The real estate and financial speculation (i.e. high tech/dot com bubble) that has taken place under a corrupt mayor (a development attorney for Catellus, the successor to the railways) here in San Francisco might be a future chapter in this book. This is a fascinating read. I've even taken an SF history class with an Alioto (family of a former mayor, Joseph A.), and I still learned a lot. Hilarious, informative, reads like fiction, based on fact. Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer, Newsom, Brown, Burton, Warren Hinckle, Ted Fang... These are their predecessors. The newspaper publishers, reporters, prostitutes and corrupt politicians. Read about all of them. You won't be able to put it down!

Old San Francisco at its best. Interesting stories about fascinating people. And best of all, because it contains twenty separate stories, you can pick it up any time and read for twenty minutes or so without losing the context.

I bought a copy of "Making Waves" by the same authors. It was a powerful book, to say the least. I really admired the honesty by all of the Asian American ladies that contributed to the book.
This book, which is the follow-up, is also a powerful book, too. You see, even though I'm a Caucasian male, I'm a Christian and an ordained minister. Most of the ministry and worship I do is with Asian Americans(most of the are college age and young adult). Since I didn't grow up Asian, this book and its predecessor were a valuable resource to me.
After seeing this book, I'm more sympathetic to the struggles that Asian Americans go through, and especially the females. Too often Hollywood and the Far Eastern Movie companies have portrayed Asian Females as the sultry and sexy "Gesha Girl" stereotype. This book lets the ladies speak and takes the reader into their hearts and minds. It lets the reader know what they've actually been through, what they struggle with(and still do), and what they do to surivive. I'm glad they've shared what they did. I think it's long overdue that their voices were heard.
I would reccommend this book to anyone doing ministry to Asian American females as I do or to any male dating or married to an Asian American female. Praise God for Elaine Kim and the Asian Women United!

i suppose you expect a formal review of some sort, but i'm just writing something freshly thought out:

i LOVE this book! it's pretty rare to discover asian american works of writing published in today's world. It iincludes stories, essays, poems, photography, and pictures of artwork done as well.

Anyone who is interested in heritage, asian american literature, or just would like a good collection of writing to read, i highly reccomend this book.

This large-scale, easy-to-read map of Yosemite Valley and surrounding areas is a must-have for anyone visiting Yosemite National Park, especially if you are a hiker. Instead of a straight down view, as is done in most maps, you see the valley from an oblique perspective, from south of the valley, with the mountains shown as they would look in 3-Dimensions - a very pleasing effect. All trails are shown, of course, but also bicycle paths, shuttle bus stops, campgrounds, picnic areas, restrooms, parking areas, etc.

But this is only the beginning! Each trail also has its own description, including approximate time to complete, distance, elevation gain, and trailhead location. Another really nice feature is that many "Vista Points" are included, which are shown on the map, including which direction to look, and are described in their own section, complete with a color photo. Several other parts of the park are also descibed, with photos. There are also detailed write-ups concerning Yosemite's history and geology, plus info on tourist facilities at Yosemite Village. And last, but not least, lots of Natural History information, including photos and drawings to aid in identification of mammals, birds, wildflowers and trees found in the area.

Writing as one who has been a cartographer for more than twenty years, and also as an avid hiker, I wish that I had the opportunity to produce something like this myself!

It gives you an up close view of Yosemite Valley mapped. No more squinting and turning your Yosemite park map every which way just to get a bird's eye view of the valley trails. Major trails are listed along with their milage. It even gives an adequate view of how the trails bend and curve, so you have a rough idea what to expect while out on your valley hikes. Included in the map is historical captions about some of the landmarks along with blk/wht and color photo snippets. There is even a basic park phone directory and a time line of historical events. This is a great magnified map made from a thick durable paper and easy to handle because of its smaller size, NO map folding FUSS! That's an A+ in itself. Just an overall great map to take along on your hikes.

The guide has a nice layout, which makes things easy to find. Each section gives a general overview of what there is to do in an area; this is a great starting point if you are not familiar with the location. I think this would be a great asset to anyone traveling about in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.

