Vacations Books

Ranch Vacations contains great information about dude ranch vacations. Lots of pictures.

Kilgore also maintains Ranchweb <http://www.ranchweb.com> which features even more pictures and details about the dude ranches for those who are seriously considering a vacation on a dude ranch.

The book is a great starting point.

Gene Kilgore's Ranch Vacations is what all travel guides should strive for. Gene succinctly provides critical information on almost 200 ranches. He's identified and presents information on the major features that are important to ranch guests (number of guests, season, cost, closest airport and medical centers, activities, children's programs, accommodations, dining). He introduces a little history/background on each ranch (which largely seems to be taken from ranch brochures) but he also includes his own capsule summary with each review that accurately captures the essence of that ranch. Ranch Vacations allows the reader to easily compare ranches to one another to find that perfect vacation destination!

Gene also cross-indexes the ranches so it is easy to narrow down ranches that offer cattle work, fly fishing, English-style riding, or those that are adults' oriented, resort-like, and wheelchair accessible. The guide also contains wonderful black & white and color photos of the ranches.

While I've done a lot of ranch searching on the internet, and use Gene's ranch website extensively, I always come back to my Ranch Vacations guide. It provides fingertip access to side-by-side ranch comparisons - something that is still difficult to do on the internet!

Gene runs a web site which we reviewed, and we read his book as well. We booked a ranch -- Wit's end--based on his book review, and the great web site for the ranch. It was a bad experience. It is impossible, so far as I can tell, to write and post a negative review on Gene's site. It appears he takes commissions for booking people into the places he writes up. So beware. The mystical person who appears on the cover of the book likely does not exist. It is a sales document, so that he can get commissions booking people to the ranches. Go back and read the book and you will see there is not one negative comment in it, just as there are no negative comments allowed on his web site.

Gene Kilgore's 'Ranch Vacations' should also be called America the beautiful because his various editions create a veritable smorgasbord of panoramic delights.

This is the quintessential America-the great ranches of the Great Plains states - and a whole lot more, including Canada and even the eastern regions of USA.

The vastness, colour, scenery, atmosphere all leap out of the pages of these books-enough to make this Aussie want to pack his bags and go a ranchin' tomorrow.

The only problem is determining location -there are just so many choices available in so many states.

While more information can be found on the web Kilgore's book has the advantage of easy cross reference and is transportable.

In this age of terrorism the beauty, tranquility and grandeur of America stands in ample contrast to those who wish to destroy the Great Republic.

Unlike those who seek to wreck and destroy, the people in this book, including the author, seek to build by offering the best hospitality and advice possible-and in doing so reveal an authentic part of America to both the reader at home and abroad.

My wife and I have been on six ranch vacations, and over the years purchased three edition's of this book. There is no better starting point in planning a ranch vacation than this guide. It allows the reader to narrow his search to the type of dude ranch one is looking for.

Spalding Gray's years-long odyssey spent writing this semi-autobiographical novel was such a life-altering struggle that he wrote and performed the monologue "Monster in a Box" to describe it. The "monster" was the pages and pages of rewrites and edits that the notably neurotic Gray labored over, and thank goodness he didn't give up. This sharp, funny, poignant book is so well-written, it sounds like it was a breeze to put on paper. But everywhere it is peppered with priceless gems that are marks of near-genius. I can't quote any, because I lent my marked-up copy to a friend years ago, and, not surprisingly, never got it back! Gray's story of a Rhode Island youth losing his mother and then learning to cope with growing up, moving on and growing older was a life-altering book for me to read as it was for Gray to write. From trying to drive to Provincetown as a teenager and never making it, to the seamier sides of Europe, to a long-term relationship back in New York, the author, known for his quirky monologues on his own life (this is his first work of "fiction"), keeps us hooked with his clear honesty in brilliantly short, witty phrases. This book actually makes the old cliche true: "I laughed, I cried." At the risk of sounding sacriligious, I call this book my bible. And I haven't even had a copy in hand for years! It's unforgettable. And, yes, I have a new copy on order

Spalding Gray brings his hyper-self reflective, kenetic, neurotic style to a novel. Autobiographical fact jousts with fabrication in this quenticential candid Grayfest. This work illuminates much of Spalding's earlier works and may (or may not) answer, to some degree, the question "What makes this guy tick?" Word to the wise.... expect the unexpected. Not for the prudish or the easily shocked. Enjoy!

