My husband and I are new to camping and picked this book up a couple of months ago. The amount of detail is amazing, and it has helped us to pick the right places for "beginners." The great thing is that as we become more experienced, we'll still be able to use this book. If you want to camp in Alabama or Georgia, whether you're a new or veteran camper, you need this book!

I've been camping in the Southeast all my adult life, moving from a tent to a popup, then to a motorhome, and this is the first complete camping guide to the area that I've found. This book has it all. Where else are you going to find everything from RV parks to wilderness areas, along with information on where to find wildlife, where the hiking trails are, and even recipes for camp food? It even has a section about camping with children. This is the only book my husband and I need for camping here. When is Windle going to do the Carolinas and Tennessee?

Great guide! It covers everything - RV sites, tent campgrounds, backpacking areas. The best part is how to get your spouse to like camping. My wife used to hate it, and we've been on three trips since I got this book. Better than anything else I've seen on camping here. Get it.

The history of U.S. involvment south of its border is an ugly and painful one, full of rapacious corporations, support for torture and dictatorships, and dripping in racism. Bringing this sordid history to light is Black, who makes the history both entertaining and powerful. In a fast-reading book, loaded with photos, political cartoons, and illustrations, Black manages to swiftly educate Americanos of all kinds about this amazing history. Highly recommended!

i read this book almost 8 years ago while travelling in central america. i forgot its title then but never forgot its message. i have only just tracked it down - it was worth the wait and what it has to say is every bit as important as i remembered it. perhaps now (post 11th september) it is even more poignant, illustrating the inability of the 'west' to learn from mistakes in its foreign policy, how the lives of others are affected by this and how our complicity in this debases our own humanity. with this book, i understood so much more than i could otherwise have done, the feelings of the people i met in C.Am, particularly in nicaragua. i love the people there, the lack of malice and bitterness they are entitled to, that i felt on their behalf.
it is an essential read, for anyone interested in global politics, for anyone thinking of going travelling there, for anyone...well, for anyone.

This book was required reading for a history course I took at university. It is one of the most memorable books I read while at university; in fact I actually re-read it cover-to-cover while in law school. The writing is entertaining and it has a very clever layout with interesting historical photos and illustrations. The author describes the historical events covered by the book in a fresh and persuasive style which is rarely seen in books about history or politics. I wish Black or other authors would produce more works like this on other periods of history or political topics.

(From Planeta.com Journal) - Reading Richard Mahler is like opening a letter from a well-traveled friend. This is the second edition of a regional classic. Its coverage of environmental issues and travel options is first-rate. This is a must read for any eco traveler.

As the author of this book, I am predictably biased in its favor. However, I feel it's important to say that I spent several months in late 1998 and early 1999 poring over every word, photo, and map to make sure that it was correct, helpful, and informative. Readers will find everything from restaurant and hotel reviews to reports on Spanish schools, craft markets, and Maya ruins. I find Guatemala a fascinating and rewarding country to visit and it remains one of the world's greatest travel bargains. However, since the Peace Accords were signed in 1996 and the guerrilla war ended, more and more people are discovering this place. Therefore, prices will only go up. I'm convinced that there is no better time to see the unspoiled treasures of Guatemala than right now, before the crowds descend. My specialties are the contemporary and ancient cultures of the Maya as well as the national parks of the country. In the latest edition of my book, I've gone to great lengths to include every possible useful tidbit of information on these subjects, from the best place to explore the rainforest to the best way to tour Tikal. As always, I am eager to receive reports from readers, who supply me with some of the best insider information available. Enjoy!

This book is based on an earlier book by Mr. Mahler, which I used frequently during my 1994-97 posting to Guatemala. I had several guide books, but found that Mr. Mahler's was the one I turned to most frequently. I eventually got to many of the places mentioned in his book, and found that the information he had provided was accurate and useful. I spoke with Mr. Mahler just before leaving Guatemala, and am delighted that he included some of my suggestions in this book, including Los Viejitos Restaurant in Nebaj (look for the green door)--the owner told me she used to cook for Nancy Sinatra!

Dr. Klinenberg helps us as readers, citizens, and media-watchers reconceptualize heat waves as meterological disasters to social ones. He argues that such a reconceptualization allows us to understand that society is responsible and SHOULD be responsible for deaths. The brillant part of his book is that he does not pin the blame on any one person, one entity, or one organization. He shows how residents of neighborhoods, the spatial organizations of neighborhoods, politicians, local and national governments, the media, and even history play a role in why these deaths occurred and why the numbers were as significant as they are. Thus, we are all responsible!

