This is a book of beautiful photography, with interesting text to supplement it. There is nothing in the book about the Florida Keys, however the book makes a stellar "coffee table book". The photos and summaries are from divesites all over the world, including the Caribbean, California, Hawaii, Galapagos, Polynesia, Australia, Asia, the Red Sea, and many others.

This book does an excellent job of describing the marine life found in numerous diving locations throughout the world. Mr. Roessler is very informative and descriptive, as well as being very honest and objective about the pros and cons of dive travel to these locations. I will use this book in planning future dive trips since his description of places I have already dived was extremely consistent with my personal experience and observations. His photography is superb and my non-diving friends really enjoyed looking through the book as well. A 'must have' for divers and anyone who appreciates great photography!

I lost my other guidebook 2 days into a 3-week tour of Greece last year--but once I got into places that GIH covered, no problemo. Poffley has that peculiarly British flair for nailing down a town, boat, sight, hotel, etc. in a few short sharp words--and usually skewering it thru the spleen at the same time. Very rarely off target--and then only (unavoidably) as conditions change from the year before. Marvelous maps as well. What you will need to know about the islands (and the mainland ports) is here.

This book is the best I've seen for island hopping, providing a rating system that helps users decide which islands to visit, excellent advice on getting around, ample information about ferries and connections, and lots and lots of maps. I especially like the fact that the author is not afraid to express an opinion (rather than always giving banal equipositive descriptions as far too many travel books do). He also has a very playful, irreverant humor which makes even the technical sections entertaining. The extensive maps are generally good (though sometimes overly schematic) and he provides ample history of important sites (e.g., the Acropolis, Akrotiri). The ferry information is extensive and, if anything, overabundant. We found that it helped decide where to go and what connections to make, but it was better to check local and current timetables since the Greek system has alot of random deviations.

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Kane for sharing their extensive compilation of photos and memorabilia from Bertrand's Island, and publishing them in a book for us all to enjoy. I have fond memories of visiting Bertrand's Island when I was a kid in the 50's and 60's, and of hanging out there as a teenager in the 70's (unfortunately, I missed Peter Frampton). Old fashioned parks like Bertrand's Island, with their rickety wood roller coaster, tunnel of love (Lost River), and gas powered go-carts are now a thing of the past, but the Kane's book brings it all back to us in vivid detail.

An excellent review of the old NJ amusement park that everyone loved before the days of Six Flags, Action Park and the multi-million dollar mega parks. My Grandfather owned one of the rides at Bertrand Island and I have hazzy memories of going there when I was very little. Not big enough to be remembered by historians, this is a slice of NJ life that can be forgotten very easily. An excellent book.

This is the most complete and and comprehesive divers guide to Catalina and the Channel Islands I have ever seen. Diagrams, GPS locations, hazards, hunting guide and much more valuable information in this guide. Don't leave home without it.

This book is the ultimate authority on Diving Catalina Island. Bruce Wicklund, "the Master of the Deep," provides rare insight into diving one of the finest destinations on the West Coast. His knowledge of the Channel Islands, like his super-human waterman skill, is unparalleled and conveyed brilliantly in this invaluable resource for any diver, novice and expert alike.

An extremely well-written and well-illustrated book with especially helpful and detailed text on habitat, behavior, and locales. On a recent trip to Puerto Rico for birding, we found this book to be extraordinarily helpful. Since we have come home to the Continental USA, it continues to be rich reading.

As a professional Puerto Rican biologist and bird watcher I found this book to be the best field guide of birds occuring at Puerto Rico. It covers as well, introduced, migratory, and endemic or native species with a full description of each bird characteristics and accompanying color plates that match the birds color patterns up to the last feather. It is a must have to any bird enthusiast living or visiting the Island, as well as for students or professional biologists.

If you want to "do" the birds in depth, this is THE book for learning about the incredible endemics that gave rise to Charles Darwin's theories about evolution, as well as the resident and migrant birds for the "Islas Encantadas". (If what you need is a portable, topical and fairly complete field guide to all the critters here, get "An Identification Guide to the Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galpagos Islands" by Andy Swash et al, ISBN: 0300088647, here on Amazon instead.)

