DC Washington Books

This is a revised and updated reissue of the book that first appeared three decades ago. I have always been fascinated with the physical planning and development of the city where I was born (and again work in today)---and this is by far the best single history of that process over more than two centuries. Essentially focused on the work of the National Capital Planning Commission first formed in 1926, the study begins with the initial laying out of plots in the late 1790s, and then traces how the city has grown and changed in the decades since. Sometimes this development has been a matter of good planning, but almost as often that has not been the case. The overlapping concerns of local and federal government bodies (such as the older Commission of Fine Arts) is made clear, as is the central importance of both L'Enfant's original plan, and the 1901 McMillan Commission report that lay the ground for today's modern city. Well illustrated, this is a readable story of how the nation's capital city came to be the way it is.

I wanted to see what inspired Oprah to say this was one of the most outstanding books she ever read. It was the biggest bunch of fluff I have ever read. It says we need to work together to accomplish goals and to end partisan bickering. Then it says unlike Republicans who cut student loans or spent millions to defeat Democarts. It is the life of a man who had not even been in the U.S. Senate yet. How does someone with no background win an election and the next month get a three book deal for 1.9 million and it go unnoticed? This was a novice who got paid to write whatever popped into his head for the sake of money.

If you want to know THE REAL Senator Obama, this book will tell you. Don't listen to the media talking heads. Read this book. You will be impressed by a man of integrity and strength. His views are mixed, both liberal, in the middle, and conservative.

Barack Obama is an inspiration to everyone, regardless of your political affiliation. This should be required reading in schools across America.

It so happens that I'm finally getting around to writing this review just after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention and just before Hurricane Gustav is about to make landfall at New Orleans. Both events underscore the importance of Barack Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, in the public discourse of the early 21st Century. I think it's irresponsible for any American--and especially anyone who plans to vote in November--not to read it.

The next election for President of the United States is a contest between reason and emotion. At last week's convention, some of the greatest minds in the world today appeared in support of the most highly educated group of office-seekers in history (including both members of the Democratic ticket and their wives). From the euphoria evident in television broadcasts, a casual observer could get the impression that the entire event was about feelings. But it wasn't. It was about justice and poverty, nuclear proliferation and terrorism, the state of the planet and the state of humanity. Thoughtful speeches were made by brilliant people who have devoted decades of their lives to understanding these complex issues and struggling to make the world a safer, happier place.

Then Senator McCain made the astonishing choice of Sarah Palin--a woman who apparently believes in creationism but not global warming--to be his vice-presidential running mate. I believe that history will show that this was not a shrewd political move; it was an impulsive act by a famously impulsive man.

I first read a book about global warming in the 1970s. Even then, scientists knew that unchecked human expansion and the increasing burden of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere would bring about dramatic changes in weather patterns, resulting in much greater variations of temperature and more violent storms than the earth has experienced in the brief period of human habitation. Hundred-year events would become annual events, and five-hundred-year storms would begin to be seen with some regularity. So why are some people still surprised that it's happening?

We are decades behind making the changes we should have been making to preserve the planet in a habitable condition for our children and grandchildren (much less generations beyond those of this century). In my opinion, we can no longer afford the luxury of political correctness or the laissez-faire attitude that one opinion is as good as another. We need someone leading the most powerful country on earth who is extremely well-informed, clear-headed, skilled in communication and consensus making, and concerned about the things we all should be concerned about. As this book makes abundantly clear, that person is Barack Obama.

Just pure, from the heart, quality work from a true patriot of the United States. Don't judge this man until you read what he believes. I was a diehard Republican until giving him a chance. I'm so glad I made the decision to read this fine work. Go Obama!

I read this book in two days. The first few chapters keep you reading with mixed fascination and terror as you try to picture a human being melting from the inside out. Great writing. The book slows in the last half and gets a little more technical, but non-fiction does that because all life is not lived like a novel. I think the author does his best to satisfy (not offend) animal rights people. Overall, the book is an intense look at some scary life forms that will sure keep me from poking around in strange caves.

