Florida Books

This is a very good book on Walt Disney World. It is far superior to the 20th Anniversary Book "Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years". Although, many of the pictures are the same, there are alot more in Since the World Began.

In addition, this book provides much more information on the creation of the park. Still the best book on the creation of the Disney theme parks is "Disneyland: Inside Story" by Randy Bright. Since this is out of print, Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years is a good choice.

Walt Disney lives.

No, I'm not talking about the urban legend about him being cryogenically sealed and stashed below the Pirates of the Caribbean exhibition. Nor is this some soft New Ageism about spirits inhabiting the celestial plane.

He's alive down on a plot of land outside of Orlando, Florida, a boom city that was a dumpy little crossroad when Walt began buying what became a 30,000-acre spread there is the late 1960s.

Walt's gone, but his vision and energy lives on, and once you start dipping into "Since the World Began," you'll see that the scope of his vision is nothing short of awesome.

There are many faces of Disney, the producer of family-friendly and highly profitable movies, the creator of family-friendly theme parks, but also a visionary who thought that, as one associate put it, "bad information was responsible for all the evil in the world." Who tried to change people's attitudes within the confines of an amusement park, the man whose idealism spawned the Epcot center, and under Michael Eisner, the Disney Institute, where education and learning are on a par with entertainment.

What the book won't tell you -- this is published by Hyperion, Disney's publishing arm, and written by Jeff Kurtti, a longtime Disney employee -- is just what hell Walt went through to realize his vision. You won't hear of Disney's fundamentalist upbringing, his retreat into fantasy to escape a brutal father and life in poverty, his endless hard work to make animated movies, his multiple nervous breakdowns. His brother Roy is idealized as the business brain behind Walt's success, but you won't hear that Roy constantly opposed Disney's ideas as a waste of money. When Kurtti writes that Disney founded the design firm Walt Disney Imagineering in 1952 "because he realized that he wouldn't be able to create Disneyland within the boundaries of the studio system," he doesn't mention that it was also because Roy and the Disney board refused to advance Walt the money to design Disneyland, fearing that it would be a failure.

There was plenty of reason for Roy to be worried, too. Disney's ideas constantly threw the company perilously close to bankruptcy, generally on the order of every 18 months, until Disney's deal with ABC in 1955 made him very wealthy and put the company on a firm financial footing. Walt Disney was an idealist and a visionary, and if it wasn't for his tenacity, the company would not be the worldwide giant it is today.

Even while ignoring those shadings, there is still plenty of story left to make "Since the World Began" an awe-inspiring overview of Walt Disney World. It's probably the single largest and most complex construction project this side of the space shuttle. Its statistics are jaw-dropping: 55 miles of canals and levees were built to control the water levels, nine acres of underground corridors thread through the park, housing sewer lines, pipes and cables, and a pneumatic system for hauling trash, 60,000 plants and 800 varieties of trees acquired, moved and transplanted to build the park, 100,000 pounds of linen had to be washed every day.

As befitting its creator, the theme park was ahead of its time in its use of innovative technology. WDW was also the first area to implement 911 service in Florida, the first commercial venture to use fiber optic cables, the first telephone system using underground cable instead of overhead wires.

But the park was also a reflection of Walt Disney's vision of a global coming together of different peoples and cultures, learning about each other and attempting to find and enjoy peace as a result. It's globalization with a human face, to borrow someone else's phrase, and even if it seems outdated or even impossible in this post-9/11 world, Walt's beliefs is a hopeful and sustaining vision, and as American as the culture from which it sprang.

The author dives into the nuts and bolts of Disney history, including the formation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Disney's unique infrastructure. Yet the book isn't bogged down with technical, intricate details. Any Disney fan should enjoy reading about the Imagineering behind all four Florida parks' concepts, the hidden meanings of the names on Main Street's second floor windows, the transformation of Tomorrowland, ad infinitum. I received the book as a gift in 1996 and I've enjoyed reading through it several times.