Unlike another reviewer, I DO recommend going to the Galápagos, but I also suggest doing research (Barry Boyce's guide, and others) to choose a "green" small boat trip of a week or ten days, one that assures minimum impact.

Politically, these unique and valuable islands are in peril right now from what has heretofore been an uncaring and corrupt government that has allowed illegal migration of people and their cirtters (one result was the 2002 oil spill off San Cristobal), untrammeled shark finning, sea cucumber gathering and commercial fishing within the boundaries of a most unique and valuable World Heritage Site and presumably legally-protected Ecuadorian National Park. Ecotourism has provided the money, concern and motivation to keep these islands preserved for research and future generations- for now. GO on this trip of a lifetime, but please tread lightly, observe and learn, support the "Islas Encantadas" from being fished out and plundered.

This guide chronicles all you ever needed to know about the birds of the Galapagos! As a biologist, I am interested in many kinds of books about different species of animals, and this is among the best I have seen about the Galapagos. Hopefully more people who are eco-conscious will decide to buy guides like this one, instead of actually visiting the islands directly, we're leaving too many footprints on a valuable resource. Whether you are dreaming of a trip to the islands, or just plain curious, this book will help you become well aquainted with the birds of the Galapagos.

H. Marshall Gardiner was the premier post card producer of his time. From 1910-1940, Gardiner captured just about everything there was to see on Nantucket. In this book, the reader gets not only photographs of Gardiner's Nantucket post cards but a bit of insight as to how the photographer worked and perhaps a bit of what he was thinking. The attention to quality and detail is never compromised. The author, Gardiner's daughter, has also given the reader some indepth personal accounts about the photographer and how his work was produced. His choice of using the famed Detroit Publishing Company prior to it's going out of business during the depression, was perhaps his best decision as an artist. H. Marshall Gardiner post cards are still highly sought after and his cards remain in collections throughout the world. This is a highly recommended book especially for charting your collection! I use my Gardiner book everyday as a reference guide and tutorial for my own large, growing collection. I have but one complaint with this book and it is the fact that while almost all of his work is detailed, it does not represent the entire collection once available. See me at eBay under the seller name: congercorner. I specialize in vintage, original H. Marshall Gardiner Nantucket post cards. Start or add to your collection today!

if you collect H. marshall Gardiner post cards this is the book to get.

If it's inspiration you want for doing aran knitting this is the book; the inspiration it has given me is superb. It has everything from very simple patterns to extremely complicated aran patterns and even fair isle knitting but my interest was the aran patterns.
There are coloured photos and written directions as well as chart directions so all are catered for.
It is quite inspiring....
maryanne

Even the most intimidating and complex designs are simply explained in diagrams that any novice can follow. One can easily use this guide to create patterns for Aran/Fair Isle sweaters, hats, blankets,etc., even if one has never attempted these before! What a find! Arans sweaters made easy!

I want to be buried on Hart Island and cannot. So, I have to settle for the next best thing. The photography is outstanding and transports me right into each picture. The book is a fine historical tribute to all of the islands that surround Manhattan and have made it the city it is.

If I was a better writer I would find better words than haunting, beautiful and sublime for this incredible book. If I could, I would PAY people to read it. (On the condition that they give me the money back if they agree that it's as good as I say it is!) It gives a lovely, painful and unforgetable look at how forgetable we can be. The shots of the bleachers from Ebbets Field! Broke my heart.

I can't stop looking at these images.

I can't stop trying to read the records of the people buried there that surround the photographs in the front.

If you have even an ounce of adventurers blood in you, this book will guide you to some fabulous off the beatin' track adventures. I traveled to Hawaii with my 9 year old son with the hope of giving him some memorable adventures. With the help of this book, we found mile long lava tubes (caves), flowing lava, rainforest hikes, deserted beaches and beautiful snorkling, and virtually all of it was free. All we had to provide was the willingness to explore. The book is well written, with accurate information and delightful humor. They even have a web site for updates. In my opinion, the authors have set a benchmark that few others guides will achieve. We can't wait to return.

I've surfed just about every website on Hawaii & have gotten very little information. This book seems to cover all the bases. I wish I had the book when I first went to the Big Island 7 years ago. You can bet there are alot of places I won't miss this time around.