As a freelance author writing a piece about salmon for a California-based magazine, this book was indispensible and eye-opening. It is unfailingly sensitive and intelligent about salmon, discussing the fish as fellow creatures in the "natural economy" in which we all live, rather than as mere commodities in the "industrial economy" that has transformed the West in the last 150 years. It is fascinating about the geology that shaped the salmon's environment, the evolutionary history of the fish, the relationship between Native Americans and salmon in the Northwest, and it provides a detailed history of the many factors that have led to the salmon's decline, including habitat destruction, misbegotten hatchery programs, overfishing, dams, mining, grazing, irrigation. If you like to read books about ecology, the creatures of the earth, fish, or the Northwest--you can't go wrong. This is a wonderful book.

A thoroughly researched and impassioned presentation including the history of salmon, their decline, why billions of tax dollars in restoration efforts have had paltry returns, and insights into the where we should go from here. A complex issue is examined from many perspectives in an easy to read and compelling book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in salmon.

I lived my whole life in this area and I had no idea the full extent of the damage we have done. Mr. Lichatowich presents us with a very well researched and thoroughly compeling book. I would recommend this to anyone that loves the Northwest.

Wow!! California has been analyzed and humorized in this delightful book that will keep you laughing from beginning to end. Mr. Marais doesn't miss a beat as he rattles off one quip after another about this culture of characters that even Hollywood couldn't dream up! From pampered pooches to personal growth weekends, from smog alerts to freeway traffic jams, California has set itself up for this author's hilarious take on the "sunshine state". Enjoy!!

I am a Californian, and I loved this little book that is filled with fact and wit that had me laughing out loud. The character differences between the Northern and Southern Californians were hilarious. All of the stereotypes of the golden state were well illustrated. This is a great gift for every Californian, those who visit California, or anyone who would just like a few laughs.

This 60+ page guide to the Californians is a delight! A unique combination of witty, tongue-in-cheek comments and factual information about California culture, history and geography makes for a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to natives and foreigners alike!

The war in the Pacific was a bloody confrontation for the resolution of opponents and the straining combat environment. Flying under such pressure was undeniably a great feat and sustaining a proper level of operational capability was a superb example of airmanship. In this book all aspects of air combat come alive with the intriguing personal tales of the pilots who served in this theater. Each account reveals the insight of lifestyle, tactics and training that led to amazing results in aerial battles. From their personal experience, it is possible to catch the feelings the pilots had about their machinery, climate and combat methods before actually flying the missions in their harsh frontline.

Beatifully written, this volume is really easy to read, even if some accounts disclose a predilection to be stylish or glorifying from time to time.

In Aces Against Japan, military historian Eric Hammel provides the reader with riveting first-person accounts from thirty-nine American fighter aces who fought their way across the bloody skies of the Pacific and East Asia from December 7, 1941 through the final air battles over Japan in August 1945. An effective interviewer, Hammel presents fascinating and informative air-combat tales and anecdotes from the men who were their. Vivid, superbly presented, Aces Against Japan is enthusiastically recommended reading for all military buffs and a very welcome addition to any World War II history collection or reading list.

A truly great book. I recommend it for anyone, not just history enthusiasts. The first hand accounts are well written and bring the stories to life. Equally as good is Hammel's other book, ACES AGAINST GERMANY.

So many times I wanted to reach into the book and stop Mr. Caldwell from making some terrible mistake! You'll marvel at his abilities and be awestruck by his errors.

I had the pleasure of meeting James Caldwell while sailing in the Caribbean in 1985. I couldn't help but buy my copy of "Desperate Voyage" from him after our conversation. I'm delighted to see that it's available from Amazon and that other sailors and adventurers have had the chance to read this tome.

I had to remind myself that if I'd been the same age as when he made this journey I might not have done as well.
One thing is clear - Never invite a SHARK to dinner!

Best regards,
Tom

John Caldwell was desperate to get back to the woman that war had seperated him from. Unable to find an easy way back home, the inexperienced sailor figures he could just sail home across the Pacific.
The first two thirds of the book will leave experienced sailors constantly shaking their heads at his often absurd decisions. All through the trip though, you find yourself getting closer and eventually cheering him on to succeed. When he finally succeeds (I'm not giving it away, after all, he lives to tell the story!) with the heartfelt generosity of people from a wonderfully innocent world, you can't help but feel joy and think "Wow, what a great story".

