Pacific Books

What a rare and wonderful talent. A story so moving, told with love and an incredible witt. I eagerly await the next Angermeyer story. Do yourself a favor and get lost in a tale of determination and mastery at it's finest in reading My Father's Island: A Galapagos Quest. You will not be disappointed.

"My Father's Island" captures the sense of adventure, wonder, and fear of pioneer life on the Galapagos. The story is both humorous and tragic, and the book is compelling enough to read in one sitting.

"My Father's Island" is absolutely delightful. The book includes a very amusing view of cultural differences as seen by young Johanna; first between America and Quito, Ecuador and then between civilized Quito and the rugged pioneer lifestyle required just a few decades ago in the Galapagos.

The flora and fauna of the islands are more accurately named and described here than in the book "Floreanna." I recommend "My Father's Island" over "Floreanna" for providing more information on the islands, the lifestyle and for a more compelling story.

I now feel that I have a better idea of the hardships and challenges faced by the early settlers to the Galapagos. And, to top it off real life love stories are included, too!

I am looking forward to Johanna Angermeyer's next book.

We have lived in this valley for 6 years, and buy books for our guests to familiarize themselves with the valley before they go exploring. We were pleasantly surprised to find this book as a stand-out from the crowd. The photographs by Nancy Kerby are beautiful, and the writing by Tony Kilgalin is both entertaining and enlightening. If we didn't live here, this book would tempt us to move here! We recommend this book for your library or for your new home in Napa. Enjoy!

We have lived in this valley for 6 years, and buy books for our guests to familiarize themselves with the valley before they go exploring. We were pleasantly surprised to find this book as a stand-out from the crowd. The photographs by Nancy Kerby are beautiful, and the writing by Tony Kilgalin is both entertaining and enlightening. If we didn't live here, this book would tempt us to move here! We recommend this book for your library or for your new home in Napa. Enjoy!

So many books attempt to capture the essence of Napa Valley. This book stands out from the rest, with a remarkable combination of photographs and words that convey the soul of the Napa Valley. If you were to choose only one introduction to Napa, this would be your best choice.

Commuting by ferry I always have a few books with me to fill the time either on the crossing or in the line of cars. This is a great book for just that, since it's full of interesting facts and it can be picked up and browsed at just about any place within it. It has lots of interesting graphs, illustrations and photos and has more information than any casual nature lover could require.

Very detailed, scholarly work, description of landforms, geology, soils, climate, vegetation, habitats, animal life, marine life, water resources. Overview of Indian tribes. Bibliography for all subjects is probably 200-300 references. Kruckeburg is Prof. of Botany at University of Washington.

Whenever I have a question about plants, animals, geology, weather, tides, or history of the Puget Sound region, this well-organized book is the place I start. Kruckeberg is amazingly comprehensive and knowledgeable. The book is superbly illustrated, though in black and white. The writing is clear. While a new edition would be welcome, this classic remains timeless.

This book is terrific. He is very detailed, and offers such useful info as which trails and climbs allow dogs, horses, etc. I leafed through the book for this reason; I like to bring my dog to new places as much as possible. I only wish I had this book 8 years ago, because my dog is nine! The rating system is outstanding as well; 1-5 for difficulty, 1-10 for atmosphere/view. This book has inspired me to make plans to enjoy more of these hikes and to get in optimal shape. The feeling I had on the first small mountain I climbed with my dog was overwhelming - such beauty to behold, but also the feeling of accomplishment I felt. It has changed my outlook on life. On a practical note, if you live in Eastern MA like I do, you know there are few places you can take your unleashed dog; well read this book, hop in the car and drive! I cannot praise this book or its author enough. I wish this had been a bestseller - Lanza deserves it.

I'm just beginning hiking and found this book to be great in locating a variety of trails. Whether you're a beginner or expert you'll find the right trail for you. This book has trails that range from 45 minutes to 5 days. "Butt Kickers to strolls in the park".

