The information in this book on many of the plants listed in it is incorrect. If you try to use the names given you will not be able to find them. Cross referece is a must if you intend to use this book in the buisness.

Lots of useful detail about native habitats of hundreds of plants. Many, many photographs. Suggestions for landscape use.

Living in the higher elevations of the Western Mojave Desert presents unique opportunities (read: problems)in landscaping. The full color photos, the environmental requirements, and, especially, the cold tolerance of each plant helped us choose plants which would not only survive, but prosper in our area. Many thanks to the author.

I have had this book for many years and done may of the hikes. It is a great source for the start of the trail but beyond that, you're pretty much on your own.

There are no maps, just had drawn scribbles that seldomly represent the terrain. Be careful to look for the indication of North as it is never to the top of the page as it should.

I just did one of the hikes yesterday, Deaks Bluffs Trail. The book is right on until after the third "Y" in the beggining of the trail but after that, you are totally on your own.

Instead of factual directions or prominate features, the author(s) get way too wordy verging on poetic. Sweet but it doesn't help you in the back country.

Anyone considering this book must realize that the trails contained in this book are serious back country and we pull many people off these mountains banged up, hypothermic and on occassion, dead. I feel that is by and large due to books like this put you in the high country but don't prepare you for whats in store. It doesn't suggest kit or proper clothing. A lovely mountian trail that gets clouded in often means you can't see fifteen feet ahead of you. Visual references are quite important to the less experienced.

It is my opinion that the author(s) should stick to writing "walks" books where the conseqences are less severe.

Excellent hiking guide. Exact, blow-by-blow details for hikes within a weekend of Vancouver. These hikes all have trails. For off-trail hikes, where one navigates through the forest and alpine with a topographic map, compass, and altimeter, and for descriptions of climbing routes, use the book by Bruce Fairley (which is essentially an update of Dick Culbert's "Hiking Guide to Southwest BC"). Culbert's guide is out of print and badly out of date, but IMO a better, more concise guidebook. For instructions on HOW to hike and climb, try "The Complete Walker III" by Colin Fletcher, and on how to climb try "Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills".

I have worn out 3 copies of this book over the year. Very good selection of hikes within a days drive of Vancouver. Good directions to trail heads and acurate time estimates for hike completion.

Tucson resident Gregory McNamee has written some of the best eco-prose about the Southwest, such as _Gila: The Life and Death of an American River_. But this volume was a real disappointment. A collection of essays from Tucson Weekly, North Dakota Quarterly, and other reviews, this book doesn't achieve any sort of meaningful coherence. The large print and brevity (only 161 pages) means that no topic is covered in any depth. The low for me was a glimpse of Howard Hughes, based uncritically on a biography by Michael Drosnin (who has foisted the execrable Bible Code on a gullible public).

This book doesn't give much bang for the buck. Avoid it, and get a paperback copy of _Gila_ instead.

This is my first experience with McNamee's writing, and I thoroughly enjoyed this work. Rarely have I read an environmental work that conveyed so much of the spirit of the Southwest, in such an informative and yet, lighthearted fashion. Here, too, we have blue mountains on the horizon, but they are often obscured by the haze of the the civilization surrounding them. His writing makes me long for the spare uncluttered areas he writes about. It is strange to think of a place where there is so little moisture, since we have so much, yet he makes it come alive.

The guide has a minimum of information on petroglyphs, and I'm not sure that there is much here that will really be useful in the field. It contains more of an overview of what petroglyphs are, and a VERY sketchy view of different categories (different cultures, different methods of making petroglyphs, etc.). I kept being reminded of something I might have been given as a handout in elementary school.

I have two criticisms, one is that I don't really see much information here that will be useful in the field. The other is that the guide is printed on medium-quality paper, and with no plasticizing or water-proofing at all. It will quickly disintegrate when taken into the field, unless you take strong measures to protect it from moisture, dirt, and rough handling. I just don't see much use for it, even at this very low price.

Elizabeth Welsh provides an instructive quick overview ofpetroglyphs and pictographs. Within the the 32 pages of text the bookprovides the bare fundamentals of recoginizing, appreciating andpreserving different forms of southwestern United States rock art. The wallet sized book (lighter than pair of sunglasses) is a must for the day hiker or amatuer acrhaeologist.

"New England" by Vermont chef Molly Stevens is part of a series of six American regional cookbooks published by Williams-Sonoma. (Others are "Pacific Northwest," "California," "The Southwest," "The Heartland," and "The South." Beautiful color photos of the prepared dishes accompany most recipes. What I like most about this cookbook is the emphasis on classic New England cooking: New England Boiled Dinner; Red Flannel Hash; Yankee Pot Roast; Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onion; Lobster Rolls; Steamer Clams with Broth and Drawn Butter; New England Clam Chowder; Baked Beans with Molasses; Blackberry Slump; and Gooseberry Fool.

