I first visited the Cape Verdes in 1987 while researching the ATLANTIC ISLANDS, a sailing guide covering the Azores, Madeira group, Canaries and Cape Verdes, now in its third edition. Getting information on the Cape Verdes in the English language was difficult in the extreme -- if only Aisling and Colum's excellent book had been available then! These days no sane person should visit the islands without reading it first. The Cape Verdes come as something of a culture shock after the Canaries -- this book will explain why, and help you get the most from the experience. Buy it!

This was just the sort of thing a hardened backpacker needed. It had all the useful nooks and crannies of info you need - plus the fact that it filled in a lot of the extra info you like to get about a place you're seeing. They gave a great account of the islands' history - it was really moving.

Irwin and Wilson's guide gives you all the factual information you need, and in addition succeeds in capturing the spirit of Cape Verde, with boxes on cultural and historical issues linked to each island. There is no doubt about it: This is the best guide available. If you read German, Rolf Osang's "Kapverdische Inseln" from Dumont is nearly as good and a useful supplement (especially when it comes to photos). The chapters on Cape Verde in Rough Guides' and Lonely Planet's books on West Africa are neither up-to-date nor in-depth enough if you plan to spend more than a few days in Cape Verde (which you should!).

The appendix on Crioulo language in Irwin and Wilson's book is brief but good. Don't be put off by the nasty details on horrible diseases in the section on health!

When I was reading this book, I actually felt as though I, myself, was living on Christian Island. These parables about gossip, pride and discontentment are written in such a way that you as a reader become totally engrossed in all that is going on. It really gave me a very real and practical look of how gossip, pride and discontentment effects not only me but my relationship with God as well as others. I strongly encourage you to read this book to see how important it is NOT to let these 3 issues be a part of your life and ultimately cause breakdowns between you and God.

I coun't put it down for a minute. I felt the characters were interesting and I counld't wait to know what happens to them next. The book is filled with small surprizes. I would refer this book to everyone. It's a winner!

I have found this book to give an extremely good insight into the heart of man. If they would look into themselves, one will be able to see many dark areas in their lives. They will know also that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the only one who can save, and most of all, forgive.I hope that others will find themselves within the pages.

This delightful account of a summer of sailing along the Southern New England coast is a must-read for any cruising sailor or sailor wannabe. It is the story of the normal events of coastal cruising, from anchoring to meeting old friends ashore, from monitoring the weather to cooking on board, told in a prose which flows as easily as the tides. The personal memories and reflections, and the historical notes on the many harbors along the route, are as thoroughly engrossing as the 80-foot waves, pirates, and seamonsters of most adventure books. Perhaps it is the reality of planning such a cruise for yourself that makes the book even more captivating than the more unlikely tales of life-threatening ordeals in violent seas. This book informs, entertains, and gratifies almost as well as the sea, itself.

I am now reading this book for the 4th time. You easly place yourself rght in the cockpit with them. Going day to day, harbor to harbor. A must read !!!!!

Anthony Bailey has somehow bottled up the smell and feel of July and August on the waters between Cape Cod and the tip of Long Island, an archipelago not only of little islands, but welcoming harbors, sandy beaches and private coves - not to mention fascinating histories. The Coast of Summer is like the first sip of a cool drink after a day's sail, the anchor set and the boat made secure for the night. Every cruising sailor stores these moments away forever.

Read it in the winter when snow on city streets has turned black as the early night, or, even better, read it in the cabin of your own boat on a rainy day with your feet up on the settee, your back against a cushion and everything dry and comfortable below, your vessel yielding gently back and forth to the weather.

Read it, for that matter, anywhere you want to - but read it.

The book tells us about what happened to John F Kennedy during World War two, how the Japanese sank his boat, so how he became a hero. There is a short biography( 1917-1940) too, with cute photos. There was a nice chapter on the Solomon Islands, the local people, the influence of Western culture, and the culture today. I suggest it to all Jack Kennedy fans or not.

