This guide is a great companion for anyone seeking unique and clever discoveries in the mid-atlantic region. The book dives into nature, history, unique facts and unknown charms that most travel guides hardly touch.

Twenty-six years after its chartering, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad had finally reached its original goal - To build a railroad 352 miles all the way from the growing seaport town of Baltimore, MD to its terminus of Wheeling, VA (now WV) on the Ohio River. The intent was to provide a transportation link for grain and manufactured goods coming east from Ohio and the surrounding area to Baltimore.

In accomplishing this goal, the greatest physical obstacle that this railroad faced in its drive to Wheeling was traversing the daunting Seventeen-Mile Grade west of Cumberland, and sixty miles later, to descend the equally-daunting Cranberry and Newburg grades immediately west of Terra Alta, WV to Grafton, and on to Wheeling. We may never learn about the actual numbers of laborers, tons of rock, and dirt either removed, drilled, or used to fill ravines to as level a grade as possible to allow the actual and safe passage of freight and passenger trains. But one thing is certain - the experience gained from this engineering feat formulated important principles for future railroad construction jobs, not just on the B&O, but for other railroads as well. It was from these "lessons learned" that earned the B&O the name of "The Railroad University of America," a sobriquet given by Mr. in his article, "

Charles Roberts' book, "West End", relates the obstacles faced by the B&O in getting up Seventeen-Mile Grade and west down Cranberry and Newburg Grades in the 1840's, plus the years after reaching Wheeling where the B&O continued to grow. Also, the various construction projects to improve on the original route over the mountains as well as the B&O's acquisition and improvement of smaller rail lines in the intervening years is covered. Charley Roberts has an earthy style of writing that seems to fit the subject matter covered, which may not be to every rail historian's liking, but the result is a volume that comprehensively covers this geographic area of the B&O that no one until now has done to such an extent. This book was the first in a trilogy that Charley later wrote, "East End" (in collaboration with Jeffrey Hollis), and "Sand Patch."

Together with "Fireballs and Black Diamonds," this book should be in the collection of every Western Maryland Railway fan. Illustrated with the highest quality color photographs of WM that you will ever find, this book sets THE STANDARD in analysis and discussion of the WM as an operating railroad. I own TWO copies of this book because one is completely falling apart from years of using it as a reference guide. I have learned more about the Western Maryland from this book than from any other single source. If you can locate it, buy it! Don't worry about the cost, because you will read and review this book so many times that you could not possibly pay too much.

Living in the Baltimore area for the past nine years, I thought I was somewhat familiar with the history of the city as well as most of the local sights. When I saw the full title of WISH YOU WERE HERE, this part intrigued me: "A Guide to Baltimore City for Natives and Newcomers." I'm actually neither, but I suppose I'd be considered more a newcomer than anything else...and this book has re-introduced Baltimore to me in a way that makes me enjoy and appreciate it's singular identity all the more. Written in a friendly yet informative tone, it reads almost like a letter from a friend who wants to share a beloved hometown with you. I highly recommend it to all "natives and newcomers" who want to know what makes Baltimore the unpretentious yet fascinating place that it is.

This is an indispensible reference guide for dining in the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis areas. It is easy to understand and navigate with reviews of most restaurants in terms of food, decor/ambiance, price etc. The reviews are right on for the restaurants I have tried. Also very handy are the crossreferences for many categories such as brunch, parking, late night dining etc. Probably the best feature is another index listing the "best" restaurants for various occasions as identified by readers.

Highly recommended, I get a new one every year.

The Corner is one of those stories that stops us out-to-save-the-world types in our tracks. What do you do with a situation like this? Police, politicians, charitable organizations, treatment centers, educators, and tireless optimistic reformers seem to be completely ineffective throughout the book. The book has its bright spots: when someone goes into rehab, when a long-term user leaves the corner for good, when one of the kids returns to school. But everyone knows, and the reader begins to have a sense, that the changes don't last long and tragedy will strike again, so why hope?

But the book is much more than a recounting of failed social programs and policing. The Corner is the story of real people with real desires and dreams. All have dreams beyond the corner, but none have a way to get there. Some have fallen from successful pasts, and some were born into the strange West Baltimore economy of buying, selling, and using. The authors looked closely enough to know that Gary was once a successful businessman, that Fran was once planning to attend college, that Blue is an accomplished artist. But to most of America, they are faceless drug addicts who should know better, who should clean themselves up and get out of there.

As the yearlong account unfolds, it is clear that getting "out of there" is not a realistic option. Few have any support system to speak of, and the government programs designed to help don't always-even if someone manages to navigate the endless bureaucracy. In the end, the corner triumphs in all but a few cases. The Corner is an eye-opening story that asks us to become aware of the people caught in situations like these in inner-city America. They are real people who have become completely detached from society at large, but they are still human beings. The book does not provide any answers, but it provokes thought as to what could possibly bring the people of every Fayette Street in every West Baltimore a glimmer of real hope.

