My parnter and I just spent two wonderful weekends in Portland - all due to this great book. We followed five of the walks in the downtown portland area and got so much out of it (due to the book) that we flew back to Portland three weeks later to visit again and did an additional four walks. This is a great book - I thoroughly recommend it.

I have lived in Portland all my adult life and yet was surprised when I found the description of walking trails that I did not know existed. The descriptions are clear and inviting. The planning of the walks are easy to identify with in terms of distance and time required. I think this is a must-have book for the walkers in the Portland area both for visitors and residents.

I really like this book! It's thorough and easy to understand and includes a guide to help with choices about what walk you'd like to take. The directions are clear and Ms. Cook has included interesting tidbits of information you can follow along the way, as well as maps and photographs. It's not easy for me to get around because of a disability, but I don't need to be afraid of setting out with this guide. It lets me know how long the walk should take and the difficulty of the walk. What an exciting and fresh way to see the city!

I met General Hagen at a book signing at the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. His dedication states "This is the way the Pacific war really was. We must never forget." Thank you General Hagen. Thank you for telling me the story. I will not forget.

The book consists of a series of essays starting with Japanese colonialism starting in 1874 to the rescue of POWs after the Japanese surrender. General Hagan carefully deplicts the human side of the war. In case you think he's making up the stories, he painstakingly references his sources in a notes section taking up 13 pages and a bibliography consisting of 9 full pages.

He describes the experiences of survivors of the sinking of the Juneau by soldiers. You feel the frustration of the sailors left at sea for days after their cruiser was sunk and the gruesome experiences of the death march of Bataan.

A great book for those wanting to know what really happened during that war.

General Hagen has written an outstanding treatise with stunning clarity and detail. Unlike many historical revisionists, the author does not "sugar coat" the realities of warfare as it existed in the Pacific Theatre during WW2. Of note, he carefully documents the context in which many actions occured, neither sparing the sensibilities of the reader (i.e. the rape of Nanking), nor succumbing to the mind numbing political correctness that has stained so much recent historical literature.

A particularly interesting section includes the political machinations and intrique which surrounded the Japanese decision to surrender.

I enjoyed both the author's writing style and attention to detail.
Jerome Hagen is an outstanding historical author.

This compilation of news articles written for a Honolulu newspaper, is an engrossing and compelling account of the World War II Pacific theater of operations. The author, a former Marine officer during the Vietnam War and now a professor at Hawaii Pacific University, writes a history of this wartime theater in a factual and unbiased, but highly readable manner. It includes personal accounts from both sides which bring home the ferocity and yet, the humanity of the war. It is a worthwhile addition to anyone's personal library that is interested in details of the Pacific theater in WWII.

This book (and the companion volume "Above An Angry Sea") detail the exploits of the men who flew the Navy version of the B-24 Liberator in the Pacific campaign. This was my father's war, and I have always felt cheated that there were so many books on Army Air Force B-24 action, but so few for the PB4Y-1 and -2. Alan Carey must have felt the same way, as his father was a gunner on one of those Navy PB4Ys. Bought this book and read it from cover to cover, and was truly amazed when my father was mentioned three times! Guess what I am sending him for his 86th birthday!

Alan C. Carey insures that those who fought with Navy Liberator and Privateer squadrons in the Pacific will not be forgotten heroes. The work reflects the scholarly research and careful documentation expected of a historian. Carey found some WWII veterans reluctant to tell their stories, and for some it is already too late. After researching his father's story, he went on to bring other brave men the recognition they deserve. In writing this book, he provides ready reference to anyone who had family or friends flying with the squadrons but never heard their stories. His book acknowledges the historic record to remind us of those who died so we may be free.

The first thing, and most important to me, is that Mr. Carey has the facts! Good for a bet almost anywhere is the fact of the existence of US Navy B-24s and the Privateers during WWII.

The reason I bought the book is that I'm researching my brother's service as a Naval aviator. On active duty during WWII and after, Allan W. Smith piloted PBYs and Privateers in the South Pacific. "We Flew Alone" has spurred me on in my efforts and provided ideas for further study.

I enjoyed the book from cover to cover and recommend it to all WWII history buffs and aviators everywhere.

I live in this part of the country, I didn't know there was no much great places to stay here! Thank you! I know lots of places to get away! I just need that special someone! :)

My husband and I spent a wonderful two days in July 2000 staying in "The Cabin." at the Guest House Cottages on Whidbey Island. We found this romantic spot in this book. There are so many wonderful places in this book, so I will tell you about the place we stayed to give you an idea of the quality of the listings presented in this great resource.

