Reviews (11)

Not Worth Looking At
Poor reproduction quality.Actually no quality.Not approved by the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust.

Adams wouldn't have approved
While some photos are reasonable, most are seriously flawed. Some are flat, some are excessively contrasty, others seem murky and indistinct. Some of the photos need cleaning to remove dust spots, etc. Even the title is wrong , as the book includes photos of dams and sheep.There are many other excellent books, which have been prepared from Adams prints and produced with much more care. Buy one of those.

Are we looking at the same book?
Many of Ansel Adams' exquisite photographs call out for large reproductions, and this book displays them in a decent size format. But what a waste. The reproductions are nearly all flat and murky, with little detail in the shadow. If I had read far enough down into the customer reviews, I would have been warned; but the reviews at the top of the stack were quite favorable. Which leads me to wonder: Are we looking at the same book? I advise readers to purchase Adams books published by Little, Brown, and Company (aka "Bulfinch"). Even at smaller sizes their books display much more detail and clarity than does this disappointing edition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adams, Ansel,    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    3. Landscape photography    4. Photo Essays    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Pictorical works    8. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    9. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./General    10. United States    11. Wilderness areas    12. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    13. Photographs: collections    14. USA    15. Sale Books   

Editorial Review

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nervesof first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the mostjaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach.While still givinginsights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations anditineraries for those with less time than money.Read more

Reviews (6)

one backtrack mind
this book was extremely helpful and informative. its history and description of the culture and landscape was a great precursor to my visit. my only complaint is that "shoestring" can be so objective. i didn't want to stay in hostels but still was interested in budget options. unfortunately, there just weren't many good suggestions for this level of travel. i think i'll need to write that book . . . "South America on a Cheap but Classy Budget!"

Must have companion ...
A travelers life support system. The consistency of the LP series across various continets is amazing. Some information in the SA edition is a little dated, but the locals indicated that small hostels and food places go in and out of business faster than the book can keep up. I particularly liked Argentina section (I just came back from a wonderful trip), the information was very correct and some of the prices accurate to the decimal. Needless to say, the maps and orientation information was extremly helpful.
BAD BAD BAD
Maps are good, that's all. After 1 year in south america with both Footprint SA and South america on a shoestring, I can say the first one in much better (exept the maps).
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Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. South America    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (4)

Excellent guide for the casual off-roader
I've been using this book for close to a couple years now.While I don't consider myself a novice to off-roading, I definitely don't fall into the rock-crawling group, preferring to use my 4x4 to simply get me to new and out-of-the-way places when time permits.Thus far it has proven to be an excellent resource for quick weekend off-roading getaways and for reading up on new trails to explore.In fact, I've enjoyed this book so much I wound up buying two others as gifts for family and friends.The photos and overviews of each trail definitely help give a good feel for what to expect.If you're a techno-geek like me, being able to plot a computer-generated map using the detailed GPS coordinates will prove highly invaluable (though I have discovered a few critical--though easily identifiable and correctable--errors in the coordinates), and with a handheld GPS I don't need to worry about the often-unusual orientation of the printed maps.For those of us who love exploring, this book will make a fantastic resource.

Great Book
The best book for beginners.Gives ratings and some pictures for all the trails, so you know what to expect.Probably not a whole lot for more advanced off-roaders, but then they probably won't be reading this book anyway.I recommend this book for anybody with an SUV who wants to use it off-highway.The only downside of this book is the detail maps of the trails.For some reason, they couldn't agree on which way to point North(usually north is up in all other maps) so sometimes you have to turn the book sideways to the right or left to get your bearings.Also, not much detail on the maps themselves, so sometimes you really dont' know where you are in relation to the surrounding area.But they give plenty of detail in the driving directions, so you almost don't need the map.Best book I've ever bought, anyone who likes to adventure outdoors should buy this.You don't even need an SUV on the easier trails.