Wow, wow, wow what a great book depicting the history of the number one vacation spot on the planet. I actually bought this book when it came out about 5 years ago. After reading it, I decided I'm going back to Dinsey World to celebrate its 25th birthday. Needless, to say it was a great trip. This is the book for all you wanting to know about Dinsey World History. For Dinseyland I would reccommend Disneyland: Inside Story, but getting on of those under... is a hard task.... What are you waiting for, buy this book! Get ready to experience the magic!

This is a very good book on Walt Disney World. It is far superior to the 20th Anniversary Book "Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years". Although, many of the pictures are the same, there are alot more in Since the World Began.

In addition, this book provides much more information on the creation of the park. Still the best book on the creation of the Disney theme parks is "Disneyland: Inside Story" by Randy Bright. Since this is out of print, Walt Disney World 20 Magical Years is a good choice.

Like all great writers, you don't have to have read GT's first book "Playing Right Field: A Jew Grows In Greenwich" to "get" his follow up of "Surfing Armageddon: A Memoir". You will, most likely, want to...but it ain't a requirement.

Taking up pretty much where the first book ended, "S.A." is the continued saga of noted punkrock writer/performer George Tabb...a view into the trials and tribulations that helped make him the man he is today. And the title is prophetic as well, as George continues with his personal showdown between good and evil to this very day...but that is a story for another blog.

This a book filled with sex (or the lack thereof), drugs and redemption thru Rock and Roll...those teenaged rites of passage that can either make you or break you.

A rollercoaster of a read, don't be surprised if you find tears of laughter rolling down your face one minute...and those of empathy the next...as GT takes you along for the ride on the inroads of his teen years. You'll meet his siblings...as well as his pals and his adversaries...an abusive father and wicked stepmother...his misaligned mother and stepfather...a brief but unforgetable image of his grandmother Rosie...and includes a roomie whose pater familia is Grand Wizard of the KKK...a cast of characters that you just couldn't make up if you tried.

Be that as it may...it's easy to identify with our young hero, George. Whether you were a geek or a freak...a rich kid or poor...boy OR grrl..."Surfing Armageddon" is a brutely honest mirror reflecting back all the pain and pleasure we hold back inside.

A GREAT read that leaves you wanting more...

I bought this book after discovering (from a google search) that George Tabb and I share many of the same life experiences - we both attended Leon High School in the late 70's, rode the same school bus (the "Nairobi Express" as George's brother called it), and were both "Rocky Horror" devotees @ the same theater on North Monroe st.

Like George, I also first saw the Ramones live when I was 16(in Atlanta) and later sat transfixed (and alone) through 5 screenings of "Rock and Roll High School" at the Tallahassee Mall and... we both attended the same Ramones show in Gainesville, FL in 1980.

I even wrecked my parents car at the same intersection as he did!

Surfing Armageddon contains so many untruths, distortions, and just plain hogwash that I have to go through them in a list.

1. I assume the sale price of his Fathers house in Greenwich, CT in 1977 was 1.4 million and not 14.1 as printed. 14.1 million for a single family house in Greenwich is high even by 2008's standards and would have been unheard of in 1977. Dunnellen Hall, which is now the most expensive property on the market in Greenwich @125 million (followed by Old Mill Farm @ 39.5), sold in 1976 for 3 million.

2. Tallahassee is within driving distance of, but not part of, the Redneck Riviera as Tabb frequently refers to it. This would be comparable to calling Yonkers "The Hamptons".

3. There were many Jewish students attending Leon High in 1978/79 including members of the football team. There were three synagogues in Tallahassee at that time and the idea that a Jewish kid would have caused such an uproar (or that a group of athletes chanting JEW JEW JEW would force him to pull his pants down to reveal the oddity of a circumcised penis) is preposterous.

And I can personally vouch for the fact that 99% of the boys in the locker room, whether Jewish or not, were circumcised. If anyone stood out it would be the one kid with foreskin!

