A while ago, I bought a copy of Dansing Star because I wanted a Western novel to read. I read about 1-2 Westerns per week when I have the time, and have done so for about twenty years. In particular, I prefer historical fiction about the Old West. Dansing Star was a delight, to say the least. Kirby Jonas is an author whom I became familiar with as a result of this book. Isn't it always more satisfying to seek out an author because you stumbled upon one of his or her books, rather than being made aware of the author through the publisher's public relations?

Dansing Star has a bouyancy about it: Jonas' characters are real, flesh-and-blood Old West characters, however, they seem to deal with their actual and philosohical struggles in a manner that makes them more intellectually appealing to the reader than most characters in popular Western novels. Several of Dansing Star's characters transcend the mundane and seem to think about things that are larger and more complicated than the actual gunfight, or pursuit of a killer, in which they are engaged. I also appreciated the insight which which Jonas imbued several of his characters in this novel.

I highly recommend this book!

Pat Schutz

(Author of "Pinto's Tales")

If you haven't read Kirby Jonas, be prepared for a lot of enjoyment, and probably for years to come. For nine years I portrayed THE VIRGINIAN on television, and I had a lot of chances to read the writing of many different people. After nine years, I can honestly say that Kirby Jonas is probably my favorite writer.

I have just finished reading three of Kirby's books on tape for one of the major Book on Tape companies, including the Dansing Star. I have become emotionally involved in all of his books, and I sure I always will. You readers have a tremendous opportunity to raise your mind to a higher level and bring yourself to the edge of your seat. Don't miss out. Kirby Jonas is better than Louis L'Amour, I must say, and he is going to go a long way toward bringing the Western Novel back to the forefront of literature today.

Since The Dansing Star, Kirby has gone on to write three more tremendous novels, Death of an Eagle, Legend of the Tumbleweed, and Lady Winchester. The last one is not even in print yet, but Kirby gave me the privilege of reading the manuscript, and you are in for a treat. It has as its central character a woman, and a very strong one, but also a very feminine one. I guarantee another hit. Keep watching Kirby Jonas. He is going to leave Louis L'Amour in his dust.

James Drury used to play the Virginian on TV, in the 60's and the first part of the seventies. He was my hero. Some time back while traveling through Texas I happened to pick up a copy of the Houston Chronicle and see an article on Drury. They talked about what he is currently doing, and one of the things he is doing is reading books on tape--not just ANY books, but western novels by a man named Kirby Jonas. So I looked up Kirby Jonas on Amazon, and lo and behold, Drury also wrote a forward for his most recent book, Legend of the Tumbleweed. I've read all of the books since, and I've seen Drury's reviews, and I have to say I'm in total agreement. So much so that to do reviews on Amazon I've taken the name, Kirby Jonas Fan! The Dansing Star is a tremendous book, and I hope everyone has a chance to read it some day. I couldn't find it in bookstores around here, but they told me they could order it. Instead, I got it through Amazon.com, and it is an autographed copy. Every book I've bought of Kirby's is autographed and also has an address listed in the front where you can contact him, at Howling Wolf Publishing, Box 1045 Pocatello ID 83204. He turned out to be a super personable guy and called me back when I left a message. In person and in his books, you will quickly see why there is this sudden rave over Kirby Jonas books. You will absolutely love them!

This book was of great assistance in my tours of the grand canyon, mt zio, bryce canyon, utah, arizona, new mexico and Nevada. If your stuck on where to go next, the book easily gives you options. THere has never been a better travel guide than Lonely Planet. I swear by them. Most people like to sell back their books when they are done, but by the end of your trip, this book becomes a souvenir of its own, and demands to be placed proudly upon your bookshelf.

I have recently encountered poor Lonely Planet books, but this was not one of them. It is the good old LP at work.
The coverage of Las Vegas, however, was extremely poor. I spent there 24 hours and this book didn't have enough info for even that short of a trip. The rest is great.
The California LP had twice as much info on Las Vegas.