Dr. Ballard lives in Lyme Connecticut, 10 miles from where I live. I saw this book in a local bookstore window this weekend, and realized that he was coming to town in 4 days to speak on the subject. Being a history buff, and certainly a Kennedy history buff, I bought the book (locally, so that he would sign it for free!), and read it last night. It's a short read, with only one or two chapters covering the actual exploration for the PT-109. The rest of the book contains Kennedy family history dating back to the Kennedy's in Boston from 1850. There was a nice chapter on the Solomon Islands, the local people, the influence of Western culture, and the culture today. There was also nice information on the crash that proves that the Hollywood movie on PT-109 took some liberties concerning his rescue of marines on a beach ... go figure ... Hollywood taking liberties...

The bottom line ... I believe Ballard has found the PT boat ... even though he couldn't quite prove it ... The fact a future president's boat was lost in this region has left a closeness with the locals towards the United States ... and the two local's that discovered Kennedy and his crew are still alive and still very much influenced by their part in history. This will be Ballard's last modern historical ship find ... after this he will move on to work on the Black Sea project ... I'm glad he found John Kennedy's boat before he moved on. Read the book

Dr. Ballard lives in Lyme Connecticut, 10 miles from where I live. I saw this book in a local bookstore window this weekend, and realized that he was coming to town in 4 days to speak on the subject. Being a history buff, and certainly a Kennedy history buff, I bought the book (locally, so that he would sign it for free!), and read it last night. It's a short read, with only one or two chapters covering the actual exploration for the PT-109. The rest of the book contains Kennedy family history dating back to the Kennedy's in Boston from 1850. There was a nice chapter on the Solomon Islands, the local people, the influence of Western culture, and the culture today. There was also nice information on the crash that proves that the Hollywood movie on PT-109 took some liberties concerning his rescue of marines on a beach ... go figure ... Hollywood taking liberties...

The bottom line ... I believe Ballard has found the PT boat ... even though he couldn't quite prove it ... The fact a future president's boat was lost in this region has left a closeness with the locals towards the United States ... and the two local's that discovered Kennedy and his crew are still alive and still very much influenced by their part in history. This will be Ballard's last modern historical ship find ... after this he will move on to work on the Black Sea project ... I'm glad he found John Kennedy's boat before he moved on. Read the book.

Thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous photography of my childhood haunts- I went to grammar school in the Cook Forest area and not long ago when a friend was planning to visit for the first time I handed her this book (I work in a library) as a preview-she was hooked. Mr. Cook has captured all the untouched magic of Pennsylvania forests and packaged it up so we can all carry about a bit of solitude in our busy lives.

This beautiful book of photographs is begun with a fascinating description of the forest's history. I didn't realize that Pennsylvania had such a dramatic history involving the early timber industry and later with conservationists. This book quickly makes you realize how lucky we are to have old-growth forests in America.

You'd never guess from reading this bookthat Anthony Cook was not a professional author or photographer. As a long time visitor to the cook forest, I can testify that the author has beautifully captured the spirit and history of these magnificent woods.

Like Karen and Paulo Kaiser, my wife and I generally rely on Lonely Planet. But the Cook Islands Companion was a better guide, although I am glad we had both along with us, as the maps of the hiking trails in the Lonely Planet were easier to follow. The descriptions of places to eat, things to do on Rarotonga and Atiu, and the stories of Cook Islands goodies, like the Moko Soap, told by Elliot Smith were fantastic. The book is a little dated and out of print, but if you can find a copy of it, get it before you go!

For collectors of Cook Islands memorabilia, this compact classic is a natural purchase. I met Elliot Smith at a San Francisco bookstore about a decade ago and we discussed doing the first edition of Cook Islands Companion together. Unfortunately the timing was wrong and Elliot proceeded alone, while I gave my full attention to a new edition of South Pacific Handbook. I'm told Elliot won't be producing a third edition since the market is too limited and his hotel business now gets priority. That's because while researching Cook Islands Companion, Elliot Smith discovered his own corner of paradise on Muri Beach, where his www.shangri-la.co.ck beach cottages are now in high demand. That provides an added incentive to buy the book: While on Raro - even if you're not staying at Shangri-La - drop in and ask Elliot to personally dedicate your copy. It's a great little guidebook which I've taken along on previous trips to the Cooks, and it's still quite usable as things don't change that fast in the islands! I recommend it.