"Empathy demands that we recognize ourselves in the faces at Mount and Fayette, that we acknowledge the addictive impulse as something more than simple lawlessness, that we begin to see the corner as the last refuge of the truly disowned." ---David Simon and Edward Burns

The Corner is a very telling book. It gives the outsider a close-up view of the life on an inner-city drug corner. These drug corners have one simple overarching rule: You need the blast and nothing else matters. The authors also try to make sense of the whole tradgedy through their own outside comments about the police, the welfare system, and the like. In addition to that, the true story takes on the form a novel, letting you into the daily life of the McCullough family. I couldn't help but feel some type of connection with characters like DeAndre, Fran, and Gary. As I read on, I couldn't help but care for these people, to feel happy when things went right for them and to be a little sad when things went wrong. It was an enjoyable book to read, but a little repetitive. Perhaps that was the authors' plan to drive the idea home, but I think it could have been cut down a little without losing the point. Still, don't let this stop anyone from reading this book.

"The Corner," by David Simon and Edward Burns, is one of the best books I've ever read.

Nothing I've seen or read humanizes inner-city drug fiends, pushers, gang members quite like this does. By gaining the trust of the people of Monroe and Fayette streets in West Baltimore, the authors were able to put the reader in their shoes, capture their thoughts, dreams, and histories.

Rather than glamorize drug use and gang violence as many books and movies do, it plainly shows the heartache experienced and the physical, emotional, and social barriers faced by people living in inner-cities.

So many judge themselves to be morally and intellectually superior to those living in the inner-cities of our country. Simon and Burns do a masterful job demonstrating people of inner-city neighborhoods, for the most part, are victims of circumstance and, given the same upbringing, the same surroundings, the same resistance, those outsiders who judge them harshly would live no differently.

Published in 1997, "The Corner" has received mostly glowing reviews. The few criticisms hurled its way usually center around a lack of solutions offered. Simon and Burns do not have the answers and don't pretend to.

Their book effectively argues society's "war on drugs" has not only failed miserably, but is actually a war on the underclass itself.

If a solution is to be reached in the upcoming century, it will be through a drastic change in attitude of the "haves" towards the "havenots." This book and others like it may go a long way towards changing opinions and ultimately sparking a solution. I challenge the Rush Limbaughheads out there to read "The Corner."

SeaSwept is my favorite Nora Roberts' book. Actually, the entire Quinn Brothers trilogy is an excellent read (Inner Harbor, Rising Tides). SeaSwept introduces you to the Quinn family and in particular, Cameron Quinn. Ms. Roberts' male characters are always strong, sensitive men with an incredible sense of family and morals. Upon meeting Cameron in the opening pages of this book, he's what one would call a "player." But when called upon by his siblings during a family crisis, he comes through shining. It has always been the three Quinn brothers but a family tragedy brings about the possibility of there being a fourth Quinn that they had no knowledge of. SeaSwept is a familial story of strenghth and love and of the ties that bind fathers & sons and brothers to each other. As with each of the Quinn boys, they must come to face their past demons and ultimately, their present, as they each make their way into the future and join to affect the future of their youngest brother, Seth. It is an excellent read and is enchanced by the story setting of the eastern seaboard town in which it takes place.

"Sea Swept" is the first book in the trilogy revolving around the Quinn brothers of Cheseapeke Bay. The entire trilogy is a must read, although each book can stand on its own.
The Quinns are three brothers who were all taken in by Ray Quinn and his wife as abused and neglected juvenile delinquents. Because of the love and understanding of their adopted parents, the Quinn boys turned their lives around and they became a true family.
This is the story of Cameron, the eldest, who is called back home from his life of sailing and adventure after his father is injured in a car accident. As Ray Quinn dies, he asks his three sons to raise Seth, the boy he has just recently adopted. Cam struggles to deal with his father's death and tries to reach Seth's guarded heart. He also meets Anna Spinneli, Seth's social worker, and begins to develop a relationship with her.
The romance between Cam and Anna is realistic and very passionate. The relationship that Cam and his two brothers, Ethan and Phillip, develop with Seth is truly touching and is perfectly written by Nora Roberts.
As the brothers struggle to solve the mystery of who Seth really was to their father, and at the same time try to convince the government that they are capable of raising a child, there are all kinds of funny, heart-warming, and poignant scenes. In the midst of all this, Cam and Anna develop deep feelings for each other and try to figure out where those feelings will take them. The result is an absolutely superior book that you won't soon forget. Trust me, you will love these brothers!

