Best Tennessee Travel Guides
This guide features 82 hikes within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America's most visited national park. Kevin Adams is the author of numerous books, including North Carolina Waterfalls, Backroads of North Carolina, and Waterfalls of Virginia and West Virginia .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The introduction provides very helpful information on using the guide, the maps, bears, bugs, weather, the seasons, backcountry campsites, permits, regulations, and much more."
"We found this book very helpful for choosing a number of different day hikes during a recent trip to the Smokys."
"The author does a great job of sharing his experience, but I have found a lot of information that counters some of it, so it has been difficult to figure out exactly what I want to."
"Very helpful and accurate!"
"I am planning a trip to the Smokies in May."
"This was a gift--he really liked the layout of different regions, the detailed maps, trail descriptions, etc.--best book I've seen on hiking the GSM trails."
"This book has given me all the information possible for a wonderful hiking experience."
"we got this book so we could plan out hikes before a trip to the Smoky Mountains."
Moon Handbooks give you the tools to make your own choices, with Insider tips on the best spots to eat, drink, sleep, shop, and explore, marked with a Moon symbol, including the Best Place to See Elvis; the Most Theatrical Dining Experience; the Most Inventive Brewery; the Best Live Radio Show; the Best Place to Browse for Tunes; and the Most Histric Hotel 6 easy-to-use, full-color neighborhood maps Excursions to Land Between the Lakes, Lynchburg, and Bell Buckle The firsthand experience and unique perspective of author Margaret Littman. And with 75,000 miles on her station wagon already, she has lots of ideas for little-known places to listen to music, eat barbecue, paddle a lake, hike to a waterfall, or buy works by local artists.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"User friendly and very informative."
"This book came out just in time to plan our trip, and I carried it with me all over town."
"I'm a Frommer's Travel Book loyalist, but Frommer's does not have a guide to Nashville, TN, so I purchased this one instead."
"I bought this as a Nashville native (aka Unicorn around here) because, sadly, I needed some reminders of how cool this town can be."
"Best guide ever!"
"Confession: most of what I know about Nashville came from a two day visit to be on a professional panel a decade ago, and from watching the TV series because a friend was one of the lead actors."
"Love this guide!"
"We recently spent a few days in Nashville and this handbook came in very handy for what to see and how to get around."
Hiking Waterfalls in Tennessee. includes detailed hike descriptions, maps, and color photos for approximately 100 of the state’s most scenic waterfall hikes. He has penned over 50 hiking, paddling and camping guides covering 26 states, from Florida to Texas to Wisconsin to New England.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have these same books for a few other states and really like them."
"Every fall has very detailed map, great write up on the hike, and an amazing color picture."
"I very much recommend it if you're looking for fun adventures in the beautiful state of Tennessee!"
"Lots of helpful information such as distance and difficulty of the hike together with great pictures to show you what to expect when you reach your destination."
"I use it to plan hikes and to see "drive up" waterfalls near big hikes."
"I like Johnny Molloy books."
"Awesome pictures, descriptions and narratives of the hikes are superb."
"I bough to this copy for my dad now that he has moved to TN."
Best Texas Travel Guides
It was a time before Terlingua Ranch and chili cook-offs, and you could drive a hundred miles without seeing another vehicle or another person. He also writes about the lower Big Bend as it is found now, and what one can still rediscover just over the next rise. An eighth-generation Texan, BEN H. ENGLISH was raised mostly in the Lajitas-Terlingua area.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Yonderings.. had me remembering great times, places, views, and feelings, many times throughout each chapter."
"Reading this book has made me homesick for Sanderson and that entire region of West Texas that I like to call No-Man's Land! With a book that is filled with adventure and with stories from Ben's history, this book is for anyone who is looking for that read that has Texas History mixed in with personal stories of a famous landmark in a part of Texas that isn't talked about much."
"As a child of the Llano Estacado, whose family drove through the Caprock to go just about anywhere else in the state, I've long been fascinated with the mysteries all the mesas, gullies, red dirt and mesquite brush it held. Then, as each chapter unfolds, the reader feels more and more connected with the area and all of its hidden treasures and threats, as well as with the author and his family and friends. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an adventurous nature, and for those who just dream of learning more about this beautiful, wild, surprising State we live in."
"“The untold numbers of forgotten souls who had lived and died within our purview had left no more visible mark upon the land than melted snow at the close of a warm spring day.”. First let me say, finally, there is a nonfiction book that has photos that go with the chapters they represent. He shares the history of the area from Terlingua to the mining operations for uranium, magnesium, cinnabar ore to candelilla wax. After reading English’s book I now want to visit the park again and especially to hike what is considered the most beautiful spot in Texas – the Chisos Basin South Rim trail. I can relate to why English concentrated so much on using topographical maps while hiking that region, as well as overstating in a gentle reminding way that you don’t go off a known path unless you know the area. I was laughing while reading that passage and imagining I was sitting on the hill with the author and that pastor witnessing the stupidity of that particular driver. If you love hiking and being outdoors then this book will take you a journey to parts of the Big Bend region less traveled."
