Gardening In The Coastal South by Master Gardener, educator and journalist Marie Harrison (Director of District I of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs) offers an impressive and practical collection of advice, tips, musings, and reflections written for the benefit of neophyte and seasoned gardeners alike. Tips and techniques for growing Popular Perennials, bulbs, tubers, herbs, shrubs, small trees, vines, and more, are discussed, as well as climate issues to be aware of along the coastal south, as well as regional environmental issues and personal insights from the author. A relaxing and engaging guide for those who love to garden, or who simply love to read about gardening, Gardening In The Coast South is a superb reference and a highly recommended regional gardening guide.

If you are a southern by birth, this book will delight you with memories of the old days. You will rejoice at the memories that surface while reading this conversational style presentation.
If you are new to the South, prepare yourself to encounter a friend and expert in the pleasures of gardening.

If more writing could be done by people like Marie, who have had their hands in the soil, we could more easily enjoy our flora and fauna. What a style!!!!

I have this book because I know this lady's passion for gardening! Even though I live outside the Zone 8, I find this book to be extremely useful for my Zone 7 garden. In building a new home, her book is a "book of choice" in giving information that will help me garden more successfully.

I loved Marie Harrison's story-telling style. I enjoyed the tales of her family and how these experiences influenced her outlook on gardening and life in general.

I give it a thumbs up!

A well-researched collection of ghost stories, ranging from the
beginning of Texas history through the late 1880s-early 1990s. Unlike a lot of writers on this topic, Docia Shultz Williams makes the effort to conduct interviews, and do research, rather than (for the most part) rely on "this happened to a friend of a friend of a friend"-type recollections. Most of the recent stories claim to be first-hand accounts, and the rather substantive bibliography at the back shows actual research and investigation was done. Further, the author shows admirable restraint in not embellishing the stories told her with extra "spooky" details to punch them up, which makes the stories themselves more believable. Very entertaining, especially if you are familiar with this part of Texas.

Ghosts along the Texas Coast is a fun and mystical tribute to unexplained phenomenon in Texas. As a native Texan, I heard many of these stories growing up, and to read the book brought back those eerie feelings I had as a child, at the same time decreasing my skepticism and leaving me wondering."How do you explain that?!"

Docia does a great job of recreating old Texas ghost stories as well as modern ones. Informative as well as entertaining.

Bayou Farewell by Mike Tidwell is a first-rate book and highly recommended. This book is about the loss of land along coastal Louisiana. At a rate of about 25 sqaure miles (or more) per year, Louisiana is losing the shallow water estuary that both supports a very productive fishing industry and offers storm surge protection during hurricanes. The reasons for the loss of land are presented in the book. With the sense of a road-trip adventurer, Mike Tidwell researched this issue by hitch-hiking his way up and down the bayous so that he could talk to and gather information from residents, fishermen, and scientists. The result is a report that combines scientific facts with cultural insight into what makes this region of the US a national treasure. Every American should read this book because this is a national issue that rarely gets reported in the media. If you like seafood, enjoy Cajun culture or like to visit New Orleans, then you should read this book. I particularly appreciated Mike Tidwell's ability to weave scientific discussions (e.g., river geomorphology) with cultural information such as the annual blessing of the fleet. This is an engaging and enlightening book. Read it soon before the story comes to a tragic ending.

I would never proclaim a book "great", as I am not experienced enough in this area with regard to form/prose/etc...However, I do believe in labeling a book as "entertaining", as this is much more subjective (what are reviews for, right?) Tidwell's book is one of the most enjoyable and entertaining I can remember reading. I have lived in Louisiana for over ten years, and was able to recall many of Tidwell's descriptions as he recounted visits with most of the "players" in the Lower Louisiana coastal area, as well as with the bureaucratic brick-walls standing in the way (locally and nationally). An intricate pattern is woven by Tidwell, demonstrating how one industry/community/culture can have a domino effect on many others. READ THIS BOOK and TAKE ANY ACTION POSSIBLE!

