Where was this book when my kids were smaller?! This is the resource I wish I'd had then. Every parent, or anyone who spends time with kids, should have one. It's complete, fun, and indispensable.

Ever wondered where to go, with or without kids, for fun in the greater South SF BAy area (San Jose / Santa Clara region, 5 counties)? This handy little book has all the answers: attractions, sports & rec, parks etc., music, b'day party ideas, beaches, free & rainy day activities...you name it! The perfect resource for teachers, GS leaders (field trips), parents, grandparents (got the kids for the weekend?), etc...anyone who likes to explore and have fun. It even tells you if you need special clothing, or reservations, or water bottles...they've thought of everything

If you're looking for a spectacular coffee table book that's also a great read, this is it!

C.J. and Edna Elfont - a husband-wife team of amazing talent - have combined their uniquely complementary skills to create a truly unique creation in Sand Dunes of the Great Lakes. What makes this book special is that it's a spirit-inspiring BLEND of the photographic art with the literary art. C.J. is the photographer; Edna is the writer.

The book's 144 pages contains a breath-taking photo on nearly every page. And these aren't your usual postcard pictures of sunrises and sunsets. They're truly art. Each one grabs your attention and dazzles your imagination, and makes you wonder "How in the world did they see that ... and capture it on film?"

The photography alone makes this an awesome piece. But the addition of the poetry and prose elevates it to the sublime. Amazingly, the prose explains the geo-scientific origins of the sand dunes through the eye of the artist. ("The masses of moving iced filled once green valleys, seeking the paths of least resistance. As the glaciers moved, they scraped and scoured the earth, trapping rocks, soil and anything else in their path.")

But what ultimately takes this book into a realm of its own is the poetry. I loved it. Appearing here and there are beautiful five-line poems (known as cinquain poetry). Each one pertains to an adjacent photo. I found that first I gazed at the photo, marveling at its beauty, then read the poem next to it, and, finally, went back to the photo to see it in a whole new light and appreciation. This book isn't just photos combined with prose and poems, it is - believe it or not - artistic SYNERGY!

In short, this book is a unique, awe-inspiring blending of photographic and literary art that depicts and explains an aspect of our natural, environmental heritage in a way never before done. You won't be disappointed.

It is that. The photography by CJ Elfont is technically superior, vivid and dramatic, ranging in subject from the grand vistas of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park to the intimate closeup of a Pink Lady's Slipper. The photos give a sense of the distinctness of each of the dunes and their environments all along the western coast of Michigan.

But it is more than a visually stunning book; it is also very informative. Edna Elfont's text takes the reader through the geologic history of the formation of the dunes, the forces that constantly shift the sands, and their flora and fauna. My favorite section is "Then There Was Sand," a wonderful essay on the uniqueness of the Great Lakes granite sand, and its qualities: "Unlike the qypsum sand of White Sands, New Mexico or the calcite sand in Bermuda, the sand of the Great Lakes coastal dunes slips through one's fingers like granulated silk." p. 37

It is clear that this couple has a deep love for the dunes and the nicely matched skills to articulate them verbally and visually.

Although the book is said to have been printed from camera-ready copy that I supplied, the copy editor took it upon himself to alter the text without having the courtesy of consulting me. In so doing, the paragraphing of the opening chapter was altered from that of Fouque's original text, and several errors were introduced into my annotations. It is regrettable to see these defects in a book to which I devoted eight years of conscientious effort. Apart from this, I hope that the book does credit to Fouque and his long-neglected contributions to geology and archeology.

In 1866-1870, Georgios volcano on Santorini had a series of eruptions that attracted many visitors and scientists. Several eye-witness accounts of the spectacular events were written, but two of them were outstanding, one by Jules Verne and another by Ferdinand Fouque. While Verne described in his science fiction novel how Captain Nemo and his crew witnessed the spectacular eruptions in the middle of Santorini caldera, Fouque wrote a scientific book entitled "Santorini et ses eruptions". Both books became famous. While Verne's book turned out to be a best seller and was translated into many languages, Fouque's book was never such a success because only 800 copies were printed and the many illustrations made it expensive. As a result, many geologists and archeologists have cited the book, but only a few have read the text. Now after more than 120 years this classic has been translated into English. The translator, a leading scientist in volcanology himself, Alexander McBirney of the University of Oregon, has given us a readable text that preserves the style and spirit of the original. His annotations inform the reader about later work and things that have changed since 1879. He has also added a short biographical sketch of Fouque, a doctor of medicine who became interested in volcanoes and was a pioneer in many fields, including the analysis of volcanic minerals and gases. McBirney brings the reader an update on the geological development of Snatorini since the appearance of the original French text. The book comes with the modern geological map of Santorini by Pichler and Kussmaul. Altogether, the combination of Fouque's science, the translator's scholarship, and the publisher's craftsmanship make this one of the best books about volcanoes and the archeology of Santorini ever written.

Fantastic (and very accurate) accounts of his encounters with the local folk and descriptions of the places he passed through on his journey. Made for a racey, entertaining and somewhat exotic read. Alot of first hand information for anyone thinking of travelling through Guyana indeed!

I want Marc Herman to be my travel guide, whenever I sit back in my armchair -- or whenever I enter a new land. His easygoing style is seductive, but the energy of his insight into the culture is what makes him so appealing.

How can a country so full of gold have so many problems? Journey with Marc and find out; and have a blast along the way.

Sedona is one of those places on earth that when you visit, you are touched by its ever changing beauty forever. This lovely offering is filled with spectacular photographs and natural history, recreation and historical information. Having visited Sedona many times, this book truly captures the essence of this unique piece of landscape that attracts so many people for its beauty, its mystical power and its outdoor activities. Northland Publishing has produced a "coffee table type book" without the often lofty ivestment expense. If you have ever made a pilgrimage to Sedona or long to visit, this is the book that you must have in your home library. Truly, a beautiful book.