I relied exclusively upon the 3rd edition of Southwest to guide me through a recent, quite extensive road trip of the high desert regions discussed in this exceptionally well-produced Lonely Planet publication. I had a wonderful, adventure-filled time of it in no small part due to the creative suggestions for travel routes offered in this volume. If a road was not on the maps printed in this edition, then it was impassable for all intents and purposes to non- 4-wheel drive traffic. And I found hotel, B & B, country inn, and youth hostel selections to be uniformly accurate and helpful throughout the book. Suggestions for restaurants were diverse, cost sensitive, and often inspired as well. I enjoyed many superb meals at very reasonable prices as a direct result of explicitly following the directions in the pages of Southwest.

One problem I had with this travel guide was what I came to consider insufficient differentiation of descriptions of historical sites. For example, Chaco Canyon, Canyon De Chelly, and Mesa Verde are all described at about the same superlative level by the authors. But I found Chaco disappointing, if for no other reason than there is little left of the architecture that once graced the arid, remote site. And the ENDLESS dirt road going in should have been re-graded years ago. The site is a pain to reach! For me, the best thing about Chaco was the movie narrated by Robert Redford (which was available for viewing at the Guest Center). But you would never get this from the book. Aside from this minor criticism, I cannot recommend Southwest too highly for those seeking the warm, friendly welcome and indescribable landscapes that come in abundance when touring this remarkable, magical region of the USA.

I've long been fascinated with early exploration of the Colorado plateau area of the U.S. This book is fascinating particularly because the author wove together information from many sources rather than rely on just a single journal. By comparing what different men wrote about the same events on the same day, you feel like you've gotten a realistic view of what happened, toning down on Powell's indefatigable optimism and some of his companion's discovery of dire consequences behind every rock.

The one annoying part is that there are a few too many long deviations from the story to explore other threads. I think these were intended to provide background, especially to Powell's character. But too many times they just went on too long, into too much detail, particularly Powell's Civil War experiences. I certainly didn't expect to read quite so much about blood and gore in a story about Grand Canyon exploration during which no one died on the river or even seriously injured.

Nevertheless, this is a very good, can't-put-it-down read.

If you enjoy adventure and American history you are in for a treat. My knowledge of John Wesley Powell and his cohorts 1869 trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon was nonexistent so anything I read was new to me. In addition to literally riding the rapids with Powell's group through their three months trip we are also given a history lesson on Powell and the Battle of Shiloh during the Civil War in which a number of interesting facts are given to illustrate the horror of the Civil War. Powell was extremely interested in geology and he was thrilled with what he was experiencing on the trip through the Grand Canyon and oblivious to the fact that his mates were experiencing frustration at his leisure pace while starvation loomed due to inadequate provisions. One individual of the ten men crew left the group after the first narrow escape and three others left only one day before exiting the canyon and were eventually murdered under mysterious circumstances. Powell made a second trip a few years later but aborted the trip when halfway through the canyon. What became of the remaining six members of the ten man group who made the 1869 trip is also provided in addition to interesting facts about the Grand Canyon that will most likely be new to you. You shouldn't hesitate to give this book a try. I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

(...) There was a cast of ten which made up the Colorado River Exploring Expedition . Led by John Wesley Powell. None of them had ‘white water' experience. Many were barely 20 and 7 were Union Army veterans. There was no record of persons having gone down the thousand miles of this journey so they were floating blind. It lasted 111 days.

They were to use wooden boats made in Chicago Illinois. They would put in at Green River Station, Wyoming at the point where the recently completed transcontinental railroad had been celebrated. It was chosen because the [4] boats could easily be delivered by rail freight to Green River Station from Chicago. (...) This is a history and Edward Dolnick has done his best to use the notes and writings of Powell, Summer, Bradley and other of the expedition. Powell's book was written some years later but the crew wrote more personal and soon after the trip. They reveal some pain and misery that Powell in his enthusiasm for the mission - geology exploration of the earth including flora and fawna - avoids.