Though I don't care for the title, knowing Nora could've done much better, this book quickly overcame that fault. Sea Swept is a novel written about a family of 3 adopted brothers-Cameron, Ethan, and Phillip, 11 year old Seth, and his social worker, Anna. The book is Cam's story, the famous daredevil son who likes fast boats, cars, and women. Cam has just won a famous boat race as he's notified his Dad is in a coma. As he returns, his Dad becomes coherent long enough to ask his sons to care for Seth. At the time of the accident, he was adopting Seth. The scene is set for shocking discoveries, as rumor has it Seth is Ray Quinn's child. Clearing their Dad's name uppermost in their minds, the three brothers take turns falling in love with young Seth. Each sees part of his past in the boy. You're caught up in the war of love and conflict here, and Nora Roberts makes sure you can step inside each character's shoes. The story unravels in surprising directions. I found the book exciting and captivating, the seaside a perfect backdrop for the tranquility needed during the tempestuous times and impending scandal. Anna is the center of attention, along with Seth, as she's surrounded by three virile, single brothers. You discover her heart-wrenching past as you're already her biggest fan. Taken in by her feisty, sexy, independent and honest to a fault personality, you are indeed *seaswept*...Watching Cam and Anna fight their obvious attraction, the the ways their love for Seth sneaks up on them both is genuine fun. Caught between their tangling and clashing one moment - and fiery passion the next, you are sucked in to Sea Swept without an ounce of resistance!

This is the first book by Michener that I have read. Having lived in Maryland for 6 years now I was interested in the history of the Chesapeake so I chose his book to better educate myself. Michener did a wonderful job combining history and fiction into a story spanning centuries of life on the Eastern Shore. His description of nature, the land and the bay are so inspiring that I have vowed to spend more time there. I became very involved with all three families. The development of some characters were better than others but when covering such a great length of time it did not bother me. I felt he developed the character of each of the families over time wonderfully. More importantly I learned a great deal about the Chesapeake and Eastern Shore which has given me a new appreciation of the area. I would have given the book 5 stars but there was one drawback for me. I was disappointed that Michener brought his somewhat liberal political views on slavery and Watergate into the story. It was so glaringly obvious and I felt they did not belong in the story. I wish he had not used his book as a vehicle for this but it certainly didn't prevent me from enjoying it. He also neglected to talk about the wild ponies on Assateague Island which I think are an enormous appeal to the history of the area. Oh well, he covered everything else! All in all a fabulous and intriguing read.

Although it is the largest book I've read, it was one of the best! I would've finished it alot sooner, had I more time. I enjoyed learning about the struggles of the Paxmores the Steeds, the Turlocks, and most of all, the Native Americans. when I was reading it, my U.S. history class was learning the same information, and my teacher was amazed I knew so much! I also read the book for a book report, and my teacher was amazed I picked the book, as opposed to the shorter, Catcher in The Rye-like books we've been reading. Never have I learned this much history from one book, and actually kept my interest in it! I went to the Chesapeake Bay when I was little, and remembered the atmosphere that I had forgotten, almost immediately. If this is a fair example of what James Michener has written, you can count me in as a regular James reader.

First off, let me say this was the first Michener book that I ever read. I'm in the 10th grade, and we were given a long list of books to choose from, only a few of which were Michener's. I knew how long it was, and that's mainly why I decided to try it (my version was 1001 pages). The beginning of this book goes into a lot of detail with the landscape, as does Hawaii, which I'm currently reading. Therefore, if you just skim the parts which he describes the landscape, you won't miss anything. The book takes you through around 400 years of history, up until the 1970s. It focuses on three main families, as well as the history of the surrounding land. It's a great book, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who has/think they might have the time to read it.

This is a difficult book to read because the evil that slavery entails. The oppression of anyone is an evil that must be overcome. Frederick Douglass displayed a remarkable courage in learning to read and write to finally overcome the horror of slavery. I appreciate his observation on the religious hypocrisy of the South. It was telling that religious slave owners were always the worst. Of course since religion helped breed slavery in America this really should not come as any surprise. I have great admiration for the founders of this country but I also feel that the evil and hypocrisy of slavery should be exposed. It is an ugly passage in American history that must be addressed. This book should be read by high school kids in every high school in America--make that every American period. Frederick Douglass deserves to be recognized as a great American and this book is essential reading for any American.