We stayed in the cutest log cabin you have ever seen, pictures at my site. A complimentary continental breakfast was set up for us on arrival. We loved having our own kitchen and a grocery store nearby so we could pick up needed supplies for a picnic at the beach. There was a beautiful pool where you could lay out in the sun. In the winter you would be sipping hot chocolate by one of the beautiful fireplaces in your cabin. The cabins were off the road in the woods and have queen or king-size featherbeds. The floors, walls and ceilings were all wood. They have river-rock fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, skylights and antique furnishings. The one we stayed in had beautiful stained-glass windows. They really went out of their way to make our stay as romantic as possible. Once you have your key, the cabin is all yours. It is your own private getaway. If you are running late they even offer to leave the key out for you when you arrive.

There was a private deck complete with barbecue and two chairs so you could sit and look out over the pond inhabited by African geese. The surroundings were lush and green and we saw lots of the cutest bunnies.

We also visited a lavender field and brought home a little lavender plant. If you do visit these same cottages, don't forget to visit Deception Pass. In fact, plan to stay at least two days, there are plenty of activities, including hiking and sailing.

I can truly say that without this book, we would most likely have never known about this secret hideaway. So, between you and me....don't tell too many people! This is a great place. Only tell your best friends or buy them this book. I also recommend this book as a wedding present.

The pages are filled with pictures of each getaway and the general prices are also listed for your convenience. I believe there is a new book with updated information, but this is the one I have.

"Weekends for Two in the Pacific Northwest" is a perfect resource for couples looking to have some away-time in a special place. From Ashland to Seattle, the beautiful photographs and detailed explainations are very helpful in planning your gettaway. Prices and aspects of dozens of hotels, lodges, B&Bs, etc. are explored and the authors even give personal oppinons, and suggestions on which rooms are more romantic. I would recommend this book to anyone with a heart for romance. It's a favorite in my household!

One of the best cookbooks in my collection.

What's really interesting to me is that almost every recipe in the book goes very well with a nice Oregon Pinot Noir.

Let me be clear - I have never laid eyes on this book. I bought it based on the description for a friend who lives in CA but is from the Northwest and is an avid cook. She absolutely loved it and continues to rave about it. Based on that, I give it a 5.

This beautiful book has been the source of wonderful meals, inspired by the deep, imaginative recipes, exploring the best of the Pacific Northwest. Schreiber puts his own interesting spin on classic flavor combinations. Recipes are complex, but are easily broken down into do-able steps. They are not overly chefy, and have been well tested for home kitchens. This was one of my favorite cookbooks of the year, and I own a lot of cookbooks.

The way the books of this series work is that they took a guide for new rangers in Yosemite with the 100 or so most frequently asked questions, and wrote their own answers for each park. It's a great format because it makes for easy reading beforehand, but it's also quick as a reference when you're there because they're arranged in an intelligent order. There's also a huge reference section at the end with lists, copies of permit forms, and so forth. So the thing to do is read the FAQ before you leave but bring the book and refer to it once you're there.

I've been to Yosemite four or five times since I've purchased this book, and still find it useful. Partially this is because if you go in different seasons there are different things to see, and sometimes you just want a pizza and that's in there too (Camp Curry has good pizza, if anybody's curious).

I already had a couple of trips to Yosemite under my belt before buying this book in anticipation of a third, but I still found it very useful. Much of the information you will want at hand before and during your trip is conveniently compiled in this book, and it is presented in a charming and amusing way. (Bruinhilda, your host, is a cartoon bear.) History, hiking, flora, fauna, lodging, feeding, even five pages of telephone numbers you may need, are all there. The price of this book will be a pittance compared to the total cost of your trip to Yosemite, and it will help you to get the most out of your visit. I particularly recommend this book to people who aren't planning a trip to Yosemite-maybe it will encourage you to go (and to respect and care for the park when you do)!

This is THE A-Z Yosemite guild, with info ranging from how long it takes to get there to what restaurants will best suit your needs and not to say, your price bracket. This guide will interest the most unenthusiastic of readers. It gives you a very lighthearted look at camping (the way it was intended to be) and detailed insider information of Yosemite with a side of humor narriated by an animated bear. The animation makes it all the more enjoyable, as it pokes fun of the stereotypical tourist and his civilized quirks. The guide uses a helpful Q&A format. It also provides an informative hiking graph of strenuosity and milage along with a graph of campgrounds and their amenities. I consider it the Yosemite bible of sorts and a must have for first time visitors!

I've just purchased this book and I'm more than *delighted*! The photographs are ultimately enthralling, and the narration is so honest. I work for a non-profit striving to protect more public lands in Washington permenantly as Wilderness, and books like these that reach a large public audience and tell it like it is help us along our path to success... I love to hike and I love to see the areas that I hike in stay put! It's nice to be able to see which areas are protected and which are not before even exploring on one's own. BUY IT!

Sure, Harvey's opinionated, but it's excellent stuff. Nice, quick background on these amazing places, why they are still wild and protected, and just enough detail to get you in and out without giving away all the surprises. The best guide out there.

