Pacific Books

An absolute classic. No praise can do justice. Suffice to say, if you're here, you'll buy this book. It's just sad that so few people have even heard of anything written by Alan Moorehead apart from the two books on the White and Blue Nile.

They say that history is written by the victor. While this may have been the case years ago, before the advent of electronic and paper printing, it is interesting to note that often small jewels of history can still be found hidden in the sands of time. This is such a book. You may have read the bestseller, "The Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes. While this book is dedicated to Alan Moorehead's "The Fatal Impact", it is a rather overblown attempt to take off from where Moorehead left off. Moorehead, unlike Hughes, is succinct and straight to the point, describing in a paragraph what might take Hughes pages to deploy. But Moorehead goes further by re-writing history with some of the most beautiful and descriptive language ever displayed in word, especially his lyrical but simple descriptions of the Australian 'bush' before the advent of the white man.Unlike many historical essays, Mooreheads style is to grab and swallow us; it takes and immerses us in our own past, and it is frightening. This book is a true account of the effect of the white invasion of the South pacific. Though often sad, it is devoid of token sentimentality. It is books such as these that keep our history grounded and firmly established in truth, and not the often repeated propoganda that is a common style for Western academia to employ and justfiy our own convoluted history...

A magnificent short book which places the reader on the deck of Endeavor and the Resolution during Cook's first two voyages of discovery in the Pacific. An easy read, yet a scholarly study of the consequences of Western contact in Tahiti, Australia and the Antarctic. One of Moorhead's central themes in the book is the Noble Savage, "happy, healthy, beautiful people whose every want was supplied by the tropical forest, and who, best of all, knew nothing of the cramping sophostries of civilization." Cook brought back evidence that the noble savage indeed existed, and writers such as Boswell, Diederot and Rousseau used it to argue that life in Europe during the late 18th century had evolved into something less than desirable. It is ironic that, despite the high purpose of Cook's voyages of discovery and the pleas of those who recognized the validity and desirability of life in Tahiti or on the barren lands of Australia, the voyages touched off a frenzy by religious zealots and profiteers. A half century after Cook had opened Tahiti to the rest of the world, Gaugin sees shadows of something so beautiful that it still moves him to create his paintings; "The overwhelming physical beauty of the woman remains, but she does not dance. Instead, she lies inert and naked on her bed ... waiting for nothing, hoping for nothing, the petals of the tiare Tahiti scattered about her, a dark, conspiratorial couple in the background and all around them the mystical shapes and symbols of the Tropics. On this one canvas the painter has written in English the one word, "Nevermore."

This 1966 book coined a term that still is used to describe disastrous impacts of more powerful cultures on weaker ones. Moorehead describes the effects of initial European contacts with Tahiti, Australia, and the Antarctic, giving special attention to the voyages of Captain Cook. Early British contacts with the Tahitians are described in fascinating detail. Cook perceived that Western impact on Tahiti would have serious negative effects, writing that it would have been better for the Tahitians if the British had never visited the island. In his description of the initial British colonization of Australia, Moorehead focuses on the mistreatment of the aborigines, including the complete elimination of native Tasmanians from their homeland. Most of the section on the Antarctic is about Cook's determined attempts to reach the continent with his ships. Cook's descriptions of abundant sea life around Antarctica had the unintended effect of provoking whalers and sealers to decimate many species. Well written, this book is a chastening read.

Benti and Lawlor's Favorite Dog Hikes: Las Vegas is a great book for people looking for an active way to spend time with their dog outdoors. There are many maps and great directions for getting to the different areas and two great maps of off-leash dog parks in the area. Several photographs help tell you more about the hikes the authors talk about.

This is filled with great information for anyone (dog owner or not) I especially like the climate/temperature information, as Las Vegas weather extremes can be hard on dogs. Excellent descriptions of all areas. Interestingly written and accurate.
This is the best dog hike book available!

An easy read, with the best coverage of dog friendly trails and parks around Las Vegas, loaded with basic hiking information for dogs and humans that's good anywhere. The sections on, on leash, and off leash local parks are a nice bonus.