The book looks at the phenomenon through more than just through the lens of statistics. His ethnographic work helps to look at the lives and qualitative nuances of the numbers. We hear the explanations and the critiques of the residents in the neighborhoods that were hit the hardest by the heat wave deaths. In addition, KLinenberg places their voices in conversation with reporters at the time, insiders of the Daly regime, public health officials, and even police officers. Therefore, we see the phenomenon from both the "official" and "unofficial" sources.

Anyone who is an activist, an academic, or a citizen of any American city should read this book. It will change your perspective on how urban areas really operate and SHOULD operate.

This book will make Dr. Klinenberg one of the foremost scholars of our time.

What weather phenomenon kills the most people in America? Hurricanes? Tornadoes? Floods? Add those up and they will still not total the deaths attributed to the real killer: heat waves. The other phenomena yield good pictures, and that is one reason you don't hear much about heat deaths. But according to Eric Klinenberg, an assistant professor of sociology at New York University, there is another, more subtle reason. Victims of a heat wave "are primarily social outcasts - the elderly, the poor, and the isolated - from whom we customarily turn away." In _Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago_ (University of Chicago Press), Klinenberg has looked at the week-long heat wave of July 1995, which killed over 700 people. (Another comparison: the famous Chicago fire of 1871 killed about three hundred.) In Chicago, the heat hit up to 106 degrees, with a heat index over 120. Cars broke down in the streets, and bridges, rails, and roads buckled. Even with the windows open, brick homes could heat up to 120 degrees. The heat killed, but it did not just kill randomly. In clear, objective, but often biting pages, Klinenberg shows the patterns of urban life that brought death to certain regions and certain social groups.

One group was the elderly, clearly disproportionately killed by the heat. This might be attributed simply to their bodies having fewer physiological resources to protect them. Indeed, the government of Chicago tried to explain the deaths of elders this way; the heat only culled those who were going to be dying soon anyway. There is no medical evidence that this was the case; they simply were unconnected with society, and when they died alone in their rooms, it was long before absences were noticed. Klinenberg argues forcefully that the Chicago government, at different levels, did not respond to the disaster as it would have a big fire or a train wreck. When deaths mounted, Mayor Daley was able to frame the issue as a "debate" about the rising number of deaths, when there was no scientific controversy about the matter. Human Services Commissioner Daniel Alvarez did a classic move of blaming the victim, saying, "We're talking about people who die because they neglect themselves. We did everything possible. But some people didn't want to even open their doors to us." The media also come in for criticism. They took up the artificial controversy generated by the mayor about whether the heat deaths were "real" or not. There was little analysis about which regions were being the most affected and why, and the official city version of how little could be done against an act of God was repeatedly parroted. By the time the reporters did a comprehensive story, it was "old news" and didn't run.

No one was more forgotten than forty-one victims whose bodies no one claimed or cared about. They languished in the county morgue until August, when they were buried in a huge common trench in a potter's field. Visiting the site in preparation for the book, Klinenberg learned that a few reporters had come now and then to see it, but no Chicagoans and no family members. Social and governmental forces can't control the heat, he reminds us, but they can make deaths easy to overlook and forget. His book is a pointed effort to keep that from happening.

Eric Klinenberg's new book "Heat Wave" gives readers a tremendous insight into the Chicago heat wave of 1995. He approaches this tragedy from several fronts. He begins with an account of what happened during the several days of stifling heat and continues with a look at the social impact of living and dying alone, why certain neighborhoods lost more people than others and exposes a city ill-prepared to handle the mounting number of deaths. Klinenberg continues with an assault on the politics of Chicago, the response of the mayor and those around him and finishes with an adept look at the media's role and response to the deaths of over 700 people.

Although at times the author writes in a dry style he nonetheless portrays the Chicago heat wave as a catastrophic failure on many levels. Klinenberg gets down to the root of some socio-economic problems that beset Chicago and tells us the "whys" of their causes. Many things stood out as I read this important and often scary book, but one thing kept coming through....although heat waves are discriminating killers the solutions are there if right decisions are made at the right times, by governments and citizens alike.

A sad and ironic end to "Heat Wave" is told in the form of a senior editor at The Chicago Tribune who decided to relate this tragedy from both a human and social side. As Chicago cooled down his work went on. Unfortunately, only a small part of the story was ever printed as the paper decided that in the chill of November few readers would be interested in a story that had occurred during the blistering heat only a few months before.

I highly recommend this book. It is a service to help us understand what happened during July of that year. As the author points out, this could happen again.

This Yale University Press publication is an insiders scorecard on how to collect information. Techniques for clandestine human intelligence gathering are reviewed in detail. The text even explores how internal CIA squabbling hurts U.S. intelligence gathering. The declassified articles from the agency's internal journal from 1955-1992 is mostly insider shop talk. My favorite chapter is VII, Counterespionage. Section eight of chapter three, psychology of treason is an ice-cold analysis.