4. The Killearn section of Tallahassee is a wealthy neighborhood populated by Doctors, Lawyers, Professors and high-ranking State Officials. Tabb's account of encountering barefoot, redneck children spouting off about niggers, jews, and jesus on the sidewalks of this manicured , country club enclave is highly improbable.

Tallahassee is very progressive politically and has voted Democratic in every national election since 1992. Tallahassee was also the first U.S. State Capitol to elect a Black Mayor - James Ford in 1972, 76, and 82 - who was followed by Penny Shaw-Herman (a JEWESS!)

5. Mad Dog contractors are a progressive, green oriented (since 1974), company of (basically) hippies who started a business as an outgrowth of their work with the Miccosukee Land Co-op and are now one of the leading contractors in Leon County. HIPPIES - NOT REDNECKS!

6. Tabb states that 11th grade in Tallahassee is like 6th grade any where else in the country. Because of the presence of three large universities in town, Tallahassee schools have always been top-rated. In fact, in 2006, Leon High was rated 109th in the U.S. by Newsweek Magazine's highly regarded "1000 Best Public High Schools in America" with Tallahassee's 3 other high schools coming in at 115, 153, and 157.

Maybe if he had left Greenwich High (which does not make Newsweek's List) a little earlier he would have learned the history of the Ku Klux Klan and where babies came from before starting college- (we had already covered those subjects in Middle School).

7. I was at Rocky Horror almost every weekend of it's first year's run on N. Monroe st. and never saw anyone who could be called the "Sal Piro" of Tallahassee.

8. I attended FSU so I can only say that his college dorm mate's being involved with the klan and keeping a klan robe in his dorm closet (as well as his racist remarks and violent behavior in the dorm) would have sparked a campus-wide protest and would have certainly resulted in his expulsion had it happened 100 miles away at the other large state university.

I'm just assuming that some of the characters in the book are composites of people Tabb COULD have met in Florida - but I doubt that this really was a student at U of F.

p.s. George - do some homework on the klan - who and what they were in 1980 in central FL. The Southern Law Poverty Center is a great starting place...

Finally, despite everything I've mentioned, and the fact that Tabb stoops to the use of a "Magical Negro" to free him from his conflicted family life in the last chapter of the book, by the end I had developed an affection for this lonely, searching , virgin and actually enjoyed the book.

but I don't think Amazon would allow me to use it in a review.

Surfing Armageddon: A Memoir is a, well, a memoir. It follows young Tabb from Connecticut confines to a re-envisioned Tara in Tallahassee, and ultimately toward salvation at the University of Florida. Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n Roll ensue. Also a job and a car and more than one obsession can be found along the way.

But let me back up a bit.

I've heard most of these stories over the years in some form or other, usually shorter. But it was nice to read them in chronological order, putting some sense to them. Well, maybe not sense but perspective at least...

This book reads more like a novel than his previous effort. I feel that with Surfing Armageddon, George has finally found his voice outside newspaper and magazine essays - and it is as funny and clever as ever.

Whether or not you know, or know of, George, this peek into his life will please most voyeurs.


Personally, I'm looking forward to the third installment, post-virginity to 9/11 and beyond.

Surfing Armageddon is easily George Tabb's best work so far,and if you've read his columns and last book,you know that's saying alot. It's got everything the reader expects from his stories and more. As George gets older, his style of writing somehow makes you feel like you're getting into your late teens along with him. The stories become more similar to your own experiences i.e. too much masturbating, only caring about losing your virginity, almost dying after smoking a joint laced with enough chemicals to give you the strangest hallucination imaginable, falling in love with the easter bunny at the mall, having a wanna be slave master father who you catch practing cracking the whip in a full white southern suit in the middle of the night, and so on. The book slowly becomes more dramatic towards the end that provides the most shocking and satisfying conclusion that one could ask for.