Mike Lanza's ``New England Hiking'', published by Foghorn Press, is an excellent guide to more than 350 trails in all six of the New England states. The guide is useful for both experienced and beginning hikers. Major features of the guide include: - Six state maps that show numbered references to particular trails, and locate the trailheads. Accompanying each state map is an index that cross-references detailed trail information in the guide. - Individual trail descriptions indicate hiking distance and time, directions to the trailhead, maps and contacts, and notes that tell the hiker what to expect on the trail. - For each trail, there's also the author's overall rating from poor (1) to great (10), and the degree of difficulty from ``a stroll'' (1) to ``a real butt-kicker'' (5). In my experience on about 10% of the trails in the guide, the ratings are accurate, and should be especially useful to beginners or to those new to New England hiking. One of the outstanding features of the trail notes is the author's personal observations and advice, which in most guide books tend to be stilted and impersonal. For example, concerning the Isolation Trail in the New Hampshire White Mountains, Mike writes: ``On day two, hike north three-tenths of a mile on the Davis Path to where the Isolation trail turns west (left) toward the valley of the Dry River; be careful, because this trail junction is easily overlooked -- especially, I can tell you, when it lies under four feet of snow.'' In his description of the very challenging Huntington Ravine Trail on Mt Washington, tallest peak in the northeastern U.S., he cautions: ``Discard all your preconceived notions of hard trails. Huntington Ravine has earned a reputation as the most difficult regular hiking trail in the White Mountains for good reason,'' and then he goes on with detailed descriptions of that trail's particular challenges. The index to the guide shows not only the trail name but also geographical features such as mountains, lakes, state parks, and towns, making it easy for the user to find trail descriptions in the text. If you use this guide it will be almost like having Mike Lanza along to recommend a hike. The final section of the text lists Mike's recommendations of the best hikes in New England in each of 23 categories, including Fall foliage viewing For children up to age seven Coastline or island hikes Easy backpacking Solitude and remoteness Mountain biking Cross-country skiing. The ``New England Hiking'' guide is highly recommended for those who plan to hike in the northeastern U.S. It's the single guide that all hikers -- from beginners to peak-baggers -- should have. And Mike's lively writing makes it ideal for the ``armchair hiker'', who prefers to read about the sport rather than actually swatting black flies or avoiding thunderstorms on the trail

This is a much more thorough study of Congregational culture and doctrine than that of Perry Miller. Miller's work relied entirely on published weekday sermons. Stout mined the unpublished sermon notes of hundreds of New England preachers to find a balance that Miller missed. Stout convincingly shows that the ministers' commitment to the salvation of their listeners was always paramount, and finds a consistency in their messages that link the ministers of the 1630's with those of the 1770's. Stout finds few doctrinal differences between Old Lights such as John Cotton and New Lights such as Jonathan Edwards. It's a tough read (being intellectual history), but it's well worth the effort if you wish to get inside the Puritan mind.

Harry S. Stout (Ph.D., Kent State University) is currently a professor of American religious history at Yale University. Building on the groundbreaking work of Perry Miller, Stout published The New England Soul in 1986. The study is more extensive than its paperback size might suggest. The main body of the work covers nearly 150,000 words and is supplemented by 68 pages of extensive end notes. The work has become a standard text for college and graduate courses in colonial American history.

Stout's work centers on the content, role, and power of the sermon in Puritan (later New England) America from the first landings to the beginning of the American revolution. His thesis, which is strongly supported through the work, is that the sermon was the central agent in creating a cohesive culture that evolves toward eventual self-identity and independence. Drawing extensively on primary sources, Stout brings to the contemporary reader the piety and passions of the people whose culture forms the soil for the American nation.

Stout follows the sermon through five generations of New England preachers. These generations are marked by gradual but significant changes in the style and, to some degree, content of the sermon. These five generations he labels invention (1620-1665), arrangement (1666-1700), style (1701-1730), delivery (1731-1763), and memory (1764-1776).