The most remarkable thing about this story is that it's true! John Caldwell became an adventurer by accident. He just wanted to get across the Pacific Ocean to his new wife, and tried to do it the easy way by ship. Unfortunately there were no ships going his way, so he bought his own - a small wooden yacht. His (mis)adventures start as soon as he sets foot on his boat and don't end until he almost dies in his attempt to reach his destination. Caldwell's courage in facing challenge was born out of naivete - he only had a vague notion of what he was taking on. This makes his achievements all the more extraordinary because his lack of experience only left him with a kind of animal resourcefulness to get him through. He blunders from hilarious escapade to life-threatening drama and back again in an amazing journey that packs more adventure into a few months than most of us get (or want) in a lifetime. His sense of humour and down-to-earth style make This book a delightful read. "Desperate Voyage" undoubtedly has appeal to yachties like myself. But I've lent it to several friends including some landlubbers, and all have thoroughly enjoyed it.

In Both A Name of Her Own and Every Fixed Star, Jane Kirkpatrick has done of superb job of compiling a huge amount of historical information and weaving it into a captivating story. I am a direct descendent of Marie Dorion and I loved the way Jane has portrayed Marie, along with her fellow pioneers, into people with strong personalities. She has interconnected a great number of historical figures in this series, people that just may have crossed paths. Jane has turned Marie Dorion and my third great-grandfather, Louis Venier into real, loving people. These books speak to my heart. Jennifer

I have read every book written by Jane Kirkpatrick, and I find her writing to be thoughtful, poetic and compelling. If nothing else, she is a gifted story-teller who keeps you turning the pages.

If you asked me to read a book about an Indian woman who lived two centuries ago, I would probably say no. What would I possibly have in common with this person? I found much common ground, and learned about things I have never experienced. A single mother? An abused wife? A woman stuggling to discover her gifts and talents? Trouble with relationships? A young widow? Difficulties with children? It is all there. And underneath it all, and through it all, God is with her, watching over her every move, loving her. This is the second in a trilogy about Marie Dorian. Start with A NAME OF HER OWN. You will be blessed by this gifted writer.

This is not the first book that I have read by Jane Kirkpatrick.
She is so very talented and writes fiction woven around real history which she researches in depth. She writes in such a way that you become the person she tells about -- in this case, Madame Marie Dorion, who was the first Indian woman to journey to the Northwest and STAY. The only problem with her books is that I devour them so quickly and have to wait for the next one to come out. She is definately my favorite Christian author, so if you enjoy real live history which puts you in the setting, Jane is the one to chose. I thank God for Jane and her talent.

The great thing about this book is that it was written by people with an inside view of "The business". Along with the most complete look at Tinsletown they add anecdotes and little known facts that make just reading the book fun.
And this book covers more that downtown, Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It travels north to Santa Barbara and south to Long Beach and Catalina.
If you're headed for LA this is the book to get. Even as a died-in-the-wool Angeleno, I found this book informative, usefull and fun to read.

Here's a 600-page book that's filled to its movie brim, with tons of offbeat things to see and do; bright and breezy in its writing, you'll find facts and other nifty news here about this incredible place called LA and Hollywood that, even if you've lived here all your life (!), you probably never knew existed.

John Clayton, Travel With a Difference radio show,
KNX 1070AM

As in all Hunter Guides, this hefty paperback is chock full of information - restaurants and hotels, shopping, daytime and nightime activities, even where to see the stars.

Anton Community Newspapers

I recently traveled to baja for my first time last november,2000. I used this book and it was helpful. I hitch hiked for three weeks in baja sur, traveling most of the unbeaten paths. This book was helpful to get me to those places people seldom travel to. I was surprised by the fact that alot of things in the book, like the adventures mentioned, costed much more then expected. So be careful when traveling on a tight budget, the book makes these adventures seem cheap, this book should have some price guidelines for the places that allow tours and rental equipment. also call ahead if you plan to try any new adventures, like diving, or sea kayaking, some of these adventures require certifaction. so call ahead!! happy travels

My wife and I traveled the peninsula for two months in a VW Bus with this as our sole reference book. This literally guided us to the best travel adventures ever. Walt didn't miss a thing from road signs, to camping spots, to customs, and to inside local knowledge. Don't miss the "way-off-the-beaten-path" trip to Gardener Cave. Buy it early, and read the whole thing just to get fired up for your trip.

There is no point in going to Baja without this book, if you want to explore beyond the walls of the resorts. You will have maps and mile-post by mile-post (actually, km-post) descriptions of every cranny of the peninsula and what you can do there -- scuba, petroglyphs, whatever. You'll think of the author Walt Petersen as another and very valuable traveling companion. No other guide compares in depth and ease of use.

When I picked this book up, it was the uncorrected pre-press edition. It had a few errors in direction (East was West and North was South) and content, but I still find it rather informative.
If you are a California native or new to the Golden State I strongly recommend it for an idea of what fame, fortune and failures can plague the Left Coast. While some information was interesting and thought provoking, other items were rather banal and uninspired. Maybe this was corrected in the later printing, but it still makes me wonder about the veracity that the facts were checked.
Nevertheless a great book for those interested in the underbelly of California pop culture.

