Nevada Books

"...intended for the adventure-minded travelers with special affection for the outdoors and nature. Each Adventure Guide packs in outdoor-oriented activities set in different regions. There's something for nearly everyone." Midwest Book Review

California's magnificent Sierra Nevada mountain range packs a punch when it comes to adventuring. Join local author Wilbur Morrison as he walks you along the Pacific Crest Trail and the John Muir Trail, through King's Canyon, up to the top of Mount Whitney, and swimming in Lake Tahoe. Offering tips on exploring this fantastic area alone, Morrison also lists local outfitters who can help you plan a horseback riding trip, a hike, a biking excursion or an overnight trek.

The trouble with this book is that it tries to do too much with too little space. A book with 261 pages may not seem "little", but given the multitude of adventures available in the Sierra Nevada, that turns out to be the case. The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in California that stretches from Lake Tahoe on down past Mount Whitney. Encompassed within this 400-or-so mile stretch is a diversity of topography that is world-renowned for its stunning beauty. No less is this area admired for the myriad adventuring possibilities, from the typical skiing, hiking, and fishing to the more exotic rock climbing, mountain biking, and river rafting. Unfortunately, in trying to present this smorgasbord of possibilities in its limited space, the book squeezes out quality for quantity.

The book is divided into three regions: the Eastern Sierra (which includes Mt. Whitney, Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, and Mono Lake); Nevada & Lake Tahoe; and the Western Sierra (which includes Sacramento, Yosemite, Kings Canyon & Sequoia, and Gold Country). Looking at the table of contents, one might be impressed by the books' seeming comprehensiveness: Under any given area one sees subheadings about its history, local transportation, information sources, cultural & historical sights, where to stay, and where to dine. And the listing of its raison d'être, adventuring, appears to be even more impressive: the table of contents is liberally sprinkled with listings for hiking, skiing, water-sports, and other activities. Looks impressive until one notices that most of these sections get only one page or less -- with fairly large print to boot. In other words, you don't get as much information as you might think you're getting.

Even the activities or areas that get multiple-pages are given short shrift. The section on Tahoe rock climbing, for instance, amounts to three pages of extremely brief descriptions of a number of climbing areas; clearly, a guidebook or two to the area will be needed, and yet they don't mention any. As another example, the section on recommended Yosemite trails points out the names of the standard spots (Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, etc.) with a minor bit of description -- too minor to be of much use. You'll end up having to use a Yosemite hiking guide or some brochure available at one of the ranger stations. One is tempted to ask the authors: Why not just start with the other guidebooks or brochures? What does your book add to them? What makes your book worth purchasing?

The book's main claim to existence -- the niche it has tried to carve out for itself to separate it from the scores of other Sierra guides -- is its attempt to be comprehensive in listing the adventuring possibilities in the Sierras. In this attempt the authors have failed: the listings are just too scanty to be of much use. Nothing in this book expands on the information you could get on any given area over the internet, through the mail, or over the telephone; it certainly doesn't expand on the information available in similar books.

Not that the book is terrible; if you can find this book at the library, perhaps it might be of some use to you to help plan your trip. I just can't recommend anyone purchasing it; any number of popular general guides would probably serve you better. A guide on your particular specialtie/s would be better still, e.g., a guide to Sierra fishing or Sierra hikes. And the internet or a few addresses and numbers (available at any library) could get you the info that would really flesh out your trip. Even if you were into scores of outdoor activities, this book wouldn't be enough. Which gets back to my question: Why, then, pick up this guide at all?

We used this book while on a recent Tahoe vacation. Although it was written in 1999 we found the descriptions accurate enough to go on two fabulous hikes (and we are out of shape parents with a 7 & 10 yr old). Bring it along and enjoy the beauty Tahoe has in store.

We just returned from our trip to Tahoe and used this trail guide on the Grass Lake hike. It is obvious that the writer actually hiked the trail to write the directions. It was very descriptive of every step of the way. It also fits in the back pocket very nicely.

Just took a trip to South Lake Tahoe and used this book to guide our hikes. It's written in 1999, which I didn't realize until taking two hikes, both of which had poor descriptions/directions and innacurate maps.

Although Mr. Gallop's cultural knowledge of the Basque's (at least the French Basques) was very in depth, The narration is dreary, pompous, and one-sided. The author concentrated on the French Basques while neglecting the Spanish. Another unfortunate point is that it did not offer anything after 1930. I see that progress has been made over seventy years by the Spanish Basques and all they have had to endure. It wasn't until the latter chapters of this book that the reader becomes interested. This subject is very dear to me and after extensive study I would consider other sources to learn about the Basques. Agur.