It has a bunch of new trails we never knew about. There are photos of every hike, excellent directions and maps. The photos were the selling point. They give a good idea of what to expect. We took our dogs out to Goodsprings and they just had the best time. It was a beautiful hike. There wasn't a soul out there. No leashes, either. We all had so much fun.

Personally, I think the Peterson Guides are far more helpful than the Audobon publications. As mentioned in other reviews, Peterson uses illustrations organized by color and flower configuration. The illustrations are very well done. Audobon uses photos. The idea is that you match your specimen to the photo it most closely matches and follow further identification from there. The books are complimetary and work well together; however, if you can only choose one-- get the Peterson book. Overall, I have had much better success keying out plants with Peterson and repeatedly have found the plant I am looking for overlooked in the Audobon text. The truth be known, I doubt I will ever buy a Audobon plant book again-- perhaps they are better with birds.

I take this guide (and the Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers-- west) on all my field trips to identify wildflowers. Though Peterson has fewer real photos, it does have better aids to identify specific wildflowers, as it is organized by color, as well as number and types of petals. The sketches help me do a preliminary id on the wildflower.

I like the book and the topic, however the binding is is such bad shape that the book is useless in the field or for a more robust usage. Can this be fixed?

Though this title may be a little pricy, it is a must have for residents of California, Oregon, and Washington. At any rate, any family within which there is a flower collecter, should have a copy of this excellent resource. Though my family originally purchased this title because of a biology project assigned to my daughter, it has since opened up an interesting world of the natural plant life of this area and even those farther away.

This collection of poems, stories, narratives, folktales, oral histories and essays very aptly portrays the vital importance of salmon to the native peoples of the entire northern Pacific rim - not just as a food resource, but as a basis for their culture and a component of their identities. Several of the contributions, particularly an essay by Jeanette Armstrong, note how sustainable yield was applied in salmon fishing for thousands of years and how the discarding of this principle in modern times has led to the excessive depletion and near extinction of this species. Since I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, I am more or less familiar with the importance of salmon to the local economies and the Native American cultures of the region, so I found the sections of the book dealing with the Ainu of Japan, the Ulchi of eastern Siberia and the Nyvkhs of Sakhalin particularly informative and enjoyable. It is also a bit depressing to learn that like the U.S. and Canada (although not nearly as brutally), Japan and the USSR/Russia similarly mistreated the local populations by, among other things, limiting or restricting their access to traditional salmon runs and/or trying to force them to adopt non-traditional ways of life (assimilation). "First Fish, First People" may be attractively published, with striking cover art and attractive photos and illustrations, but it is not a coffee-table book - its diverse contributions, taken together, outline a philosophy of respect for and wise use of natural resources, as well as (and just as importantly) respect for different cultures and different ways of life. It is almost a cliche to say that it is high time that such lessons sink in at all levels of our modern globalized and hyper-industrial societies.

Aba book of the Year!!

Buy it especially for the Sherman Alexix poen at the beginning. It's touches the core of the Salmon environmental and cultural dilemna in the Northwest.

This book is a work of art, and provides evidence that the University of Washington Press, through its cooperation with other smaller publishers (such as One Reel) is doing the work that needs to be done in Northwest history and cultural studies.

This book is a collection of perpectives on salmon from representatives of the peoples around the pacific rim whose lives have centered on salmon for thousands of years. The contributors are talented indigenous writers from the United States, Canada, Japan, and Siberia. The engaging text is amply illustrated with historic and contemporary photographs, as well as drawings. The historic photographs are not the same ones that usually appear. For example, nearly every book on salmon in the nortwest has a twentieth century photograph of Indians fishing at Celilo Falls. Most books use the same photo. This book uses one that features in the forground the cable system that was used to get down to the fishing platforms, with the fishing platforms themselves in the background.

Some of the work in this book has been published elsewhere. But the context it is given here accentuates it in useful ways. For example, Sherman Alexie's poem, "The Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump," is engraved into a sculpture in Overlook Park behind the Spokane Public Library and is published in _The Summer of Black Widows_. But in this book it appears beside a nice photograph of the falls as it appears today, and a photo of Mr. Alexie standing on the footbridge above a section of the falls pointing downstream.

A very interesting story which helps to set the stage for other books to follow in this series. A good stand alone tale but also the foundation to all in this series. Very believable events and interesting characters.