Best Minnesota Travel Guides
With more than 200,000 visitors annually, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is among the most alluring wilderness areas in the country, unique because it is most often explored by canoe. Exploring the Boundary Waters is the most comprehensive trip planner to the BWCAW, giving travelers an overview of each entry point into the wilderness area as well as detailed descriptions of more than one hundred specific routes - including a ranking of their difficulty level and maps that feature the major waterways, portages, and the designated campsites.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Its a great book to pair with the Boundary Waters Canoe Camping book (it has pretty pictures and more info on other things you need to know about the boundary waters besides just the portages)."
"I have entered the BWCAW at several different points and as I read the route descriptions for these areas it was very easy to visualize my trips all over again."
"The one drawback that I did find was that, unless you were actually holding a map of the BWCAW right in front of you while reading, it was hard to figure out where the routes and portages were."
"Fully detailed and even helped even though I've been there before."
"Give many options on which lakes to try."
"Well researched, a little older, but information on planning routes is invaluable."
"Shows the specifics for every route in the BW."
"better than beymer as it contains line drawing mas so you can pick a route or create your own, which is the purpose of these books."
Best Maine Travel Guides
Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. Though the ‘stranger’ in the title is Knight, one closes the book with the sense that Knight, like all seers, is the only sane person in a world gone insane—that modern civilization has made us strangers to ourselves." —Jennifer Senior, The New York Times "Michael Finkel has done something magical with this profound book… [His] investigation runs deep, summoning…the human history of our own attempts to find meaning in a noisy world."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not only is this story of Chris Knight one of the most compelling that I have read in some time, but the lengths that you went to, to research his venture into the woods of Maine, to understand him, to get to know him, clearly better than anyone else has, and to represent him with such dignity, astounds me. While some, especially those whose homes were burgled, might still never understand what would cause a person to want to live in such extreme conditions let alone in solitude, far removed from the ‘regular’ world, after reading the book, while I will never spend a night, let alone an hour in the woods, what drew Knight makes sense to me now. It’s not to say that after reading THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS that every reader will feel compelled to pick up and leave their jobs, families, and the comfort of modern society behind, but it sure does offer food for thought."
"I wanted to read this book as the Maine woods have been a part of my life and I was unfamiliar with this story until I saw this book. I realized from the start that at the core of this story was an important topic I already have been worrying about that I feel American society either is unaware of or is purposefully ignoring: the neuro-atypical person and the challenge of how they will live (not thriving but suffering) in modern America. Knight was content and found peace in living that life until he was caught with the help of sophisticated surveillance equipment while robbing food from a nonprofit camp for disabled children (including kids on the Autism Spectrum). The heartbreaking part of this story is that the suffering that Knight endured was due to square pegs not fitting in the round holes of modern American society, his relief and contendedness was found living in isolation in nature, but this is not really allowed in America, and when possible it's only available to those who are able to financially support themselves due to an inheritance or some income stream that they are lucky to find that meshes with their talents and abilities. But this book provides more food for thought, for me at least, than just Knight's hermit years story. I hope this book is a catalyst for Americans to think about this issue, with the rising rates of Autism and mental illness, we have more people this decade than ever before who are not fitting in with the mandatory American public school system and who are not fitting in to work jobs as adults enough to support themselves independently let alone the issue of if a person is happy or content."
"Many of us dream of secluding from the busyness of modern living—the fast-paced, noisy, cyclical nature in which life has become; yet many of us do not have the courage or tenacity to pursue such a dream, much less achieve this dream for the amount of time that Knight did. On a practical level, Michael Finkel has written this biographical account excellently."
"This was a slow read."
Best Kansas Travel Guides
Three months on the New York Times bestseller list, PrairyErth is now in paperback. "Bill McKibben has called this book "the deepest map anyone ever made of an American place" -- a majestic survey of land and time and people in a single county of the Kansas plains.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Meanwhile, he constructs a multi-layered picture of the middlemost part of the 48 contiguous states of the US that leaves the reader wishing for that much understanding of her own place of origin."
"He is a fantastic author who uses the English language to weave wonderful stories and increase the reader's vocabulary."
"Another terrific, on the road, tour de force, by William Least Heat Moon."
"Enjoy and appreciate Heat-Moon`s work."
"One of my favorite books was Least Heat Moon's Blue Highways, so knew I would like the writing."
"This author is doing what has been called "deep" evocation and analysis of a particular place in time."
"In other words, he has the gift of revealing of the personal effect that the experiences he writes about had on him in a way that includes the reader."
"Some very obvious and frequent oversights in proof reading we're missed in this Kindle version."
Best Delaware Travel Guides
Maryland and Delaware Off the Beaten Path features the things travelers and locals want to see and experience––if only they knew about them. Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for something different, let Maryland and Delaware Off the Beaten Path show you the Old Line and First States you never knew existed.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Some locations need to be updated -- restaurants listed in Havre de Grace which have been closed for more than 7 years."
"Great Christmas present for my brother and sister-in-law who live in Delaware."
"My sister enjoyed getting this book."
"Still reading & making day trip plans!"
"Lots of information."
"Lots to see and do in Pennsylvania's neighbors."
"The book had a lot of information on Maryland, but not much on Delaware."
Best Vermont Travel Guides
Fodor's New England: with the Best Fall Foliage Drives & Scenic Road Trips (Full-color Travel Guide)
Check out Fodor's travel guides to Boston and Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. “Fodor’s is pitched a few notches higher….aimed at a fairly discerning traveler with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise.” – New York Times “The Fodor’s guides are notable for their ratings of sights, restaurants, shops, accommodations and attractions.” – Chicago Tribune.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great product!"
