This book cuts through the clutter of previous rock art meanings and uses the wisdom of the native americans to describe these symbols. I enjoyed reviewing his descriptions of the sites I have already visited and learned the locations of many more. Complete directions, maps, and contacts for each site are included. This is an excellent resource for people who love rock art!

An excellent survey of rock art that fits the pictographs and petroglyphs into a social and psychological model based on native american interpretations of meaning. Detailed listings and directions to more familiar sites will no doubt increase visitation but the presence of people interested in preservation will hopefully deter those only motive is to deface places of beauty and wonder. Whitley's academic background enhances the book and it has appeal to informed readers and those just discovering rock art.

World War II in Micronesia laid a foundation for hundreds of books and thousands were written. For those of us who were there right after the war few books have recorded what it was like. This author, a naval captain of a Destroyer Escort, told his story and wove in history and the continuing story of the people. And he told the story we lived. Casual inspection tours of twenty islands in fifteen days. Landings that started in a small boat and ended swimming in across a rocky beach. Local administrators who had shamefully little support from the US government and still carried on trying to do a decent job. Priest and missionaries who carried on in the wake of war, building communities with Navy discards. Hopeless ocean searches that sometimes were successful. And a little boredom. For those who were there, a very true book.

I ran across this book looking for information about the USS Hanna (DE 449), a WWII Destroyer Escort ship named after Private Billy T. Hanna USMC, who died on Guadalcanal in 1942.

I highly recommend reading this to anyone interested in Micronesia and War in the Pacific. It is very readable and well worth the effort. Written by the USS Hanna's captain, Joseph C. Meredith, the book details the ship's patrols of Micronesia, and the Bonin and Volcano Islands in 1953-54.

Captain Meredith describes the seven patrols he captained, giving intimate observations on the islands they visited, the people, history and geology. The stories of the attempts of foreigners to discover, exploit and dominate the islands, provide a real understanding of the islands and their people.

His emphasis on Japanese influence on the islands gives a real understanding of WWII and the Pacific, of what it was like to be there, and of the reasons and strategy of the War in the Pacific.

He researched the history of Micronesia in great detail, providing an accurate view of how Micronesia became what it is today.

Kim Stafford's Having Everything Right is a beautiful nature book, full of quiet observation and fine, original description. I could have been satisfied with that, but the pleasing bonus is Stafford's openness, both to himself and to the reader, about his reactions, "random" associations, memories and plans evoked by what he sees and hears. Whether poetic, quirky, amusing, really unique or just nuts, he puts his thoughts out there in a way that opens the reader to him and his subject. The transparency of the observation increases the transparency of the subject. A book to read over and over.

Kim Stafford is a natural storyteller. By that I mean he has an inherent gift for telling stories, and he pays attention to nature. In HAVING EVERYTHING RIGHT, the author takes a moment to look around him, at a place you or I might notice and walk past, or not notice at all. What he discovers he relates with skill. His essays resonate with interest, care, humor and sometimes even awe. In some ways it is a quiet book, but offers surprises and delight. Surely you will come away with an appreciation of how stories are not just published in books or magazines, but are part of who we are, and where we are.

I'm just ordering this book because oysters are my earlier memory. I live on pure-oyster beaches in Dabob Bay. So my friend who's a marine biologist got the book at Anthony's Oyster Olympics last weekend (an annual event) and says she sat up and read it straight through.

So, as oysters are an obsession for my parents and their 55 years of marriage and life on this beach, I'm buying it for Mom's upcoming birthday.

This is the first complete history of the oyster industry. Within the covers is a story that could have been lost had it not been for the research done to preserve the origins of Oystering in the Northwest.Congats to the authors.
It is a fun read taking you from the early days of the Willipa Bay oystermen to the present time.Love of the oyster continues to grow.
Yes, NW oysters have pearls, and this book is a Pearl as well.

This is the most useful guidebook to the Golden State that this native Californian ever has seen. Riegert packs an astonishing amount of information into this conveniently-sized paperback. This guidebook, now in its eighth edition, clearly reflects extensive exploration and research. The book begins with general material on the California coast including a brief history, weather, wildlife, outdoor adventures, camping, a calendar of events, tips on what to pack, and advice to senior travelers, women traveling alone, gay and lesbian travelers, even foreign travelers. Each region of the California coast is introduced with a brief overview and capsule history, followed by details about scenic wonders, parks, beaches, hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, sports, shopping and nightlife. The author manages to maintain a lively style throughout five hundred pages of text. Included are colored AAA-style road maps of the most important coastal areas, supplemented by black and white maps of many regions and towns. Michael Michaud, Vienna, Austria

"The Hidden Coast of California" by Ray Reigert was a godsend that allowed New Yorkers to see a side of the California Coast that the residents appreciate every day. Starting with the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon and Mr. Riegert's tips on lodgings, sights, and restaurants added up to a great vacation. Mr.Riegert's recommendations surpassed the two (2) other well known travel books. The tip to see the "La Purisima Mission" as the best of the twenty-one missions was pure gold and saved us valuable time that we alloted elsewhere. The recommendation on restaurants was absolutely priceless and the "Sojourner Coffeehouse" turned our dismal one night stay in Santa Barbara around. Our stays at both the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Parks cottages and The Asilomar Conference Center on the Monterey Peninsula were on the money and gave us the chance to combine our overnight stays with scenic views. I am now waiting for the release of the 1999 "Hidden Florida" before planning my next vacation.

