Travel Books

The seller was very understanding when I purchsed the incorrect book and gave me a full refund. The book was sent in a timely matter despite my mispurchase.

There are 2 parts to this book. Part 1 is awesome! It is a great story of 2 men hiking part of the Appalachian Trail and the ups and downs they had doing it. It's funny, witty and well written. Part 2 however lags a bit. The author drives part of the trail and walk parts of it in day trips, not nearly as exciting as part 1. The only thing in my opinion that save part 2 is the history and facts the author talks about. Especially about Pennsylvania and the Delaware Water Gap. Overall I gave it 4 stars. It could have been so much better if he hiked the whole thing, but overall was still a very good read.

I had a long history as a streetwalker. Yes, a streetwalker. But, I never had even spent the night outdoors. However, when I read Bill Bryson's book I immediately decided I wanted to thru-hike the entire 2,175 mile trail.

There is a lot of criticism on the AT about Bryson's book, but one thing is undeniable. With his mass following and inimitable humor, he inspired legions of previous hiking virgins to attempt the AT. And that can only be good, as this mountainous wilderness trail holds wonders that your average American can only dream about. I definitely rate it as one of the top experiences in my life.

Better yet, it inspired me to write a book myself, called Skywalker. There is only one Bill Bryson when it comes to writing. However, it was easy to dissect his success. He wrote a book that appealed to the non-hiker, as much as the hiker. Further, he avoided the plague of so many trail narratives that get trapped in the day-to-day diary format, written by experts, for other experts, in a narrow "hikerese." Rather, he told a tale that is at once earthy, serious, lighthearted, but informative.

It may not be a classic, but it has increased the population of hikers on the AT, and in this day and age of anxiety and hyper-materialism that can only be to the good.

Skywalker '05 author Skywalker--Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail billwalker52@hotmail.com

This book is hilarious!

Bryson's sense of humor and his sense of adventure is very funny. Even a couch potato would love this book.

My husband and I plan to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2010, and I bought this book as research for our hike. I couldn't put the book down!

This is actually a review of two books, one old and one new. Both are nonfiction, and both are intended for grown-ups. There's nothing in them that kids will find objectionable, but they may find them boring. I found them to be funny, poignant at times, and thought-provoking.

The first is called A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson, published in 1997. The second is called Scout's Honor, by Peter Applebome, published in 2003. Bryson is a writer and journalist who decided to walk the Appalachian Trail at around age 50, and Walk is the story of his adventures on the AT. Applebome is a writer and a journalist who decided to become a Boy Scout dad at around age 50, and Honor is the story of his adventures with his son's Boy Scout troop and with Scouting in general.

I read Walk several years ago, and just discovered Honor last week. Reading Honor reminded me of Walk, so much so that I couldn't review the former without talking about the latter.

Bryson and a friend decided, almost on a lark, to hike the AT which they had heard so much about, but Bryson was so inexperienced a hiker that he couldn't tell a Nalgene from a North Face. In fact, his introduction to backpacking and hiking occurred in a sporting goods store. He and his friend started at the southern end of the AT, in Georgia, on a snowy autumn day, and ended, with a few breaks, at the northern end in Maine several years later.

Bryson's writing is self-deprecating and intentionally funny. He plays for laughs, and he gets them. By poking fun at himself, he gives himself license to give all the other characters on the trail the same treatment he gives himself in his writing. The book is funny throughout. But just as Mark Twain and Will Rogers gave us lots of food for thought in the middle of their humor, so Bryson writes a series of thoughtful essays between the lines of his funny stories: lessons about people's character and behavior, about greed and status, about environmental awareness and social responsibility, and about what Thoreau called "the need for wilderness" or something like that. (Yes, Thoreau talked about it before John Muir did.)

When you finish Bryson's book, you will be as satisfied with the conclusion as he was with the end of the hike. You may also come away with a renewed appreciation for wild places and with an awareness of the personality flaws that make you similar to the characters Bryson writes about. It's definitely a book I would read again.

Applebome, like Bryson, knew nothing about hiking, camping and backpacking, until he moved his family from Atlanta to Chappaqua, New York, and his son wanted to join the Boy Scouts. He was reluctant to get into the hiking and the canoeing, the knot-tying and the sleeping outside on the hard ground surrounded by rain, snow, wind and critters. He had hoped that his son would express an interest in Little League baseball instead, but, wishing to score some Good Dad points with his son, he went along with him to the Boy Scout meetings and outings.