Reading this book was a downer, a bummer, and was the only book in 35 years of reading that gave me nightmares, made worse by the fact that it's a true story.
As a medical professional, I read it to the end and it's the ONLY part of science that I'm shamed. Research on hundreds of thousands of aminals 'sacrificed' for observation, research, 'safety', theory.
If u want to read about the extensive confinement, torture and massacre of thousands of healthy, intellegent aminals, go ahead and read it.
It's not the book that is sad, it's the story that's pathetic.
No cure was found, the source of the 'disease' wasn't found.
Robert Redford called the book a 'thriller'. It is a B-U-M-M-E-R...
There's no happy ending, no highlights, not even a smile to be found.
It starts with death and goes downhill from there. A roller coaster ride into muck. The roller coaster crashes and takes peoples' conscience with it. It's a legal massacre of the aminal kingdom with no reparations, replinishment or consideration of consequence.

-ay-

Well I read the first part of this book really fast, I couldn't put it down, but by the middle of the book I felt like the author was repeating everything over and over again. He was also going into such lengthy details about the environment, which I found stale and boring. I would skip and few pages then read on.. So I wouldn't really recommend this book, I was hoping for so much more..

This book was required summer reading for me, and at first I was a little bit hesitant to pick up a non-ficiton book. I usually gravitate more towardes horror novels. However, this book suprised and delighted me. It read like a cohesive fiction novel, it didn't throw too many facts or figures or scientific jargan at you. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in viruses or any type of science field.

Fascinated by anything related to virology, I love this book. As a account of true events, it is a page turner. It does not read like the stereotypical stuffy non-fiction book. I could not put it down. I felt I was right there in the labs with the protagonists. I almost felt as though I would come down with the virus just by reading about it.

This is a real stay up late can't put down book. Don't miss it and don't think it can't happen here.

I found that reading the series begun with Term Limits, it helps to read them in order of writing, as they build on previous issues. Transfer of Power is the second in the series, and I found it very hard to put down, just as I did Term Limits. I have finished the next two in the series, The Third Option and Separation of Powers, and I find all of Flynn's books full of incredible knowledge of the FBI, CIA and a full grasp of the pitiful inadequacy of our present Congress and the political system in general. I strongly recommend that all Americans read these books. All those who think "all is well" in Washington will have their eyes opened.

This is the second Flynn novel that I have read, and I had higher hopes with the introduction of Mitch Rapp. The first novel was a bit better, mainly because this seems a little drawn out. The dialogue is weaker, and character development is minimal. The action sequences are pretty good, but they make up a small portion of the book. My favorite authors are Lee Child, and Barry Eisler. True, neither writes a political thriller, but the character development is far superior, and the action/violence is well choreographed.

I first heard (or read, rather) about Flynn while browsing on Amazon. I found this book in a used book store and decided to give it a try. I was thinking maybe it would be overly patriotic and flag waving, and it's certainly no doubt that Flynn's loyalty is with Israel when it comes to the middle east, but it didn't make the novel less enjoyable.

Becusue enjoyable it is. Flynn combines great action with political intrigue and despite being almost 550 pages (paperback edition) the pace never slows down. The book has good characters but there's not really any character development. Mitch Rapp is a good hero and I wouldn't mind reading more of Flynn's books. Recommended

What a horrible book! I tried to read it but I just couldn't take it anymore. I stopped in the middle of what this writer considers action, and I don't even care how it ends.
There are just too many unjustified descriptions obviously put it to make the book long. Thus writer must want long books like Clancy but is going about it the wrong way. I don't care to know what color a lady's fingernails are when she points at something. I don't care what kind of shirt someone is wearing. I don't care about this book nor Vince Flynn's other books.
Way too many incorrect references. One example is MP-5's are used not MP-10's unless you want to kill everybody including the hostages. Also at the beginning why even bother with a SEAL team if the "hero" of the book does all the work. I know that writers want to show their character as a bad to the bone but even James Bond always called in help and even let them do some of the fighting.
If this is the standard of writing to expect from todays writers then I am missing out, because I have some stories that I wrote when I was 5 that are better than this. Heck I could even start writing now. It seams that no research is required anymore to get the mass public to make a star out of a writer like Vince Flynn.
There is no way that I will ever pass this book onto someone else. I won't even donate it, I will just burn it.