The quintessential So Cal book for dirt road exploring.
First thing that hits you is the heft of this book.It is large and heavy, but that just tantalizes you of what lies beyond the cover.It is full of so much information about southern California's backcountry you could spend hours and hours reading.But this book is to be used as a guide for exploring.And guide you it does. The maps, descriptions and details are excellent for each trail.The history section is great and my family and I even used this book to identify plants from its full color photos on our last outing. For anyone wanting to explore dirt trails in So Cal, from mild ones not really needing 4 wheel drive to more difficult ones, this book is for you. Rock crawlers need not apply, but for the other 99% of us with 4x SUV's this book is perfect! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Special Interest - Adventure    2. Travel    3. Travel - United States    4. United States - Pacific - California    5. United States - West - Pacific (General)   

Reviews (10)

6th edition 3.5 stars... time for update, guys
I'm a Lonely Planet addict who knew better than to blindly buy this edition (if you order one now -6th edition, as I did, you'll get 2003 info), but addicts usually are not known for using their heads.
You can take it with you
I've used LP before for trips.Once you get the book, you are invited to go on-line for up-dates.There you are directed to "The Thorn Tree" forum.I used it just about every day to keep well-informed and prepare for the trip.The guide is an easy ready and full of useful information.Prior uses were very accurate.

Solid Travel Reference
Many travelers depend on LONELY PLANET travel guides, and usually with good reason.I used this very practical travel guide during my summer (2005) visit to the affordable and thoroughly enchanting nation of Ecuador.This edition contains much valuable information on budget hotels, travel hostels, local customs and fauna.Just as importantly, there's the vital information on getting to and from cities, resort areas, train stations, bus stations, airports, city centers, etc.
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Subjects:  1. South America    2. Special Interest - Adventure    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Ecuador    7. Galapagos Islands    8. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (3)

5 for the Book, 3 for the Shipping
Like the other reviewer, my book was improperly shipped, this time in a box too large so it sloshed around on its journey, getting dinged in the process.
Beautiful book, inadequately packed
This is a magnificent book, with unique photgographs of sea creatures on white backgrounds. It would have made a splendid gift, except for the unfortunate fact that it was shipped in a box hardly bigger than itself and had obviously been dropped and crushed. Every page was dented, but it was too late to return it and get a new copy. One wonders why tiny objects are so often shipped in a box many times larger than themselves, but books like this one are tossed casually into the mail with no real protection at all.

Another exceptional collection of images and information
Such beautiful work is a treasure and an education all at once. It's a rare treat to be able to see in such intimate detail those creatures who have lived and may perish without our ever having known them except for the work done here.This book, and the entire body of the Liittschwager/Middleton collaboration is a must-have for every conservationist, every school. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    2. Nature    3. Nature Photography    4. Nature/Ecology    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Scenic Photo Collections    8. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    9. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./West    10. Photography & Photographs    11. Photography / General   

Editorial Review

The key to a sublime vacation is a good imagination. But let's face it, when you need a rest themost is not when your creativity is firing on all cylinders. That is when Read more

Reviews (2)

As if Straight From Your Dreams!
This book is amazing. It includes the most gorgeous photographs, information on every place, the price, and the length of each activity. The author experienced it all himself. He chose very good places you've only imagined. He also helps you plan a trip with the directory at the back. It's incredible.

You must experience this book
Fodor's Travel Publications commissioned photojournalist Peter Guttman to document some 28 different escapist experiences in North America, and the result is truly delightful. Guttman's photography is brilliant, his essays crisply capture the essence of each adventure, and the appendix lists the names of specific organizations that one can contact (and contract) to engage in each of the documented experiences.Read more

Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. North America    3. Outdoor recreation    4. Special Interest - Adventure    5. Travel    6. United States    7. Travel / United States / General   

Reviews (16)

Excellent instruction and easy to read
This book provides excellent instruction on land navigation.Even if you know nothing of how to use a compass or map when you begin reading, you'll have a good working knowledge by the time you're through with the book.It is well written, easy to understand and even includes a fold-out topographic map in the back (actually, about a third of a topographic map, but it gets the job done).The map allows you to work the exercises found in the book (which are quite helpful).The book was written some time ago and Hjellstrom does focus on the sport of orienteering, but as the entire point of that activity is navigation using a map and compass, I don't see this as a negative.As others have pointed-out he does not cover newer topics such as GPS or altimeters, but if you're buying it to learn to use a map and compass, that really isn't an issue either.This is a well written book that provides solid instruction and is certainly worth the purchase price.