Why are you so sad, Spalding? Are there days when you smile and laugh at the cards you have been dealt? I loved the humor in your book, but is it humor or just sarcasm and surfaced madness? I too write the silliness of life on paper.

"I just accepted that as a part of my life, accepted that forever I would always be a little in the place that I was not.." With that begins the melancholic search of meaning for the main character of the book Brewster North. After having received a monkey mask from his uncle's adventures in Bali at a tender age of 5, Brewster longs for that Impossible Vacation. Knowing for a fact that wherever he goes he can't escape the ghosts of his past, present and future. The book is beautifully written and at times the voice of the narrator Brewster comes to take you over and it feels as if you're there watching his painful time on Earth. The closests I can think of is Holden Caulfield in Cathcher in the Rye, but unlike Holden he is searching for a place he knows he can find but yet leaves it as it is, a longing. Brewster takes the reader on this unique trip around the world, where he not only goes to various groups to learn new things but to enjoy those painful moments of longing to be where the soul really wants to be. The problem is that Brewster's soul is restless and madness boils in him and he is disillusioned by mankind, the world, the people around him and yet he still has that hope to find peace somewhere in the crazy world. I must admit that pain Brewster suffered comes close to all the pain one must deal with on this world; all the people that come in your life and go, the search of belonging, and finally to rest it out, will bring hope to many who read this book. The madness, the vignettes of Brewster's thoughts on suicide at a young age, saving bugs, walking stoned while starring at a sea of bright stars, and to the smiles and dark figures he meets in every part of the world is something to look forward to in every page. He sees smiles, groups of people, people ice skating and he sees himself as a the landscape being bigger than his whole self. In all this book is highly recommended for that restless mad soul, or anyone who wants to escape that happiness for awhile and face the truth of reality on this world. The book is not for the close minded or people that get offended easily, its filled with raunchy scenes, but in all a book that is intelligent and dark as the narrator himself. What a guy!

"If I was out in the world I could only be in one place with one sunset, but HERE I could skip from Provincetown to Santa Cruz to Alaska to India and follow the sun around the world......"
-Brewster North

Even if you've never read or heard any of Spalding Gray's monologues (Monster in a Box and so on) like me (I plan to remedy this soon!), you will love this book if you like semi-autobiographical fiction or memoir types of books. By the end of the book, you will understand better what makes Spalding Gray who he is today. I summarized excerpts of this book to my fiance who *has* read and heard some of his monologues in person and he kept laughing and saying it was so autobiographical a work... In short, Brewster North, the main character, is a thinly-disguised alter ego of Gray himself.

The novel is comic in parts (for example, the author's hilarious description of Brewster North's experiences in a Zen ashram in India) and tenderly tragic in other places--his mother's descent into madness and her subsequent suicide along with its effects on him. We feel the pathos right along with Brewster right as he experiences it in the novel.

Gray portrays a character who has an interesting and checkered life and we want to keep reading to find out what happens to him all the way to the end. The author also makes the book an easy read as he can tell a story well and make the experiences vivid for the reader in his descriptions and rendering of dialogue.

The only reason I don't give the book a 5-star rating is because it almost seeemed too cluttered with vignette after vignette of various travel and life experiences. Gray should have spent more time exploring the main theme of the novel--that it is impossible for the main character to really take a vacation from the complexities of his life even though he really wants to. And I think Gray drives this point home most effectively with Brewster's trip to India (I think the Mexico trip could have been condensed more with the focus centering on the fact that the trip is when he learned of his mother's suicide. He could have left the other events of that trip out.) Gray should also have spent more time exploring the impact of the mother's suicide on the main character as that seems to be at the center of Brewster's thoughts in the novel--trying to work out the implications of his relationship with his mother in his life over time, particularly after she dies.

Not a complete Guide to vacation rentals available in Michigan. Only lists a small fraction of rentals available. Much more information can be found simply by searching the internet.

As long-time Michigan vacation travelers, we were delighted to come across this comprehensive resource. My family followed the recommendations in this book to a wonderful cottage in Traverse City. It was everything the guide promised. In the past, we had used the Web exclusively with disappointing results (cottages weren't always as great as they were advertised). This is the only resource we've found were the writers' actually **visit properties** and give truly objective and accurate reviews. We highly recommend this book and eagerly await the next edition. By the way, we just discovered their Web site at www.mivg.com. Finally, a more reliable Web resource.