We have used Lonely Planet guides for many countries, travels and years now, but found the Cook Island LP sad compared to the Cook Islands Companion. In fact, we found the CIC to be one of the best guide books we have ever read! Although it is an older edition, it still is more informative and useful than the more recently published LP. And, if you want to personally meet the author, you can find him, and stay, at his hotel - the Shangri-la Bungalows on Muri lagoon.

I had no idea that this book was one of a series when I picked it up, and wouldn't have learned of other books like it if I hadn't come here to place my reveiw. The author does a remarkable job of making this a stand-alone novel. It will only be a very short time before I get my hands on the rest of the series and get a chance to read them as well.

The is a wonderful story full heart-break, fear, sadness, and pain, but it is also full of happy endings and shows that many of the characters have a wonderful ability to prevail no matter what the adversity. You leave the story with a feeling of accomplishment and a knowledge that all will be well for the characters in the end.

I just want to say that I have always loved these books! They are so great! I myself, am Tamsen, named after Tamsen McLeod/Tallant and I love that I can share it with such a brave woman. I strongly recommend these to everyone.

This is the third book in saga of three sisters: Emmeline, Tamson and Arabella. Aola Vandergriff has done a wonderful job of describing the Hawaiian islands before they were part of the United States. If you are looking for a book to intrigue you about those islands and the mysteries there then this is the book for you. Two out of three sisters are living in the islands and trying to cope with their husbands' jobs there. This book will keep you on the edge of your seats with the volcanic erruption, death sentence and sickness, not to mention a child trying to break up a marriage. In this book you will also travel to Hong Kong with Martha, Emmeline's oldest daughter. Martha is brought into the book as a main character which lets you also see the next generation of daughters. At the exciting conclusion to this book you can journey on to Australia with Daughters of the Opal Skies. Enjoy.

This book containing The Story Girl, its sequel The Golden Road (the Disney series "Road to Avonlea" is based on these two works), and the unrelated Kilmeny of the
Orchard is a nice edition of three Lucy Maud Montgomery classics.

Copious reviews of all three works are available under their individual titles here on Amazon so I will just say that I recommend all three and this book would be an excellent gift for a young reader who enjoys fiction with a historical setting, "Anne" lovers particularly, should enjoy the two Story Girl titles.

It does seem a bit odd to group the more mature Kilmeny of the Orchard with the other two titles but there is nothing in "Kilmeny" that is unsuitable for a modern day younger reader.

This volume is comprised of three of L. M. Montgomery's classic stories - The Story Girl, The Golden Road, and Kilmeny of the Orchard. In one way, I'm not quite sure what "Kilmeny" is doing in the set, if you wanted to keep with the "Avonlea" theme, but on the other hand, it does the other stories no harm in being there.

This book was published with the cover picture from the Disney Channel series "Avonlea". I love the volume, and am sorry to see that it is currently out of print. It would have been nice to see if they had other compliation volumes.

this book is really worth reading. I loved how she described all the characters, this book was very well written. i'd like to find more books by her soon.

If you plan to start 'Dead Tide' leave yourself plenty of time! You won't want to put it down. And leave the lights on! It can get pretty creepy. That said, I really enjoyed this second book by Jeannine Kadow featuring Lacie Wagner. Wagner, a TV journalist recovering from a recent brush with death, begins what appears to be a fortuitous investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a young woman whose body washed up on the shore near her home on Nantucket island. Her intense investigation soon leads her to the determination that she is somehow the target of this psychotic killer.

Lacie enlists the aid of a renegade investigator,Nick St. James, to protect her and find the man she believes is responsible for the savage murder. In a plot full of superbly detailed investigation and unexpected twists Kadow leads us on a relentless and desperate search for an evil killer. She does it so well that it is impossible to put this book down until the end and then you will regret that it is done.

