As a lifelong New Jerseyan who endured the "what exit" jokes by out-of-staters (Exit 12, now that you've asked), Rockland and Gillespie try to tackle the cultural significance of the loved and loathed New Jersey Turnpike. They cite the popular reference in the Simon & Garfunkel tune, "America," and stress that the Turnpike is one of the most heavily-traveled highways in the world.

What they do well is describe in entertaining detail the story on how and why the Turnpike was built (note: the secretive NJ Turnpike Authority did not cooperate with the authors when they were researching this book) and the many anecdotes about the road that bring new insights into New Jersey (and American) politics and history.

The authors make two main cultural arguments throughout the book:

The first one is how the negative opinion of New Jersey has been shaped over the years by travel on the Turnpike. Let's face it -- the Turnpike travels through the least attractive areas of the state. From the decayed industrial north to the straight, flat and boring stretches in South Jersey, the Turnpike is not a great public relations tool for the state of New Jersey. New Jersey is not all oil refineries (exit 12 & 13), huge megawarehouses (exit 8A) or bland suburban sprawl (exit 9 & 10), but since millions of people from around the globe have traveled on this road to or from Newark Airport or along the Northeast, they think that what they see along the Turnpike is typical to the Garden State (yes, we still have gardens).

Second, the authors' argue that the Turnpike was the ultimate expression of form over function -- an idea that reached its zenith in the mid-20th century. The road was built with efficiency and safety being its highest (and perhaps only) priorities and the roadbuilders did not consider aesthetics or the concerns of neighbors or private landowners when building or maintaining the road.

This book is a great and worthy complement to works like Robert Caro's The Power Broker or other works on famous roads like Rt. 66, Highway 1, the National Road (US Rt. 40), etc. You don't have to be a New Jersey-phile to enjoy this book!

Great book. I have been traveling to Maine for vacations for years, and this guide still provided me with great new travel tips for areas I thought I knew well. I am returning to Maine again this summer, and will be using this book as my primary reference.

This soft cover pictorial of the State of Maine is filled with aerial photographs of the Pine Tree State from Fort Kent to Kittery. The four seasons are depicted in their colorful splendor as they can only be seen in Maine. The author/photographer has captured the true essence of the Stae's beauty. A must have for all who love Maine; both natives as well as those "from away."

Diane Gibbons does an amazing job helping amateur trackers to decipher what we see in the field. I have yet to see a book that has a key, similar to botanical field guides, allowing us to piece together the tracks we see. The key is key! The illustrations are wonderful, as well, and equally helpful. Finally, the book is small enough to fit in a daypack. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the wildlife around us.

"Manhattan is a machine, fuelled by the millions of people who pour through its streets and subways each day, many of them locked into an exhausting but addictive live style which makes anywhere else seem dull and slow."

Wow! The words touched an nerve. I have never seen such a succinct description of Manhattan as in this British guidebook written by Fiona Duncan and Leonie Glass.

I don't read New York City guidebooks. After all, I'm a New Yorker. I know all the places to go. I LIVE HERE. But a few weeks ago, when visiting my friend who runs a Bed and Breakfast, I picked up this little gem of a book.

Here it is. Neighborhood by neighborhood. Street by street. With the best architectural maps I have ever seen. All the basic New York City highlights are here too. But most of all, it really gets the flavor of this city that I love. And that's a big compliment.

Published in 1992, by Passport Books, it is of course a bit outdated. And there is no one book that can do it ALL, especially in a mere 144 pages. But for tourists and New Yorkers alike, this book is a treat.

Once again, Robert Kaufman has done it! Take a trip through Massachusetts with this incredible talent.

This book does a great job providing a pictorial history of Pike County. While there is little text to accompany the photos, the photos are a great collection and illustrate the rich history of the area. A must-have book for anyone from this part of Pennsylvania.

This book is must own for anybody from Mendham or familiar with the area. A town so full history and memories, you can really picture the places in your head as they are today as you look at pictures of how the town was 200 years ago.

Great reference to one of the most scenic trails in New England. Packed with useful information, descriptions of every inch if the trail, in a convenient, thin, lightweight book that slips into your pack, ready for any time you want to check it. Trail maps for the whole length are crisp and easy to follow. A reference you'll refer to until you have it memorized!

This is the best guide available for walking tours of the cultural attractions of the Big Apple. I've used this and earlier versions of this book off and on for 25 years, both when I lived in New York and subsequently. The ratings of New York's major and minor sites from one to three stars are spot on, just as the Michelin Green Guides for London and Paris are. Useful both for the tourist with a few days to spend in New York as well as the resident New Yorker who needs to haul visitors around town to those attractions usually disdained by natives.