Good Read
This is a must read for teens or adults wishing to learn how to read and use maps and compass.From hiking in the nations parks to your local wooded areas, learning what is in this book will make sure you are NEVER lost!

A good primer
If you want to get the basics in an easy to read format, this is for you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Compass    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Hiking    4. Maps    5. Orienteering    6. Outdoor Life    7. Outdoor Skills    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Walking    11. Crafts & Hobbies / General    12. Maps, charts & atlases    13. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Editorial Review

The first thing you should know about Fielding's Read more

Reviews (98)

The World's Most Dangerous Book
It took about five months, but I read all thousand pages of The World's Most Dangerous Places, known to its fans as DP. The book is a breezily written cyclopedia of what can go wrong and where as you travel the world.
Great
I recently finished reading the 5th Edition of DP, and was amazed.Pelton's travel tips offer a wealth of uncommon "common sense" and his tongue-in-cheek humour, rather than make light of the difficulties and suffering experienced by people in warzones, adds a strange touch of realism and illustrates the true absurdity of some situations.A must read for anybody traveling outside of the first world, or any of those folks who are afraid to leave the house in Canada or the United States.

Danger!Danger!Danger
If you are one of those poor guys who live by according to what you're told then this book is for you. Threat to national security, threat of sharks, threat of food, threat of turtles, threat of....
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Subjects:  1. Reference - General    2. Reference - Guides (General)    3. Special Interest - Adventure    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Adventure   

Reviews (4)

motivation for a boomer to move
If I do one of these glorious hikes each year I'll be .....78???? when I get done...guess I better start with the hard ones. Definitely a motivator to get out and see this wonderful world we live in. All the info and great pics make it easy to do so.

bestof the best hikes
A great book to get you really motivated to go off and adventure.I gave it to my neighbor and have not seen it for a month.That says it all because they have been to lots of great places and they were mildly interested in it when I offered it to them.Worth every penny.

Great Book !
I will skip the debate about which hikes are the world's greatest, and greatly admire this book as a current, concise and nicely illustrated presentation.Potterfield lays it out as clearly as a trail guide and attractively as a travel agent.But most of all, these are all hikes he has made. Very professional and personal.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Guidebooks    3. Hiking    4. Special Interest - Adventure    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Active outdoor pursuits    8. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (7)

Photographs of a Land Familiar and Strange
This is a beautiful set of photographs from the Middle East. It professes that these are the locations where many of the stories in the bible take place. This book is a companion to the TV PBS miniseries that visits the locations where the familiar stories take place.
This book is not for christians perse
I think this is an Ok book, but did not enjoy seeing Jesus being called a prophet. The picture quality was fair but that may have been the print quality. Altogether I regret having bought it.
Perhaps not historically accurate, but a moving experience
The fact that a few of the facts are not quite right doesn't detract from the power of this photographic journey.Thousands of years after the events of the Bible nobody really knows the exact locations of some of the most famouse sites mentioned.But it's certain that the real places in the Bible must have been very much like those experienced by the early Jews and Christians.It's exciting to see these places and imagine what it might have been like. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities & Archaeology    2. Archaeology    3. Bible - Commentaries - Old Testament    4. Bible.    5. Biblical Archaeology    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Essays    8. Feiler, Bruce S.    9. Geography    10. Middle East    11. O.T.    12. Pentateuch    13. Photo Essays    14. Photography    15. Photography Of Specific Subjects    16. Pictorial works    17. Religion    18. Religious    19. Special Interest - Adventure    20. Travel    21. Religion / Bible / General   

Editorial Review

No matter what the actual temperature may be, several pages into Read more

Reviews (54)

Krakauer can write
Krakauer can write.As the author of the bestselling and better known "Into Thin Air," and "Into the Wild," he is also the author of many lesser known, but equally interesting adventures.
Okay but....
I loved Into Thin Air by Krakauer, so I purchased several of his other books, including this one.While the stories were interesting, it lacked the depth I enjoy from a book (likely because it appears to be reprints of magazine articles).It also seems that most (if not all) of these articles are 20+ years old.For the same price as this book I would been better off with a years subscription to Adventure magazine.

