A selection of recommended inns, delightful restaurants, resorts, festivals, the best places to stroll together under the stars or have a secluded champagne picnic - the most romantic places. This book visits special spots in in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont. Each place has been carefully selected, making sure that it offers something special - in-room fireplaces, four-poster beds, Jacuzzis, enchanting gardens, five-star cuisine.

"... a great pleasure to read, even if you're not looking for a place to stay. You can feel the authors were bent on romance... not just filling up the book. Accommodations are described in charming detail, also meals, with the occasional recipe. If you contemplate a getaway in new England, this is the book to take along." Travel Writer Marketletter

"[The] captivating prose invokes the spirit and visual appeal of the places described. [The book] provides perfect fodder for couples [and is] an indispensable planning assistant." About.com

A fascinating story of murder and mystery among strangers.

Parnell Hall has written another well-loved Stanley Hastings mystery. Private detective Stanley Hastings and his wife, Alice, have just taken a vacation to relax when strange things begin to happen. On a hiking trip Stanley meets lots of new people who all turn out to stay in the same inn where he's vacationing. This seems strange to Stanley, but he doesn't mind until someone begins killing the guests one by one, bringing his vacation plans to an end. The officer investigating the murders suspects everyone, even Stanley, until all clues lead to the arrest of one of the other guests. Believing the guest to be innocent, the Hastings try to find the real murderer.

If you are looking for a book that will keep you guessing and that has a twisting plot, this is the book for you. It has interesting characters and a surprise ending that will make you unable to put this book down. So settle in for an evening of mystery.

Each time someone in the book asks, "I beg your pardon?" I tumble into hysterics. This is the result of cleverly built up dialogue that becomes funnier with each fragment of repartee.
Who cares about the plot? This author is a genius who could solve all the problems of the world with his wonderfully optimistic and forgiving attitude, and a humor that is on the par with the very best comedy writers (even exceeding them). I had to stop reading at times to prevent myself from strangling on my own convulsive laughter. Have mercy, Parnell. If you had been any funnier, I'd have gladly died laughing.

The fun starts the moment that Stanley and Alice check into the Blue Frog Inn and doesn't stop until the improbable(or just goofy)conclusion. I've read all of the books in this series and while this is a little different from most it is just zany enough to keep you reading. It involves two murders, a small town sheriff who doesn't have a clue and a little bit of everything for everyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun light mystery to read.

No home movies, no photo albums, no old songs warm myheart more than traveling through New England to some of the very places described in this book. That's where my memories lie. That's where my father took me, and his father before that.

And while I have moved away, there are two great reminders of a childhood that I can only describe as ecstatic. A picture on my wall of E.B. White. And Hickoff & Plumley's book about the best places to fish. Some I've been to. Some I was taken to by these authors.

For those of you who are not as nostaglic and wistful about New England, let me with all honesty say that this book will serve as a superb and practical guidebook. And for those who have a little something more connected to the region, this book is a blueprint for irreplacable memories.

And damned good fishing spots and tips.

I had the pleasure of attending a seminar by Steve Hickoff last winter. I bought this book from him at the seminar, and have used it a lot more than I ever thought I would. My family and I were on vacation at Sebago Lake in Maine recently, and the information in the book on Sebago Lake, the Crooked River, and the Presumpscott River was invaluable. The maps of the Crooked and Presumpscott rivers especially allowed me to get up early, get to a good fishing spot, and even catch a couple of fish (all before the rest of the family even knew I had gone fishing). I really like the Crooked River, it has become one of my favorites. As an earlier reviewer stated, this book gives you the information to get to the good spots, without wasting a lot of time driving around. The book also provided information on what sections of the rivers were fly fishing only, and the local regulations for taking trout and salmon. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who plans on doing any fly fishing in Maine, NH, and Vermont.

FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF VERMONT TO THE ALLAGASH IN MAINE TO SEACOAST OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. HICKOFF AND PLUMNEY KNOW WERE IT'S AT. FROM THEORY TO FLIES TO PRACTICAL INFO. THEY NOT ONLY TALK THE TALK, THEY WALK THE WALK. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY FLY FISHERMAN RATHER A BEGINNER OR A EXPERT. TIGHT LINES, STEVE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

Excellent! Great selection of trails with a variety of terrain. This guide book provides more pertinent trail information than any other I've read. Particularly helpful is the trail contour plots as well as overlaying trail lines onto accurate topo-maps. The authors writing style is unique causing me to actually read the book cover to cover.

This book has a lot of great info for both seasoned riders and the beginner. The maps, trail directions and descriptions of the rides are just the start. I have rolled over the MT. Agamenticus (Mount A) Pg. 236 trails for years and the author really hits the mark. I can't wait to hit the rest of the trails.

This is the finest mountain biking guide I've ever read. It gives great information about trails of all abilities, plus tips on local attractions. This type of information is good to all types of mountain bikers, from rabid racers to families on day trips. Along with some of the premier trails in Maine and New Hampshire, such as in Acadia National Park, it gives descriptions of trails off the beaten path, such as that through Jefferson Notch in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Mr. Fitzhenry also provides local histories of the areas visited (which could be a book in itself) as well as great directions and trail descriptions. This book is good for local New Englanders and those from "away", because Bob did such a good job of finding trails throughout the two states. I highly recommend it.

I recently read "The Cheerleader" and it has now become one of my favorite books. Henrietta "Snowy" Snow is an average teenager growing up in the 50's. As the title implies, she is a cheerleader. This book is great because of the relationships with her best friends Puddles and Bev and her love interest Tom Forbes. Snowy has the most interesting look into her like. From school to her life at home, she is great to read about. You must read this book and the sequel, "Snowy." If you liked this book I also recommend, "Sloppy Firsts" by Megan McCafferty (I think I spelled it right).

I first read The Cheerleader in high school in the 70's and recently re-read both it and the sequel, Snowy, which I was able to find at my local library. (Note: if you loved The Cheerleader, run- don't walk- to find a copy of Snowy because it was the best sequel anyone could have hoped for. It was a wonderful and poignant continuance of the story of the characters we grew to know and love in The Cheerleader.) I think Ruth Doan MacDougall's writing style is heart-warming and absolutely true to real human nature and emotion. I feel like I personally know her characters and see so much of myself at times in Snowy. Her writing just grabbed ahold of me and roped me in- my favorite time of the day would be when I could join Snowy and the gang in Gunthwaite, and then as Snowy grew older in the sequel, I ached for her in times of difficulty and sadness and rejoiced for her in times of success and happiness. I give this author my highest praise and want to say that The Cheerleader and Snowy have touched my heart in a way very few books have ever done.

Amazing the similiarities between many of the reviewers; I was also a teen in the 70s when I first read this book, loved it so much that after checking it out numerous times from the school library I ended up (gulp...) swiping it, but also eventually lent it out to someone who never returned it. Looked in many bookstores through the years since, but could never find it. My astonished delight when surfing Amazon and seeing it had been re-released could almost be compared to what one would feel bumping into a long-lost and much-beloved sister on a strange and crowded city street. What captured me most when first reading it as a 15 year old were the familiarity of Snowy's hopes and dreams and desires. It was an eye-opener to me that teens in the 50s (ancient history to me then - that's when my MOTHER was in high school) were struggling with the same things. Re-reading it at 40, I could still identify with all those things, but noticed - and wondered about - others I had not as a younger reader - namely the moments when Snowy made particular life-determining decisions and why. When Dudley, who has NEVER gone steady with anyone, and who Snowy has deep affection for and more in common with than any other guy in the book, finally asks her to be his girl, her only thoughts are: "which might disturb Tom more more, going steady, or keeping a stable of boyfriends." She doesn't even see Dudley for the person he is, because of her obsession with Tom. Dudley and Snowy could have fit like hand and glove, but HE, although an academic whiz and very popular guy, was not a sport hero. The best thing about The Cheerleader is that it makes you (re-)evaluate your priorities, about WHY you choose for WHAT you choose, which is a good exercise for anyone in any day and age. I am trying to find the sequel (another reviewer asked for the title - it's called "Snowy", by the way), but have had no success yet via numerous booksellers (including second hand) on the net. These have also obviously been snapped up and are being hoarded. Is it not a good idea - author, publisher - to re-release this one as well?? Lastly, are you out there Kathy Tucker? I've searched through all kind of internet search engines with no luck,but this could well be the one place we could finally find each other again.