Now in an updated and expanded seventh edition, Michigan Vacation Guide: Cottages, Chalets, Condos, B&B's presents updated information on rental properties, regional attractions, tours, wineries, casinos, and a whole lot more that would make any vacation or business trip in Michigan simply unforgettable. The collaborative, painstaking effort of Kathy Tedsen and Bev Rydel, the Michigan Travel Guide is enhanced with black-and-white photographs and offers the traveler a wealth of information about various featured sites. The Michigan Vacation Guide a truly first-rate and highly recommended resource planning out an itinerary whether it be for a day-trip, getaway weekend, or an extended vacation.

My family and I love this book. It's easy to read and locate places to stay. We enjoy staying at private homes or cottages, which are normally very difficult to find. The vacation guide book has tons of them. This is the 3rd book I have bought and they just keep getting better with more choices and more photos. We have stayed at several of their "editor's choice" properties and never been dissappointed.

I have an older version of this book and love it! Have just ordered the new edition and will be waiting for it to arrive. You will not be led astray!

If you are going through the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies menoipause, "On the Edge of the Bg" is the best medicine you're likely to get and it's non-prescription. Author Audrey Jean takes her heroine, Hanna, well maybe heroine is not the right term, through the highs and lows of "that time of life" for women. Hanna is all too aware of mistakes and character flaws, wrong choices she has made and continues to make. We follow her from Seattle to her solo holiday in a small village on the Irish coast. Ride along, have some fun, see a fascinating part of the world that the author describes beautifully. Plus we have the baggage that Hanna arrives with to factor in. It's good to laugh at what life deals with us. And the author is a strong writer, presents the world and ourselves with her words. Read it then lend it to a friend.

I want to have a piquant adventure like that of Hanna and Gary! They are genuine, vulnerable, fun and wacky with just a hint of mature poignant wisdom. I love the possibility of excitement and wonder of a mid-life romance. Loved the setting.

I appreciated this novel for the wonderful descriptions of Ireland,the characters that are great fun and easy to relate to, and the many sparks of insight(into the screwed-up ways our middle aged minds often work) throughout. Oh yeah, the sex was pretty darn good too.

Amidst the vast array of non-fiction books to ease this transitional time that every woman must face, shines Jean's book to add a wee bit of levity. Entering into this book I had doubts that it would hold anything for me, but those doubts swiftly vanished as I became so involved in the hapless main character and the swirl of people in her life. This little novel had me in stitches, yet was also poignant, fragile, vulnerable, erotic and a heck of a good story.
So ladies, sit down with a glass of wine and a bar of good chocolate and take a break from those hot flashes and tears with this little gem, it's a treat!

I laughed out loud throughout this enjoyable perimenopausal/mid-life crisis romance novel. The female character's absurd thought processes were alarmingly familiar. It's an original and charming story that not only comtemporary women, but all women could relate.
The erotic scenes brought out what I thought were my hidden secrets. They were written well enough to make me feel as though I were there or damn well wanted to be.
All in all this entertaining little novel was a much needed break from taking myself so seriously at this time in my life. What a delight!

Once again, Kaminsky has written a very fine detective story with all of the warts and smells of the decaying Soviet system. As always there are three stories here (with two or three minor ones). Porfiry is ordered (by the Grey Wolfhound) to take his wife on vacation to the Crimea (Yalta). While there he meets an acquain- tence from the GRU (military intelligence) who has a secret to tell him but is murdered first.

Sasha is on a stakeout trying to nab a group that has been robbing Jews of their computers. They rob the Jews and then beat them up. So Sasha goes undercover as a Jewish computer analyst to try and catch them. (You would have to be a ex-Russian or Soviet Jew to understand the robbers logic, but take my word for it, to them it makes sense.)

Meanwhile, Karpo is busy looking for the murderer of a German businessman. A bartender gives him the name of a woman who knows who the killer is (it's her boyfriend). After following her to her apartment one evening, while waiting to see if the boyfriend shows up, she comes flying out of her sixth story window and lands naked on top of a car. Standing at the broken window is a man with glowing eyes, and spiked orange hair, screaming down at her.

Two of the three cases end up being tangential to each other while the other turns into a lesson in Russian sociology and long term national antagonisms.

Perhaps this story requires a little "willing suspension of disbelief" as to the story line more than some of the others of this series, but the characters are drawn with Kaminsky's usual excellence. No reader will be disappointed!

Something doesn't feel right when so many senior officers are ordered away on vacation-- and Rostnikov *knows* that something's wrong when one of his fellow vacationers dies suspiciously. All trails in this mystery set in the last days of the USSR lead to a problem larger than simple homicide...

