California Books

I remember my mother reading Frances books to me when I was little, and I couldn't wait to read them to my daughter. The Frances books are wonderful children's stories.

The book is great, and my daughter had to "read" it as soon as it was opened.

I loved the Frances books growing up and now my two-year is enjoying them. I just read Bread and Jam to her and she loves it, especially the songs Frances sings (I sing them to the tune of Mary has a Little Lamb). I love the parenting advice in the book, too. We love the description of the lunches these little badgers unpack and eat at school. I love the quality of the illustrations and the writing. I think it's children's book writing at the best. So many books now are just plain silly!

I read the FRANCES books to my daughters (now grown) and am buying every one I can get my hands on to read to my two grandsons and my granddaughter. The character of Frances is so very human, and she has such realistic foibles that every child can identify with. Frances is a classic.

(I have no qualms about the parental roles portrayed in the book. Can't parents choose the roles they wish, and isn't the traditional role a valid choice?)

It was one of my favorites as a kid and now I read it to my little girl

I just bought this book based on the reviews and will be returning it. We live in Sausalito and the Marin Headlands are essentially our backyard. I bought the book to find new areas in the Golden Gate area to explore but when I looked at the area I know well, the Marin Headlands, the information ( map and route description ) were inaccurate and misleading.

This book is excellent but readers should know the authors have recently revised it for 2004/2005. They've added more maps and photos and a section for family outings. The easiest way to find the new edition is to click on the authors name. Note the title has changed slightly too. It's now Golden Gate Trailblazer: where to hike, walk, bike in San Francisco and Marin.

My vacation to San Francisco lasted three weeks. I bought Golden Gate Trailblazer when I arrived and walked many miles with it as my guide. Treasured memories are Limantour and McClures beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore which I never would have found on my own. There's so much more to the Bay Area than Fisherman's Wharf and the cable cars and traffic. This book excels when it comes to organization with maps in every section and a very detailed index. I highly recommend it to hikers and walkers who have never visited this part of California's coast. Like me, you'll probably be surprised at all the places these local authors have packed inside.

San Francisco was only a brief stopover and this book opened up all the possibilities. It turned my vacation upside down with all its trail recommendations. The book is so well written and well researched. I've loved using it and recommend it to anyone who wants a bit of history along with their exercise. The restaurant recommendations were too cool. These guys are real pros.

Simply said . . . wow. What a find! High on my list for seeing all the offbeat and major sites around the City and along Marin's rugged coast and bay wetlands. For years I've been the chauffer when guests come and stay. Now I just hand my friends a copy of Trailblazer and tell them to begin at trail #1, The City. For trails in the Golden Gate National Recreation area and Mt. Tamalpais, this is the most detailed book. You really get a feel for northern California and its history by reading it. Maps are A+ too.

This is an exceptionally insightful book looking into the juvenile criminal justice system in L.A. It does a good job of illustrating the perspectives of all individuals involved, from "criminals" to "officials" and also shows gradients of right and wrong, and just how complicated and even faulty the system may be. It is very well written, and I highly recommend it.

A great introduction into the juvenile criminal justice system. I actually went to work for a public defenders' office because of this book.

A more recent book I'd highly reccommend is "Last Chance In Texas." Ironically, Texas has perhaps the most progressive juvenile justice system in the country. This book tells how Texas' worst juvenile offenders had their lives changed for the better.

This book is so SOOO depressing. And we deserve to feel that way about our Juvenile Justice system. Everyone remotely attached to criminal law or children should read this.

Written over the course of one year in LA's juvenile court system, this book is very enlightening to the plight of our kids in detention and on the streets. It has recently been reported that less than 10% of Florida's almost $709 million juvenile justice budget is spent on prevention. I hope to do my personal part to change this in my community, by supporting intervention programs for at-risk youth.

No Matter How Loud I Shout reads like a novel. It is an incredibly well written and compassionate view of the life of some of the country's forgotten "children". I really enjoyed it as well as "Baby ER" also by Mr. Humes.

Whether you're an amateur or a pro, this book has a lot to offer. It's loaded with information on how and when to take fabulous pictures while you're in Yosemite. It's well organized and it's easy to read. It's loaded with beautiful photographs that serve as good examples.

It's small and can be easily packed with your stuff as you venture into the valley.

A must-have for those who are visiting the park and want to take great pictures!

