When Vida Runkle discovers a distant relative has been murdered in a seaside Oregon town, she takes off to solve the mystery, dragging her employer, newspaper editor Emma Lord, with her.

Although Emma Lord is the star of this series, she takes a backseat to her sidekick, Vida Runkle, in this book, and the reversal does not work well. Runkle comes across as a meanspirited, insensitive detective who shows little consideration a loyal and injured Emma Lord. Meanwhile, the author spends far too much time lecturing us on the value of family and that "blood is thicker that water." Combined with a weak plot, this relentless harping on family (despite the fact that Runkle has never met most of the branch of the family she is now meddling with) make this one of the least enjoyable books in the series.

As always Emma and Vida are out to solve a mystery. I enjoy this series as well as the Bed and Breakfast series that Ms Daheim writes. I have read all the books in the series and had no trouble enjoying this addition, but I feel that it would not be a good way to introduce new readers to this excellent series. Start with Alpine Advocate and then continue down the line. Following that course will allow the reader to enjoy all that has lead up to Emma and Vida's relationship and to Emma's interaction with all the characters in the series.

Emma Lord, editor and publisher of the Alpine Advocate, is concerned about her favorite employee, Vida Runkel. Vida doesn't seem herself and is planning to visit her late husband's family who live on the Oregon coast. Vida finally confesses that the motivation for her trip is the murder of her niece Audrey. Emma accompanies Vida on her trip and meets a whole cast of new characters, Vida's in-laws. The two of them attempt to investigate Audrey's murder but are discouraged by unfriendly notes, car accidents, and uncooperative family members. Audrey is reputed to be a promiscuous woman and Emma and Vida believe that this might be the motive for murder, either by a jealous spouse or a spurned lover. There is another death and the murder's solution brings mixed feelings to the inquisitve twosome from Alpine. This book brings a change of scenery from Alpine and is a welcome addition to the series.

All the parts weren't very informative . I slept through most of it. I dont recommend it.

This book focuses simply on the composition of snow and how one can best wax to take advantage of it. It gave me a great explanation on the effects of snow on wax. However, I wanted a book to show me how to tune my skis at home. This is not that book. Pass on this book unless you want to know the intricisies of how to wax a cross-country ski.

very good hel

As an American, I found this guide to be disorganized and spotty. Each of the climbs IS well described, but there is no overview of the different areas, no large scale maps, or even an index. Maybe if you already know your way around the alps, this is adequate, but if you want to actually find out where in Switzerland the climb actually is, you'll be consulting other maps and guides.

Also, the use of the older rating system, with no real conversion, is disconcerting. How hard actually IS a 'peu difficile' climb? The translation is 'a little difficult', but for who?

Overall, the guide has good information on the climbs, but I found I had to supplement it with a hiking guide to orient me to the alps as a whole.

Well laid out and presented. Gives a good general outline of the 4000m+ summits, the most popular routes taken to climb, and generally good descriptions of what to expect along the way, with cautions given to appropriate areas of the route, etc.

Bound as a pocket book with vinyl cover, makes a great take-along guide to throw in your pack.

No much more than a compilation of generally available information. Was hoping for reviews, tips, insight, etc.

This book is a little out of date now, but it includes all the basics we needed to plan our ski trip. We wanted to do a road trip through several Western states, and with the information in this book, we were able to plan where to go and where to stay without breaking the bank. It helped us balance our trip between big resorts that everybody knows about a little resorts that we hadn't even heard about.

All this proves is that "ski style" is ANYTHING you want to build in a ski area. Some of the places have no "ski" feel at all.

I felt there was an unhappy overtone in 'skifanatic's review elsewhere. I guess I can remember feeling a bit like that when young and all I could do was covet. However, don't be put off. The photos in this book -- particularly the Alpine homes -- are a tribute to design, warmth, style, and beauty of traditional materials. And yes, they are also a tribute to money.
But take out the envy and you have examples of a most fabulous marriage between modern crafts and mediaeval styles, using wood, iron, glass, ceramics, cottons, furs, etc etc. Breathtaking homes -- though somewhat less so in the case of the modern-style, overly self-conscious designs.
I lived in a mountain village in the Swiss Alps for a couple of years in the 1960s, and still adore the warmth, solidity, simplicity of the homes there as well as the intracies of the wood structures, paneling and finishes. That was true even for (maybe especially for) the peasant chalets, such as those where I spent that time (skiing fanatically, I might add).
The homes in this book are a tribute to what great imagination, and great taste, based on traditional styles materials, and values can achieve. I was transported by the book and would love to own one of them -- if someone else would take on the upkeep and maintainance!!
Mr.'skifanatic' will get over his hurt one day I hope and may even get to enjoy such places -- while ignoring the fact that others possess them. We don't all have to live in the kind of crowd-accomodating ski barns that dot today's ski centers to be democratic. It is good that human achievement can reach the levels shown in this book. It keeps the crafts people up in the mountains where they surely have a place.

When buying a book, you would hardly expect to get only a pieceof common sense for your money. Unfortunately, this is the case with thisbook. Its main message is "get yourself a skiing instructor and learn how to ski". I agree, noone learns how to ski (swim, play basketball, etc.) from a book only, but nonetheless the book should advise on techniques, not tell one that he/she needs a coach. It's pretty obvious, even for a dummy.

This is a terrific guide! For people who have already tried skiing and are still somewhat mystified by the complexity of the equipment and the rental shop and just finding one's way around, this book is an invaluable aid in moving up to the next level. For people considering taking up the sport in the next season, it will help you to have a satisfying, enjoyable experience.

The author provides handy, valuable tips on things as simple as what to wear, and things as complex as how to choose a ski. He explains how ski boots should fit, and how to rent them. There is a big emphasis on the importance of taking a lesson, but more importantly, how to get the most out of that lesson.

For anyone who plans a ski trip for next season, whether it is a day or a week or more, the small investment in this wonderful guide will be returned many times over. Even the most experienced skiers will find something useful.

Some interesting & useful concepts but the author doesn't have enough credibility in the field. Furthermore, there's no convincing proof that the method he came up with and named after himself works or is better than others.

The view here is that all learning, including formal education and informal learning, is self-taught and accomplished by expecting it and doing it.

This book is pocket sized and is ready to take with you on every ski trip. Use the Oakes Four Principles to practice, gain confidence, and become an expert skiier.

It seems that no one book on alpines will ever encompass the entire plant palette available to rock gardeners, but this book makes a small attempt. Some of the photos are spectacular, but others are dark or unclear. Descriptions are technical but accurate. This book should be part of a serious rock gardener's libray, but it falls short of being a complete A-Z dictionary as it claims.

Richard Sanders' book has been useful to me as an intermediate skiier, in learning the whys and hows of downhill technique. He's very accessible, but on the down side, last revised in 1979 the book misses out on a lot of developments, especially in equiptment, since then. The section on carving is pretty lamentable. In it's way, though, it's still the best book I've seen so far on skiing.

being a beginer of mountaineering i bought this book so i would not get trapped in an avalanche and so i could learn some basic mountain safety. The book was quit easy to read but very detailed, it covers most of the skills needed for mountain safty. I recomend it to any one who is going to venture out into the mountains soon.