Wow! This is our first novel by Vince Flynn that we have read - and it certainly won't be our last!

What a find. Vince Flynn is a fantastic writer in this genre. Just with this book alone, we like him better than Tom Clancy. Flynn juggles action/adventure and political intrigue with aplomb. Not an easy feat.

Mitch Rapp is a CIA operative that actually works outside the web of counter terrorism task forces, the ultimate assassin for the USA that takes care of dirty business that not even the president knows all about.

This book shows that Vince Flynn can handle solid and numerous characters that are not the typical, but interesting and deep. The husband and wife team of assassins, the showing of their internal strife while on a mission, was a breath of fresh air in the literary world. Not often you see solid character writing like this for the bad guys. (You even start to feel for the bad guys.)

We have just purchased 5 more books from this author, and will be reviewing them as soon as we can get to them. So many great writers and books out there!

If you haven't discovered Vince Flynn yet, and you like espionage-type adventure novels that Hollywood would salivate to make, then you need to try this author out.

The story is predictable to a point. The novel very entertaining. If you know the character Mitch Rapp, you already know he will prevail. Unlike some other Rapp novels, his character is much more believable & human in this one. The international tale is nicely woven & written. There's a good little twist used to finish the story

This book was a gift for my son, an avid reader. I had read several of Vince Flynn's books ( not this one ) and knew he would enjoy a fast paced spy novel by this acclaimed writer. A good buy.

Deadly skills+revenge=Exciting book.
The presidential support is fun to read as well. Wish we had current leadership like that.

Although I read the book when it first came out, I'm now enjoying the incomparable reading of the audio book by George Guidel. He is the best voice I've heard, with the possible exception of Kenneth Branagh doing the 1st Narnia book. As far as the book is concerned: SPOILER ALERT: Thank heaven the atrocious wife Anna is no longer cluttering up the bookscape with her insufferable ego and disrespect for her husband and his work. From her tendency to be late (which invariably means that the person who is late considers her own time important and yours of no value) to her attempts to worm secrets out of the man who die to protect her (and all of us), there were times when I wanted to blow her up myself. She may have served a purpose in showing that even superman Mitch has a weak spot in his brain by getting involved with this gal, but gosh I'm glad she's gone.For that alone, this book would be worth the money. I've read every one of Vince Flynn's books and I've preordered the newest one. Go Vince!

This one really slowed down in the middle. I would say at about the 3/4 mark it picked up and I enjoyed it from that point forward. This one is not as strong as some of Flynn's others like "Consent to Kill".

Scary but realistic story but not for me. I'd rather escape if I'm going to read fiction. However if you like hard hitting, current event based action and intelligence genre novels, you will love this.

This may be my favorite Rapp novel. I like the threads and how they weave together. I read this one the quickest of all Flynn's books, so that is a very strong endorsement.

Another great segment in the Vince Flynn series. Well worth the time to read.

This book was memorable to me for how well the author, Vince Flynn, described a military attack on a terrorist camp. Also it was memorable for how well Flynn described how a terrorist cell could plan and carry out a nuclear attack on the United States.

The author uses Mitch Rapp, CIA operative, to carry us chapter by chapter through what I can only describe as one of the best suspense thrillers that I have ever read, or seen on TV or in the movies. I was sweating during the attack on the terrorist's camp and up to the last chapter I was on the edge of my seat.

This story is of our war against terrorism that we are waging today and after you read it, I believe you will had made a decision on how it should be fought. The author has a talent for painting images in my mind and writing short chapters to blend one event smoothly into the next.

Excellent is the only word that comes to mind to describe Vince Flynn's ability to tell a story like this of government with all it's complex agencies and levels of bureaucracies in a way that makes the people within seem real and creates a suspense thriller with events that really hit home and is so memorable.

After reading this I'm sure that you will feel as I do that we can only hope that there are real Mitch Rapps out there.

Brought back vivid memories of a time and place I remember as if yesterday. You will enjoy this book. Character development is great. Pelecanous uses longer stentences than I do. He does it well.

My son lives in Italy and wanted this. Thanks for the speedy delivery of it so I could send it to him.