These five stages are, he admits, not dramatic shifts as much as a continual evolution. Through these stages Stout demonstrates changes in style (from plain to "Anglican") and, to some degree, in content. He asserts, however, that the essential core elements of the sermon remain consistent, and that the changes reflect the sermon's adjustment to a changing environment. In this assertion Stout challenges to common suggestion that Puritan preaching displaced its original mission and passion over time.

The themes of personal piety and liberty, Stout demonstrates, are constant from the early sermons of John Cotton to sermons like that of Samuel West celebrating the liberation of Boston by George Washington in 1776. These themes are linked by a shared sense of cultural and religious destiny, the "city set on a hill" mission, in which American New England would fulfill the goal of Calvin's Geneva to create the perfect society in which the Kingdom of God might be fully realized on earth.

The New England preacher, more so than the statesman or soldier, was the preeminent power and power-broker in the Colonial period. The sermon was both soteriological and political, reflecting a conceptual marriage of church and state difficult for the contemporary reader to fully grasp.

One great value of Stout's work is, following in the steps of Perry Miller, he brings to the reader the words of voices long forgotten. While John Cotton, Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards, and a handful of other divines have remained well known figures, at least to students of early American history, Stout brings to life the words of dozens of other preachers whose works and words are now preserved only in small numbers of rare books and pamphlets.

Stout effectively demonstrates how the sermons, especially of the eighteenth century, laid the foundation for the revolution and the birth of the American nation. The "messianic mission" of the early Puritans was malleable enough to be transfigured into the great battle, against the Beast of the British monarchy, to establish the independence of the colonies. Any student of American or religious history would be well served by including Stout's work in their must-read list. Any teacher of early American history should seriously consider adding this to any list of recommended texts. The contemporary student will be surprised at the multiple connections between religious and political thinking in early American life, as well as the pivotal role the sermon plays in the development of that life.

This is a great book by a brilliant historian who is deeply revered on both sides of the Atlantic. It will be the definitive work. Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)

A great book for anyone interested in learning about the demographics of the Asian and Pacific Islander population. It's probably the most comprehensive demographic book ever written using the latest Census data. I know first-hand that this organization is also a great resource center on getting even more customized Asian and Pacific Islander data. If you haven't seen this book, I recommend you check it out at the bookstore and you will definitely find it worthwhile.

This comprehensive text has set the standard for demographic information and Census data interpretation for Asian America and is the essential reference text for those seeking both statistics and balanced reporting on this diverse, expanding group.

This book should have been used in my Asian American Studies 101 class in college. It's comprehensive and informative. Thoroughly readable and enjoyable to boot. If you're tired of ideology and want the facts, get this book.

The Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in the San Francisco Bay Area covers just about every aspect of living in and around San Francisco. I mean everything! Including "Moving and Storage," "Getting Settled," "Children and Education," "Sports and Recreation," "Transportation" and everything in between, this thick book answers almost any question about San Francisco.

The introduction to the book is just as cool: "San Francisco is the land of the 49er Gold Rush, the Great 1906 earthquake, and the missionary expeditions of the Spanish; it is the birthplace of Levi's jeans and home of the railroad tycoon Leland Stanford; it is host to one of the greatest feats of engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge, and as a cultural epicenter, it fueled the hippie flower-power revolution, gave rise to Rolling Stone magazine, and played host to beat generation poets." Geez, now I want to move to San Francisco!

This guide to "America's melting pot" provides information about the local lingo, so you will not feel too much like an out-of-towner. For example, "The Haight" is the famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, "The City," always capitalized, "is the way natives and local newspapers refer to San Francisco" and BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is "the under-and-above ground subway-style train network that connects the East Bay and peninsula with San Francisco."

This guide also provides detailed information concerning the many municipalities of San Francisco, including web sites, area codes, zip codes, post offices, police stations, emergency hospitals, libraries, public schools, community resources and public transportation. The "Cultural Life" section is also pretty cool, providing tons of information about film festivals, music, theater, ballet and dance, restaurants, nightclubs, comedy, art, museums and anything else you can think of. San Francisco is one cool town, and this book is undoubtedly the perfect guide to moving there!

