Pacific Books

I read this book over 40 years ago, and it's still wonderful to think about the moods and events in the stories. The floral arranger who could only make one creation, the death of Jack Nash on the motu, how his life changed. Just a wonderfully told collection.

This book blew me away, it is simply fantastic. It is sad that Eugene Burdick died at age 46. If you want to be enchanted, mesmerized, read this book, it is simply magnificent. I shall treasure it in my own library because it is the kind of book you may read over and over again. If you have not read it, you are in for a treat.

"Jack Nash" is one of the best short stories I've read in a long, long time.

This book has many factual chapters about the Pacific Region, and five tales that are representative of some elements of the area. The Black and the White is arguably one of the most important fictional stories of the Pacific: A French man who escaped the wretchedness of his nation to discover that his adopted culture was heartbreakingly shallow. It is one of those few stories that will leave you thinking, and you may very well read again and again. It was a great loss when Burdick died at a relatively young age.

A great example of a excellent book that could become a classic without being confused with world literature. A strait forward discription of the South Seas and their peoples and geography(how coral attols and volcanic islands are formed) without being dry, but rather using it to help the reader better understand the stories he has to tell. Anyone who loves the South Seas and the stories of Jack London and Somerset Maugham will love this book. It is the #1 book I have everyone read that comes to visit me. I always receive five thumbs up.

"Boat Camping Haida Gwaii" is being reprinted by Northwest Coast Books and will be available from them and from Amazon before the 2008 paddling season. I am very happy about this, as Northwest Coast Books is physically located in Haida Gwaii, and revenues from sales of the book will now go into the local economy. The publisher, Janet Gifford-Brown grew up in Sewell, on Masset Inlet, accessible only by boat. She and her husband, Michael Brown, are experienced boaters who use this book for their own voyages. -NF

As a longtime resident of this beautiful & remote North Pacific archipelago known as Haida Gwaii, I enjoyed Neil Frazier's guidebook very much. It is extremely informative in matters of interest to travellers in this unforgiving marine wilderness, the hard facts of survival. As well, the author shares his thoughts on the ongoing rape of the ancient forests of spruce & cedar for which the Queen Charlotte Islands are famous. His maps are accurate & current, his directions are lucid & easy to follow, and his advice is worth heeding. Very few of Haida Gwaii's 5000 full time residents have been to half of the places that Mr. Frazier has visited. And the author's extensive knowledge of the human history of these islands is evident throughout the text, and is usually reflected through entertaining anecdotes about Islands residents, past & present. The indigenous Haida people especially are portrayed in a romantic light that stirs the imagination. All in all, the book does what a good travel guide should do- it inspires me to want to load up my boat, and head off on an extended boat camping journey of my own, and to once again marvel at the endless majestic beauty that is to be found in every corner of Haida Gwaii.

As a longtime resident of this beautiful & remote North Pacific archipelago known as Haida Gwaii, I enjoyed Neil Frazier's guidebook very much. It is extremely informative in matters of interest to travellers in this unforgiving marine wilderness, the hard facts of survival. As well, the author shares his thoughts on the ongoing rape of the ancient forests of spruce & cedar for which the Queen Charlotte Islands are famous. His maps are accurate & current, his directions are lucid & easy to follow, and his advice is worth heeding. Very few of Haida Gwaii's 5000 full time residents have been to half of the places that Mr. Frazier has visited. And the author's extensive knowledge of the human history of these islands is evident throughout the text, and is usually reflected through entertaining anecdotes about Islands residents, past & present. The indigenous Haida people especially are portrayed in a romantic light that stirs the imagination. All in all, the book does what a good travel guide should do- it inspires me to want to load up my boat, and head off on an extended boat camping journey of my own, and to once again marvel at the endless majestic beauty that is to be found in every corner of Haida Gwaii.

"Boat Camping Haida Gwaii" guides readers not only through the waterways surrounding the Queen Charlotte Islands, but also through the history of the region, and the policies that continue to degrade these coastal areas. The guide is filled with detailed maps as well as pointers about where to land and where recent clear-cuts preclude camping. Even if you don't own a boat or a tent, you will still find the author's discussion of the past and possible future of these islands to be a useful guide for thinking about the fragility of the few "wild places" that are left, and about the price of ignoring the long-term effects of deforestation and overfishing.

