Pacific Books

The writers of this guide clearly really know their stuff. I've lived in SF, and think of myself as someone who knows the city inside and out, but this book showed me stuff I've never found on my own. It's a lot of fun.

I found the guide to be outstanding. The segementation of cool, hip, and classic really differentiates the guide from others i have seen. We were able to mix our experience among the three different approaches. The 99 best of SF were also very helpful in enriching our experience. While we have been to SF before this guide opened our eyes to places and things we were unaware of. I recommend this guide as well as others in this series.

This has been the best travel resource for our family. Guests arrive at our bay area home and are given this book before they even sit down. It is easy to use and doesn't require that you already have a knowledge of the area. The information is presented clearly and accurately and has made some of the more difficult decisions (due to time restraints) easier to make. In a city where everything is constantly changing, it is surprising how current the information is. We are sending copies to friends who are in the process of making plans to visit from Europe. We are confident that this resource will insure a great trip!

This book contained everything I needed to know about what to do in San Francisco. It covered all types of entertainment for all types of people. And I mean diversity is key here. One of the best things SF has to offer is an cultural melting pot of juicy stuff...from the Day of the Dead to Gay Pride to the Junior League...this town has it and this book says it all! Amen brothers and sisters!

Award-winning poet Nance Van Winckel presents No Starling, a brief yet evocative selection of poems utilizing a variety of rhythms and soundscapes. Subtly community-building in its reminders of human responsibilities for each other and the world at large, No Starling touches upon spiritual and political issues alike, singing aloud in a crystal clear voice that deserves to be heard. "Leastways": The ship had a bar, listing. A porthole / awash. Loyal drinkers swearing they'd seen / the giant squid. Sheer genius, they said, / to survive the millennia, the depths. // I blinked into that window at only / my face... all splash and dissolve. // Days under the white sails, over / cruel swells. Days taken / like aspirin. Hard little fact / of the body: if it goes down, / I go. And the bar raised. The bar / tilted. A tentacles here-on portends / a hereafter. I hang on. Rain clouds / pretend to take the lead.

No Starling is the fifth book of Van Winckel's poems I've read over the years (Bad Girl, with Hawk, The Dirt, After A Spell, Beside Ourselves) and is a dazzling demonstration of her mature poetic skills.
Take, for instance, the poem "Passing Through the Shadows of Great Buildings": "The beggar in plaid blankets wanted to kiss my hand / when it lowered the shiny franc. His eyes sleepy, pleading. // How long would I stand there considering...the metal / warming, the light waning. My hand dangling...." Compressed, potent, telling. Just two couplets!
Like in her fiction (Quake, Curtain Creek Farm), in No Starling Van Winckel interweaves and propels multiple narratives from poem to poem, chapter to chapter. The epigraph to her book reads, in part: "My coming, / my going -- / Two simple happenings / that got entangled." Van Winckel weaves her way through these "entanglements" of life using myth and parable, folktale and dream to inform her poems' elucidations, indictments, portents.
Moreover, in these times of political shapeshifting, of national chauvinism/denial, Van Winckel's poems like "The Rattled Hymn of the Republic" and "Let Us Remind You You Are Still Under Oath" seem especially pertinent . They are brave and unflinching. They speak truth.
Finally, though, no matter the poem, it's Van Winckel's imaginative leaps (and the heights to which those leaps rise) that amaze and awe. From the likes of the primordial love-poem "White Bridges, White Mistresses" to the heart-wrenching "Winter Cow," you can't believe what you just read - where you began, where you ended -- so you re-read. And again and again, No Starling rewards you.

Nance Van Winckel splits literary and existential hairs with the confidence of a master. Her poetry teases fear and denial with equal insouciance. I was captive, once I began reading, as the poems pulled me each to the next with growing delight. Her ability to distill the humor from the macabre, the everyday from the awful and the transcendent from the everyday is delivered with incredible control and, though it may sound strange to note, with humility. This poet's voice doesn't boom, it whispers and shimmers and runs like a river through so many aspects of this earthly life: the personal, the literary, the ways of nature and politics. And yet, as she dances in darkness, the effect of reading Nance Van Winckel is one of inspiration, for she comes back, again and again, to the power of work, of observation, of showing up. She never shirks from the job, as in the poem "Waking, Working" where she describes the visceral call of unfinished business: "Already then there was this idea/ of work. The body moving like a scythe/ over its broad gold day."

