Travel Books

The information is this book is good, but focuses more on the budget traveler. If you want to make a tour of south east asia as cheap as possible, this book is probably a great resource.

What is really different about this book is the maps. There are tons of maps, all hand drawn in style and these maps have notes scribbled all over them. It isn't that great for finding something specific but it a very good idea for finding out what is near where you are. If you are not a planner, and just like to go and see what is going on once you are there, then this book may be great for you.

If you are a planner, and you don't arrive anywhere without a itinerary, then this book is likely to be a hindrance since so much information is organized ON the maps.

This book seems to have all crucial information you will ever need when backpacking in SE Asia. Thin as a leaflet compared to many other traveller guides, but with at least as much information. Just be prepared to spend a smallish amount of time to learn how to use it and to remember the most important symbols.

This book became a close, guarded part of my experience in South East Asia. Mark Elliot has excellent insider tips and maps for things to see and do in every area of that part of the world!

This book was awesome.
I used it in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
I had a lonely planet somewhere deep in my backpack, but it never saw daylight until I left it in my room in Hanoi. Pretty much every place I went, I just took a quick look at the map and had a reasonable idea of what to do next or where to go.

I met a lot of travelers who were impressed with it as well. I ended up giving it away as a gift on my way out.

If you like a little more adventure than something like a lonely planet and don't want to bury your head in a guidebook, go with this.

Also, the book emphasizes the philosophy that meeting people is what travelling is all about, more so than just seeing things. And I completely agree with that. So if that's your bag, then this book is certainly for you.

Lastly, it is slightly dated (like prices, specific bus timings, etc.). But the information is still very usable.

This guidebook is indispensable. It's easy to use once you figure out the map key, lightweight, and had tons of very accurate useful information. I loved it!! I ended up having the most reliable guidebook of anyone else I met.

I found this book to be a very accurate description of living in the heartland - and it reminded me of the values and benefits I sometimes take for granted.

Truly delightful and a treasure to be discovered by others! There are few things which can be said, to really encompass the warm feeling David Chartrand's book gives the reader.
A few months back I met Mr. Chartrand's neice as she returned from Australia to the city where her family had done the majority of their growing up, Omaha. She happened to pass on his book to me after a few family conversations we had. As we all know in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, you don't get to sit down and enjoy a good book as often as you'd like, but when you do find one, a real gem, you can't put it down -- that's how it was with Mr. Chartrand's work. I just wanted to write a note of thanks and admiration to Mr. Chartrand for putting a piece of himself and his family out there for the world to read and relate to, and somehow find a connection they may have lost along the way of growing up.
On a personal level, due to the fact that my parents were in the military, I was born overseas, and my family has moved frequently throughout our lives, never settling in a city where there was any of our extended family, but, for most of our lives, it has been Midwestern cities none the less, cities with people and situations that are very much the heart of Mr. Chartrand's book. In reading this book, I truly remembered all of the little things that made growing up around these parts so special, and why it was so great to be a part of families from the Midwest, with Midwestern values and ideologies. Now that I am grown and on my own, I still remain in close contact with my parents and siblings. This book helped me remember the power in that family connection that sometimes is overlooked when we get too busy in our own lives, or get too overburdened with the everyday toil to notice that maybe we were a lot happier or better off when things were simpler, maybe when we had/made less money, or had less possessions, when life was "about" something else. I'd like to extend my personal regards to Mr. Chartrand, for helping a kind-hearted, laid-back, but sometimes too-caught-up in the world of being a business professional, remember that there is something that means a lot more out there, and that "something" is truly the secret to keeping the heart happy. I can very easily see why Mr. Chartran's neice has turned out to be the person she is, surrounded by a family that knows more about life at a young age and throughout, then some folks do that live for more than a century. I hope that Mr. Chartrand will come out with another work in the near future, another small slice of reality and happiness that those like myself can laugh with, cry with, and undoubtedly, always remember . . . with a smile. Thanks again!

Everyone has a friend from one of the big Catholic Midwestern families the author immerses us in within this book -- families held together by a quiet, hard-working father and a magnetic, high-strung mother and brothers and sisters with loyalties so strong that it's hard for outsiders to fully understand them, let alone penetrate the circle. Chartrand gives us a peek inside in this warm and wistful collection of essays, eschewing gross sentimentality but never concealing the fact that in spite of his welcome humor, his heart is sewn securely on his sleeve. An easy read well worth reading.