I took the trip of a lifetime earlier this month to Yosemite and San Francisco, and it was wonderful. Photography is a big hobby for me, and I spent every second looking for photo opportunities. I read that this was a great book to have and bought it before the trip. It is available at most of the gift shops in the park, but you'll love having ahead of time if you want to make some plans before you go. It's not much cheaper here than in the park, though- maybe $1. Anyway, this was an invaluable tool and I used it to plan most of my hiking and sightseeing while in Yosemite. I also had a PhotoSecrets book for San Francisco, but it wasn't nearly as helpful as this book. This is a great investment to make sure you get the pictures you want on your trip to Yosemite National Park.

This is the first book I've ever bought to prepare for a trip. I usually spend endless hours searching out tips from links on websites and then printing them--now I look for a photographer's guide first! Michael Frye has given every tip on 'what, when, where, and how', including which filters to use for problem situations or enhancement. This guide is equally beneficial for those travelers looking for the perfect time and place for wonderment--those special spots not marked by signs with arrows and time tables. And the images are awe inspiring. Definitely something to keep out on the coffee table when you get back home.

Yosemite is a frequent photgraphic destination for me. I use Michael's book on each trip. There is so much to see at Yosemite that a plan is required. This book not only directs you to the best photo locations, but tells you precisely the time of year to get the best results. Highly recommended.

There are many glowing reviews of this book and it does provide the goods on how and where to go to get good shots. The maps (5) and sections are also quite simple to read. In addition, the sequential numbering of the points of interest is a help.

I was disappointed to find so much coverage of photographic technique. While some technique discussions directly relate to the unique character of Yosemite (for example talking about color and the lack of it in granite) most of it feels more like filler, and indeed makes it harder to navigate to the sections of interest.

The book also lacks an index so the only useful navigation tool is the brief table of contents. Without that table of contents it would be hard to find any particular section and even with it, you're going to have to resort to man-made book marks to find what you want. For example if Pohono Bridge and Fern Spring caught your fancy but you didn't remember to book mark it or remember its number you'll have to resort to scanning all of the maps and/or all of the numbered interest points because despite the page of content, there is no entry for this viewpoint in the table of contents (and remember there is no index).

I would prefer the maps be all together at the front or back so that it would work better as a reference book. I would also have liked to see some more examples of "out of the way" hikes to desirable vistas.

Finally, I would like the author to have provided some sort of "effort vs eye-appeal" rating to help me focus on which sunrise locations are the "not to miss" areas and which are "ok". Perhaps the author can even suggest a few itineraries. These more useful things could replace the "choosing film" techniques section and others like it that are a bit basic and detract from the otherwise good "where and when" information.

I'm tempted to get Harold Davis's book "The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite & the High Sierra" just to make a comparison.

This book is a necessity for any Buster Keaton fan or any fan of Hollywood history. It is well researched and absolutely fascinating.

This is a great book. I love to watch Keaton's movies with this to hand, it gives a whole new insight to the films. It is easy to read and it is interesting to see the sights of LA from the 20's. Sometimes it is sad to see that some of these locations are gone, where the building of freeways have necessitated the removal of whole city blocks. If I ever get to visit LA I know that this book will be going with me.

Years ago I purchased Civil War historian William A. Frassanito's excellent books "Gettysburg: A Journey in Time" and "Antietam: The Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day," which examine and compare historic and modern photographs of these famous battle sites. John Bengtson has done essentially the same thing for Hollywood using Keaton's films, and the result is nothing short of miraculous. Here are scenes of what used to be but are no more, resurrected with the benefit of Bengtson's keen eye, detective-like mind, and obsessive attention to detail. This is one heck of a fun book, and you'll spend many hours going over the photographs.

Amazingly, many of the scenic backdrops that Keaton used in his films still exist, and they serve today as nostalgic reminders of a relatively primitive and innocent time that has all but disappeared.

John Bengtson has done something so simple yet so essential to film history. If you live in LA the book will have a greater meaning. If not you can marvel at the almost film-archeological work Bengston has done in finding the exact places the great Buster Keaton filmed some of his best films.

This is a truly different kind of book. We get to see the locations that Buster made his films, and how they have changed through time. We also get to see how the author went about finding these places, a kind of historical research that takes a tremendous amount of time and effort.

This book is one that I automatically pick up when I'm not sure what I want to read, but want something interesting.

If there was a complaint, it would be that many of the pictures and some of the text is really too small. I have great eyesight, some of this is too hard for even me to see, and I know many people have a harder time with small text and pictures. Lay off of our eyesight, eh?


Still, a totally fascinating book. I can't get enough.

I love this book!! We live an hour north of S.F. and when ever we go to the city we start with one of these great walks. We have gone and explored neighborhoods we never would have without this book. San Francisco is such a beautiful city and getting to the top of some obscure staircase always gives you a unique and beautiful view. It is a must for anyone who lives in or near S.F.