"Just used to follow the foliage on its recommended route."
"This book was complete and very helpful during our trip to New England."
"Bought it for my sister."
"Very informative and well organized."
"Comprehensive guide to towns and attractions."
"An excellent resource for trip planning."
Best Connecticut Travel Guides
Fodor's New England: with the Best Fall Foliage Drives & Scenic Road Trips (Full-color Travel Guide)
Check out Fodor's travel guides to Boston and Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. “Fodor’s is pitched a few notches higher….aimed at a fairly discerning traveler with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise.” – New York Times “The Fodor’s guides are notable for their ratings of sights, restaurants, shops, accommodations and attractions.” – Chicago Tribune.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great product!"
"Just used to follow the foliage on its recommended route."
"This book was complete and very helpful during our trip to New England."
"Bought it for my sister."
"Very informative and well organized."
"Comprehensive guide to towns and attractions."
"An excellent resource for trip planning."
Best New Jersey Travel Guides
A tool you'll turn to before, during, and after your trip, these guides include these helpful features: chapters on lodging, dining, transportation, history, shopping, recreation; a section packed with practical information, such as lists of banks, hospitals, post offices, laundromats, numbers for police, fire, and rescue, and other relevant information; maps of regions and locales; and more. Jen A. Miller , a writer/journalist who specializes in the Jersey Shore, has appeared on TV and radio and in print.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Like many who purchase this book, I'm not new to shore vacationing but have been spending short summer trips there since I was a little girl. To start, the author fills you in on little fascinating details and sidebars that relate to the location's culture, history or both. The room/dining descriptions have a friendly feel, as if a local herself were describing the establishments to you in person, detailing thier pros, cons, and points of interest."
"We travel to Cape May, NJ every year and every year we do the same things, eat at the same restaurants etc."
"This is a good introduction for those new to the New Jersey shore from Atlantic City south to Cape May."
"At first glance, the book seems like a winner: great writing, beautiful layout on a heavyweight paper, and nice graphics."
"As someone who grew up with Lake Michigan beaches as her guide, I had absolutely no idea what was going on "down the shore" when I moved to the Philadelphia 'burbs."
"Fabulous resource!"
"I brought Jen Miller's guide to Wildwood last week for our annual family trip with my in-laws."
"The author's comprehensive knowledge of the area is made more enjoyable by her unabashed love for it."
Best Oregon Travel Guides
Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her. Amazon Best Books of the Month, March 2012: At age 26, following the death of her mother, divorce, and a run of reckless behavior, Cheryl Strayed found herself alone near the foot of the Pacific Crest Trail--inexperienced, over-equipped, and desperate to reclaim her life. While readers looking for adventure or a naturalist's perspective may be distracted by the emotional odyssey at the core of the story, Wild vividly describes the grueling life of the long-distance hiker, the ubiquitous perils of the PCT, and its peculiar community of wanderers. But Strayed doesn't want sympathy, and her confident prose stands on its own, deftly pulling both threads into a story that inhabits a unique riparian zone between wilderness tale and personal-redemption memoir. Two months before Wild was published I stood on a Mexican beach at sunset with my family assisting dozens of baby turtles on their stumbling journey across the sand, then watching as they disappeared into the sea. Echoing the ever-popular search for wilderness salvation by Chris McCandless (Back to the Wild, 2011) and every other modern-day disciple of Thoreau, Strayed tells the story of her emotional devastation after the death of her mother and the weeks she spent hiking the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail. As her family, marriage, and sanity go to pieces, Strayed drifts into spontaneous encounters with other men, to the consternation of her confused husband, and eventually hits rock bottom while shooting up heroin with a new boyfriend. Woefully unprepared (she fails to read about the trail, buy boots that fit, or pack practically), she relies on the kindness and assistance of those she meets along the way, much as McCandless did.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Although I did not hike the PCT I did backpack in Yosemite."
"Cheryl Strayed's memoir of an 1100 miles trek on the Pacific Crest trail is an astonishing story of a spectacular and breathtaking adventure of coming to terms with grief and survival during a difficult trek through snow_clad mountains and thick forests for two months beginning in the Mojave desert and hiking through California and Oregon to the Bridge of Gods in Washington."
"This book is not for everyone, you either seem to love it or hate it, but I loved it."
"The author tells her personal story which includes a lot of her flaws and mistakes. I'm grateful for the author's willingness to share this with enough detail to make the reader understand her state of mind and her experience of events."
"Having hiked, during my long life, on four continents, along trails of varying degrees of intensity, I empathised with every painful step this young, intelligent and courageous woman endured on the extremely challenging Pacific Crest Hiking Trail on the North American continent."
"I am an experienced hiker and Cheryl Strayed was an outdoor person but not a hiker of the type who usually attempts an extreme hike. Her writing is so good that I could envision each part of the trail as she hiked along the PCT."
Best Arkansas Travel Guides
Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Natural State has to offer! Wyatt and Janie Jones are Arkansas natives, whose love of their home state inspired them to write Hiking Arkansas , also published by Globe Pequot Press.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He studies history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, so the product was up his alley."
"Because I grew up in Arkansas, the book is more interesting to me than it probably would be to folks who weren't raised there."
"Lots of great information!"
"this is my third copy...I just keep sharing this great little book!"
"I enjoy reading about Arkansas."
