I love David and Marc Muench's photography and this book is a treasured addition to my library. The color and production values are exquisite and up to the high standards I expect from Muench.

These photos capture the awesome beauty and fantastic variety in California's natural landscape through the seasons. The book is divided into sections for the mountains, forests & plains, coast and desert.

Muench has brought new life to many often photographed landmarks with his mastery of light and detail. He has also uncovered many beautiful but less known places; dawn & dusk skies, vibrant flowers, delicate waterfalls & more.

James Lawrence's accompanying text touching on a wide range of topics relating to California's natural history is fascinating and entertaining. I have loved spending hours with this magnificent book.

This book confirmed my feeling that David Muench is, for lack of a better description, the Ansel Adams of color photography. I already owned his Appalachian Trail book, "Uncommon Places" (I think it's called), but my brother wanted a California-related book for Christmas, so I picked this up, sight unseen. Quite simply, it's breathtaking. The photos span the length and breadth of the state, from Humboldt County's misty redwood stands to the La Jolla coast, to Yosemite and the mountain passes and lakes of the Southern Sierras along the John Muir Trail. There are even a handful of urban photos that make downtown L.A. look quite nice. If ever you doubted that we live in the closest to a natural paradise as there is, take a look at this book, and doubt no more.

The most beautiful book with California's photos I've ever seen. I have already one book by Muenches and when I so this one I didn't have to open it to make sure it's gorgeous. But it was even better then I expected. It has 4 parts: Mountains, Oak and Grass, Coast and Deserts. So, you are not gonna miss any detail of nature in California (of course poppies, redwoods and spanish moss on the trees are there too). If you want to make somebody going to California give him this book :) I promise anybody will fall in love with California and Muenches' books.

A great book. All golfers will love it -- even mimes

This book is a must-have for golf travelers who want to find the best places to play in California. For less than the cost of 18-holes, you have all the information you need at your fingertips.

This is the best guide that I have ever used for finding golf courses. I like to play golf with all of my friends and faimly. They vary in handicaps from 4 to 36. This book helps me find just the right course for any level of player, no matter where I am in California. The geographical setup is particulary helpful. A Must have for all golfers.

This is a multimedia production, featuring two compact discs or cassette tapes meant to be played on your car audio system as you tour. The recordings tell five fictional tales-set in the Anza-Borrego Desert, Fort Bragg, Santa Cruz, the Sierra Nevada and the San Joaquin Valley-that make the charming acommpinaments to drives thruogh their respective regions. Along with the cassettes or CD's, the boxed set comes with Golden State Trivia and The Nature of California, a primer to california habitats.

This box-book-audio package tempts everyone who comes into my home, child and adult alike, and in moments they're lost among the tales, the drawings by the author and the authentic knowledge of California's variety of landscape, flora and fauna. Especially enchanting is the lore of what the state was before populations grew and folk history was lost. The stories Phila Rogers tells on the tapes/Cds capture the texture and color of experiences unique to a lifetime spent in different parts of the state. All who read and hear the contents are struck by the wonderful detail and clarity. Best of all, the box is fun, the outside covered in a map of the state. Open the leather loop and you're inside what feels like a present. This magical box was put together with so much devotion and careful detail that it feels like a personal gift. And what a gift to give for Christmas or a birthday. I've never seen anything quite as unique, for all ages, for persons in the state or outside. I pick it up and re-read or listen again to the tapes and I can be swept into the atmosphere Phila Rogers writes about. I'm proud to have California Tales in my library. When people ask where they can buy a copy, I tell them Amazon.com!

I was amazed at how complete this boxed set really was. The books are very informative and well illustrated. We popped in the CD on our way to the Sierra. I learned more about the natural and human history of California in that one trip than I had in all of my years in school.

The photos in this book jumped out at me and encouraged me to purchase it, yet I was very happily surprised by the thoroughness and readability of the text. I made a road trip down highway 395 this past summer through the Eastern Sierra region and this book proved to be an invaluable resource. It turned me onto many great places to visit off the beaten path. There is excellent history, wildlife and geological info, and descriptions of the towns along the way. The photos are just great, making this both a coffee table book and a great visitors guide. I stopped at the Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Pine (which I would recommend as a good starting point for anyone exploring the area) and among their large selection of books about the region I found this book to the best single source if choosing just one. You'll be very happy with this purchase.