San Francisco has over 50 hills with scenic vistas and small neighborhoods - so these nearly 30 urban walks are top picks for any who want to walk the city's byways. The revised expanded edition has been updated with new maps and color photos and adds three new walks, while an appendix lists the City's 600-plus public stairways. It's a 'must' for any San Francisco travel collection going beyond the general-interest city guide.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great book to have for anyone who enjoys an adventure. Lots of walking options within the city

We've have been using Edition 1 (published 1984)for ten years. It's our most often used reference for San Francisco hiking. But the copy is now very worn and torn from carrying in back pocket on all those stairway hikes. Almost lost it several times on loans to friends. We are buying the latest edition (No. 6) as a replacement. We'll keep and treasure Edition 1.

Adah's book is a great collection of walks all over the city. As the name implies, all the walks focus on the stairways for which San Francisco is so well known. This has two implications: one is that these walks will wear you out; the second is that, on sunny days, you get incredible views from the tops of all the stairways Adah has you climb.

For locals, the 27 walks cover the entire town from Glen Canyon to Lands End to Potrero Hill. No matter how long you've lived in San Francisco, I guarantee you'll see great spots you've never been to before.

Most of the walks are well off the beaten path for visitors, but a couple cover the classic tourist areas of North Beach, China Town, and Telegraph Hill. The Russian Hill North walk, done on a sunny day, will have anyone believing San Francisco is the most beautiful city on earth.

Adah provides maps, directions, and a great deal of color commentary for each walk. She tends to focus on eccentric details of the local architecture and flora for each walk, lending a whimsical quality to the whole experience.

Two last things to keep in mind. First, because the views are such a big part of these walks, Adah's trips are much better in good weather than in bad. Second, Adah is sometimes a little loose with her directions; I recommend cross checking the directions and the map often.

Authors Leigh and Geyer made a brave move to follow and document the lives of animals in a shelter in northern California for one week. They have a story to tell that will at times warm your heart with joy and at other times break your heart. They are to be commended for telling a very difficult story in an honest and non-biased way. They make a point to tell stories of the dogs and cats in the kennel consistent with the actual adoption/euthanasia rates at that kennel. Some animals are adopted or recovered by their human guardians others are euthanized. It's heartbreaking to know that some dogs and cats have no chance of adoption and are euthanized simply because of their unpopular breed or age or health condition. Some happy adoptable animals succumb to kennel stress and the personality problems it causes. Some wonderful animals never have a chance from the second they enter the kennel. I found myself looking at the end of each brief story to see the outcome before I even started reading about the animals. Many do find wonderful homes but the odds are against shelter animals especially for cats. The authors are honest and fair to the shelter staff who also face unbelievable odds in their attempts to save animals. There is not enough money to care for sick animals or time or staff to socialize animals with behavioral problems. It is often a losing battle. The authors make it clear that much of the blame lies on irresponsible people who don't spay or neuter their animals. Some people just become bored with their pets or don't make the effort to work on correctable behavioral problems. Some seemingly well-cared animals are found lost and not wearing an ID tag. An ID tag and microchip could save countless lost animals. You begin to realize how hopeless the odds are even at the most well-run animal shelter. Many more animals arrive than can be adopted. You need to be strong to read this book. You'll fall in love with some of the animals and learn they did not survive the kennel but there is joy in knowing many do find new homes. The book selects several animals to feature and there is a picture or two. All are beautiful animals who deserved a chance that many never got.

It is rare that I find a book that I cannot put down - and I read this book in one sitting. It teaches the reader about life in an animal shelter through the short stories written about the animals the writers came to know during a week at a shelter. It gives you pause, describing shelters from the animals' perspective, as well as from the perspective of the humans that interact with the shelter (volunteers, shelter staff, adoptive pet parents, and pet owners who resign ownership). It gives interesting and surprising statistics. It talks about foster parenting shelter dogs, and it touches on visiting pet programs (for nursing homes, etc.). It gave me ideas that I might use the improve my local shelter as a volunteer. I thought I knew everything there was to know until I read this book. It is so well written, and it opens your heart and your mind to the realities of life and death for shelter animals.

