Nicely organized and categorized. However, the details provided in this book on the walks I've taken are rather vague in some spots. Based on this book, I've spent a few hours wandering around the woods searching for trails that aren't where they're supposed to be, landmarks I can't find and blazes that aren't there.

I've spent a great deal of time in the woods, on my own, with others, with nothing but a water bottle on up to complete packs with GPS, compass, topos and anything else one could need. I've bushwacked cross-country and followed well-marked trails like the AT.

But with this book as a guide, I was as lost as I've ever been. Which is to say I had a reasonable idea I could find my way around and get back home, but not entirely sure where the trail was. When you go into the woods on your own or on some public blazed trail - that's what you count on. When trying to follow some of these trails in the book, it's the book you count on - to see if you can replicate the path as laid out there.

Yesterday, I was in Dogtown on Cape Ann in Massachusetts trying to follow the author's trail. Moses perhaps had a similar guide in wandering his way through the desert for 40 years. I got the feeling that Mr. Lanza wrote up this trail after reading some Chamber of Commerce guide or map to the area. In one section, the directions read "...the trail turns left and crosses the railroad tracks and reaches the rough dirt Old Rockport Road...". It doesn't. Straight across the tracks is a pond (a dried up marsh at this time of year). I tried crossing the marsh, tried going 100 yards left, and then finally found a way across 25 yards to the right, across a drainage culvert. This led to a series of interlocking paths that generally trended in what seemed the right direction. Based on other directions in the book, I think I ended up where I was supposed for the next landmark, but it made no sense because I was about 1/2 mile away from where I theoretically should have been.

Most of the day was like that. I pretty much had to make up my own trail. By the way, that railroad you have to cross twice is an active AMTRAK commuter line, and those trains came by pretty fast. Watch out and don't linger on the track.

The book is ok, and is reasonably classified, though it has no maps (another problem) - but bring at least a compass and a topo for backup and be prepared to navigate on your own.

There's something wrong, and slightly frightening, about the review written just before mine. I guess this fellow decided it would be a good idea to travel into the woods with a book that contains no maps. BAD IDEA. Nothing can replace full page maps. To think someone with, or even without, experience would wander into the woods with a BOOK is completely assinine. Michael Lanza, an editor for Backpacker Magazine, has compiled a wonderful list of hikes here. If you don't want to go through the trouble of buying a trail guide for every place you'd like to hike, then here's your book. There are no little maps like those in the 50 Great Hikes in...series. Those are practically useless anyhow. You should always go through the trouble of picking up a USGS quad or 250,000 map if you're hiking in unfamiliar country. Everything else you need is here though - directions, park regulations, trail descriptions, camping spots. He even mentions where to get maps and where to register for your hikes. There's a lot of ground to cover in New England, and Lanza does it stylistically and thoughtfully.

This is a extremely well researched book. While not a "can't-put-it-down" book, it is written in a style that keeps one interested. It doesn't have the more exciting style of, say, The Frontiersman by Allan Eckert, but it is a good read non-the-less. There is plenty of history here, plenty of information about the Indians of the time, politics, characters, etc. However, so much history is covered that it is impossible to cover any part in great depth which makes it difficult to feel that one is part of the action. Instead, the book is more of the typical history book where one feels to be on the outside looking in.
I live near where much of this history takes place in Ohio, so I find the history of this area more interesting than some, and I don't understand why David Zeisberger doesn't get more mention in history. This is a fascinating person. Fascincating enough that his history could be written in a more exciting style by the right author. However, this isn't a put down, as this is the best book on the subject I have read.
The book starts out with the childhood of Zeisberger, which is a little slow reading. This information is important, though, as it shows what environment Zeisberger grew up in and how it affected his life later.
However, I was more interested in the years between 1740-1782. This is a wonderfully exciting time in Ohio history, and Olmstead covers it well. Because of the focus of the book, Olmstead covers events such as Braddock's Massacre in only a page or so, whereas there are entire books written on just this one battle. However, the book is about Zeisberger, and Olmstead relates how events such as these affected the lives of those around Zeisberger and the Moravian missions. The book takes us through the French and Indian War, into the Revolutionary War, and ends with the massacre of Christian Indians at Gnadenhutten, Ohio in 1782. Olmstead's history shows us how these peaceful (and not so peaceful) Indians' lives were affected by the events happening around them and to them.
This is a very "neutral" book. By that I mean, the book doesn't offer a slanted judgement of one side against the other; it simply tells what happens. For example, both the good and the bad of the Indians are pointed out, giving us a true view of the Eastern Woodland Indians as real people, not just some distorted image of the "noble savage" fighting against the evil white men trying to steal his land.
Another book by Olmstead, "Blackcoats among the Delaware" covers Zeisberger's life after the period of this book, but I really think this is the better written book (of course, since I am more interested in the 1750-1780 time period, this may just be prejudice on my part).
Even forgetting David Zeisberger, this is a decent book on "Indian-Colonist relations," and how one event could influence another event many miles away. I don't think anyone could be disappointed in this book if they are interested in either the time period or David Zeisberger. As a book on Zeisberger, this should be a 5 star, but as a book in general, a 3 is about it.