Dolnick has also told the tales of others who ventured on the Colorado River and who were reported in the press of that day. But, none had done what this mission did; namely go the distance without any real briefing and not any knowledge of these tales. On the river they were out of touch with all - alone. A person of ill repute reported after the first month that the party had been destroyed by the river and only he had survived. He was widely published in the press including his tale of how he got on the expedition. But, like story tellers he had dates wrong and Emma Powell, John Wesley's young wife read the stuff and informed the press that he couldn't be believed. They did more research and began retracting the articles. The good effect of this was that the Expedition got more press than they had had before they left. Of course the voyagers did not learn of this until many months later.

Dolnick has a couple of chapters about Powell's military service as an artillery officer in the Grants army at Shiloh. Here Powell lost an arm which comes in for some interesting comments during the voyage down the rivers. Emma is a heroic and fascinating wife of great personal support to Powell. One of the boats is named after her; Emma Dean.

Dolnick seeks to tell it as it went along, not to sum things in advance. So there is an air of adventure - what will happen next?
Sumner was of great value to Powell and all the men seem to have followed the decisions - there Army training is reference as an aid in this respect. But, some of the trappers didn't cotton to the order giving; still they did their part.

There is detail about the boats and equipment - built in Chicago - the best for the lakes - but not properly designed for the river. But sturdy. Still they lose one to the rapid while still in the three hundred mile stretch of the Green River. And, 1/3rd of the food and other supplies went down with that crash.

Powell is the focal person. He had the crazy idea and he had the energy to make it happen with little money and little backing and many persons of repute advising against the venture. It is a crazy thing to do given the level of experience and knowledge that was the foundation of this expedition effort.
BUT - the beauty and grandeur does grab your imagination and it did theirs too.
They often stopped to look, if they could stop, or linger if camped at a place of special interest to Powell. They took side walking trips. And the number of times they climbed to get a better view of the prospects of the river ahead were legion. YOU are presented with their wonderment and deep appreciation for the trip - that seems to have been its saving grace. For they were called upon to live with privation and the rain. I couldn't believe the number of times they had severe rain storms especially in Arizona. (...)

The author has placed a little map of the segment of the river they were about to enter at the beginning of each chapter. It helps keep you oriented. There is also a photo section which provides enrichment of the principals and some locations.

Now, the story itself builds to a natural climax that will begin to grab you midway through the venture. You will sense the feeling of eternal repetition of the river and its mad behavior. It becomes a kind of tormenter. When will they be through with the trip? The men become restive and short tempered. They do not all like each other all the time by any means. And, although Dolnick doesn't stress this he has to report what they write in their notes. And, there reflections of the trip. They are caught up in the reality that they volunteered and they are responsible for their own fate; yet they are in a very intimate situation which requires them to note the flaws of others - especially the leader. It is hard work and Powell expect them to do their job. Because he has only one arm there are many tasks he cannot perform, this becomes an aggravation too, but they all knew this in the beginning. Yet there is, as Dolnick tells the story, a need to be loyal to the mission and the needs of others; and so they have their experiences where great joy and satisfaction is express by the group after some tough experience. (...)

Because it is a history, not a novel, the author tells of the future lives of the men. He tells what he can based on

I love this book so much.well actually i love every one of the Linda Howard books i've ever read. i love Rafe he difines the word rouge. and Annie is so cute. they just make the book perfect. in a way Rafe really sweeps Annie off her feet. but if you haven't read the book not in the way you think

I really enjoyed "The Touch Of Fire" It was fun, and fast paced and full of romantic tension. READER'S WILL LOVE Rafe and Annie. A lot like "Anything, My Love" by Cynthia Simmons and "New Mexico Sunrise" by T. Peterson. All, Sexy, fun and exciting.