As mentioned by one of the other reviewers, Gallop's book does need to be taken more as a historical account than a contemporary glimpse into Basque culture, but this is clearly not something that should be held against his work. By the way, for a reviewer to accuse Gallop of being pompous because he assumed his readers knew French is ridiculous when you go on to so casually mention that you only know 4 languages yourself. talk about pompous. It wasn't what you, as a student of Spanish, were hoping for, but that is a statement about your needs and not about the work itself. Viewed in the proper context, this account is anything but a pompous, dreary account. It is an accurate and insightful glimpse into an entirely unique way of life that once existed. If it focuses on the French Basques, so be it.

I usually don't review books that have already been reviewed, but I think the customer below severely misjudged this book.

First of all, the reason why it doesn't go much beyond 1930 is because that's when it was published. British folklorist Rodney Gallop was a pioneer in the field of Basque anthropology and "A Book of the Basques" was one of the earliest (and remains one of the most readable) attempts to explain Basque culture to the English-speaking world.

Gallop inclined heavily toward the French side of the Pyrénées for two reasons. First, that's where he did most of his research. Second, as he points out in the book, the French Basque Country -- at least up to the time he wrote -- had always been much less heavily industrialized than its Spanish counterpart, making it much more ideal for an anthropologist's study. The ancient traditions of the Basques survived more intact in France and, additionally, the French Basques were more culturally "introspective" than their Spanish cousins; that is, they never played as prominent a part in the national life of France as did the Spanish Basques in Spain and its empire. Consequently, they remained much closer to their "roots", so to speak.

Unlike the reviewer below, I thought the book was extremely well written and a fantastic source of information on traditional Basque folklife. Gallop does quote a lot from French, but he wrote in a time when you weren't considered educated until you knew a little French, and a little Latin, too. (In other words, don't blame Gallop -- blame yourself!). The book is divided into chapters on such aspects of Basque folklife as language and literature, folksongs, folkdance, proverbs, Basque houses, superstition and witchcraft, fishermen and corsairs (!), decoration, and that great game, "pelote". Additionally, the author discusses some of the many theories regarding the mysterious origins of the Basques, which, admittedly, is of less interest today than it was in 1930 (the Golden Age of bogus racial theories!).

Unfortunately, much of the book has to be shifted into the past tense today, since the traditional Basque folkways Gallop describes have grown more and more obsolete since he wrote. But as work of history, it's still a classic and is destined to remain one. A+

This book was a very good read! How ever, the author wrote her story from second hand information, she, herself had no real memory of the horrors the others went through! But, her description of Sacramento, and surrounding areas was very interesting. Her hardship that she recalls at Sutters Fort were disheartening! The author had a comfortable life with the Brunner's after her tragic experience. But, the title of the book, just doesn't fit the story, it should be titled "The Life and Times of Eliza Donner"!

I loved this book! While I understand that there was a bias coming from Eliza Donner in her effort to clear her family name - the book still is a reflection of the time in it's prose and in it's descriptions of life. Originally, I picked the book up to read about the Donner tragedy. But in the end I found myself facinated by the 2nd half of the book. In this half little Eliza describes life in early California as an orphan. Because of her unique position, she was able to experience a variety of cultures that existed in California in the mid 1800s. This was a time when Indians, Mexicans, and European Americans mingled in small towns. There are so many books that deal with the large issues of men's conflicts. Conversely, if you are curious about a woman's perspective of the small details and the day to day life of new settlers in California this book is absolutely a must read. Learn about some of the details of farm life, of the responsibility of children, and the harsh realities of a life where community, family, and traditions were bound with love, respect, and survival.

Ms. Donner Houghton has a real skill in writing and was able to write the book from the perspective of a child growing up in early California. As I read the book, I found myself loving little Eliza for her courage, honesty, and effort. For me, it was window into the cultural mindset of people of that era. I remember a remark about a visitor coming into Sacramento that excited the women so much that they 'forgot to roll down their sleeves before they came outside'. Yes, the dress code was very strict - but only little Eliza, a person of that time, would notice. I also liked the details of how the people of the early towns worked together to help make a community. For example, when the sick came back from the gold mines, the German household that Eliza lived in became a makeshift hospital for the men.

If you are from Northern California or just like pioneer history, little Eliza has a story to tell you.