Having grown up in a small town in the "HEARTLAND", and being involved in the raising of four children myself, I can identify with many of the situations described in the book. David Chartrand is one of my favorite columnists and has certainly written a great book.

A book that draws you in from the get-go. You will love the stories. You will not be able to control your emotions. This poignant telling of life in the Heartland captivates.

This book is just gorgeous to look at. The artwork is wonderful. I really enjoy cultural books like this.

What child wouldn't want to learn how to count such exotic creatures as leopards, lions, ostriches, giraffes, hippos, wildebeests, zebras, warthogs, monkeys, and elephants. It is an extra treat that the swahili names are added too.

This is so much better than an ordinary counting book with it's interesting creatures and cultural introduction to Tanzania. A great way to encourage kids to learn about far away places.

We combined this book with Mama Panya's Pancakes and had a wonderful time learning about Africa.

we love this book. after reading it once, i'd learned to count to ten in swahili. now, after a couple more readings, my 2 and 3 year old are counting in swahili, too.

Did not receive the first shipment; notified the seller who promptly sent another copy. It was a softcover edition which was fine, but it appeard to have been folded in half. I probably could have sent it back but by that time so much time had passed and it was needed for a specific project.

This is a favorite for my 2 year old. Counting is represented 3 ways on each page spread - in the text, a visual number in the same location on each page, and by the number of animals on each page. Great picture book for counting, nice text for reading.

The back of the book offers a bit of material that we read over as well - descriptions of the Masai people, and their way of life, a map of Tanzania, and visuals + descriptions for all of the animals.

Our whole family loves this book. My son, now 3, learned to count to ten in English by reading this at bedtime almost every night. We are just now starting to read the Swahili words too. The information, spellings of the Swahili words and their pronounciations, even the names of the children are all accurate (I speak Swahili to moderate fluency). One note... Most Maasai do not even speak Swahili, rather they speak Maa! But that doesn't really matter. We love the book anyway, and the Maasai do live with all of the wildlife depicted on this wonderful safari! I would say this book is appropriate from age 1, as it has a very nice cadence to it that is calming before bedtime and the pictures are very engaging. Don't wait until age 4!

If you are interested in the environment and whales and support the fact that what the Japanese are doing by slaughtering whales is WRONG then you MUST read this book, I thought it was great !!!

It is only toward the end of _The Whale Warriors: The Battle at the Bottom of the World to Save the Planet's Largest Mammals_ (Free Press) that author Peter Heller describes the atrocities being committed against whales by the Japanese whaling fleets. He doesn't see them himself, but describes a video that was shot aboard one of the whalers showing the effects of explosive harpoons and the drawn out electrocution of a pregnant whale. "There is no more barbaric method of slaughter on earth, in any meat industry," Heller writes. "This prolonged butchery and torture are reserved for the most intelligent, most social order of beings." You don't have to be an ecology freak or tree hugger to be disgusted by the slaughter, carried out by Japanese whalers in the guise of doing scientific research (and then, oh, by the way, selling the "autopsied" whales for meat). It doesn't matter that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society does seem to consist mostly ecology freaks, vegans, and starry-eyed whale enthusiasts. They are doing what they can to stop the whale hunts, and this book is Heller's riveting account of Sea Shepherd's voyage at the end of 2005 to confront the whale hunters on their own grounds.

Sea Shepherd has its own ship, the _Farley Mowatt_, an ancient 200-ton former freighter, painted black and flying the Jolly Roger. By at least some definitions, the crew are pirates, and their work is certainly not subtle, including ramming, using propeller foulers to entangle the props and immobilize the ship, and stink bombs. They get away with it because no one wants to take them to court where they can publicize the evils of whaling. The captain of the _Farley_ and its 43 volunteer crewmembers is the bearish Paul Watson, an original founder of Greenpeace from which he is now estranged. As Heller pictures him, he is an anti-Ahab, monomaniacally pursuing those who are pursuing whales, brilliant in leadership and expression, but also quite possibly crazy. "I did not think he was exactly insane," Heller writes. His fast-moving account of the 51 days of pursuit includes portraits of remarkable crew members, many of whom are completely inexperienced as sailors. It isn't all grim on board; there is a great deal of silliness, poker games, much drinking, bad music, snowboarding on icebergs, and even a New Year's Day dip in the icy water. The descriptions of the _Farley_ at sea, encrusted with ice and taking dangerous rolls are indeed scary. The eventual chase and the climatic confrontation with the whalers is full of adrenaline, while the ship's muted success fits fully the ambiguities described herein.