Slavery was known as a "peculiar institution". By broadcasting such labels for slavery, the southern slave owners were able to downplay the severity of the subjugation of slaves in this "peculiar institution". However, in 1845 a runaway slave by the name of Frederick Douglass was published his narrative which showed the extent of the cruelty within of the oppressive the institution of American slavery. Douglass gives a powerful portrayal of his personal struggle against the tyranny of himself and his fellow slaves. By depicting his personal story regarding the horrors of slavery, Douglass testified to the injustices of the slave institution and conveyed an urgent message of the time for prompt abolition.
Douglass leaves out no detail as he portrays the brutal means in which slaves were forced into subjugation. In order to maintain order and to achieve maximum efficiency and productivity from his slave, an owner used the fear of the ever-present whip against his slaves. Over, and over again throughout the Narrative, Douglass gives account of severe beatings, cruel tortures, and unjust murders of slaves. The message is evident. Slavery dehumanized African Americans.
From the introduction of his early experience, Douglass portrays the burdens of slavery. The reader is forced to cope with the fact that he has no tangible background. Slavery has robbed him of the precious moments of his childhood. He was raised in the same manner as one would raise an animal. In his early years he had no knowledge of time-he did not even know when he was born. He is also forced to scrounge for food in the same fashion as a pig digs for slop. The saddest insight is the alienation of Douglass from his family. He has no connection with his parents and when his mother dies he was untouched. On hearing of her death he states, "I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger" (19). The bond between mother and child is the strongest bulwark for children and to be robbed of this and to not care demonstrates just how severe slavery was to Douglass and countless others who faced the same fate. In the entire slave experience, the only escape from the repression was through sorrowful singing. As Douglass states, "every tone was a testimony against slavery..." and "slaves sing the most when they are unhappy" (29). Only through music could slaves find comfort in dealing with their anguish.
Douglass's first witness of brutality is the telling of his Aunt Hester's beating. The narration is powerfully effective through terrible detail. The cursing of the overseer, the shrieks of his aunt, and the horrible effects the whip upon her flesh is almost as agonizing the reader of the Narrative as it was to his unfortunate aunt. The fact that this terrible instance is a common occurrence makes it a heavier burden upon the reader's soul.
As if the beatings were not enough, slaves were also murdered on a whim. Douglass tells of Gore, a meticulously cold taskmaster who blew out the brains of a poor slave by the name of Demby. The chilliness of Gore's is terrible due the fact that he kills with the sympathy of a butcher.
Upon hearing about this, one would speculate that the authorities would deal with such barbaric acts justly. However, as Douglass recounts in the story Mrs. Hicks, the murderess that killed a slave girl for not moving fast enough, the law officials were hesitant to enforce the rights of the slave and would intentionally overlook such matters. This is primarily due to the fact that a slave owning society could not allow the rights of the slave to be upheld to the same level as a white man. To do such a thing would threaten the stability of their superiority. This is further illustrated in Douglass's struggle against the shipyard workers, when he fled to his master and told him of the attack his master stated that he could not hold up Douglass or even a thousand blacks testimony. The lack of protection under the law and the unwillingness of the whites to give the slaves a voice allowed the whites to completely dominate the slaves without the fear of accountability for their actions.
The worst aspect of slavery is found in the religious nature of the subjugation of slaves. The cruelty found in slavery was even more intense when placed under the pretense of the slaveholding religion of Christianity. Through Douglass's deconstruction of Christianity, he learns that the white oppressive version of Christianity is much different from his own beliefs of Christianity. The incident that shaped Douglass's understanding of the mentality of religious slaveholders was when he was placed under the authority of Mr. Freeland. In this situation, he was able to see the difference between the so-called "religious slave-holders" and "non-religious slave-holders." Douglass felt that the "non-religious slave-holders" were less brutal because they did not reprimand their slaves based on a Divine command. Instead they were more concerned about reprimanding the slaves when the slaves did wrong as opposed to whenever they felt that the Lord professed a beating.
The Narrative and Selected Writings is a powerful testimony to the struggles American slaves faced. Through the writings of men such as Frederick Douglass, abolitionists were given fuel to the bonfire of the Abolition Movement. Douglass honest testimony helped to bring out the truth about slavery. Abolitionists now had evidence to back their claim that the "peculiar institution" was in fact an institution of evil.

Perhaps more so than any other account, Douglass gives us a look into the life of a slave. I enjoy this book on many level. Douglass writes honestly and in a factual tone. He does mince his words when he describes the brutality of slavery. Douglass demonstrates that he is an intelligent man despite his lack of education. He taight himself to read. To our youth, this demonstrates the value of education. Douglass also show Americans manipulated the work of God even in his time. Yet, Douglass found strength in that God. I think the quality I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that Douglass does not see himself as a hero, but as an average slave. This is not a typical characteristic of an autobiography. I read this book for the second time coming and going on 3 hour flights. The book is a short read, but well worth your time to read of atriumph of the human spirit.