No one can tell a story like Mr. Tabb. If you've read his first book, Playing Right Field, or any of his MRR columns, you know that.

George's journey through first experiences with sex, drugs, punk rock and Rocky Horror are both hilarious and heart wrenching. The ups, the downs, the good, the bad - George makes it feel like you're experiencing it all right beside him. From his first leather jacket, to losing his virginity and back again... it is impossible to put down. The end leaves you with tears in your eyes, a smile on your face, and an intense curiosity about what happens next. This book, along with Playing Right Field, has skyrocketed to the top of my list of favorite reads, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone.

The book is divine. All of her works are great. Judy passed away here in Tampa, Florida a few days ago and this great author and woman will truly be missed.

Carmin Dolphy-Williams

Jael Reynolds a detective by choice, a Christian by Faith, has had to endure much. A young son to raise on her own,and a anal ex, along with the pressures of a successful career in a dominating world of men & bigots. It is one thing to adjust to when you have to work under the leadership of a woman, but add color to that title and you got blatant racism and hidden racism. Jael learns that you never know who your enemies will be. Jael has sacrificed much to succeed and also to find her way spiritually. She learns that even though she has done what was considered right, the devil has his spawns and there are times in a believer's life where they have to practice and battle that "No weapon formed against (me) shall prosper." and the fact that GOD said that he will "never leave you or forsake you." Jael is a living testimony that "He may not come when you want him, but he'll always be right on time." Life itself is hard, but racism and supremacy is real and very much around, you have to know that there are wolves in sheep clothing. Grant is what Jael needs, someone who is strong, connected and believes in having faith. You never know when your prince charming will be delivered. This story line was intriguiing and very captivating, you have to keep reading. You have suspense, mystery, romance, desparation, spirituality, maternal love, and much more in this book. TO THE AUTHOR JUDY CANDIS.... "JOB well done!!!" I look forward to reading more by Ms. Candis. If you are a Christian fiction reader or if you are not, I recommend this book!!!

Author Judy Candis has written a beautiful Christian Fiction mystery novel, one in which it is more than evident she spent a lot of time and love writing. Jael Reynolds was godly proud of her position with the police department as a detective with promises of a promotion to lieutenant in the near future, but not as much as she was humbled and thankful for her Christian walk and faithfulness to the Lord. Because of this, she is able to do her job and be a help to as many people as she can, but not even her eventful past, an arrogant ex-husband, raising her son alone, and the usual dealings of police work prepare her for what was lying beneath in her small Florida city.

For some reason, the unease Jael felt when the first drug dealer was killed would change her life as she knew it. The turn of events that followed appeared to be a serial killer taking out the local drug dealers, but that was just scratching the surface. As each event would unfold, it appeared to be one positive step towards solving the spree of killings, including bringing in the FBI. Even still things were not as they appeared to be.

Jael's faith was tested through the roof when her son and young friend were kidnapped because she had gotten too close to finding out about the true "White Power" hate crimes, who was involved and how they had covered their tracks. Stressed far beyond her limits, Jael found herself in a place of obedience by praying and waiting on God to move on her behalf as He placed people in her life and in the way of the ongoing investigation who turned out to be a help to her bringing those responsible to justice.

Author Judy Candis penned a beautifully written Christian Fiction mystery in which she took a lot of time to research and put into her story as it pertains to detective and police work. I would recommend this book to anyone who is going through a time in their lives where it seems they will not make it. In the face of adversity, there is God's mercy and His unfailing love and faithfulness. Rest in peace, Judy Candis.


Reviewed by Sharel E. Gordon-Love
Apooo BookClub

Somebody send some aspirin over to Publisher's Weekly, because you don't have to be Christian or African-American to appreciate this book.
The strong female lead Jael offers up a lesson in faith, applicable to all flavors. I don't typically read books because they're Christian, but this book gave me a new perspective on my own faith - I didn't feel like I was being evangelically pounded.
It's so good to see a woman lead character without super powers dealing with her problems and not passing them off on someone else, or waiting for a man to come to her rescue!
I laughed and cried when I read this book - then I bought it for my mother to use at her Bible study, glad to have this literary bridge to connect our religious gap.
Judy Candis writes books that stay with you for awhile. This is the second of her books that I've read --and enjoyed.

