What other state can claim as many notable small towns as does the Empire State? Cooperstown, Lake Placid, Sleepy Hollow, Woodstock, Watkins Glen, Chautauqua, Corning, Saratoga Springs, West Point, Oyster Bay, several Hamptons, Ticonderoga, Seneca Falls-- Norman Rockwell (who lived a short walk across the state line) might just have been a tad jealous. Only the first and last make it into this book, and just as well. When Country Roads Press sends America's top small-town journalist through America's top small-town state, you don't want to waste him on places you already know.

Bill Kauffman (of Batavia and Elba) has milked a career out of keeping the leaders of the land's great Lost Causes from, as he puts it, "going down the memory hole", in books such as America First! and With Good Intentions, and in frequent pieces in The Wall Street Journal, American Enterprise, Chronicles, Liberty and other magazines. Here he applies the same special talent to a "second tier" of New York villages, and one wonders if he chose these particular communities for an unusual richness in odd stories and characters, or whether he'd have dug these up anywhere he went.

Kauffman's at his best at home in the western snout of the state, where he unlocks the somewhat feudal nature of Geneseo, LeRoy and Angelica. (The obscurer the town, the more fun he has with it.) The pump industry of Seneca Falls, a quarter of the world's total, gets as much of his attention as the distaff business there. And why not? Sanitation has saved more lives than medicine. Hundreds of millions owe their lives to this important town, celebrated for the all the wrong reasons.

His subjects have given us three presidents, Mormonism, women's suffrage and colored gelatin, but if there's something else of note in town, Bill'l let us know. (And if it's in the next town over, he'll cheat and go there.)

Further afield Kauffman's more the tourist, especially across the "soda/pop" line, which is not as close to the city as he imagines. Cooperstown is not quite as cute as he paints it-- indeed, one of its charms is the relative lack of the boutique pollution that has ruined many similar places. And couldn't he find a "country town" left on Long Island? That in itself is sad. However, his analysis of the Burned-Over District is so sharp it will inspire the reader to try his hand at the built-over districs as well.

Finally, some things to look for which aren't in the book (and may no longer exist):

Westfield-- the weird, wing-shaped Theatre Motel and Drive-In on the lake;

Bath (in the Hammondsport chapter)-- the Chat-a-Wyle Café and its grape pie;

Palmyra-- where Winston Churchill's grandparents married, perhaps not in one of the four churches at the intersection;

Oneonta (in the Cooperstown chapter)-- the book mentions the NY-P League team there, but check out their Depression-era ballpark in the Susquehanna valley, one of the handsomest settings in all the sport. (And in "Soccertown, USA", no less.)

Have you ever wondered why county courthouses differ so much from each other? This marvelous book will help you understand that the decisions central to the design and construction of public buildings are influenced by the local perception of image, the politics of money and the functions counties are responsible for carrying out.

Initially, courthouses were the locus of two major functions. Providing a public space for trials, and the recording and storing of public records, particularly those connected to property.

This book examines each of Pennsylvania's 67 county courthouses and provides a lively informed discussion of the design and building of the courthouse, the interior decor, the grounds and the history of the naming of the county and selection of the town as the count seat. The author, a political scientist, who taught and studied local government infuses that background throughout the book.

There are numerous illustrative photographs that help the reader understand the differences in design and emblishment. This is a gem of book that is handy to use when driving in Pennsylvania. For those who work or spend considerable time in courthouses, particularly those in PA, this book is a must read.

This book is a must for anyone planning to visit or move to New York City. The author, a native of NYC, presents information about the City, that is to the point and straight from the shoulder. The book is a commentary on the basics of surviving in New York, a summary of information about the different neighborhoods and boroughs of NYC, what makes New York City - New York and the general point of view of a native of the City. New York at Your Door gives you an inside look at what makes New York City tick and still intices you to come and try it for yourself. I would recommend this book as a welcome addition to the readers' libraries, who are natives or soon to be citizens. It is well worth the reading! Enjoy!

The author is an old friend of mine. Although I am not a cyclist and no longer live in New York I was curious enough to see what kind of book he had written. I found it to be filled with lots of interesting historical and geological information along with the guide of where and how to go. All intertwined to make it an entertaining and easy read for either history buffs or those intending to ride parts of the canal routes.

I live in the Phila. area, and can tell you that this is an excellent source of ideas for visiting the area. I borrowed a copy when a visitor was coming from England, and then decided to buy it because it was so helpful. I plan to use it when my family and I are looking for places to go for the day. There's helpful itineraries and maps, along with ratings for special places. I highly recommend this book!

This is a great guide. If you like hiking, follow what the author says and you will not be disappointed. Barbara knows her stuff.

I found this guide indispensable to traveling with my golden, Molly. After I exausted every resource to run away for the weekend, and was at wit's end, Eileen's guide came to the rescue. I have referred to it, time and time again, with happy results. I recommend it to anyone who wants to travel with their pooch and not feel like a criminal.

A thoroughly enjoyable book, especially for those familiar with Ocean City, MD and the Delaware beaches. Every summer these beaches swell to the sizes of large cities with visitors looking for sun and relaxation by the Atlantic. "Down the Ocean" takes you back, in picture postcards, to a time when these beaches were just gaining their popularity. Early hotels are shown in their heyday. There are views of the Boardwalks and of people in the sun bathing outfits of the early 1900's. I had so much fun with this book I finished it in one sitting and would highly recommend it to others!

The author and photographer of this new guide to the Ephrata Cloister show their love and understanding of this unusual historic site. John Bradley does a wonderful job of capturing tons of history and the flavor of this religious experiment in a few, well-crafted words. The photographer, Craig A. Benner, obviously selected only the best of a lifetime of great photographs that take you to all corners of the Cloister and capture the distinctive look of the medieval-style architecture and peaceful atmosphere. There's nothing in my extensive collection of books on this site that captures the experience of this unique place as well as this book. Short of a visit there's nothing I'd recommend more... and then, the book would serve you well with it's map and site guide.

This is the perfect book for those interested in the art and science of examining and interpreting the built landscape. Providing the same instruction as an intro-level Historic Preservation course, it teaches the reader the process for building documentation , as well as some of the other basics of the Historic Preservation profession. The beautiful photographs, drawings, and illustrations clarify the more-difficult ideas. Not for the casual building-enthusiast, but it will greatly add to the enjoyment of the more serious vernacular architecture fan.