As an employee of a resort in the Eastern Sierra, I've glanced through and read many books about the region. Of all of them, this book is the best written and researched. The book's pictures are good, but the text is the true value of the book. This book has it all, from climate, to wildlife, to various flora of the region, to recreational suggestions for each of the region's popular landmarks. A must have for any fan of the Eastern Sierra or for anyone planning a trip to this fantastic region of California.

I bought a copy of this book years ago, and I've traveled extensively through the region it covers. It is one of the most attractive and informative books I own. Of course, the Eastern Sierra is a region of astounding beauty, so author Sue Irwin could hardly go wrong.

First recommendation of Alan Durning: read the book in a bus. Last recomendation: give the book to the person next to you in the same bus. He has reflexion not only about transportation but also for urban planning, and how to avoid policies that in a middle term affect your transportation.

By far the best indictment of cities built for cars, this pithy, straight-shooting, quick read is full of logical solutions to car addiction. Bristling with facts about the actual cost of cars and car infrastructure, moved along by the success story of Vancouver, B.C.'s West End, suggestions for improving cities livability run the gamut from city planning solutions, to innovative ideas for auto insurance. This book is an indisputable must for city planners, developers, politicians and citizens concerned about the livability of their cities. It's themes are applicable well outside of the Northwest.

This exceptional book makes it enjoyable and quick to understand what's wrong with how we currently design our towns and cities: making them easier to drive through, rather than making them better to actually be in! Durning provides clear examples and suggests concrete steps for making things better, all the while keeping it simple and human, not dry and technical. A must for citizens and local officials interested in addressing traffic problems and building more livable communities. (See also The Geography of Nowhere, by J. H. Kunstler.)

I bought this book because I had read co-author Sharon Linnea's fascinating book on Princess Kaiulani, the girl who would have become Queen of Hawaii. I loved Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii so much that I have given it to all my friends. People who have lived in Hawaii thanked me because the book has caught the authentic aloha spirit. Friends who read it before going to Hawaii for a vacation discovered it to be a better introduction to the Hawaiian culture and way of life than the guide books they had read. One friend who has never been to Hawaii and never expects to go lost sleep because she stayed up all night reading the book because the stories are so unique, warm and inspiring.

Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii is a wonderful book. I have lived in Hawaii for 20 years, and I still learned so much about Hawaii. Reading this book is like taking a tour of the Hawaiian islands. This book has stories by celebrities like Kelly Preston and Bo Derek, but I enjoyed the stories about the local legends and regular people more. One story that sticks out is about the legendary swimmer and surfer Duke Kahanamoku who designed and popularized the first aloha shirts in the 1930's. I was also inspired by the story of Hao Dang who found freedom in Hawaii after spending 3 months on the ocean and living in a Thai refugee camp. Today this young woman supervises 150 employees as a director of housekeeping for 2 of the biggest hotels on the Big Island. I was enjoyed the contributions of local entertainer Nalani Olds who submitted an interesting story about the history of the Royal Hawaiian Band. Olds also submitted a story about a former prison inmate who turned his life around to become a counselor. I loved the inspirational story of Kanalu Young who was paralyzed in a swimming accident as a teenager. He went on to earn a doctorate in history. He is now a professor of Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawaii I enjoyed reading about the story of Angela Perez Baraquio who became the first Asian to win Miss America in the pageant's 80 year history. This book is also very educational. I only knew 3 Hawaiian words before reading this book. I learned many more Hawaiian words like Lokahi which means unity and H'ookipa which means to interact or share. Chicken Soup from the Soul of Hawaii is entertaining, informative and inspirational. I enjoyed it very much.

I just purchased this book today and have already read two stories. What a warm and wonderful book!! I loved it! There are so many touching, small kid time, heartwarming stories, you can't help but feel the warmth of aloha from Hawaii. Sit back, grab a beach towel and read on....

Bobbie Hasselbring has brought something new and wonderful to the table in the world of travel guides. Not only does her book "The Chocolate Lover's Guide to the Pacific Northwest" feature terrific places to stay, but she also rates the best chocolate desserts, candy, baked goods, and frozen treats in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. My mouth started watering almost as soon as I picked it up. The author has listed "Chocolate Happenings" which are events that focus on chocolate, plus chocolate facts, stories profiles and tips. I love this book!

