Foremost are the photographs. I would call Annerino's canyon portraits the best of a really good lot, even over big-time large-format photographers. While the large-format works are stunning artistic studies of light and color shot with impossibly huge f-stops, Annerino's canyon photographs give expression to the phrase "wearing one's heart on the sleeve." His photos have an active passion that others lack. Anyone who knows him will say he is among the "hardmen' to tackle the Southwestern mountains and canyons, but that he is definitely the most sincere in his passion for place. Perhaps, because of this he lacks a calculated commercial view of the places he photographs. His images also record his own passion, creating compelling and unique photographs. More than any other contemporary outdoor photographer, Annerino's photos mirror his love of the land's people. In the text, Annerino portrays canyonlands people as part of what makes the places special. He has a deep affection for past and present native peoples, but unlike some Anglo North Americans, Annerino isn't a lost 20th century soul. Rather, he seems to have a straightfoward and genuine admiration for native people, and has learned a great deal about them. His research on each canyon's history is impressive. Annerino writes with an immensity commensurate with his subject. His style is old-fashioned, evoking an older, more grandiose era of writing of explorers like Powell and Pattie. While many modern writers seem bent on infusing themselves into as much of the story as possible, Annerino's style is not so full of himself as full of the intensity of his canyon experiences...Annerino is at his best when he writes about Mexico, especially the Big Bend passage where he talks about the injustices served the Mexican across the river at the hands of our national park there. An optimist who sees great things in the canyons, Annerino neither ignores nor dwells on the obvious problems facing the West like pollution and development. And fortunately, CANYONS OF THE SOUTHWEST is not a treasure map guidebook to these areas. -Desert Skies

John Annerino's pictorial celebration of the canyons of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico is a handsome momento for those who have heard the wind whistling in these haunting canyons, and a beckoning invitation for those who have not yet made the journey. Annerino has spent much of his adult life exploring this territory -- as a wilderness runner, adventurer, and photojournalist -- and here combines his firsthand knowledge with his expertise as a nature photographer and author to create an intimate portrait of some of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. Scores of stunning full-color photographs make plain the basis for the region's appeal. From the centuries-old Anasazi ruins to the breathtaking buttes of Monument Valley, from the Narrows of Zion National Park to the barrancas (canyons) of the frontier of Mexico, CANYONS OF THE SOUTHWEST is a memorable record of one of the earth's most spectacular bioregions.

Everyone knows about the Grand Canyon, but what many of us don't know is that the Southwest is laced with canyons less traveled but no less spectacular. Lucky for us, Annerino spills a few secrets in this book, describing in words and fine photographs such places...an encticement to visit or revisit, in person, this stunning terrain. -Outside Magazine

I bought this book as a souvenir on a trip to Colorado. Not only is it a great memento of a wonderful trip, I've just enjoyed flipping through it many times reading the recipes. The "Apple Salad" made with yogurt, cheese, raisins and nuts has brought rave reviews and demands for the recipe each time it's been served. Considering I prepared it twice for 130 people, I'd say it's a winner. This is a delightful book to own and to give as a present. A definite step above the traditional "community cookbook."

If we know you and you're married, we've probably sent you a copy of this book. It's a great wedding present--because it offers so many easy, yet creative and satisfying recipes. It's the best Junior League cookbook that this "foodie" has seen--even better than the other Junior League of Denver offerings. My personal favorites are the Szechwan Cashew Chicken, the Marinated Chicken Breasts in Pepper Sauce and the Angel Hair with Basil and Crab. I would note that the book is light on seafood recipes (it's from land-locked Colorado--duh!), but more than makes up for it with excellent poultry, pasta and salad offerings.

I don't cook much. I don't like to cook. I don't cook well.

People always give me cookbooks "to help". I would try one or two recipes, but they were always mediocre or I would eventually make a recipe that tasted awful.

... and then I got this book. EVERY dish I've made from this book has gotten rave reviews and people photocopying my book. I've tried at least a dozen recipes and they are outstanding. It is the only cookbook I use.