Well-written, but ultimately not compelling.

It hasn't taken me very long to become an avid fan of Stuart Kaminsky's Porfiry Rostnikov series of mysteries. My latest read is Rostnikov's Vacation.

The Soviet Government was big on sending workers on vacation. As the book begins, the Soviet regime is hanging on for dear life in the midst of economic reforms. Things appear very fishy when many high-ranking officials in the police and KGB are all ordered on vacation at the same time. Yalta was a big vacation spot for senior officials, and Rostnikov and wife Sarah are spending their vacation there. But there are not many left "minding the store" in Moscow. A colleague of Rostnikov's (also on vacation in Yalta) turns up murdered, so Rostnikov's vacation becomes a working one. He soon discovers that this colleague has uncovered a plot to kill Gorbachev and make it appear as it if was done by the CIA.

There are also a number of interesting subplots. Associates Emil Karpo and Sasha Tkach are involved in cases of their own. Tkach has gone undercover in an effort to apprehend a group of criminals who are preying on Jewish computer technicians. Karpo is on the trail of a drug-crazed Russian murderer and his American cohort. Both cases are extremely dangerous, and pose a serious threat to the two detectives. One aspect of the plot I didn't like is that it became a little confusing at times. While the KGB is usually a lurking presence in Rostnikov's life, this time, at least one agent appears to be on Rostnikov's side.

What I especially enjoyed about Rostnikov's Vacation are the descriptions of life in the Soviet Union during the fall of communism. Historically, Russians have faced tremendous hardships. This period in Russian history was especially unsettling for the people of Russia. Money was scarce, food and goods were hard to find, and many people went months without receiving a paycheck. Survival was difficult. Yet, Russians have always learned to put a positive spin on life.

Kaminsky is engaging enough that I am determined to read this entire series. I have already started The Dog Who Bit a Policeman.

It's Yalta, and it's not a peace conference between heads of state!

Following orders from headquarters, Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov is taking a vacation in this resort city. (Some say, it's because they want him out of Moscow for a while!) With his wife, he is all set to take some needed rest and recuperation.

But this is a Stuart Kaminsky work and his fictionalized inspector is not about to be left alone in peace and quiet. In no time, naturally, he is involved in another murder--a fellow policeman is killed in less than honorable circumstances. So, Rostnikov's dreams of beach-side relaxation, of making sure his convalescent wife follows the doctors' orders, and of reading his favorite novels (American Ed McBain!), are put on hold.

The circumstances, indeed, are harbingers of what is happening in Moscow as the Iron Curtain is rapidly being packed away. The USSR is falling apart! Meanwhile, back in the capital, Rostnikov's pair of assistants, Emil ("The Vampire") and Sasha Tkach, are investigating crimes dealing with computers and psychos! "Rostnikov's Vacation" is yet another installment in a very exciting series set in the USSR.

The eighth in the series, readers have come to recognize--and respect--Kaminsky's penchant for detail, for finely-tuned characterization, and for thrilling resolutions.

The major fault in Kaminsky's work is that he doesn't produce his Rostnikov stories fast enough!

Billyjhobbs@tyler.net

All the paperwork said the music was English. We ordered English but we got a Spanish version instead. We will still order from you in the future but we have to take the time and money to purchase another one. Please be more careful when grabbing the product off the shelf. Muchas gracias.

My daughter heard this at VBS and I love the cd too. It has great music and isn't annoying like some kids cds.. Excellent purchase.

Our vacation bible school used this program this last summer. My day care children LOVE the CD. Very catchy tunes. For the younger ones that are not able to attend bible school yet - they received the CD for Xmas. I was worried I would not be able to find it - but good ole Amazon had it in stock.

They are using this CD from the Avalanche Ranch theme at my child's VBS. This CD is so much fun! With a mix of fun songs about God along with some more reverent ones; it is such a nice CD! It is worth the shot and you will love it! (Note: The more upbeat songs follow a country music-type style.)

After participating in an Avalanche Ranch Vacation Bible School, I was excited to find the CD available at Amazon! The songs are up-lifting, fun to sing, and bring back wonderful memories of all the kids singing and square dancing to the music!

Author has included some email and web site information for ski area accomodations, tourist offices, etc, but it just touches the tip of the iceberg.

Verbier, Switzerland, one of the top ski areas in Europe, only gets 5 pages in the book. Does not provide any commentary on accommodations in Verbier other than number of stars in rating and prices. Some other large ski areas get better treatment. The Arlberg region gets 9 pages of coverage.