Also if you are not a sailer or not going by a kayak, this is a beautiful and great book for all lovers of these islands. I spent recently one week there and this book would have been an
enormous help for planning the trips. Beside the technical information about kayaking, the book contains a lot of
very interesting information about the history, the people, nature etc. Every time I open and read in this book, far away again from this paradise, all my impressions and pictures are
reviving. Should I ever have the chance to go again to the Charlottes, I would put this book at first in my suitcase.

dear john coale-congradulation on creating a book that anyone not even interested in paddling would enjoy. the pictures are breathtaking and succeed in capturing the feelings of the moment,such beautiful scenery. i wish your book great success. sincerly, lia medina,mill valley

I am not that good with directions, but with this book in hand I thought that I could go anywhere!!

This book is so great, it made me come all the way down to California just to go canoeing! The pictures alone are enough to make one get right out on the water!!!!

I'm hesitant to leave a review because some of the locations listed in this book are still peaceful and unknown, but this book is so invaluable when hunting for a good paddle spot that I felt compelled to sing it's praises....as long as it's just canoers who purchase this great book and not power boaters! The directions are easy to follow and accurate. The camping information is extremely important when traveling with children, like we do.The lay out of the book is perfect in helping to select drive times and specific locations. I came back to Amazon to purchase the book for a friend but see that it is out of stock. Hopefully this is just temporary. If not, buy it used!!

Coale goes into just enough details so that you get a feel for the area and its surroundings. He also gives suggestions for where to camp. There are advisories for a variety of items: seasonal accessibility, powerboats, potable water, overcrowding, campground closures, etc. Each lake description also comes with high quality images and a map. The images are very impressive. I don't see any bylines for the photographs, so I'm assuming they were taken by Coale. In the back of the book there is a spreadsheet of all the lakes with the following columns: Natural Lake, Paddle-In Camping, Lakeside Camping, Winter Access, Long distance Paddling, No Motors/Speed Limits, Exquisite Beauty. I have no complaints about CTCH and I think it will be very helpful in designing some 4 day trips this summer. I give the book 5 stars ***** :)

This is a great guide for anyone tromping about in the Northwest. It combines several other guides into one that is easy to carry and easy to use. The book covers almost anything you'll venture across from plant to animal. It even includes a short section on regional geography and minerals. Must have for the backpack

Most of us who enjoy nature have relied upon "bird books" or other guides to the species at one time or another as we inquire about our surroundings. These dull but thorough reference books often make their topics LESS interesting, quelling the interests that they're supposed to serve. We look up our bird, animal or plant and then move on having learned little more than its Latin name. Ugh.

This book shines like a beacon to future nature writers as it uses every description as the basis for a prosaic mini-essay; rewarding curiosity with enlightenment, fascination and delight. Imagine a reference book so enticing to read that you can't stop reading with just one description. Instead, the object of your curiosity serves as a mere starting point in the book; the first page of what often becomes a genuine sit-down-and-read-it experience.

If every nature writer put this much love into their topics, the trails would be overrun with enthusiastic hikers. Here's hoping that the author visits your neck of the woods soon, and provides you with the same exuberant writing he's given us here in the Pacific Northwest.

I also have ordered this as a gift for several this year, including the revised edition for myself. Definitely not just a reference book but a great read also. I actually read the whole book,rather than just saving for information on specifics, when I got my first copy years ago.

Most of us who enjoy nature have relied upon "bird books" or other guides to the species at one time or another as we inquire about our surroundings. These dull but thorough reference books often make their topics LESS interesting, quelling the interests that they're supposed to serve. We look up our bird, animal or plant and then move on having learned little more than its Latin name. Ugh.

This book shines like a beacon to future nature writers as it uses every description as the basis for a prosaic mini-essay; rewarding curiosity with enlightenment, fascination and delight. Imagine a reference book so enticing to read that you can't stop reading with just one description. Instead, the object of your curiosity serves as a mere starting point in the book; the first page of what often becomes a genuine sit-down-and-read-it experience.

If every nature writer put this much love into their topics, the trails would be overrun with enthusiastic hikers. Here's hoping that the author visits your neck of the woods soon, and provides you with the same exuberant writing he's given us here in the Pacific Northwest.

A Second edition of a classic. Mathews created a field guide that is a must have for every PNW adventurer. As a park ranger I find myself reaching for it daily to answer questions. The writing is suberb and one finds oneself reading it by the fire on a cold winter day just because. I give this book as a gift more than any other item.