Paul Watson's tactics may be controversial, but readers will be cheering for him by the end of this book. The reason is that Sea Shepherd might be pirates, but they still have the moral high ground against whalers. On this very voyage, they were pursuing Japanese whalers who were bent on killing whales which everyone knows are endangered, and taking them out of waters within an internationally established whale sanctuary. You don't have to agree with Watson's methods, but everyone must agree that current international conservation laws are not being enforced, and that the world is turning a blind eye to violations because of reluctance to upset trading partners. Heller's brilliant account of a harrowing voyage might report the quixotic follies of the ship _Farley Mowatt_, but it is an angry and bitter education into the destructive follies of whaling.

There has never been a book that has spoken to me like this one. It takes you through so many emotions - pain, frustration, anticipation, laughter, hope. Even if you cannot completely agree with Captain Paul Watson's actions, you can appreciate his passion. You turn the pages eagerly, waiting for a climax and even when it comes it leaves you wanting more. And that is the point - this is a story that will never end as long as there is the unnecessary murder of the oceans most peaceful mammals and a man like Captain Paul Watson ready to protect them.

As author Peter Heller says on his web site, no writer of fiction could hope to invent the wild truth on display in this tale of adventure on the high seas. Heller joined Captain Paul Watson and his 44 crew members aboard the Farley Mowat to find and stop the Japanese whaling fleet in 2005.

Heller's balance of objectivity and subjectivity provides for a very engaging and exciting read. This book is perfect for reading aloud, which is how we have been approaching it. Heller's prose style creates a you-are-there feeling. Mingled with regular visits to the Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace web sites for real-time blog updates, the reader can really feel like they are on the journey. This is an ongoing battle between those who see whales as intelligent, sensitive, and aware; and those who see them only as a "resource" to be harvested to the fullest extent. It is being played out right now in the southern ocean, so this book has an immediacy and relevance beyond the story it tells of 2005.

It would be enough if this were a great adventure well told, but The Whale Warriors is more than that. It is a decent introduction to the current state of the ocean. The information is woven so neatly into the story that the blend of plot, commentary and factual information is nearly seamless.

Kudos to Peter Heller for taking on a controversial and emotional subject, and telling the story in a form accessible to everyone.

The Whale Warriors is an exciting page turner about the 2006 whaling campaign in Antartica. It is chock full of harrowing information about the state of our seas (scientists predict the entire ocean will collapse by 2048!) to amazing insight into marine mammals (dolphins will refer to themselves and the dolphin they are communicating with by name AND also refer to a third dolphin by name during a dolphin-conversation).

The book delves into the interesting and diverse cast of characters aboard the Farley Morat. Who would give up everything (family, a livelihood) to risk their lives at the edges of the earth for a whale? You'd be surprised.

This book is both exhilarating and heart-breaking. An adventure worth taking that will change, forever, the way you look at the ocean.

From the moment I saw this book I knew I had to have it. It's fascinating to read about what everyday life was really like in early America, not only what it looked like but also what it SMELLED like. You can get lost in the photographs, some of which take up two pages. Different regions of the country are covered, from New England to the South, and you get the sense of living in the houses from that past time. Not just a picture book, this gives you a real history of early America, and it's well-written.