"This told us many interesting things of Arkansas."
"Very fun and interesting reading."
"Fun book!"
Best Indiana Travel Guides
60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Cincinnati covers the best and oftentimes little-known hiking destinations within 60 miles of the greater Cincinnati area. Trails in the guide span Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, offering incredible views, ample wildlife and wildflowers, and a chance to enjoy the simple pleasure of nature. The guide offers key information like: • Hike time and distance. • Difficulty level and hike configuration. • Average trail traffic. • Completely updated maps, GPS coordinates, and park details. • Categories and an at-a-glance rating system for interests such as kid-friendliness, scenery, waterfalls, wildlife, public transit, and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Book's information has thus far been accurate, description of the trails is good and directions to the sites are spot on."
"I got this to give as a Christmas gift for my brother and nephew who live near Cincinnati."
"I love this book!"
"This book has some great suggestions for places to check out but the descriptions and the directions need work. We wound up doing multiple stream crossings (which are tough in January) and walking for 5 hours."
"Very cool book."
"I had no idea there were hiking trails through the woods at Ault Park."
"Excellent resource."
"Great little guide."
Best Montana Travel Guides
Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. User-friendly highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices, emergency information, park seasonality, hiking trail junctions, viewpoints, landscapes, elevations, distances, difficulty levels, and durations Focused on the best - hikes, drives, and cycling tours Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, camping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, summer and winter activities, and hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Contextual insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, geology, wildlife, conservation Over 47 full-color trail and park maps and full-color images throughout Useful features - Travel with Children, Clothing and Equipment, and Day and Overnight Hikes Covers Yellowstone National Park area, Mammoth Country, Roosevelt Country, Canyon Country, Lake Country, Norris, Geyser Country, Bechler Region, Grand Teton National Park area, Jackson and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travelers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Bradley has lectured on Central Asia to the Royal Geographical Society and recently traveled across Asia in the footsteps of Marco Polo for a five-hour French-German TV documentary.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good description, a bit more plentiful in suggest hotels and restaurants than the Canadian one."
"Can't go wrong with Lonely Planet books."
"It helped us hit a bunch of areas in Teton and Yellowstone with only 2 days to do it in."
"Outlines and provides good descriptions and synopses of hikes and activities."
"Very useful and informative."
"informative but paper was cheap so tore easily."
"Reasonably helpful in planning our trip."
"Just what I needed for a trip next year."
Best Illinois Travel Guides
Answering an insistent demand for this guidebook from loyal readers of the Frommer's series, the Chicago residents among our writers have labored hard to capture the unique spirit of this dynamic city that every American must visit at some point of their lives. Before moving to Chicago, she lived in Las Vegas, where she co-authored Pauline Frommer's Guide to Las Vegas and Frommer's Las Vegas Day by Day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And I know the suggestions are good because 1) the things I've done out of this guide have been really fun and/or tasty, and 2) the recommendations from this list actually overlap the recommendations given to me by local friends. Overall, I'm really happy with this guide, and I'd recommend it to people visiting the city for the first time AND to people who've lived here for a year or two but are interested in seeing more of the city."
"If you are going to visit or stay awhile, all the sights, the centers and flavors are represented in clear concise fashion."
"Informative and helpful in the planning process."
"I've been using Frommer's guides for over 20 years and they never fail to disappoint."
"Good guide to Chicago."
"Very concise and well written, especially as regards architectural sites."
"I looked thru the book before I gave it to her and was happy to see that all the places I would recommend were in here."
"We don't automatically like every Frommer's guide, but we really liked this one for Chicago a lot."
Best Nebraska Travel Guides
On May 31, 1935, a storm system surged along the Republican River, bursting its banks in a matter of minutes with a roar that could be heard miles away. She has spent many years compiling the history of the flood, meeting with survivors and traveling along the river to document this exciting chapter in the Republican River's history.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The flood is fascinating as it happened in a part of the country that is considered a dry climate and the weather pattern that caused the flood is extremely rare. Sure, the river has had high water levels since, but nothing like what caused the flood."
"Ms. Hayden did a superb job of recreating the devastation, destruction and despair of the hardy people who inhabited the Republican River Valley."
"This is an amazing story."
"Great history of an area where I grew up south of Idalia, Colorado."
"Great book if you live in the area.I went to the book signing and got the author to sign it and listened to her talk.My family said it was so interesting I had to order 2 more books."
"Great read for such a tragic event -- well researched and written."
"This is a very interesting and well-researched book."
"my mother was a child during this flood."
Best Kentucky Travel Guides
Hiking Kentucky's Red River Gorge is the definitive guide to trails in the Red River Gorge Geologic Area, Natural Bridge State Park, and Clifty Wilderness. Currently, he is an MFA candidate in the Warren Wilson College Program for Writers, and has been awarded writing residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, Montana Artists Refuge, Fishtrap, and the Oregon State University Spring Creek Project.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I highly recommend this book to anyone planning on doing some hiking/camping in the Gorge or surrounding areas such as Natural Bridge."
"This book offers details at every turn, which especially comes in handy during creek crossings when you're deep into the trail system."
"There are several books about hiking in the area, but this one is very clear and has good maps."
"Very clear descriptions of how to get to the trails, what the trails are like and a rating system based on five factors."
"If the maps had been printed on topos, I'd had given 5 stars."