I would highly recommend "All Things Hidden" for anyone who loves suspense novels. The added dosage of Christian principles made this book even better. The lessons in the book go hand in hand with the suspense and situations Jael finds herself in.

Everything you've ever wanted to know about snorkel swimming is in this great book, from "The Basics" to "Underwater Photography." Anyone in average health, who can swim, can don a mask and peer beneath the waters. Its low-impact aerobics and a great way to keep fit. Snorkeling has become a family affair with fish-watching and photography the main focus.

You will find tips on a variety of snorkeling trips and activities in this informative book. Choices vary from sail-snorkel trips on shallow-draft catamarans or trimarans, glass-bottom-boat tours, snorkel-with-the-dolphins tours; the list goes on and on. Each snorkeling site is graded for interesting marine life, visibility, and water clarity with one to five "starfish."

Helpful hints concerning snorkels, how to choose the proper fins, anti-fog solutions, and how to avoid sunburn are all discussed. Dos and Don'ts advise that you always swim with a dependable buddy and warnings as to what not to touch.

The best reef-front resorts, starfish-rated beaches and boat-entry sites are included as well as Manatee tours. Where to find shallow shipwrecks, the best coral gardens, underwater photo trips and snorkeling cruises are all included in this wonderful book. Also included are twelve pages of fantastic underwater photography.

If you are a snorkeling enthusiast, this book is a must have. It is a valuable guide to snorkeling sites and islands. Information includes detailed maps, photos, tours offered, and important information you need to make a wise vacation choice.

I found the reviews very helpful in deciding where I wanted to plan my nest trip... I went to the Galapagos with Aquatic Encounters, and it was so fantastic, it is beyond description

This is must-have book for both the beginner and experienced travelling snorkeler. It is a thoughtful guide to the best places to visit and great tips on what to look for in the way of unique marinelife once you get there. It should be a companion in every dive bag.

The book has very brief descriptions of snorkeling sites at a large number of different places. Most, but not all are Caribbean islands. There are also descriptions of other "traditional" snorkeling places, such as the Yucatan Penninsula and Hawaii. And there are two large sections on snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands. Several snorkeling sites are listed at each separate location, and useful advice and information is given for most. All sites are rated on a 1 to 5 "starfish" point system. About the only criticism I have of the book is that much of the hotel information seems to be pulled directly from the hotel's advertising about themselves. A little more independent commentary would be nice. The information is still useful as a starting point. Finally, for each location, there is useful information on weather, how to get there, and when to go. If you have the first edition of this book, I see little reason to purchase this new edition, however. I do wish a few other sites or activities had been included, in particular snorkeling with whale sharks off Northwest Australia. That's something that interests me, but there seems very little information on it out there. If you travel to snorkel, and don't have the First Edition, GET THIS ONE!

This is the best book for snorkeling I've ever found. The other books are so vague, they don't tell me much of anything. This one describes all the neat places to walk in from the beach and go snorkeling, how rough or calm the area is, how to get to various snorkeling beaches once I get there, whether the kids can safely swim in each area. It also has all the resorts that have snorkeling off their beaches, which is really nice for people traveling with small children and the airlines and travel stuff we need.

This is one of those must have items when you're facing a trip with your grandkids (that's TWO generations away from your own days on any wild ride) and I must say this guide to the park was enormously helpful even before we got there. Thanks a lot! Our trip was a huge success and Ms. Wiley's book gets a lot of the credit.

I first read an earlier version of this book several years ago, and Kim's sound advice has stayed with me, several trips on.