In this, Pelecanos last novel staring the Washingtonian Derek Strange, Pelecanos takes Strange back in time to the Washington, D.C. of the late sixties when racial tensions and small time crime were plaguing the city. Pelecanos is among the best writers working in crime fiction and he handles this story, and especially the events happening in Washington on the night of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assasination masterfully.

Like Pelecanos's other works, Hard Revolution makes the district come alive and exposes a world of hard working blue collar families and young kids caught up in trouble that has little to do with the halls of power that occupy the same city. If you like your crime novels hard boiled, brilliantly written and historically accurate, then Pelecanos and Hard Revolution is for you.

Pelecanos' books are an acquired taste. I read his first book because it was a murder mystery but because of his easy writing style, I decided to read more of his books. I'm now into my 3rd and 4th Pelcanos books.

Hard Revolution was the 2nd Pelecanos book I read. For sure HR is not a murder mystery. It isn't even a mystery book, more like crime drama. Pelacanos specializes in Washington DC. More than, that he specializes in "the life" for American blacks in Washington DC. I have no idea how accurate his portrayal is. (My ironic feeling was, do American blacks view his writing the same as Althea Strange (sp?) or the shoeshine man view Olga or the white man respectively?) What is Pelecanos' street cred?

Still, the portrayal of "the life" seems accurate to me. I suppose it's something every American should read, and it makes me never want to visit DC, at least, never want to wander into the wrong neighborhood by mistake.

To me, HR was part historical. It opened a window for me back to the Spring of 1968, civil rights, the death of MLK and the riots in DC (ironically again, appears no different from the Rodney King riots). I didn't get the book to read about no history, but this part of the book was a real eye opener for me, I read about things which I would normally never have thought about.

If you're looking for a pure murder mystery, this book is not for you. If you're looking for some crime drama, plus a window back in time to DC in 1968, then this book is definitely for you.

And as always, Pelecanos is a good writer and his books are always easy to read.

The best writer of black crime fiction is white. Pelecanos knows stuff that no other white person knows and stuff that no black would ever tell a white. How does he know this stuff? While other writers may have black characters they do not have the right voice so most don't even try. Pelecanos is different. Not only does his voice ring true, it is true. This novel introduces us to the young Derek Strange. Although technically a crime novel, there is precious little sleuthing here. Rather, Pelecanos wants us to know and feel how close this nation came to being ripped apart by Viet Nam and civil rights. This is strong stuff. Highly recommended.

I bought this book and the 2008 Fodor's Guide. The Fodor's was my preferred book while in DC. I found the informaiton in this book difficult to access. I had been to DC before, so the information in this book was proably more helpful for the first time visitor. I left the book in DC at the bed and breakfast where we stayed because I knew I wouldn't be using it again. I kept the Fodor's Guide for my next trip.

Like other reviewers, I purchased this guide after using the excellent Unofficial Guide to Disney Word a couple of years ago. Whereas the Disney book is targeted right at families, this book seems to cater more to the business traveler who wants to take in a few sites on the side. Most disappointing was the rather snobbish dining section that was essentially useless to families looking for a place to eat while or after touring the mall. This book leaves the impression that you might find a few hotdog carts near the Lincoln Memorial. The reality is that there are several permanent refreshment stands scattered about the mall with hotdogs and much more. You would also have no idea that the Nat'l Museum of Natural History and the Nat'l Gallery of Art have better lunch food selections than the Air and Space Museum. Information on what can and cannot be brought on various tours need improvement as well. Are prohibited items checked at a holding station or put in the trash? It depends on which tour you're doing, but you won't find out by reading this book. Hopefully there are better family-oriented guides to DC than this one.

Used this book to plan what to see in a limited 3 day visit and was very pleased. Also bought Eyewitness guide, but this is the one I'll be taking along.

This book proved itself utterly invaluable on our recent American History vacation in and around Washington DC. I can say that this small investment brought at least 50 times its value back in cost and time savings. If you are planning a trip to the DC area, you owe it to yourself to pick this resource up and buy it at least six months in advance or preferably sooner. The currency of this book seems perfect and I found no errors in it whatsoever.