The interesting thing about the 100 Hikes series is how well it integrates with Fred Beckey's books. Ira and Harvey get you to the base of the peak; Fred gets you up it. The series go hand-in-hand. Some of the most valuable information in the whole series comes in the form of the forewards and introductions. While opinionated, the views expressed are those of someone who has spent a lifetime exploring, protecting and enjoying the areas treated by the books. The route descriptions are accurate (more or less), and the small maps are clear and understandable. If you don't have this book, go get it. You would do well, in fact, to get the whole series. NOTE: hikes 10, 14, 33, 70, and 79 are awesome.

Over the past 25 years I've bought dozens of Pacific Northwest hiking guides and this is just about the most enjoyable one I've ever owned. It is about the only hiking guide I've ever sat down and systematically read from cover to cover, simply because it was such a joy to read and because it contained so many treasures. The author isn't merely interested in telling you how to get there and how not to miss a turn in the trail, but he shows a genuine love for each of these hikes, pointing out what is amazing about each of them, often giving a little history about the trail or other anecdotes associated with a hike, including personal experiences which are genuinely amusing or informative. I especially enjoy his appreciation of trails through old growth forests, something you don't often see in hiking guides. Most hiking guides seem to get worked up only by big, expansive views, but this author sees beauty and magnificence on all scales. Although I was familiar with at least half of these hikes, I learned about a lot of new ones that I've already started exploring. For example, check out the old growth noble firs along the PCT from Barlow Pass to the overlooks at White River Canyon. These trees are absolutely mind-boggling, not because they're big around but because they grow so amazingly tall and straight. It stimulated me to read more about these trees and I learned that they can soar into such heights with so little girth because the wood is hard and light. No Douglas Fir could get this tall without putting six feet of girth on themselves. Here you see flawless, branchless trunks as straight as nature can make them, no more than three to four feet in diameter with no perceptible taper rising two hundred feet like the pillars in a cathedral before finally displaying a puff of foliage at the top no more than 15 feet wide and 30 feet tall. And then the emerald forest of moss-infested silver firs and mountain hemlocks that follow closer to timberline have the head shaking in wonder over such stunning beauty. Thanks to this author, I discovered this incredibly beautiful section of trail after hiking all over Mt. Hood for 25 years without having discovered it. There are lots of other new possibilities of this magnitude for me that I am eager to try out, thanks to the enthusiasm and attention to detail of this author.

An excellent guide for day trips around Portland. The author is an acqaintance of mine and on several occasions I witnessed the care with which he took in making book an accurate guide to Portland-area hiking. Gerald is a great writer and he not only gives you the details of the hike (like clear directions on how to get there, an art all too often lost in Portland hiking books), but puts the hike in a brief desciptive context of history, forestry and asthetics that is rare in a hiking book. The book helps the hiker know more about Oregon and its natural treasures.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles : Portland (60 Hikes Within 60 Miles)
by Paul Gerald is incredibly well written and includes great maps and a rating system that is very useful. I just love my copy and strongly recomend this book to those looking to get out into the great outdoors.

Being a native Californian, I was immediately attracted to this book. Then I opened it. I fell in love with the wonderful little watercolor illustrations and personal journal format. I agree with a previous reviewer who made the comment that this is a nice little souvenir book. It's defitely a worthy addition to the bookshelf of a Californian or someone who just loves California.

I live in California and I am often asked how I can stand the crowds, traffic, smog, whatever? The fact is California is a very nice place to live and visit, and Ms Gessler catches the essence of this perfectly. You can easly read the book in about an hour, but will find yourself going back again and again to enjoy the little watercolors of plants and wildlife and special places that caught her fancy, it is a fun read.

A delightful read. Not a serious word in this little book of California - absolutely adorable. The illustrations are whimsical, the text is full of humor. I was right beside her experiencing everything and that which wasn't familiar I long to visit.

An "Elegant Book of California Flora" (as stated in the preface). The book has ~135 gorgeous plates of wildflower pictures, some closeup and some landscapes. The flowers are identified with both common names as well as scientific ones. Dates and locations are shown for each photo. This book is more a photographic study than a wildflower identification book.

I bought 2 of these for gifts and 1 for myself. The drawings and photos in field guides are always too small. The pictures of flowers in this book leave no doubt about what your're looking at. Non-native (alien) species are identified. Even pine cones and insects are identified. The introduction about habitats, pollinators, soils, climate,etc. is well written. There is a discussion about cameras, lenses and film used. This is not a comprehnsive field guide, but it will help most amateur naturalists identify many common plants. I love this book and hope the authors continue their wonderful work. Last, but perhaps most importantly, this book is incredibly afforable.

This is a book to cherish. Larry Ulrich's large format photography brings us into a world of beauty. From the grand views to the tiny details, everything is perfection. All flowers were taken in their setting and at their best. I have the 1994 edition. Printing is one of the sharpest I have seen and colors are sumptuous.