I really enjoyed this book, and read it cover to cover the day I got it. One unfortunate reality is that only well-built houses survive - so we have minimal knowledge of how "the other half lived." But the author did his best to deal with this issue, and I , for one, was delighted that he did not waste pages going over well-trodden ground. Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier, and other grand houses have already been covered in excruciating detail by other authors. In this book, the author concentrates on the homes of the "middling classes," and also on as much of the data as can be found on the huts, hovels, and cabins of the poor. The scope of the book is really the eastern seaboard and the original colonies, so the reader who is primarily interested in the architecture of the Southwest will not find it here. I wish that he had included some coverage of the Native American dwelling places indigenous to these areas of the eastern seaboard, and also perhaps some discussion of how Native dwellings changed in response to exposure to White ideas and building materials. (But that topic would properly fill an entire book of its own.)
This was an expensive book, by my penny-pinching standards, but I consider it money well spent and it will be a permanent addition to my library.Early American Houses: with A Glossary of Colonial Architectural TermsHow Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built

I am so pleased with this book. It's one of my better purchases. I started reading it immediately after receiving it and could hardly put it down. I read it from cover to cover very quickly but I am going to re-read it for "remembering".

I bought this book because I heard an interview with the author on NPR radio and he sounded very interesting. I am loving this book! I thought I would use it more as a reference book, but am finding myself reading it from front to back, gobbling up the photos and other interesting bits of information that he packs in to the pages and sidelines of each page. I love the historical journal readings that he has inserted to make points such as in the bed bugs section he quoted the Farmers Almanac "let a tired farmer be tormented all night" by bed bugs - and another traveler, Joseph Fowler in 1828 found "filthy beds swarming with bugs ... notwithstanding the repeated onsets of the bugs and other vermin with which I was molested." Very funny, written very well and extremely enjoyable historical book. I no longer yearn to live in the 1800's! And have a much deeper understanding of what our forefathers endured ... enjoy!

A fascinating account of the homes folks lived in 200 years ago and what each space and room in the home was used for. Mr. Larkin vividly describes by area (New England, the Middle States, the Southern States, and the Western States - as far as what was considered west by 1840), how the people of the past utilized their living spaces. It also describes in detail the many different styles of housing in the geographical areas mentioned, and how the Middle States structures may differ from the, say, New England area.
As mentioned in other reviews, it truly is amazing how many human beings could sometimes be squeezed into a small house with, most likely, little complaining.
In addition to the lively, well-written text, there are many photographs - most taken 50 or more years ago and are in black and white - to enhance the reader's enjoyment.
As an amatuer social historian, I can honestly say this wonderful book is a great find to add to any collection. I am thankful we have historians like Jack Larkin to help us in our quest for real American History.

The value of this map cannot be overstated. It is a bargain at twice the price. Don't go to the Riviera Maya without it! Laura and Perry McFarlin work hard to keep it up-to-date -- no minor feat in this fast-changing area of Mexico.

The value of this map cannot be overstated. It is a bargain at twice the price. Don't go to the Riviera Maya without it! Laura and Perry McFarlin work hard to keep it up-to-date -- no minor feat in this fast-changing area of Mexico.

We purchased this map for our honeymoon trip to the Mayan Rivera. It was an excellent investment. It tells you the approximate price of various cab fares to different locations. It even provides you with a list of alternative transportation services. All activities of the area are listed and even most all resturants. The best part is they offer their own reviews of the resturants and give good adivce on where to go. I highly reccommend this map if you are planning a trip. Even if you set everything up through a travel agent, this has tons of listings for things you may not hear about and may enjoy doing.

If you are going to the Maya Riviera.....BUY THIS MAP! I agree with the comments made by everyone else here....this map is INVALUABLE! So much detail and a very conversational style that is enjoyable and easy to follow. Also, lots of photos which really make a difference in deciding where to go and what to do. You really could bring this map alone and it would be all you would need as a travel guide. HOWEVER, I would also highly recommend their book "Adventure Guide to the Yucatan" to bring along with the map. Extremely useful book! Read it before you go and you will have the best trip possible. Well worth the money!

I have purchased two of these. The last one was updated in 2000. They are very detailed, and extremely well done. I applaud Perry and Laura for their excellent job! You can't go wrong with these map guides.

'Above Los Angeles', another in Robert Cameron's birds eye views of major cities is, to me, surprisingly superior to his similar volume on his hometown of San Francisco. Since I much prefer SF to LA, I expected LA to be far less photogenic, but it comes of rather well overall. This may be due to the fact that so many of the LA landscapes familiar to us from TV mentions, but unseen for most of us, leaves us facinated to finally see, for example, Venice Beach close-up or the Hollywood Bowl, or Century City.