I purchased this book as I have done many other books about shelter dogs,abandoned dogs etc. I love animals-all animals,but especially dogs.There were some wonderful stories in this book, there were also stories that totally broke my heart, seeing two large bins full with little bodies that the sanctuary found it necessary to euthanzise. ,I didn't expect to see a photo like that,but as much as it broke my heart,people need to be made aware. Animals are precious, they are like children, I have a daughter and I have three dogs, I love them all equally,my dogs are part of my family and are treated as such. People seem to think they can pick animals up and toss them out when they get fed up with them- it makes my blood boil.There was one story in particular that really got to me where a dog named Kelly had been so let down, she just gave up, she wouldn't even lift her head, the sanctuary- rightly or wrongly-decided that she could not be re-homed so they put her to sleep,there is a photo of them doing so, with a young guy holding up the her beautiful head and she is looking straight into the camera, the sadness in her eyes will haunt me forever, I just wish I had known about her, I would have given her a home and worked with her to help her to trust again.,and to show her boundless love.
There are many atrocities in this world, to me, cruelty to animals is one of them.
If anyone reading this is thinking about getting a dog, please think carefully before you do- they take a lot of your time and commitment but the love they give you in return is immeasurable.If only people were more responsible,these poor animals ,who only ever wanted love from someone, would never end up in this situation.
I hope that particular little dog is in Rainbow Bridge, and is healed now.
God Bless her, and all the other animals that have suffered and are suffering the same fate through no fault of their own.
It just isn't right.

This is a must read for everyone who has had a pet, has a pet, or is thinking of getting a pet. The authors do a wonderful job of revealing the plight of animals in shelters today. I bawled the whole way through the book, but it's because it's the truth. And something needs to be done.

It's such a good book. Many stories are sad, but it also offers real hope as to what we as individuals can do. Highly recommended. You'll go back to it when you find you need inspiration.

Authors Jerry Sprout and Janine Sprout have explored the Sierra Nevada for more than twenty years; Alpine Sierra Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Ski, Bike, Fish, Drive from Tahoe to Yosemite is the culmination of their combined experience. Written for families and veteran hikers alike, Alpine Sierra Trailblazer covers 88 different trailheads suitable for assorted levels of experience, 51 cross country ski and snowshoeing spots, 72 places ideal for fishing in lakes and rivers or creeks, 6 driving tours, 148 black-and-white photographs, 7 maps, and much more. Organized primarily by site - each ideal location to visit is listed successively, along with notes about its highlights and extensive directions - Alpine Sierra Trailblazer is an excellent supplementary resource for anyone seeking to see Sierra Nevada's natural beauty and wonders for themselves.

My first visit to Lake Tahoe last week and not knowing where to go I picked up this travel guide. Off trail and on trail the seepsprings were alive with yellows, blues, oranges and it's only going to get better. Some of the hikes at the higher elevations are still snowbound but there are plenty of listings around the lake to keep me going. The list of dayhikes in this book is staggering and since it's written by locals has real credo. You can't beat all the clean air up at Big Blue.

Since I live downslope from Yosemite and Tahoe I consider it my backyard recreation area. Cross country ski trails, hiking trails, trails bordering the Great Basin, they're all in here. I like to fish and this serves as my river guide too. It's very user friendly and has a real personal touch. These guys are trail experts and list all the good ones and those less traveled. My son and his wife have gone to Hawaii with their Kauai book and tell me it's also a winner.

This is the third guide we've used in this outdoor series. The Kauai and Golden Gate books have become mainstays in our hiking collection. I like their system for organizing their activities according to region and this one follows the same format. It spans the area from Yosemite's Tioga Pass, takes in Ebbetts and Monitor and Carson passes and covers south Lake Tahoe's turf. This is the author's home base and they certainly have the credentials for knowing all the best trails and sightseeing backroads.

There aren't many adventure guides that feel as personal or are multi-use like this one. We cross country ski, fish, hike, camp and mountain bike so for our family it's a perfect fit.

Two books you most definitely need if you're hanging out at Tahoe is this one and the Tahoe Rim Trail guide. This area has some of the best hiking in the western U.S. We found both books to be extremely current and clearly written.

So far we've used them for both dayhiking and and overnight backpacking trips up at the north end of Lake Tahoe and due south around Carson Pass. Having two to compare has given us extra ideas for sidetrips. We're a family of four and have gotten alot of use from these top notch trail resources.

I read this book years ago when it came out in hard back. It really helped me understand what my son was going through as a police officer. I just bought it again to give to a friend who's son is coming back from Afghanistan and wants to join LAPD, and I read it before passing it along because he says he added a few new tales. It is a fun, and fascinating book to read, and i recommend it for every young person who wants to be a police officer, or any mom who wants to know what their kids are going through thier first year out.

This book has a lot of potential to be interesting, but in the end, it falls short. This book is decent, a very quick read, and at times it does a very good job of capturing the reader's interest.