Even before he started, Applebome had anti-Boy-Scout leanings -- but as he became more involved with his son's troop, that changed. Interweaved with the funny and poignant story of his own adventures with his son's troop, Applebome tells a balanced, thoughtful, well-researched and honest story about the history of Scouting and its founders, its awkward attempts to adapt to social change, and the recent controversies surrounding it. The book isn't all narrative -- it includes a lot of reporting, exposition and editorializing -- but it's definitely worth reading.

Applebome comes the end of his book grateful for having been able to share the experience with his son, the troop leaders, and the other Scouts and their dads. He himself grows considerably through his experiences, and he faces a huge crisis of conscience when the Boy Scouts win the Supreme Court judgement in their favor with respect to gays in Scouting. The crisis of conscience occurs because he feels that the corporate organization that is the Boy Scouts of America is dead wrong on at least one of the "three G" issues (gays, God, and girls) and not faithful to the wishes of Scouting's founders, and yet he sees that the local organizations of Scouting, the councils and troops, are a powerful force for good in their communities and are getting a raw deal by both BSA headquarters and the left-wing liberals who get all over Scouting's case because of the three Gs.

Being a reporter and a problem-solver at heart, he takes a long, hard look at what Scouting could be (and should be), compares it to what it is, and makes several really good recommendations for fixing Scouting. One of the most interesting things he says is that the Scout Oath and the Scout Law, the moral foundations for Scouting (in the U.S.A.), are rock-solid and it woud be a very good thing if all boys (and men!) lived by those tenets. He also says (either himself, or quoting someone) that the Boy Scout Handbook, any edition, is just the kind of "advice to boys" that people have been longing to give to boys today.

Unfortunately, Scouting is increasingly irrelevant in a society which competes so heavily (and so much more effectively) for boys' attention with sports, video games, and so on. Applebome laments this turn of events, and yet he asserts, with his primary evidence being the members of his own son, that Scouting appeals to a certain group of boys who really don't care if other people think it's uncool, and that Scouting (practiced the way it should be) really is a Good Thing in the boys' lives and is a major influence in turning them into the kind of men this world needs. (Those are my words, not his. He said it differently.)

Scout's Honor is written to and for three groups of people: former Boy Scouts who are now adults; current and former Boy Scouts; and current and former Boy Scout leaders. It's high-energy food for thought for all three groups.

A Walk in the Woods is written for everyone, and will be especially enjoyed by those who love or hate hiking, backpacking, camping, wilderness and the fools they find there. Although it contains more mental junk food than food for thought, it will open your mind and is definitely worth reading.

Bill Bryson is hillarious. The first few chapters contained bits and pieces that had me laughing out loud, which is not something I come across often in literature.

The book details a hike that Bryson and his friend (an out-of-shape character's character!) took on the Appalachian Trail. Both "older" gentleman aren't exactly in the best of shape... neither is a very experienced outdoorsman. Yet they both appreciate the signifigance of the trail, and are able to hike a good bit of it without mishap.

The way that Bryson writes is just invigorating. He's just so funny, and describes people in the most beautiful way. He's also managed to get quite a bit of back-story on the Appalachian Trail into this text, so the book is not only entertaining, but also somewhat educational. It made me want to jump on a plane and start hiking the trail!

After reading this book, I'm definitely going to search for more of Bryson's work. He's a good author, and this is a good story.

Oh my God! i cant believe i just found this amazing book, tells me everyhting i want to know about the park...you need this right away...you wont get bored, its interesting,fresh and very very complete...just what fans and non fans need!!!

From A to Z, this book accomplishes what I have been searching for for years! A guide/history/trivia book describing every land, attraction, shop, show, and restaurant in Disneyland. Not just the current ones mind you, but EVERY SINGLE ONE that the author could find to have existed in the parks 50+ year history. As a Disneyland fan since I was a kid it was a fond look back at some of the attractions I grew up with, and a good history lesson on all the rides that came before I first visited "The Happiest Place On Earth". Each item is listed alphabetically, with the biggest attractions and lands getting the most coverage. While most of the trivia and information has been written elsewhere before, it is nice to find it all in one place wrapped up with a bow! Some exciting extras include bonus lists and pictures, such as a list of every attraction to have a poster in the entrance tunnel. Its the extra touches like this that make me love this one more than other Disneyland guides I have read. While it CAN become tedious at times reading about every fruit cart, special event and other small details, it just goes to show how thorough and well done this "Encyclopedia" truly is! I doubt there is another park book out there for DL fans as satisfying a read as "The Disneyland Encyclopedia". I don't think it is possible to top this one!

