Although containing good general information, this book is not very detailed. For the most part, I needed more specific information for prairie restorations. However, I did enjoy the discussion on the history of tallgrass prairie restoration in Iowa. Additionally, the species-specific information with additional comments on the native prairie wildflowers and grasses is quite useful and much appreciated. It is the first species list I have found that provides information regarding what wildlife would be attracted to each plant.

Restoring the Tallgrass Prairie is a great "first" book for a person interested in praire management/restoration. The book is split into two parts. The first part is a guide to restoration. The second part is a field guide for the identification of prairie grasses, plants etc. I recommend this book because of its content and superior value for this type of book.

Don't get me wrong, there are many things I really liked about this little book. I loved getting a sort of year-in-the-life perspective, and the detail is good. But the writing is stilted and character development non-existant. I think the author has some interesting things to say, but he could have used a lot more help from his editors!

Reading this book motivated my family to persue the simple aspects of life. It is refreshing to know that life can still exist without a CD-ROM.

there is a newer edition out there. this one is way out of date and shows how long "cool" stuff lasts in the windy city. Better get off of that moneyclip and spring for the newer one.

Not only do you find all you want to know about Chicago, you get an appetite just by reading it upfront. It was a great help to my visit.

very easy to read and quite descriptive= having the focus on neighborhoods helped a great deal. this would not be my first book of choice for chicago -go to the green guide or lonely planet if possible- but the information is helpful and easy to access

When the first edition of this map book came out in the 1980s, it was most definitely one of the best, most up-to-date county road map atlases of Michigan. However, almost no updates to the maps inside have been made in this book since the early-1990s, with many of the maps inside dating from 1984, some of the oldest being in the rapidly-changing Metro Detroit area! Entire freeways have been built and opened since the maps in this book were last updated.

There are other titles similar to this one that are marginally better, however, I would wholeheartedly recommend anyone needing county-based road maps similar to those included in this atlas to purchase the more up-to-date Regional County Map series from Universal Map. These folding maps--13 cover almost the entire state--are actually the "descendents" of the maps in this atlas. Compare any of the maps in the Michigan Regional County Map titles to those in this book and you get a clear picture of the problem. It is unclear why Universal map has continued to issue new editions of the folding maps year after year, yet has allowed those in this atlas to languish. New editions of other similar atlases (with revisions) are issued by other companies every few years, yet this atlas has remained substantially unaltered for almost twenty years.

While not as convenient, the higher quality and more up-to-date nature of the 13 individual folding maps are more than enough reason to steer clear of this atlas. You can find the regional map titles--Southwest Michigan, South-Central Michigan, Southeast Michigan, Michigan's Thumb, Mid-Michigan, Saginaw Valley of Michigan, Mid-West Michigan, Central Michigan, Northwest Michigan, Northern Highlands of Michigan, Northern Tip of Michigan, Eastern Upper Peninsula, and Copper Country of Michigan's U.P., in gas stations, many bookstores or online. These folding maps also contain insets of many of the cities, towns and villages in that region that are not included in the atlas. If you still need to have the convenience of a bound atlas, I would then recommend either the "Mapbook of Michigan Counties" published by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs or the "Michigan Atlas and Gazetteer" by DeLorme.

I used the Universal Map book for a number of years. Then one day I saw the Delorme Atlas And Gazetteer. The Delorme Atlas is way better, much better use of color, much better topographic information, hiking trail info, and easier to navigate.

This book is a wonderful addition to any Michigan traveler's atlas collection. The book's large format leaves its maps of each county free to set out backroads down to the smallest trail, which is done in most cases without error. A few typos and mislabelings of smaller features exist, but they are rare enough that the overall quality of the work is not diminished. I particularly like the "hydrology" feature, listing all county lakes, and the fact that each county's map shows, AND labels, border roads as they go into an adjacent county.

The book is not for one seeking to explore cities, but is magnificent for anyone who wants to go leaf-peeping, hunting, or make other use of Michigan's wonderful, colorful, more remote areas. It is a four-wheeler's delight. If you fit any of these categories, you will love this book and use it frequently. It is a real bargain.

After reading two pages of glowing reviews (and even a comment about Carey being a successor to Thoreau), I was expecting a well-written, thoughtful book centered on nature, the forest, and the life within. Instead, Flat Rock Journal struck me as more of a tribute to one man's ego.