I was born and raised in New Orleans. In the 60's we built a fishing camp southeast of N.O. out of the town of Empire, La. A 15 minute boat ride, we were deep in the Gulf Salt Marsh and about 3 miles from the actual Gulf. We set power poles in the thick muck to build our 30' by 30' camp. The mosquitoes and racoons were everywhere--and the redfish, speckled trout, oysters and shrimp were bountiful. Over the next 25 years we watched the marsh slowly "drown" and disappear--eventually having our camp sitting in open water. Our knowledge of where the "edges" of the bayou used to be is the only way we can get back to the camp--now, without the marsh grass to use as a guide. Mike Tidwell has done a marvelous job of describing a real ecological/sociological disaster in the making--while much of Louisiana and the nation snoozes on. I have been to most of the places he describes. Spent many an hour fishing in the oil pipeline canals never realizing the damage they were quietly creating. I have trawlled for shrimp in some of those places he mentions, and Tidwell does an excellent job of creating a real picture for the reader through his word choices. I can't imagine how someone would not enjoy reading this. I fear that it might be too late--but Tidwell does an admirable job of bringing the problem to focus from a variety of viewpoints.

This was a great read! I have been to many of the places in the late 1960s and early 1970s that Romano-Lax visited, and I can vouch for the accuracy of her descriptions. I admire her courage (or possibly foolhardiness) in going on such an odyssey with her husband, two young children and a mentally questionable captain who also happened to be her brother-in-law. Oddly, I can identify with being with a mentally deranged person in Baja California. I was also in that same fix in 1968 when I joined a zoology field trip to San Felipe, Baja California Norte, only to find that one of my companions was seriously depressed to the point of being suicidal (it later turned out that he was on drugs). Travel to the Sea of Cortez seems to result in such strange associations.

I used to own an old copy of Steinbeck and Ricketts that I had been given for cleaning up a storage shed. It was the only book in the shed and I was surprised to find it. I fingered through Ed Ricketts' descriptions and photographs of porcelain crabs and murex shells. I read the text and pondered Steinbeck's philosophical diatribes. But most of all it made me want to go to Baja. Within a few years of my discovery of the book I traveled to northern Baja three times and later made an extensive trip as far south as La Paz in Baja Sur. Despite the problems, Baja left its mark on me and I never regretted any time that I spent there. My main grief is that I missed a trip to Cabo San Lucas in 1971 that I had an opportunity to take.

The mangroves, the beauties and problems of Bahia Concepción, Mullegé, La Paz, Loreto, the Colorado River delta and Golfo de Santa Clara are well known to me and Romano-Lax has described each of these so well that I almost felt that I was back on the beach smelling the salt air and watching v-shaped formations of pelicans as they seemed to float almost effortlessly over the surging tide.

Ed Ricketts would have approved of this book. Although he never liked to get his head wet, he was apparently most alive when wading in the surf and tidepools. In some ways this book is more a tribute to him than to John Steinbeck, but in this case you really can't separate them.

If you are at all interested in the sea and/or Baja California, you need to read "Searching for Steinbeck's Sea of Cortez: A Makeshift Expedition along Baja's Desert Coast." It is the next best thing to going there yourself!

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This is an ambitious book, well done. Its special beauty comes from Romano-Lax's ability to weave together so many elements into an enticing, captivating whole. There's the travel narrative, of course, with a string of adventures (and misadventures) involving her family -- including 5-year-old son Aryeh and 2-year-old daughter Tziporah -- and the challenges presented by an increasingly unstable brother-in-law who's also their boat's captain. There's the literary element, presenting new perspectives on John Steinbeck's Sea of Cortez explorations with buddy Ed Ricketts and fresh insights into their relationship. Toss in science, natural history, environmental issues, glimpses of Baja California's rich culture, and marvelous descriptions that give a strong sense of place. Then add in Romano-Lax's search for answers, her desire to understand how the Sea of Cortez has changed since Steinbeck's time, and, finally, her own shifting perspectives on what it means to know a place (or "know" anything) -- and the many ways of knowing. In the end, Romano-Lax's travels are multi-dimensional: across the Sea of Cortez, through time, and -- perhaps most important of all -- internally. The trip was well worth taking and I savored it from start to finish.

As a person who finds travel narratives relatively dull and often self-indulgent, this book stunned me in its lyric (and plot-based) grace. What a delight to read!

