A wonderfully written book that will interest anyone that has visited one, or more of the many old forts up and down the East Coast of the United States. This book will be extremely fascinating to anyone with the least bit of curiosity about old forts. The author is very knowledgable about the subject matter and does a brilliant job of conveying information in a way that makes it understandable to an amateur, while still being insightful to a professional in the field of coastal fortification history.

Ray Lewis has provided a super walk through the history of seacoast artillery in America. Nobody has done it better.

In the thirty years since this book was published, one always hoped another would equal or surpass it. None has, or perhaps ever will. It is a marvelous history of the Forts along the American Seacoast, both Atlantic and Pacific, and even the Phillipines. Any Fort enthusiast MUST read this book. The author captures so much information, so many views, so much perspective in so few pages, the book is breathtaking. It is easily the finest book on its chosen subject, which is why it never goes out of print. If Forts interest you, Read it. Period.

The photographs from the author's collection, the army's files, the National Archives, etc. are worth its price. But the text, the clear delineation of the periods of Fort Building since 1794 in the US, and the differentiation of the periods, are so worth while.

Ray manages to be both terse, and pithy. It is a great tribute to any author to say that.

This is a MUST read for anyone interested in the subject, even one only interested in their own local Fort, and how it relattes to the defense plans of the United States when it was built.

There is NO better book to read on the subject. None.

New England Seacoast Adventures: A Complete Guide To Outdoor Recreatoin From Connecticut To Maine is an engaging travel guide by experienced travel writer Stephen Jermanok and written specifically for anyone with an interest in enjoying outdoor activities to be found along the seacoast of of all the Atlantic bordering New England states. Listing data sport-by-sport for each state, along with information on state parks, camping places, historical landmarks and much more, New England Seacoast Adventures is a superbly presented and highly recommended "user friendly" guide for people who enjoy camping, kayaking, sailing, beachcombing, rock climbing, scuba diving, surfing, golfing, fishing, camping, or a wide variety of other memorable seacoast area activities.

New England Seacoast Adventures: A Complete Guide To Outdoor Recreatoin From Connecticut To Maine is an engaging travel guide by experienced travel writer Stephen Jermanok and written specifically for anyone with an interest in enjoying outdoor activities to be found along the seacoast of of all the Atlantic bordering New England states. Listing data sport-by-sport for each state, along with information on state parks, camping places, historical landmarks and much more, New England Seacoast Adventures is a superbly presented and highly recommended "user friendly" guide for people who enjoy camping, kayaking, sailing, beachcombing, rock climbing, scuba diving, surfing, golfing, fishing, camping, or a wide variety of other memorable seacoast area activities.

This is an excellent collection of essays that anyone could enjoy. Authors ranging from Mark Twain to Henry David Thoreau, from Barry Lopez to Charles Darwin, share their experiences about the seacoast. These essays touch any subject of interest (such as surfing, the Hawaiian Coast, whales and coral reefs) and would be a great gift to anyone interested in the ocean/coast. I had to read most of the essays for my college english class and I have never enjoyed reading these passages as much as any other textbook assigned to me. This is definately a book I will want to reread again and again. I will be eager to find the rest of the series (subjects include mountains, rivers, endangered species, deserts, forests, etc) as soon as they are published. This book is truly refreshing and opens the senses to the coastal environment around you!!!

A collection of essays, rather than short stories, this is a very entertaining read. Different views, different shores, all centered on the sea. Notable: Mark Twain's account of a Hawaiian trip; Barry Lopez's essay on beached whales and Jan DeBlieu's story of a Cape Hatteras storm. Well edited, ideal beach reading. A wide-ranging assortment making this a great gift for everyone on your list.

We took a trip to Israel and, before we left, we bought a copy of Fodor's Israel. It was an excellent resource. Even though we had a relative making reservations for us in Jerusalem, the guide was a lifesaver when we headed to Eilat.

"Canada: The Land and Its People" is a lavish and informative volume.

Pierre Berton examines Canda's past through the stories of twenty-five diverse historical characters.

Berton also presents the country's vast and often stunning geography through the lenses of over thirty Canadian photographers.

Just a few of the excellent pictures/stories include a modern diesel-powered train making its way through a Rocky Mountain stretch of track that was first envisioned by 19th-century railway pathfinder, Walter Mosberly; the East Block of the Parliament Buildings, where Prime Minister John A. MacDonald (a "likeable rogue") had his office in the 1870s; and the rustic though beautiful Yukon cabin of poet Robert Service.

There are over 125 color and b/w photos and illustrations in this mammoth work.

A little boy disappears. Four years later, his mother gets a call she swears comes from her son, saying he's fine. Henri Castang, former French police officer, agrees to investigate. So far, so good. But then it turns out that the grandfather of the little boy was a former SS agent who had a illegitimate child with a Czechoslovakian woman, and of course, that explains the kidnapping.

This plot was really far-fetched. The characters were unbelievable and flat. But the really awful part was the writing. I can accept a thin plot if the characters are interesting and the writing is good. But it was very frustrating trying to read this. I gave up after 6 chapters and just skimmed through the rest. The writer puts in whole conversations without identifying the speakers. He treats thoughts and words the same way. The characters, especially Castang, will carry on two conversations, one real and one imagined, at the same time. I had no idea what was going on. I will not read another one of these books.