The book got off on a bad foot for me when Chicago-born Carey buys a clunker car to begin his quest for nature and life in the forest. It struck me that, 100 years ago, this would not have been an option at all and that it seems a strange way to get around when there are alternatives, such as cycling and walking, that bring one closer to the earth. Next, he runs into the woman who will become his wife on the Berkeley campus with whom he makes love on some bleachers. He sees this as a spiritual moment and her as a strong woman with no fears, while in reality it comes across as young people doing what comes naturally to young people. One wonders why these children of nature did not find some grass under a tree.

Carey and his wife move to an old farmhouse in the Ozarks, where they have few conveniences (although, of course, they can't seem to get by without a truck and eventually a gas-powered refrigerator). Carey's day in the forest gives the reader little real feel for life, but does provide insights into his perspectives, which are at best centered around himself rather than the world around him. He says that a day in the forest helps him to rid himself of assumptions, the baggage of the world, what have you. He then describes clouds, storms, lizards, rock formations, birds, trees -- everything in sight -- in purely anthropmorphic terms as though he can't grasp that this is part of those unnecessary, irrelevant assumptions. He talks about the copperheads that live around the long-abandoned house he buys as "intruders" without seeming to understand that it is his family that is intruding on them. He kills them, albeit regretfully, as a danger to his young children, not seeming to understand that this is how humans have always justified killing so-called "pest animals." When he can no longer take killing them, he pollutes the atmosphere and uses nonrenewable resources by driving them elsewhere so they are not underfoot. He is surprised when they return; he doesn't even seem to know the basic biology of territoriality that man and his fellow animals all have at heart. When he pets them in his lap and they relax, he thinks this is a sign of friendliness (whereas someone a little more in tune with the mind of reptiles -- and I put myself in this category -- understands how much reptiles like a comfortably warm spot, like a lap). This kind of anthropormophising is a grave injustice to nature, and anthropomorphising is a large part of what we do that disrespects nature and leads to environmental trouble and imbalance.

Carey also has a fair amount of contempt for urbanites who don't understand the country and nature, and who exploit "cheap country resources" to lead lives that of excessive consumption. He has a blind side to his own consumption and to his own lack of understanding. He does not absorb nature or sit back and appreciate it; he consistently forces his own predispositions onto it.

He believes environmentalists are wrong to assume that man and nature cannot coexist and that man has the unique capacity to improve the earth, although he doesn't really explain how. (I would have liked at least one example of a building, structure, or anything that is manmade that "improves" nature, but one is not forthcoming.) He and his wife produce a large family, which, while well within their rights, is unnecessary in this country of low child mortality and long life spans, and surely even Carey can acknowledge that it is a combination of excessive consumption and overpopulation that will be the downfall of nature. He can happily live on many acres in a forest, but doesn't seem to think that, if all 280 million Americans tried to follow the same lifestyle, basic as it is, there would be no wild left -- all would be farms, gardens, and watering systems simply to accommodate the volume of people.

He seems to think that depression is something that one shrugs off with the proper attitude and that too much of depression is blamed on "childhood" or "somebody else." This reveals only his profound ignorance of clinical depression as well as issues of child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

His pseudospiritual ramblings are more annoying than enlightening. They are not the type of beliefs that can be universally felt, but are based on his own approach to his own readings, thoughts, and feelings. They are frequently contradictory to both common sense and a sense of wonder.

I was looking forward to a book that would make me feel like I was part of the forest, part of the Ozarks, part of the world. I have read the works of many environmental and nature writers who put their egos in the back seat and channel the beauty of the woods around them with minimal interjections of self, and those are the works that transport me, move me, and help me renew my own touch with my world and with all that inhabits it. This is not it.

Despite the glowing blurbs, which make me wonder if reviewers put any thought into their reviews, this book is not worth the time when there are so many more thoughtful, eloquent writers out there. It is apparently out of print. I can understand why.

Anyone seeking a copy of this book can have mine. While I enjoyed the author's interesting perspectives on nature and lifestyle, the pace of this book was that of a bear in hibernation. The author is just too zany for his own good. Although he laughs at his mistakes, if he wasn't so clueless he wouldn't make them in the first place. It was when I got to the interminable section where the author battles a lightning storm from atop tree (a highly recommended stunt!) that I realized the book was better served helping to balance my washing machine. And we wonder why this thing is out of print?

