The book was interesting for somebody wanting to learn and become familiar with canyoneering and dessert hiking. However, in terms of providing practical data on good hikes, it is far behind any of Steve Allen's books. If you're new to this, then buy this and Steve's. If you've been there and done this, no need to reread the basics.

As a two year resident of Arizona, I have embraced the wonder of the Grand Canyon and it's tributaries. This book ties together its legend, geology, hydrology and the spritiual. It erodes the sandstone and runs with ancients. Mr.Annerino has obviously been there, lived it as few have and was profoundly influenced by. Way to go.

The canyons of North America are among the most spectacular in the world, providing unlimited opportunities for hikers, photographers, climbers, and other modern day adventurers. John Annerino offers a thorough guide to the fundamentals of safe and well prepared canyon exploration. The natural history and earth science of canyon country, as well as expedition conditioning, preperation, and equipment are discussed in detail, as are potential hazards and how to avoid them. -The Adventurous Traveler

This is a great travel book, providing quick and easy to reference to the lay-of-the land in the four-corners region in the style of a virtual tour of the area. The author takes you along his journey, showing you what to see and do, how to get there, where to eat, sleep, shop--or simply soak up the sublime beauty.

This book give to the reader and future traveller an unique vision of the history of this country. the writer help us to understand the people that inhabited this country and the geological features of this land of enchantment. For an european like me is the first and essential step to the visit of a country.

My wife and I plannned a trip to the Four Corners area and at the last moment received Journey to the High Southwest as a gift. We read it during the plane ride and made immediate adjustments to our travel schedule. The results were so good that we continued, chapter by chapter, to use Mr. Casey's guidance and suggestions. For those uninitiated in the region, or even experienced Four Corners visitors, we strongly suggest this guide. It will provide very accurate and useful information to anyone who uses it. Read the entire book - before you go!

If I was only allowed to take one book to Tibet it would definitely be the Lonely Planet. It has very useful information about the country, the religion, do's and don'ts, etc. I used this book to prepare for my trip and used it in Tibet to get more information on the city I was in or the tempel or monastery I was visiting. Very detailed information about the tempels, the history and what rooms and statues are what. Very useful information about Lhasa and great maps showing not only interesting sites but also the hotels (so you can find your way back).

This guidebook is certainly among Lonely Planet's best. It is at the same time an excellent travel guide, and also a fantastic yet concise source of insights into the life of this wonderful land. Anyone traveling to Tibet will inevitably encounter a number of restrictions on her/his travel, and will have to stick to the Chinese government's directives and itineraries. It is indeed hard to leave Tibet without a feeling that one was not really able to 'go deep' into its culture. This book might not compensate for the frustrating limitations posed to travelers by the Chinese government, but it certainly goes a good way towards that direction. It contains tips on how to make the most out of your trip, especially in terms of getting to know 'real' Tibet. Its sections on culture, religion and history are excellently written and captivating. All in all, a fantastic endeavour.

This book should be very useful for those who want to visit The Land of Snows as well as for those who just want to learn more from the Tibetan Culture. It has a lot of useful information for travelers, e.g. the best ways to arrive to Tibet (depending of how do you want to do it), and the importance of having a tour guide during your trip (because of political reasons). Inside this book you will find some interesting facts and illustrations about TibetÂ's religion: Buddhism (the spirit of the country), and a few beautiful pictures.

Have you ever heared of the Mystiriuos cities of gold? Les Mystérieuses Cités d'Or ? It was a 1983 tv show, based on this book, brought by a abnd of french producers, japanese animators (from the nhk) and israeli mucisians (the guys who later on created the power rangers, among other programs) - everyone was facinated with this show. When my brother intreduced me to his old tapes of the show (it was played in my country in the mid 90s) I just coudln't leave the screen. It beats pokemon walking. Anyway, I got a bit nostalgic and went to the library and borrowed the book. All I have to say is that I wish I'd have never done so. It just ruined all the story, the athmosphere &c. &c. Nevertheless, it is quite a good book, so if you are a passionate fan of MCoG, or a real bookworm, this book is for you.

i read this book last summer and decided to re-read and i just have to say that it is still a page-turn the second time. this is a story about how the explorers come to find the gold and how they steal it. it is a great work of art. i think that all of O'dells books are great for any readers age. If you liked this book then i think you will like a book that i read in like 5th or 4 th grade : Island of the Blue Dolphins. (auther is o'dell)

For the last six months or so I have been reading through the Newbery Medal and Award books. The King's Fifth is one of my favorites. This book is filled with unforgettable characters, action, romance, and danger. I especially like the ending, which I won't give away! If you like historical fiction, adventure stories, or just great books, don't miss out. Read this book. May I also suggest my other all-time favorite Newbery winner: AMOS FORTUNE, FREEMAN.