I am having a great time reminiscing about all the old rides & shops in the Disneyland Encyclopedia. There are shops & rides I recall visiting when I was little in the 60's. This is very informative & full of nostalga. Highly recomended for the Disneyland enthusiast. I love it!

Great book for any Disneyland lover. I have been going to Disneyland for over 40 years, as a kid, and sharing the experience with my Son and Daughter. This book gives you insights I have never known. Mr. Strodder has done an amazing job researching the park. After reading this book, I feel that the history and the magic of Disneyland is greatly enhanced. Anyone who has been going to the park for their whole life, or is going to the park for the first time, will find that this book broadens the experience by giving you a full picture of the history and work that went into creating the magic of the Magic Kingdom.

A fantastic book detailing Disneyland over the years. It's hard to believe that it took this long for someone to compile a history of all the attractions, shops, and shows since the park opened. This book is highly recommended for the many Disneyland fanatics out there.

--M Worley, creator of WaltsMagicKingdom.com

I bought this book as reference material on the advice of an architect friend. He told me "If you need help figuring out the style of a house then buy this book" and he showed me his copy. He was right. The book is well organized which helps compare styles quickly and the many black and white pictures of houses that the author uses as examples are great because the b&w contrast helps your eye focus on details. This a great book to have in any architectural office. Its great for novices and experienced alike.

As a writer, you need lots of details to keep the reader interested, and this book has details on houses most people wouldn't know. Of course, if you give no details the story is not interesting, and if you give wrong details, some reader will know it and be disapointed. A book like this can be invaluable.

Great book!!! I'm using for my company to get a true representation of many styles for many of the house I'm designing. A great resource for any firm!!!

great at housing history
great describe for the house component
good picture to show handy book to show at real estate

After some introductory chapters on the history and theory of homebuilding, the McAlesters commence with descriptions of the different styles. Each major style is described with a large stylized diagram with its identifying features labeled, a description of the major subtypes, descriptions of the style's unique elements, a paragraph on the frequency and locations of its occurrence, some historical comments, and then dozens of black and white photographs. The styles are ordered roughly chronologically, from native dwellings and colonial houses in 1600 to the neoeclectric houses of the 1970s and 1980s. (Even my 2006 printing ended with the 1980s.)

I read the field guide cover to cover - something I never before done with a field guide. By the end, it seemed repetitive, but overall I was impressed with almost everything about this book from the introductions to the last diagrams. Every time I travel though a historical neighborhood, I am glad that I read this book.

John Grisham is a talented writer who, even after becoming very predictable, can still tell stories in a manner that quickly captivates the reader. This book is quite a different approach altogether though from his usual lawyer formula. While I kept waiting for something to happen that never happens, I did very much enjoy the wait.

The story opens with the most unlikely of main characters, an NFL third string quarterback who after just having lost the Championship for the Cleveland Browns by throwing three interceptions in the fourth quarter, awakens in a hospital room with a concussion. He quickly learns that the entire city is calling for his head, and he is promptly cut by the team, and out of work. His agent is trying to find his next opportunity and the only one he can find is with an Italian Football team in Parma, Italy.

The remainder of the book is about how the main character adapts to life in Italy and slowly develops at least something of a sense of meaning in his life outside of self interest and doing as little as he can to get by.

The story itself doesn't really have a lot of surprises, and certainly the only mystery is in the expectations I had that there would actually be one. That said, I really enjoyed the book. It has a light breezy feel making it perfect for a lazy summer afternoon of reading. I read the book sitting next to the pool one quick afternoon, and to be honest was disappointed that it ended.

So, if you are looking for a tight suspenseful Grisham formula, you will not find it here. If you want to get a little taste of Italy and the fall and rise of an anti-hero of sorts, then you will enjoy this book as I did. I would agree with other reviewers who said it was basically young adult level, and in fact it reminded me of books I read as a kid. While that may be true I think most of us enjoyed those books and likely enjoyed this one as well, and isn't that the point?

The best way to describe this book is un-engaging. It seems Grisham overextended his stay in Italy after finishing 'The Broker' and had some time and energy to put together this book about an American football player who is looking for a new beginning.