This series of essays shows CIA's thinking on a range of subjects that are eclectic and really interesting. Assessments of various forms of intelligence collection are included, trends in the agency's history, and many others. I especially found the chapter on the psychology of defectors and spies interesting and especially relevant. It's an older piece, but still current given the capture of Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames.

Brad, a respected scholar in his own right, was given unique access to all past publications of the CIA's internal journal, Studies in Intelligence, and has produced an absolutely lovely collection of the best thoughts inside CIA from 1955-1992, organized into sections for imagery intelligence collection, overt human intelligence collection, clandestine human intelligence collection, human intelligence and its consumers, the analysis function, analysis and its consumers, and counterespionage. I regard this book as an essential supplementary reading for teaching both students and practitioners.

As a local, who takes the city for granted and continually revisits the old haunts, I am enormously grateful for this comprehensive insight into what MY city has to offer.
Katie has sparked the "adventurous" in me and now I am ready to hit the road. This is a book meant for every local's library not to mention all visitors to the city. Most of us are unaware of the myrid options that Kansas City offers. This guide gives us the opportunity to explore and enjoy everything that is available. We are also prepared when, when they come, to enlighten visitors as to everything that Kansas City is about.
Thank you Katie for making all of us who have the book "insiders." The book is a must.

Kansas City Magazine's review from December 2002 issue: Stumped for something interesting to do around the metro? Get a copy of the "Insiders' Guide to Kansas City" and you'll be out of your house or hotel room in no time.

This comprehensive guide has something for everybody whether your interest is music, art, sports, restaurants or casinos.

"Insiders Guide to Kansas City" offers travelers, newcomers and locals the best, most comprehensive information on what's happening in the "City of Fountains" as well as the surrounding areas. Sample world-famous barbecue, dance the night away at a hot spot, or take the kids to Science City. Everything you ever wanted to know about Kansas City is at your fingertips.

I moved to New York City over 7 years ago - I grew up in Overland Park, Kansas.

Now when I go back home, I don't know the best places to go - plus my tastes have changed. This guide book is so classy, chic, and full of new adventures for me as a former Kansas City girl! And it's tough to compete with NYC.

Thanks for the insight, Katie, and for making me feel at home!

I thought this book was really interesting, and helped to inform the reader about the suffering caused by civil war in Central America. The author should have given more details about the characters. I really liked the descriptions of the character's thoughts as they were engulfed in battle inside of the thick jungle. I also enjoyed reading about the small joys in their lives, such as playing baseball or getting to wear boots. The storyline progressed fairly smoothly, until the end. The ending was weak and didn't explain enough about several events that occured. I would recomend this book because it shows that even where people are uneducated and poor, they can still find time for others.

The book was crammed full of action and was also based on real wars which added to the excitement. I liked most of the story; it was very inspiring, and it got me thinking about whether or not I could ever get drafted into a war. The relationship between Uno and the two other main characters was very tight which added top dialogue to the book. The story, however, was only spread over eight days. I would have been more satisfied if the book said what happened to Uno after the war ended.

Uno's character developed steadily through the book. Uno started out being very worried about what was going to happen to him. He turned out to care a lot about people, and he wanted a better world for them. Towards the end of the book Uno showed that he could be a real solider and kill if he had to.

This book had a lot of hidden meaning and depth to it. This is one of those books you really need to read twice to catch everything. Its descriptive details and complex plot had me begging for more. This book was definitely worth reading, not just once but two or three times. The writing was extraordinary and put you right in the shoes of the protagonist. This book is highly recommended by me, and I hope to read another like it.

Forced into the revolutionary army at age twelve young Uno must face the harsh realities of civil war. Set in an unnamed Central or South American country this gripping novel addresses the life of children caught in the pathway of war. Uno spends a week with the guerilla fighters and in that time sees things that we cannot imagine. Forced to drill as a soldier Uno is sent out on patrol. While in the jungle Uno comes across a village that has been destroyed by the enemy. Later, Uno takes part in an ambush of loyalist troops as well as an assault on a town. Each of these experiences changes Uno in a fundamental way. The Forty-Third war refers to the fact that Uno's nation has already faced forty-two other revolutions and wars. Set in a seemingly hopeless situation Uno's story does offer seeds of hope. The author does a wondeful job of recreating the world within which children become soldiers. This is a story that could have been set in El Salvador, Nicarauga, or a number of other locales. It is also a story of children caught up in warfare that needs to be told. This is a difficult book to read but one that tells a vital story. The characters are well developed and realistic. Simply put, this is a classic look at one aspect of the face of war.