This is still not quite as good as the similar volume for Chicago ore even less good than the volume on London, or even as good as a competitor's work on Boston, but it is good, nonetheless, if only because it confirms my notion that LA is a sprawl with no center. The 'downtown' pic looks like a non-descript snap of outer Queens and not similar to Manhatten's financial district or midtown, to which it is comparable in function. Even the shorelines look more interesting than the similar scenes from the SF book.

An excellent souvenoir!

This book is a must have for all those who love L.A. natural and urban landscapes, but can't be there all the time to enjoy that. As the city has gigantic proportions, of course that not everything can be covered in the book, but at least what I consider to be the most attractive spots in the area is there. The paper is high-quality and the photographs are crystal-clear and well produced. Worth the money.

I just love these books by Cameron, he is just the most amazing talent. This book really captures L.A. and this is a city that begs to be photographed from the air because of all the wonderful buildings hidden behind huge fences and lush landscape. This is without question one of his best books, it really is a joy to look through. I have the older edition, but have seen the newer book and it only adds a few new pictures of buildings built since the book was first published in the early 90's; such as the Getty. I was expecting more new pictures, since the publisher makes big deal about it being revised, I even thought I might buy it if it was that different, but there are like five new pictures out of about 160 original and like I said before they where not even taken by Cameron. These pictures are well done, but are not by Cameron himself, he is alas over 90 and retired. Either printing is a five star book I assure you. I highly recommend all of his books they are all wonderful in their own way, but this truly is one of his best works.

Los Angeles is a wonderful city so full of interesting things. This book has it all. All the areas are greatly photographed and look clear. LA's smog problem seems to be subsiding as the photos show clear days (most of them) and LA is only getting better. Every part of the city is showned. If you like photos from the air, you'll like this book. Also, the Library tower is shown (this is the first building to get blown up in the movie "Independence Day") in several photos. The older printings of this book didn't have them in it. I highly recommend this book.

Robert Cameron presents a place and its' character in this "above" book (as well as in the other ones). Some people fly over the Los Angeles area, gagging and shaking their heads. Mammoth highways, concrete, smog, track housing, and monster burbs. These qualities do exist. But Cameron's photos also allow you to see the different personalities and idiosyncrasies of the many communities that make up what we call Los Angeles, from the Southbay beaches to the hills. (Where LA begins and ends we're not always sure). The area of Los Angeles (like other places) is different from other major metropolitan American areas for a variety of reasons. For one, most of the topography is flat, and it's a coastal desert paved with transplants with ambition and liking for the sun. These pictures allow the City of Angels to be more intriguing and have more of its' personality exude itself, as the reader gets a closer look at it through these pictures.

Mental pictures.

Yes, there are those who state Los Angeles County is an area with few landmarks. First you've got have a good disposition to this place, and second you've got to get close. Cameron's shots provide plenty of pockets of beauty and character, and plenty of quintessential "LA" landmarks. One must close enough to observe and experience them. "Above Los Angeles" lets us. Photos that highlight the interesting and beautiful icons of this city's architecture and natural character.

Another book for LA-philes and those interested in its' history and growth is: "LA Lost & Found: An Architectural History of Los Angeles (California Architecture and Architects, No 21)." by Sam Hall Kaplan, and Julius Shulman (Photographer).

We recently returned from a 5 day getaway to Mount Desert Island and had a wonderful time exploring the park and entire Island. This book was an excellent companion to our journey and helped us use our time wisely. We love to swim and without the book, we would never have found the hidden gem of a spot this book recommends on Echo Lake.

I've been visiting Acadia for years, so most of what is in this book is not a surprise for me, but it does include info on a few things I haven't done. Does a good job at giving an overview of the park and the towns located on the island. I have James Kaiser's book on Joshua Tree (which is what inspired me to get this despite the fact that I could probably write my own guidebook on Acadia with little effort), and they're both really quality guidebooks, and the perfect size to throw in your backpack and carry around for the day, yet manage to have a lot of info in them. They both include good descriptions of the most popular hikes and attractions in the park, as well as historical and ecological information which I find is great to really appreciate a place. They're also filled with lots of amazing full color photos, which is great. I highly recommend this book and hope that the author publishes more guidebooks on other national parks as well.