The story wavers between the ups and downs of the player in a foreign country, learning about the food, the culture and...in reality this is one of Grisham's lows.

Sorry John - you called this one in. You really didn't seem interested in cooking up an interesting recipe- or doing the work. Can a book (or pizza)really be this bland?

This book was well written with a storyline that was easy to believe. I'm not usually much for fiction, but after reading this, I might try more books by Mr. Grisham.

I haven't read a Grisham novel in years but found them to be nicely plotted. albeit dry, thrillers. "Playing for Pizza" however, is an absolute mystery to me. The writing is so simple I truly thought it was designed for the adolescent reader. A linear, simple, predictable plot, one dimensional characters..I could go on. If he didn't have his name attached to it there is no way a book like this would get published.

I have read several of Bryson's books, the most recent being his able essay on Shakespeare, but this one I found almost disturbing. The book is supposedly about growing up in Des Moines (Bryson was born in 1951) and part of the book is about that. But lots is not. There are hypercritical and one sided rants on US policy in the Cold War, on the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950's and a number of other aspects of life in the 1950's of which Bryson disapproves. Now some of these things are pretty soft targets and deserve some measure of abuse, but the rants are not relating the experience of the very young boy who experienced the times. They are the views of an adult evaluating the times and an angry adult at that.

Some of the parts that are about growing up in Des Moines are fairly funny, but they are just as frequently nasty and are often fueled by anger as well. Bryson is thoroughly unkind to many of the people that he describes in the book. The funny parts were not enough to me to counterbalance the nasty. Overall the book reeks of an arrogant superiority that I have not found in other Bryson books. His other books did not seem to me to be mean spirited. This one does.

As a kid growing up in the Midwest in the 1950s, I totally related to Bill Bryson's recounting of his childhood in Iowa. He did all sorts of stuff kids today would never get away with - their mothers would be horrified. Of course, much of his recollections are exaggerated, but not so much so that they don't ring true to those who grew up in that post WWII era.

Bryson's knack for creatively recounting minor incidents from his life - like working on a scab for months, until it was 1 1/2 inches thick and you could stick a thumbtack in it and not feel a thing - had me laughing out loud again and again. His imagination turns a day at the beach, or dinner and a movie with his mom, into one hilarious event after another. His was an era where getting stitches more than once was not only common but a measurement of bravery...or guts.

I highly recommend this entertaining, feel-good, laugh-till-you-cry (complete with tears) experience, a baby boomer's delight and worthy of your time.
50 Ways to Leave Your Mother

Lots of great research (At least I can't remember that many details of my childhood from the same time period.) Not as good as the raving reviews but interesting and easy reading.

50's nostalgia has been done over and over, but Bill Bryson hits a home run with this reminiscence of his childhood years in Des Moines, Iowa. Despite the efforts of modern novelists and Hollywood to cast a dark shadow over the decade of the 50's, it does truly seem like it was the best of times after reading this book.

Being a "late boomer", born almost a decade after Bryson, I grew up with some remnants of this world myself, and I can personally vouch for the mayhem inside those movie theatres that showed Saturday matinees for the kids. If there's one chapter that made me laugh out loud it was the one entitled "Out and About". The theatres, the amusement park, the restaurants, the Iowa State Fair, hanging around a downtown full of stores, all of these places had stories which Bryson delights in sharing with us.

The author describes Iowa as an idyllic place; smack dab in the middle of the country, with deep topsoil, huge stalks of corn, and frugal yet welcoming people who didn't worry too much about things they couldn't control. The world was a much bigger place then, and food items which seem pretty basic to us, such as "pasta, rice, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, mayonnaise, onions.." etc. were somewhat exotic and to be viewed with suspicion back then.

Those of us who have received a much circulated e-mail about how things were different in our childhood, how we could be outside at all hours of the day and didn't flinch at the cuts and scrapes we acquired on a daily basis, will get more reminding by reading this book. Even childhood mischief is portrayed somewhat benignly as Bryson looks through the haze of nostalgia; chemistry sets setting houses on fire, petty thefts of beer and candy, and dangerous practices like hanging off the back of tailgates of moving cars. Not to mention the threat of the polio epidemic of the time, one wonders in today's age of over-supervised kids how we ever survived our own 50's and 60's childhoods.