This book reads like a good, old fashioned western movie. Rafe has been on the run for years accused of a murder he didn't commit. Lawmen and bounty hunters have been on his trail but can never catch him. He makes his way into town one night when he's hit in the side by a lucky shot from a bounty hunter. Annie has just returned very late to her office after delivering a baby. She is surprised by Rafe in the darkness but she cannot refuse to treat his wound. He forces her to go with him until he's recovered but during their time together, he discovers he can't let her go. He needs to find out why whenever she touches him he feels fire from her hands. Is it just his lust or does she have the same effect on others? They learn to trust one another over the weeks they are on the run and Annie discovers just how far she will go to protect Rafe. They come across a small village of Indians sick with black measles and Annie does what she can to help. Because they stayed a little too long, a US Marshall catches up with them and is determined to bring Rafe in to justice. During the trek back, the story of how Rafe was accused of the murder comes out and the Marshall believes it. They confront the real perpetrators and with a little blackmail and influential political help, Rafe is cleared. Annie turns up pregnant and with Rafe's streak of chivalry, they get married immediately. The Marshall becomes their best friend and foreman of the ranch that Rafe buys with the money he received from being unjustly accused of murder.

This is the story of Indie Brown. A young woman who has moved from the drama of her childhood life into a peaceful home in the woods with her partner Peter.

Indie's life has not been an easy one. Her mother suffered from Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. This is a disturbing mental illness that affects all of the family, especially Indie's sister Lily. Lily was her mother's shining star growing up which put her in some grave situations as a child and left her scarred to the core. Indie must return home to the very place where her nightmares began. Her mother is ill and Lily has called Indie to return. Upon arrival, Indie suspects that Lily may be following in their mother's footsteps and wreaking havoc in her own household now.

We are told about the family's plight through a series of flashbacks. It's almost eerie to read about the mother's behaviour and see it through Indie's eyes as a child.

Ms. Greenwood's writing is wonderful and lyrical. I was captivated by the quality of her style.

Indie and Lily's story will stay with me for a long time to come.

Never has a book inspired so many conflicting emotions within me as "Nearer Than The Sky". T. Greenwood, author of "Breathing Water", has penned an incredibly nuanced story of a family beset by an insidious and dangerous mental illness: Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. This relatively unknown illness goes unreported in so many cases, mostly because it's almost impossible to detect (especially in it's subtler forms), and is hard to prove in a court of law. But it's very real...as real as your baby's next breath.

This is the story of Indie Brown, a woman who wishes that her childhood had never happened. But in the way of all life, nothing is ever completely over and done with. Happily settled into adulthood with her loving and steadfast husband, Peter, Indie begins to be drawn ever so slowly backward into her past when she begins to suspect her sister Lily of causing harm to her own newborn baby. Upon this discovery, Indie realizes that their mother is the one responsible for Lily's illness, as Lily is responsible for her own daughter's mysterious sicknesses.

Writing with poetic insight and incredible subtlety, Greenwood wraps the reader up in the darkness of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, illustrating its far-reaching effects and ultimately destructive force. Greenwood's characters are multi-dimensional and real, reacting to each crisis in wholly human ways, flawed and believable. With each breathtaking revelation, Greenwood captures the moment with startling clarity and brilliant depiction. Add "Nearer Than The Sky" to your reading list immediately, and grab the tissues. You'll need them.

Indie Brown, the narrator of this achingly beautiful story, recalls that finding joy in her family was hard work. Beginning with the recollection of being hit by lightning as a child, she slowly pulls back the curtains on a childhood filled with secrets and lies, with the legacy then handed down to the next generation. Despite having moved across the continent to remove herself from the drama, she is pulled back to help care for her ailing mother, and there the poignant story unfolds. Highly recommended -- I can't wait to read T.Greenwood's previous novel!

There are rare occurences where a movie outshines the story on which it is based, such as with Bladerunner or 2001. In that vein, I have to give Charles Beaumont, Twilight Zone veteran and screenwriter for the film "The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao", some real credit, as he completely transcended the source. Seeing the movie and then reading this book... well, there's no comparison.