My wife and I have 3 young children and have recently started "car camping". This is one of the most complete Colorado campground books I have seen. The book is laid out so you can quickly select a geograhic area and review the campsites within that area. The beautiful photography gives you a sneek peak into where your'e headed. For those who like to camp at "non-KOA" type areas, this is a must have book.

As the other reviews have noted, this is an outstanding book. While I can't say I have seen every other colorado campground book out there, I still feel comfortable saying you will have a hard time finding anything better. While there are many outstanding aspects to this book, one of the top highlights would be the full color photos of each of the top 100, while not always a complete representation of the campgrounds (ie, a view from/of one site can't do any campground justice) they are nice to get some idea of the place, and books with pictures are always nicer! The text includes very good and detailed info about each of the top 100 (includign facilities onsite and somtimes nearby, like where to find showers), and details of the other (non top 100) campgrounds are still fairly adequate. Again, I think if you are looking for a colorado campground book, this should be all you'll need.
My one and only suggestion for readers of this book would be to not take the "top 100" designation all that seriously. While I don't think you will be disappointed by any of the author's top 100 selection, just remember they are from his point of view and your ideas of what makes a top 100 might be different (I believe the author mentions this as well). There have been several occasions where I would have rated campgrounds in a certain area differently (ie of 4 campgrounds in an area, 1 made his top 100 and 3 others different, I would have picked a different one). From what I have noticed, the author seems to give priority to the campgrounds with the best views (which isn't a bad thing), but I would probably give more weight to those with the most privacy, but to each their own! So again, its a great book for info, you won't be disappointed, but just don't be afraid to try some others that didnt' make the top 100 cut, as on several occasions I have found them more appealing to me than a top 100 selection nearby.

This is THE book if you are going camping in Colorado just once, or for the whole summer. Many guidebooks are out of date or are reprints of Forest Service information. This guy obviuosly VISITED these campgrounds. If your like a lot of us and barely have one or two weekends per summer to go camping, get this book. It will allow you to pick a new place without the risk of "trail and error".

GPS guide, great descriptions, totally dependable. Dont waste time with others, buy this one!

I bought this guidebook a few years ago and it is definitely one of the best. It fits easily in our seatback. He covers many trails. What has been helpful about his book, is that the mileage is given in both directions, so you can easily figure out where you are given your starting point. All the cross roads you come across are described as well, so you don't wonder, should I have gone that way. His mileage was right on with our odometer. I have a few other guide books, but his is definitely the best because of the detailed description of your road trip. Highly recommend. With his book and a Trails Illustrated map, no reason for you to get lost.

I do not own this book, but had read my friends quite a bit, when we actually took our first 4WD trip, we used a competitors book. It paled in comparison, this book is so much more informative. The directions are flawless and the photos and histories it details make it much easier to find the trail that suits your interests.

I first read a book from this series, "the fields of home" when I was 8 or 9, on my fathers recomendation, he said it reminded him of his father and himself. after reading the story, I found that rather than seeing my father and grandfather, I saw my dad and myself. I didnt know any other books from this author existed until a couple of years ago, when I ran accross the entire box set. my whole family has enjoyed them; both as read aloud books for the younger kids but as quiet reading for the older ones as well as my wife and I. I read the entire series at least once a year, and they never fail to bring a warm feeling to my heart, as well as a close feeling of family ties and kinship to the rural way of life. If the kids of today cared half as much for the well being of the family as Ralph Moody did for his, this would be a much better world to live in

Little Britches is the sort of book that you wish could be made available to every man, woman and child in today's mixed up world. It is wonderfully inspirational and would go a long way toward making you think about what is really important in life and how you ought to go about being the best kind of human being that you could be. I have re-read the entire Little Britches series for the last 20-plus years and just recently ordered the entire set from Amazon.com. I am thrilled to think that they are still in print and I look forward to many years of enjoyable re-reading of them again. Do yourself a favor and buy Ralph Moody's books. He had tremendous insight about life and living. He would undoubtedly be the kind of man we'd all like to know, be friends with, have as a dad, husband, brother etc. You'll love his books. You'll laugh and cry and be transported back into a wonderful time of life. You'll be left with some great new thoughts and feelings about what really matters after all.