Bryson looks at the 50's in the greater world as well, sometimes in a way that works, sometimes not. Bryson is at his best when talking about phenomena like comic books and TV becoming so big, and about publications of all kinds predicting various Doomsday scenarios (much like today actually). The chapter on the Red Scare doesn't fit too well into this book though, a bit of liberal preachiness creeps in that seems out of place here.

There are parts where it seems as if Bryson might be trying too hard to amuse us, but overall I enjoyed this book very much. His affection for his sportswriter father and absent-minded yet cheery mother are quite heartwarming. The chapter about his rural grandparent's home was drawn very nicely as well. Bryson does the inevitable comparison between the Des Moines of his childhood and today and sees all that was lost, never to return. Was the world a better place back then? Bryson implies strongly that it was, and I won't disagree.

For those fans of Bryson's books, or for those who are drawn to nostalgic remembrances, you will enjoy this.

I was very fortunate to grow up in this period in a small town. It was amazing that the kids in Iowa were doing the SAME dumb stuff as we did in Texas. I had the electric football game and never could figure out how to have fun with it. We went to the local fair and got into the stripper tent at age 15 (true). The stripper in Texas was probably on a circuit that went to Iowa. All in all, a fun book to read for anyone of that era. All the buildings are now gone, but the memories still remain. Bill did a great job bringing those back to life.

Wow. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I'm absolutely blown away and agree with a previous reviewer that it was hard to put this book down; there were several times when people on the train looked at me while I cackled or exclaimed aloud at what I was reading. Jen Lin-Liu is amazingly straightforward and puts it all out there - some shockers in here! She makes no excuses about her experiences or her own thoughts/actions and poses some interesting, thought-provoking questions.

Her journey is clearly beyond geographic - it's a mix of culinary, cultural, and personal growth. Her description of the different cuisine and her relentless pursuit of their origins translates into her quest for her own identity. The food she discovers and describes had my mouth watering! As a Chinese-American, I find she's hit the nail on the head on many of the personal issues I've worked through as well. It was refreshing (and comforting) to see her journey and they way she went through self-discovery.

I totally want to go enroll in her cooking school myself! And who is this mysterious Craig who has stolen away her heart?! Congratulations to you both and I hope to see more from Jen Lin-Liu!

A Chinese American whose family fled to Taiwan (and later the US) after the revolution, journalist, food-writer and now cooking school owner, Lin-Liu knew little about cooking when she came to China in 2000. She soon realized that food was such an integral part of Chinese life, she would better understand the culture if she understood the food.

Enrolling in a Beijing vocational cooking school teaches her just how alien and American she is. The other students are male, they question nothing in class and do the minimum to get by. She, in contrast, seems loud, pushy and rich.

Humorous and energetic, her account of getting through school (with much help and great difficulty) and then apprenticing first at a noodle stall and later, in Shanghai, at a fancy restaurant, illuminates much about everyday life in China's cities. Staffed by migrants from China's rural provinces, restaurants offer diverse cuisines and backbreaking labor, perfectionalism and cut corners.

Lin-Liu learns stories about the Cultural Revolution while cooking, finds a long history of hardship in "exotic" ingredients like eyeballs and jellyfish, discovers China's cultural diversity in its many cuisines, and Chinese provincialism in tourists' unwillingness to eat anything but their own foods.

Her enthusiastic culinary tour of the culture is peppered with recipes for dumpling fillings, noodles and traditional favorites like Drunken Chicken and Fish Fragrant Pork Shreds as well as the (mostly difficult) stories of the individuals she meets.

Entertaining and eye-opening, Lin-Liu's portrait of modern China reflects its changing trends and attitudes and its timeless cuisine.

Satisfying book that is as much about Beijing as cooking; it captures a sort of mix of optimism and sadness that is contemporary Beijing, through Lin-Liu's writing you really see the city as it is today; especially vibrant if you've lived here for any time.

Jen runs a small cooking school in Beijing where you can learn to cook some of these recipes.

The characters, especially Chairman Wang, grow on you; I also liked the brief appearance of Allison Moore.

Between this wonderful book and another I'd also highly recommend, Why the Chinese Don't Count Calories, I have become immersed in Chinese food culture recently, to the point that my kids tease me about becoming Chinese. Luckily I live in NYC and have a few Chinatowns to choose from, so it's been congee on the way to work for a couple of months now.