I know that Charles Finney's novel "The Circus of Dr. Lao" is a cult classic and loved by many, but I have to offer the other side of the coin, as the book was a huge disappointment to me. The basic plot has a mysterious asian man appearing in the town of Abalone, AZ, to put on the strangest circus the residents have ever seen. Far from being populated by clowns, acrobats, and animals, Dr. Lao's circus is full of mythological beasts that provide insight into human nature. We are introduced to a cast of cardboard locals who, while serving as a vehicle to introduce the oddities of the circus they attend, play no worthwhile part in the story. Finney's writing style is uneven in the extreme - there are a few bits of brilliance that completely overshadow the predominantly unpolished text. It's almost as if the book is a collection of notes for what would have been a much larger novel, and it could be a work of art if expanded upon and given some direction. As the story is only ~100 pages, expansion would have been appreciated instead of the pointless appendix of characters, creatures, items, and study questions (!) which is oddly in-depth for a story with such lightweight content. The ending of the story is very abrupt and has no real explanation. Nothing is solved, and there is no conclusion: did anyone learn anything from their encounters? We never know.

As a final note, think twice before throwing this one at your kids: this is not a book for children, and while some of the situations may seem somewhat tame by today's trash novel standards, it's obvious that the objective was to titillate readers in 1938. So, if you want something with real focus and a message, I recommend that you view the movie "The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao" instead of reading the source material. The only reason I hold on to this book is because of my love for the movie, as well as the beautiful illustrations by Boris Artzybasheff.

It is difficult to describe the wonder of this book. It is a short book of a little over a hundred pages. The category that it has been sold under is science fiction. The book has no plot but tells of a strange circus setting up in a small town. The owner of the circus Dr Lao is a Chinese man who changes between being a strange 1920's racist caricature to a person of the clear flowing oratory.

The book develops as the residents of the small town visit each of the exhibits. Each exhibit opens up a world of magic. The author attempts to satirise the residents of the town by contrasting their mundaneness with a world of passion and mystery.

The one exception to this is a dialogue between a sea monster and an office clerk. The sea monster is so large that it could destroy any other creature with a flip of its tale. Its power is dwarfed by the power of the clerk who is unremarkable but representative of the power of humanity as a collective mass.

The climax to the book is one of the most humours pieces of writing in science fiction. This book is now sadly out of print and will probably never be published again. Yet it is a work that deserves to endure for ever.

A definite must-read for anyone who appreciates real literature.

This is a truly fantastic book. It's amazing that something written so many years ago can make such an engaging read today. The relevance and staying power of this intriguing book is a testament to the author's brilliance. In fact, there are few contemporary American authors I have read that can match Finney's skill and mastery of the English language. The subtleties in the dialogues, the multi-faceted characters, and Finney's brilliant economy of words make it difficult to put this book down.

The story is a timeless one, it is set in an unknown small Arizona town but Finney brings the events magically to life.

I found this a brilliant work that doesn't necessarily fit the modern science fiction genre. It's a refreshing and intellectual break from tired "classics" like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.

I first read "The Circus of Dr. Lao" as a teenager and it's characters and events have stayed in my mind all these years. I'm very pleased to see it in print again, and I hope to see more of Finney's works on the shelves soon. He obviously deserves to take his place among the "greats" of American literature.

I'm not surprised that a few reviewers had trouble staying with "La Maravilla". It is a challenging work, both in content and form...a bit like critically acclaimed art house movies that are greeted with mixed reviews from the public. I can't deny that the writing is excellent, and the subject noble, but I also can't deny that I was bored through the entire midsection of this book.

The novel vividly depicts a squatters community outside Phoenix in the 1950s. Migrant workers return from work on flatbeds, lesbian prostitutes turn tricks in the back seats of cars, elderly grandparents have waking dreams and astral episodes amidst scenes of desert life... sounds fascinating, right? The setting is, but the story is surprisingly spare. Not a lot happens among these episodic moments, and much of what happens would better lend itself to visual form.

I never entirely connected with these characters, although I could appreciate what young Beno is losing when he is taken away to California at the novel's end. There is a rich history to this community, one that is lost in mainstream America.

This novel carries with it ghosts and magic, love and forgiveness; it carries the embodiment of the human spirit. It is simply a work that has affected me deeply for several years--something I may pick occassionally to read aloud, to hear the lyric and respect with which this story has been told.

The pastiche of characters: Beto and his family, locals and drifters, find humanity within each others' alienation in a desolate yet profound environment.