The author of this book, which was first published in 1911, was a survivor of the Donner Party, that hapless group of eighty-seven pioneers who in 1846, while navigating a supposedly new route to California, found themselves trapped high in the Sierra Mountains. Immobilized by snow and frigid weather, little more than half, mostly women and children, of this hardy band of westward-ho pioneers would survive the deprivation and great human suffering. One of those survivors was Eliza P. Donner, then a child just under four years of age. She would live on, hearing of lurid tales of cannibalism, which were to mar her survival.

A little less than half of this book is devoted to the doomed expedition itself. Of course, even though the author was one of its survivors, given her tender age, most of the information about the expedition is based upon the recollections of other survivors, including those of her older sisters. She paints a fairly intimate and poignant portrait of her family, but the account of their tragic journey seems to be subjectively sanitized, as if to offset the grisly details that had become an integral part of the Donner Party legend. The details of the Donner Party tragedy are best told by historian, George Stewart, in his book, "Ordeal by Hunger."

Still, this book provides an interesting look at the aftermath of the Donner Party debacle. It looks at early pioneer life in California, through the author's eyes, recounting what became of her and her surviving sisters after their incredible rescue. This makes for an eye-opening, first hand account of what life was actually like in those early pioneering days. The author, an apparently hearty soul, would go on to have quite a full and interesting life. Written in an easy, conversational tone, this book will capture the interest of those who enjoy memoirs, books on pioneer life, or books on the Donner Party.

This 1992 edition is still a wonderful guide to the large area covered. My wife and I recently used the book to greatly enhance our touring, camping, and hiking experience during a trip to the Kern Plateau.

. . . and as another reviewer notes, this is the only detailed guide to the area. Ruby Jenkins passed away last year, so this 1994 edition is likely to be the last ever. And there have been changes--for example, the 2000 Manter Meadow wildfire destroyed most of the Domeland Wilderness Area, focus of several trips in the book, so readers are advised to avoid Domeland hikes.

I have found that members of the Kern River Valley Hiking Club, a group founded by Ruby Jenkins and accessible on a certain website, regularly take trips described in the book and respond to questions about current conditions, obscure directions and the like with good humor.

In his brief life, Jim Jenkins mapped out much of the Southern Sierra, including the Pacific Crest Trail in the region, and wrote two detailed guidebooks. Since his death in 1979 at the age of 27 his mother, Ruby Jenkins, has continued his work and updated his books on the region.

This book is loaded with information on the geology, flora and fauna of the Southern Sierra. It also includes an excellent map of the region which is almost worth the price of the book. But the heart of the book is the descriptions of 150 trips in the Southern Sierra, and it is this part that is difficult to use. Unlike most guidebooks, trail descriptions and directions to the trailhead are in separate parts of the book. This necessitates a lot of flipping through the book. And, while the trips described by the book are broken down geographically, they are not separated by type. I would prefer to see climbs, drives, and bike routes in a separate section of the book than hikes. Still, this is the most comprehensive guide to the area, and very informative. Hopefully ease of use will improve in the next edition.

The Skinners do not want to be in Goldfield, Nevada. The weather's harsh. Greed is rampant. Spiritual sensitivity is scarce. And kids can grow up with sand in their eyes and gold fever in their bones. But the Skinners can't leave yet. O. T.'s friend and a child are missing in the desert and a desperate family is clinging to them and their faith to survive. Wholesome inspiration that will lift your spirit!

I did welcome the Christian emphasis in "Hidden Treasure," the sequel to "Fool's Gold." The Skinner family, who the book evolves around, is very conscious of confessing sin and walking humbly with Christ.

You definitely want to read "Fools Gold" to get a sympathetic perception of the Skinners plight of persisting in Goldfield, Nevada.

Though Bly does hold talent, some of what he pens gets on my nerves as it could never correspond to factual life. I was made ill over the Skinner baby's recorded message, "My mommy's pretty." It played over and over throughout the book till the concluding lines when Dola Skinner finally admitted she was pretty.

In this postlude the family has moved out of their tent and Dola Skinner is running a reputable restaurant with the family residing on the second floor. Though her husband O.T. has acquired a job, he is always absent from it chasing down Elias Rokker.

Elias and Nellie Rokker upset normal life in this novel, not being on the predictable side in any fashion. Unfortunately, Bly does not hold to any true pattern concerning their personalities and habits. In "Fool's Gold," Elias stayed fat while his family starved. In the happy conclusion, he repented and acquired a true concern for his family after his wife fell short of death. Conversely, in this sequel, he is flighty as a hen and not watchful of his family. It is as if the finale of "Fool's Gold" vanished.

There was over concern placed on Dola Skinners constant disgust over her figure and appearance, especially in light of the fact that her husband O.T. never put her down and always built her up.