I read my first book by Ralph Moody, "The fields of home" when I was 8, on my fathers recomendation. He told me that the story reminded him of he and his father, but after reading it I saw more of my dad and myself; rather than father and grandfather. A couple of years ago a friend told me of these great books he had bought, and said that he would loan them to me, once I saw the author I had to purchace the set for myself. I read these books at least once a year, and there hasn't been a time when they dont bring a warm feeling to my heart, and bring a feeling of kinship to Ralph and his family with its rural heritage. If the kids of today cared half as much for family as Ralph does for his, today would be a much better place.

I originally purchased this book as a present for my wife; she couldn't stop talking about it so I read it for myself. Set in rural Colorado in 1944, the main story revolves around an educated, progressive woman forced into an arranged marriage to a farmer due to the result of a fling with a soldier leaving for the war in 1944. As the main character, Livvy, tries to cope with the disappointment and loneliness of her situation, a great love story unfolds as she begins to really know the man she married. This was my wife's favorite portion of the book, and I have to admit it was done extremely well. The spice in the story comes in a sub- plot which has Livvy befriend girls in a Japanese- American interment camp who become involved with German POWs assigned to work on the local farms. What I belived to be a great piece of fiction turned out to be based on actual events as recorded in the Denver Post in 1944. Livvy must make some difficult decisions and the result is my favorite part of the book. Well written and paced just right, the novel is balanced, informative and thought provoking. A great read.

The book opens with Olivia Dunne, a twenty- four year old with big dreams, being forced into an arranged marriage after succumbing to the advances of a handsome solder in 1944. It turns out her husband is a good man, but Olivia has nothing in common with the farmers that now surround her, and she befriends two girls, Japanese- Americans who were interned in a camp nearby. Their story culminates in a politically charged incident, based on actual events, involving the girls and German POWs from another camp. Olivia eventually begins to love her new home and even her husband, as she learns to make the best of what life has given her. Through Livvy's eyes, we feel the camp and the isolation of rural life only to discover an unexpected enchantment. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the sweet, often heart- wrenching dialogue between Livvy and Ray, and the vivid description of life on a farm in Colorado in 1944. As I read I felt I was there; the author creates a strong sense of "place." The incident between the Japanese- American girls and the German POW's is a bonus and made me turn the pages even faster. From a historical perspective, I learned of Japanese internment camps and German prisoner of war camps in Colorado and the impact they had on the people there.

Never have I read a book that so effectively portrays the lessons of growing up. There is a deep selection of "coming-of-age" books on bookstore shelves, but none of them captures maturation as Creel does in this gem.

During World War II, Olivia, a young woman from busy Denver finds herself pregnant and is shipped away to marry a lonely farmer in rural Southern Colorado. Seeking companionship, she befriends two Japanase-American sisters interned at a nearby internment camp. To give away more of the plot, ruins the excellent storyline.

Author Creel beautifully weaves a tapestry of Olivia's loss of childhood, her friends'loss of freedom and the loss of life created by war. She wonderfully depicts the limits that choices made in passion place upon those who act before considering all the consequences. She most effectively shows that facing life's challenges and learning from them brings about love and maturity.

The characters in Magic are not perfect but are truly noble. This is a true love story for men and women. It bears lessons for young adults and adult alike. It's message is one that we all need to read in this age of instant gratification.

Read this book!