If you have been moved by the history and beauty of Marquez or Allende, and other so-called Magic Realists, if the poetic style of Michael Ondaatje appeals to you, and if you are still haunted by the characters of Steinbeck's "The Wayward Bus" or "Cannery Row"--you must read this book. And if you have read this book, please consider reading a book by Canadian author Sky Lee called "Disappearing Moon Cafe." It is equally as gorgeous.

This book is honestly the best one I have encountered in a very, very long time. The manipulation of time, the unexpectedness of virtues in characters so many other authors would have made into cliches, the theme of physics as a unifying science, all make this a book about so much more than "Buckeye". It's about the world, the universe, life and death, ancient ways colliding with progress. If you want to change the way you see the world, read this book.

For those of us brought up on Wyatt Earp as portrayed by Hugh O'Brian, this book is somewhat unsettling. Ms. Marks has done an evenhanded job of presenting both sides of the story. The famous gunfight at the OK Corral came about because of a series of blunders by both parties and she details them all. I enjoyed the book immensely.

If you could read only one book about the OK Corral gunfight, this should be it. There is no attempt to make either group right or wrong; too often these days, one or the other group is portrayed as a set of complete bad guys, when "complete" is much too strong a word. There are a few other books that should be considered, Chaput's "Virgil Earp: Western Peace Officer", Tanner and DeArment's "Doc Holliday: A Family Portrait", and Bob Boze Bell's books on Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. All reach pretty much the same conclusions although there are some variations in viewpoint that will make the reader think (for example, Tanner's view on just who was the target at the Boarding House is intriguing). Anyway, Dr. Marks' book is well-written, with a style that is easy to follow and appreciate. It is my hope that she finds other western subjects to write about so that we may enjoy more of the fruits of her research and writing ability.

Having read copious amounts of literature on the O.K. Corral gunfight at the ripe old age of 18, I found this book to be the most conscise, the most detailed (come on, almost a whole chapter on who fired the first shot, for God's sakes!) and the most objective work written on the subject. Marks does a fantastic job of informing the wide-eyed public that these were just men desensitized to death, not the 'lawmen clad in white, atop their noble steeds' as John Wayne et.al., would have us believe. After reading this book, I find movies such as 'Gunfight at the O.K Corral' and 'My Darling Clementine' to be ludicrous! If this is the perspective you would like, by all means, read the book.. but be forwarned: Doc Holliday isn't the urbane, suave talker Val Kilmer seems to think he is, and Wyatt Earp isn't at all the straightest arrow to be shot into the West.. and..dare I say it? the McLowrey brothers being upstart citizens?(Even having relations with an Earp relative..??) Johnny Ringo actually going to Mass and being recieved as a *gasp* gentleman caller? There are two sides to every person, and Marks does a fantastic job of reminding us that everyone has a conscience. Some people are just more vocal about it than others. However, there were areas where Marks could have laid down a little law herself; that Doc Holliday fired the first shot is erroneous. After all, he was carrying a shotgun at the time, and would not have had the time to reach for his nickle-plated pistol..but, you'll learn about this stuff when you read this book.. if you want to. Then again, I'm not impressing my History teacher with this extraneous knowledge.. But, if you're as hungry for the truth to the reasons behind the political intrigue that resulted in this massacre, as myself, you'll enjoy this book: there are no flowery farewells between friends, no teary "happily ever afters"..just guys who, like Gods, killed them for their sport..

As a mom new to the Phoenix area, I found this book to be a wonderful resource, filling me in on everything from local parenting groups to annual festivals. There's something for every family in this book.

Nutrition-minded parents will appreciate the list of farmer's markets in the area, and my kids and I had a wonderful time at some of the family-friendly farms and dairies the book highlighted. Not only does author Michelle Burgess provide the lowdown on kid favorites such as local parks and zoos, she also gives parents helpful suggestions for fun AND educational activities, such as the above-mentioned farms, off-the-beaten path museums and volunteer projects families can participate in together.

The book includes everything a parent needs to know about area outdoor activities, camps, cultural diversions, sporting events and more. Most of the attractions have helpful descriptions as well as contact information and a price guide. The back of the book contains emergency phone numbers and first-aid tips, including a list of scary critters and plants to avoid. Whimsical illustrations by Burgess' children round out the book.