A fine tribute to those who served in our Amphibious Forces.
This is a very well researched book about the men who served on our Amphibious Ships during WWII. The detail can't be found in any other source. It's not just the story of one ship, it's the story of all the ships that helped win the war.
In addition to being incredibly well researched it is very readable and a must read of those who served, their families and those who want to learn about this part of our history.
Russ Padden - Webmaster for Amphibious Forces of WWII

I served on an AKA (USS Yancey AKA-83) during the Korean War. I am the historian for the Yancey and found the story of the Tate similar to the Yancey's experience during WW2. The Yancey was in commission for about 25 years was a part of Antartic expedition (Natl Geo.Oct 47'), the Korean War, the Cuban blockade and was in both the Pacfic and Atlantic fleet. I was very pleased to read about the day to day experiences of the AKAs in the Tate story

Last night I was reading this book well past midnight. I could not put it down until I saw how the Tate and her sister ships came through a series of unrelenting kamikaze attacks. The narrative in this book is riveting. I read it to gain insight into my father's WWII experience. He served aboard the USS Ormsby (APA-49). I was particularly interested in the many first-person stories that provide windows into the lives and experiences of sailors aboard these ships. I was surprised to find how well I was able to follow the combat sequences. I usually get lost in a jumble of unit designations, but the author took great care with charts, maps and verbal descriptions so I was able to understand what was going on and why. He explained the complex choreography of amphibious assault in a way that even I could understand. It is a great read.

I was an officer on one of the USS Tate's sister ships in the early 1960's, and I'm in contact with numerous shipmates from WWII. This book presents an accurate account of life aboard an attack cargo ship. Additionally, it gives interesting and informative accounts of the amphibious landing support mission in the Pacific. No other book has ever done either of these, though the famous "Away All Boats" dealt well with shipboard life in a fictional way. Combat Loaded is well-written from both the historic and human point of view. I read every word of it, and I found it hard to put down.

First, in the interest of full disclosure, let me first say that my father served on this ship, so please excuse me for being being a "homer" on this one. Ships such as the Tate and sailors like Dad played an important role in keeping many ships (battleships, carriers, etc") supplied and attacking the enemy. The designation AKA was funny in that the A stood for "attack", which means they had at least one gun.

Tom has done a great job of shedding light on a group of WWII's unsung heros, who faced the same enemy attacks as some of the better known Navel elements. Enjoy the book.

This story was expecially fun for me to read because this woman lived in a time and near a place of my own grandmother. She took hold of her life after the death of her husband and shared wonderful adventures with her children each summer in the waters and byways of the Canadian BC inland waterways. She did this in an era where her family said she should sell everything and "move home where it was safer" A real joy to read. Carol Hage Wall, Oak Harbor, WashingtonThe Curve of Time: The Classic Memoir of a Woman and Her Children Who Explored the Coastal Waters of the Pacific Northwest (Adventura Books)

I got out all the maps of the Inland Passage along the British Columbia coast to follow each adventure this articulate widow with five imaginative and curious children and one dog discovered. Her tales of their explorations in a small boat and descriptions of wonderful scenery climaxes in the longest selection near the end of the book: "A Whale...Named Henry [18 pages], the just pleads to be translated into a Newberry Award children's book!

A amazing woman. As good as any cruising book written. And a shame that this woman wrote only one book. A very good picture of cruising, the Pacific NorthWest and, a simpler time.

This book was highly recommended to me by a friend who has cruised the Inside Passage and explored the islets of British Columbia and Alaska for the past 15 years. Many beautiful places are vividly described by Ms.'Capi' Blanchet. The lasting impression is the feeling of having spent time as a companion to the author and her children as they experience the adventure of travel and exploration as they cruise far from home in their small boat, in the 1930's. I enjoyed meeting unique people like 'Mike' - the knowledgeable recluse who expresses much of what must be the authors own philosopy of life. Altogether this little book is a bit of history, a bit of philosophy, and a bit of adventure. I didn't want it to end.