Chef Stevens updates the traditional Harvard Beets recipe and offers her take on others such as Salt Cod and Potato Cakes (offered with tomato salsa as a starter); and Roast Cod Fillets with Horseradish Dill Sauce (based on a Kennedy family favorite dish). Also, I like these: Shaker Herb Salad and Seafood Grill with Nasturtium Butter.

Nutritional analysis is given, per serving, and there is a food glossary. Some ingredients may be hard-to-find outside of New England though, and no mail-order sources are given. I would also have liked some menus included. However, this cookbook has recipes for year round, and I recommend it for its authenticity and appeal.

Williams Sonoma is perhaps my favorite food store, and I was pleased to see that they came out with a series of books based on the United States regions' cooking and food. I was very interested in the New England book because of that region's specialties. The book looks great and has some very good recepies as well. I was interested in Molly Stevens's treatment of the fishing industry (particularly with codfish), and she does a good (albeit not deep) overview. For those interested in a deeper examination of codfish I recommend Mark Kurlansky's Cod. But I recommend this book for anyone interested in being introduced to the region's food.

I purchased this book in order to plan a 6 week trip to New Mexico and Arizona. If you want a book that will clearly and intelligently tell you about everything in these two states, this is a good option. Unfortunately, this book isn't very helpful in prioritizing sites. For example, I'm sure every single indian pueblo is listed, but it's difficult to tell which ones are worth allocating time to. Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent book, but, if this is your first visit to the area, you will need a more opinionated book to help you sift though the many, many sightseeing options.

I had earlier editions of this book and just loved them. We found the best places to stay, motels and bed and breakfasts that are really special, at a great price. I used this book for planning many trips to the Southwest, for myself and friends, and it was always a great experience. It is the best reference books on places to eat and to stay, phone numbers of attractions etc. You can find every place in the Southwest. However, I would still use another travel guide for more detailed information about e.g. national parks and monuments or specific hiking tips.

This has outstanding recipes along with outstanding insight and advice on purchase, prep and usage along with recipes. He's got some real knockouts, but one that I'll always treasure and you've got to try if you like either: Mango-Cashew Ice Cream.

This book not only helps explain what to do but why. It is written in an organized manner that allows one to read cover to cover or skip around. The seasonal ideas do not have to be followed in that sometimes fall dishes do work in the summer if the feeling is right.

The author is an excellent chef at the Lake Austin Spa and Resort. In his cookbook, he details low fat/low cal recipes he has created and served to the patrons of the resort. He stresses the use of the freshest ingredients (having an extensive kitchen garden at the spa) to enhance the flavor of the dishes. He has compiled a collection of appetizers (such as Texas Caviar); his delectable and fat-free salad dressings; fish, meat and meatless entrees; veggies; and , YES, luscious pies, cakes and other desserts. The food is delicious, healthful, and believe-it-or-not quite filling. Includes tips on how to cut calorie and fat by, for example, making your own baked tortilla chips (super easy and tasty).

Recipes have nutritional content on each. Take home message stressed to spa-goers at Lake Austin Spa and Resort is...portion size, portion size, portion size!

Terry Conlan has taught several cooking classes in my area and I have taken two. His cookbook is an extension that I can have with me at all times. His recipes are tasty and don't taste "low fat". Whoever would have thought that lima beans could have been made into a delicious soup? Even my SON-IN-LAW liked it!

This is a delightful addition to my collection of cookbooks and one that I use often.

If Only!

If only this book had been printed by the National Geographic Society, or Arizona Highways, or somebody who specializes in scenic calendars. The fabulous photos in here deserve top quality printing, and they didn't get it.

However, I heartily recommend this book to all my fellow Hillerman fans, *anyway*, because the essays are great, and the background information on some of the events that inspired scenes in certain of the novels is priceless. If you loved 'A Thief of Time' as much as I did, you'll very much enjoy the descriptions of the actual site that inspired it. Hillerman's 'travelogue' down the Rio Grande is also wonderful.

If you ever read books of Tony Hillerman, be sure to take a look at this book. His love of the state of New Mexico is well known by readers of the Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn Mysteries, but this book is about the overwhelming beauty of the state. The vast open spaces, the silence and the history. This collection of essays together with the outstanding photographs is a must.

I've owned this book for 6 years then loaned it to a friend. Now I'm ordering another. If you don't know the pleasure of chipotles (smoked jalepenos) this book will tell you all and much more. Very informative, good recipes but no lengthy dissertation. This lady knows her reds and greens and will bring a tear of joy to your eye if you need it.

I have lots of cookbooks focused on various kinds of Mexican cooking (Tex-Mex, New-Mex, Cal-Mex, Mex-Mex) but this is one I come back to all the time for dependable, easy and tasty stand-by recipes. Especially noteworthy are the instructions for delicious pinto beans, Chicken Mole Enchiladas, and chili.