If you want to travel all over California and take in all the bizarre (aka definitely not mainstream) tourist sites along the way, buy this book! It provided me with all sorts of information. Imagine my shock when I found out that the site of the Heaven's Gate last supper was the Marie Calender's I frequent when I am in Carlsbad. Really, this book is a lot of fun. Provides a lot of trivia and gives books like LA Bizzaro and San Francisco Bizzaro a run for the $$$$ and also flip flops all over the state in search for crime scenes and other oddities.
Even if you don't use it as a tour guide and/or never step foot in California, this book will entertain and provide more than a few chuckles.

I've actually been into this sort of thing for years, visiting any local sites associated with the more sensational stories of the San Francisco Bay Area, and there simply isn't a better general guide to cover the many other California stories that are even further away.

I say general because I like to read about many other incidents, even those that are no more than bizarre accidents or forgotten front page stories from the Victorian era. I will determine where those occurred too, and newspapers often publish addresses.

The Southern California people with this book will be green with envy that I have easy access to places they don't, and I feel the same way about their area. I'll just have to wait until I get a chance to visit the Southern parts of this state again.

Among the sites I have gone to here in San Francisco are Jimmy Stewart's Apartment from the 1958 thriller Vertigo, and the apartment house where the Symbionese Liberation Army brainwashed Patty Hearst in the closet in 1974. I had already read Patty's own riveting account of the kidnapping, so that particular site made an even more ominous impression.

The Vertigo site has very relaxed vibes, and the SLA site really unsettling vibes. I even looked into the hallway of the latter and noticed a creepy gun sight like design in the old colored windows. Anyone would notice those while going up the stairs, and that's all the more interesting because the SLA practiced with pellet guns in the bathroom during the three months they were there.

One of the things I like about seeing all these places is that they give a local resident a kind of frame of reference about the neighborhoods. Even most cab drivers won't know the city like those who have this little encyclopedia as they travel around.

I never really paid much attention to some areas before, like the ones associated with rock n roll history in the Haight Ashbury and elsewhere, but now when I hear people talking about many legendary names I have visual references to real places and it's something we can both talk about.

If you'd like to chat about this hobby, send me an e-mail. I'm working on an 1895 San Francisco history book that will also have a generous list of places to visit at the end, and I'll let my fellow time trippers know if the project is ever completed.

Just got back from Arizona- and we used this book extensively as it was easy to read, the maps accurate, and the book is quite entertaining. My 6 year old son stated that the Lava River Cave trail "changed his life" (in a good way). The trail trips turned out to be the highlight of our trip!! The authors advise is excellent and the designation of level of difficulty is on target.

This is it...look no further...

Trail maps and information as well as local business area beta....covers all the well-known hikes and even some of the lesser known...

A must hiking guide for Northern Arizona.

Both Sedona and Flagstaff are covered....the book is stout and put together very well; this sturdiness provides needed protection in your pack!!

As a transplanted Montanan, I don't trust much advice on hiking in Arizona. I thank you for the Favorite Hikes book. I used to hike in the Glacier and Bozeman area but have been out of the action for a few years since moving to Flagstaff and having a baby. I have found this guide to be accurate and reliable when planning hikes with my son and/or dog. Thanks again. Buying this book is the best 10 bucks I ever spent.

Mr. Tillman represents one of the best of the breed of historical novelists; he is well-versed in the historical facts and technological details of his subject matter, yet also has the artistic gift of being able to engage the reader by creating interesting characters caught up in the consequences of tremendously important global events.

Both Dauntless! and Hellcats are superb fictional treatments of what it might have been like to fight and survive the Pacific War as a young US Naval aviator.

I hope that the final episode of the trilogy, Sabrejets, will actually be finished and published; I'll be the first in line to purchase it. (And no, I'm not putting my own hard copies of either Dauntless or Hellcats up for sale on E-bay---they'll stay on my bookshelf for years to come.)

Mr. Tillman, you please keep at it! (and by the way, your non-fiction dissertations on the various aircraft used in the Pacific War are superb as well.)

The intended sequel to "Hellcats" was to be "Sabrejet," completing the Rogers/Sakaida trilogy begun in "Dauntless." The publisher of "Hellcats" lapsed from the military fiction market shortly after publication, but since then has resumed interest in the field. I hope to pursue the Korean War saga and will try to notify this site accordingly.
Thanks to everyone who's expressed interest in "Sabrejet" over the years.
(I'd not bother with a rating of my own book if I could post otherwise!)

A great read for anyone with an interest in World War II aviation. Tillman certainly knows his stuff... Exciting and well written.

I only gave the first book in the trilogy, "Dauntless, the Novel" 4 stars, but "Hellcats" is a full 5 star read. Now, if someone would only publish the third book, "Sabrejets, the Novel" and follow his fascinating main characters into Korea.