I read M. Wylie Blanchet's book,THE CURVE OF TIME, for the first time last summer and decided to re-read it again this year, as it was so utterly delightful. Ms. Blanchet's love of nature, the ocean, her wonderful children and people--from the hermits who lived in splendid isolation on the BC Coast in the '30's and '40's to the Coast Indians, who left lonely villages behind--is one of the best books ever. This collection of essays, in no particular chronological order, left me amazed at this remarkably self-assured widow who made sure her children learned about people, literature and the beautiful world that surrounded them in British Columbia. It was easy to imagine my own children in that environment and I could almost see my children swimming with hers in those great sun-warmed coves in BC. The book ended with the "sense of place" they all felt upon returning to their "Little House" on Vancouver Island, surrounded by sea and forest. I wish I could somehow learn more about their lives. Thank you, Timothy Egan for making sure we all knew about this obscure author.

It's been a couple years since I read this book. However, I'm planning on re-reading it in the near future. The insights in this book are very compelling as they come from a profound personal experience that is both shocking and enlightening. I've recently been reminded of this book as some recent exposure to the Oprah Winfrey show has refreshed in my memory everything described in Will Baron's testimony. For anyone who is an Oprah fan, I urge you to read this book.

Shocking expose of the nature of New Age Movement and Spiritism entering "Christian" churches. A must read for those who wish to be ready.

This book ought to be on the reading list of any serious Christian. It's important to know how to keep on the "straight and narrow" path the Bible teaches.

Will Baron's autobiographical account of his experiences in the New Age Movement provide a sobering wake-up call -- particularly to Christians -- of the inherent dangers of this invasive movement. Truly, even the "very elect" are in danger of being deceived if they fail to remain alert and in continuous study of scripture. Already, New Age practices are being subtly introduced into "fundamental" and "conservative" Christian churches throughout the world. This book shows that you shouldn't doubt for one moment that it could happen in your church. Learn how deception is slipping through the cracks via seemingly innocuous practices that fail under closer examination to live up to testing required by Scripture. Read this book; read the Bible; be vigilant; be on guard.

Whether friend or foe of the New Age movement, everyone concerned with spiritual matters ought to read this unique book. This isn't just a book "about the New Age movement." Will Baron was there --really there -- and knows what he's talking about. Christians will want to read this book, too, if only to find out what famous evangelist is recommended by the spirits as being most in harmony with their teachings.

I have really enjoyed this book a lot. I am very satisfied with the text and pictures. This book doesn't have a key so you have to know the name of the plant you are wanting to look up to find info about it.

I bought this book to replace one I had passed on to a young kid who wanted to learn more about his Rocky Mountain environment. I have owned this book for four years and found it to be the most educational book about edible and medicinal plants that are found in the Rocky Mountain region. The color illustration helps immensely. Any person who is inspiring to spend time in the Rocky Mountain back country should own this book.

I bought the Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies book when we moved to the Rocky Mountains and it has been indispensable. It is a well written reference guide with lots of information about each plant and great color photos to help you identify them. A must for anyone wanting to learn how to safely harvest wild foods in the Rockies.

We've used this book on every occasion we've been either hiking and camping and that is quite a lot. We've found all sorts of edibles that we normally wouldn't have eaten.

The first thing you notice about this book is its wonderfully sturdy construction. It is well made, ready to withstand some time in the woods with you!

Next you will notice that it is color coded. The tree section is green, shrubs orange, herbs burgandy etc. Within each section the plants are divided by families.

Each plant has at least one very good color photo. Most of them have two or three! Many also have illustrations. Some of the plants are covered in one page, others take two.

A typical page is: Top of the Page: Mint Family Herbs
The mint family is a two page spread with three nice photos. It says "Wild Mints Mentha spp." Then FOOD: These plants can be eaten alone as greens, raw or cooked. . . The next paragraph is MEDICINE: The active medicinal ingredient, menthol has been shown. . . OTHER USES: These aromatic plants were hung in dwellings as air-fresheners, and they were also crushed. . .
DESCRIPTION: Glandular-dotted perenials, smelling strongly of mint. . .The Description section also included info on where the plant is likely to be found. In a colored box at the bottom of the page WARNING: Wild mint and spearmint are high in pulegone, which stimulates the uterus. . .

Each plant includes information on poisonous look-likes if any, but there is also a full section on poisonous plants.

The book also includes a glossary and an index.

Because it is difficult for any one field guide to have EVERYTHING you are looking for, I like to use this book alongside Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide by Elias and Dykeman. I also really like Linda Kershaw's other book Plants of the Rocky Mountains.