I used this book on a recent visit to see some friends in D.C. They work during the day so I knew I'd need to entertain myself. This book was great for info on tourist sites. I love that it gives the closest metro stop and other things to do nearby. The restaurant reviews were also helpful. It gave a great explanation of the metro system so I felt quite confident buying tickets. The maps were adequate (not spectacular), and I can't comment on the lodging info since I stayed with friends. My friend was so impressed with my info that she kept the book. I guess I'll have to borrow it back the next time I visit.

Schlesinger's 'Journals' is a fantastic insight, focusing mainly on the Democratic Party's inner battles as well as a juicy dish piece for an intellectual socialite. The author may embarrass himself on a number of occasions, but he's always thoroughly readable and deadly honest. Criticisms of his devotion to the Kennedys might be accurate, but he's honest in his affection and very aware of it. Anyone thinking this is just a load of leftist propaganda ought take note of Schlesinger's animosity toward Gore Vidal and American communists, as well as warm relationships with Henry Kissinger, George HW Bush, and eventually William Buckley. (A fantastic subtext is the declining role of alcohol in American politics.) Does anyone know if there's a conservative book like this?

Unless one is a scholar, those under 60 will not find this book of great interest. For someone my age (71) who's also a political junky with still-vivid memories of the 1960s forward, this book is an artistic and intellectual treasure. The editing--and there was obvious a lot of editing--results in jewels on virtually every page. Schlesinger undresses everyone of consequence he ever worked with, no holds barred, including the Kennedy family.

In 1969 (maybe 1970) Lloyd Norman, dean of the Pentagon press corps, addressed a class I attended at Fort Benning, GA. He claimed before the so-called Cuban missile crisis, he was given a briefing about how the crisis at sea would be orchestrated, so there was never a real chance of armed confrontation. I could never get verification of this, and none of the popular or historical accounts mention it. Yet, on page 176 Schlesinger mentions an October 1962 letter from Khrushchev to Bertrand Russell about "his instructions to Soviet ships to avoid confrontation..." When Schlesinger heard about the incident from Averell Harriman, he sent a memo to the President describing the Khruschev letter. Kennedy, according to the book, "called Harriman the next day and asked him questions about it." Is this validation of Norman's account? Maybe.

Anyone who has read Schlesinger's books on Andrew Jackson, the New Deal, or John and Robert Kennedy knows how partisan he was. He viewed American history as a perennial struggle between noble, idealistic, intelligent liberals and selfish, materialistic, moronic conservatives. This is not my interpretation of his views. It was explicit in his meta-historical cyclical conception of American history, which he adopted from his father. Indeed, his partisanship was so obvious that it was harmless. These journals are no exception. Those people who opposed his heroes were not only wrong, they were morally and intellectually corrupt; and even, in the case of Lyndon Johnson, borderline insane. The only exception I could find was Henry Kissinger, whom Schlesinger usually described with respect. The same is true of events. The American involvement in Vietnam enters his journals only in 1966, with regard to Robert Kennedy's opposition to it. There is no way of knowing from these journals that John Kennedy was responsible for it.
Nevertheless, these journals provide many interesting and important insights into the events and people that shaped American political history in the last half of the twentieth century.
Moreover, among their most valuable passages are those in which Schlesinger's liberal bias itself is illuminating. For example, on page 363, he attributed George McGovern's catastrophic loss to Richard Nixon in the 1972 election mainly to racism, which he says was "the all-pervading issue of the election." According to Schlesinger, it was "the belief that Nixon can be relied upon to keep the blacks down" that caused large numbers of traditionally Democratic voters to vote for him. Schlesinger acknowledged that Nixon's supporters did not say that that they were racists. Schlesinger claims that instead of admitting their racism, Nixon's supporters used code words: welfare, crime, busing, schools, quotas. However, it should have been obvious that these were real and serious grievances. At that time, the rate of violent urban crime was rising by more than ten percent a year; children who lived a few blocks from a public school were being bussed for hours each day; etc. McGovern lost so terribly because he and his supporters thought like Schlesinger. They dismissed these real and serious grievances as expressions of racism.
Another example is on page 437. There Schlesinger makes the interesting observation that Carter was the first Democratic president of the twentieth century whose programs did not have a label, like Wilson's New Freedom, Roosevelt's New Deal, Truman's Fair Deal, Kennedy's New Frontier, and Johnson's Great Society. He attributes this to Carter's defects. (Schlesinger loathed and execrated Carter.) Schlesinger could not see that the reason was that the Great Society completed the New Deal. (Completing the New Deal was Johnson's purpose, the dream he had had since he entered Congress as a fanatical Roosevelt supporter in 1937.) After the Great Society, there were no longer any new, broad, governmental economic programs that could gain the support of most Americans. Schlesinger regarded McGovern as the last Democratic candidate who represented the true Democratic tradition. But anyone who now reads the 1972 Democratic platform will be stunned by its vacuous phrase-mongering and shameless racial posturing. (Most Americans were revolted in 1972 also.)