I am so bummed that this book is out of print. I read it in the summer of 1995, while houseboating at Lake Powell. Even though I'm not a kayaker, I love being out on the water, and this book really made me want to take up kayaking. The pictures are fabulous, the stories are wonderful! I especially remember the stories about kayaking with the ships off the coast of California, and with the orcas in Alaska. If this book ever comes back into print, I want a copy of it. In the meantime, I guess I'll just keep watching the used book stores!

The author has experienced many paddling adventures all over the West Coast of North America and down into Mexico. A fantastic photographer, Rogers jams this book full of beautiful and inspiring photographs along with interesting narrative. From the pounding surf off the Washington coast to warm, quiet lagoons in the Baja, Rogers takes you along for quite a trip.

This guide book covers all the bases, and even includes interesting historical digests of various districts in the Los Angeles area, the high desert and the low desert. The information is organized to assist tourists on short or longer visits, includes lots of "hidden" opportunities to eat, sightsee, or shop away from the beaten path, and is even helpful for a new resident to the L.A. area, who may not be sure where to start digesting this incredible city or the landscape around it. Highly recommended.

This guide gave me all of the information I needed to have a wonderful vacation. The information was candid, and thoughtfully presented. There were many tidbits of information/ sights I would never had thought to see if it wasn't for this book. My vacation consisted of renting a car at LAX touring along the coast (stopping at places recommended in the guide) Heading down to San Diego and then returning to LAX by traveling inland and seeing Temecula etc. It was a fun filled 10 days and all I used was this guide. If you just want the basic tourist jargon, buy a Frommers guide, not a hidden one... :-)

This book weaves the history of Oregon into its hike descriptions making it stand out from other hiking books. I had never been to Oregon before and the author is my tour guide as she describes the history of different parts of Oregon as well as the geology and plants and animals. The author also promotes responsible hiking with her dogs. I hike with my dog everywhere and this book gave me the nuts and bolts information I needed for how to train my dog for the trail and where to purchase gear which was very helpful.

This is a very well researched and written hiking book about Oregon. It stands above the crowd with its well researched hike descriptions (especially the Munra Point hike) which are filled with history and interesting geologic tidbits about Oregon. It is obvious the author loves what she does!

As a Bay Area local, I've always stood in awe of the breath-taking views and natural wonders of the Marin coast. Attempts to conquer and explore this piece of jewel have never been better with the aid of this Marin hiking guide. It provides clear and detailed descriptions of over 120 trails in Marin, with illustrations, maps, and level of strenuousness. Featured in each trail are points of interests, what-to-see info, plants guide, and milestones.

I found the sections on Point Reyes National Seashore particularly useful. A land in motion, the Point Reyes Peninsula is an unusual, dislocated land that long baffled geologists. The rocks of this craggy coast match those of the Tehachapi Mountains some 310 miles to the south due to the constant motion of the Earth's crust. The varied surface patterns of Point Reyes are more obvious than the normally slow changes underground. You can see streams and estuaries cutting through the landscape of folded hills and valleys. Awaiting visitors are many miles of beaches within sight of Douglas-fir and Bishop pine forests.

Whether you're impressed with the motion of Point reyes and want to explore the San Adreas fault, of just a family planning on a weekend trip to Stinson Beach, or just a ride showcasing the beauty of the Pacific Ocean in Marin Headland, this Marin hiking guide has got the info you'll need. It is one of the best and thorough guide especially devoted to hiking in Marin.

I use an older copy of this book (it only lists 121 hikes), and I have found it a great guide. Grouping trails by the various geographies of Marin County, and Appendices that group some of the hikes in the book--like a listing of all the hikes that have great waterfalls, or places to see wildflowers in a particular season--are very handy. One thing I would have liked is to see the flowers in color: black-and-white line drawings are less effective representatives of what a hiker should see out on the trails. All in all, however, it is an excellent companion as one hikes a trail, describing major sights and milestones along the hike while marking out the distances and heights one might climb. Another useful item is that the hikes can be done in parts if, say, you can't do a whole 10-mile hike at the moment. The countryside around Marin is so wonderfully varied--seashores, redwoods, great views of the Bay Area--that this would be a great book for nature-types who like to explore.

My husband bought me this book because we're moving to Oregon; I'm thrilled with it, both the book and the move. Mr. Sullivan's writing style is wonderful. It is amazing what this guy knows about every nook and cranny of the state. I am eager to explore the terrain the author describes and look forward to reading his other books on hiking in Oregon. Every travel or hiking book should strive to be as informative and interesting as this one. Alas, its rarely the case. This is a special book.

After moving to Oregon a few months ago, I discovered this gem of a book. While most hiking books will have plenty of information about where to go and what to see, I've never seen one that's just plain fun to read before. The book is full of interesting and amusing stories that will keep you turning pages late into the night. And, even better, the places that are described--you can hike them! One "hike" described is through downtown Portland that describes the flood of 1894 (among other things). Sullivan writes, "Chinese locals staged a gala boat race from the New Market Theater up Second Street to Stark and back on First. Winning time for the eight-block course was five minutes flat, a record that is likely to stand for some time." Last weekend I did the Tillamook Head hike (#11). If you haven't heard the story behind Tillamook Lighthouse located a mile offshore, pick up this book and read about it. You won't be disappointed! It's the best darned hiking book I've ever read in my life!