I read the first two reviews above before I bought the book and bought it anyway, figuring it was probably going be a useful reference, even if it was Manhattan-centric. Unfortunately, the book turns out to be written exclusively for uptown yuppies. This is a quote from the introduction to the "from health care to day care" chapter: "We have each changed nannies several times since the first edition...."

Don't bother. It's unfortunate that, with the enormous amount of resources in NYC, no one's yet put together a decent guide for real parents.

I found this book very helpful when searching for hospitals and prenatal classes, and continue to find it a good resource when shopping for baby gear and looking for fun activities. It has a great chapter on Brooklyn as well as a thorough listing of Manhattan resources. Most of the information has been right on the money and when we trekked all the way down to avenue U to MB Discount Furniture in Brooklyn because the book said it was just about the best place to buy quality furniture, we were not disappointed. Some of the resources they include do seem a little silly (music classes for three month olds?) but the fact such oddities exist here is the reason New York is the most colorful place to raise kids! Worth buying if you live close to the city.

Not only is this a must-have resource for rasing your little ones in New York, but it makes a great gift for all expecting or new moms. And, I hear from my friends in Los Angeles that they a local L.A. addition will be out in the next few months.

A more discriptive title would be, "Ride Guide Mountain Biking the Counties of Northern and Central New Jersey." For those of you living in the southern part of the state...look elsewhere. All of Southern New Jersey is ignored.

Wharton State Forest is the largest single tract of land within the New Jersey State Park System. It covers part of Atlantic, Burlinton, and Camden counties and has some great off road riding. Lebanon St. Forest is historic and includes a major section of the 50 mile Batona trail. A major mountain bike publication listed Lebanon St. Forest in an article called "Five Great Places to Ride Double Track." These areas' as well as the rest of Southern New Jersey are completely ignored in "New Jersey Mountain Biking"

Hey Josh, buddy. Come on...if you're going to write a book about riding in New Jersy, how about including the rest of us!

I gave this book a token 2 stars because I wasn't actually able to try any of the trails for myself...So, I don't know how good the trail maps or descriptions are. All I can report is that there isn't anything here for those of us in the soutern part of the state! For mountain bikers in S. Jersey, I recommend Bob Di'Antonio's "Mountain Bike America: Greater Philadelphia Area." This book covers some S. Jersy rides as well as nearby Philadelpha and Eastern Pennsylvania.

I took up mountain biking last summer (1999). It has been a great source of challenge and pleasure to me.

Finding this book has made such an adventure out of biking in NJ! It is well-written, has great maps with the mileage and turns and a good rating system so you know what you are getting into before you leave. Driving directions to the spots and explanations of where to park, whether or not there is a fee... it's got everything you need to know. He really did a good job of researching the book and a nice touch is the inclusion of other nearby sites (relevant to the place you pick).

One possible improvement: There's a map of NJ showing all the sites, it would be nice if the page numbers were listed there and the trail ratings were also included on the map. As it is now, you need to go to 3 different pages to find all of that info. Hardly worth mentioning, but if there was one thing to make it better, that would be it, in my opinion.

I happily read many of the descriptions in this book and was excited to take my three children to some of the wonderful places described. However, the descriptions are not realistic - time after time I ended a day with disappointed children, feeling frustrated myself. The book is well written, but the descriptions are often exaggerated and result in disappointed children and frustrated parents. The author does not seem to understand what it is children like to do. My recommendation would be for families visiting CT to try a different guide.

The book would be great if the author had really experienced the place written about. I've lived here all my life, and spent most of my advanced years visiting and supporting these various tourist sights. I was very disappointed that the author left out so many of the wonderful places available to mom's and their young. Of course these places are available to interested fathers also. Take the time to be with your kids ( forget the kitchen, it will be there when you get back)and enjoy Connecticut. But, go to a visitor center for a listing of the Hot Spots for Kids! This book is an entry level look at Connecticut from a busy mom's rushed experiences. Not bad. Just not the authors best work.

If you live with kids anywhere within travel distance of this beautiful state, this book should be in regular use in your home. You can't beat the honest, personal and informative way this book will make your trips a pleasant memory.

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.

"Aren't those Vermonters cute ?" "Aren't I profound ?" This collections of anecdotes, snippets, and name dropping sure doesn't sound like the people of Cabot, Vt., that I know. In Tom Wolfe's 'Bonfire of the Vanities', Wolfe left out writers. Keep watch on Mamet. If this book really expresses his thoughts, he should self-ignite soon.

I spent several years in Vermont and still go back as often as I can. Mamet captures much of the simple magic about the state and its people. The chapters are disconnected fragments, but that is fine. The impressions combine to give a good picture of life in this curiously unspoiled place.
I have read 3 volumes in this National Geographic Discoveries series and have just ordered 3 more. They are short, insightful and written by some of the best writers out there. The whole series is worth a careful look. If they sold them on subscription, I would sign up. Someone good is doing the commisioning here.