Historian/columnist Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. was the last half-century's most prolific, eloquent liberal voice. He served John Kennedy's administration as "special assistant to the president," wrote best-selling biographies of JFK, RFK, and Franklin Roosevelt, advised, wrote and edited speeches for Senator Ted Kennedy and most major Democratic leaders, and had working friendships with most of recent history's most influential political, literary, even entertainment figures. His exhaustive life journals numbered more than 6,000 pages; Schlesinger approved their publication before his 2007 death, and they were edited by two of his sons and Penguin Press to a still-formidable 858 pages.

Yet amid Schlesinger's power lunches, society parties, and foreign trips seeming the setting for each page, he writes compelling, honest looks at friends and loved ones (wife Alexandra and children, the Kennedys, Adlai Stevenson, Henry Kissinger), enemies (Roy Cohn and Caspar Weinberger but chiefly Richard Nixon as the comic villain Schlesinger calls "Tricky") and loyalty to FDR/Truman/JFK liberalism.

Schlesinger's opinions and observations fascinate, whether from inside as cabinet member or distantly as seasoned political observer. He called political gamesmanship his "favorite spectator sport," and his election year entries (especially those involving a Kennedy as late as 1984) are especially savory. Not to mention his disappointment at reduced roles in Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter's administrations. (Schlesinger even paraphrased Gerald Ford describing Carter's 1980 defeat.) His year 2000 entries even echo into this year's election race with frequent positive references to Hillary Clinton (in her First Lady and Senate campaign roles), John McCain, and a haunting closing sentence on then newly-elected President George W. Bush.

Schlesinger's brief period as Nixon's next-door neighbor (years after placed on Nixon's "enemies list.") reads hilarious, as do some of the more pithy presidential cracks at predecessors (JFK on Eisenhower, Ford on Nixon).

Yet even in these informal settings, Schlesinger's chronicles 1963 and 1968's horrific events with mastery and mourning for friends and political heroes. He repeats a generation's feelings on November 23, 1963, when wrting, "I still cannot believe this man (JFK)...of such intelligence and gaiety and strength, is dead. The wages of hate are fearful."

Schlesinger's June 9, 1968 entry is possibly even more saddening. He speaks of Senator Robert Kennedy's assassination with personal heartbreak associated with losing a younger brother: "There was for me such a poignancy about RFK," he wrote, "all the greater now that they killed him before he had the chance to place his great gifts at the service of the nation and the presidency; Jack had at least 2 ½ years." These events shadow Schlesinger throughout the rest of his life and journals, from Ted Kennedy's presidential campaigns to tourists on the Kennedy front lawn.

In his recent hit album, "Memory Almost Full," Paul McCartney writes, "When I think that all this stuff could make a life/it's pretty hard to take it in." It can be argued Schlesinger stood too close by one political family to keep an historian's objectivity. Or his Washington-New York social life (chronicled endlessly) cost him understanding of how Americans lived and viewed their history. But his was an important voice and seconding motion for the post-World War II years, and this well-edited collection of observations and perspective cement his niche in history behind the political giants he advised, chronicled, and befriended. Highly recommended.

The man saw most everything, often from the inside. His chronicle over 40 years or so is a rich stew of inside stuff, history and gossip. Compulsive reading.