In The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast, Gregory Dew reveals forty very special spots to fish along the Gulf Shores, Alabama, to Apalachicola, Florida. Also included for the angler is a wealth of sound advice on rigging an outfit, basic angling techniques, special fishing techniques, picking a prime location (considering tides, currents, wind, water, and geography), fish species and habitats, even local recipes! The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast is enhanced further with a chapter dedicated to resource websites, addresses, telephone numbers, tackle shops, and selected fishing charters. If you are planning a fishing trip anywhere along this spectacular Gulf of Mexico shoreline, begin with browsing through Gregory Dew's The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast!

I am from the midwest and had only engaged in freshwater fishing so it was breaking unfamiliar ground (or water) when my Florida vacation was to include fishing in beautiful St. Joe's Bay. I had no idea what kind of fish were there let alone how to catch them. I purchased Gregory Dew's book, "The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast from Gulf Shores Alabama To Apalachicola, Florida" and was not disappointed. The book was easy to read, packed with information and ultimately helped me to catch some fish. The book discusses the proper tackle, rigs, angling techniques in the first chapter. The second chapter is dedicated to picking a prime location. Chapters 3 and 4 were of great interest to me and I read them in detail. Chapter three covers the entire coast from Gulf Shores, Alabama to Apalachicola, Florida and highlights some of the hotspots there. I was delighted to see that one section was dedicated to St. Joseph's bay. Chapter 4 contained great information on the species of fish one might catch and how to fish for them. He also included a rating for edibility. He rated each species of fish on a scale of 1-10 for how good they are to eat. We found his scale to be accurate with the species we caught. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss recipes and gives some Fishing Links for more information. The ultimate measure of the books effectiveness was catching fish. I caught one Speckled Trout that was a keeper and a 23 inch Red Fish (Red Drum). The book helped make my vacation more enjoyable and makes me want to return for more "Barefoot Fishing".

This is book contains the best bird photographs I have seen. The photographer has some of the most unusual shots of birds. The pictures capture the birds in there normal activities. The text was well written especially keeping the order by seasons. Great job I hope to see more books by these authors.

A remarkable clear and concise description of Southern coastal birds by seasons of the year. This unique classification will allow even the novice to identify and enjoy migratory birds. Fontenot and Miller's work will enable the entire community of bird watchers to share appreciation of this National treasure. Two species that come to mind are the common blue bird and the rare sand hill crane which we enjoy in the Northern Summer.

The photography is a tour de Force in the Audubon tradition and the bird and habitat description could have only been done by a seasoned birder with years of on site experience. As a bonus Birds of the Gulf Coast is a coffee table quality book. epa

I picked up the new Compass American Guide: Gulf South to plan a trip to a warmer climate. Outside the snow was blowing, but I was swept up in the fun and informative narrative by Ms. Bultman and associates. I definately plan a Mardi Gras visit to New Orleans for next year, and D. Fran Morley's "Confessions of a Fairhope Transplant" made me want to pack up and move to her charming little town tomorrow! For now I'll have to settle for a visit but the hard part will be chosing a spot. Natchez and the River Road? Cajun country? Fairhope? From a practical point of view, the book's restaurant and hotel/motel listings are quite complete, and I love the fact that it really tells it like it is in regard to places NOT to visit. The Compass Guides are called "insider's guides," and that's really true here. It's like getting great tips from old friends who know a place inside and out.

I was amazed at how helpful a guidebook can be! Having this book, made my trip to the Gulf South so much more enjoyable and meaningful. Not only does Ms. Bultman obviously know and understand this part of the country, but her enormously entertaining writting make the book a joy to read. I enjoyed the book so much that I am continueing to read it even after I returned home!

Bruce Roberts and Ray Jones produce the best lighthouse travel guides available. This one is no exception.

First, this book is chocked full of Bruce Roberts' beautiful photographs of the lighthouses in this region. The photographs are nothing less than SPECTACULAR! Combined with the revised and updated information on each makes this regional lighthouse guide a requirement you won't want to be without whether you're visiting the region or a life-long resident. The text contains full, rich descriptions of each lighthouse, too.

I have many lighthouse books and all of Bruce Roberts' and Ray Jones' regional guides. I've read them all and used most of them while traveling. I've found them to be first rate, an excellent choice for people who want everything lighthouse between two covers. A joy to look at and informative to read.