All of Nance Van Winckel's books of poetry demonstrate her unique blend of keen, precise wording and insight mixed with vibrant imaginative leaps (balancing artfully, as Stevens would say, imagination and reason). But if you only purchase one poetry collection this year, buy Van Winckel's latest, No Starling, which is a truly breathtaking book. The collection begins with the poem "Slate," where the speaker is hauling a dead body named "Nance" to be dumped in a quarry. This kind of premise--surreal, edgy, with slivers of humor--is characteristic Van Winckel, complete with her usual dead-on images, impeccable sonics, and profound revelations. Where she shows her particular genius is how she can stretch a poem to absurdist limits, yet deftly reel it back to a warm, universal conclusion, as in "The Winter Cow." The poem begins with a cow standing in a frozen field with all four of its hooves sawed off (it's not explained why), and moves to a boy arriving to very tenderly milk her; the boy hums while doing so, as he fears he can't sing without weeping. Here's the final stanza:

The body is a great boat that knows the way
through iced blue distances. Gravity's small hands
tug at the hull. You get in
and you close your eyes, and you go.

There are so many exquisite moments like this one in the book, I couldn't possibly list them all. Clearly, Van Winckel has paid serious attention to structure, as themes reverberate from section to section. For instance, "water" and "shore" are both used metaphorically (though differently) in the closings of two of my favorites, "Mister" and "Verlaine in Prison." Death is another theme, found mainly in a fine cluster of poems in section one. No matter what the theme, though, Van Winckel's verbal dexterity and wisdom abound throughout.

Suffice it to say, I read this book from start to finish in one sitting because I couldn't wait to see--from page to page, line to line--how Van Winckel would dazzle me next. There seems to me not one wrong move or weak moment in the entire book. No Starling is simply stunning.

I just started getting really involved with hiking and the North Bay of the Bay Area has some great parks, but I needed an introduction to get me started and prepared before I hike each park. This book details each and every hike from trailhead and distance to what to look out for on each trail. If you live in the North Bay, I highly recommend this as a primer.

This is a very well written and well-researched book. Very easy to follow - as we know trails are often hard to follow with questionable signage - but this book has never failed me. I have been on a dozen or so of it's hikes and have never had a serious problem as it is a most reliable reference.

Well Done Mr. Weintraub!

I found North Bay Trails and the author's previous work, East Bay Trails, to be excellent. It provides great direction and is written from a hiker's perspective without confusing and unclear information that haunts so many guidebooks. The maps are always accurate and as fine as a bound format allows while the excellent photos help us choose where to go. The historical background is fascinating and the information on wildlife and flora keep me and my child going from discovery to discovery along the trail. This book has guided us to wonderful places we would not have thought or known to hike rather than take us to the often hiked Mt. Tam and Pt. Reyes areas (although his picks in these areas are jewels). This is a must-have if you want to hike the glorious North Bay - now, if Weintraub could just pack our lunch...

David Weintraub's North Bay Trails will please California residents who want to locate hiking areas north of San Francisco. This is the first comprehensive guide to cross county lines to include Marin, Napa and Sonoma Countries, exploring scenic routes and trails for both avid hikers and casual walkers. An excellent reference promising lasting value.

With all due respect to hard-working surf journalists everywhere, author Bruce Jenkins contributes an overdue dose of world-class penmanship to one of the world's most profound human challenges-- Big Wave Surfing. As a professional sportswriter, Jenkins has covered events such as the Stanley Cup, PGA, Superbowl, and World Series. But his true love of surfing shines forth here. He captures the attitudes, lifestyles, and mystique of the world's legendary watermen, in their rightful environment: the North Shore of Oahu. I grew up surfing on Oahu, and I can attest that, for a sane person, North Shore surfing is first and foremost about conquering horrendous personal fear. Although beautiful, the waves there are huge, thick, fast, churning, and unforgiving. One must endure deathly wipeouts and end-of-the-world-type situations, and cultivate Herculean stamina to survive the hellish ocean conditions. Each surfer chronicled here has somehow overcome these odds to make it to the elite inner circle. They represent vastly different personalities, backgrounds, physical builds, but all possess one thing in common: Big Brass Ones, and the respect of the entire surf community. I especially enjoyed the interview with big-wave rider Tom Nellis and his opinions of the scene. Nellis is entertaining and forthright as he pays respectful homage to his legendary surf peers Michael Ho, Clyde Aikau, and Gerry Lopez. All in all, Jenkins does a marvelous job capturing the "Wild West" feel of the North Shore lifestyle. He's right: talk and posturing matter very little there-- in the end, it is ultimately about who has "sack" and who doesn't. The North Shore is truly a macho frontier, and in this book you'll understand why. You'll enjoy all the profiles-- Jenkins' selection of featured surfers is very well-balanced, deep, and lasting. Even if you've never surfed, get this book. You will be intrigued. And if you suspect that these wonderful tales seem somehow exaggerated or too mythic, try paddling out to a routine, Hawaiian-sized 10-foot (i.e., two-story-high) day at Sunset Beach. If by chance you live through it, thank the Lord and remember that these guys handle waves and ocean conditions SEVERAL TIMES that heavy. Hats off to Bruce Jenkins-- and I hope he writes another one!

