This "guide to living and working" is also a guide to shopping in Chicago, but the cover wisely avoids the dreaded s-word in an effort to attract wanna-bes of every artistic persuasion. Langer's guide provides lots of contact information for schools, groups, and companies: in short, stuff you can get out of the phone book, as well as a lot of snide commentary, which you can't get out of the phone book. He also interviews some promenent people (the Smashing Pumpkins' D'Arcy, for example), focusing on daft questions about the "Chicago scene." Many pages are given over to questionable "must-haves": because I am a writer, he thinks I might be interested in aspirin, coffee, a dartboard, a vintage bicycle, and a nice place to play pool, in a thinly disguised, not very clever attempt to advertise hip North Side stores and bars. There's a section in back on "where the artists are" which might better have been titled, "where the pretty people hang." Here's a listing Langer didn't include: the Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State, where this book may be best perused but not bought.

This is an excellent book if you're looking to live and work in Chicago as an artist.

The chapter called "Where the Artists Are" is a terrific guide to the neighborhoods of Chicago. I collect Chicago guidebooks, and this is by far the BEST look at Chicago's neighborhoods. It is honest and informative. It does tell you where artists tend to clump in Chicago, plus alot of other helpful info. Heck, it actually helped me to decide where I live now.

The section "A cross-section of galleries that every artist should know about" is well-written and even includes a snob rating for each gallery. Although it doesn't list all the galleries in Chicago, it does include alot of the major and minor players. Plus, that snob rating just cracks me up, but it really is incredibly helpful and insightful.

"Getting schooled" has a good listing of art schools (if ya want to take a class in the summer, or any other time). His reviews aren't as informative, but they are still funny and honest. (Look forward to artiwu publishing a more detailed guide to chicago art schools soon.)

The compliation of "Publications and Other Resources" is one of the best and very definitive.

There are also sections for writers, actors, dancers, musicians, and filmmakers. But they don't water down the book. The section on the fine arts is definetely worth the money.

Overall, this book is a pure gem. It has lots of great information for the artist starting out in Chicago. The humorous writing and jam-packed info will make you want to read it. I rate it a 5 out of 5, "An absolute buy."

I was hoping to photograph some old ghost towns in the U.P. so I felt this book would help direct me to interesting sites. I hate to be so negative about a local topic but it did not even start to meet my expectations. The book is not easy to read even as interesting history. The book will not give you many details on how to find ghost town artifacts. Most of the book details the growth and death of towns. However, most of these are very short in length and are very dry in the telling. Many of the book's details leave off in the early 70's.

This is a good, informative book which is primarily a listing of ghost towns existing in Michigan's misunderstood Upper Peninsula, but also includes pictures and interesting facts about most of the towns. It offers a pretty good history of the region.

When well done, the Moon handbooks are excellent. One that I have used extensively is the Maine handbook. Accurate, lots of detail and very useful. In contrast their Michigan handbook is a disapointment due to its shallow treatment. NW and NE Michigan are so lightly done that the material is of little use in trip planning. It needs to be redone in depth. Until then, I would not recommend it.

If you're thinking about a MI vacation this year or just a few weekend outings in the state, get a copy of this book. After living in the state for 26 years, I thought I knew MI pretty well. But, on a recent trip to the UP (Upper Peninsula), this guide showed me new stuff every step along the way-----and it's fun to read.

Big, fat, slow volumes--very costly. Scholars would prefer CD-ROMs. Thanks for listening.

"The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant" is a project begun in 1962 for the purpose of publishing all the known letters written by Ulysses S. Grant. Volume one was published in 1967 and there are now twenty-four volumes in the series. People who follow Grant's career are aware of the inestimable value of this project. The Papers contain all known correspondence written by Grant and letters received by him. The editing of the series is unparalleled and the volumes represent primary source material at its apex.

Those who believe Grant was a "drunkard" or a "butcher" should read his own words, which show Grant's humor, pathos and unique personality. Masterfully edited by John Y. Simon, these volumes are a "must have" for anyone with an interest in U.S. Grant as a general, a politician and as a man

The area reviewed is one of the most beautiful in Wisconsin. However the book had no pictures. Maps would help orient one to where they actually are in the area. Descriptions of places ommitted important information. An example was the description of Hotel Chequamagon - the book ommitted the fact that this hotel is located right on the shores of Lake Superior. Price ranges for all lodging, eateries, etc. would be a help. There were no website addresses. With some updating this would be a much better reference for this lovely place.

While this small book is just right as an introductions to the questions one should ask about ancient civilizations in the Americans, it is not good for someone with some historical background. Indeed it best serves scholars interested in the ancient Americas better than anyone else.

The usual Appalachian Trail guide. Full of information you need and information you don't need, missing things you wished you knew. Apparently the people who publish these books have yet to figure out that, when hiking the Appalachian Trail, the amount of weight on your back is a consideration. Photocopy the important bits, cut them out and paste them together on an 11 x 17 piece of paper, photocopy again, on both sides of an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, leave the book at home and throw a half dozen chocolate bars in your pack instead. Enjoy the hike.

When I purchased "Backroads of Minnesota," I was under the impression that it would have detailed information on where to venture for hidden treasures in terms of getting away from the big city. Well, what I got instead was a beautiful "picture" book chocked full of wonderful photography of various areas in Minnesota. So, I was disappointed and delighted at the same time. It's not what I was hoping for, but it compliments my library quite nicely.

Don't get me wrong, there are a few descriptions here and there, but don't expect to use it to find various places, but rather, to know what to you might be able to expect if you explore areas near where the photos were taken.

It's a good investment if you understand this premise.

This helps when a person wants to remember the basic way to love and share with one another. It is about respect and sharing and accepting one another on motherearth. It would be a good book for our children, to remember the way it was. It would help for us to remember the old ways and yet be able to walk in the world as it is today, using the words of the elders from this great land.

National Parks, State Parks, STate forests, National Forests, Wilderness areas . . .

The public lands of Michigan encompass over one million acres. IN these jewels are thousands of campsites, rivers, forests. This book gives you a thumbnail of each. A good start to planning a trip. Some information out of date.