"The coordinates for the trail head were right in this book and we were able to hike in and climb for the day."
"The directions to the trails are exactly accurate and the trail descriptions are wonderful!"
"The absolute best reference guide to the beautiful Red River Gorge, the hidden gem of Kentucky."
Best Ohio Travel Guides
From its 1922 roots with the Slavic-Macedonian immigrant brothers Kiradjieff in a burlesque theater, Cincinnati chili has become a million-dollar industry supporting 250 chili parlors. Cincinnatian Dann Woellert is a member of the Campbell County Historical Society, Norwood Ohio Historical Society and Taft Museum of Art.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you like Cincinnati chili and have at least a passing interest in Cincinnati history, then you will find a lot to like about this book. We are provided with details such as what area of Macedonia each chili pioneer's ancestor lived in, where the pioneer lived in Cincinnati in each stage of his career (often down to the specific street address), and other extraneous facts."
"This book is a wonderful read about the many families who started the chili craving in Cincinnati."
"We formerly lived in Cincinnati and, of course, loved Cincinnati Chili."
"Overall a fast and interesting read about one of the things that makes Cincinnati unique."
"This book told the compelling history."
"While I have not tried all of the parlors mentioned, I grew up with the development of Cincinnati Chili starting in 1948 and remember many of the locations included."
"The book is interesting - a lovely tour of the Cincy chili industry."
"Ironic that while stationed in "paradise"- he longs for his own home paradise of a familiar chili parlor."
Best Iowa Travel Guides
Leaving out the traditional scenic trips to the Mississippi River bluffs and the Amana Colonies, this guide will take the adventurous traveler to the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk, the home of the "Lonely Goat Herder" marionettes from The Sound of Music , and the world's largest Cheeto. The Daily Nonpareil Jerome Pohlen is the author of the Oddball series and a regular travel commentator for 848 on WBEZ, the Chicago affiliate of National Public Radio.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I bought this book for my recent foray down to Des Moines for a conference. On the way home, I took a cornfield tour guided by Jerome Pohlen's fun book."
"...not enough to actually visit but that really is one of the attractions of the book--you can appreciate the sights without having to experience the hot humid weather, lack of any cuisine expect red meat and bud, etc."
"Interesting read; great condition."
"If we get tired of historical sightseeing, this book will be helpful in guiding us to the World's Largest Cheeto."
"Not quite as good as the other oddball books, but still a fun, quirky read."
"Great book."
"Great book for exploring some unknowns."
"The person I gave this too absolutely loved it!"
Best Utah Travel Guides
Featuring 32 amazing road trips, from two-day escapes to two-week adventures, you can cruise historic Route 66 or be captivated by red-hued rock formations, all with your trusted travel companion. Lavish color and gorgeous photography throughout Itineraries and planning advice to pick the right tailored routes for your needs and interests Get around easily - 116 easy-to-read, full-color route maps, detailed directions Insider tips to get around like a local, avoid trouble spots and be safe on the road - local driving rules, parking, toll roads Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Useful features - including Stretch Your Legs, Detours, and Link Your Trip Covers Route 66, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Arizona deserts, Phoenix, Santa Fe, New Mexico's Enchanted Circle, Texas Hill Country, Big Bend, Austin, San Antonio, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Monument Valley, Moab, Utah, Denver and more. Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet, Amy C Balfour, Michael Benanav, Greg Benchwick, Lisa Dunford, Mariella Krause, Carolyn McCarthy and Ryan Ver Berkmoes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What a great collection of road trip ideas: really well done!"
"Great for my road-trip to the Grand Canyon."
"Perfect purchase!"
"THIS BOOK IS THE BEST."
"This and its companion "Southwest USA" were quite handy in Arizona."
"have travelled all over the world with Lonely Planet Guide Books."
"This book is put together in a way that makes it hard to customize and somewhat unwieldy."
Best Alaska Travel Guides
Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and , unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Digging deeply, he takes an inherently compelling mystery and unravels the larger riddles it holds: the profound pull of the American wilderness on our imagination; the allure of high-risk activities to young men of a certain cast of mind; the complex, charged bond between fathers and sons. Krakauer brings McCandless's uncompromising pilgrimage out of the shadows, and the peril, adversity , and renunciation sought by this enigmatic young man are illuminated with a rare understanding--and not an ounce of sentimentality. Noted outdoor writer and mountaineer Jon Krakauer tackles that question in his reporting on Chris McCandless, whose emaciated body was found in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness in 1992. After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska, where he went to live in the wilderness.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Starving to death must not be a very pleasant experience, I know people who do all sorts of crimes and face dangerous situations, degrade their life, just to avoid having an empty stomach. Aren't we all at times tempted to leave everything and head for the secluded mountains and forests in search for inner peace and to find the answers to those hard questions of life, the truth of why we are living. in early years of 1990's when he was started hitchhiking after his graduation, to find the answers to his inner questions, I too was facing extremely difficult situations and from early childhood the question of finding the ultimate truth of life is the one repeating itself in my mind 24x7."
"I have to admit that the only reason I read this book was due to a request by my daughter who had to read it as part of her 11th reading assignment."
