This book is geared more toward an educational reference tool for elementary and high school teachers. However, it works just as well as a self-teaching guide for beginners. I look forward to trying some of the exercises myself.

As an admirer of native art and a novice carver, I have found new appreciation for this beautiful art form. This book (and it's companion, Learning by Designing) have provided a means for me to advance my skills as well as become more familiar with some of the features making northwest native art geographically unique. It provides ample and readily usable information. After only a short time, I am applying design concepts to my own work. The two books complement each other very well, and I eagerly await the next volume.

I would like to recommend this book to anyone working with native art themes as well as those who appreciate or collect it.

Thank You for the wonderful material!

While visiting the Northwest Coast of British Columbia we wanted to learn more about the art styles and methods of drawing NW Native Indian art. This book, along with Learning by Designing (from Raven Publishing) were our favourites. Because of its step by step methods and sample drawings we were able to easily re-create and paint our own authentic designs. We highly recommend these books.

Pacific Coast Pelagic Invertebrates covers the common gelatinous pelagic invertebrates, more commonly thought of as jellyfish, that are encountered on the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California. There is really no comparable source for this information and certainly none that is so well written and illustrated.

The beginning of the book provides a description of the advantages of a gelatinous lifestyle, the role of gelatinous animals in marine ecosystems, and the range of habitats in which they occur. This provides the reader with an appreciation for the diverse and successful patterns these animals have evolved to live in a variety of habitats and niches. There is also an excellent section on observing, collecting, and photographing specimens.

Wrobel and Mills have provided a glossary of terms and black and white photographs of each major group identifying various body parts. The description of how to distinguish the major groups gives readers an entree into the descriptions of the species.

Species from four phyla are included: Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Mollusca, and Chordata. The descriptions of the organisms are arranged taxonomically. Information on identification, natural history, range and habitat, and other remarks as appropriate are included in each description. The most striking feature of the book has to be the photographs that accompany each species description. The photographs are truly gorgeous.

An excellent book. As a Marine Biologist and diver I found this book an excellent complement for both my work and recreational diving. Photographs are very good and descriptions accurate yet simple enough.

This book has excellent pictures with comprehensive descriptions. From the pictures in this book, I recognized many of the species that I have personally seen while diving. I was able to read and learn more about them from the descriptions next to each picture.

Mary Giraudo Beck did an admirable job of gathering information that has not been readily available to readers for several decades. The Tlingit and Haida cultures are quite fascinating, and their Kushtaka (and some other) legends are very well elaborated here. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Northwest Coast cultures, or in the relation of wildlife to native peoples. It is a very engaging, yet quite easy read, that nevertheless loads the reader with solid research.

This book is great! I love those old stories, and like to tell them to my friends. There are many things to be learned from these tales. Next time you are lost in the woods, this would be a good book to have with you ... give it a go, eh?

This book is awsome! Beck does a wonderful job retelling the legends of Tlingit and Haida mythology. This book is excellent if you want/need to learn about the old Indian tales of southeast Alaska. I'd also highly recommend Beck's other book "Hero's & Heroines in Tlingit-Haida Legend"

I read the book nearly cover to cover and was disappointed at how little direct help I found for vegetable gardening in my small Seattle back yard. Since the majority of folks living "West of the Cascades" don't garden on the acreage the author enjoys, I felt a little duped by the title. I know I'd appreciate a chapter in the book dedicated to those of us who garden in 200 square feet or less.

I've only been gardening for a year or so, but in that short time I've read more than my share of gardening books and advice online. Mr. Solomon's book is a great inspiration -- he provides no-nonsense, practical, honest advice about how to plan for and expect the best from your garden. After reading this, I finally feel mentally equipped to get the most from my backyard.

However, I'll agree with another reviewer: this book has a definite "homestead" bent which doesn't apply well to us city folk. While the self-sufficiency angle is interesting and doesn't lead to any irrelevant tangents, it would be nice for a chapter or two on planning and management for small (less than 200 square feet) gardens. Maybe in the next edition?