Our family loves this book! I'd recommend it to any Phoenix-area family -- even seasoned dwellers could learn a thing or two from it.

Thank you, Michelle, for finally providing a comprehensive, easy to read source for Phoenix fun. As a mother of three children who has barely survived 5 summers without the book, I am looking forward to a much less stressful sizzling summer. For a local Mom, this is truly the answer. I am impressed with the way the book is laid out by activity, location, season, etc. Having locations and phone numbers makes finding additional information a breeze. I would certainly recommend this book for anyone residing in the area who knows there is a life beyond thier stucco walls!

Believe we need more books like this - geared to fun and entertainment for family. Since I was born in Phoenix, was tickled to see such a refreshing approach for the "tourist" but in actuality there is tourist in each person residing in the Phoenix metroplex. Such a fabulous part of the world and indeed a family treat.

I bought this book based on the reviews I read and all I can say is, are they reading the same book as I am? This book has the basic information about the trails and other interesting information like who was the first to climb each of the formations. There are no actual illustrations of the trails in the book, only textual descriptions. It tells you how long you will live without water based on the temperature. Seems to me you should know that before you head out. It is a compact size which makes it easy to lug around all that useless information. It does have some interesting history about the Grand Canyon and contact information for hotels and rafting. Again, information that is not very useful once you are on the trail. It has a listing of water sources but any serious hiker will check with the back country office before hitting the trail, which for the records the book does recommend. It also came with a useless map which is suitable for coloring. If you are planning on hiking into the canyon, I would recommend the book by Adkison over this one.

In the last 19 years at least seven general interest Grand Canyon hiking guides have been published and this is great for those folks who want to hike not only the popular trails but other trails and routes as well. Included are excellent descriptions of all the popular trails but many less visited trails and routes are also included (ie, Apache, Tuckup, Whitmore). Of all the in-print guides his trail descriptions are the most up-to-date and his trail mileages are the most accurate. The "introductory" sections on natural history, Native American cultures, etc. are added bonuses. Other important features include lists of water sources and temple and butte climbing history. The book's small compact size lends itself to be carried easily in one's day or backpack. The only negative notes I would add are that some of his trail descriptions need updating and the bibliographies could also use updating. The index has been improved since the last edition. For those folks wanting to hike only the most popular trails consider "Hiking Grand Canyon National Park" by Adkisson or "Official Guide to Hiking Grand Canyon" by Thybony. Both of these are excellent guides. Annerino's book includes a fold-out trail map but one venturing off the heavily travelled trails should consider the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Grand Canyon Topo Map. (Note: I have lived at the Grand Canyon for over 13 years, have hiked below the rim over 6,000 miles and have hiked most of the routes in the book.)

In the last 19 years at least seven general interest Grand Canyon hiking guides have been published and so far this is the best for those folks who want to hike not only the popular trails but other trails and routes as well. Included are excellent descriptions of all the popular trails but many less visited trails and routes are also included (ie, Apache, Tuckup, Whitmore). Of all the in-print guides his trail descriptions are the most up-to-date and his trail mileages are the most accurate. The "introductory" sections on natural history, Native American cultures, etc. are added bonuses. Other important features include lists of water sources and temple and butte climbing history. The book's small compact size lends itself to be carried easily in one's day or backpack. The only negative notes I would add are that some of his trail descriptions need minor updating and the bibliographies could also use updating. The index has been improved since the last edition. For those folks wanting to hike only the most popular trails consider "Hiking Grand Canyon National Park" by Adkisson or "Official Guide to Hiking Grand Canyon" by Thybony. (I have been told a 2001 edition is planned for the Thybony book.) Both of these are excellent guides. Annerino's book includes a fold-out trail map but one venturing off the heavily travelled trails should consider the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Grand Canyon Topo Map. (Note: I have lived at the Grand Canyon for over 11 years, have hiked below the rim over 5,000 miles and have hiked most of the routes in the book.)