I loved this book and want to continue to read the rest in the series. I couldn't put the book down, waiting to see what was going to happen to this young, brave boy that grows into a fine man. I want to follow the story as his life unfolds, but want to keep them in order. I would like to thank the author for an exciting adventure of the true west, and hope there will be a happy ending to Art, the Preacher's life.

Good Book Would like to read more. Please send a list of others

Really enjoyed this book. After reading all the Preacher books and almost all the Mountain Man Series, I felt that the author was repeating many sections in some of the books. Not this one! It tells the story of Preacher when he started out. So it was all new material. It was hard to put down!

I grew up in So. California, so I've been fishing and diving the Pacific for many years. Now I live in Mexico and fish/dive the Gulf of California. I have never found a better field guide for these waters. I keep a copy on my boat and use it constantly.

The full-color illustrations are excellent and the descriptions are precise and accurate. It is laid out logically and is very easy to use. I've settled many arguments and won many bets on the docks with this book.

As a volunteer for the new Long Beach (CA) Aquarium of the Pacific, I needed to quickly learn about fishes of the Pacific coast and how to identify them. This book exactly suits my needs. It is interesting and informative, without being too technical. The color illustrations are beautiful. This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to learn more about Pacific coast fishes.

Fishes of the Pacific Coast is an excellent reference guide with beautiful full color illustrations of approximately 450 fish. I truly appreciated the inclusion of the fish of the upper Sea of Cortez. Small ecological and historical blurbs are fascinating. The handbook size makes it a must have on your diving or fishing boat.

I do a lot of fishing and own quite a few books on fish. I also keep a life-time fish list, a list of every species of fish I have ever caught that I was able to correctly ID. I have found Fishes of the Pacific Coast by Gar Goodson in particular to be very useful for ID purposes, but I also find it to be very good writing, highly interesting, and full of information that most other fish ID books usually lack. For example, he tells you here if a fish is considered good eating, or not. He tells you where they are found, in how deep of water, locals, tidbits of history about the fish, and also what they eat.
I recently bought two new books on fish, one about fish of the Gulf of Mexico and another on fish of the Atlantic Ocean and looking them over I kept finding things missing; I suddenly realized how much better this book of Goodson's is.
The many illustrations by the artist Phillip J. Weisgerber are all excellent and every single one of them is in color. I am a writer myself, author of some 5 published books now,... and I appreciate books that are put together with care, appreciate writing that is fun and interesting and highly informative. Fishes of the Pacific Coast is an inexpensive book and a darn good one. If you fish in the Pacific you'll want to own this book and will find that having it, and bringing it along on fishing trips will add a great deal to your pleasure. Also, I would certainly recommend this book as a present for anyone who is interested in nature,in fish, in fishing. A marvelous book and one of my favorites for sure!

Thise guide is very helpful to book good hotel without spend much money, you can visit many place only with Fodor's explanations.

I suggest to buy thise guide to have a wonderful trip!!!
Hawaii are a macic islands and only reading Fodor's you can imagine the places.

Pamela - Italia

I have really enjoyed reading this book. It if full of important information about Hawaii, especially if you have never been there before. I can't wait until we take our trip in the winter.

EXCELLENT service. Book arrived in a very timely manner and in perfect condition - very well packaged.

Two books that I recommend reading before going to Hawaii are Fodor's Hawaii 2008 and No Worries Hawaii. I read both cover to cover and really got alot out of them. Each provides what the other has left out.

Having spent a lot of time looking for information on imaginative & fun (and sometimes luxury) travel with kids, I can tell you that this is a really unique book. It is comprehensive, carefully researched and well written with loads of practical tips. Some 'travel with kids' books might as well just be bland advertising copy, this one really provides good editorial content, with positive and critical comments. It is a pleasure to read and we will use it for a long time. Fodor's should publish more of these for other parts of the US/world.

I loved this book and would recommend it to any family wanting to travel in the northeastern United States. The writers offer tips and reviews on places of interest, resorts, and campgrounds in a wide range of prices. In fact, we have visited some of those places and found a brand new vacation prospect in Lake George which we will be trying out this summer! Definitely one of the most informative travel books on the market today -- entertaining even if you do not go to these places.