I recently ordered this book and read it cover to cover in one afternoon. Brooks Brown has hit the nail right on the head when he says that 'although Eric and Dylan are responsible for the murders, it took a school like Columbine to create people like Eric and Dylan' or something to that effect.Everyone knows what the real reason is, but nobody wants to really come out and say it because the truth hurts. It's more convenient to blame it on music and television, guns or video games.All of these are scapegoats. The fact of the matter is that our schools are not only a reflection of our society, but a look at what the future of our country holds.I somtimes wonder how many more innocent, dead American children these administrators and teachers need to see before they wake up and realize that they created a hostile and offensive atmosphere.As teachers, as administrators, coaches, counselors, etc. they have an obligation to create a learning atmosphere that is safe, that is equal, and that is non-discriminitory. Those in charge of Columbine prior to the shooting failed on all three counts. They failed those children, they failed the community, and they are an example of the decline in modern American education.Is it any wonder that so many parents have opted to homeschool? The day after the shootings the National Homeschool Legal Defense Association was literally jammed with phone calls from parents who had finally made the decision. I was homeschooled myself and thank God every day that I had parents who cared enough to prevent me from having to be exposed to atmospheres like that. I was never a 'jock'. The only sport I've ever felt passionate about is surfing. I also like classical music, art, the theater and reading. I probably would have fit in quite well in places like Columbine. (sarcasm)Ayn Rand once said that "the only purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his life-by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. He has to be taught the essentials of the knowledge discovered in the past-and he has to be equipped to aquire further knowledge in the future by his own effort."Not to bash athletes. Some of my closest friends as a teenager were athletes. But to those who have the attitude that athletics is everything, that the jocks are 'untouchable' as was said in this book, who is it that these people think really runs this country and keeps America going? (Hint: the star jocks who care nothing about learning are not the ones you would want operating on you, or helping you manage your finances, or the people that operate multi-national corporations, or the people that run the weapons systems that defend our country. You want someone with a brain for that.)As much as I pray that nothing like Columbine ever happens again, I can't help but thinking that until we address the real causes of schools like that, that it's simply a matter of time.We're failing our kids, and it's high time that people wake up and realize it. Anyone who works in the school systems of this country needs to read this book.

Ok, seeing these 2 negative reviews is really making me angry.
I guess these people just can't stand that the truth has come out about their awful little school and the cold heartedness in their community both before and after the shootings.I applaud Brooks for telling it how it really is and refusing to let the lies about Columbine being a land of milk and honey continue.
It takes guts to stand up against a whole community like he has.
The refusal of certain groups of people in Littleton to admit the truth is astounding to me.
But the book is awesome.It should be required reading in schools.
This book gives you the real story from behind the scenes over the last 3 years.It provides you with a inside personal experience of Columbine from a person who lived it.Rob did a great job of helping to pull it all together.
I like how Brooks shared his personal memories of Rachel,Daniel Mauser and Eric and Dylan.It gives a more vivid picture of them as people.
In closing this book is a very important book .It has a message people need to hear. It has something for everybody.
Anyobody who follows the Columbine story will love it, but I think people who are interested in bullying and school violence will benefit from reading it.I recommend it to everybody.

Brooks Brown and Rob Merritt came to my school on Thursday to discuss the events at Columbine and what high school is really like. Brooks told us what everyday life was like at Columbine and I was in complete shock. He told us how students would bring alcohol into class and drink it right in front of the teachers. He told us how students getting "swirlies" and "trash canned" and beaten by other students with baseball bats were seen daily. I, on the other hand, have been in high school for over two years now and know many more people who have been around even longer and I don't know anyone who has ever seen any of those things at my school or at any other school. Sure I've seen fights at school every now and then, but nothing compared to what Brooks described to us. There is no way that anyone can consider Columbine to be a normal high school. Something is seriously wrong there and that's what Brooks was trying to tell everyone. I would highly recommend this book. It truly does give a real insight to what actually happened.

