This is as good as a guidebook can get.

It is concise- it is not a encylopedia volume to lug around town; It is informative- with history of the city and its surroundings, the book is very thorough and written very very well; It is well illustrated- restaurants, hotels, attractions are color-coded differently and there are a ton of great illustrations that really do justice to the charm of the city.

Despite having grown up in Seattle, this book opened my eyes to a whole new world of places to go and restaurants to check out that I previously didn't see.

I would like to shake the hand of the man who put together such a fine guidebook- I have one for the Washington DC area as well!

I really liked how well Seattle was described, though in a very general manner. Small glimpses of the city were given and well critiqued. Very helpful, even for relocation.

The ACCESS guides are so smartly organized by neighborhoods that you'll be lurking like a local in no time. The color coding for attractions, restaurants, hotels and shopping make skimming for your favorites a breeze. More often than not, their sly 'insider' comments are right on the money. I used ACCESS Washington, DC to acclimate myself to my new home, and I still use it whenever company comes to town. Like any travel guide, the latest edition is a must (but even that won't compensate for fickle diners and undercapitalized restauranteurs) and it's certainly time for a newer version than the 2000 edition. But having said that, I still purchase an ACCESS guide if I'm going to spend any time in a city I haven't fully explored.

Once again a jewel of a guide. Comprehensive, lively, logical and coherent. Like so many other city guides by Richard Saul Wurman, this book combines an architectural overview with historical, anecdotal and practical aspects of the city in such a way that makes it a great companion to have before during and after the visit. As a matter of fact even if you don't go, you get the pleasure of intimate knowledge of the place.

This is probably the best book on the subject that I've seen. It doesn't just dogmatically take a stand, but expreses a real understanding of the various positions that have been taken within the Christian tradition and explains their strengths and weaknesses. If you don't have much background in this area, this book is for you, and if you are a scholar in this area, you can still learn from this book. I highly recommend it.

I have read a variety of books on this topic and must say that this is the best resource I've seen, not just for Christians, but for those of any or no religious belief. It looks at the full range of Christian and secular arguments for and against assisted suicide and euthansia, as well as a middle position. Moreover, it goes on to challenge readers to move beyond simplistic solutions and to emerge with a view they can support in good conscience. It includes reflections on the role of physicians at the end of life, ways in which to limit technology, and whether upholding the sanctity of life requires Christians to extend it for as long as possible.

Doug Lorain has done a wonderful job with this book. I've hiked extensively throughout Washington, and still found this book inspirational. All of the trips described in the book are lengthy backpacking trips. A wonderful job was done linking trails together, providing great, detailed, honest assessments of the route/terrain/difficulty of each trip. Best of all, the book is a joy to read (high praise for a guidebook). Even when not planning a trip, you'll enjoy thumbing through it, dreaming of future trips. A must have for anyone who wants to plan a great backpacking trip in Washington - period.

Dougls Lorain has gone out of his way to be sure backcountry travelers make the most of their time. From avoiding the less than scenic parts of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), to providing clues for off-trail/cross country opportunities, it will be difficult to go wrong with the candid advice from Lorain. Like Rick Steves has done for adventure minded European travelers, Doug Lorain provides more than most backpacking/trail book authors. An excellent book for GORP eaters who may be ready to enjoy the backcountry thru the backdoor.

When assigned to read a book that covered the history of the budget deficit crisis for my Grad school class I was less than overwhelmed with excitement. However, these authors make the complicated history of the budget so interesting and gripping, I couldnt put it down. Though a slow reader, i must admit, I was able to finish this off in less than a week. The discussions it inspired in class were lively and germane to the world today. I could not recommend this book more highly!

This is almost the same book as Mirage, published by the same authors in 1997. The only difference I noticed after a quick review in the bookstore is the addition of a 20-25 page epilogue that deals with the recent budget surplus and how it came to be. The epilogue is good, but I wish it were longer.

Mirage/Balancing Act is a great book. If you read David Stockman's The Triumph of Politics, and wondered how we got out of the budgetary hole in which we found ourselves about the time of Stockman's departure, Mirage/Balancing Act is an fascinating update. Happily, Mirage/Balancing Act is even more balanced than Stockman's work.

Hager and Pianin have a transparent writing style that is a pleasure to read. As a result, the reader effortlessly absorbs the detailed information that they present.

Perhaps Mirage/Balancing Act will receive the attention it merits when Congress and the President face up to the still-considerable budgetary issues that remain to be resolved on a more permanent basis than they have been to date. Read this book and stay tuned.