We use this book on NOLS expeditions specifically because it treats conservation as a dilemma of competing moral values. It really helps our students, whether they are greenies or industrialists, to see all sides of an issue. And if we choose to carry a book like this at NOLS, it means we literally carry it in a backpack for the entire 30 day expedition, which speaks highly for the value of this book.

"I hope you read it [the book] for whatever understanding it provides. Then, when you get a chance, go and read the living things that it came from."
This, the last sentence in the book, powerfully wraps up an engrossing examination of both sides of the controversy on logging old-growth forests. Always on the side of the environmentalists, I came to understand and sympathize with the loggers who cut them down. Not an easy task for any writer to undertake. But Dietrich has done it, and done it well. No wonder he won a Pulitzer Prize. The writing is clear and sharp, and at times, poetic in imagery. Yes, I have been to the Olympic old-growth forests of which he speaks, and he is right when he says that the minute you enter them, there is magic. Even the loggers feel this. The stories of individuals, both on the side of timber and the side of trees, eloquently speak of passions and lifestyles, battles won and lost. Anita Goos is not someone I will soon forget. Dietrich tells of men and women who choose their battles, sometimes unwillingly, but who enter the fray with hearts and minds wholly in the cause.
It is well to follow this book with "The Hidden Forest" by Jon Luoma, written seven years later.

I read this book for my research paper on old growth forests. Originally I was going to just try to fly through it and take out the information that I needed for my paper, but as I read it I got really into it and almost forgot about my paper altogether! I think the best thing about this book is that it represents all sides of the issue. William Dietrich talks to cutters, truck drivers, biologists, environmentalists, foresters, and the community itself and tells all sides of the situation in his book. When I originally chose to do my paper on preservation of old growth forests, I was completely against cutting down of trees, and even though I am still not exactly for it, this book really helped me to be more open-minded and understand the different point of views...

I gained a deeper understanding of the conflicts surrounding forestry in the Pacific Northwest. The stories told in this book could never be explained or understood in a 30 second television news broadcast. And while much of the news is depressing, this book offers hope for a brighter future where science, conservation, forestry, and consumer interests can meet for the future use of our forest resources.

Natural resource management, like abortion, is one of those enormously complex political issues that too often gets reduced to dueling slogans and sound bites. William Dietrich does readers a great service by letting people from all sides of the issue (there are many more than two) speak at length, and by juxtaposing their views in ways that highlight similarities as well as differences. One of the book's running themes is that both loggers and environmentalists love the forests, but that each group has great difficulty seeing that quality in the other. Their mutual incomprehension is rooted in their utterly different ideas of why forests are important, and how humans ought to relate to them.

This deep philosophical difference is at least as old as the 20th century. John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, and Gifford Pinchot, first chief of the US Forest Service, fought battles similar to the ones Dietrich describes back at the (last) turn of the century. Dietrich, a journalist writing about a present-day controversy, says very little about that history, and that choice makes the book less informative (and less helpful as a means to understanding the problem) than it might be.

Still, _The Final Forest_ is a valuable, well-balanced piece of journalism. It's a great resource for open-minded people on either side of the preservation vs. development debate, and a superb introduction for anyone coming to the issue for the first time.

Gives a very good overview of Hawaii. Tells of the lowest rates ect. Very helpfull

Well written book with lots of details and recommendations. I like the way it is laid out in geographical groupings, not just a long list of one type of attraction then another.

The Fodor's Hawaii and Oahu Trailblazer were excellent mates. Fodors was too heavy to carry around all day so we tore out the pertinent pages and used it for their takes on restaurants and Waikiki. If you're on a budget these books are a must.

We used this on Oahu and the big island. It was indispensable for getting around and finding places. The write-ups were very accurate and helped us find a much nicer hotel when the one we had checked into turned out to be a roach motel.

Along with specialty guides for Hawaii like the Trailblazer series, we use this Gold Hawaii book for things like the spa addresses and the refreshment reviews. We keep it in the back seat and reach for it when we approach the little towns. Thumbing through it always turns up something worth seeing.

The shop reviews and addresses always interesting. Sometimes the storefronts don't have curbside appeal and the book always spurs some interest to go inside.

It could stand for more young family with children stops and more cheap restaurants. That's our only criticism of this otherwise valuable book.