Bruce Jenkins explores the heart and soul of the North Shore; The monster waves that ravage it and the amazing men that ride the beasts.

great stories and great pictures! it gives a wonderful insight ito the most fearless men's lives, a must read!

north shore chronicals is a mind boggling book that will make you take a secound look at surfing in hawaii. With all the stories being true you will have a deep understanding for how the true hawaiian watermen live there lives.

Excellent diagrams, good photos and best of all, the words make sense. I appreciate the time and effort that went into this book.

I received the book very promptly, and book was in excellent shape. Thank you!!!

The Pacific Northwest is an assemblage of odds and ends of geologic history presenting many mysteries. This book attempts to make sense of the complex formation of the most geologically interesting puzzle in North America. From the earliest backbone of the continent each puzzle piece is discussed and moved into place as it accretes.
In my explorations I had become convinced that the Siskyou-Klamath complex had once been an island. Here I find out how it came to be. It helped me discover the landlocked island chain underneath me.
Not overwhelmingly technical, and full of good illustrations.

Clearly and colorfully written, this book makes the Northwest landscape make sense, from rock layers to calderas. I have no real interest in geology, but this book is fascinating and fun to read. And you come away having learned a lot.

This book is pleasant light reading, with many historical photos of the track, equipment, buildings, and even boats of the NWPRR. Since traces of that railroad still exist all over Northern California, this book is a useful guide to finding the old main lines and spur tracks.

I bought this book "for auld lang syne"...the photos & narrative are excellent...this one is for my Dad.Thank you !!.

A very good book featuring photos that I have rarely, if ever, seen. While not the definitive book on the NWP, it is a great suppliment and an absolute must have for the NWP fan. Lots of early photos and information on the railroad. A great tribute to an often overlooked railroad.

Great production of historical photographs and educational captions. Soft cover with all black and white pitctures. Material on freight, passenger, and ferry traffic. Links company origins to present day situation. Good reference for railroad historians, modelers, and students.

I have read other articles by Alan Poyner, but nothing can compare with having so much of his writing in one handy place. When ever I need a pick me up and a laugh, all I have to do is read a chapter and I'm set.
Luv ya Alan!!!!!!!!! Keep up the good work. I'm ready for the next one!

Very nice reading for anytime, especially if a few chuckles are needed. I liked the short story layout, and it made for a great read whenever I wanted to smile. I would recommend this to anyone who likes humor delivered in a delightfully dry yet enjoyable manner! Good reading for all ages. Where is Volume II?

lots of humor and altogether enjoyable reading. I prarticur enjoyed the chapter where the moose stalked school kids on their way to the bus stop

I happen to be the author of this book, and I can assure you that it is NOT out of print. If you have an interest in Alaska, and like to laugh, this book is for you. It is a compilation of humor columns I have written for the Alaskan paper "The Peninsula Clarion." Most of the material appeared between 1991 and 1993, and pertains to the humorous side of living in Alaska. If Amazon won't order it for you, contact OMM Books, P.O. Box 7397, Nikiski, AK 99635

Very logical and easy to use, compact, packed full of useful information. Includes all common native trees and some shrubs and naturalized trees. I have used the book on backpacking trips and day hikes throughout California, in Washington, and Alaska. With this book, I went from knowing nearly no trees to knowing many or most of them. Bring the book with you any time you are out in nature.

Other great books in the finder series include the Desert Tree Finder and Pacific Intertidal Life. I have found the wildflower finders more difficult to use. This tree book is probably the one you will use most.

I've used this book successfully for years on hikes and backpacking trips. The size and easy format for identification are great!

This is a useful pocket size field guide, particularly for beginners. We use them in introductory biology courses for field work and the students find them easy to understand with little to no knowledge of how an ID guide works.

This guide has come in very handy for tree identification in western and eastern Oregon. The steps of identification are very simple, illustrated and easy to follow. Highly recommended.