The major problems I had with this book were the two I mentioned in the title of this review, namely a lack of depth and style. All of the author's stories seem to stop just when they're about to get interesting. Furthermore, Dunn doesn't write with enough detail or style to effectively convey the intensity and feeling of any of these situations to the reader. While I am sure Dunn is an excellent police officer, he is obviously not a professional writer. Overall, this is an okay book, but that's about it.

I believe this is a fantastic book for anyone thinking of joining law enforcement - or just trying to get a feel for what its like to become a cop.
I've also just completed the book "Gangs of Los Angeles", a candid look into the world of LA street gangs. I've done my best to retell their history and explain their culture in a way only an LA street cop with gang expertise could.

I first read this book when I was in High School I thought it was great, few weeks later I joined the LAPD Harbor's Division Explorer Scouts. One day while working at the station I met Sgt. Feula (a character mentioned on the book) I was very surprised, he did not know his name was mentioned on the book. He took me on several ride-alongs and I learned alot from him few months later I shipped out for the Military, he retired and I never heard of him:.... ///Sergeant Feula if you ever see this messege; thank you for everything, day by day I get closer and closer to become an LAPD officer, I will take what I learned from you and put it to use... Martinez///

This book is hands down the best book relating to firsthand police work I've read. Truly does give you a good sense of what it might be like to work in L.A. as a cop.

I wanted to know the real scoop for years on the Geronimo Pratt case. Although I'm not yet finished reading the book, it is very obvious that Mt. Pratt got screwed, like so many others caught up in the "good old USA" system. Obviously this one is a case of racial prejudice, but it could have just as easily been some other kind of prejudice. It is clear that the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" is just a nice theory that should be strictly adhered to but rarely is. The presumed guilt is clear from the get go on the part of the police. It continues on to the top with lies and deception on the part of the police to get a conviction at any cost, especially with regard to the truth. It's frightening and a relief to know it's not me. But next time it could be me, or anyone who gets targeted by individuals in a position of power, who have no integrity, and don't give a hoot about the constitution of the US.

This is certainly one of the best books I've ever read. Jack Olsen did an outstanding job of weaving together all the facts in a highly readable narrative of one of the most blatant chapters of injustice in 20th century legal history.

I already had considerable knowledge of the case before I read this book. In the early 1990s, the case was being publicized again. I was a reporter for Wave Newspapers in Los Angeles and journeyed with a co-worker to the state prison at Tehachapi where Pratt was then being held and we interviewed him. I then wrote several stories about his situation.

Pratt was imprisoned for 27 years for a crime he clearly did not commit. The prosecution was part of the FBI's notorious COINTELPRO operation-essentially a war against numerous dissenting groups in the 1960s including the Black Panther Party. As Olsen makes clear, in Pratt's case this also involved LAPD and the L.A. County District Attorney's office.

Pratt was convicted of the December 1968 Santa Monica tennis-court murder of school teacher Caroline Olsen. There was considerable doubt about the credibility of key-witness Julius Butler, who had a previous falling out with Pratt, and was later proven to be an informant. (When I was a reporter, I actually contacted Butler. He yelled that he was "tired of this" and hung up on me.) Plus, numerous other Panthers could have confirmed he was at a meeting in Oakland the day of the murder but most wouldn't testify because of a severe split in the ranks.

Appeal after appeal was turned down despite more and more evidence being discovered pointing to Pratt's innocence. In all probability the crime was committed by two low-level Panther members to obtain money for drugs.

That ties in with the only complaint I would make about Olsen's book. He really glossed over the fact that the FBI and police campaign against the Panthers (which I am not defending) was not just because of their militant political rhetoric. They had a lot of criminal types within the group.

Regardless, this is an extraordinary book about another era and the governmental abuses of that time. Johnnie Cochran redeemed himself in my eyes by getting Pratt released. That was after he was involved in a travesty of justice, himself, by getting O.J. Simpson off. But that's another story.

The courage and essential goodness of Geronimo Pratt, in spite of receiving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit, is truly inspiring. This is a wonderful book.

Geronimo Pratt had one of the most honorable and incredible lives I have ever heard of. This book documents his entire life, from is Morgan City childhood to his unjust incarceration for the murder of Caroline Olsen. I literally had trouble putting this book down. It is a great read for anyone interested in the judicial system, the FBI's COINTELPRO, the Black Panther Party, and racism in general. READ THIS BOOK!!!

This book should be mandatory reading for every black person when they turn 15 years old. To read what the gov't put this man through was utterly shocking. After you read this book read "The Judas Factor - The Plot to Kill Malcolm X." You'll be numb after reading these two books back to back.