I've read what seems like a ton of books on the Civil War. It seems that there must be nothing left to learn, but of course that's not true, there's more. Two newspapermen from Concord, New Hampshire, are the latest entrants in the Civil War history competition, and their book, My Brave Boys: To War with Colonel Cross & the Fighting Fifth, is one of the best Civil War regimental histories ever written. It's amazingly well researched, wonderfully authentic, and well-enough written I was sorry it ended.

The Colonel Cross of the title was Edward E. Cross, a newspaperman from New Hampshire who had worked on newspapers in Ohio and Arizona before the war started. He was an American party member (the "Know-Nothings") and something of a bigot, but very strong-minded on the subject of the preservation of the Union. When the Civil War began, he immediately returned to New Hampshire, and through political connections was given command of the state's Fifth regiment. He immediately recruited as many experienced soldiers as he could, turned them into drillmasters, and began to transform his crowd of farmers and townsmen into soldiers.

The training paid off. In its first fight, the regiment acted as if it were composed of veterans, and the authors make it clear that it didn't lose this composure until long after Cross' death at Gettysburg, when it was weakened by draftees (from other states even!) who didn't want to fight, and weren't properly trained. The heart of the book follows the regiment through its baptism of fire in the Seven Days, the Second Bull Run campaign, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, where as I said, Cross was killed. The narrative keeps you apprised of the course of the battle well enough that you understand the context of the regiment's actions and the opinions of the participants, without bogging down, and the battles themselves are recreated here as well as it's ever been done. The authors have, through contacts they have in the state, found several people who have collections of letters from participants to relatives back home. These give the narrative an immediacy and authenticity that might otherwise have been lacking.

Lastly, the maps are gorgeous. This is the sort of thing that's difficult to do in a book like this, and often you're presented with a blurry recreation of something from the era, overburdened with detail and almost illegible. The authors made a happy choice in allowing Charlotte Thibault, who's apparently the newsroom illustrator at the paper they both work at, to draw the maps. She's done a marvelous job: they convey the situation in the battles, and the Fifth's position and actions in the fighting, while being clear and easy to understand.

Pride and Travis have produced one of the best books on the Civil War in a good while. It'll be interesting to see if they have anything else up their sleeves.

With "My Brave Boys," authors Mike Pride and Mark Travis have set a new standard for throwing compelling illumination on a slice of the American Civil War. There've been sweeping works on the subject, military analyses, biographies and all the rest But the real untold story has been the war's impact on small communities, states and the men from them. Until now. Pride and Travis have turned their considerable journalistic skills -- both work at the Concord(NH) Monitor -- toward history, putting what amounts to a local news story in broader context. The result is highly readable, meticulously reported book. "My Brave Boys" should appeal to historical researchers, students of the Civil War and those with a more casual interest who just like a good yarn well-told. The media impact on the war and the men fighting it as told through New Hampshire newspaper editorials and accounts is an intriguing sidelight. We who grew up with Vietnam coming into our living rooms each night may appreciate more the ways in which war is brought home. For Americans, the Civil War was the first conflict to be so graphically displayed in word and picture to the general audience -- via newspapers and magazines such as Harper's Weekly. The authors have not ducked tough issues, such as the rampant racism and ethnic bias of the times. No sugar-coating of history here. The story of the 5th New Hampshire is haunting and so very human. It is a story of tragedy and triumph. And strikes a chord that continues to echo in our collective memory yet today.