My husband was recently transferred from Kansas City to San Fransisco, so when I saw this book for newcomers to the Golden Gate city, I just had to have it! It is such a great buy, as it contains all of the information that we want to know before we move there. It tells the history and atmosphere of the different neighborhoods there, along with many other pertinent facts. This well-researched and accurate book with maps is all one needs to feel at home in San Fransisco!

We found this handbook to be very accurate and very helpful in our move to the bay area. The writing style is clear and easily digestible.

We visited Canada in Sept. 2007 and travelled on The Canadian between Toronto and Jasper. Finally purchased this masterpiece (via Amazon) from Powells Books. As the previous reviewers have said, it is a fantastic volume of outstandingly high-grade photos. I paid just over $100 shipped to Blighty. It was worth every penny and more! Good heavens; you can even cover up the train elements with your hand and still delight in the scenery portrayed! Any fan of railways and stunning scenery should have this book.
My copy will never be sold but passed down the family line.

If you are a railfan and enjoy seeing photos of and reading about railroads, this would be a good choice. If you are a railfan and are looking for a big, coffee table book, this would be THE choice.

The book looks only at the Canadian Pacific Railroad but that railroad stretched from sea to sea across most terrain types and through gorgeous scenery. Nicholas Morant photographed the railroad and J.F. Garden has put together this book of that effort. It is beautiful.

If you are a fan of the Canadian Pacific, you must own this book! Nicholas Morant set the standard for rail photography. Here is an incredible collection of photos covering half a century on the world's most scenic railroad. Tremendous history. Worth every penny!

I've lived in Oregon my entire life and still discovered some great insights in Mr. Eiden's humorous (and educational) review of the Northwest. I particularly enjoyed "how to order a latte." A great gift, too.

I have been around one half of the world four different times and I wish that I read this book before my travels. It goes beyond essential, consider it a manual. Gregg should go international.

Well aside from the fact that Greg makes fun of my favorite Northwest clothing outfitter, Filson, its great! I'm a newcomer but can pass for a native as I've been here long enough to grow moss on my toes and I still found some interesting facts and tidbits that I either once knew and have forgotten or maybe never knew. Anyone from California thinking about moving North should read this. We get cloudy and rainy weather, this is a temperate rainforest after all so don't move here and then complain about the weather. Get some goretex and some wool and some waxed cotten coats and get outside and do something! (like split a cord of wood! Go Fishing! Go for a hike!, Go skiing.) Contary to popular myths, skin does not disolve when wet. It is possible to be warm and comfortable when out in in the rain. The sun will come out for good by Mid July and stays out until Late September and early October. Until then work hard and save your vacation days.

The Northwest Essentials Cookbook is a superbly produced regional cookbook that offers a culinary wealth of more than 150 recipes representing a delicious spectrum of flavors and tastes. From Warm Duck and Apple Salad, Poached Salmon with Tarragon, and Chocolate Almond Apricot Cake, to Oysters Mignonette, Savory Stuffed Mushroom Caps, and Simple Rockfish Stew, The Northwest Essentials Cookbook is a welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook shelf.

I live on the northern california coast and we share many of the same wonderful foods that create the northwest flavor. This is a great cookbook, the recipes are simple and tasty. The book is broken down into chapters like salmon, prawns and crab, wild mushrooms, herbs, lentils split peas & chickapeas, and apples & pears. These are a few, but certainly not all. This is a book full of recipes at their best when you use the freshest of ingredients. I recommend!

- - - -In my heart, my palate, my stomach, memories of home and thoughts of wanting to visit the Seattle area! I really feel good about the support Greg Atkinson gives his recipes in the way of stories, personal experiences and appreciation of the people, places and tastes in his life. This book is a great experience before, during and after meals, for singles and families alike! I'm giving it to my friends!