The Mobil Travel Guide for California was invaluable for our recent trips on the California coast and to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. My past experience with other Mobil Travel Guides is that their information is complete and accurate. The ratings system for hotels and restaurants are reliable and will steer you to excellent values and quality establishments. Unless an establishment is brand new, it is a safe bet that it has not been included in the Guide for a reason. The Guide is especially helpful for families who are looking for a quality hotel room or meal for a reasonable price.

We have used the maps in the Guide and it has helpful information for planning trips, including mileage and time between destinations. The individual listings of motels, hotels and restaurants give useful information regarding decor, amenities and pets. We moved our family and pets across country using the Mobil Guide to find hotels that accepted dogs in our price range. This is the finest resource for domestic travel that I have seen. I recommend that you buy it for planning your trip and don't forget to bring it along. We changed our travel plans in the Mojave desert and made reservations on our cell phone using the Mobil Guide to California and the West!

Everton profiles several Mayan families and follows their lives, in words and pictures, for twenty years. The results are compelling and the black and white photgraphy is stunning. He presents the changes that are taking place in their culture due to the demise of the hennequen and chicle industries and the rise of the tourism industry. The message is one of hope. The Maya have survived through thousands of years of change and they will continue to do so. Having met some of the people profiled in the book in person, I can tell you it is genuine in everyway. A must have for anyone interested in the Maya people and the survival of indigenous cultures!

This book is an excellent read. It provides great estimula for both mind and eyes. As I have lived and worked among poor Mayan peasants for many months, I have been suveying the market of books that describe the situation of the modern Maya of today. Who they are, how they live, how they think. This book shows you it all, without pretending to be an anthropological monograph.

The advantage of this book is that it does not try to submit its message to the reader in didactical terms. Instead, the photos and the accompanying essays elegantly unfold a series of descriptions, episodes and profound insights that together make it possible for the reader to grasp what Mayan life is like today, and how it evolved from the 1960's and 30 years ahead.

The "photo-essay" chosen by Everton as the form of presentation, is a brilliant choice. Everton, author and photographer, lets the reader see a series of facets of Mayan everyday life from the point of view of individual Mayan friends of Everton. The solidarity and love with which Everton shows us scenes from Mayan everyday life does not undermine the books credibility. All general conclusions are based on individual examples. The care for precision in details and the interest taken in describing the common episodes and daily chores of Mayan peasant life make it possible for us to get close to Everton's friends. I have not come across any other book that equals Evertons work in this respect.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of the book is the way it reveals to the reader how the book came to be. Already the ntroductory chapters pose the problem, how we should think about the concept of Mayan culture. It discusses how Mayas are usually portrayed in the Western world, and it contemplates how this idea can be refined.

Some 20 Mayan peoples of today are the descendants of the ancient Mayas who built the famous pyramid temples. But we must consider that the Mayas have a present and a future as well as a past. Otherwize, we will not be able to understand the dynamics of contemporary Mayan life, says the book. In this respect, the ever changing Mayan culture is just like any other human culture in history.

Everton's photo essays form a persuading defense of the value of what is called the "cultural diversity" of the world.

Pam MacKay's 'Mojave Desert Wildflowers' is a wonderfully informative & beautifully photographed guide to the wildflowers of the Mojave. This sturdy plastic-coated field guide contains over 300 gorgeous photos, finely detailed plant descriptions, and is virtually an introductory textbook on Mojave Desert ecology. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves---or is even mildly intereseted in---the Mojave Desert. The author lives & teaches in the Mojave and her love, attention to detail, and dedication to the desert are revealed on every page.

Jim Otterstrom

This guide is so easy to use and the pictures are beautiful. I highly recommend this guide for first time wildflower enthusiasts!

This book is amazing. It is completely thorough, and contains information on any place in Monterey County that you can think of, or find on a map. It's hard to imagine that this book is the work of just one man.

If you live in or are familiar with Monterey County, you will find that this reference book reads more like a novel. It is well written and contains historical references back into the mid-1800s, including historical maps, magazines, books, and newspaper articles.

This book is a must for anyone concerned with the history of Monterey County. It would be a fantastic addition to the library of anyone interested in the place names within the county, or even people interested in the writings of Steinbeck (example: where is Tortilla Flat, and how did it get its name?).