"From the beginning, the story of the Fifth was not merely a war story, but mainly a human story," write Mike Pride and Mark Travis in their superb new book about the exploits of New Hampshire's legendary "Fighting Fifth" Regiment in the Civil War. In fact, it is the humsn dimension of their narrative that so distingishes it among Civil War accounts. Their extensive research into town and state archives, period news accounts, memoirs, and little-known letters takes them well beyond a catalogue of dates and skirmishes. Piecing together their sources to construct the unfolding events of the Fifth's experience, the authors give us rich insights into the personalities and thoughts of Colonel Cross and his men, showing us what war actually felt like to its participants from battle to battle, and from day to day. Not that war-making is this book's only subject. Some of its most affecting passages are from the letters written by soldiers to the wives and families they have left behind. In one striking chapter, the authors relate the surprising pronouncements the men of the Fifth made against the very blacks they were fighting to emancipate. While there is plenty to satisfy the student of the Civil War in the Fifth's story, told here for the first time, you don't have to be a Civil War buff to enjoy this volume. I'm not one myself; yet the fully developed characters and dramatic descriptions of events on the battlefield had me turning pages entranced. It's a wonderful book.

I have three books in my cabin. The Holy Bible, The Complete Walker, and The White Mountain Guide. They are all you need.

i actually read this book for fun. my copy is extremely dogeared and annotated. it is my guide to life.

This is indeed the bible of White Mountains hiking, and is particularly recommended for anyone attempting a multi-day hike and/or a hike above treeline. Not much I can add to what others have said, except that for casual hikes and dayhikes you should really check out White Mountains Map Book of New Hampshire and Maine (Hiking Maps and Guides) by Steve Bushey, Angela Faeth (Illustrator), Steve Smith (Editor), which has a superb map and brief descriptions of the most popular day trails.

A superb novel that mixes the quest for 'the perfect meal' with the quest for 'the perfect life.' You can try for both but the journey not the end is it's own reward. Thought provoking and entertaining. Must read.

I am an avid readier and I was enthralled with this book. I was unable to put it down once I started reading it. "Hunger" completely captured my attention from the start. Anna Rossi, the title character was so interesting, so human. She came alive through the pages of this book. I felt that she was a friend that I wanted to talk to and offer support. I could relate to her conflict and her struggles. I envied the fact that she could pour herself into her cooking and that it was theraputic for her and such a gift to others.

I became emotionally involved in the story. I became Anna's cheerleader and wanted to see her succeed. I was angry with Michael and I could not grasp his way of dealing with everything.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone that enjoys a great story that wraps itself around you from the start to the finish. Bottom-line this novel feeds your body and your soul.

Besides being simply entertaining, Hunger will make you experience every emotion. You can FEEL the characters' sadness, their anger, their desire and passion. You will at times feel sympathy for Anna and then at other times want to wring her neck!! leaving you starving for the ending and her final decision about Michael and James.....

Having spent a lot of time looking for information on imaginative & fun (and sometimes luxury) travel with kids, I can tell you that this is a really unique book. It is comprehensive, carefully researched and well written with loads of practical tips. Some 'travel with kids' books might as well just be bland advertising copy, this one really provides good editorial content, with positive and critical comments. It is a pleasure to read and we will use it for a long time. Fodor's should publish more of these for other parts of the US/world.

I loved this book and would recommend it to any family wanting to travel in the northeastern United States. The writers offer tips and reviews on places of interest, resorts, and campgrounds in a wide range of prices. In fact, we have visited some of those places and found a brand new vacation prospect in Lake George which we will be trying out this summer! Definitely one of the most informative travel books on the market today -- entertaining even if you do not go to these places.

I've been searching for a book like this for several years and haven't found one that fit the bill until now! I had a great time reading it - so well written - and got more useful information than I'll ever be able to use in one lifetime! Thanks so much to the writers and publishers!