It's obvious that Dimock has done his homework in researching and writing this superbly crafted book detailing the disappearance of Glenn and Bessie Hyde, the 'honeymoon couple' who attempted a run through Grand Canyon in their sweep scow--Rain-in-the-Face--during 1928. Here we find three great stories packed concisely into one exceptionally good book. It is part mystery novel, part an historical account replete with colorful and obscure Grand Canyon characters, and part the telling of Dimock's own run down the Colorado River in the sweep scow he built to recreate the Hyde's histroic trip. SUNK WITHOUT A SOUND is also, and more importantly, a thorough biography of the life and times of Glen and Bessie Hyde. Their family members appear in startling detail, their history is laid out in a colorfully woven chronology, and their ultimate end is surmised in vivid fashion. Beyond that, the many folk tales surrounding their disappearance are debunked and kindly dismissed with considerable research. Illustrated with maps, diagrams, and an interesting variety of historic Grand Canyon and Hyde family photos, Dimock ultimely takes the reader on a whitewater trip not to be forgotten. Dimock's first book, THE DOING OF THE THING, a biography of riverman Buzz Holmstrom, won the National Outdoor Book Award in 1998. However impressive that my be, SUNK WITHOUT A SOUND is, obviously, destined for much higher accolades.

Outrageous adventures that capture the imagination, like Lindberg's trans-Atlantic flight, often personify the American spirit, especially in the youth of a new century. But the 1928 honeymoon excursion down the rapids of the Grand Canyon by Glen and Bessie Hyde ended in tragedy, their bodies never recovered, the whole trip shrouded in mystery. This book sets out to tell their story with as many facts as are available, recount the rescue efforts and determine some answers after all these years of speculation.

After reading Grand Ambition, a novel by Lisa Michael's, about the couple's fateful honeymoon, I was curious to know more of the details and explore the lore surrounding the disappearance of Bessie and Glen. Author Dimock gathers what few pertinent facts are available and reconstructs the Hyde's journey, physically experiencing parts of it himself. He even builds a replica of their craft, hoping to ascertain what happened as they moved from one dangerous whitewater course to another. Literally, only speculation remains, because their flat-bottomed scow was found drifting, intact and packed with provisions with no evidence of the bodies. Did they die, or escape? The author also carefully goes over each step of the rescue party's unsuccessful search. As an extra service to the reader, he spends some time debunking the many urban legends that have sprung up over the years, passed from campfire to campfire, further clouding the truth.

The most satisfying part of this book is Dimock's exacting concentration on each phase of the journey given the modernization of river rafting techniques and experience. Easy answers are simply not acceptable to Dimock, and he unfailingly covers every possible situation in the attempt to arrive at a feasible conclusion. In his conscientious writing, this author postulates some scenarios that set my mind at rest. When he fits the pieces of the puzzle together, it's as likely a fit as will be found at this time. And I was relieved to put aside those rumors and innuendoes told with a broad wink, because I would like to think of this couple in peace after such a short and harrowing twist of fate.

I'm no expert about the Grand Canyon or whitewater rafting - I've visited the canyon about 5 times over the last 30 years, spending 6 days on a spring break backcountry hike on one of the trips, and I've been on one float trip down the San Juan River [Bluff to 'Lake Foul'] on the spring break before or after the canyon hike - so I'm reviewing Sunk Without A Sound by Brad Dimock as an interested and knowledgable layperson. This book is an amazing adventure story, a gripping mystery, a brave piece of experimental historical investigation, the end product of extensive research, and an extremely rational and fair reading of the available evidence.

The book is a tapestry of stories sewn together with several strong threads. The main thread is the story of the failed [?] honeymoon Colorado River trip of Glen and Bessie Hyde in 1928 and the subsequent attempts to find a solution to their disappearance. It is the story of RC Hyde, Glen's father, and his obsessive, but loving, attempts to find his son and his daughter-in-law. It is the story of author Brad Dimock and his wife, Jeri Ledbetter, and their enlightening version of the original Hyde trip [they recreated the original journey in a version of the original sweep scow]. Dimock ties all these pieces together in one seamless piece of non-fiction.

I enjoyed the book immensely, especially the fact that Dimock told the most reasonable story that the research and the evidence supported. I recommend you take a ride throught the twists, the turns, and the rapids of this excellent book.

Truly Donovan's debut mystery CHANDLER'S DAUGHTER is the beginning of a wonderful cozy mystery series.