The book is well-organized, and the writing is pleasant and easy to follow. If you live in western Oregon, Washington, or BC, then this book is a must-read.

I loved this book! I knew very little about growing vegetables and needed step by step instructions and confidence. I even ordered the lettuce from Territorial Seed Co. on the last page and they grew well! If you live in the Northwest and want to grow vegies organically and as a bonus, harvest year round, and don't want to spend alot of money on a book, buy this book!

Growing up in NC, I saw all of the sights along the coast of Civil War importance. I tramped across Fort Fisher and loked out to sea over the ramparts of Fort Macon. I visited Roanoke and climbed the earthworks left over from the burnside expedition. I live in a state which the Civil War changed forever. North Carolina contributed the most soldiers (besides Virginia) to the Southern cause, and quite a few for the North. It is wonderful to see such a well-written book about this state. Even if you are not a North Carolinian, this book will tell you a lot about the Southern war effort. Wilmington, NC was the only port that blockade runners could enter during the latter half of the war, and so most of the South's supplies came through there. This book is a wonderful read, and has a novel-like feel. Great for all Civil War Buffs.

This is one of the most excellent books I have ever read on the subject to the Civil War in North Carolina or any other theatre. It easily grabs your attention early on and holds on to it throughout the remainder of the book. It reads splendidly and the author does an excellent job in describing all aspects. Trotter definitely deserves serious recognition. It should be considered a major contribution to the Civil War reading community and a must for any serious student of the Civil War.

This is a remarkably easy to read history that grabs your attention in the very beginning and never lets up. It reads as easily as a novel and should be a must for lovers of North Carolina.

Details the flora and landscape of the hike; degree of difficulty of hike in a straight forward, useful manner. I have used the book for several day hikes in the Lake Tahoe and Bay Area and the book has helped make the hikes enjoyable and fun. Heed the degree of difficulty listing, they are accurate.

BUY IT and ENJOY!!!!!!!!

I had a short time to spend in the backcountry and needed some succinct guidance for choosing the best trail for my time and experience levels. The 100 Hikes guide filled the bill - got me from Reno to the Sand Ridge Trail. The trail guide and map was way ahead of the material I picked up at the Forest Service Ranger station and I had a great two nights on trails that were just right for the equipment I had with me. Well written, guide from guys who've obviously been there on the ground. I'd even buy the book someday if the library copy is checked out next time I'm heading for northern California. Dick Williams 10-30-97

This is a well-written, well-organized field guide, like all other Peterson Field Guides. The book is divided into five parts: 1. About This Book, a very brief introduction of the book; 2. Collectin and Observing Fishes, again, a brief chapter, but very useful. The next three chapters are divided into: 3. Jawless Fishes; 4. Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras and 5. Bony fishes, which is where the bulk of the book is about. The book also contained an excellent glossary, and a limited number of references. Particularly useful are the detailed habitat information of each fish described, ways to identify them, and of course, the 48 pages of color and black and white drawings of the fishes. The book is an invaluable sources of information not only to ichthyologist, naturalist, but also to the comercial fisherman, professional anglers and recreational angler. The only complaint I had is that this field guide uses artists' drawing for the fishes instead of the actual picture of the fish. With the actual picture of the fish, it will make the identification of an unknown fishe much easier for the amateurs and weekend angler. Overall, an excellent book.

I bought this book in anticipation of a SCUBA trip down the west coast next year. Why? Because I have good luck with Peterson guides and know that they are concise, well written and all inclusive. So far, as I try to gain some familiarity with the fishes of the west coast before I go I have not been disappointed. I'm sure that this book is to the west coast what the Atlantic guide is to the east and gulf coast. I'll write another review after I finish my trip.

This is an interesting book about the life of a salvage tug on the stormy North Atlantic. It is told from a sailor's point of view which makes for good story telling but may not be as factually acurate as possible. Mowat admits as much.

This is a book that you can stop reading after completing the first half. There are only so many variations on the story of a ship in trouble, bad weather sets in, and the more-than-sea worthy tug heroically comes to the rescue. The book initially holds your attention but becomes highly repetitive by the later chapters.