Despite the work focusing on Poland and Czech, this work is useful regardless of geography. Its premise is simple: States that are both democratic AND have market economies can still have sound environmental policy if they accept the principle of sustainable development. That is a lesson for all of Europe and this hemisphere. The data assembled in this work is fascinating and the interpretation of the very technical by the author (whose background is probably the social sciences) is nothing short of remarkable. He has blended the hard sciences and the social sciences together in a way that marks the best effort to have true environmental analysis.

I have seen Dr. Sutherlin speak in Europe in different conferences over the past four years. This exceptional work reflects a true dedication to undertanding sustainable development and environmental policy making in Poland and the Czech Republic. There is no work in print that captures the research and analysis of Sutherlin. This work should be required reading for all interested in Central European environmental issues.

As a member of the environmental movement in Central Europe, I was most pleased to find someone from the West that really understands what has happened in Poland and the Czech Republic since 1989. There is no comparison to what Sutherlin has accomplished in this directly written book. I hope that he follows this work with similar efforts. This book is useful for those in classes, in environmental organizations or those wanting to understand policy making in Central Europe.

I gave this to my wife as a gift before our recent trip to New Orleans, and she carried this book everywhere. While any book like this is a bit out-of-date as soon as it is published, it was still very useful for finding all the sites and giving us good background information. One important note though is that Anne Rice is selling off her doll collection and the orphanage, so there is no longer any tour. That was really a disappointment.

If you're going to New Orleans largely because you're a fan of Anne Rice's Vampire and Mayfair Witches novels, then this is an essential.

I used it on my first trip to New Orleans. It includes self-guided tours of the French Quarter and Garden District that include Vampire Chronicle and Mayfair sites respectively without leaving out the must-see unrelated sites and experiences. The only caveat is that zoo fans should be aware that the Audobon is one of the best in the country.

Three types of sites are covered - those related to Anne Rice herself, those used in - or speculated to have inspired locations in - the books, and those where parts of "Interview" were filmed.

With chapters on guided plantation, swamp and cemetary tours, as well as restaurants and hotels (the last including descriptions of ambviance that helped me considerably in my choice of hotel), you'll have everything you need to plan your trip and not miss anything like the Ursuline convent where Louis found Claudia and the Gardiner House that inspired the home that Lestat, Louis and Claudia shared.

Best of all, Ms. Dickinson wants us all to be careful out there in a city that can become ominous if you go too far off the beaten track sans tour group - especially at night. As she wittily reminds us, we're not all as indestructable as Lestat, and if an area - even one that contains an Anne Rice site - is unsafe, she doesn't hesitate to tell us so. Following her advice, you'll see everything you want to see and get home safe and sound.

Last year, for Christmas 97 we had to go to New Orleans to see my father's family, I was having a a horrible time because of the weather. (We went the year before for Mardi Gras, the weather makes my hair go afro-y; it doesn't help to use your normal hair-care products.) We went to the French Quarter the day we were leaving and pow there was this cool book. I had to get it, I've read all of the Mayfair Witches books. I recommend it to anyone that's ever wondered about where their favorite characters lived.

Almost 5 stars!

This atlas gives exactly what it promises: The history of the lands between the German and Italian-speaking peoples in the West and the boundaries of the former Soviet Union in the East - in short: "East Central Europe". Not to be mistaken with "Eastern Europe", which can exactly be defined by the European area of the former Soviet Union, or Russia, Belorussia and Ukraine of today.
Beside East Central Europe, the atlas also covers the Balkans.

This is the best English-language atlas of it's kind at the moment.
Balanced history telling, which tries to present both sides of disputed topics, illustrated by beautiful - although sometimes rough - maps.
This work presents the finest of Anglo-Saxon mapmaking.
To be used together with the series "A History of East Central Europe", and to be compared with the "The Times Atlas of European History".

Review based on first paperback edition, 1995

From the Baltic to the Balkans and from 400 A.D. to 1992 A.D., this atlas colorfully covers the territory in the best possible way.

Researchers with Slavic, Germanic, Jewish, Greek or other ancestry from east central Europe will find this historical atlas invaluable.

It contains 89 wonderful maps which show useful details such as the Catholic diocese and archdiocese as they appeared in 1900, the tremendous populations movements from 1944 to 1948, Jewish settlement, and of course the ethnic composition of the region at various periods. Each map comes one or more pages of explanatory text as well.

I find this atlas to be a constant help in my struggle to understand the changing borders of the region throughout history. You can't understand family history if you don't have an understanding of the history of the family's place of origins. This atlas is an ideal way to better understand the history of east central Europe.

Excellent reference for genealogical research. A very broad collection of maps makes it useful for a wide rage of topics (religion, ethnic population distribution, politcal boundary shifts in a place where someone's always fighting over boundaries and control). A timeless reference....