As I read, I found myself taken with Ms. Donovan's single, plus-size, middle-aged, amateur sleuth Lexy Connor. She is witty, intelligent and delightful!

Lexy lives in Gunbarrel, Colorado, where she runs her own software consulting company. She loves to eat out with friends and owns a lovable, well-mannered Westie named Molly. Those of us who can't live without our mysteries, Internet or email, will find a comrade in Lexy as she is blessed with the same passions.

In her debut mystery, Lexy finds her quiet Colorado world shaken when her friend Tally calls for help. Tally offers to pay Lexy her usual software consultation fee, if she will solve the mystery of a dead stranger Tally was supposed to meet. This mystery has Lexy traveling the country (a trip you don't want to miss) in an attempt to find the murderer who is also hunting for her friend.

I read a library copy of "Donovan's Daughter" and so thoroughly enjoyed it, that I now have a copy on order. I want to own this series from the very beginning.

Lexy Connor is a great heroine. She is well past the first blush of youth, but is smart, vital and ready to do anything for a friend.

She searches for the true parentage of Tally, a young woman who is being threatened even though she knows nothing of her true background. Her parents have been dead for years. She comes to Lexy because Lexy knew her adoptive parents.

With few clues to go on, Lexy (along with her delightful dog) goes across country to solve a mystery that puts her and some of her friends in grave danger.

Don't miss this exciting and humorous first mystery with an unforgettable heroine.

Meet Lexy Connor, a plump, middle aged, single woman whose life revolves around her business, her dog Molly and her friends. Lexy's a likable sort - a little eccentric and unquestioningly loyal to those she cares about. A late night call from the daughter of an old friend provokes her protective instincts and has Lexy serving up advice alongside scrambled eggs. Tally is in trouble and needs her help.

Never one to disappoint a friend, Lexy is ready to go to work when she learns that someone is stalking Tally with the apparent intent to kill. All clues lead back to Tally's birth, so the two develop a plan to discover her birth parents' identities in hopes of solving the mystery. With just a high school friendship ring found in the secret compartment of a jewelry box that belonged to Tally's late adopted mother, Lexy hops on a plane with Molly in tow and starts turning over a few rocks. Unfortunately, potential informants start turning up dead. All too soon, someone's after Lexy too.

Chandler's Daughter is one of the most delightful books I've read in a while. The cover and blurb led me to expect a grandmotherly-type cozy. What I found instead was non-stop action with a little reality thrown in and a highly satisfying conclusion. The violence and sex were minimal, taking place mostly off-scene. Not all situations were entirely believable, but they were entertaining and worked well within the frame of the plot. I won't hesitate to pick up the next book by Truly Donovan.

The Charlotte Austin Review

I have been waiting impatiently for this book for months, and it didn't disappoint me. Whereas "The Rose Legacy" started off a little slow, "Sweet Boundless" takes off running. Kristen Heitzmann does a good job of making the reader feel the struggles and joys of our hero and heroine as they each try to find who they are and who they will become. I love it when a book can make my heart both ache and hope as "Sweet Boundless" was able to do. I was disappoined with how quickly the story ended. It left me thinking, "It can't be over yet!" Will there be another??????

This book was really wonderful and a great sequel to The Rose Legacy. When I finished the Rose Legacy I had to run out and get Sweet Boundless....and I was not disappointed. Kristen Heitzmann really makes you care about her characters. The characters went through so much growth and discovery about themselves and about God in this book. There is so much romance and adventure in this book that I read it in two days! I can hardly wait for book 3! Kristen Heitzmann has become my favorite writer and I would highly recommend this series and the Rocky Mountain Legacy series!

As soon as I read the Rose Legacy, I really anticipated reading the next book in this series; because the last book ended in such a way to where you just had to get your hands on this book to find out what happens between Quillan and Carina. I must tell you I was not disappointed with Sweet Boundless! In fact I thouroughly enjoyed it! I read this book in one day, because its written in a way that compells you to keep reading and reading and reading. I can't wait for the third book in this series! You must read this! You will really enjoy it!