If you want to learn which rides to stay away from with young children, and what the must sees are, this is the book to read. And don't ignore Kim's most important tip of all. If you're travelling to Disney World with children, make sure you take that afternoon nap.

Catherine Noble
Webmaster
www.mywdwtrip.com

This is a really useful book, tons of tips, saved me a lot $$ and time. The most valuable thing I learn is to rent a multi-family vacation house with my friends, 16 people for $199 a day. We all enjoy the stay at a luxury emerald island resort. check this out: http://www.cyberrentals.com/index.cfm/property/126687

I purchased this book as a guide to help plan a 5 day trip to WDW with my family. We just got back and let me tell you this book saved us a lot of waiting time for the rides, helped us know what to see and where and how to focus our energy. Ms. Wiley is right on the mark in her descriptions of the attractions and her tips about getting around the parks. The book was so helpful, I tore out the sections about each park and took it with us into the park. This version is missing info that wasn't available at the time of printing about some of the newer shows Disney has put in for its 50th anniversary celebration. The Cinderellabration show is wonderful especially if you have a princess lover in your family and the Wishes fireworks display over the castle in the Magic Kingdom. I would highly recommend this book even if you've been to WDW before.

This book is a must read before and during your trip. It has great money saving ideas and is easy to understand. The scare factors are extremely useful if you have children under 10.

Functional Fitness provides a common sense approach to exercise. Having spent hours enslaved at my desk, I now turn to Functional Fitness and with simple yet highly effective movements revive and revitalize myself right at my desk. The benefits of the desk exercises are increased through cutting edge breathing techniques. I am a new man!
R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.
Editor in Chief
The American Spectator

Functional Fitness provides a 'fitness in a suitcase' approach. These exercises turn waiting in line (at the airport, grocery store, or at the coffee shop) into opportunities to become healthier. This allows people the convenience of using the exercises anywhere and anytime they choose without the aid of cumbersome props and equipment. This is the first commonsense handbook containing the extremely popular Pilates principles and exercises that can be done: sitting, standing, lying down, walking, and even in meetings, in traffic, or on flights. It offers a foundation of exercises that can be practiced 'beyond the mat.' Companies concerned with their employees' well being and interested in increasing productivity can now utilize Larkin Barnett's Desk Freedom Program to accomplish this goal.

No more excuses; Larkin Barnett's "Functional Fitness" will fundamentally change the way we relate to our bodies, giving new meaning to the word, "exercise." In a brilliant stroke of genius, Ms. Barnett has made Pilates highly accessible to the everyday reader, providing us with basic movement fundamentals that can be integrated into our lives. A must for every sports club, athletic department, spa, and college dance department. As a holistic primer, "Functional Fitness" will raise the level of awareness in our bodies as we move from our deepest core into civic space.

"Functional Fitness explodes with new and easy information for mankind to create a stress-free lifestyle universally. Larkin Barnett is the foremost leading healer and holistic messenger of the 21st century. This is a natural best seller and will be acclaimed worldwide. It is a must read and should be a reference in every household. Larkin Barnett brings her experience, knowledge, and insights as a dancer and movement therapist, to this book. It provides a new concept of incorporating essential alignment, breathing, and centering movement principles directly into any sport or lifestyle. What we did not learn with our 'ABC's' as children we now have the opportunity to do as adults. Thanks to the ingenious work of Larkin Barnett, we finally have a handbook containing a Pilates lifestyle that is simple to follow and fun to do. Her enormous experience in working with professionals and laymen coupled with her extensive knowledge of the great movement innovators Joseph Pilates and Rudolph Laban, as well as,her invaluable understanding in using creative visualization; she has brilliantly produced a book where we can effectively change our bodies, minds, and lives on a continual basis."