I could not say I would recommend the book, but the characters do secure smiles at various times throughout the yarn.

The Skinners still dream of grape vineyards and California weather, but find themselves with a restaurant to run and friends to help in Goldfield, NV. Their very poor friends the Rokkers are featured heavily in this book, starting when Elias goes off on a goose chase for gold after spending all his paycheck for a useless map. O.T. and Fergus have a harrowing adventure looking for the lost Elias and son in a horrible blowing dust storm. Just after the Rokker family takes refuge in the cafe, a mysterious explosion causes a sinkhole to open up and swallow their entire house and all their meager possessions.

Dola Skinner is featured heavily in this book. Though still young and pretty, she is feeling old and ugly. Her physical stamina is tested in hard work, her Bible teaching and mothering skills are challenged in the town she hates. Twelve year old Rita is feeling her hormones with a new hired hand and hates working alongside the sixteen year old, shapely new hired girl. A suspenseful hunt occurs when ten old Corrie is lost for a complete day. A major surprise awaits the Rokker family. Famous visitors drop by to see the Skinners.

Dreams of California and grapevines seem a long way off, especially when the Skinners are thankful they finally have jobs, plenty of food and a sturdy roof over their heads. In addition, there are so many people to help out in the wild, greedy, lustful town of Goldfield, NV.

Book three, "Picture Rock" is bound to be a winner!

BORING. Not scary at all. Mildly amusing if you have some time to waste.

Do you like short stories? I love them. Sometimes you just can't invest the emotional time in a full-length novel, whereas a short story is exactly right. Besides, I think it's fun to see what a favorite book author can do with the shorter, more restrictive form, and then, sometimes--an additional bonus--one can find new authors well worth pursuing from reading a good anthology. The Malice Domestic series of original traditional, mostly cozy stories is usually top-notch, and this tenth edition is quite possibly the best they've done yet, in my opinion. Three stories alone--of the fourteen included--justify the cost of buying the book. Simon Brett's "A Note of Notes" about 'a £10 note with attitude' is scrumptious, while M. D. Lake, in a wry, world-weary voice, explores the alphabet in "A. B. C. D. E. A. T. H.", providing chuckles galore in this tale of two couples, unhappily married.

Anne Perry, the much-lauded author of two Victorian-set mystery series, has turned away from that time and place to produce a wonderfully humorous, charming story about a group of neighborhood detectives. Word has it that these creatures are based on her own menagerie of dogs and cats and other critters. This is, I believe, the third such episode featuring Daisy, a canine whose lineage is never quite defined, but who possesses immense common sense. In "Daisy and the Christmas Goose" she doesn't let the fact that she's not quite certain of just what is a goose slow down the hunt for one that is missing.

Frankly, I wish some enterprising publisher would produce an entire book of short stories about Daisy and her cohorts, both canine and feline, and other-ines as well. The voicing of these critters is impeccable, sort of an 'All Creatures Great and Small' but in reverse. They're nothing short of wonderful!

All the stories in this collection are eminently readable. Too bad they can't do more than one such anthology a year. Or else a bigger book, with more stories.

The fourteen stories that make up the latest Malice Domestic collection stick to the common theme of everyday people doing "criminal" things they ordinarily would not do. As seems to be the case with this ten-year old series, every contribution fits the main topic while all are also well written and entertaining cozies. Barring none, this is one of the better groups of authors, who demonstrate the need of providing motives rather quickly and believably for their lead characters to act out of the norm. Each author succeeds with a wonderful tale worth reading by anthology fans and cozy advocates.

Harriet Klausner

To know something about long distance hiking, is to know Henry Stark is accurate when he presents the scenario between himself and his partners in Sierra Story. What was it in their personalities that attracted them to each other in the first place, and why such unspoken animosity and rancor that leads to the dissolution of their friendship? Mr. Stark's assessment of national park policy on black bear management, is also an interesting read. They have turned what is instinctively a shy and solitary species, into a scrap food dependent, pack traveling, harassing animal. You will enjoy reading Sierra Story. The author's lessons on adapting can be applied to a new job, new home, or nature's environment. Long distance hikers speak of a "brain drain" during their trek. Their mind clears of all it's material encumbrances, focusing only on the essentials. Mr. Stark's epiphany, on a pine scrub precipice in the Sierras, was enough to so change his life that the details are clear over twenty years later.