My wife and I are day-hikers which means, of course, we have a perspective that would be different from long-distance hikers and backpackers. There are recommendations for all types of visitors but I think day-hikers would get the most use out of the book.

We found the guide to be excellent for our needs. Since we live on the East Coast, our time in the Pacific Northwest is limited. The title of the book, "Don't Waste Your Time in the North Cascades," sums it up. We've used it for two trips to northern Washington state and think it's really handy. The book's rating of trails and hikes allows the reader to get right to the best spots. A numbered map and rating-chart make it easy to narrow the choices down to what best suits your needs for a particular day, including "shoulder season" recommendations. As any good hiker's guide should, the distances and elevation gains are noted, as are directions on how to get to the trail-heads.

Of course everyone has an opinion about what's the most scenic or worthwhile hike. One contributor here mentioned off-trail destinations. That's fine for one or two people to explore but I don't think we want hordes of visitors breaking trail and damaging the fragile environment. The paths that have already been worn through the mountains should provide enough recreation and adventure for the vast majority of us. All guidebook suggestions are a matter of opinion. It's up to the users to determine whether they agree or not. For one, I think the authors did an excellent job.

It obviously took years of effort and a passion for the area to put this guide together. The respect the authors have for the North Cascades is a wonderful contribution to what we need to know to make for an enjoyable trip. The research had to have been conducted by actually "walking the walk" and, of course, there's no substitute for firsthand experience.

Again, as an outsider, I greatly appreciated this quick, easy-to-navigate instruction on one of America's most fantastic wilderness recreation areas. Those who live in Washington state might not feel there's enough detail or that it lacks coverage of the entire region (which would be a daunting task). For someone who wants to make the most of a short vacation (which I suspect applies to most visitors), the book is definitely worth the price.

Great little book with multiple good hike ideas. gives good directions to wonderful places in the pacific northwest
get out there
enjoy Gods Blessings

With limited time to explore the North Cascades I needed some guidance. I own this book, as well as what I suspect is the most popular hiking book for this area - 100 Hikes in the North Cascades. Though that book does provide color pictures, better maps, and some other features missing from Don't Waste Your Time, it just can't compare. If I only had that book, I would be left scratching my head on a sunny summer day, wondering where to head to. Instead, I strike out with confidence knowing that each "Premier" or "Outstanding" hike will leave me with stunning images etched into my memory for a lifetime.

Don't Waste Your Time In The North Cascades has been priceless in my opinion. I've set a goal to do all the "Premier" dayhikes and haven't been disappointed yet. What's more, the introduction to each hike is written so well that anytime I started getting cabin fever during the winter I'd pull out this book and read some hike reviews. It always left me excited for the coming good weather and marvelous hikes. The lack of good maps hasn't been a problem, as their written instructions have always gotten me to the viewpoint without getting lost. I love the fact that the book has a shoulder season section, and am using that section a lot right now as I wait for the high viewpoints to melt out. This book really combines the best of three guidebooks into one, with it's dayhiking, backpacking, and shoulder season sections.

Overall, I feel like this book along with adopting a dog are the best investments I've made since moving to the North Cascades.

I have used many, many guide books for hiking in various regions. I loved this book about the north cascades better than any I have used. The authors rating system was right on the money. We did four of the hikes listed as premier and they delivered everything promised. If I was going to spend more time in the north cascades, I would use this book exclusively. I particularly found this author's reviews of the hikes we did to be much more useful than the other guides published and available through Amazon. This author is honest in every way. I wanted to send a thank you note, given our marvelous experience, but I figured that this review was worth even more.

The Don't Waste Your time series of guide books is incredible. After an awesome trip to the North Cascades, I trusted Kathy & Craig with my next vacation, and chose to go to the Canadian Rockies.

With the help of this book, I had little trouble getting to as many fantastic places as I could in my time up in the North Cascades. You could choose another book, but why waste the time when these guys have done all the grunt work for you! Besides, the books are fun to read and give you an awesome idea of what to expect.

Trust me, any hike rated 5 boots is going to amaze you...

Only gripe on the book is the lack of color pictures in this edition. Otherwise it'd be 5 stars.