One thing I did very much appreciate about the book was Mowat's unvarnished explanations of how salvage companies earn their money. It's not an entirely glamorous business and Mowat does a good job of pointing out how one's pecuniary interests leads to decision making. Obviously, salvage tugs don't operate out of the goodness of their heart.

This book is the best non-fiction book on one salvage company's tugs and men and the many jobs they took on to try and save ships in distress. They are heading out to sea at great peril to thier own lives to try and save a ship and it's crew. The book is riveting, a real page turner. If you like sea stories you cannot put this book down until the end. Farley Mowat has a gift for writing this book that makes you feel like you are on board the salvage tugs going thru these desperate hours with the crew. I love ships and sea stories and this is my absolute favorite.

If you enjoy the Jack Aubrey novels as much as I do, you'll doubless be taken by this more modern sea story.

Mowat is a contemporary writer of fiction and non-fiction about Canada and the north, covering natural science, Eskimos, archeology and autobiography.

He also writes authoritatively about the sea. This book has salt on every page. It is the story of the conversion of a rusty British WWI seagoing tug into the "Foundation Franklin," a seagoing salvage vessel, working out of Newfoundland or Nova Scotia. There was a real Franklin salvage company on which this very realistic novel is based.

Those who have sailed on weather patrol or to Greenland, or to other stormy seas, will relish the salt spray and dangerous hawser-passing and towing. You will experience the bitter along with the triumphs as the crew is frustrated by losing the tow or arriving too late at the job, thus throwing the expense of the attempt into the foam.

A splendid book!

Incidentally, one of Mowat's autobiographical books, "The Dog Who Wouldn't Be," is about the funniest book I have ever read. ISBN 0-553-27928-9.

Good information basically summarized. Most regions described are generalized but it gives you good information to start from. Maps could have been much better though.

A really nice book for people who are new in sea kayaking. Have lots of information like outfitters, transportation, maps, etc. It's a good book to read for info. and to pick the best place to kayak in the NW if you have only a few days in the region.

Invaluable guide. This book does not just tell the reader where to park and where to camp, also includes history, low impact camping tips, advice on ethics and hygiene and manners.

The chapters on various island groups are described by different authors, with uneven quality. We have been to areas covered in three chapters, The Discovery Islands, The Clayoquot Sound, and the Gulf Islands. The details of the two of the chapters were precise, the hazards were as described (as we discovered when we did not take them seriously enough - I was almost run over by a whale watching boat in the fog off Vargus Island, a hazard that we had not taken seriously even though it was clearly described in the chapter).

The chapter on the Discovery Islands in some cases offered vague or incorrect details as to the location of camp sites.

For some reason, we did not find this book on the Amazon web site by using searches that should have found it, for example kayaking British Columbia. But our local Kayak store carried it.

As an amature local history buff, I'd heard of the Sophia tragedy, but this book beautifully illustrated who and what was lost that awful day, and her loss meant to the community. The author brings to life the people aboard her, the efforts to save them, and all the ironic poignancy that always accompanies a disaster? How could the captain have know that first day was the only chance he had of escape, that the weather would never improve? Definitely a good read.

When I read "The sinking of the Princess Sophia" I had no idea that it was that desperate, and that unfortunate of what had happen. This book is a very good book that coincides with the Titanic, it is a book that shows the passengers that went on the Sophia for her voyage, to the last trip, and the sinking. If you want to read a book that is about a little known diaster, but still has the qualities of a big sinking.Read it! It is thought provoking and very well written.

One of the best shipwreck books to come along in a great while. This book is both readable and well researched (increasingly rare, in this field) with none of the flaws common to current maritime disaster books.....no recreated dialogue, no unsupported claims, no conspiracy theories, no "just plain making things up." If you are interested in this sort of thing, and have been disgusted as of late by the avalanche of really bad books (most of which relate to the Titanic) then this history of a little known tragedy might be just the thing for you.