There are directions and other info for finding and visiting lighthouses. They do not always show all lights for a given area. The photos are all color. I own 3 of these books. There are not many other guide books out there so if you are looking for guide books these are good to have. Since there are so many books in this series I thought I'd help people find them easier. This is the series.
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American Lighthouses
California Lighthouses
Eastern Great Lakes Lighthouses - I own this one
Western Great Lakes Lighthouses - I own this one
Southeastern Lighthouses - I own this one
Southern Lighthouses
New England Lighthouses
Mid Atlantic Lighthouses
Gulf Coast Lighthouses

This being the first Mike Stewart book I've read, my goal will now be to read his previous Tom McInnes novels.

This time around McInnes gets hired by Sheri Baneberry. Sheri's mother was serving on a jury when she mysteriously died of what seemed to be salmonella poisoning. What Sheri wants to find out is whose fault it was. As McInnes and his partner, Joey, start researching the mother's death bad things start happening. Tom's life is now in danger. He gets blackmailed for murder and he also becomes disbarred. As he gets closer to the truth, death gets closer to him. With the help of an Asian-American doctor (psychology) who soon becomes a close female companion, and Joey, his trusting investigator, Tom works his magic and soon discovers the truth.

Stewart's way with words makes this novel one heck of a good read. A strong descriptive narrative invites one to visit Mobile, Alabama even in the dead of winter. A well plotted, fast moving story that I really enjoyed.

Highly Recommended.

Another great work by Mike Stewart!! I won't go into the plot, which has been summarized before. Unlike some other authors, Mike Stewart is sticking with the same basic formula that has made him successful with his previous books - the book is well written, interesting, and, full of action. Zybo is a character that you'll immediately become fascinated with.

Overall - GREAT book!! Highly recommended!

Mike Stewart fulfills the promise shown in "Sins of the Brothers" with this beautifully crafted thriller. He grabs you on page one and doesn't let loose until a few days after you have closed the book. Even then, his puzzling client and the multi-faceted contract criminal, Zybo, will stay with you.

What begins as a suspicion of highly imaginative jury tampering expands to include Mobile's judiciary, a blue ribbon law firm, and law enforcement. None of the characters are quite centered. There is not always a clear line between the good guys and the bad. We get answers that open new questions and drive this highly charged story from climax to climax.

Tom McInnes is a likeable protagonist, but contradictory enough to keep engaging us. It helps to keep in mind Tom is a member in sometimes not-so-good standing of an Alabama time honored and influential family. His daddy is a man to be reckoned with and is an important, if unseen, part of Tom's makeup. I liked the reality of Tom being a reluctant lover. In spite of psychologist Kai-Li Cantil's awesome perfections, Tom is understandably gun shy from a recent bruising romance. When plot considerations dictate Kai-Li's hiding out in his house for protection, Tom is faintly irritated at too much togetherness.

Mike Stewart brings to mind James Lee Burke's power of describing lush southern scenery. The tempers and moods of Mobile Bay are part and parcel of this fascinating yarn. "Clean Kill" is an excellent offbeat thriller sure to win Mr. Stewart many new fans.

Although this book is about a 48-year old divorced man, which is not the kind of subject matter I normally look for in my reading material, I decided to give this one a shot anyway, and I am so glad I did! This book is entertaining: it's hard to put down and there were several laugh-out-loud moments to be found. I really enjoyed this book, although I must say that the ending was rather anticlimactic, overall I would definitely recommend it. Enjoy!

Gerald Duff's Coasters is a deftly written novel that alternates between dark comedy and surreal tragedy as it chronicles Waylon McPhee, a divorced middle-aged man who coasts through life without the escape velocity he once had in his youth. Entangled between his widowed father's love life and a manipulative sister who wants her inheritance before it goes to a possible second wife, Waylon juggles responsibility while struggling to recover some of the drive and spirit he once had... or at least to be something more than just another coaster. With witty, sardonic dialogue and a thought-provoking core, Coasters is original, compelling, and highly recommended.

Did you read that piece in the latest Atlantic Monthly about overrated, ill-written books by current literary darlings? This book is a good antidote to that kind of stuff. Duff's characters talk like natural people, only funnier. And he doesn't lay a lot of woolly lyricism on you--he shows people getting up to things. These are real literary values.