To know something about long distance hiking, is to know Henry Stark is accurate when he presents the scenario between himself and his partners in Sierra Story. What was it in their personalities that attracted them to each other in the first place, and why such unspoken animosity and rancor that leads to the dissolution of their friendship? Mr. Stark's assessment of national park policy on black bear management, is also an interesting read. They have turned what is instinctively a shy and solitary species, into a scrap food dependent, pack traveling, harassing animal. You will enjoy reading Sierra Story. The author's lessons on adapting can be applied to a new job, new home, or nature's environment. Long distance hikers speak of a "brain drain" during their trek. Their mind clears of all it's material encumbrances, focusing only on the essentials. Mr. Stark's epiphany, on a pine scrub precipice in the Sierras, was enough to so change his life that the details are clear over twenty years later.

I really enjoyed this book, right from the opening paragraph which hooked me and left me wanting more. There is an exciting mix of adventure and history as Stark and two acquaintances set off on an expedition to the rugged Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. The initial plan of a routine hiking holiday is soon disrupted as the three inexperienced friends face a series of hazardous events, both animal and environmental, in an extremely remote area. Before long, it's a quest for survival, of self- preservation of both body and mind.

Intertwined with the thrilling adventure narrative are the author's personal thoughts and feelings on the foundations of friendships (which are certainly put to the test on the trip) and marriage, of the environment and its preservation. Alone in the wilderness, he has time to reflect. This makes very interesting reading and certainly made me assess situations in my own life.

The subject matter will be of interest to a wide range of readers. Stark's picturesque descriptions of nature are appealing to all ages. There is plenty of background on the places visited to feed the historian. Conservationists will empathise with the plight of areas of natural beauty which have stood untouched for generations but which are now threatened by commercialism. Also, expeditioners beware: the three friends made certain errors in preparation for their trip which novice hikers would be advised to take note of!

All in all, a gripping tale with plenty of food for thought. The narrative is illustrated with some nice stills which give you a good feel for the events over the course of the trip; although I thought that they would be even better in colour.

I am going to keep this short because I do not have the text with me, and I am not prepared to write a thorough review. I read Straight White Male a couple weeks ago, and while I was initially digging it in its entirety, it began to wear by the end. Leroy is an interesting character, and the life he leads lends itself well to showing a world that I have no experience with: the poor white population of California. While this text allows for someone to sympathize with another person, a reason we read fiction, the lack of fault in Leroy begins to grow stale rather quickly. Leroy is just too ideal. His only fault was a ten year old infidelity that is also not a fault, merely a stumbling block in which he grew; it is used to show how pure the man truly is because he can not overcome the fact that he has cheated on his wife, a woman that slept around. His only other fault may be his lack of trusting his wife because of her own past, but he even overcomes that.

It is a quick read. read it; disagree with me.

What a treat to read a book with so much great dialogue, complex relationships, and spanning 50 years. I love books that give me a fresh or altogether new perspective on something as mundane (and sad) as growing old. Leroy Upton is an unforgettable character - someone you want to know, because he is so genuine and normal, yet who faces incredible challenges with wit and insight. As an only child who takes care of his aging and infirm parents, while balancing marriage and 3 grown kids, Leroy Shows us that age-old lesson: make the most of everyday, be kind and generous to your loved ones as life is short.

I have read every book Mr.Haslam has written. This one, his first novel, is more than a good read; This is a deeply moving book. Anyone who grew up in the section of the Southern Central California Valley, especially on the 'other side of the bridge,' of which this story treats, is bound to connect, perhaps even in ways they had not yet identified. A must for Haslam fans.

I keep this in my car at all times. It encompasses a state-wide map, along with city & street maps for every major city (and not so major cities) in California. I was always forgetting to bring my fold-out maps when I would travel, and now I don't have to. So, instead of needing 50 fold out maps, everything is in one simple book.

This is a must-have for anybody who enjoys a quick road trip or a real vacation.

I bought this atlas at Costco and ended up returning it. Since the page size is only 8 1/2 by 11, it is next to impossible to see enough detail to be useful. You would be better collecting a half dozen fold-out regional California maps. The city maps are somewhat better, but still small.

I too, bought my 1st copy of this map book at Costco, now I am purchasing more as gifts. To anyone who loves and/or lives in California, this is a must have. Want to get out and have no idea where to go? Know where you need to go, but don't quite know how to get there? It is all in here and then some....Gather up your California road map/atlas, get in your car and let your inner child out to play. It lists campgrounds, State Parks and little known places just begging for you to enjoy. California is a place for all types to recharge their batteries and this is the perfect book to help you find the places that can do just that! You just can't get this detailed of info. in any fold out map.....