"The premise itself is fascinating- putting together the pieces of a man who disappeared from his upper-middle class home and moved out West with the goal of living off the land in Alaska. McCandless eventually finds his way to Alaska and dies (this is no spoiler, folks) alone in a bus, cause of death likely from starvation (or from consuming moldy seeds). This part really frustrates me; I understand not wanting to form attachment to material goods and to truly get in touch with the land, but unless you're a trained naturalist or a super hardcore Boy Scout it's a mistake. He leaves a family behind that is desperate with worry, including a sister he is especially close to (I found myself getting really angry and upset picturing my younger brother doing something like this)."
"He's taken a sad story and effectively drawn us into the world of Chris McCandless. There's no tidy ending, no clear lessons learned, and we're left with the debate about the scientific causes to a tragic ending."
"I applaud the author for all his hard work and dedication to bring the facts of Chris' life together."
Best Nevada Travel Guides
Featuring 32 amazing road trips, from two-day escapes to two-week adventures, you can cruise historic Route 66 or be captivated by red-hued rock formations, all with your trusted travel companion. Lavish color and gorgeous photography throughout Itineraries and planning advice to pick the right tailored routes for your needs and interests Get around easily - 116 easy-to-read, full-color route maps, detailed directions Insider tips to get around like a local, avoid trouble spots and be safe on the road - local driving rules, parking, toll roads Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Useful features - including Stretch Your Legs, Detours, and Link Your Trip Covers Route 66, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Arizona deserts, Phoenix, Santa Fe, New Mexico's Enchanted Circle, Texas Hill Country, Big Bend, Austin, San Antonio, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Monument Valley, Moab, Utah, Denver and more. Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet, Amy C Balfour, Michael Benanav, Greg Benchwick, Lisa Dunford, Mariella Krause, Carolyn McCarthy and Ryan Ver Berkmoes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What a great collection of road trip ideas: really well done!"
"Great for my road-trip to the Grand Canyon."
"Perfect purchase!"
"THIS BOOK IS THE BEST."
"This and its companion "Southwest USA" were quite handy in Arizona."
"have travelled all over the world with Lonely Planet Guide Books."
"This book is put together in a way that makes it hard to customize and somewhat unwieldy."
Best Wisconsin Travel Guides
This interactive field guide features 111 species of Wisconsin birds organized by color. Naturalist, wildlife photographer and writer Stan Tekiela is the author of more than 175 field guides, nature books, children’s books, wildlife audio CDs, puzzles and playing cards, presenting many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, trees, wildflowers and cacti in the United States.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I just love this little book!"
"Brand new condition book, fast shipping..."
"It also provides all the pertinent information about the bird regarding the size, migration route, feeding and nesting patterns, etc."
"I have used this book for years."
"We'd all look out the window and keep asking each other, "What's that white and black one with the red on its head?" My son is going for his Naturalist badge in Cub Scouts, and one of the things he can do for the badge is keep a log of birds he sees for a week. I got out the Birds of Wisconsin Field Guide, which I'd bought awhile back, thinking that owning it would teach me birds' names by osmosis (it didn't). The pages are color coded, so if you flip to the red part you find birds that are primarily red, the gray part has birds that are primarily gray, and so on."
"This is an ideal quick reference book for those that would like to identify the birds in the backyard."
"This is a great little book!"
"Nice but maybe more of a pic book needed if you are s novice."
Best Pennsylvania Travel Guides
This two-color book includes succinct descriptions of each trail from start to finish, plus at-a-glance summary information indicating permitted uses, surface type, length, and directions to trailheads for each trail.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a "must have" resource for learning the terrain, the difficulty level of the trail, the composition of the trail (so that you can determine the proper bike to use), the length of the trail (extremely important if you are new to biking), and other great information about the local area where the bike route is located."
"nice book for our local trails."
"Well designed book for the walker, runner, and Biker."
"Great book."
"I bought this in hopes of learning more about trails that I could bike on since I avoid riding on roads with cars and motor traffic."
"Really enjoying reading through this guide."
"Nice addictionto a bikers travels.This book showals times,elavation,andfresh water spots.Affordable and easy to read,yet packed full of info you did not know.Well worth the buck."
"Gave it as a gift to my husband and he has been enjoying it so far, planning out trips for us this biking season, says the book has been a useful tool for this."