Very useful book for locals and visitors. We liked the way it gave us recommended age groups and prices. We can now plan ahead places to visit within and on the way to our next holiday area. We have also used it for planning field trips from the school into San Francisco. Easy to use and enjoyable to read.

I've been searching for a book like this for several years and haven't found one that fit the bill until now! I had a great time reading it - so well written - and got more useful information than I'll ever be able to use in one lifetime! Thanks so much to the writers and publishers!

My husband and I have been using this book for a few years and it's wonderful. We live in San Diego County and have done 4 of the hikes in the San Diego chapter. We had trouble finding Barker Valley Falls and Los Penasquitos Falls. We were able to find Cedar Creek Falls (in early 2008), Three Sisters Falls (in early 2007), Cottonwood Creek Falls (in late 2005), Kitchen Creek Falls (in early 2007). The area around Cedar Creek Falls was burned in the Southern California wildfires of 2007 but the waterfall was still very impressive. We drive a Toyota Prius and it was a little nerveracking driving the dirt road to the Cedar Creek Falls trail head but we made it ok.

Although this book is in lackluster black and white and not all chapters have waterfall photos, Brown's descriptions have spunk and her maps are adequate enough to get oriented (though you'll still want to supplement them with Topo! maps).

Even when we're not out in the field, I sometimes catch myself reading chapters in this book spontaneously because of how entertaining and well-written the text is. Indeed, it's easy to lose yourself and envision yourself on the trail through Brown's words eye descriptions.

My wife and I have used this book since 2000 or 2001 visiting about a third of the waterfalls listed within. And we still consult it to visit the state's waterfalls to this day.

We also own other California Waterfall books, and I'd have to say Brown's book is by far the most thorough, useful, and professionally done.

What a wonderful book! Each trail is carefully researched to lead you to an exquisite waterfall. What a treat! You can tell the care that this author takes in researching her material, in hiking each trail, in ensuring that you, too, discover the wonder of waterfalls.

A great gift! Or buy one for yourself.

Just last weekend I went to Monrovia Canyon Falls. Record rainfall this year (2005) has put an end to a multiyear drought and the streams are flowing nicely. The falls in Monrovia Canyon were stunning, and I found myself simply sitting beside them enjoying their wonderful music. This for me is the ultimate in hiking. If you feel the same way, be sure to pick up the new edition of California Waterfalls.

The author, Ann Marie Brown, is arguably the best outdoor writer in California. I have gradually adopted her philosophy that dayhikers enjoy "more smiles per mile" than backpackers as my own. Her approach is always to provide the maximum scenic return for any hike she includes in one of her many guides. And, while there are several outdoor writers producing "peak guides" she is the only one with a waterfall guide. It is a joy to read and even more fun to hike. The main change in the new edition is that hikes are organized now by the same geographic scheme used in California Hiking, a book Brown co-authors with Tom Stienstra. Photos are somewhat sharper as well. I've personally hiked to about 30 of the more than 200 waterfalls she describes and have never been disappointed. You won't be either.

Have been to Napa many times - but was unaware of the many gems this book uncovers - an incredible and fun resource for the food and wine lover! I will be seeking out these finds in the future! Highly recommended.

This book covers all the areas I was interested in learning about before our trip to Napa Valley. The reviews seem unbiased and thoughtful. We had visited Napa 18 years ago and while we already had a few ideas, reservations, etc., this guide gave us even more places to consider. I've "earmarked" so many pages and even took this guide with us. It also includes maps, addresses and phone numbers and/or websites. Some good recipes are in the back. A good companion guide.

As a regular visitor to the Napa Valley for the past 10 years, it's easy to think that one has 'seen it all.'

This book really reminded me what a special place the Napa Valley is, and how much there is to discover. Visitors and locals alike will find something new and interesting that they simply must try.

Take this book with you to the Valley, or read it before you go and find your new 'must try' discovery.

This is a must have for anyone visiting or living in the Napa Valley. Well organized and cleverly composed. I found it most useful for locating the rare-to-find places and foods that make the Napa Valley so unique. It makes a great gift for all the food lovers in your life.