After reading "Rare Birds" by Dan Bessie I thought, "What a family!". Every family has a few characters or maybe a semi-famous person. But, in "Rare Birds" I was totally fascinated by the wide range of interesting and famous family members. I especially liked the chapters on his Uncle Harry Burnett and the Turnabout Theatre. The book is written in a relaxed style that makes you feel like you're having a conversation with the author. It made me want to search out my own family tree, shake it and see who falls out. Fascinating and enjoyable book!

This is a truly heartfelt look into a talented, creative and outspoken family. From the wild west days to the Spanish Civil War, Mr. Bessie examines and tells the tales of his family with warmth and wit. These are people who lived life, not coasted through it. The exhaustive research is evident yet the author honestly points out when the trail goes cold and he is left with only oral history or speculation. Above all, he treats each life with respect and love even when he doesn't wholly approve. Not just a truly entertaining read, it prompts all of us to really get to know our own family members, rare or otherwise, in a meaningful way before we find it's too late.

Great book. Not only well written but written with the insight of a mature, intelligent sensitive human being. Great insight into the human condition. The author comes from a unusally talented and creative family and as this book demonstrates is as creative as any of them. Telling us the story of his family gives us alot information about the political climate in the USA and its effect on individual citizens. Extremly interesting and varied Family members from the world's must prolific bird watcher to a Leftist screen writer who fought with the Abraham Lincoln`Brigade in the Spanish Civil War.

This is an entertaining, absorbing tale of the Alamo--it is written like a novel. It provides a good rendition of the traditional story--one where valiant, noble Texans fight evil Mexicans. This book is not one to read to get a balanced, in-depth account. For that, read Jeff Long's Duel of Eagles. Read this one for entertainment and to appreciate why the Alamo has stood the test of time as a symbol of the American fighting spirit.

While profound, Travis's words: "Don't surrender, boys" (spoken in Spanish) - tell only part of this story of the Siege of the Alamo. But because of the circumstances surrounding the battle (no Texan Survivors) there is no way to ever truly know all of the events surrounding those final days. Yes this is not the only book on the subject that one should read if you want a well-rounded impartial view of these events. Regardless it makes for good reading and I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Texas revolt and it's ramifications. Many still affecting us to this day.

Dr. Tinkle's account of the Battle of the Alamo has, in some ways, been a life-forming book. It was in these pages (as a child in the early 1960s) that the heroic/epic myth of the Alamo became realized to me. What culture (native Celt-German-Texan) had begun in me, and what Disney and the Duke has fueled, became a way of life after reading Tinkle's account of the events now carved in stone in our national conscious. Col. Wm. Barrett Travis' mythical drawing of the line in the courtyard (whether true or not, true mttyh becomes myth made true)became a model for life. The pattern has been repeated dozen's of times: find a worthy cause, draw a line, get massacred. I owe it all to this book. Get a copy if you can.

While the recent Texian Illiad by Stephen Hardin, and Stephen Harrigan's The Gates of the Alamo are both good reads (Gates of the Alamo sits on my nightstand, waiting its turn) that do much to shed both historical light on the battle, and dispel popular revisionist histories (the probably forged De la Pena's Diaries being the worst), Thirteen Days to Glory remains my sentimental favorite, the stuff that myths are made of, and fed.

I was born in Santa Rita, and grew up in Deming. Went hunting with my father and camped and hiked with Boy Scouts in many parts of the southern Black Range. Have a few minor tales of my own.

I may have even met McKenna as a child when my father visited at the sanatorium where he,(McK) died.

The book really brought the charcters to life as well as many fond memories about the area. -- The historical insights as to the times and laws of the mining camps reads as well as S. Clemons, at times (probably with as much yarn spinning as real truth). Fantastic book.

This book focuses on life in the 1880's in and around an area of southwestern New Mexico known as the Gila. Much of the area McKenna describes is now protected wildeness and exists today as it did in Mckenna's time. McKenna's brings to life many of the places that today are forgotten points on the map or have fallen of the map completely. He brings insight into the origin of many of the place names in the area, describing how places like Raw Meat Canyon and the Jerkey Mountains were named.

This is also an excellent resource for any one interested in the legendary Lost Adams Diggings.