Some other interesting examples: How did Monterey get its name? How about Hurricane Point? Point Lobos? Big Sur? Ever hear of Jamesburg? There is so much in this book that it will keep you busy and interested for years to come.

Wonderful book that provides superb insights into the background and history of the Monterey County, California, including the Big Sur region.

Structured by place names, it provides eye-opening insights into the historic derivation of towns, parks, and landmarks throughout the county.

The sister book, "Place Names of Santa Cruz County" is equally useful and interesting, though significantly thinner - no doubt because its a smaller county.

Highly recommend this book for anyone exploring the Big Sur, Point Lobos and surrounding areas.

This book is a great guide to the non-paved alternatives in beautiful Monterey. I like the aquarium and all, but...! The guide covers 17 routes which range in difficulty from warm up to real "sweaters". It would also help condition those not too familiar with trail running. The greatest part is that many of the runs are connectable, which gives you a great deal of variety (even though the author frequently uses them for laps). It's the only one of its kind - I highly recommend it and getting out there!

Monterey Trail Runner's Guide is an excellent and superbly presented "where to" book for anyone with interest in outdoor exercise and the picturesque Monterey Peninsula. Veteran runner Jeffrey Van Middlebook aptly describes seventeen gorgeous trail runs, all the better to encourage fellow runners to escape the noisy, smog-laden cities and experience nature while staying fit. Four Monterey Peninsula parks are highlighted: Point Lobos State Reserve, Jacks Peak County Park, Mission Trail Park, and the Garland Ranch Regional Preserve. With its locator map and general terrain descriptions for each park or reserve, and augmented with tips on weather and trail conditions, parking information, mileage, difficulty ratings, and directions to the trail head, the Monterrey Trail Runner's Guide is very highly recommended for outdoor running and jogging enthusiasts with endurance!

Some say this is Muir's finest work. As the only other Muir book I've read (at this writing) is Travels in Alaska, I cannot comment on this, other than to say that I enjoyed this book a great deal.
From almost any vantage point in California, whether near or on a distant horizon, there are mountains. A fact not lost on Muir, whose sense of wonder and love of life endear him to his readers.
"God's glacial-mills grind slowly, but they have been kept in motion long enough in California to grind sufficient soil for a glorious abundance of life ... In so wild and so beautiful a region [was spent my day], every sight and sound inspiring, leading one far out of himself, yet feeding and building up his individuality."
Muir was the consummate man in nature. Anyone who is indifferent to Muir's writing may simply be indifferent to wonderment itself. I have no doubt that if Muir were placed in a room with the great kings and generals and tycoons and empire builders of history, he would appear singularly as a man among men. Unimpressed with their pomp and bluster over rotting empire, he might soon command more attention than they, and many would be happily listening to Muir in spite of their self importance. Why? He would have the most interesting insights, offered poetically and in a most humble and charming way. ... (in fact Muir was sought out by the great politicians and philosophers of his day).
If you like mountains, if you like California, if you like trees and glacier-fed streams, you will like this book.

muir describes the sierras with detail and love. he is one of the few authors who is content just to be in and describe a landscape. and what a description!. he describes the evolution of glaciaral lakes to the hights of mount ritter and the migrations of deer and native peoples. a great book i recoment it to anyone who loves the outdoors.

I just finished this book and must say I really enjoyed it. The characters seem so real and the plot was very good. This is a good book to read if you want something not to dark and heavy with a little humor. Love Kate Austen and can't wait to read the next books in this series. I would like to know what will happen with her relationship with Michael. If your looking for a quick read pick up Jonnie Jacobs books as soon as you can. They will not dissapoint you.

I just completed the second in the Kate Austen series in lessthan a week. I can't wait for the next two books in the series toarrive from Amazon. Again, this was a wonderful mystery. The mystery is witty, suspenseful, and fun to read. Miss Jacobs neatly ties all of the characters and events together. She also has a wonderful sense of humor when it comes to raising children. Kate's relationship with her daughter is very amusing. There is a lot of intrigue between Kate and her new boyfiend/homicide detective Michael Stone. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!