This book, along with its Oregon-Washington Second Volume, is a MUST-read for anyone planning their own trip along all or part of the Pacific Crest Trail. This trail guide provides a wealth of information such as mileage, water-stops, trail conditions, tips, maps, and even locations (including addresses!) of post-offices and other along-the trail stop-overs for re-supply. PCT hikers often carry this book with them in their packs and reference it often. More weight-conscious thru-hikers will cut or tear the book apart into sections (it's conveniently divided into a long series of trail sections between stop-overs) and ship the abbreviated guides back to themselves at towns along the journey.

Combining years of research and tens of thousands of miles of first-hand trail experience, the authors have done an outstanding job in allowing future backpackers access to the information they need to plan their own epic adventures. The book usually comes with an pamphlet included to keep you posted on any updates and changes to the trail since the book's latest release (which I believe there have been six such releases since its initial publication in '73).

I'm planning my own thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, and after much of my own extensive research through countless other books and guides, I still come back to this one for the information I need to plan my own greatest adventure to date. Be sure the check the Oregon & Washington volume of the guide as well, written by the same authors in the exact same format.

I have used this book since 1980 to hike all or part of the PCT. It can make or break your trip. The most important info is where to find water. Some souces are difficult to find, but this book will lead you to it. The amount of info,maps, water, landmarks, milage,trail conditions, suppy points, etc., make this book a must on any hike along the PCT. If you don't have it with you, you're a lost soul.

I enjoy all of the Schaffer books because they are accurate, fun to read and reliable. This book has little chapters on the PCT, and the descriptions of each part of the trail are a total delight. So often these hiking books neglect to tell you how to reach the trailhead and oftentimes they don't provide detailed instructions (I mean this for section or day hikers of the PCT). Schaffer never makes this mistake. You will not need a separate map to locate any of the sections of the trail, his maps and written instructions are first-rate. In fact, there is even a nifty fold-out map sewn into the rear pocket so you can tote it along on any of your journeys. Equally interesting is that this book doesn't merely give elevation gains, difficulty ratings and desriptions of the trail conditions. These are vital to know, but Schaffer also includes little bits of information of what kinds of wild flowers you will encounter, birds, wildlife and other little nuggets neglected in other guides.

The book is supposed to be mainly for thru-hikers of the PCT, but there are many trails here that can be used for day hikes. These trips will be in the 10-16 mile range and any strong hiker can easily do these hikes in one day. If you do choose to go the entire PCT, Schaffer describes water sources, camping sites and addresses whether bears or marmots might be a problem for you. Most importantly, he tells you where to find water and whether the water source is reliable throughout the whole year.

I can't recommend this guide highly enough. Even if you're an armchair hiker, you'll derive many hours of vicarious joy from this guide.

I bought this book & another book, kept this one and returned the other. I haven't seen a better guide to the PCT.

Jude teaches through this book that nature is where you find it. Sure, taking in an amazing vista in the Pacific NW is a inspiration to be sure. But you take away the feeling that your own backyard, kitty asleep on the couch, local park, birds at the window or just some stones in your pocket hold just as much promise and beauty. She makes you feel like this is something you owe to yourself, just create for the sake of the happiness it brings. She urges you to not get caught up in the "correct way" or whether or not it will ever hang on a wall, just look, listen, feel and put it on paper the way only you know how. It will be just perfect! What a fun approach, full of freedom, acceptance and promise. Only you can capture the moment like only you see it. Very rewarding to read, see her sketches/paintings AND to practice the approach.

I was revisiting my hometown region (Pacific Northwest) and came across Jude Seigel's book. Although I'd never painted before (well, since grade school) I immediately had to have this book and before I left Seattle, I'd invested over $100 in Winsor and Newton paints and brushes.

Since then I've purchased other books (and many more paints...!), but still find myself gravitating to Pacific Northwest Nature Sketchbook for the casual, authentic, do-it-now spirit in which it was written. Jude's style embraces every level of artist--you do what you can and the more you do it the better you get--but the message is clear: everything you create is precious and represents your vision at a single moment in time.

Thanks, Jude, for this inspiration and for a lovely, timeless book.

Jude Siegal writes about how a painter observes, how shadows and mists interact with colors and shapes, and how taking time to absorb the beauty of place enriches our lives. Her ability to appreciate details and broad vistas and her expressive word of language and color make this a great book for writers and admirers of the Pacific Northwest as well as painters.

This book is an excellent introduction to Nature Journaling. The author sets out her method in easy-to-understand steps, taking the mystery out of buying paper, brushes, and paints, and how to set up a palette, make a palette map, and get started drawing the natural world.

The illustrations are Jude Siegel's own vibrant drawings and paintings. This book made me reach for my pen and watercolors!