they agree to share a beach house for one week and re-connect. Each woman is experiencing a time of trial, and Sally's expertise and style of writing sweeps the reader along in a medley of emotion, spiritual encouragement, and laughter. What more could a reader want?

I agree with the other reviews that this book is informative and engagingly written, with excellent and thoroughly researched paved and back road routes. However, I noted two cases in the Yosemite descriptions where the author confused left and right. In ride 74 at the bottom of page 264 he writes that you "turn left (south) and then xleftx RIGHT! immediately again onto narrow Crescent Meadow Road. That one is obvious when you're there, but the other is crucial: In ride 70, in the middle of p. 258 "...before arriving at a meadow. It seems like you should go left, but stay to the right of the meadow." Nope--you must indeed go to the LEFT of that meadow to follow the described route (and the overall loop is to the right), while the right fork soon turns into barely recognizable cowpaths that eventually dead end in the woods. I mention this mainly because he makes such a big deal of it, and want to warn cyclists using the book to take the directions with a hint of caution.

This book "Bicycling America's National Parks" is part of the Backcountry series. Even thought I like bikes I prefer to go on foot. The same trails lend their selves to foot also.

Many a time I have been able to locate ranger stations where you can check in and be loosed on the back country trails. Luckily many people are not aware of these areas. Some trails you can go all day without running into a soul.

David Story should be ashamed of him self fore giving away the secret. But I am glad I found this book.

The book is divided into 15 locations and in each location there is a description of where you can stay and where you can rent bikes along with other relevant information.

There are also trail maps and photographs from the area. Most important is inclusion of addresses for more up to date and more detailed information.

This book must be the first of its kind--a guidebook about bicycling in the national parks. The author shows that the common misperception that bicycling is not allowed off-road in national parks is just that-- a misperception. This book features some outstanding road rides as well as mountain bike rides. I think the descriptions of the parks themselves and the rides therein are well-written and clear. The author gives the kind of information you'd want to know before setting off on a ride, and does it in a colorful, sometimes very deadpan funny way. There's also some cool trivia about the parks and good, useful information about where to buy supplies, repair your bike, do laundry, take showers, camp, and other stuff like that. I think this is a book that shows you how to take part in the most fun sport in the world (bicycling) and do it in some of the most spectacular places in the world (the national parks of California). A must for any travelers to the national parks who want to get out of their cars and explore. (By the way: it's not just for hardcore bicyclists--there are numerous family and beginner-level rides as well.)

This book must be the first of its kind--a guidebook about bicycling in the national parks. The author shows that the common misperception that bicycling is not allowed off-road in national parks is just that-- a misperception. This book features some outstanding road rides as well as mountain bike rides. I think the descriptions of the parks themselves and the rides therein are well-written and clear. The author gives the kind of information you'd want to know before setting off on a ride, and does it in a colorful, sometimes very deadpan funny way. There's also some cool trivia about the parks and good, useful information about where to buy supplies, repair your bike, do laundry, take showers, camp, and other stuff like that. I think this is a book that shows you how to take part in the most fun sport in the world (bicycling) and do it in some of the most spectacular places in the world (the national parks of California). A must for any travelers to the national parks who want to get out of their cars and explore. (By the way: it's not just for hardcore bicyclists--there are numerous family and beginner-level rides as well.)

I just returned from a mountain biking vacation to Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area and this guidebook proved indespensible. It contains almost all information necessary to plan your trip and somehow manages to be both concise, thorough and readable.

Story introduces each chapter with a brief description of the geography and history of the park. Then Story lists several rides within the park, each accompanied by detailed descriptions (including technical and aerobic difficulty, best time of year to ride, overall length of trail, etc.) and maps. Though some road bike routes are included, most trails are for mountain bikes. Each trail I rode was accurately described. Each chapter also contains boxes describing the fauna (animals) and flora (plants) you'll likely encounter within each park.

This book isn't just a cycling guide, it contains virtually all the information you'll need to plan your trip. Story concludes each chapter with information about local lodging, camping, bike shops, grocery stores, and restaurants (his recommendations are first rate). He also provides helpful contacts (park visitors centers, etc.) which should be able to provide any other information you might need. Story has also eliminated the extraneous elements so many other cycling guidebooks seem to contain (elevation maps might be visually enticing, but let's face it, they aren't necessary).

What is really remarkable about this book is Story's terse, engaging writing. The abundance of information this book contains is presented in readable, often witty language. He doesn't just describe, he gives the reader a feel for each park and the surrounding communities (when applicable). Unlike most guidebooks I've read (which usually contain flat, predictable humor), Story's humor actually works; it isn't "laugh-out-loud" funny, but wry, witty humor that always relates to and never detracts from the subject matter.

The only improvement I would suggest for future editions is to provide a general map of each National Park. The trail maps only feature a small segment of the park where the trail is located. It is sometimes impossible to decipher where each trail is located within the entire park itself. This is particularly difficult for visitors not familiar with the area (like me). It was sometimes impossible to tell from the maps where the most convenient place to stay (closest lodging to the trails) is. The next edition should provide a map showing where each trail is located relative to the entire park. Before visiting a park, you should obtain a complete map from the National Park Service (Story does tell where to obtain these).

Story has set high standards with this guidebook, the first in the "Bicycling America's National Parks" series. It's the kind of book you'll enjoy reading even if you don't plan to hit the trails anytime soon. Story's writing is so engaging that finishing the 300-pages is effortless (300 pages may sound long, but it really isn't). This book is a must read for any cyclists interested in visiting the National Parks of California. I can't wait to read the subsequent guidebooks for other states.