Book lacks maps of Europe and of ski areas.

Overall the book is a good starting place for researching a trip, but descriptive information is brief and basic. Still this book is the most recently published on the topic as of 10/98, so the currency of the information should be decent.

This is the third edition of Leocha's ski guide that I've bought. It tells me everything I might think of to ask about each resort. My wife and I rely upon this guide to help make our decisions on where to ski in the Alps before each trip. His mountain and skiing descriptions are right on for all classes of skiers. We've used his recommendations in choosing accomodations and restaurants and haven't been disappointed even once. The very best feature is that it is written so well that we've tried resorts (Arosa, Wengen) that we never considered before and found them to be wonderful.

Ski Europe was a great book for my winter stay in europe. The thing i liked most about it was that it was the only book i needed. It offered all the skiing info i needed for each resort (even a scection in each resort on snowboarding!), but it didn't stop there. Its an all around guide with info on the night life, hotels, and restaurants. it gave concice information about all the aspects of a skiing vacation, which made my off the slope hours much more productive. i strongly recomend this book for any skier or snowboarder, any level.
=Z

I live in Munich and use this book often as a reference. It contains very accurate information on lodging, prices, and qualities of the resorts. Very accurately summarizes the differences in the ski experience between the different countries.

Needs more detailed maps of the resorts and slopes with hotels, restaurants, etc. clearly marked. Needs to be more critical of some resorts so the reader can make a better decision about which one to visit.

Germany-bound skiers should not waste their time on this book. Although Germany has more than 300 winter resorts located in the German Alps, the wooded hills of the Hartz Mountains, the Black Forest, and the Bavarian Forest, Ski Europe, 11th Edition devotes only 5 pages to the entire country. Only two of these pages directly comment on skiing (rather than accomodations, dining, etc.) and they focus only on Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the surrounding area. Even skiing in Spain gets more coverage than Germany in this book!

This Unofficial Guide is a must-have if you like to keep your gear-bag packed for your next adventure. Jean Pierce has been there, done it and dived it. Having dived from Palau to Peurto Rico, myself, I thought I knew all there was to know about getting to the world's best diving, but this book has opened my eyes to even more. Informative, and written from a diver's eyes (as opposed to the travel agent's); it gives you the information you need to know if you want to get maximum bang for your diving dollar and diving time. I believe in traveling light, but I will always find room for this book in my bag -- it's just that necessary.

I found this book to be incrediably useful. I purchased the guide book before my trip to North Carolina and found the detail about Nitrox availability, camera friendly dive boats, and dive shops to be right on the mark! I've never seen this kind of detail available in any other diving guide book.
I definatley recommend this book to any diver planning a diving vacation.
Kuddos to Jean Pierce for this great guide book!

A diver for just two years, I have already used this Unofficial Guide on at least three occasions. Yes, the choices presented are highly subjective (as most diving guides tend to be), but there are a wide range of locales and choices to get one started. I have begun all of my diving vacations by referring first to this guide...then researching more thoroughly on the internet. Usually, I end up using one of the dive operators and diving resorts which the book has suggested and finish the process by making reservations via the internet or by phone. If you enjoy reading more comprehensively about diving before making your decision, look elsewhere...if you are like me and prefer to glance at something more condensed or capsulized, check out "World's Best Diving Vacations."

This book is a must have for anyone traveling to diving/snorkeling destinations. My husband and I recently used it while traveling to Long Island Bahamas. Information on lodging, restaurants and points of interest were right on the mark. We have recommended this book to friends who found it very useful also.

Divers and non-divers alike would benefit from this guide. The author writes in an informative and interesting style, giving personal and historical information. It is enjoyable and easy to read. I pick it up for pleasure to read about places I want to travel to in the future.

This guide makes it possible to travel with confidence to completely unfamiliar places, knowing what to expect when you get there. Don't go diving without it.

An absolute waste of money! As it turns out, I've been diving recently at many of the locations listed plus quite a few others. Given the title, I thought the list would be quite comprehensive. I expect there will always be differences of Opinion on subjects like this, but I can't figure out the logic of the locations chosen. The authors maintain that ease of travel is important to them, then list Heron Island Australia, but leave out locations like Bali. My biggest criticism, however is the long list of East Coast USA choices.

Ms. Horvath's quirky imagination and precise prose continues to delight me. Through an impulsive and aimless journey across the United States, a boy almost improbably comes to terms with the balance between keeping peace and allowing others their right to free will. The scenes with the sisters'dad as well as the baseball game are profound and will stay with me a long time.