As Good as it gets..
You really can't go wrong with this one unless maybe you've already read the articles in the original magazines.
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Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. Mountain Climbing    3. Mountaineering    4. Special Interest - Adventure    5. Travel    6. Travel - General    7. Travel / Adventure   

Reviews (48)

Kauai on a shoestring
If you're curious about what Kauai is like and what there is to do there, Kauai Trailblazer is your guide. Practical info is as good as you can get and their style is lively and positive.We counted on it day by day to get us to the highs. The locals even gave it the two thumbs up. We stayed in the plantation cottages they recommended and never looked back. Our getaway turned out to be not that expensive. We're going back for more at Christmas.

Prime guide
HIGHLY recommended.We designed our own itinerary weeks ahead looking at all the photos in the book.A virtual Kauai. Another good feature is their layout.The hikes and snorkeling spots are grouped according to place.As we circled around we knew exactly what there was to do in each town. In the front of the book, before the list of hikes is the authors "Best" list.Start there. If this is your first visit, this is the book to have.

Puuokila Hiking
If you are lucky enough to vacation on Kauai you should take the hike on page 170.It follows the highest rim along the top of the Kalalau Valley.The view down is an everchanging dreamscape.We followed the trail all the way to the Alakai Swamp, an all dayer, and when we returned around five the valley view took on a whole other personality with swirling clouds that were pink and orange.We made a poster of the photo we took at sunset. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Guidebooks    3. Hawaii    4. Kauai    5. Kauai (Hawaii)    6. Outdoor recreation    7. Special Interest - Adventure    8. Sports & Recreation / Hiking    9. Sports & Recreation / Outdoor Skills    10. Travel    11. Travel - United States    12. United States - Pacific - Hawaii    13. United States - West - Pacific (General)    14. Hiking   

Reviews (62)

Mr. Keegan's Opus
This is the first work that I and most others discovered Mr. Keegan's great mind for military history. It is an overview of the evolution of warfare from the middle ages to the present but more than that it seeks to answer the question of what motivates the common soldier to fight instead of following his instinct to run.Mr. Keegan's admiration and adoption of the common soldier's lot is moving and commendable in itself. He brings out the hero in the common man and for that all us common men can thank him.

Keegan at His Very Best
John Keegan is one of our best writers of military history and The Face of Battle is simply Keegan at his very best. He attempts to explain what humans actually do under the stress of battle and why. The book contains keen insights and some surprises. For example, while running away may intuitively seem highly sensible from the standpoint of self-preservation, it is in fact one of the most dangerous things a soldier can do. Or the US Army study that showed a shockingly high percentage of US army infantry never fired their rfiles when under fire - that study led directly to a sharp increase in the emphasis on the psychological molding of soldiers in US Army training camps.
A Modern great book of Military History. Buy it and read it!
`The Face of Battle' by renowned English military historian, John Keegan is one of those books I would always keep in stock if I were managing a bookstore. In its own field of `analytical' military history, it is probably one of the two or three most important works available to the average reader (that is, not including classified material and training material reserved for the world's professional military at West Point, Sandhurst and what have you).
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Subjects:  1. Battles    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Medieval    6. Military - General    7. Military history    8. Special Interest - Adventure    9. History / Military / Strategy    10. Land forces & warfare    11. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    12. War & defence operations    13. World history    14. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Editorial Review

When a millionaire adventurer goes in search of the true Mount Sinai, he gets more than he bargained for. Spies, missiles, and secret military installations are just some of the obstacles that Larry Williams and his sidekick Bob Cornuke must confront in their unprecedented journey to find the lost treasures of Moses.In Read more

Reviews (67)