Best Georgia Travel Guides
From her years as a spirited, secretive child, through her university studies—a period of exquisite freedom that imbued her with a profound appreciation of friendship and a love of travel—to her escape to a new life in California, Mayes exuberantly recreates the intense relationships of her past, recounting the bitter and sweet stories of her complicated family: her beautiful yet fragile mother, Frankye; her unpredictable father, Garbert; Daddy Jack, whose life Garbert saved; grandmother Mother Mayes; and the family maid, Frances’s confidant Willie Bell. Her “southern memoir” is a tale straight out of Faulkner, rife with episodes of dissipation and disillusion, parents who loved and fought with equally wild abandon, and ancestors with names like Big Mama and Daddy Jack. But she and her husband were sufficiently compelled to relocate from Northern California to North Carolina, settling in a university town with a far enough remove to allow her an objective distance from which to analyze the signature episodes of her childhood. With her trademark skill for capturing the essence of place and time, Mayes candidly reveals a youth riddled with psychological abuse and parental neglect that, nevertheless, ignited a fiery passion for adventure and self-discovery. “With perfect-pitch language, Mayes unblinkingly describes her growing-up years… One can almost taste the mushiness of ‘a pot of once-green beans falling apart in salt pork’; one can almost smell the cloying scent of honeysuckle, gardenias and overripe peaches that infuse the always-too-humid air.”– USAToday.com “Just the right balance of humor, irony and tragedy. “ Under Magnolia is a gorgeous, dreamy remembrance of hot Southern afternoons, mothers in red lipstick and Shalimar, Elvis turned up loud to cover up the family troubles that ran deep. In her new southern memoir, Under Magnolia , Frances Mayes describes the birth of her extraordinary sensibility, the deep-pooled clarity of her writing, her giddy love of nature, and her sharp and satirical eye for those who brought her up to honorable womanhood in the tortured South of her girlhood. “No one could have invented a more combustible, joy-starved pair of glam and oblivious parents or a more incandescent child to dive into the blue ruins, explore the sealed-off passages, blacked-out dreams and neglected outlets by the beams of her own incredulous eyes; then break the surface a smart-mouthed, truth-seeing sensualist, fully in attendance to the vibratory moment. The deft framing, the exacting word picks, apposite references, high speed wit, singled out synecdoches of a life; the cadence, phrasing, and pulse of a muted Georgian accent are all signature to the prose and poetry, stove-tops and passport stamps of Frances Mayes. Frances Mayes, a petite, brainy beauty from what we used to call politely 'a troubled home' has written an unnervingly honest and refreshingly open account of how a child can be neglected even amid privilege and a large family...
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The author has painted a word portrait so vivid that the reader feels as if he/she has had an extended visit to the places she describes. Lee Smith makes the reader"know Appalachia while Mayes lets the reader know the South."
"While on a book tour stopover in Oxford, Mississippi (home of the University of Mississippi, William Faulkner, and ground zero for the Southern Gothic literary genre), Ms. Mayes takes a stroll through the grounds of the unoccupied Faulkner home and becomes inspired to leave her Tuscan and California lives behind and return to her roots in the southeastern US. Ms. Mayes grew up in Fitzgerald, GA, which gives her an opportunity to revel in all the typical southern literary conventions."
"If you did read it, now is the time to follow Frances Mayes from California back to the south."
"So that is why this book was interesting to me, as I recognized a lot of the people she mentioned in the book (although she misspelled my aunt's name when she was mentioning the matchbooks!)."
"It's like a trip into my own past, but with the beautiful poetry and prose of Frances Mayes."
"Thinking about it now, I think it's a connection to a simpler time that I feel, the kind of life Mayes describes was the life of America's small towns and incipient suburbs of the 1950s. The main differences that I noted were Mayes' emphases on the outdoor life of a Southern girl, the heady atmosphere of Fitzgerald-- the smells of flowers, bushes, rain and river that permeated Mayes' being."
Best Idaho Travel Guides
In these accounts, written with sensitivity as cautionary tales about what to do and what not to do in one of our wildest national parks, Whittlesey recounts deaths ranging from tragedy to folly—from being caught in a freak avalanche to the goring of a photographer who just got a little too close to a bison. Behind the gripping adventure, drama, and heartbreak of the stories told in this uniquely authoritative book are deep lessons—not only in personal responsibility but in the role of national parks in our society. Lee Whittlesey's compelling study of Yellowstone fatalities wisely reminds us of both the price and the pricelessness of protecting wild nature. While guides may wish to discuss the role of wolves or forest fires in a wilderness ecosystem, their passengers too often just want stories of the misfortune of their fellow travelers—and this is the seminal work on the subject. The sheer weight of new material added to bring this second edition up-to-date is a clear indication that the Yellowstone landscape continues to demand both our awe and our respect.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Covering over 300 deaths since the 1800s, Death in Yellowstone ranges from drownings to bear maulings to burns in hot springs to murders to Native American attacks to poisonous plants to carbon monoxide to runaway coaches."
"By minding the rules, being cautious and using common sense, we can still enjoy these parks and live to tell about it."
"If you have ever been to Yellowstone, this is MUST read!"
"But if you're a fan of Yellowstone, I highly recommend the book for all the stories of deaths that are unique to Yellowstone."
"The author does a great job of explaining the intricacies of each incident when details are available, and uses his great personal knowledge of the park to help the reader understand how and why these incidents occurred."
"This book is so well written and researched."
"There are signs all over the park and lots of reading material the park officials give people so I was interested to see how many people achieved death in the park and by what methods."
"Seen this at Yellowstone this year, wife said she had to have it!"
Best Missouri Travel Guides
With new hikes and updated text and maps, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: St. Louis points hikers to the best outdoor trails and rambles within easy reach of the city. Using clear and entertaining narrative, "60 Hikes within 60 Miles: ""St. Louis" eliminates doubts about where to hike and what to expect when you get to the trailhead. Choose among short and long hikes, hikes for children, hikes for dogs, hikes for wildflowers and for waterfalls, historic and scenic hikes, and many others. Trail Descriptions allow you to assess each trail before you hike it. Detailed Trail Maps provide you with accurate trail information. Trail Profiles help you visualize altitude gain and loss. Directions and GPS coordinates lead you to the trailheads. Whether you live in St. Louis, St. Peters, Washington, or Sullivan, "60 Hikes within 60 Miles: St. Louis" provides you with the information you need to choose the perfect day hike in your area, including trail lengths, hiking times, and trail difficulty.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I like how the trails are organized and separated with categories and that some trails can fall into several categories."
