This little book is one that has become invaluable. For the most part, it is a list of all the wildlife (DNR mostly) viewing areas in Ohio. They are listed geographically by region and each lists what type of wildlife might be seen there.

We keep this book in our car whenever we travel through other portions of the Buckeye state and have a little extra time on our hands. Combined with a pair of binoculars, it is a great resource for a quick and passive diversion.

I recommend this book highly.

This is a nice series of books. They give you good locations to view wildlife.

"PRAIRIE HEARTS makes a significant contribution to the burgeoning, yet underappreciated, works of ...women writers. Whitney Scott should be commended for exposing us to such a rich and diverse compendium of writing talent."

"Moving, accurate portrayals....This anthology is a truly worthy undertaking, unprecedented in its...scope. Looking closely, what one may find here is the belief that the land itself might be a spiritual masterpiece."

Like most of Falcon's regional climbing guides, this book focuses on selected climbs at major climbing areas. Often these are harder climbs, but Farris includes enough moderate routes to make this at least worth consideration for a newer leader.

The downside of a best-of guide is that it worsens crowding and erosion problems at the better lines. It tends to replace and discourage some local guides (which usually channel revenue back to the climbing area), and at other areas climbers will soon need a more comprehensive guide. Farris makes the best of the format by giving good coverage where local guides are hard to find, and plainly stating in the Devil's Lake section that climber seeking solitude (and about 1400 more routes) should get the easy-to-find local guide.

More importantly, Farris addresses ethics clearly and directly. He makes strong cases for local ethics, erosion control and good behavior where other authors waver. His writing is friendly but concise, and it comes across convincingly.

This book is not a good choice for those looking to climb mainly at a particular area (especially Devil's Lake) or with new climbers anywhere. But for visitors to the region or infrequent climbers, this is an unusually worthwhile best-of guide.

I though that this was a very usefull book for climbing. I used it primarily for climbing Blue Mounds in Minnesota. It had the majority of the known routes but unfortunatley not all of them. As far as the rattings are concerned they all seemed accurate and route descriptions were also great. The photos and detailed descriptions made finding the routes very easy. I give this book an A

I've been to South Dakota a number of times and have had many questions about the landscape, etc. This book has the answers and the pictures to go with it. I especially appreciated the glossary and the further-reading list.

I bought this book for a weeklong driving tour through North and South Dakota, and found this book invaluable. If you are interesting in the natural resources and park systems in these places, it has lotsa info you won't get in maps (especially many beautiful color photos) altho the advice given wasn't always useful.

and I bought this book three weeks ago. I have used the book as a guide for three straight weekend hikes. It was worthwhile in that it gave some good ideas for new places to go, but the trail maps were not accurate for any of the three hikes we took. The distance was off in two cases, and the trails had changed in the third. With some updates of the trail maps, I would give this book four stars. It was descriptive, and gave good directions to get to each hiking spot. Well worth the price.

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Bob Crawford's Walking Trails Of Southern Wisconsin includes walking trails in 17 southern Wisconsin counties. This popular and practical guide offers new maps for Lafayette and Vernon counties, plus additional trail maps for Black Hawk (in the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway), Wildcat Mountain State Park, and Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area. More than 150 trails at more than sixty locations are showcased and include forest, shoreline, glacial formation, and Native American earthwork based walks. With its handy, pocket-sized format, Walking Trails Of Southern Wisconsin details routes and terrain (including geographical, biological, and historical features of interest); regulations and rules regarding hours, dogs, trail bikes, cross-country skiing, and other activities; information about restrooms, drinking water, nature centers, and other site facilities; and descriptions assessing degree of difficulty (slope, width, maintenance, etc.). Also very highly recommended is Bob Crawford's "user friendly" companion guide, Walking Trails Of Eastern And Central Wisconsin.

I am convinced that the author left no stone unturned when it came to researching this book.

There is, sadly, a problem: Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING, to the smallest detail) he ever learned about the Wisconsin River's natural and social history is shared with the reader; however, the information is presented very ineffectually due to poor formatting. Moreover, the facts regarding the Wisconsin River are all there, but instead of bringing her rich history to life it is merely documented in an oh-so-dry manner.

That being said, the book is a very good reference source and deserves three stars for that reason alone.

Wow - Professor Durbin did a FANTASTIC job with this book. I have been an avid Wisconsin River buff my entire life. Professor Durbin brings to life the stories of the nation's "hardest working" river. Incredible narratives, coupled with great insight on the nature and geography of the various regions.

I've canoed over 150 miles of this famed river. Professor Durbin's book is critical to anyone planning a trip. If not for the paddling and navigation notes alone, his book makes you appreciate those who have travelled this path before!

A great guide to the Northwest Illinois area. I really look forward to travelling to more of the areas Don Davenport highlights. He managed to get alot in, the important elements to making it an interesting read, but got me itching to go and see some more. He relays historic points which are a key to really enjoying the magnificent sights and that history which made it so awesome. Along the way he mentions the tourist attractions (always pointing out those for youngsters)he feels are worth the money and the eating places worth the time. There is much more in this book than I was expecting, anyone living in or near Illinois should buy it now! Go and see history come alive and did I forget to mention he recommends great places to stay!

Joyce Lierley's Affectionately Yours is a very compelling book based on her mother's family history. Lierley includes original letters that her mother, Ruth Rutter, found in an old cedar chest at her home in Romulus, Michigan, when she was twelve years old. The stories revealed in the letters, which were written in an old English handwriting, describe life in the 1850s, during the American Civil War, and into the 1890s. Many of the letters were written to Lierley's great-grandfather, Henry Rutter, who immigrated to America with his brothers in the 1850s while his mother and sisters were still living in Harborne, England. The letters describe this period-a time when family members were immigrating to foreign lands. Individuals often left home to find fortune in order to provide for themselves and their families still living in their native land. Lierley's family ties were strained when the brothers were living in and fighting for the Union during the American Civil War, since many Englishmen sided with the South.

Along with the letters, Affectionately Yours incorporates Ruth's personal journal entries, which contain her reactions to the letters. This book widens our understanding of one family's origin and how this family grew into becoming Americans . The book also encourages readers' thoughts on their own families.

Chicago is generally known as one of the centers of modernist architecture, and this visual guidebook, complete with maps, photographs and authoritative little essays on most of the important buildings, is a must-buy if you plan to tour this richly textured urban center. It's also one of the best small resources for anyone interested in architecture from 1850 to the present. Inexpensive, designed to slip in your pocket, it holds up well-- I depend upon mine to help me with the walking tours of the city I give on a regular basis, and it's still in one piece after three or more years of hard use.