Bobbie Hasselbring's book is the ultimate guide to fine chocolate around the Pacific Northwest. For all of us who trek around the area, we have much to look forward to, chocolately speaking. I found listings for restaurants, bakeries, and candy stores which I hadn't known of. Now, thanks to the Chocolate Lover's Guide, business travel can become travel for pleasure!

In addition to these places I had not know of, I had enjoyed chocolate at several of the places listed, and find this book to be credible and reliable.

I was thrilled to find this book before Christmas. I gave this book, along with a box of Fran's Chocolates (in Seattle), to a friend who was ecstatic. I was, too, because I sampled several chocolates at Fran's while buying the gift.

The Chocolate Lover's Guide is crammed with information the traveler and chocolate lover needs--where to stay, where to eat, where to find the best brownies and truffles. Plus it includes some great recipes. The author has a deft, lighthearted touch that makes you want to keep on reading. It's like nibbling on really good fudge, you can't stop with just a taste. And it's a perfect gift. >

This is the best guidebook EVER! My wife and I recently moved to Portland and this book is what guided us into a great apartment, cool neighborhoods, fun shops, beautiful parks, and awesome restaurants. We've now lived here for 6 months and still use the book often. The authors definitely know the city. Whether you're moving here or just visiting, getting this book is crucial.

When you browse through the US Travel books for something on Oregon or Portland, this is the one book that you can find that goes beyond the cool places, the neat restaurants and the best deals in hotels. It's comprehensive in terms of including information that a person considering the move to the city will find extremely useful! Thanks, City Smart!

I loved it. It was funny and witty and interesting. For the person moving to Portland, this book is for you. It outlines the areas where one should and should not live. It give detailed and interesting reviews of everything from children's parks to gay bars. It illustrated the history of Portland perfectly and was a hoot to boot. Five stars!

Alan Watts did an excellent job in putting together this guide. The topos and maps are high quality, the photos are excellent and it's easy to navigate. But what really sets this guide apart from many others is the quality of the historical perspective and the overall readability of the text. Watts played an important part in the development of sport climbing in the US and thus was a controversial figure for years. His treatment of those tumultious times is worth the cost of the guide.

One of the best guidebooks out there. The topos and pictures are clear and the descriptions are detailed. The author has probably done all the climbs so he should know. The topos even give specific gear needed at certain places on the climb. Where the author's climbing style lays is obvious, he seems to dislike anything with a chimney. Quality of routes are measured by a 4 star system. The author uses R and X rating. This guide has everything you could ask for. If you only want one guide to the area, this is it.

This is the greatest guide book to Smith Rock State Park ever. It has it all. That is all there is to it. This is the perfect guide to the perfect climbing area.

This book gave me a great description of the routes to some of the most scenic and captivating peaks in Washington. I especially liked the way he gave other options to chose from if you didn't like the route he chose. The only problem I had was a very minor one, I felt he could have added several more Olympic peaks like the bailey range, stone, and some lesser known (which means less crowded) peaks like McCartney or Warrior. Other than that this book is a must have for everyone from a scrambler to a technical mountaineer looking to climb the Highest peaks of Washington

Smoot bills his book as a "Selected Climbs" for the rest of us. I'm not quite sure I buy that, but I do think this book deserves a spot on the shelf nestled in between "Selected Climbs" and Beckey.

Compared to Goldman's "75 Scrambles", it is noticably better in some respects: it covers a wider range of climbing (all the way from class 2 to easy class 5); it covers a wider variety of climbing (more snow routes); and it does a better job at providing and describing options beyond just the most popular route.

I think the book is great because it combines
routes from 4 different books.
3 of Beckeys,one the Guide to the Olympics.
It shows the approch roads, trails, every thing on the same page.
I don't have to figure out which Face or route to do
he has already picked the best routes.
There is a lot of climbs that I have wanted to do
but haven't done them because I wasn't sure about the
trails or logging roads in the area.
Now I can do them.
A lot of the climbs seem to be easy on the technical side.
I like that, Now I don't need a partner just
take off on the spur of the moment and go climb something.
There are also some good moderate climbs for a
weekend party of climbers.
I think he has made a good choice of mountains,
the "must do" ones for Alpine climbers.
They are cool looking and in scenic areas.
Some thing for everyone except the hard core rock jock.
The best thing about the book is the author has done
all the home work, you don't have to wade
through a bunch of stuff. Just Climb