I live just north of Mamet's hometown of Cabot, Vermont, and know many of the places and some of the people in the book (I've never met Mamet himself). For most of us who live in or close to the Northeast Kingdom, it is a beautiful, but gritty place to make a go of it. There is much to exult about and much to damn. Mamet's take is mostly dead on. While some of the book romanticizes life here, other passages criticize both himself (directly) and others (obliquely). I found myself agreeing with much of his analysis and many of his honest portrayals. Those inhabiting the right fringe of the political spectrum might find some of Mamet's opinions distasteful, but they have it coming.
Although the word "vide" was used too often, I like a book that stretches one's vocabulary. Keep a dictionary close by if you buy this book. I also like a book whose whole is greater than the sum of the parts and that reads, at times, like poetry. The evocative black and white photos help capture this unique vision of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. I look forward to rereading this book.

The maps of this book are too difficult to read, and while there are numerous references to specific Pennsylvania counties, there is no map of the counties for which to refer. The subtitle, "and the Northeast" seems to have been an afterthought. Little attention is given to the region outside of Pennsylvania. Most disappointing are glaring omissions, such as the absence of the Tiger Salamander from the key to salamander larvae. The formatting of the text is unfriendly and it is difficult to quickly flip to a species account, as the headings are of the same font and set off very little from the rest of the text. The original morphometric data in the appendix is one nice feature of the book.

The Book is very good for identifing PA species. It contains a good set of color plates, a identication key and text describing the species. The text describing reproduction and habitat is also quite good. The downside of the book is the range maps. Inside of PA the author uses dots at specific locations, outside of Pa the author shades the area that the species occurs in. The specific location dots in PA are not complete. Overall I would recomend this book for people who wish to learn about and identify Pennsylvania's Reptiles and Amphibians.

It sucked

This wonderful book is a must have gem for anybody with a love of historic photographs or an interest in historical Maine. The captions give a real feel for area at the time of the photos. I only wish it included an index to make finding friends easier. Maybe they'll be an index in the sequel???

Hallie Bond has written a masterful account rich with history and funky details about one of America's most unusual boating regions. Her grasp of boating, the North Country woods, the life of Adirondack guides, and the evolution of boat designs provides an entertaining yet immensely informative tapestry. Bond is a scholar and curator of boats at the Adirondack Museum, but she writes with a journalist's ease. Her eye for detail, her control of narrative, her insights into countless eccentric characters, and her love for the North woods all contribute to a compelling story about a changing, evolving culture.

This book is also about ingenuity in boat building and the special attributes of design that produced world famous boats. The Adirondack Guideboat, the St. Lawrence River Skiff, and the vast assortment of canoes designed by Henry Rushton not only filled special needs but also changed how people perceived and enjoyed the Adirondacks. She traces the evolution of canoes, the co-mingling of canoes and kayaks, the emergence of Guideboats and assorted craft, each used for pragmatic purposes, then changed as people changed. In many ways this is a cultural history,as much about people as about boats. Yet it includes innumerable photos and illustrations that suggest these builders were also artists and surely supperb craftsmen.

She takes advantage of the Museum's remarkable collection of boats and boating art, and provides a fun and engrossing pictorial narrative. Her book is as fun to browse as it is to read, and it's all handsomely put together. I've read a lot of books about boats, but this may be the best I've ever read.

Hallie Bond has written a masterful account rich with history and funky details about one of America's
most unusual boating regions. Her grasp of boating, the North Country woods, the life of Adirondack
guides, and the evolution of boat designs provides an entertaining yet immensely informative tapestry.
Bond is a scholar and curator of boats at the Adirondack Museum, but she writes with a journalist's
ease. Her eye for detail, her control of narrative, her insights into countless eccentric characters, and
her love for the North woods all contribute to a compelling story about a changing, evolving culture.

This book is also about ingenuity in boat building and the special attributes of design that produced
world famous boats. The Adirondack Guideboat, the St. Lawrence River Skiff, and the vast
assortment of canoes designed by Henry Rushton not only filled special needs but also changed how
people perceived and enjoyed the Adirondacks. She traces the evolution of canoes, the co-mingling of
canoes and kayaks, the emergence of Guideboats and assorted craft, each used for pragmatic
purposes, then changed as people changed. In many ways this is a cultural history,as much about
people as about boats. Yet it includes innumerable photos and illustrations that suggest these builders
were also artists and surely supperb craftsmen.

She takes advantage of the Museum's remarkable collection of boats and boating art, and provides a
fun and engrossing pictorial narrative. Her book is as fun to browse as it is to read, and it's all
handsomely put together. I've read a lot of books about boats, but this may be the best I've ever read.

While this book has some interesting information, the organization of the book is haphazard and the writers interviewing style is poor and rather amatuerish with too many self-referential asides which distract from the account he is trying to present.

This book has many interesting short stories in Maine and gives valuable locations to look.This is a must read for anyone that is treasure hunting. Thanks

I purchased the book after I got my new dog but based on the title I thought it would be written from the dog's perspective.
It wasn't at all. That's what would have made it interesting.

It appears the author sat at home while sending other people out to do the research for this book. It's not a first hand account and I returned the book one day after purchasing it. There are much better books out there about the best NYC has to offer for dogs.

I just gave my copy of "The Dog's Guide to New York City With Jack, The City Dog" to a friend who is moving to Manhattan with his Lab.

I lived in New York for 18 years, 8 of those years with 2 dogs. When I got Jane Rohman's book, the first of its kind that I had seen, I realized that there was so much more to know and do.

The book is filled with fun things to do with your dog. It's a great resource for dog owners, a fantastic book; I wish they would update it.