Ken Carey is a brilliant writer whose past experiences bring relevance and meaning to the things he sees on a spring journey through his "backyard" forest in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri. He uses his keen spiritual insight, naturalistic knowledge, and reponsible way of life to show how man and nature are linked--inseperable. I am a native of the Ozark region and thoroughly enjoyed reading his accounts of the natural history of the Ozarks and of his adventures abroad.

This book comes from a person who is into legends and lore. I'll give him credit for that much of his book. The information he talks about is not 100% accurate, the dates are wrong as one example. For someone who is suppose to be an expert in the field, only makes you wonder where he got the information. To my knowledge its all legneds & lore in the book and no actual research. The tours he gives is basically a bar hopping event, makes you wonder why they see spirits. I couldn't find him to ask a question at one of the off the bus stops, maybe he is also a ghost. The tour was more of a party bus and its goes so quick by some of the locations you barely see anything. If your looking for a party take his tour.

I have been on numerous tours with Richard and have always tried to remember everything that he covers within the 5 hours. And now with the book it greatly helps out with the smaller details muched overlooked by some. Keep up the good work.

I have been on NUMEROUS tours with the famed Richard T Crowe and have been interested in Chicagos vast supernatural history since a young age. The book is a great fountain of information of folk lore stories, locations, and even it you don't believe good information on the windy city. Keep up the good work,Richard.Check out his tours when in Chicago

I was eager to try this cookbook but have been very disappointed with the recipes I've tried. Most have had little flavor; some have been downright horrible. I don't know if I had the wrong technique, but I've had much better success with other books. I threw this one away.

I have had this book for several years and find the recipes interesting and healthy. As in any book, there are a few that we aren't using regularly, but as a whole, the book is filled with modern, up-dated casserole recipes that are easy to prepare and fun to eat. I especially like her vegetarian recipes and their creative use of ingredients. Don't be afraid of these recipes and enjoy them!

Great book that has France broken down by areas that one can easily tour in short 3-5 day trips. Lists major sites to see along suggested routes. Gives clear directions and small, well detailed maps. Highlights walks, special sites, and recommendations for children. No wineries, hotels, or restaurants.

I've just returned from a visit to the Twin Cities. My wife and I picked this book up because it was the cheapest guide on the shelf. You get what you pay for. This edition, at least, is out of date - many of the places of interest noted in the book have closed down or changed significantly. The maps in the book are limited to a very small area of downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis - yet the book recommends plenty of places that are off the maps provided. Finally, having gotten used to Lonely Planet guides, it's hard to fathom how this author could make his topic as dull as he does. That's my two cents - I'd recommend against buying the book.

Small paperback contains all the necessary information to make the most out of any visit or long-term stay in the Twin Cities!

"Guide" is much too descriptive for the information in this book. I think the author just photocopied a list of wrecks and had them bound. There is a lot of wrecks in this book but VERY little information about them. If you're thinking about buying this book you can have mine.

I liked this book as a reference to when any shipwreck happened and where it happened on the Great Lakes. I have never seen a listing as complete as this listing. There is a small ship photo section in the back, and some quality photos are shown within it. I like this book also because of its completeness. However, it is not a sit down by the fire and read type of book. It contains lists of shipwrecks and not chapters that contain actual stories. It is highly recommmended by me for research purposes. Enjoy the book...

The 'Hiking Michigan' guidebook was ok, but I expected more. The book is adequate for casual walking. Unfortunately, the maps were not well done. Both the trail maps and the directions to the trailheads lacked important detail. The guidebook did not have a summary matrix of trail information that would have been helpful in planning outings. On the positive side, the descriptions of the trails were accurate. In addition, the book includes introductory sections on clothing, equipment, and trail ethics. Therefore, 'Hiking Michigan' is a good starter-book for the novice, but it falls short compared to true hiking guides.

I found this book to be very helpful on my first foray into the Northern Michigan wilderness. My wife and I walked the Herman Vogler trail and the Ocqueoc Falls trail while visiting friends on a vacation in Onaway, MI and found the book to be very accurate (maps and descriptions). Both trails are within a 30 minute drive of each other, and are must see's if you are in the area. I cannot speak of any other trails accuracy(s), but once we make another trip up north we will be sure to check out another trail or two and let you know! Good book, good price, I would (and have) recommend this book to anyone interested in hiking Michigan.