An excellant book which gives the average individual an insight to one of the most remarkable ships in the US Navy. Covers the history from the ships design to her scrapping. Tells in great detail, yet in a very readable text, the story of the crew, the officers and the ship in World War II.

Battleship at War catalogs the relatively brief but action packed career of USS Washington, one of the great ships to serve in the Navy during World War Two. Of all the American battleships to serve during the war, Washington had the most distinguished career, serving in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, and sinking the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval battle of Guadalcanal. This book righfully takes its place alongside Edward Stafford's "The Big E" (which narrates the career of the carrier Enterprise) as a premier work of the genre. It is incredible to me that both of these great titles are out of print, just as it is incredible to me that the richest country in the world could have failed to preserve these proud ships when other ships with much less distinguished careers survive to this day. Battleship at War is a must read for anybody who is serious about naval history.

Lee North has done a superb job of recording the early history of football... the first team to wear numbers, the first indoor game, the first college powerhouses and their now famous coaches. Nicely illustrated and laid out. A must for all football enthusiasts!

This story of a small college that made football history is a blockbuster. Little Washington and Jefferson College, averaging about 400 students, from 1890 through 1935 played the likes of Pitt, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Syracuse, Army, Navy, and a host of others. And W & J won far more of these games than it lost.There are loads of interesting pictures, including a monster bonfire in 1909 at WVU as Mountaineeer enthusiasts implored their team to "incinerate W & J." (But W & J won, 18-5.)The small Pennsylvania college produced many All-Americans, including Wilbur F. Henry, all-time All-America tackle; Deacon Dan Towler, who went on to a great pro career with Los Angeles; Tackle Russ Stein, who starred on W & J's 1922 Rose Bowl team; and Johnny Spiegel, halfback who led the nation in scoring in 1913.W & J produced the first black quarterback to play in the Rose Bowl, Dr. Charles "Pruner" West. This book has the entire Pruner story -- Washington and Lee refused to play the Presidents if Pruner played. The W & J players elected not to play if Pruner did not. The game was called off. In "Battling..." you'll also read about two of the strangest plays in football history, the nasty words WVU adherents used for Pruner West, and W & J's return to grid prominence in the 1990s after decades in the doldrums.

While there are several multi-day trips in the guide, this book is targeted at the more serious recreational rider who is looking for day rides of 25 to 60 miles. It covers quite a large area, mostly in Washington State, with general and detailed descriptions of the routes, augmented by line maps. One nice feature is that it details the vertical profile of each ride so you can see what you're getting into when it comes to climbing hills at various milage points in the rides.

I've ridden about 1/3 of the routes and have found the rides well planned and accurately described. There is always a place to stop for a break near mid-way, and often alternatives to shorten or lengthen the trip. A great book to get you in touch with quiet roads or bike trails that you otherwise may never discover.

Good reference of some of the favorite multi-day bicycle tours in the Northwest.

Vicky Moon has assembled a nice assortment of Southern salad recipes that take the reader up the eastern coast, from the Florida Keys to Northern Virginia and Washington, D. C. She calls it "Margaritaville to Egoville." The book is witty with bits of humor and antidotes about her travels.

BEST DRESSED SOUTHERN SALADS has a catchy title and the small, but compact book is filled with some luscious sounding recipes. I like the small size of the book, because you can easily take it with you to the grocery store when you shop for the dressing and salad ingredients.

I tried several of her salads and enjoyed them. I'm looking forward to trying more recipes as we get into the summer months when our produce is at its peak.

This lovely, little cookbook combines recipes and fun, inside-the-loop stories about prominant Southern figures. I thoroughly enjoyed Vicky Moon's book "Middleburg Mystique," and I'm glad this book is just as good.

Comprehensive review of the wineries in Virginia and Maryland. Describes how each of the wineries got started and a bit about the owners, growers, and/or winemakers. Also offers a brief summary of the wines produced. Includes sidebar-type sections on such topics as individual varietals, wine festivals, and competitions.

A wonderful resource if you like weekend getaways, beautiful farms, and, of course, sipping wine! Indispensable for budding regional wine connoisseurs and casual travelers alike.

Elisabeth Frater's lovely travel guide is great for both residents and visitors. I have lived in Northern Virginia for 13 years and don't even drink alcohol, but I found this book to be useful. Frater gives clear, concise information, but also offers opinions. You hear the facts about each winery, but you also here the stories behind each one.

I have enjoyed living in this area much more after using Frater's book to plan weekend trips. Her book was invaluable when family came to visit recently.