Jen's personal search to learn Chinese cooking (and to practice it) is inspiring...telling about her travels and travails through a China in a tug of war between its culinary past and its current rush towards modernization.

I could tell just by looking at them that the dozen or 20 recipes, relating to each chapter of Jen's journey, would be delicious and the few I've tried so far more than live up to their promise.

Once I starting reading this book, I couldn't put it down. It is the story about a Chinese-American who goes to China on a Fulbright scholarship as part of her journalism career and ends up riding her bike down a narrow street to take cooking classes. The story (both humorous and touching) is told through her quest to learn about authentic Chinese cuisine both past and present, home cooking and high end restaurants. One of the many compelling things about the book are the Chinese people we are privileged to meet. It is a very personal portrait of Chinese people of all ages and classes. One memorable moment is when Chairman Wang finally tells about the Cultural Revolution and how it affected her and the people around her. It is heartbreaking to hear about it, but amazing to see how the Chinese people survived and continued their lives. And of course there are the mouth watering recipes peppered through out the book -- favorite recipes from people the author meets along the way -- Beijing-Style Noodles, "The Best" Mapo Tofu, Tea-Infused Eggs, Smashed Cucumbers, Drunken Chicken, Lamb-and-Pumpkin Dumpling Filling -- the list goes on and on. The recipes are why I bought the book, but got so much more. This is a book that I will keep, cherish and use as a cookbook forever.

Excellent reference guide for trips to and within Alaska by road. We flew a small plane to Alaska and found it very useful once we were on the ground and moving around by car. Information is detailed, well-organized, and unbiased.The Milepost 2008 (Milepost)

The only way to travel the Al-Can and the best way, (short of actually being there), to remember the great state of Alaska!

A little background, we are Air Force and we recently PCSed to Elmendorf, AK. We used the milepost to plan our stops and it was a lifesaver. Everything that you could ever want to know about any route to Alaska, the scenic markers, the stops, even road conditions and pullouts, they are all in there. A must for any traveler.

I bought Milepost 2008 for a friend, so I have not used it myself. However, I was so intrigued by the contents of this book, that I am have developed a strong desire to make the trip. The book is very detailed, and seems to cover everything one needs to know to tour Alaska.

Milepost was invalueable for my Alaska Highway trip.
the only drawback was Williams Lake had little mention and there is a lot of lodging and dining establisments.

This is an excellent reference and is a good guide to points of interest and gives enough information to research each National Park represented.
The book doesn't cover every Park , but those that it does it does well.
An excellent reference.

GOt the book within a weeika nd it was in excellent new condition as mentioned in the produce details. Very satisfied.

We just purchased our first motor home and received a nationally known camping guide as a gift. After looking through it, I realized I needed more information on the National Parks. This book is fantastic. It tells you what you need BEFORE you make a reservation. If you are going to stay at National Parks, this book is a must have.

This book includes all the national parks in the United States (as of mid-2008). Note that there are a few non-traditional parks in the system such as Hot Springs, which nonetheless get the same treatment. It even has the national parks in US territories (i.e., outside the 50 states), although the park for American Samoa barely gets two pages.

All in all, the guide is pretty good at giving you overviews of each park, with maps and information on each. It tells you usually what the main things to do in the park are and what you can do in a day or more. It is not a substitute for making your own plans, though, so do not rely on it completely. Someone suggested that web information is lacking, which is true, but it might be better to rely on the parks' web sites for up-to-date web information anyway.

There are also excursions listed for many, but not all, parks. This makes sense because some NPs are close enough to each other that you'd be listing the same excursions. I would note that the distance to excursions varies greatly. I also wish they weren't so skewed in favor of national forests and wildlife refuges (not much emphasis on state parks), but these are nice to have.

I would finally note that sites such as national lakeshores, seashores, preserves and monuments that would be of interest to readers of this book are not covered as it only covers national parks. Some of these are covered in a one-paragraph excursion description, but because this is a book on the parks that is all they get. My point is that there are many places in the US designated as other than national park that are worth visits, and to find out more about those you'll have to look elsewhere.

Totally awesome guide that rolls through the U.S. geologic areas and the parks occupied within. Nice 5-10 page look at each park, great photos, plenty of details regarding attractions, square miles, trails, fees, etc.
Also includes historical details, geologic history, animals and habitat, tips on high traffic vs. low traffic tourist spots, etc. Wonderful book!