A clearly stated and visually self-explanatory guide for the more advanced athlete to the person just beginning their fitness regime. "Functional Fitness" provides easy to implement and profound cues for teaching pilates and physical fitness. Larkin's multifaceted understanding of gyrotonic and gyrokinesis are reflected in the three dimensional spiraling movement of the desk exercises, as well as, the "foot massage" section that is incorporated in the warm-up in the gyrokinesis class. An all-around, user friendly, very easy to follow fitness guide.

BEST guide book you could ever want to have in your possession before, during and after your cruise!!!!
These guys really have done their research and we are glad they did so we could have a wonderful, relaxing and informative cruise.
Thanks!!!!!

This book was an excellent resource in planning my second Disney cruise. I like to research as much as possible before taking a vacation and this guide gave me lots of information I needed. I especially used the reveiws and ratings of the shore excursions to help select which ones were best for my family. They also offer great budget and planning information and offer a behind-the-scenes look at what fun activites there are to do on the ship. I would never have thought to participate in the treasure hunt on Castaway Cay without them. The links to other websites to find more information was also a big help. Finally, they have a great website where you can get the most recent updates to whatever your edition is missing and color downloads of the ships deck plans. Overall, it's an excellent resource!

Once again, Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx have done an outstanding job with the new edition of the Passporter Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line! This volume is comprehensive, informative and easy-to-use. The authors are genuine Disneyphiles and their affection for all things Disney is evident in every page of this book. However, they are not blind to its (few) flaws and are careful to let readers know aspects of their trips did not meet their standards. This book is very carefully researched, right down to which meals and restaurants are the best, which cabins are quietest, which cabins have "secret" portholes and which on-shore excursions are best value for the money. Readers will really appreciate their insider tips on how to get the most from their Disney cruise. And the information in the book is regularly updated on the authors' website. I have been vacationing at Disney for decades and Passporter has been my vacation guide ever since they started publishing it. You're going to be spending thousands of dollars on your Disney cruise...spend a few dollars more and you'll be investing in a book that will really help you get the most out of your vacation. Passporter is outstanding and worth every cent!

Don't bother buying both. This one is much more useful and easy to use. I agree with the comments above. Start your cruise early by buying this guide and really get the most for your money! I feel like it is stretching the experience and giving me a head start by familiarizing me with what to expect.

Do consider ditching your nice luggage for nylon totes/something easily compactable or at least nesting - we are bringing the ones we use to pack our camping gear in when we travel because they are thin, strong and hold a lot, plus they collapse completely and will take up much less space in our cabin.

As first-time cruisers, we had much to learn. This guide explains everything, answered all of my questions and provided a wonderful overview of the cruise. This book is a must if you're taking the Disney cruise!

This is another excellent book from New World Publications. I've had mine for about 3 years. It explains a lot of those strange behaviors you've noticed such as "kissing" grunts, the pecking order of damsel fish in staghorn coral, attacks on damsel fish gardens by roving hoards of blue tang and grouper runs. It also talks about behaviors that perhaps you haven't noticed and will notice after reading the book. It's a reference like the others but this one is more to be read through the first time rather than just used as a reference like the others. If you're a "fish geek" or just want to know more about what you're seeing underwater this is an excellent addition to your library. It will help you to understand the fish and often help to identify them as well.

As a family we enjoy scuba diving. Our last vacation in Honduras we were noticing certain fish "acted" in very specific ways and some making no sense to us at all. We were told about this book and have read it now and things we saw make much more sense now. We will be heading back to Honduras in August and hope to use this new found knowledge regarding fish behavior in helping us capture better pictures.

so glad i broke down and bought this! after taking all my photos and comparing them to the details in this book, i am 99% sure of my labels! and after doing so, it was amazing how much of the info stuck in my brain!

While on vacation in Florida, I read Reef Fish Behavior by Ned Deloach and Paul Humann. It is a fascinating, well researched book on the behavior of reef residents in the wild, based on many months of observation on dives. There are incredible pictures here showing life and death on the reef.