Having hailed from this part of New Jersey, I was very interested in learning of its history and development. The book was very informative, but I wish it had contained even more information, particularly about Fort Monmouth. All-in-all, I felt it was very well done.

Paul Krugman, Margaret Newell, and the volume's other contributors have journeyed back through 300 years of New England history to test how well the historical record comports with modern economic theory, and found more than a few interesting questions and quirks along the way.

The contradictions discovered and the resolutions pursued may well fascinate the reader with an interest in economic theory, but are unlikely to truly engage the reader seeking an understanding of the history of New England. The book, truth be told, is only secondarily about New England. It is first and foremost about economic theories considered in the test lab of history.

That said, this book does grapple with the central challenge facing all historians of New England: Why here? Why, that is, did this rocky, weather-beaten, apparently inhospitable area prove such fertile ground for industrial innovation? The answers range from "intellectual capital" to the profits from the slave trade, and are not uninteresting. All the more shame, then, that the writing sometimes suffers from a lack of lucidity.

The student of economic theory will find this volume highly worthwhile. The general interest reader might more profitably seek out another recent book, Diana Muir's Reflections in Bullough's Pond, for a much more interesting and readable treatment of the Why New England? question.

At 4" x 6.5" and 144 pages this is not cheap information. The real key to the book however, are the lines: "If you are looking for peepshows, topless bars, escort services or massage parlors you won't find them here. In our opinion these businesses not only cater exclusively to men and typically exploit women, but - most important - aren't very sexy." I guess "erotic" is in the definition of the definer.

A good portion of the information could be obtained from either the yellow pages or the internet. Most of the information revolves in one manner or another around the fetish/swing scene. My take on that is that anyone involved in either scene would already know where to look - maybe not. The best information is the list of internet addresses and sites in the back. This is certainly a bit more than most of the "romance weekend" kind of books but leaving out 50% of what one could define as "erotic" leaves a bit to be desired. Beyond the judgement of the authors of what is and isn't for "women".

Most of the information on the historical sites mentioned in this book can be found in other travel guides, or on the internet. This book is helpfull, however, since it describes these attractions in much more detail. I would definitely reccomend it for anyone interested in the subject.

This book is a great compilation of the story of a young Indianboy who grows up to learn the traditions of his family. It was veryinformative and a great read. It would also be beneficial for people intereted in Native American history or just those wanting to read a good novel.

My wife and I used this book to find accomodations for our honeymoon in Cape Cod. We bought this book and the Fodor's guide to Nantucket, Cape Code and Martha's Vineyard. We liked this one because it lists more places to stay than the Fodor's book, although it can be difficult to use based upon the way it is organized. The chapters are divided according to the kind of accomodation (hotel, B&B, rental) rather than the location of these accomodations. If you are looking for a particular kind of accomodation, this book would be well-suited to your needs. However, if you are more particular about staying in a specific location on the Cape (or the islands), then you may find something like the Fodor's guide to be more helpful.

We stayed in two locations on the Cape -- the first was recommended by both books and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there (Nauset House Inn). The second was listed only by the Insider's Guide in the B&B section, and it was quite disappointing. Rather than being warmly welcomed, we were continually reminded by our hosts that our room was part of their "private home" (those words were used on three separate occasions) and that we should take care not to disturb their privacy. We felt like unwelcome intruders, and we wished that the Insider's Guide had more clearly described these accomodations. We were temporary visitors in a private home rather than welcome guests at a hospitable bed and breakfast. The Guide said that the hosts "make you feel at home" [paraphrased], but they did just the opposite in our case. In fact, much of the time they were not around, apparently busy at their day jobs. When they insinuated that we were like renters for one of their other "properties", we realized that being hosts for the bed and breakfast was clearly a part-time occupation.

It's possible that the second B&B was just a bad apple. Yet, I wonder if the "Insider" who wrote the book included the latter B&B because of a personal relationship with the B&B owner. If the author was made to feel at home at the B&B, perhaps it was because the author, as an "insider" was not able to maintain an inconspicuous profile when compiling the book. Ultimately, I lay some blame upon the book (and its author) for recommending a place owned by inhospitable landlords-cum-B&B owners. Warning: an "insider's" perspective may not be in your best interest.

90% of this book is full page, black & white pictures of Lackawanna steam engines and the cars they are hauling.

Most pictures were taken between 1930-1950 in Northern New Jersey, such as Denville, Newark, Paterson, the Oranges. A few pictures of Pennsylvania and the "cut off".

Good 50/50 mix of freight / passenger photos. But, only 1 or 2 diesel or electric pictures.

No text about the company, just a few sentences here and there about the pictures.

For anyone who knows and loves Lake George, particularly those who have camped on the lake or are contemplating a camping trip to the lake this book is must reading. Frank Leonbruno has woven a history of the lake with his extensive personal experiences to create a sensitive and loving account of Lake George. As a result of his 42 years of faithful and caring stewardship as a ranger on Lake George, his proactive response to its environment, and now the recording of his reflections, Mr. Leonbruno has made himself a part of the history of Lake George.