If you haven't read Jeannine Kadow's work you are missing out! Her book Burnout was the first I read I couldn't put it down! Blue Justice was original and thought provoking! Dead Tide was heart pounding just as if I was there! The emotion, scenary, and detailed descriptions is beyond comparison with other authors! Kadows unpredictable thrillers are hard to put down! Just as I finished the last page I was no sooner on my computer emailing my friends telling them how great it was! Dead Tide is a must read! I cannot wait for the next book!

At ten years of age, in a car fire deliberately set, Lacie Wagner burned her hands so badly that they were scarred and misshapen. Twenty-three years later, the man who set the car fire returned to Lacie's life, killing her daughter's father, kidnapping her daughter for six weeks, and almost killing her. Now, nine months later, Lacie is almost healed and ready to report to work as a TV anchor and reporter on Washington DC.

Relaxing in her Nantucket home, Lacie gathers the strength to reenter the real world. While jogging along the beach, she comes across the dead body of a young woman. Tests prove the woman was murdered and while investigating the victim's life, Lacie discovers that the deceased was part of an unauthorized black ops group. This group is linked to Lacie's next door neighbor and lover Justin Vale, a man who has a special agenda planned for Lacie.

Jeannie Kadow has written an exciting thriller showcasing a complex and driven protagonist who refuses to let her deformity handicap her in anyway. DEAD TIDE is a serial killer thriller that stars a villain that is even more depraved than Hannibal Lechter. Ms. Kadow is on the level of a Patricia Cornwell and a Nancy Taylor Rosenberg in turning up the suspense in a believable manner.

Harriet Klausner

Some mysteries may never be solved. Where did the Sumerian language come from? Who built the stones at Carnac and why? Who was buried in the Great Pyramid.

What do the mysterious inscriptions found at Easter Island say? And what were the stone statues for. Those are the mysteries of Easter Island.

The tragedy was what happened to the Easter Islanders. The westerners were not all evil, and the islanders themselves were not all good (e.g., they practiced human sacrifice) but the enslavement, kidnapping, rape etc. of the islanders by western maritime visitors is shocking even today. And the book tells that story too. So it is not just a book about the mysteries of Easter Island but about the almost complete destruction of it by Europeans and I am sad to say Americans.

And the two are related. If slavers had not taken hundreds of islanders to Chile to work as slaves, including the king and prince of the island, perhaps enough of the culture would have survived for western scholars to meet with those who could read the writings of the tablets. Perhaps we would really know why and how the islanders built their mysterious giants.

This book (published by Harry Abrams) is an English translation of one of a series of small, lavishly illustrated French historical guides. One really cannot go wrong with this series, whether in French or in English.

Everyone involved in this Easter Island book did a great job, and they produced a wonderful way for a beginner to learn about some of the strangest archeological sites on our planet.

This book provides readers with many of the facts of Easter Island. I had heard about the stone statues, but had little knowledge of the history of the island. This book provided quite a bit of information on the history and covered all the theories of the statues and what they might mean and how they got there. An excellent book!

This is a translation of "Des dieux regardent les etoiles -- Les derniers secrets de l'Ile de Paques" ("Gods gaze at the stars -- The last secrets of Easter Island"), Catherine and Michel Orliac's excellent little book about Easter Island. Easter Island and its mysteries -- from its huge statues to its strange hieroglyphics -- have been a magnet for crankery of all types, from the benign to the outrageous. How refreshing, then, it is to see such a delicious book, factual and balanced, with high-quality authentic illustrations on every page, every one of them well chosen and to the point. Almost everything you may ever want to know about Easter Island -- short of a tourist guide -- is there, with full sources and references. How so much information could have been packed in so few pages is a wonder. Complete, attractive and scholarly, this little book will appeal to all, even to the specialists. The illustrations alone are a never-ending source of wonder and delight. Highly recommended.