As a native son of the Gila region in southwestern New Mexico and old enough to have had family and friends who knew McKenna and other settlers, Black Range Tales bring the history and struggles to life. This is the area that Geronimo was born and waged war in; a region that also had a silver mine (The Bridal Chamber) which produced ore 95% pure. The pillars left behind to support the ceiling in the chamber rang when struck with a hammer. McKenna's description of the region and that slice of history is very interesting reading.

My husband and I have tried the tortilla, menudo, and pico de gallo recipes and they were tasty.
Some ingredients are hard to find, depending on where you live.
Worth having if you love Mexican food.

This book is more comprehensive than any I've ever come across. Moving from Boston a few months back-- my partner has already exclaimed, "You cook like you've lived here all your life!" Good, solid recipes, no hype. Bene!

Excellent, interesting recipes that work. I'm not a big southwestern cuisine fan, but I cook from this book regularly, and I consider it one of the all-time great additions to my cookbook library. MUST MAKE: salsas, roast chicken, elemental arrechares, and the best chili you've ever eaten (Dora's Carne con Chile). Throw out that Old El Paso box that is languishing in your pantry, and get cooking!

I have to disagree with the other reviewers. Overall, this book was dull. While the subject is anything but dull, Faragher managed to lose my interest several times. Daniel Boone lived a fascinating life and was a legend but I struggled to finish the book. I probably should pick another author to read about Daniel Boone.

Although a member of the Revolutionary generation, Daniel Boone was at most an indirect participant in that historical event. Instead, Boone gets his fame from his contributions to the founding of Kentucky.

Faragher shows that Boone's contributions were less extensive than the myth of Boone would indicate. Nonetheless, Boone did provide important leadership during the early days of Kentucky's colonizations. Although a sympathetic biography of Boone, Faragher treats with great respect the Indians who Boone had numerous conflicts with.

Boone himself is portrayed as even-tempered and intelligent (though not well-educated), a man elevated to a legendary status by a contemporary biographer who was interested in Kentucky land speculation. Faragher's biography, sometimes exciting and sometimes slow, does a good job at separating myth from fact.

Since most biographies of figures of this era focus on people who were in the more developed areas of the colonies/states such as Philadelphia, Boston and New York, this biography is good at showing what life was like on the 18th century frontier. ...

Although a member of the Revolutionary generation, Daniel Boone was not really a figure in the Revolution. Spending most of his life in the frontier, the war had only an indirect effect on him. Boone's contributions to history were to lie elsewhere.

Faragher writes a good - sometimes exciting, sometimes slow - chronicle of a life that is almost as much myth as fact. Boone is depicted as a generally even-tempered and intelligent (though not well-educated) man who acted as a leader in the colonization of Kentucky. His true significance is more based on myth, however, as he became the subject of a contemporary biography aimed at encouraging people to move to Kentucky.

In this fashion, Boone becomes a semi-legendary figure, alongside other Americans such as Davy Crockett and Kit Carson, for whom the fiction is more important than the fact. Faragher does show that the real Boone was a relatively admirable person, though not without his faults.

One final thing I enjoyed about this biography is that Faragher includes a final chapter that acts as an epilogue and shows Boone's impact after his death. I like these sorts of epilogues and find them too rare in biographies. For a different look at U.S. history, this book is a good way to go.

I was glad to find this book, and got lots of ideas about places to go from it. It does have lots of useful information, but I found it to be lacking some very necessary details about the canyons needed to plan a hike to this area. Take a good map and call the local BLM office for details before going. I've seen people turn up on the local six o'clock news a couple of times because they got into a canyon they couldn't get out of using one of his books! Also, all distances are metric :( so be prepared to convert everything to feet and miles.

My son and I have personally hiked many of Michael Kelsey's routes as described in this book. Yes, you need to know something about hiking and route finding, Michael does not baby you along the way or remove responsibility from the hiker. But he does not overdramatize the hikes to avoid liability, and he also does not preach to his readers. What he does do extremely well is concisely give you an idea of how to get to some of the most remote, pristine, and special places in the entire world, places innaccessible merely because most people were unaware of their existence. Michael has opened the door to these places. For this I will be forever grateful.

This is the bible of Canyoneering in SE Utah. The simple maps, concise descriptions and knowledgeable tips will get you into as much trouble as you want . . . and that's why we do this, right? The park service has baned Kelsey's books from their bookstores because he "reveals too much," and they claim people "get into trouble" following his guides -- bugger to them! People can be unprepared idiots. If you read the damn book you'll realise that only trained people should be stemming up slot canyons, swimming hypothermic plunge pools and gingerly investigating delicate Anaszi ruins -- not your average hee-haws looking for a good place to swill a 12-Pack of beer. The beer swillers don't want this book, go to Lake Powell instead.