"Directions listed to get to the trailheads, parks, natural areas and conservation areas are accurate. I like to make notes after I hike a trail or an area, so I do wish there was a blank page or two included with each chapter so that trail and area notes could be made. In addition, when the book is updated, it would be great to have a website or something online linked to the book."
"We have used the older version of this book many times over the years."
"Fun book to find places to hike."
"All of the important facts that would keep you on the trail are true, but the trails were a lot easier to follow than suggested, and some of the scenery points did not exist?"
"We go hiking all over missouri, and this book has shown us several new and cool places."
"I read the write-up on the hike I've been doing for 16 years."
"The author does a good job outlining the difficulty of trails and things to look out for."
Best New York Travel Guides
Written by native son who has lived through some of New York City's most historic moments, Downtown is an extraordinary celebration of the magnificent, haunted place that Hamill continues to call home, and that people from all over the country and the world have come to call their own. However, his gruff, seen-it-all voice, filled alternately with wonder at the beauty of a building, disdain for modern trends and indignation at how some worthy historical character has been forgotten, is that of a wise older relative revealing the true past of a place he loves. Hamill is an excellent novelist (see in particular Snow in August, 1997), but in his latest book, he wears his hat as one of the last of the old-time newspapermen whose life and work simply define New York City. As he escorts readers around the island of Manhattan, he takes heavy glances back into history--insisting that New Yorkers constantly experience "aching nostalgia"--as he not so much classifies but revels in the distinctions of NYC both as a "concrete place and as an idea."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Incidentally, that encyclopedia comes in an ibook and I often check for more information when hiking around NYC or when reading a hard copy book like Hamill's -- an essential companion while exploring this fantastic city."
"Hamill has spent most of his life here and is so convincing in this telling that you would think he was actually here in previous centuries."
"PH loves NY, and especially Manhattan - warts and all, and all its' stories of the people who have lived there from the earliest days until now."
"Downtown. New York is such a remarkable city with such a great history. Born and raised in Brooklyn, journalist/writer Hamill, in his simple yet poetic style chronicles the life and times of Manhattan, the city he loves and in which he has spent his life. Harlem is downtown although it is far uptown (and Hamill does not feel competent to write about it in detail not having neither lived in it nor absorbed its essence as the rest of the city). New York's history is as old as the history of the New World. As the City expanded northward with the passage of time, so Hamill expands his narrative northward, explaining how the "Knickerbockers", the offspring of the unions of old Dutch and English, moved northwards into elegant houses on fifth avenue outside the increasingly teeming streets of downtown. And this is the ongoing theme of the book as Hamill describes the growth of the dangerous neighborhoods of the Five Points and later the Tenderloin, precursors of the Forty Second street/times square district that would threaten the city in the seventies and eighties and the other neighborhoods that developed, Greenwich Village, The Flat Iron district, the lower west side that is today called Tribeca."
"Mr. Hamill's "Downtown: My Manhattan" makes me want to make another trip to this great city."
"The history of New York City, particularly downtown is fascinating."
"Good book."
"As a fan of NYC, I read this first on my Kindle."
Best Wyoming Travel Guides
Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. User-friendly highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices, emergency information, park seasonality, hiking trail junctions, viewpoints, landscapes, elevations, distances, difficulty levels, and durations Focused on the best - hikes, drives, and cycling tours Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, camping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, summer and winter activities, and hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Contextual insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, geology, wildlife, conservation Over 47 full-color trail and park maps and full-color images throughout Useful features - Travel with Children, Clothing and Equipment, and Day and Overnight Hikes Covers Yellowstone National Park area, Mammoth Country, Roosevelt Country, Canyon Country, Lake Country, Norris, Geyser Country, Bechler Region, Grand Teton National Park area, Jackson and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travelers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Bradley has lectured on Central Asia to the Royal Geographical Society and recently traveled across Asia in the footsteps of Marco Polo for a five-hour French-German TV documentary.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good description, a bit more plentiful in suggest hotels and restaurants than the Canadian one."
"Can't go wrong with Lonely Planet books."
"It helped us hit a bunch of areas in Teton and Yellowstone with only 2 days to do it in."
"Outlines and provides good descriptions and synopses of hikes and activities."
"informative but paper was cheap so tore easily."
"Reasonably helpful in planning our trip."
"Just what I needed for a trip next year."
"My husband LOVES this book!"
Best Arizona Travel Guides
Easy, moderate and difficult routes are color coded, while symbols quickly show kinds of vehicles allowed on each trail. A separate mileage log ties numbered locations along the route to a custom map featuring a detailed relief background.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I used this one to find some really cool places in SW Arizona."
"I love this guide."
"Great for planning and routing."
"We will also take along our Co. and Utah books as we plan on swing back up that way for a few days before heading home."
"Very nice book with spiral binding makes it easy to lay open for use."
"You will find tons of cool trails, descriptions and directions with GPS coordinates from start and finish."
"Absolutely love this book!"
"I'm not a daring off-roader (can't afford to break the equipment), these books make it very clear which trails I should explore and which I should avoid."
Best Virginia Travel Guides
The majority of the photographs have been donated by individuals to ensure that history does not lose these significant personalities, past or present, who left an imprint on their community. Carole L. Herrick writes for publications in the Washington, DC, area and has authored seven books, including Images of America: McLean.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent!"