Slightly less outlandish with humor than past adventures, The Vacation still is a great frolic by a writer I revere. Ms. Horvath's teeny foible was to have the family first visit Mt Rushmore before Devil's Tower coming up from Colorado. Ha!

I read the book then I read all the reviews and I have to disagree with the praise heaped upon The Vacation. Horvath has taken her formula for success and applied it once too often. Instead of being eccentric and quirky, all the adults in this variation on a theme are just plain selfish and unpleasant. Even the Hallmark Moment at the end of the story can't redeem a tedious and pointless journey.

Polly Horvath's Vacation comes from a Newberry Honor-winning author and presents another story of a family divided. Here Henry's parents are off to Africa, leaving him in care of two aunts who decide to embark on their own dream vacation with Henry in tow. Before long they're crossing the country just as Henry's mother is lost in the jungles of Africa. An intriguing story of family connections from afar.

I just finished reading Polly Horvath's hilarious, quirky and artful The Vacation. Though I'm many decades past qualifying as a "child," this children's book is for everyone at every age. Twelve year-old Henry suffers that most ignominious of all fates: having to travel with his two maiden aunts while his father follows his pixilated mother to what she sees as her destiny--a mission field in Africa. As Henry and his temperamental,unpredictable aunts learn to tolerate each other, they give their readers side splittingly funny moments and intensely poignant ones.

Aside from enormous batches of writing talent, what I most appreciate in all Horvath's books is her ability to write to and about children without talking down to them. The words are big and wonderful, the young protagonist's comments are insightful and ironic. And though there may be very very deep, very very hidden messages, I believe that the author's first priority is to tell a great story to the kids she understands better than any writer I know.

By the time that Henry's wildly unstable parents are reintroduced, he has traveled through a great deal of the country picking up along the way a bucket of lifeskills that just may help him stay sane in the neurotic mess that is the family he can't help loving. Henry has seen a big country and a slice of life from the back seat, learning that family relationships can make for a very bumpy ride.

There are no "aha" moments and there is no neat tying everything together. Instead, Horvath gives us a great deal of fun as she cleverly signals that life can be messy and sometimes you just go along for the ride.

Polly Horvath's up to her old tricks again - writing clever, concise laugh out loud funny prose. "The Vacation" introduces Henry. Now, Henry ought to be used to rather outre adults because his father, who works for the Fillmore Brush Company, vows his deep affection for his son, urges him to keep safe and then orders him not to die. His mother, on the other hand, has found a mission. Although she's not in the least religious, she's decided to become a missionary in Africa. Father would much rather stay on the road for the brush company but off they go leaving Henry in the care of Aunt Magnolia and Aunt Pigg.

While Henry's parents are a bit unique, his aunts are bizarre. Upon their arrival Henry moves into his closet to get as far from them as he can. But, he is to be closer to them than he has ever dreamed. For this eccentric pair decide it's time to take a trip, although they're not quite sure about a destination.

Aunt Magnolia (who is recovering from a recent illness) wants to go to the beach, so the trio drive off to Virginia Beach. The lure of sand and sun soon wear thin so Aunt Magnolia decides she wants to see some blue grass in Kentucky. They take to the road again. After they view the blue grass from their car door, Aunt Pigg decides she wants to see the Everglades.

Well, you get the picture. "The Vacation" is a witty, surprising travelogue as the trio motor across the country and poor Henry becomes lost in a Florida swamp. It should be mentioned that he's not the only one missing - his mother has disappeared in an African jungle.

Newbery Honor author Polly Horvath has a fertile imagination and non-stop humor that's sure to appeal to younger readers.

- Gail Cooke

Book is OK. Need to have more Vegas Coupons included in the book. More buffets and matchplays. Otherwise, the book is average. I have seen better!

Pretty basic info but lots of decent coupons. Worth the price if you take advantage of them.

While this guide is quite comprehensive, it's really more of a yellow pages for casinos than a good all-around guide. With chaning casino conditions and (in some cases) locations, this guide is a handy starting point, but you're best off researching the particulars of any casino on your own. Also, the book touts the value of the included coupons, but the majority of the coupons are worthless or contain offers that you can get by just walking into any casino.

Very good guide book. In the first part. It introduce a lot gambling tips like video poker, blackjack, Craps.
The second part is all coupons, which is really what I want. It can save buyer quite a lot of $$$.