Treasure Now Found
In the book, there are two guys. Their names are Larry Williams, a self made millionaire, and Bob Cornuke, a retired police officer and a former Swat-team member. Larry Williams is also an archaeologist and he hears rumors that the real Mount Sinai (the mountain where god gave Moses the Ten Commandments) is actually in present day Saudia Arabian, on Mount Jabal al Lawz. They want to make sure that they are right, so they actually follow the route on which they believe the Hebrews used to get out of Egypt. After a couple of days, they realize that this must be the way that they took. Every single detail that is in the bible they find. When the get to what they believe is the Reds Sea, They go scuba diving in it. They find the prove that they need and Larry almost gets eaten by a shark.
Bad, bad book
This book is written like a 4th-rate children's adventure story. From the spy story to the lead "characters" furtive journey into Saudi Arabia to their diving expedition - it's all so full of hyperbole and exaggeration that the pictures of the book are needed to convince the reader that the trip happened at all.
Unlikely tale with no research content
I have the hardest time getting rid of books, and every purge of the family library ends up being a long series of painful decisions. Yet I had no trouble giving away this book after the first reading.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1979-    2. Adventure    3. Archaeology    4. Archaeology / Anthropology    5. Biblical Archaeology    6. Espionage    7. History    8. Israel    9. Israeli espionage    10. Middle East    11. Politics and government    12. Social Science    13. Sociology    14. Special Interest - Adventure    15. History / Middle East   

Reviews (80)

Most helpful
This book helped us to plan our trip. It details lodging inside the park as well as those hotels outside the park. It has maps of each of the Disney Resorts with tips on which rooms to ask for. We hadn't been to Disney World in 15 years and weren't sure what was there. This book told us all that and more. It gave us tips on what park attractions to see during different times of the day and numerous tips for dining, lodging and getting around the parks. It gives details of each and every attraction at Disney World and Universal. It rates the rides for various age groups. It rates the restaurants and food courts in various categories. We carried it in a backpack everywhere we went and referred to it often during our stay. I would recommend this book to anyone going to Disney World for the first time or the fifty fifth time.

Worth Every Penny and More!
Bought this book in anticipation of a trip to WDW in 2007, but got to use it on a spontaneous trip to WDW a couple of weeks ago. We had just one day to make our travel arrangements. Found a great package deal through Priceline for air, hotel (Dolphin) and car. Had one day at Magic Kingdom, and followed the books tips and touring plan. Saw almost all of the Kingdom in 12 hours, including all the top attractions. For a quick trip through the Magic Kingdom, this book was the only way we could have seen and done everything we did.
Excellent!
My family and I just returned from our first trip to Disney World. (It was as blast!) Because it was our first time and we were essentially clueless to the Disney experience, we bought several guides.
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Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. Special Interest - Family    3. Travel    4. Travel - United States    5. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)    6. United States - South Atlantic - Florida    7. Walt Disney World (Fla.)    8. Florida    9. Travel & holiday guides    10. Travel / United States / South / South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)   

Reviews (14)

Delicious, full-bodied novel...
This book was fantastic!I probably loved this book out of sheer envy for what Ms. Steinbach did - pick up, and travel around the world to take classes and participate in life!I would love to do exactly the same.Since I'm not at the place where I could do just that (unfortunately!), reading this book was the next best thing...
In search of kindred spirits
The best thing about this book was the interest it sparked in me for adventures I had previously not considered.I'm now seriously thinking of doing two-week learning stints in interesting locations rather than the relaxing visits or typical tourist approach to seeing other cultures and countries.
With Reservations
After having enjoyed Steinbach's previous book, Without Reservations, I was eager to see what she has been up to in the past few years and if she and Naohiro are still an item. In Without Reservations, Steinbach tells the story of how she took a year off from her job, bought an apartment in Paris and fell in love. It is a story of risk and reward. It really happened, but Steinbach tells it like a story.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Special Interest - Adventure    6. Travelers    7. Women    8. Biography & Autobiography / Women    9. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (8)

Excellent Buy
This is a very good road atlas. I gave it to my husband as a birthday gift and since then we are on the raod every weekend. It has very accurate maps and so we don't need to get directions before we leave. Also it has a very good feature of scenic drives so that we can plan our trip to cover the maximum scenery. This is a very good buy. You sure can start with this atlas and then probably move on to higher level.
ational Geographic Road Atlas - Adventure Edition
Pretty good overall guide.You would still need detail guide on particular area you want to visit.
US Road Atlas
One of the best road atlases for the USA.Have used this to cover 1400 miles in a 12 day stretch around California, Arizona and Nevada.Easy to read and full of useful information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Special Interest - Adventure    2. Travel    3. Reference    4. Atlases