I really enjoyed this travel book. We're heading to Acadia National Park this summer and I feel like I'm well equipped to make good use of our time. I particularly liked James' style ... young, smart, no BS. I'm taking him up on some of his off-the-beaten-path recommendations. I feel like I've gotten the inside scoop from a local down at the corner diner. Keep up the good work Jim. I'll look for your book when we get around to heading out west.

Only used the Bar Harbor and Acadia stuff, but overall it's a great guide to Mt. Desert Island. Hike the Beehive!

Terrific book! We visited Acadia for the first time this year. The author's descriptions are excellent, but most important his recommendations (on restaurants, things to do, which hikes to make, etc) are excellent. He gives clues on where to go for those seeking to avoid the crowds, and he also describes the 'must-do' tourist things on Acadia. Of the various guides we brought with us on our Maine trip, this was hands down the most useful.

Well-written and rich with up-to-date local information. We will travel with it later this year. Some minor editing glitches.

I love the Big Island, and every time we go I like to get a new guide book to find the new cool things we haven't done yet, and THIS BOOK has lots of COOL ideas of places to go and things to do as well as lots of information about the traditions and also about local flora and fauna. And, better yet, it's funny! As a busy mom of 3 kids, I don't get a lot of time to read so even planning a vacation, I want to be entertained. And I was while I was reading this book. Great stuff like comparing a maze at a botanical garden to the one in Harry Potter. You can tell the authors had fun with this one. I also really loved all of the quotes by famous people that they included. It also provided helpful information about Hawaiian culture and history, which I shared with my kids to help them enjoy and learn about the island. We love b&bs and this offered a lot of choices. It really helped us appreciate our recent trip so much more. I wish I'd had it years ago!!!!

There are lots of guidebooks out there, and if you're planning a trip to Hawaii, this should definitely be one of them! Fryklund and Reeder pull the best the Big Island has to offer into this information-packed volume in the Hunter Adventure Guide series. Literary and Hawaiian quotes abound, making it an enjoyable read as well. Full color illustrations and photos - this is on my list of recommended books for anyone visiting the Big Island!

This is one of the best guidebooks I've ever read. It has 500 pages and then there's also bonus material on a website. I could never do everything in this book even if I had a year of vacation instead of two weeks. But it'll be fun to try. Definitely like the chapter on Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . It talks so much about hikes and drives and how to see lava, but also about the native songbirds and the goddess Pele and her "curse." Good stuff.

I had hoped to find a new guidebook for the Island of Hawaii. Sadly, this was not it. The book may be OK as an overview for a first trip to the island (week or less) but it is too superficial to be of enduring use.

The author and illustrator know lots about the backcountry and provide tons of useful information on winter skiing. Even if you've spent much time yourself skiing in the backcountry, you'll find tips here that will make you wonder why you hadn't been doing things that way all along.

This book combines some great humor and excellent line drawings with some great wilderness and backcountry wisdom. All the tips and tricks one picks up over the years are in this book and it is highly recommended reading for newcomers and those already involved.

There are two types of winter campers: those who have this book and those who need it. Perhaps if you are very very experienced you don't need it but otherwise, get it! Allen wrote a short, but information full book, that is easy and fun to read quickly and jamn packed with a mix of basic functional knowledge, extra tidbits that are good to know, and all kinds of little tricks he has discovered over the years.

it is awesome! these guys are nols instructors. one guy provides the incredibly helpful commentary while the other guy provides the humorous illustrations. you will be howling with laughter as you read this great book. my bet is that humor/laughter aids the memorization process. that is key in this case because there are some truly essential tips in this book! not to be without! can't wait to wintercamp this year. they also have a telemark tips book which is very good too...

Well, I just panned a different book and said don't waste your money so now its time to even the score.

This book is great fun. I have lots of winter camping books and do a fair amount of winter camping. Other books may have more information, but none covers all of the basics with as much humor as this one. I do alpine skiing and snowshoeing so the coverage of tele skiing wasn't of particular interest...but I still really enjoyed reading those sections, too.

It is hard to describe the authors' irreverent approach while dealing with serious (life and death) topics, but they somehow pull it off. This is really a great book to engage someone who isn't already a hard-core winter camper...so if you are, buy it for your significant other (assuming you haven't been able to get them enthused about spending a winter weekend outdoors.) If they don't enjoy this book, you may officially give up on them.