The writing is well done, and lets readers feel like they are observing along with the authors. Witness, for example, these few sentences taken from the section on Sailfin blennies: "...late one afternoon we saw a Sailfin making a mad dash across the seafloor. The little fellow looked vulnerable and out of place in the open....This was our first observation of what we came to call runners. After several minutes of crazy zigzags, the runner arrived at a hole occupied by a slightly smaller male, and a miniature version of a marine Jurassic Park commenced."

Perfect condition through Amazon.
This is a very good complement to the reef set, from the same author.

Wow, this is some cookbook. I picked it up in the Orlando Airport, and have been enjoying it ever since. Highly recommend it.

A recent salad made wonderfully by a friend convinced me that there is just about as much art in making salads as anything else. It made me think of the excellent 1905 Salad at the Columbia Restaurant which we get every time we're there. It has just the right combination of things and an especially fine dressing. But here's a case of "Don't try to do it at home" unless you are really accomplished at that sort of thing. The time we tried to do it, following the recipe provided exactly, it didn't taste anything like what you get at the restaurant. And we had purchased their own dressing. Anyways, they have have a new location in Palm Beach which I want to visit. The best we've tried is the one in Sarasota. You can go afterwards to see the Rubens tapestry cartoons at the Ringling Museum of Art. That's a fun afternoon.

This is a wonderful recipe that also goes into the history of the restaurant. I love the columbia and always got to the one at St. Armands circle when I am in Florida. I love the ropa vieja and cuban snawhiches are quick and easy

y la historia..te cautiva.
Lo que me fascino, fue el gaspacho...

This is such a wonderful cookbook. In South Florida, I visited Columbia and loved the food. I purchased it to try something new. The recipes are authentic with some background narrative woven in there. The language is easy and you can follow the recipe without any problems. Of the recipes I tried, most could be prepared from a well-stocked pantry, not necessarily a huge trip to the grocery store like some cookbooks demand. There are some really great seafood recipes in here too. You'll love the simple Cuban sandwich in here too. I believe this cookbook is well worth the price.

Maureen Ogle's history of Key West is the best single source for understanding this bizarre and remarkable place. Key West is the product of piracy, salvaging, the Civil War, fishing, sponging, turtling, cigar making, shrimping, military involvement, and tourism -- all this the result of Key West's unique position on a coral reef, adjacent to the Gulf Stream, 90 miles from Cuba, 120 miles off the US coast.

Ogle weaves together all the disparate influences of dreamers and planners, run-aways and con men, sailors and politicians who still shape history here on a daily basis. The best way to enjoy Key West is through frequent visits and a reading, and re-reading, of this most helpful book.

Marsh Muirhead, author of Key West Explained - a guide for the traveler

If you watch the Key West sunset on the webcam daily, or dream of a life in the Keys, then this book is for you...

A book on the history of Key West -- with all of its pirates, wreckers, rum runners and assorted scalawags -- should be lively, engaging and colorful. Maureen Ogle has accomplished just that with this readable and fascinating story. I say "story" because it reads that way, as a tale, not a dry recitation of events.

Dry? Hardly. You won't get through this book without your jaw dropping at some of the incidents related in its pages. Ogle's research is thorough with plenty of personal correspondence and colorful firsthand detail that really gives you a resident's eye view of this island.

I'm visiting Key West next year and I can't wait to go. Whether or not you've been there, this book makes for an excellent read. Highly recommended.

Key West has long been relished as a tropical paradise: this provides not just a travelogue of the region, but a history of Key West's many changes; from its Union seizure where citizens lived under martial law for four years, to its technical marvel of a vast overseas railroad which ran from mainland Florida to Key West. Any who relishes the region will want this lively history.

I grew up in the Florida Keys, and this historical account has been my favorite so far! I could feel, smell and see Key West through the author's writings, which were peppered with personal stories of the people who lived there throughout history. Wonderful details were included that enhanced my knowledge of events I've always been curious about. Highly recommended!