I for one like history to be both accurate and dramatic - it so seldom is both. In this book it is. The research is meticulous and exceedingly well presented. The crisp, engaging style blends perfectly with the fine but terrifying paintings depicting the doomed ship. The newspaper portraits of passengers and crew harmonize with the graphic, yet deeply compassionate tale of human disaster. Also, the cover of the book is aesthetically powerful and highly effective. I enthusiastically recommend this fine work.

This book saved our vacation on the bad weather days. We had researched Portland and the surrounding areas before we went to Maine but this book added information that we had not discovered. We would have saved time had we read this book first because it was all that we needed. It was easy reading for my 8 1/2 yr.old and the amusing and educational facts made it fun for him.

This is a wonderful book full of old pictures and trivia about Portland, Maine. Portland is the largest city in the state. If you have lived there or visited, the pictures and history are very thought provoking. So often, we don't stop in our busy lives to look back at the history of an area. Here, all of the legwork is done for us. Definitely a very interesting book for those with interest in the history of this old seaport city.

This volume of spectacular sculpture rocks. I have never laid my hands on enything quite like it. The pieces are well-written and the photography is excellent. Kudos.

this book is a fabulous resource for women seeking ceremony in their lives. there are rituals to cover the every- day life events, as well as the holidays like samhain and beltane. the book is handwritten by the women of the feminist spiritual community and gives the feel of many different personalities. the april fool's ritual is especially fun, and gives a good balance to the more poignant and serious rituals.

This book is beautiful, both to look and and spiritually. Funny, sad, joyous...you will run the gamut of emotions while looking through these pages. From the moment you open the book, which is set up in hand writting instead of book print, you feel you are a part of something wonderul. That something wonderful is the Feminist Spiritual Community of Portland Maine. In this book you will find ritual for the celebration of any number of life's passages; from baby blessing to grief and all its ecompassing conflicts. There are rituals to celebrate the seasons, personal milestones, and community. You are encouraged to take these rituals and fit tem into your own personal path. And then there is the (in)famous "April Fool's Ritual" which just has to be experienced to be believed (we used it at a bridal shower that will not soon be forgotten). This one will not be put away on a shelf, it will be used and abused and very, very much loved. And it deserves it.

I have used Keep Simple Ceremonies over and over again and have recommended it often to folks looking for rite-of-passage ritual. One of the best books I've seen on the topic.

This book is a little silly. We are told to tip the waitstaff well since they really could be artists (as opposed to a mother trying to support her child?) If you can get past the hype about the city, and it is a great city, the book is well organized and offers solid suggestions for exploring the town. There is a section on the history of the town describing Indian raids and the destruction of the city twice by fire. The final rebuilding in the 1860's and 70's accounts for it's consistent architectural style.

Restaurants by category, wine bars, biker bars, coffee houses, dance spots, theatre, where to hear live music - this book tells all. It is exhaustive enough to provide plenty of suggestions but not overwhelming in it's coverage.

As far as looking like a tourist, don't worry about it. We love tourists, and I picked up a copy myself.

I actually live in Portland - but I still love this book, and I often turn to it when I'm looking for somewhere new to eat or something new to see. It gives an insiders look into all the different restaurants, bars, beaches, and shopping experiences that you could want. Though a couple of the restaurants he lists are now closed - this book can stand the tests of time. Portland is full of tourists in the summer, so don't worry about sticking out. Just get this book to make sure that you don't miss out on any of the great things the city has to offer.

We just got back from a mini-vacation to Portland and it was one of the most enjoyable trips we've had. A lot of that is thanks to Mr. Barry's handy guide. We've been to Portland previously, but had not seen or experienced it the way we did this time. We would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is going to the area for the first time or even, like us, has been to the area before. We both probably still looked like tourists, but I bet that we experienced many things not normally experienced by other tourists, unless they had purchased this guide.