This book is a must-have for every visitor to the Red Rock Country, resident, or lover of the majesty of this area. For $$$$$ this book is definitely the best deal out there! The full page, color photos are spectacular and the writing is intriguing. This is a memento of Sedona that will take you back to the beauty of this magical place no matter how far away you are.

This book must be added to your collection if you are a true student of the Shakleton story. It combines the best of all the books (picture books, biographies, and personal accounts) out there with beautiful photographs in the tradition of National Geographic and the color shots truly enliven the original black and whites from the expedition. The maps are outstanding and there are reproductions of pages from Shackleton's and Hurley's diaries.
I haven't really found a book on the Shackleton story that is horribley bad. Maybe the story is so inspiring it tells itself. Trapped by The Ice, the picture book for kids by Michael McCurdy, is the worst example I know and I still like that for the rendering of the sea leopard leaping at Ordes-Lee, the officer in charge of food supplies. There are better children's books, Sea of Ice, by Monica Kulling, a fairly easy read for upper elementary students with beautiful watercolors, Trial By Ice, by K. M. Kostyal, a photobiography of Shackleton, Ice Story for middle school students, with black and white photographs and a magnificent large picture book with paintings and photographs, Spirit of Endurance, by Jennifer Armstrong. Get them all!

The major events of the ill-fated voyage of Sir Ernest Shakelton's attempt to cross Antarctica are well known. However, what most do not know or understand is the depth and breadth of this extraordinary man. Shackleton was not only a bonified explorer, more importantly he was a noble leader.

"Leaders do not force their fellow citizens to follow, they inspire them to do so."

If there is one thing to learn from this book, it is the true meaning of leadership and how important willing-loyalty is to our basic survival. Seen in the face of unimaginable odds, they survived - and they survived in whole: worn and frazzled from nearly 2 years of struggle, they were rescued mentaly tough and spiritually whole. In no small part, this was due to the quality of leadership demonstrated by Shackleton: it was embraced and reflected in his men.

It is amazing, this entity we call 'the human spirit'. If trained - but, not broken - like a fine horse, it has great wonders to show and is a true beauty to behold. Such are the many lessons learned from the tales of this "Endurance" voyage: did anyone ever wonder about the naming of that ship? What started out as a championing exploration, became a struggle with life itself to survive.

Likewise, what most will perceive as an "interesting read", will soon become an invaluable source for life-guiding principles. Get the book - read it - and put these incalculably precious lessons into practice in your own life. You never know when you'll need the endurance.

Thourough account of shamanism in the Ojibwe society, but applicable to the phenomenon as a whole. A great researcher, Mr. Grim provides perspectives from other areas of the world such as Siberia to exhibit similarities of human experience both in the shamanic realm and in the human psyche.

The author wisely places the practices of shamanism within the cultural context. At no point does the author make the mistake of reducing the shamanic practices to deities and such but correctly emphasizes the "forces" and movements of nature of which the shaman is an "expression." Excellent read for anyone generally interested in shamanism or specifically in the Ojibwe practices of the Mide society.

My Husband and I visited Houston, San Antonio & Austin, we only had a couple of weeks in which to fit in as much as we could. This book was a brilliant way to get the most from a short time. It helped us to enjoy our visit to the full. We hope to visit more of the USA and shall certainly use this type of book again.

I really enjoyed using Day Trips from San Antonio and Austin to plan several recent weekend excursions. I found the book very helpful and used it to plan a trip to Corpus Christi and another to the Hill Country. Even though I have lived in this area for over 20 years, I found many hidden treasures thanks to this guide!

This book is like medicine. It is the kind of book you want when you come home after a busy day. When you begin to read it you will feel how you start to relax and forget the world around you. It is a quiet novel and the characters are quiet as well. The author thought about the plot and clearly loves her characters. A brilliant read.

I would like to thank Elizabeth Latham for this wonderful book. I read it at a time when I was experiencing a lot of strain and felt depressed and overworked. This book was better than any medicine you might want to take in such a situation. It is so soothing and makes you feel better immediately. You will become absorbed in the wonderful style very quickly and notice how your body starts to relax. Although the story may sometimes seem a little sad, the ending is great and you will want to go on and on forever. Simply a masterpiece and highly recommendable.

I found myself laughing while reading this book, and crying, at times, too. Jean has a style of writing that makes the reader feel like he/she's there. The people come to life, and you find yourself living with them in the Kentucky Cumberlands. I don't think I've ever even been there, and this book made me homesick.

Of course, if you're looking for crime and action, this isn't the book for you. This book is about 'down home' living when chores were really chores and food was home grown. In ways, it was a simpler kind of life, but in other ways, it was a lot harder.

You won't find this information in a history book. History books always put a tint on the past, leaving out peoples' mistakes and their imperfections. This is a real family story told by a real family person. It's evident that the two most important things in the writer's life were her family and their musical life together.

On a different level, I can't tell you, as an amateur genealogist, how valuable this book is to me. Every page has stories about the people who grew up in the time and place of my kin, many of them even mentioned by name. The next time I read it, I will be gleaning information for my tree! And this is one of the few books that I will read again and again.

Good job, Jean Ritchie. Thank you for bringing the Cumberlands of Kentucky to life for your readers.

The book is absolutely beautiful. It makes Jean Ritchie's songs more relevant, to read the words and the stories she associates with them. The mention of mining in the last chapter saddens me because I know what happened to all such communitites when the coal ran out. The book is beautiful.